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Al-Ahram Weekly 22 - 28 April 1999 Issue No. 426 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 22 - 28 April 1999 Issue No. 426
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Profile Special Travel Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Travel web
By Rehab Saad
Informative but wanting
Focus On-Line magazine has produced an interesting and informative site, but one not as comprehensive or as accurate as it could be. The magazine is geared to the countries of the Mediterranean, and Egypt forms a big part of the site.
the link will be opened in a new window
On opening up, the golden mask of Tutankhamun appears on the right-hand side of the screen and the magazine logo on the left. The front page provides a brief summary about Egypt Ð including its history and status in Africa and the Middle East Ð followed by the site's contents including general information, the different regions, tourism, hotels, cuisine, music and maps.
The section that provides general information presents Egypt's civilisation in chronological order from Neolithic times through the Pre-dynastic and Archaic periods, the Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom, Second Intermediate (Hyksos) period, New Kingdom, Late Period, Persian, Greek and Roman periods.
The second (regional) section is somewhat disappointing because it is divided only into Cairo and Alexandria. Why the many other regions of Egypt, including Luxor and Aswan, should have been left out is a pitfall of the web site, although what is said about Cairo and Alexandria is extremely interesting and useful.
The writer talks about Cairo as the foremost capital on the African continent, lying at the centre of trade routes leading to and from the capitals of Asia, Africa and Europe.
"In Cairo, the capital of Egypt, you will never, not even for a moment, feel a lonely traveller. In fact, you will enjoy travelling through time, from one period to another, exhilarated by the history of those who remained immortal, though their bodies were laid to rest thousands of years ago," says the writer.
All the famous landmarks of Cairo are displayed; the Pharaonic sites like the pyramids of Giza, Memphis and Saqqara, and Christian sites such as the Hanging Church, and the churches of Saint Barbara and Saint Mina. There is also a fine display of Islamic monuments, like the Mosque of Mohamed Ali, the Citadel and Al-Azhar. Each is enhanced by excellent photos of Pharaonic reliefs, ancient sites and Christian icons.
Cairo Opera House, the Cairo International Conference Centre, Cairo Tower, the Son et Lumiere performances, different museums, as well as parks are all featured, with phone and fax numbers provided in case further information is needed.
Shopping in Cairo? Yes, there's information about that, too. However, the writer concentrated only on Khan Al-Khalili and Khiyamiyya in the medieval city, and Kerdasa bazaar in Giza. It is unfortunate that he ignored all the modern shopping facilities in the city, especially since Egyptian leather goods, cotton fabrics and the like are of interest to people in other countries.
Included in this section are 'fast facts' about Cairo: local transportation, weather, visas and distances. As a matter of fact though, they are a bit too fast, as I would rather have had fuller information about the city.
The section on Alexandria is attractive, with the photos of the winding Corniche and different monuments from the Graeco-Roman and Islamic periods. The site gives a brief history of Alexandria, the second largest city in Egypt and the main port, and describes it as one of the most notable summer resorts in the Middle East.
Historical sites like Pompey's pillar, the Roman amphitheatre, the catacombs of Kom Al-Shokafa, Qaitbay fort, the mosque of Mursi Abul-Abbas, Montazah Palace and the Royal Jewellery Museum are shown, as well as information about sites that can be visited near Alexandria: King Maryut, Abu Mina, Borg Al-Arab, Alamein and Sidi Abdel-Rahman to the west, and details of the accommodation available in these destinations.
I also found it useful that the Alexandria section concludes with details of transportation to and from the city, either by bus or train. But I feel that the information needs to be updated; all the telephone numbers of stations mentioned are no longer in use. Also, the bus terminal has not been in Ramleh station for some time.
As for the section on tourism, this is divided into five parts: oases, Christian monuments, Minya, Assiut and Sohag. I found that a bit surprising, and lacking, because no mention was made of such well-known tourist destinations as Sinai and the Red Sea coast for example. Furthermore, the first two sections, the oases and Christian monuments, are very brief, whereas the sections devoted to Minya, Sohag and Assiut (which are still not recommended destinations for the general traveller) are much more informative.
Most of Egypt's hotels are also mentioned with their addresses and phone numbers.
http://home.vicnet.net.au/~focus/egypt/eg_anamn.htm
