25 April - 1 May 2002
Issue No.583
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 25 April - 1 May 2002 Issue No.583 |
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Feasting al fresco
Whether under the name of Coptic Easter or Sham Al-Nessim, the Egyptian Spring Holiday has been celebrated since Pharaonic times with a feast of Easter cakes, salted fish (fisikh), coloured eggs and fresh greens -- especially lettuce and spring onions -- and a green space to eat them in. Jenny Jobbins runs a ring round Cairo in search of picnic spots
When everyone in Cairo flocks into the open at once, there isn't enough grass to go round. The central strip along the airport road, the Corniche and every available roundabout are packed with families enjoying their annual picnic. For the rest of us there are clubs, open air restaurants, Heliopolis's Merryland Gardens, the Mohamed Ali Club or the zoo. And all these will be packed on Monday 6 May.However, it's still possible to find a green patch of your own within a couple of hours' drive from town. In a clockwise direction, starting due north, are the Barrages, where there are places to walk and relax and horses to ride. The Nile Barrages were built early in the 19th century by Mohamed Ali, and have long been a favourite shady area for promenading. It is pleasant to be near the river, and there is generally a breeze.
It used to be the practice at the Spring Festival for the populace to gather on the banks to cast flowers into the water to propitiate the Nile in the coming flood season. But since this ritual has long died out, we can make our way to points removed from the river -- that is, we can make the first of our diversions off the roughly north-south axis.
Northwest is the road to Ismailia, which has wonderful air and open spaces and several hotels and restaurants. Continuing round the clock is Fayed on the banks of the Canal, which again has agreeable gardens. East of the city, of course, is Suez and the Canal. If you have never lazed on the banks watching a convoy pass through this could be the time to do it, and even if you miss the convoy schedule there is always a breeze and a pleasant stroll in the Canal gardens.
South of Suez is Ain Sukhna, where you can spend the day on the beach or rent a hotel cabana for day use -- since it's a holiday, it's wise to book ahead. Ain Sukhna always used to be famous for its evening dolphin shows, although the fleet of boats now hovering offshore might make them more wary and harder to spot. Don't forget to pack a tube of sunscreen with your picnic -- if this is your first foray onto the beach this season you had better take care.
Back to the clock. The hand might next point to the Petrified Forest, near Maadi. It might not be traditional, but you can make sure of avoiding the crowds by heading into the desert. The Petrified Forest has sadly been much changed of late and the forests of standing tree trunks still visible two decades ago have fallen and been broken up, but there are still many segments of fossilised wood lying in the sand.
The entrance to the Petrified Forest Protected Area is on the left hand side of the road about two kilometres past the toll booth on the road from Maadi to Ain Sukhna. Removing pieces of the wood contravenes the Egyptian Antiquities Law of 1983.
Wadi Digla is a favourite spot for hikers, bikers, and groups ranging from the Boy Scouts to the Hash House Harriers, but there is more than enough space for privacy even on a public holiday. The sea swept in and out of northern Egypt as far as well south of Cairo several times over the course of the aeons and finally withdrew 35 or 49 million years ago, leaving in its wake many fossils. Amateur geologists will have fun here hunting for crystals and fossilised shells, especially for the numerous little nummulites which cover the ground like rusty iron coins. None of the fossils, of course, should be removed. To reach Wadi Digla, take Road 216 from Digla and follow the blue signs to the Wadi Digla Protectorate.
We are now due south of Cairo city centre. If you can't drag yourself away from the communal festivity in the city, then gather up a bunch of friends, head for the Maadi Corniche just north of the Grand Café, hire a fellucca (sailing boat) and drift upstream with your picnic basket. Expect to pay a little more on the holiday than the customary LE5 per hour, and don't forget a tip for the driver.
The Giza Pyramids, being so close to Cairo, are going to be much too crowded for comfort on a public holiday. But if you carry on to Saqqara you might be able to enjoy some privacy, as well as honing up on your Ancient Egyptian history. Take sun protection, a good guide book and plenty of water. On the way towards Saqqara you will pass the Restaurant Al-Ae'zba, which serves the traditional Sham Al-Nessim breakfast described above.
Further south in Dahshur you can probably find a quiet spot near the lake to picnic near the lake, and the little children who might crowd round you on any other day will most likely be occupied with their families on this special occasion and leave you in peace. The lake is shallow at this time of year, but is surrounded by greenery and a favourite place for birds.
Fayoum, again, will be crowded with holidaymakers, but the Wadi Rayan Protected Area -- as long as you steer clear of the Waterfall -- is so vast and empty that you'll have no trouble in having a day to yourselves. Whale Valley is a great place to explore but don't forget the rules of the park and leave any fossils where you find them.
We are moving round the clock, but there are few places of interest east of Cairo and the desert is so flat you might reach Bahariya before you find any privacy or shade. As for the Wadi Natroun monasteries, these are closed to the public at Easter.
So if you want some bonhomie and human contact on the holiday, there are many pleasant and relatively uncrowded green spots. But you will be closer to nature if you do the opposite of what everyone else is doing and head for the desert. That is where you will enjoy the natural world at its best.
Whether under the name of Coptic Easter or Sham Al-Nessim, the Egyptian Spring Holiday has been celebrated since Pharaonic times with a feast of Easter cakes, salted fish (fisikh), coloured eggs and fresh greens -- especially lettuce and spring onions -- and a green space to eat them in. Jenny Jobbins runs a ring round Cairo in search of picnic spots
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