Cairo
Monday, June 21, 2010
Author:geralyn shukwit
I seek to photograph the world as it appears before me - the obvious, the hidden and all that comes into view. Raised in the Detroit area, I moved to Brooklyn in 1998 taking New York City on with a bicycle, passion and my camera. You can follow along on my journey at http://journey.eyemaze.net
Introduction
I dream of travel and when the opportunity to go to Cairo presented itself, I was all over it, even if it was only for a few days. I feel this was the preview to a much longer visit in the future. A quick visit to a place I've only known through a friend's stories and the school books of years ago. I studied the tourist books to educate myself and understand what we were going to see, and we saw a lot of it. But once there, I really just wanted to wander the streets to experience the life not presented in the books. Of course, we only had 3 days. We were going to see as much as we could and take it all in. We sure did. Still months later, I look at the photos and I am amazed by the world we saw so briefly.
The first day we wandered through Coptic Cairo and then we went off into the city, made a quick left at the first road full of kids and small businesses. A smile comes across my face. Turns out no matter where you are, when kids see a camera, they smile and become performers for the lens. It was beautiful. Another turn of the corner and we came across an auto repair shop, no jack to lift the car, so they just flipped it on it's side. Three men with opinions on repairs, one working away while the others watched, always the same. I wished we could have walked on forever, but it was hot, and our map was useless as no one used maps - they understood English but when they looked at the maps, their eyes glazed over and just pointed to someone else who might know. They didn't either.
So these photographs are just a few from our wandering through the city, from the window of the tour van, from the far too brief adventure into a very different and beautiful world called Cairo.
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THE FIRST HELLO / OUTSIDE OF COPTIC CAIRO
The first smile we came across as we adventured outside of the tourist area. Happiness.
Photograph by geralyn shukwit / © geralyn shukwit. All Rights Reserved.
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LIFE / OUTSIDE OF COPTIC CAIRO
A back alley way off the small side road, where life is lived.
Photograph by geralyn shukwit / © geralyn shukwit. All Rights Reserved.
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RUG MAKER / OUTSIDE OF COPTIC CAIRO
A small room filled with two looms, weaving rags into rugs. He was very generous and allowed me inside to photograph anything and everything.
Photograph by geralyn shukwit / © geralyn shukwit. All Rights Reserved.
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HELLO / OUTSIDE OF COPTIC CAIRO
One of the many children we came across outside of Coptic Cairo. The smile on his face and interest in the camera was wonderful. His mother standing off to the side slightly embarrassed by his want for exposure.
Photograph by geralyn shukwit / © geralyn shukwit. All Rights Reserved.
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STOREFRONT / OUTSIDE OF COPTIC CAIRO
Pottery is for sale along most roads, as beautiful as they were there was no way for me to get anything home. I loved the beauty of the space, the yellow door leading to used tires, the blue table, and the radio with the cord stretched high.
Photograph by geralyn shukwit / © geralyn shukwit. All Rights Reserved.
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BUTCHER / OUTSIDE OF COPTIC CAIRO
The meat boycott was still in effect while we were in Cairo, most of the butchers were empty, everyone waiting...
Photograph by geralyn shukwit / © geralyn shukwit. All Rights Reserved.
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AUTO REPAIR / OUTSIDE OF COPTIC CAIRO
The auto shop we came across while wandering aimlessly near Coptic Cairo.
Photograph by geralyn shukwit / © geralyn shukwit. All Rights Reserved.
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LAUNDRY TIME / GIZA
Along El Maryouteya Rd. on our way to Saqqara.
Photograph by geralyn shukwit / © geralyn shukwit. All Rights Reserved.
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THE CITY OF THE DEAD / CAIRO
Inside the Northern Cemetery where the poor and homeless have moved in as caretakers to the tombs.
Photograph by geralyn shukwit / © geralyn shukwit. All Rights Reserved.
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KHAN EL KHALILI- BAZAAR / ISLAMIC CAIRO
Wandering through the bazaar, still regretting not buying a few things.
Photograph by geralyn shukwit / © geralyn shukwit. All Rights Reserved.
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KHAN EL KHALILI- BAZAAR / ISLAMIC CAIRO
The streets of the bazaar.
Photograph by geralyn shukwit / © geralyn shukwit. All Rights Reserved.
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ALONG THE ROAD / CAIRO
Along the road as we sat in traffic. Unfinished buildings are everywhere in Cairo - taxes are only instilled upon completion - so most will never be finished.
Photograph by geralyn shukwit / © geralyn shukwit. All Rights Reserved.
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Displaying 0 Comments
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Added Fri, Jul 30, 2010 - 12:04 am by TL Bradley
Congrats on the feature. This is wonderful.
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Added Fri, Jul 16, 2010 - 09:28 am by Victor Acquah
One of the goals of African Lens is to serve as a platform of advocacy - for stories that need to be told. This is one of them. Hopefully, this story will generate enough interest to spur more action / help towards the street kids here.
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Added Fri, Jul 02, 2010 - 04:17 am by Thomas
What a beautiful report story !! Congratulation for your job.
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Added Tue, Jun 15, 2010 - 01:02 pm by Marcello
This is an awesome Photo story! Thanks for sharing it, currently only watched the photos, but definitely wanna read it!
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