Cairo Rediscovered

It is perhaps spring fever that pushed me to clean some of my boxes full of pictures. I came across a few prints from a trip to Cairo. This was a second trip in the early 2000, and I have posted some pictures from my previous trip here: http://liveingray.blogspot.com/2014/04/cairo-as-i-remember.html

I recall using a 1970s Nikon F2 and a 1960s Nikkor-Q Auto135mm lens. And this roll was developed in Cairo during my trip as I had promised friends to leave some pictures to them. Although it was before the digital age, even then some folks were not patient enough for me to return and spend weeks in my darkroom to get a picture just right!

I decided to post these as some frames do capture a time that has truly passed and changed.

This is how I recall, while growing up, the art of cleaning carpets. A couple times a year people used to hang their Persian carpets from the balcony railing to let the sun clean any unwanted growth in the wool or silk piles. More importantly, there were tennis racquet-like wicker tools that were used to beat the carpets and take the dust out. I recall doing this as a kid and wondering how the neighbors below our balcony felt…

I spotted this man painting a room on one of these tall, multi-apartments buildings. The old Nikkor-Q did its job and I love the light bulb hanging from the ceiling. No shade, no fanfare. And the man resting his left foot on the railing….

These two are from the Antiquities Museum. I do not recall taking this picture but it shows the heat of the day. More, the posture of this exhausted young man is worth comparing to the proud standing of the statues on the façade of the building.

I do however recall this picture as I had printed this upon return in my darkroom and enlarged it. It was late afternoon at the Museum of Antiquities when an explosion was heard and soon smoke showed up less than a mile away atop the buildings.  In this picture the smoke can be seen in the distance between the opening of the tall gates and people looking at it. What makes this picture interesting is that if today an explosion and smoke were experienced in Cairo, I will assume that the Museum guard will not just try to hold on to the gate so casually, nor I would think he will be just wearing well ironed trousers and a bucolic beret!!!   I recall that the smoke was from an inconsequential fire and all returned to normal n half an hour.

Finally a picture of the city from a distance, at dusk. One can feel the humidity and dusty air over and around the skyline.

… I have not been back to Cairo since this last trip. But I do think that one would see changes in the places and people’s attitudes if the same pictures were taken today.

April 19, 2016

©Vahé A. Kazandjian, 2015