To say that Cairo is chaotic and overwhelming is an understatement. Noisy, crowded, dirty, aggressive, claustrophobic, and intrusive all apply to this city that's home to 20 million people--1/3 of Egypt's entire population. From the moment we stepped out of our hostel on the first day, we felt as if we'd entered a different world. Here the streets are shared by taxis, pedestrians, stray cats, donkey carts, motorcycles, and tour buses. Most everything is written in Arabic, so finding something as simple as a cafe proves tricky. Policemen in crisp white uniforms stand around with big guns at gates and bridges; just what they're guarding is never quite clear. Garbage and rubble lines the sidewalks, which is largely ignored by the population. The buildings are tall, all brick and concrete and the color of the desert,
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