Well we just got back from watching the Egypt vs. Algeria game in a local qahua (coffee/shisha shop). We wanted to get a more authentic Egyptian experience so we chose a more "shaabi" (meaning "local") place, and we definitely got what we asked for. We all crammed into this small smoke-filled room full of men (there were maybe 3 women outside of our group) who were constantly banging drums and chanting. It was impossible to see the small tv, so I only knew what was going on by the crowd's reaction. And boy did they react. All I can say is that those men were very emotionally involved in what was going on. Anyway, Misr won!! And then all hell broke loose on the streets. There were crowds of men with flags, lots of fire, cars speeding around with people hanging out of the trunks...At one point we crossed into a traffic circle and these 5 cars kept speeding around and around the circle honking and waving their flags, so it was impossible for us to get out (eventually we had to get Ali to walk out and stop traffic for us). We were finally able to find taxis, and took a very circuitous route to get back home, but there was still soo much traffic and dare I say it but the driving in Egypt was actually WORSE than it usually is (I didn't think that was possible). At one point, our taxi driver actually sped up into the crowd of people on the street so that two of them fell onto the hood of our car! He drove in zig zags for a while trying to throw them off, and we all gasped, but then our driver laughed and explained that the men on the hood were "ashaab" (his friends).
This blog post was interrupted by a half hour chanting match/dance party with the other girls on my floor.
Can't wait for the next match!
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