On April 14, 1901 Karl wrote a letter that was published in the Montreal Star newspaper sharing his observations and experiences in Egypt. The headline of the article was: Creelman in Cairo: He hobnobs with the ancient Egyptian Kings, pays his respects to the sphinx and enjoys the alluring attractions of the bazaars.
Karl writes: “Cairo, the capital of modern Egypt, is a city of a quarter of a million people, about 50,000 of whom are Europeans, of different nationalities. It covers 10 square miles, or more and extends from Mount Mokattam to Bouloc (the port of Cairo), and to one going up the river Nile, it is situated on the left bank, not far above the head of the Delta.
After a few enquiries of people who have resided in Cairo for a number of years, I learned that the city is built on the remains of 3 or 4 older cities, built between the years 600A.D and 1000 A.D.
The first one was called Al-Fustat under muslim rule in AD641. Then overtaken by the Abbasid dynasty, the capital was moved a little way to the north-east of al-Askar. The 3rd city was started by Ahmad ibn Tulun the founder of the Tulunid dynasty that ruled Egypt in 868, not far from El-Askar and was named Al-Qata'i. No more great changes were made until 969, when some General laid the foundation of a great palace, which was the means whereby another suburb was started named al-Qahira.
These different villages grew into towns and then into cities, and after a time they all became as one city and it was given the name of “Cairo”. An Arab writer says: He who hath not seen Cairo hath not seen the world: her soil is gold, her Nile is a marvel; her women are like the black-eyed hours of Paradise; her houses are palaces; and her air is soft, more odorous than aloes-wood, rejoicing the heart. And how can Cairo be otherwise when she is the Mother of the World?".
Today, Cairo is a bustling metropolis, boasting a population of 10 million, while the greater Cairo metropolitan area swells with over 22 million residents. Dear reader, let me share my experience of Cairo, which left me utterly overwhelmed after coming straight from Delhi! It wasn't just the sheer number of people or the urban density; it was the insane traffic that defined navigating the city, whether by vehicle or on foot.
Walking in Cairo is no leisurely stroll. Scarce sidewalks provide limited options to get around this historic city, and walking itself becomes a dangerous venture, risking life and limb. Picture this: cars, taxis, horse carriages adorned with flashing psychedelic lights, motorcycles, and locals navigating the chaos with a nonchalant attitude, some almost daring fate on roller skates. Sidewalks are a rarity, and the risks of walking in Cairo extend beyond mere inconvenience.
There are no traffic lights, or cross walks, just blind faith that if you step out to cross the road the cars won't completely stop, but they will slow enough not to hit you. No where is this more pronounced than at Tahrir square the site of many demonstrations in Egypt which informed its future. It’s not a square at all but a roundabout with 6 lanes of traffic, resembling a real-life game of "Frogger."
According to the World Health Organization, almost one-third of road fatalities in Egypt are pedestrians, equating to 700 people are killed each year while crossing streets in Cairo alone. The death rate among pedestrians is increasing and overall about 12,000 Egyptians lose their lives as a result of a road traffic accident and over 50,000 are non-fatally injured with some resulting long-term disability. The WHO’s Global Status Report on Road Safety ranked Egypt as a country with one of the highest rates of mortality due to road traffic crashes. A recent study published other contributing statistics documenting how less than 20% of drivers wear seatbelts and often the front seat passengers are children who are also not using a seatbelt.
All this to say dear reader, that my wandering around Cairo was limited, but in pursuit of Karl, I was brave and next week I’ll take you to the Citadel.
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