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Cairo Orientation



Orientation

Greater Cairo consists of two metropolitan governorates: Cairo , on the east bank of the Nile, and Giza , across the river. The River Nile ( Bahr el-Nil, or simply El-Nil) is the prerequisite of their existence and fundamental to basic orientation. Bear in mind that it flows northwards through the city, so that "downriver" means north, and "upriver" south, a reversal of the usual associations. The city's waterfront is dominated by the islands of Gezira and Roda and the bridges that connect them to the Corniche (embankment) on either side of the Nile. There are four major divisions of the city:

? Central Cairo spreads inland to the east of the islands. Its downtown area - between Ezbekiya Gardens and Midan Tahrir - bears the stamp of Western planning, as does Garden City , the embassy quarter further south. At the northern end of central Cairo (beyond the downtown area) lies Ramses Station , the city's main train terminal. Most of the banks, airlines, cheap hotels and tourist restaurants lie within this swathe of the city.

? Further east sprawls Islamic Cairo , encompassing Khan el-Khalili bazaar, the Gamaliya quarter within the Northern Walls , and the labyrinthine Darb al-Ahmar district between the Bab Zwayla and the Citadel . Beyond the latter spread the eerie Cities of the Dead - the Northern and Southern Cemeteries.

? The Southern Cemetery and the populous Saiyida Zeinab quarter merge into the rubbish tips and wasteland bordering the ruins of Fustat and the Coptic quarter of Old Cairo , further to the south. From there, a ribbon of development follows the metro out to Ma'adi , Cairo's plushest residential suburb, and Helwan , the city's heaviest industrial centre. Except for stylish Heliopolis , the northern suburbs likewise hold little appeal for visitors.

? Across the river on the west bank , the residential neighbourhoods of Aguza and Dokki

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aren't as smart as nearby Mohandiseen or the high-rise northern end of Gezira island, known as Zamalek . The Imbaba district, just to the northeast, was once notable for its weekly camel market , but this has now moved slightly further out to Bil'esh. The dusty expanse of Giza (which lends its name to the west bank urban zone) is enlivened by Cairo Zoo and the nightclub-infested Pyramids Road leading to the Pyramids of Giza .


mr

abdulrahman says "travel by bus from cairo to saudi arabia"

MG Stables

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MG Stables: 012 311 2582 this is Osama's personal cell phone number and he looks forward to your call."

hello

sam says "hello to mg stables i miss mg horse and i love ool in mg "

thinkis

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dr

amr waguih says "my current phone no. is 0101642140"


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10/14/2008 12:23:08 AM