DESIGNED TO BE THE PARIS OF THE EAST
Egyptians
love their food, and the center of town offers it in abundance.
There are
cheap chains and independent holes-in-the-wall that have been kept in the
family for generations.
As
millennials and hipsters begin to revive Downtown Cairo with their presence,
you’ll also find some gourmet gems.
DESIGNED TO BE THE PARIS OF THE EAST
A stroll
through the district takes pedestrians past buildings that meld Islamic and
European motifs, neo-classical columns and ornate decorations.
But its
elegance and prestige are fading, as the one-way streets and former palaces
fall into ruin and shops selling cheap clothes and odds and ends have moved in.
DESIGNED TO BE THE PARIS OF THE EAST
Historically a meeting place for the upper crust and intellectuals, it’s no surprise that there are several spots to have a drink in Downtown Cairo.
Don’t expect mixology and million-dollar interiors, though.
The charm of downtown watering
holes is the wear and tear on the historic spaces and the no-frills experiences.
YOUR
COMPLETE INCOMPETENCE AND REFUSAL TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY CLEARLY-WRITTEN
LETTERS SEEKING COMPENSATION DUE – MEANS I WILL NOW STEER ALL MY
ASSOCIATES TO RIVAL CARRIERS
The call
went out for passengers of Flight TK691 to come to the boarding area. Rumors
abounded but there were zero announcements. We ultimately left more than three
hours late. There never was a single announcement and there was no gate agent
for 90 minutes.
Finally,
someone brought water for parched people who had to give up liquids at the
boarding area security check. The gate agent, who never used the speaker, but
talked to a few people one-on-one before hiding for more than an hour – flat
out lied. He said there were across the board 3-hour delays in Istanbul, so
even though we would arrive 3 hours late, we would make our connections.
In flight,
the crew claimed it had no way of checking in on connections – a claim I do not
believe. When we landed in Istanbul, folks learned they had missed about a half
dozen connections to North America, as those flights took off on time – proving
the gate agent who hid and never made a public announcement was lying. This is
the opposite of what I expect from Turkish Airlines. I have told hundreds of
friends that TA combines old world Turkish hospitality with modern aircraft and
the best connections around the world.
When we arrived – at what is one of the largest airports on earth – there was not a single person to help. Hundreds of us walked past passport control, connecting international flights area, visa purchase and more. Some mistakenly exited too soon. Finally, after almost giving up, I found a Turkish Airlines desk.
A female in a TA uniform handed out my boarding
pass and said to get a visa. Because I have visited Turkey many times in the
past few years, I knew about this – but others were confused and given little
information. Once I got my visa, I
walked thousands of feet back to the TA desk – only to be told I wasted my time
and should have gone through passport control and found the TA hotel desk.
I doubled
back, went through the lines, and then exited. There were still dozens of
football field sized parts of the concourse to navigate – without a single TA
employee to help. Finally, I found an area marked Turkish Airlines. They man
took my boarding pass and said to wait. No more information, no sorry, no we’ll
take care of you.
Maybe 15
minutes later, I was given my boarding pass and herded into an area to wait for
a shuttle. The drive spoke Turkish only and kept complaining to the group for
the hour drive. There was no Turkish Air employee on board to tell us where
were we going, what kind of hotel we’d be getting, etc.
Finally, we
reached a Ramada and were checked in and told dinner was set, not off a menu of
choices, at 7 p.m. I was even charged for a simple stomach-settling Sprite when
I wanted it in addition to juice and water provided. We were told at the
airport that we’d be reimbursed for the $30 USD visa, but no one ever came to
the hotel, got on the shuttle back to the airport or was at the gate to help or
give us that money. We also never received a text, email or phone call to
explain.
When the
shuttle arrived at the airport at noon Sunday March 14, I realized my ticket (for
Flight TA 77 IST-MIA) was far back in coach. I had paid $109 to upgrade to a legroom
seat – but lost all value of that by being seated in the back. By being delayed
a day – 100% the fault of TA for leaving Cairo 3+ hours late, my wife, who uses
a wheelchair for mobility, had to hire a personal care attendant to watch after
her for two shifts on March 14 – at a total cost of $66 USD.
I tipped the
hotel waiter for dinner and breakfast and the maid with Lira left in my room.
The total, plus the sprite, is about 60 TRY + 60 TRY I spent at the airport on
a bottle of water and pizza – fearing that I better line my stomach in case we
would once again be 3 or more hours late taking off and trapped with zero
provisions after security (like it was in Cairo). So that’s the equivalent of about $18.50
USD.
I understand
weather and other circumstances delay flights. What I cannot comprehend is how
my once-beloved Turkish Airlines dropped the ball so much on customer service –
at both Cairo and Istanbul Airports. There were hundreds of TA employees around
– why couldn’t dozens of them deployed to keep us informed with honest
information (Cairo) and precise directions (Istanbul)?
At a
minimum, I am due: $30 for Turkish Visa, $109 for seat upgrade lost when flight
forced to next day (Turkish Airlines at fault for delay), $66 for my wife’s
care and $18.50 for food, beverage and tip associated with the one-day delay in
departure. That is $223.50 for pure reimbursement, calculating in nothing for
the time I have spent gathering figures and composing this letter.
To truly be
the elite air carrier it claims to be, TA should refund the $223.50 + double
that amount in a voucher valid for future travel, once it is safe to fly post
pandemic.
DESIGNED TO BE THE PARIS OF THE EAST
Downtown is a shared meeting point for Cairenes of every age and socioeconomic background.
Built in the late 19th century, Downtown Cairo is still home to architectural gems from Egypt’s ‘belle epoque’ and streets designed with pedestrians in mind.
The area has become a lot more crowded, especially
among the city’s younger citizens, who head there to eat, shop and visit art
spaces and cinemas.
DESIGNED TO BE THE PARIS OF THE EAST
Downtown Cairo is haunted by fading classics such as Café Riche, which opened in 1908 and has been a meeting place for intellectuals and revolutionaries.
Downtown’s cafes witnessed many historically significant events over the 20th century.
Patrons
included the iconic Egyptian Nobel Prize winner and novelist Naguib
Mahfouz and the then-future president Gamal Abdel Nasser.
DESIGNED TO BE THE PARIS OF THE EAST
Downtown
Cairo was once home to the prosperous elite of late 19th and early 20th century.
It is a
relic of a bygone era — Egypt's belle epoque and demonstrates the vision
for developing Egypt.
Decades of
neglect by the neighborhood's landlords and tenants have left the splendor of many its ornate edifices mired in decay.
