The second evening, I went for a walk along The Nile. No too far. Just along the east bank, up to the Qasr Al-Nil Bridge and back. Getting across the street was interesting. The pedestrians from the first day made it look so easy. I had no idea that, although I am experienced using timing to get across D.C. area streets, I found that these Cairo drivers use timing in order to evade pedestrians. And they pass you very closely.
For me, who was unaware of Cairo drivers timing me, while I was timing them, made crossing a bit more treacherous. I quickly learned that crossing into traffic is not unlike a game of chicken. If you fearlessly cross, the traffic will slow and/or stop, but you must still be courteous and wait for a good opportunity. As much as you have places to go, so do they.
Once I crossed the streets of El Galaa and Nile Corniche, I walked along the waterfront. The were people everywhere, horse drawn carriages, hot food and treats prepared by cart vendors, and riverboat captains enticing the crowd to take a tour on their open air boats with loud techno-arabic music and multicolor neon lights.
I turned back at the Qasr Al Nile bridge, and when I returned to cross the intersection of El Galaa and Nile Corniche, I looked up and noticed the trestled expressways of the 6th of October bridge, and found stairs leading up to the bridge. I also saw stairs leading down from the bridge on the other side. I thought maybe crossing the bridge may be better.
Well, I was dead wrong. The cars were mush faster, and I felt the pedestrian street rules did not apply. Plus, it was night, which would make it difficult for drivers to see me early. For some stupid reason, I decided to cross anyway.
Finding an opening took a while, and I was only able to cross one direction of traffic. And that's when I saw him. There was a homeless man walking against the traffic I just crossed. His pace was not much slower than that of a snail, and with a cane. He was actually walking the median, but in a traffic lane, and had cars, in what would be considered the fast lane, slowing and stoppig near him as he panned for money. The thought crossed my mind to help him get across, but I quickly changed my mind as I noticed he was doing much better on the highway than I was.
I found an opening, and continued across the bridge and down the stairs only to discover that my near death experience did not get me across either El Galaa or Nile Corniche. But after my near death experience on the 6th of October freeway, I found crossing El Galaa and Nile Corniche to be a piece of cake.
29 April 2015
The next morning, from my balcony overlooking the 6th of October freeway, and the streets of El Galaa (in front of the hotel, parallel to 6th of October freeway) and Nile Corniche, I filmed this short video chronicling my harrowing crossing.
During the video, I make an unusual observation that I'm still alive. Believe me, I'm happy to be alive. The night before was exciting and stupid.
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