Sip kakadeh I – hibiscus tea – in the Khan's
all-night ahwas or dance in a jazz club in hip Agouza.
Lively: Downtown
For a quiet cocktail, go to a civilised hotel bar, or follow Cairene party-lovers to
Midan Orabi for live music till the wee hours and slightly ropey local drinking
dens. Play backgammon in an ahwa – some stay open all night.
Indulge along with locals in this smart area, with its all-night casinos in plush
hotels. Relax on a plump cushion in a riverside bar and smoke a fruity
sheesha pipe. Dress up at the more discerning joints and reserve the best
table – or cushion – in the house.
During the fasting month of Ramadan, no alcohol is served apart from at some
five-star hotels, but the streets of Khan-el-Khalili are alive until dawn with
traditional music recitals. Avoid the sleazy ‘belly dancing'
clubs, which aren't much more than brothels, and watch the show in good
hotels. Locals are living proof that you don't need to be drunk to have a
good time.
Trip through the Khan to Noor el Ain (Light of my Eyes) by heart throb Amr
Diab; stroll by the Nile to Sawah (Wanderer) by the great Abdel Halim Hafez;
undulate your belly to Inte Omri (You Are My Life) by diva Uum Kalsoum.
