The Ups and Downs of Cairo

Here’s the lay of the land as seen from the top of the Cairo Tower, for many years the tallest building in Africa at one hundred and eighty seven metres though there’s now one taller in Johannesburg.  You can see Tahrir Square, with it’s grassy roundabout, to the right of the Nile Hilton which is centre foreground with blue signage on top.   The pink building, slightly obscured to its left, is the Egyptian Museum.   Half of its dome is blocked out by a tall burned building which is the former HQ of Mubarak’s National Democratic Party, torched during the climax of the revolution on 25th January 2011.   Just out of frame to the left is 6th October Bridge which is often the scene of fighting and the bridge in frame to the right carries El Tahrir Street from Dokki where we stay, less than 10 minutes ride away.