Tourism.

Egypt tourism industry is battling to recover from what the tourism minister has described as its "worst year in modern history", after millions of tourists were put off visiting Egyptian resorts and heritage sites in 2013 by reports of civil unrest.

The industry made £3.6bn in 2013, compared with £7.7bn in its record year of 2010, before the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak and led to three years of political instability. Only 9.5 million tourists stayed in Egypt's hotels in 2013, against 14.7 million in 2010, according to the tourism minister, Hisham Zaazou.

The ministry will soon be hiring a new staff that includes younger people to revive the sector. The government also plans to work with the foreign ministry to launch offices abroad to promote tourism in Egypt.

References

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/10/egypts-tourist-resorts-ghost-towns

Traditional Dishes

• Aish - Aish is the Egyptian traditional pocket bread similar to pita bread. It is made by mixing wheat flour, water and salt then baked.
• Baba Ghanoush - Made from grilled eggplant that is peeled then mashed and mixed with tahini (see below), lemon juice, salt, pepper, parsley, cumin and dressed with olive oil. This dip has a smoky flavor and is best served with pita bread.
• Bram rice - Rice made with milk which is stuffed with chicken liver.
• Fatta - a garlic and white vinegar flavored meat soup served with rice. Traditionally a Nubian dish, Fatta is usually prepared on special occasions such as weddings, a woman's first pregnancy (baby shower) and as the main meal during the Eid al-Adha religious festival.
• Kofta - Sometimes called Kefta, these are spiced meatballs (looking more like small sausages than balls) often served on a skewer.
• Tehina salad - This salad is made by mixing sesame butter, chickpeas, vinegar, lemon juice, pepper, cumin, parsley, and olive oil.
• Torly - Baked squash, potatoes, carrots, onions, and tomato sauce served on a tray to make a meal.

                                                

References

http://www.egypt.cl/typical-food.htm

Vacations

The capital of Egypt

Cairo is a vibrant, exhilarating, exotic, fascinating and welcoming city. Home to the best Paranoiac, Coptic and Islamic sights in Egypt, this city is where you never know what incredible, half-forgotten monument you might stumble across while wandering around. 

Sharm El Sheikh

With sunshine and warm waters all year round, Sharm El Sheikh is the closest destination to Europe where you can soak up sun, dive amazing corals reefs, and enjoy the sea any time you need a break from routine. 

References

http://www.egypt.travel/city/index/sharm-el-sheikh

http://www.egypt.travel/city/index/cairo

Resorts

THE GREAT PYRAMIDS OF GIZA

No pyramids are more celebrated than the Great Pyramids of Giza, located on a plateau on the west bank of the Nile River, on the outskirts of modern-day Cairo. The oldest and largest of the three pyramids at Giza, known as the Great Pyramid, is the only surviving structure out of the famed seven wonders of the ancient world.

Temple of Luxor

Luxor was an important political and religious center since it was part of the ancient city of Thebes, the capital of Egypt. The Temple of Luxor, located near the banks of the Nile, was dedicated to the veneration of Amon. 

Restaurants

AL TAZAJ Restaurants

The first Al Tazaj restaurant proudly opened its doors in the holy city of Makkah in 1989 The idea started by Sheik Abdulrahman Fake who owns Fakieh poultry farm in Saudi since 50 years ago, his wife used to cook for him a small farouj chicken because the meat of the small chicken is very tender and delicious, also by using the very traditional Arabian recipe which it make the test of the farouj became even more delicious just like what we have right now in our restaurant. So the idea came to Sheik Abdulrahman to open a fast food restaurant and serve the same BBQ. fresh Chicken. From then onwards, it’s been nothing but a success story because  Al Tazaj uses live poultry from Fakieh poultry farm and now Al Tazaj currently serves its fresh barbequed chicken in more than 100 locations making us the 1st national  fast food chain in the middle east. From here, international Group transferred the idea to Yemen to enable Yemeni people to enjoy this delicious and fresh taste with our incomparable services and quality of meals.

Arabesque

A one of a kind resto-bar, Arabesque is a fusion-inspired mecca of Turkish & Middle-Eastern cuisine. Blending elegantly themed interiors and a unique ambience, Arabesque aspires to be your choice for a fun filled family meal, a quiet romantic dinner, relaxing after work drinks and Meze or even some scrumptious takeaway. Situated on the Carre Street in Melbourne’s Elsternwick, our Mezze style of dining encourages a sharing environment. Positioned as a modern hub with traditional influences, we have quickly grown not only as a vibrant restaurant but also as a mainstay in the bustling nightlife of Melbourne.

A fine Ottoman cuisine, perfectly describes the menu at Arabesque. We offer an exotic array of fresh, delicately balanced dishes that draw on traditional Turkish, Moroccan, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean influences. As is customary, the dishes are designed for sharing. 

Taste of Egypt Mediterranean cuisine

Taste Of Egypt is a fine dining, Mediterranean restaurant. The name ‘Taste Of Egypt’ does not only refer to the flavor of the food but also the decor, music and the complete cultural experience.

We specialize in fine Egyptian (Mediterranean) Cuisine. Middle Eastern foods are rich in flavor but not spicy unless our guests want to indulge in our spicy hot sauce. Our food is all halal. Our fresh juice blends and smoothies are one of our chef’s specialties and the presentation often leaves our guests taking pictures.

Ehab and Paula Radwan decided to open Taste of Egypt with two separate visions in mind. Ehab wanted to share his culture and cuisine with Canada while Paula wanted to help boost tourism in her city. This husband and wife team comes together with their separate visions achieving a wonderful dining experience.

Felfela Restaurante

Egypt has many restaurants in various cities, the most important thing is the Felfela restaurant, this restaurant is located in the center of Cairo and is visited by many tourists so it is a good plan to go out to dinner with your family and friends, this restaurant is the best on Egypt.

The Restaurant Felfela offers typical food of cairo as rice, lentils, chickpeas, pasta and onion, these foods are grown on farms owned restaurant, also in this restaurant selling food from around the world as hamburgers, hot and baking soda to dogs. Food is of excellent quality, fresh and clean. the main dish is chicken sandwich or meat.

Restaurate decor goes according to Egyptian culture, with papyrus and pictures on the walls, lamps on tables and Egyptian figures, is a very elegant and romantic atmosphere. in this restaurant the atmosphere is quiet with Egyptian music during lunch.

The prices are the best in the cairo, you can get plates for 10 dollars and every Wednesday there are promotions, foreigners give 50% discount if you go twice in one week and you can get gift vouchers.


References

http://www.arabesque.com.au/site/menu.html

http://tasteofegyptrestaurant.com/

Egyptian cuisine

Cuisine:

Egyptian cuisine and some of its recipes date back 5000 years and archeologists have even revealed the use of food as a means of payment during ancient times. Of course, there have been some adjustments to the dishes over the years, mainly with the addition of ingredients and styles taken from other cultures.

Egyptian cuisine depends heavily on legumes such as beans and lentils as well as vegetables and onions making a regular appearance in most dishes. Vegetarians normally have no problem getting by in Egypt since meat has traditionally been expensive and thus less common. Around the Egyptian coast you will find more fish in the meals.

              


References http://www.egypt.cl/typical-food.htm

Popular myths and legends.

Egyptian myths are one of the richest and most fascinating in the universal mythology. Some of them include stories and legends based on the life of Egyptian deities. Others explain their beliefs about the origin of the cosmos, the metaphysical myths of creation and the preponderant role played by solar symbolism in the creation of the Universe.

These myths persist over time because they help us to understand how the Egyptians conceived the creation of the cosmos and is the starting point of the concepts by the great Eastern alchemists.

Scribes and priests passed these myths to provide information on the life after death, about the perpetual journey of the deceased to attain eternal life. These and other concepts were dumped in legends and fairy tales.

The Myth of the Cow of Heaven

One of the most important myths of Egyptian cosmogony in which the end of the Creation and the new Cosmic Order established by Ra says. After creation, Ra ruled on Earth, but when it has reached old age men laugh at him. She decides to punish them by sending a curse it leads to the destruction of humanity. 

Legend, Osiris

According to legend, Osiris ruled the world of men before his brother out of jealousy, killed him, then Isis revived with the power of love and magic then Osiris was avenged by his son Horus to rule the world.

The Story of Re (Legend)

In the beginning, before there was any land of Egypt, all was darkness, and there was nothing but a great waste of water called Nun. The power of Nun was such that there arose out of the darkness a great shining egg, and this was Re. Now Re was all-powerful, and he could take many forms. His power and the secret of it lay in his hidden name.

The Princess of Bekhten (Legend)

In the reign of Rameses III, a large temple was built at Thebes in honor of the The Princess of Bekhten According to a tradition which his priests in later times inscribed on a stone, Princess was synonymous with wealth and prosperity, people had their sculpture in temples and houses.

The Treasure Thief (Myth)

Rameses the Third, the Pharaoh who, , ruled for many years and Egypt grew prosperous under him.  and encouraged trading to such an extent that he became the richest of all the Pharaohs.

Rameses gathered his treasures together in the form of gold and silver and precious stones - and the more he gathered the more anxious he became lest anyone should steal his hoards,  he  trust the his treasure what a wise this robbery also made a curse on Egypt.

References

http://billgl.tripod.com/egipto/mitos.htm

http://www.mundomitologico.com/egipcios/leyendas/

http://www.egiptologia.org/mitologia/leyendas/

How globalization has affected different cultural aspects and what they have done to preserve their identity.

“Clash of civilizations”

Egyptian society in recent years has been strongly influenced by the globalizacón, in this way the common people  cares  about  fulfilling material needs and whims. More over, the ruling class is only interested in lining their pockets and bank accounts. 

Egypt is exemplary for a country that has experienced fundamental economic and political changes in the last decades. These changes were not only triggered by the Arab Spring, but also by the process of liberalization which began in the 1970s. This involves opening the national market to products from all over the world, and also the privatization of all various sectors, including the banking and health sector.

In Volker Perthes’ words: The Egyptian society has become a society of two speeds. One part of the society lives with structures that were developed in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s and have worsened. The other part moves in a globalized world economy that lives with the acquisitions of the 21st century (Perthes 2004 : 181).

Culturally the Arab world feels threatened by globalization due to the imposition of customs handed down through "marks" leading  to an  uniform way of seeing the world, we are all Mc Donalds, Nike, etc. 


References
http://blog.goethe.de/humanities/archives/40-Globalization-and-Society-in-Egypt.html
http://www.libreriamundoarabe.com/Boletines/n%BA82%20May.10/ArabesIslamGlobalizacion1.htm

Folklore and music styles.

Music

In ancient Egypt there was no musical notation, and therefore it was not possible to know what was actually the music of this mysterious country, we know that songs, dance and Egyptian music were beautiful. Egyptian music was essentially mystical and orgiastic also had demonstrations to celebrate the great military triumphs of conquest.  There were demonstrations lyrical expressions of personal reasons.

The song and dance were always together and were complementary instruments, that is served to accompany the melodies. It is almost certain that the Egyptian music, like all of antiquity was monodic.

The Egyptians were the inventors of the two basic string instruments: The Harp and Laúd. The Harpa did not soundboard but was later added a similar sound to the current box. The Laúd was used in religious services.

Folklore

Currently In Egypt folk dances are varied and rich, and come from different regions. Some of them are:

• Fallahi: This word means farmer. This dance uses a light and lively musical rhythm accompanied by songs. Describe the daily work of farming while washing clothes outside the river and gather food baskets and water jars or pitchers. The dancers are dressed with very wide or long cotton dress natural fabrics and wear a head scarf or veil headdress with tassels. 

•  Saidi: Folk dance from the south of Egypt known as Al Said or Upper Egypt. Be characterized by four times and have two dums very marked in the third period. The typical instrument Saidi: the mizmar. It is a dance both men and women. You can dance figures and making turns with a cane. The costumes for women consist of a long straight sleek Galabeya with openings on the side and headdress in her hair. 

• Hagalla: It is a dance performed by the Bedouin colonies of Mersa Matruh in Western Egypt. The Hagalla defines a type of music, dance and gives its name to a rhythm. It is a very quick and simple rhythm, than two times. It is dance who danced the gypsies, who were with their nomadic caravans crossing the desert camp to camp, to entertain with music and dancing desert people. 

• Melaia: It is within the modern Egyptian folklore. The meaning of "Melaya Lef" is rolled cloth, where a piece of black cloth is used as an accessory. While dancing, cover and uncover the shawl. The dancer in this dance plays being very flirtatious, retaining her femininity while going slowly showing parts of her body that Mileia covered. The songs are very sharp and agile, typical of Egyptian folklore and lyrics about the outrageous audacity that occurs. 

• Nubio: Dance of the Nubian Desert region at the edges with Sudan. It is a dance of celebration, very energetic and busy. It is a dance group danced by men and women. It is danced in very long lines bouncing on one foot, which is the basic step scissor most folk dances. It is a dance where all the time is on the move, no movement of hips and very few arms. The typical wardrobe consists of spacious and colorful robes and a long headscarf which can also be used as an accompaniment to the dancebesides very large rings and necklaces in the form of a crescent.

References

http://genesis.uag.mx/edmedia/material/tmusica/clase1.cfm

http://www.raksaisha.com/products/folklore-egipcio/

Some common ways to meet new people.

Dignity is a fundamental trait of humility that appears, probably for the tragic sense that the Egyptians have in life, that is, it all depends on the divine will. Therefore, everywhere and anytime you can hear expressions of religious as "it is the will of God," "God willing" and even the typical greeting "salam aleikun" has this sense because what you want is that "peace be with you.”

• Among the customs in Egypt are told to shake hands when greeting because they consider it a gesture of respect. Physical contact is very common among the locals, as they are used to growing up in large families.

• The warmth and familiarity reaches up business meetings, that are regularly interrupted by visits from friends and family, and the deals are not closed until there is a bond of trust between the Covenanters.

• It is common for people to smoke and have extended conversations about trivial subjects such as sports, jokes, gastronomy, etc. Friday is the Muslim holy day and almost no one works.

•  One of the customs in Egypt is asking for tips, activity performed from children to the police.

References

http://conocegipto.blogspot.com/p/religion.html

http://egiptopia.com/La+Gente+y+sus+Costumbres+en++Egipto_30_100_3_15_137204_es.html

Colors in rituals, religious ceremonies and festivals in Egypt

The holidays in Egypt, particularly religious, have an important place in the calendar as a good Muslim country. In addition to Islamic holidays, there important dates and political events that are traditional, the holidays in Egypt consist of numerous and strict rituals that are carefully developed, including every Friday, which constitute the holy day for Islam in which any activity other than prayer is performed.

Colors 

In Ancient Egypt, the Egyptians had a special meaning for the colors used in their representations. The colors were in Egyptian painting, more precisely in the frescoes and murals still remain today. The colors for the Egyptians have great symbolic significance that goes beyond their ornamental function. However as their works were not intended to be an accurate representation of reality, the color palette used by the Egyptians was not very wide. The colors its palette obtained from the different substances of mineral origin. 

• Red: It represented the barren and desert land, life and victory, at the same time was a symbol of fire and fury. During the celebrations many Egyptians dyed their bodies in red to symbolize their commitment and dedication to achieve their goals. Red could be used to mean "anger", "destruction", "death", or phrases such as "furious". 

•  Blue: Its meaning was different depending on the tone that was used, representing the sky and the color of the sea, as it
  
  
  was also a symbol of life and rebirth. Many figures made in blue stones represent fertility.

•  Yellow: Color of the sun, seen as something eternal and imperishable. The images of the gods were built with pure gold, yellow.

• Green: Its meaning was attributed to the vegetation and the beginning of a new life. It is the color of life and growing things like plants, symbol of resurrection.

•  White: It symbolized purity and a higher power. It was the color of sacred things. In the rituals and ceremonies white sandals were used for that reason. Also symbolized cleanliness, ritual purity and sacredness.

• Black: It symbolized the "underworld", so t
  he king of the dead, Anubis, was depicted in that color. Also represented the night and death, however, was sometimes used to symbolize resurrection and fertility.

References

http://www.101viajes.com/Egipto/Festivales-fiestas-Egipto

 http://www.unl.edu.ec/educativa/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/El-color-andino.pdf

  http://egiptoatuspies.blogspot.com/2013/01/el-color-y-los-egipcios.html#.VBdz2Pl5N7U