"Concrete Jungle in the desert', a photo from Cairo, Delta

Photographer's Note

This was taken in Alabaster Mosque , with a view of the entire city including the pyramids. Cairo is called the 'city of thousand minarets' or 'concrete jungle' as I called it. I must admit that the Mosque is unbelievable beautiful - exterior and interior to wonder.
The city is over-crowded and very dirty but some streets are quite interesting especially where the tourist attractions are. Without a guide I wouldn't dare to venture out in the city on my own - Day or night.
As you can see, the air is very smoggy due to the pollutions.
I'll add 2 more WS - the minarets and traffic jam ( very very bad ).

pajaran, Fis2, jean113, ikeharel, jemaflor, papagolf21, Royaldevon, jhm, PaulVDV heeft deze opmerking als nuttig gemarkeerd

Critiques | Translate

Tue (92370) 2020-09-21 11:54

Hello Loong,
An amazing view of the city, where the houses created a great pattern, but the most impressive part is the silhouettes of the pyramids in the distance. Well captured.
Lars

holmertz (102708) 2020-09-21 11:59

Hello Loong,
I was in Cairo only in early 1983, so that was a long time ago and I don't know how much the city has changed. The traffic jams were ridiculous even then, but as for the city as such I felt completely safe all the time. I walked long distances, even through slummy areas far from the tourist tracks, and nothing ever happened. I even walked a long way to Tahrir Square with my backpack at about midnight to catch an airport bus and nobody tried to bother me.
I recognize the views from this minaret, especially that of WS #1, and I feel a certain nostalgia seeing them again. It's amazing how Cairo can be made to look so generally ugly and anonymous, except for the silhouettes of two pyramids almost lost in the smog. That is not to say it's an ugly photo. I really like it.
Best regards,
Gert

Fis2 (170779) 2020-09-21 13:22

Witaj Loong!
A very interesting panorama, view is impressive.
Curious colors and light, I like it.
Well done.
Warm regards.
Krzysztof

jean113 (27879) 2020-09-21 13:34

Hello Loong, take away the two pyramids in the far distance, and I would have no idea as to which city I was looking at!
It's an amazing view, so many buildings packed into the space.
Excellent sharp quality.
I like the workshop pictures too.
Thanks for sharing, kind regards, Jean.

lousat (139286) 2020-09-21 15:17

Hi Loong,a wonderful capture from above of Cairo,from the hill of Alabaster mosque that i saw me too 25 years ago. Very rich composition with the silhouettes of pyramids in background,i like it!Have a nice day and thanks,Luciano

ikeharel (113353) 2020-09-21 22:16

Hello Loong,
We do not see many pictures from Cairo, and this is a good contribution to the site.
Though it was a dusty day, we get good view across the skyline towards the Pyramids on the far side.
Wish you a nice new day,
Ike

jemaflor (147156) 2020-09-21 23:18

Hi Loong,
Nice panoramic view of this famous big town, good sharpness to see details of this jungle of buildings, good details with silhouettes of pyramids and good WS, tfs.

papagolf21 (152607) 2020-09-21 23:30

Bonjour, Loong,
Félicitations pour ces trois photographies qui mettent en valeur cette ville qui s'agrandit au fil du temps.
Effectivement, la pollution est de mise.
La qualité photographique générale est excellente;
Bravo !
Amitiés.
Philippe

ifege (48111) 2020-09-21 23:46

Hi Loong
An interesting trio.
You could never call Cairo beautiful but with the distant pyramids there has provided you with an interesting trio.
cheers
Ian

Royaldevon (85932) 2020-09-22 2:49

Hello Loong,

Though the pyramids and the Sphinx have been posted on many occasions, I don't remember seeing a shot of Cairo, like this!
It is vast!
I had never before considered the air pollution but your photograph reveals just how much it exists. It is comparable with China!

You have shown us a really good overview of the city, with the pyramids seeming to float on a mystical sea in the distance!

Maybe a law needs to be passed to revert to camel power! It would end the traffic hazard!!

Have a good day,
Bev :-)

jhm (211736) 2020-09-22 10:11

Hello Loong,

You show us a lovely panorama view about the city
This is real a 'concrete jungle' as you called it.
Splendid colours and excellent sharpness.
Very well done, TFS.

Best regards,
John.

PaulVDV (62920) 2020-09-22 13:21

Hello Loong,
I've been twice in Egypt, in April 2003 and April 2004. Twice my journey started and ended in Cairo. In that time I knew a Belgian woman who worked there and almost everyone in her circle of friends then combined a visit to her with a trip through Egypt.
Although I've spent quite a few days in Cairo, I don't think I've ever had this view.
I do remember the long road bridge consisting of many spans (your picture in the WS) as I took it several times by taxi.
Since my Belgian friend had to work on certain days, I had much time during the day to explore Cairo on my own and I felt very safe everywhere. Also in Khan El-Khalili, the largest souk in the world where a lot of shopkeepers wanted to sell me all kinds of things but still remained very polite and friendly when I didn't buy anything.
I also remember Cairo as the city where at 3 am you could visit a market, go to the bakery or have a drink in a typical tea house.
I had a great time there ... but I never had this view :)
Your pictures show excellenty how vast this metropolis is. Fantastic to be able to see the pyramids at the end where the desert begins.
Your title of 'Concrete jungle' is well chosen.
I imagine people who were never in Cairo and see this picture might look at it a little bit anxiously. But I enjoyed it as a great place with many friendly people.
Best regards, Paul

emka (158172) 2020-10-06 14:51

Hello Loong, Impressive view of this huge city, and so heavily polluted. I like mosques and when I was in Cairo many years ago I visited some of them and I even climbed some minarets (with the muezzin. Always crazy! I recognize the mosques in the Workshop picture, they are often visited by tourists. I was also in the Alabaster Mosque - beautiful one, in Turkish style. But I wanted to see something out of the usual route and went alone to the Ibn Tulun mosque - original, with the spiral minaret. It was quite an experience - I was not quite sure if I would find the way to my hotel. But I felt safe and was not afraid. What a pity that 27 years ago I had no digital camera :).
Excellent sharpness.

Best regrads MAlgo