Kolo sana wenta tayeb

Tomorrow is Easter for the Coptic Christians in Egypt and the above greeting is the multi-purpose message for Easter, Christmas and birthdays.

My taxi driver from Downtown to Zamalek where I’m staying gave me the little matchbox sized picture when he learned I was Christian. It’s also got a tiny bit of incense stuck to the back. It beautifully captures the essence of my day today....

The old taxi driver who wouldn’t let me pay for the short distance to meet friends. The staff at Left Bank who greeted me warmly as they remembered me. The students who took time out to meet me and catch-up. My Egyptian friend who’s like my brother who joined us and then we spent the rest of the day walking and talking, patiently shopping, reminding me not to worry. The security guard from work who remembered me in the street. And Hazem/Yassin that Digitaldaze and Barrioboy introduced me to. So good to see him.

The driver asked me where I was from and if I were Christian. He rustled away for 5 minutes while driving and handed me the picture, ensuring I smelled it too. The Copts are happy when they meet another Christian and we exchanged the greeting. We chatted, he didn’t want a fare but I insisted.

It’s dirty, crowded, chaotic, polluted yet ever so alive here. There are more heart breaking signs of poverty yet there is a spirit that endures.

This is Egypt.