Egyptian Taxis

For the last few days we have been savouring the delights of Egyptian taxis. They are black and white in Cairo, black and yellow in Alexandria. Mainly old Fiats and Ladas, with a few Peugeots thrown in to the mix - the latter are possibly the safest as they have the loudest horns.

In my youth I enjoyed dodgem cars. We bashed into each other a lot but never suffered from 'whiplash'. I understand that Health & Safety paranoia now rules that dodgems must live up to their name and actually dodge each other in the confined spaces of their rings.

Egyptian taxis are like these modern dodgems - testosterone fuelled macho dodgem cars with hi-fi, lots of flashing lights, nodding dogs, fancy steering wheels and gear sticks, a huge array of mirrors, and much more besides. It really is amazing how they manage, most of the time, to dodge!

Today's postcard shows them in a quiet boulevard outside the railway station in Alex, from where we adjourned after the excitement of Selwa and Amro's wedding celebrations, for our journey back 'home' to Cairo.