Apartments

(This post originally appeared in Numéro Cinq Magazine in May, 2011.)

Recently I flew to Cairo, an exhilarating yet draining trip to that sprawling city that covers 214 square kilometers of desert and teems with 15 million inhabitants. Then to smaller cities along the banks of the Nile, from Assuan to Luxor.

Here are snapshots of Egypt, where amidst the crumbling buildings and poverty and the weight of daily life, hope for a more equitable future grows.

Tahrir Square

Mubarak’s National Democratic Party Headquarters, Tahrir Square

Mosque of El Rifa’i near the Citadel, 19th century

Boy, working, Cairo

Boy, working, Giza

Boy, working, Assuan

Boy, sightseeing

Getting about

Transporting

Collecting

Touring

Shopping, the souk

At the butcher’s, Assuan

Furniture shop

Vegetable Market

The Mall

Selling Mint, Cairo souk

Selling tea

The drag, with scarves, Assuan

To the ballroom in Heliopolis

Worship

To the sun

–by Natalia Sarkissian

This photo essay was first published by Numéro Cinq Magazine in May, 2011. Here are the comments associated with its publication:

1. Mary Stein says:May 2, 2011 at 1:21 pmNatalia, thanks for posting these photos. They’re phenomenal. I also appreciate the perspective of taking of photos of people taking photos … looking not only at objects themselves but at how and what others also observe. A really neat take.Reply
2. ns says:May 3, 2011 at 3:34 amThis view was taken from inside the Egyptian Museum grounds. Egyptians file in all day to stand in front of the National Democratic Party Headquarters and take pictures, many with fists raised. It’s their ground zero (hundreds of people died during the uprising).Reply
3. rggblog says:May 2, 2011 at 1:46 pmYes, thanks, thanks. The personal angle livens the story.Reply
4. Kim Aubrey says:May 2, 2011 at 2:12 pmWow, these are fascinating, Natalia! And tell quite a story too.Reply
5. Diane Lefer says:May 2, 2011 at 5:20 pmThank you!Reply
6. quarmby says:May 2, 2011 at 9:37 pmThanks for posting this view of a country in transition. I am particularly fascinated by the apartment building at the top of your post. Great shot!Reply
7. rjfarrell28 says:May 3, 2011 at 4:46 pmVery nice…it’s amazing that so much has happened there in such a short period of time. It must have been an amazing journey. Thanks for sharing these.Reply
8. Jeanette says:May 3, 2011 at 6:16 pmWhat a trip that must have been. Amazing to see these peaceful photos after the world watched the revolution. May that businessman stay safe.Reply
9. Jean Grant says:May 3, 2011 at 10:46 pmI love these pictures! They brought back memories of living in Cairo in 1965-66. So strange to see the mall, but so much else was the same. Thank you, Nat. Such an eye you have.Reply
10. Robin says:May 4, 2011 at 7:38 amThese are amazing and (appear to) capture the full picture. What an eye you have.Reply
11. Laura Brown says:May 10, 2011 at 2:27 pmThese are incredible photographs, so rich & varied & detailed & filled with humanity & connection.