6 Things I Didn't Know About Cairo, Egypt.

Earlier this year I had the privilege of going to Cairo, Egypt. I was not anticipating how much I was going to fall in love with it. Here are a few things I did not know about Cairo, Egypt that I know now:

1. The people are incredibly nice.

I was astounded by how sweet and hospitable the Arabs were. Sometimes my friends and I would walk the streets, and someone would pop their head out of their taxi/buggy, and yell: "WELCOME TO CAIRO!" We were always greeted with a smile, and they loved when I tried to speak Arabic.

2. The fresh fruit juices are the bomb.

You have not lived until you have tried Cairo's fresh juices. I had a mango one, and it was amazing. It doesn't have any of the added stuff American juices tend to have. Did you know that "Mango" in Arabic is pronounced "Manga"?

3. The food is incredible.

I miss Arabic food so much. It is so fresh and has such a distinct taste, and the hummus...OMG THE HUMMUS. I've been googling Mediterranean food in the Houston are because I miss it so much. So far, I LOVE Zara's Kitchen in the Woodlands.

4. There are no such thing as lanes.

Cairo is known for its CRAZY traffic. You think Houston is bad? Cairo is insane. I can probably remember only one time being in a taxi when everyone was using the lanes, but other than that, it was cars everywhere. I always thought we were going to crash, but everyone kind of just knew what to do and how to drive. It's pretty incredible. Also, if you're going to cross the street, just do it. Don't stop or wait for anyone. The cars will either go around you, or abruptly stop for you. To be honest, I liked the rush.

5. It is extremely polluted.

Cairo has a lot of Air and Noise pollution. When you go outside, you can feel the polluted air in your lungs. It was so bad, that I got nauseous at one point. Regarding noise, no matter where you are or what time of day it is, you will hear cars driving and honking at all times (I didn't mind that so much).

6. It is pretty modern.

Despite Cairo having more of a traditional culture than other cities, it is pretty modern. They have really cool coffee shops in Tahrir Square, smoothie places, cool bookstores, and hang out spots. It truly has a city feel.

If you have the chance to go to Cairo, do it.