Cairo is a city of many attractions: As well as ancient sites, deluxe hotels and great shopping facilities, it also hosts a thriving nightlife. Vivian Salama takes you on a tour of the capital's hot spots If you're anything like me, going out at night is a social event: a welcome release after long stressful days; an opportunity to gather with friends; a distraction from the everyday routine. If you're like me, you'll also need a little variety and flavour in your after-hours haunts -- the same old thing each night just doesn't cut it. If so, then you and I are definitely in the right place. As a city with 16 million residents, it's no wonder that Cairo has just about anything for anyone. From great food, to relaxing shisha, to fun music -- Um Al-Dunia 's got it all. In that spirit, I offer you a calendar of my personal favourites, in the hope that we one day may cross paths somewhere in this city that -- truly -- never sleeps. SUNDAY: Chances are, if you're not the "going out" type, you'll definitely reject the idea of a Sunday night on the town. Think again! Sunday is not just the first day of the week in Cairo, it's also the start of the fun. There is plenty to do on Sunday nights. My suggestion, in just one word -- Salsa! The Salsa scene has recently taken off in Cairo. There are not many schools around the city, but Salsa Club Cairo takes classes out of the dance studio and into the Jazz Up Pub at the Nile Hilton. Learning thus becomes a much more sociable affair. Classes run from 8pm to 10pm, and there are instructors teaching all levels and dance styles. Whether you're into Cuban, Miami, LA style or -- my personal favourite -- Rueda (a dance performed in a big circle), you're sure to find a style that suits you. Classes cost LE30 per person and usually last an hour. Once class is over, then the night begins to heat up! After 10pm, Jazz Up opens its dance floors, and the pub is transformed into a Salsa wonderland. Dancers of all levels of skill and experience start to whisk each other around in ways that send you home wishing it was you. The party goes on into the small hours of the morning, and there's plenty of space to just sit and socialise, too. Here's a tip: if you go check it out, don't be intimidated. Some of the patrons have been dancing Salsa for years. They are all willing to help out newcomers. So be sure to practice, attend your classes regularly, and in the meantime, enjoy watching the pros -- you'll find your jaw dropping at some of their displays of spectacular dynamism. Trust me, once you start, you'll be hooked -- in which case, I've more good news for you. Salsa Club Cairo repeats the same mix on Friday nights for those who need to get their fix. MONDAY: After a long night of Salsa dancing, it's only natural that you'd want to keep Monday night a bit low key. To this end, I have several suggestions. 35 is located in Cairo's new Four Seasons Nile Plaza. The atmosphere is almost "New York" in its flair and style. Patrons can choose from a wide selection of cocktails, wines and beers. It's hip and stylish, but a bit pricey. Two people can easily rack up a few hundred pounds-worth of food and beverages without even noticing. For a drastically different atmosphere, why not try one of my favorite places in Cairo -- the historic Al-Hussein district, and the Khan Al- Khalili market. Late night in Al-Hussein is the closest you can get to a carnival atmosphere. Hundreds of people line the streets eating authentic Egyptian food, and of course, smoking shisha. Shoppers stroll from one stand to the next viewing artefacts and souvenirs that range from serious jewellery and furniture, to odd little gadgets and the latest in novelty toys. While popular with tourists, Egyptians from all social backgrounds form the backbone of the crowd. If it's your first time, don't be intimidated by beggars and vendors, they're just trying to make an honest buck, and if you give them a chance, you will actually find them to be among the friendliest, most pleasant people in Egypt. TUESDAY: It's the middle of the working week. You can either boogie or lounge, depending on your mood. Among the many lovely nightspots Maadi has to offer is one of my personal favorites -- Cuba Cabana. Do not be fooled by the name: apart from the occasional Spanish tune they play, the atmosphere is essentially Arabian. Large and small groups can choose between high tables or pop-a-squat on traditional floor pillows. The restaurant offers a wide range of dishes, and the cuisine really cannot be nailed down as one specific type. There is no alcohol served at Cuba Cabana, but they offer a list of excellent fruit cocktails and shisha. If you're looking for something a bit more upbeat, head down by Cairo's World Trade Centre where Sangria and Absolute are both drawing a lot of attention lately, thanks to both their proximity to the centre of town and their stylish atmosphere. Sangria, located upstairs from Absolute, offers both indoor and outdoor seating, with a fabulous view of the Nile. Patrons can have a drink, smoke shisha or try a few delicacies from their incredible menu. The restaurant often has a DJ in house, although the atmosphere is not generally congenial to dancing. If it's dancing you're in the mood for, then you need to head downstairs to Absolute. It's incredibly hip, and the low-lit Arabian atmosphere has made it a sure hit with young Cairenes. Absolute also serves food and drinks -- sorry, no shisha. The music is fantastic. and you can often find people dancing into the small hours of the morning. A tip: Make reservations. Both restaurants fill up pretty quickly. Absolute can get so crowded that it even makes dancing a bit challenging. WEDNESDAY: Personally, I have a great fondness for After Eight, a restaurant-bar downtown on Qasr Al-Nil Street that has served Egyptians under three presidents, and is still going strong. There's something about the atmosphere at After Eight that's hard to define: it's not a very big place, but that's part of its intimate charm. Just go there a few times and you'll soon begin to recognise the regulars. It's the type of place you can feel comfortable showing up alone, and although it's small, chances are you'll meet someone you know. While After Eight has a varied programme throughout the week -- including Cairo's Wist Al-Balad Band -- my favourite nights are, without a doubt, Wednesday nights. Jazz music is an art that's only just beginning to take off in Egypt. While there have been sporadic influences from Europe, the old, mainstream swing and bop eras never quite survived the journey across the Mediterranean. Now, however, thanks to Cairo's own Ahmed Harfoush and the Riff Band, jazz is not only taking off, it's becoming a weekly routine for many -- myself included. The Riff Band fuses musicians from Russia, Bulgaria and Egypt together to make sounds that automatically get your fingers snapping. They're not just fun to listen to, they're fun to watch. The band is up there having fun. Even better, from the moment he stakes his place in front of the microphone, Harfoush doesn't stop smiling. Even if you're not a jazz fan, it's hard not to love After Eight on Wednesday. A note to Salseros: When The Riff Band "takes 5", or goes on break, the After Eight DJ cranks up Salsa music. Chances are I'm out there twirling on the dance floor with one of my Sunday night buddies, so come on over and say hello! THURSDAY: For most people in Cairo, Thursday night marks the start of the weekend. You've probably had a long work week, and a busy social calendar (particularly if you've been following my routine!). If you're like me, any "oomph" within you is just about gone by Thursday night. But why stay home when there are plenty of relaxing things you can be doing out on the town? So let's keep it mellow. While there are tonnes of places to go in the city for a quiet drink, a shisha or a chat with friends, there is one place that I find tops them all. Odeon is a small hotel off Ramses Street in down town (Wist Al-Balad), not far from the National Museum. Stowed away on the 10th floor is a small, unassuming restaurant overlooking the wonderful cityscape of Cairo by night, with its beautiful minarets picked out in green neon. Odeon has both indoor and outdoor seating areas, and serves food, alcohol and shisha (outdoors only). An added bonus: On certain nights of the week, a oud player and talented singer grace guests with quiet traditional Arabic classics and folk tunes. If you are in no mood for hearing the thump of bass speakers in your ears, or having to scream to make your conversation heard, then Odeon is your ticket. FRIDAY: Ah, Friday. or years now, the Zamalek Corniche has been jam-packed with restaurant boats, each of them characterised by a medley of unique flavours and atmospheres. Wedged in between those boats is Andrea, which for a long time was known to many simply as "the boat with the tacky neon lights". Recently, the owners ditched the neon lights and gave Andrea a face-lift, and now it is the newest Nileside draw. The stationary boat offers great food, a wide selection of shisha, and an outdoor seating atmosphere to match anything I've seen in Cairo. So why Friday nights? Here are eight reasons: Adham, Hany, Ahmed, Mizo, Bob, Ismail, Assad, and Ahmed. The boys of the Wist Al-Balad band are the most recent addition to Andrea's new and improved programme. If you are familiar with their East-meets-West, Arabic-Spanish flair, then you know Andrea's atmosphere perfectly compliments their trademark mood. Unlike After Eight, the space at Andrea's does not always encourage people to shake a leg on the dance floor. Then again, you can enjoy a smooth shisha with a beautiful view of the Nile at your finger tips. Who could ask for more? SATURDAY: It's the end of the week, but not the end of the fun. So why not use all that pent- up energy you somehow haven't managed to work off to hit the streets one last time, and sample another side of the city? Since 1997, Cairo Jazz Club in Midan Sphinx has been luring Egyptians and foreigners alike to their fantasy world atmosphere. CJC has perhaps the most varied schedule of bands and performances of any club in the city. The latest addition is what the management term Saturday L'Orientale (ooh la la!). Live musicians perform the oriental classics you know and love, with contributors including CJC resident band "Takht Quartet", along with guest appearances on selected Saturdays. The show starts at 9.30pm, but why not drop in early to feast on the Jazz Club's great messakhan -- or any of their other tasty dishes? Sorry gentlemen, belly dancer not included on the menu! In all fairness, seven days are not enough to really taste the delights, sample the beauty and experience the wonders of Cairo. In my opinion, even seven years would not be enough. And some of the greatest pleasures are also the simplest and the cheapest. So here's something you can do any night of the week: take some friends and go sit down at any ahwa (coffee shop) in Wist Al-Balad (downtown). Sip some karkadeh (hibiscus) and sample the shisha if it interests you. But most importantly, take a good look around you. The people you see there, smoking shisha or playing backgammon, are not the people you may have met the night before at Absolute or After Eight. They are some of the other 16 million people who make Cairo what it is. It's their faces, their hard work, and their generous spirit which make this city such a great place to live. So remember, as you sit there gazing at their faces, that in Cairo, it's not who you are or where you go that makes the night so special, it's the spirit of the people who are all around you.
