As temperatures rise in Cairo, city dwellers meet in a most unusual place. Colette Kinsella investigates summer nights on the Nile Cairo, the Mother of the World, is definitely a night owl, a fact never more obvious than in the searing heat of the summer months. The city takes on a languorous feel, retreating behind closed shutters, or sleeping off the heat on a bench in the shade of a Fatimid mosque. As the temperature drops towards evening, however, the mood changes. Street vendors appear from nowhere, setting up stands plying clothes, magazines and shoes; restaurants fill with chattering patrons, each vying for the best table; the streets become filled with the sounds of honking horns, the whistles of parking attendants, and the general hubbub of Africa's largest metropole. In the early hours of the evening, the entire city is on the move and in search of that scarcest of Cairene commodities: space. And when it comes to utilising scarce commodities, Cairenes are nothing if not innovative. Tiny gardens become football fields, rooftops metamorphose into launch pads for kites and the streets are living room extensions. But the greatest innovation of all? The bridges over the Nile. These bridges, vast expanses of concrete and iron spanning the majestic river, become flooded with life and lights during the hours of darkness, heaving with trucks, cars, ubiquitous black and white cabs, horse-drawn carriages and any other form of transport imaginable. And amidst the fumes and cacophony of a six- lane highway are the citizens of Cairo, suspended in space, enjoying the relief and pleasure of a fresh river breeze. A trip across any bridge during these months is not merely a geographical trip; it is a journey through the diverse and numerous strata which make up Cairo society, all using these few precious metres as they see fit. Families from the more crowded quarters do exactly what families in any other parts of the world do on a pleasant summer day at the weekend: what better place to have a picnic than on the middle of a bridge? And so they emerge, the family and the extended family, armed with bread, fruit and drinks, spreading their blankets on the pavement and blissfully picnicking the evening away. Shoes off and sitting cross-legged, parents chat and grandparents look on as children run amok on the sidewalk, kicking footballs with their neighbours and dodging between strolling pedestrians. Yet other families are even better prepared for their sojourn on the bridge, unfolding comfortable camping chairs and tables as they step out of the family car. Cassette recorders, copious amounts of food and drink indicate these families are in for the long haul and intend making the most of the cool temperatures well into the night. And if the food runs out, well, there are endless vendors selling various victuals from their wheeled wooden carts. A favourite delicacy at this time of year is tirmis, beans cooked slowly, sprinkled with lemon juice and eaten as a snack. The vendors stand behind mounds of these yellow beans, rolling from one set of picnickers to the next in search of business. The children, too, are well catered for on this midnight bridge, as figures emerge from the crowds, almost completely immersed in colourful balloons. The children scream in delight as the seller stops to demonstrate his wares: those special balloons on strings which make a noise when bounced up and down. Others, though, merely stop for a quiet rest to enjoy the view. With cars parked on the side of the road, children balance precariously on the bonnets of cars munching their tirmis and sipping cokes, watching the traffic crawl by. Strollers linger for a while against the railings taking in the many sights and sounds of the Cairo skyline. From under the bridge emerges a floating restaurant, a homage to kitsch, bedecked in hieroglyphics and Pharaonic symbols, and the figures above lean precariously over the barriers in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the events on board. And yet more noise emerges from below the onlookers as a motorised felucca boat cruises by, neon lighting cutting a dash against the dark Nile waters, blaring Arabic pop while the occupants gyrate to the rhythm. The other side of the bridge, meanwhile, provides a diversion of another kind. Our attention is drawn to a single figure, clad only in shorts and singlet, balanced precariously on top of the railings, chatting with some fishermen hoping to catch tomorrow's dinner. We all look for a moment towards a huge cruiser passing under the bridge on the right, our eyes returning to the space occupied by the strangely dressed man -- only to find it empty. Our friend, in need of the ultimate in refreshment and willing to risk the 20-metre drop to the water below, is floating lazily along the banks of the river, stopping now and then to lie on the sandy shore, letting the backwash lap over his face. But midnight witnesses the jewel in the crown of bridge life. The white sheet of traffic noise takes on a different rhythm; cars begin honking a rhythmic tattoo, and the sound of zaghrouda, -- the trilling sound made by women at weddings -- approaches and onlookers gather for the spectacle of a blushing bride emerging from a flower-bedecked car with her newly betrothed spouse. The happy couple, surrounded by maids of honour, family and well-wishers, head straight for the railings to pose for photographs of the happiest day of their lives. The bejewelled bride, resplendent in pearl-encrusted white, laughing husband at her side fielding wishes of life-long happiness from passers by, stands beside a galibeyya-clad woman sitting cross-legged on the pavement, fanning the flames of the small fire on which she roasts whole cobs of corn. Around midnight at any time one can witness several pools of activity dotted along the railings of the bridge: photographers sporting sophisticated equipment and video cameras vying with kite-flying children dodging pedestrians and wooden hand carts. Meanwhile, diners in the many restaurants dotting the banks of the Nile, look out over its waters at the sight of majestic feluccas lazily coasting from one bank to the other, seemingly unaware of the numerous events emerging on the bridge above. Cairo society is a dense and rich tapestry comprising many socio-economic layers and cultural leanings, which manage to co-exist in a surprisingly small area. Despite lack of space and resources the citizens from all walks of life mix and mingle, making the most of what life offers, enjoying as simple a pleasure as a fresh breeze atop a ribbon of concrete on a hot summer night.
