Bedu, the Arabic word from which the name
bedouin is derived, is a simple, straightforward tag. It means
"inhabitant of the desert," and refers generally to the desert-dwelling
nomads of Arabia, the Negev, and the Sinai.
Nowadays, wandering around the phantasmagorical districts of New Cairo you could see a new kind of "inhabitants of the desert" : while your focus could be attracted by fake palms, real malls and eccentric façades, try to gaze upon the streets crossing the under construction compounds.
Amid the skeletons of future villas, if the wind rests and the desert's sand lays down, you could see veiled silhouettes gradually standing out, walking towards some unintelligible tasks or sipping black tea, around a trash-burning fire.
But as soon as their dark outlines become clearer, they will immediately vanish, back into their mistery.
But no magic trick is to blame : egyptians taxi drivers are well known for their fast-and-furious style !
