THE CHAOS OF CAIRO Al-Ahram

THE CHAOS OF CAIRO Al-Ahram captures the essence of a city that captured my imagination when I spent a month there in 1999. A city of 20 million packed within 214 square kilometres -- twice the land of Richmond proper with 100 times the population. My impressions of the snarl and chaos and energy of Cairo almost all involve walking the unwalkable city expanse: paralyzed at a sidewalk crossing facing eight lanes of cars on a four lane road; elbowing my way onto a subway car packed thicker than any I've experienced in New York; choking on sand, dust and fumes crossing the Nile.