Egypt: the golden days

A way of purifying the past is simply ... nostalgia !
And travelling back in time is unquestionably a joyful necessity.
As humans, we have a tendency to unload the unpleasant memories but hold onto all that was lovely, pure and right about our youth. Those years were far from being perfect, but somehow, today, they pop up as the golden days.

As we experience heartbreaks, conflicts, tragedies and disasters in our current lives, we look back on the golden days through a filter that allows no recollections of suffering during that era. And if travelling back in time pleases us: why not?

Some of my favorite memories of the golden days, back in my beloved Egypt, are of Maadi and Alexandria. Sitting on a Veranda in the late afternoon, the mango tree on the left, the lemon tree on the right, the captivating aroma of orange blossoms around us, munching on goodies – home made cheese puffs, imported pistachios, decadent chocolate éclairs and/or baklavas, listening to my Italian Grandmother tell stories about her life. She had experienced so much that she had a wealth of knowledge to share.

During that time, in the 60's, my brother and I were living in one of the nicest neighborhood in Cairo, with all the modern conveniences of the day. We were among the privileged that were members of a few exclusive sporting clubs, enrolled in the best 'foreign' schools in town, and socialized with the best people in the city. We even had a black and white TV set, and an operational telephone line - with a never ending cord that gave us the privacy of taking the phone in any room, for a hush-hush chat with our best friends.

Moreover, we had a wonderfully generous uncle, who owned a gorgeous villa at the beach!

A two-hour drive would bring us to beautiful Alexandria, and our summers were paradise on earth in the villa owned by the dear generous uncle, in the most elegant beach of that time: Agami Bianchi. That was the place to be seen; an extremely romantic, trendy, exclusive, private and classy beach, very popular among the who's who of the golden days of Egypt. The sea view was spectacular, the sun was hot, the smooth white sand burnt our feet, and the sea breeze was so pure, it was intoxicating.

The beautiful lively international music and laughter from the surrounding parties was a ritual, after 10pm. The most elegant beach outfits were showcased during the day and late afternoon, Love stories flourished, and everyone lived the dream!

And there were Arabian horses! We would ride them around the beach, and it was heaven!

I don't remember a sad moment of those golden days. All I recall is the harmonious diversity of nationalities and religions; the enchantingly peaceful call to prayer on Friday; the charming sound of the Church bells on Sunday; the melodious assortment of languages spoken around me.

Then of course the kindness of the poor, the generosity of the rich, the intellect of the cultured, the integrity of the merchant, the loyalty of the friend, the warmth of the relative, the beauty of the peasant, the abundance of the food, the hospitality of the stranger, the caring of the old, the innocence of the child ... the perfect first love and the stunning blue sky and the meaningful lyrics of the songs ... and the dazzling evenings of fun with our friends in the week-ends and after school.

By all accounts, life was really "cool" back in the golden days of our beloved Egypt. We enjoyed the good times without a worry, not a care in the world, living our lives in the comfort and safety provided by our parents.