your attention and give you their usual refrain, and the deep fat fryer which is used to make ta’amiyaa – which is a small round pattie made from fashed fava beans and herbs. The fava bean is a staple part of the diet here and breakfast often consists of a plate of fuul, the beans being mashed together and served on their own taste like Mexican refried beans.

For next to nothing you can purchase bananas, oranges, physalis, dates, nuts, different local breads including a date roll and brown sugar which looks like a lump of desert sand, but for someone with a sweet tooth tastes delicious.

In Alexandria, once again I headed for a small local restaurant enticed by the decor reminiscent of Yates’s spit and sawdust days, I bravely sat down. The owner, quickly tried to tell me all about his home made soup, which was being made in a churn by the entrance, of course Sattamatka it was highly recommended, but I was somewhat unsure of what he was trying to describe. Sometimes a little information can be a dangerous thing and I declined his offer whilst a friend accepted. The soup arrived, and whilst hot and with a definite tang my friend was unable to name the taste. At this time I watched as out of the churn came a sheeps head followed by its lungs and esophagus, all attached. I am aware that it is impolite to show a Muslim the soles of your feet, but at this stage I was definitely thinking of showing them a clean pair of heels and leaving.

Whilst in the Windsor Bar I noticed that the spirits on display looked look those at home with all the major brands you would expect on display. Upon closer inspection it was clear that this was not the case, trying them enhanced this opinion. I reckoned that if people did drink this stuff then it would probably turn them blind anyway and that they then wouldn’t mind as they couldn’t read the labels.

One of the best parts in walking around the streets in Egypt is to come upon a juice shop. Fruits are stacked up outside and drinks are made fresh there and then in front of you. All the usual flavours are there, in addition to those we all know you can find fakhfkkina, a mixture of mango, strawberry and orange. Tamarind, Sobia made from coconut milk and my favourite Sugar Kane (a perfect end today).