For thousands of years, the Nile, with its tranquil and slow moving water, has provided the Egyptians with an ideal form of transport. Sailboats, barges and skiffs have been traveling the dark river since ancient times, carrying people and goods from one part of the country to another along the watery highway at a time when traveling long distances on land was incredibly difficult. For most people it was virtually impossible.

The idea of finding freedom in dance is neither new nor unusual, freedom of spirit, of expression. Dance allows us to shed the restraints of reality and of the social customs that bind us. It brings people together through an ancient language that we all instinctively know and understand. But seldom do we talk about the independence and social freedoms that dance has afforded women for centuries. For many, it was their ticket to a better life.

It is officially freezing in Egypt, both outdoors and in! Cairo got a nice shower of hail yesterday in the early morning – as well as a heavy dose of rain – and the mountains in Sinai are covered with patches of ice and frozen puddles. One wouldn’t necessarily expect it, but Egypt can get bitterly cold, and a lack of proper heating or insulation means that the indoors rarely offer any respite from the chill.

The Jabal Elba Protectorate, which lies along the far reaches of Egypt’s southern border in the Halaib Triangle, is home to some of the country’s most vibrant ecosystems. From the mountains and valleys to the coast and sea, its biodiversity and natural heritage are unique to Egypt and, like so many other things, are in need of protecting.

Egypt has had many queens, some better known than others. Cleopatra is perhaps the most famous of them all, and Hatshepsut has left her own impressive mark on Egyptian history, but one queen whose name we rarely see is Shajar al-Durr, Egypt’s first and only female sultan, and the last woman to rule the country.

This Friday, Egypt celebrates Christmas once more, but this time it’s the Coptic Orthodox celebrations. Fundamentally, East and West celebrate in much the same way; the day commemorates the birth of Christ, and those who practice pay tribute by joining family and friends over a big feast, and attending an evening or midnight mass at Church. But here in Egypt, it’s Fattah that’s the star of the table, not turkey!

Although the Christian community in Egypt only makes up around 10% of the population, the country is home to a surprising number of incredible churches. The history of Christianity in Egypt is as long and rich as the history of Egypt itself. The name ‘Egypt’ is actually a derivative of the word Coptic, taken from the Latin ‘Aegypti’.

Egypt’s love affair with the big screen is not something to be taken lightly. For over a hundred years, Egyptians have nurtured a deep relationship with cinema and built a film industry that at one point could rival even Hollywood.

The holiday season is upon us and Christmas celebrations will be in full swing very soon. Although Egypt is primarily a Muslim country, that doesn’t mean we don’t do Christmas.

In the beginning there was only darkness, a limitless black ocean of chaos. What came out of those dark and chaotic waters depended on where you were in Egypt, Heliopolis or Memphis, Hermopolis or Thebes, each had their own version of how the universe came to be, each had their own group of deities that brought the world to life.

Egypt has produced its fair share of strong women, from the queens who ruled thousands of years ago, to the women who defied the country’s social norms in order to fight for their freedoms and for equal rights.

Naguib Mahfouz is a man that needs little introduction. He has left a greater and more everlasting mark on Arabic literature than any other writer of our time, and his reflections on the many faces and facets of Egyptian society ring true until today, a testament to the authenticity of his insights.

High above a bustling Cairo, looking out over the city of a thousand minarets, stands the Citadel, silent and proud. The Citadel has stood for over 800 years, a sentinel to the city and a testament to Egypt’s military and architectural legacy. Built in 1176 by Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi, first Sultan of Egypt and founder of the Ayyubid dynasty, and completed by Sultan Kamil ibn al-Adel in 1207, its location high above Cairo made it difficult to attack and provided the perfect vantage point from which the entire city could be monitored; from up here you can see it all.

The term Arabesque is not as clearly defined as one would think, and depending on where you are in the world, it could mean something very different. In Egypt, Arabesque is commonly used to refer to the geometric patterns that decorated everything from mosques to furniture, and of course, the intricate woodwork found in mashrabeya. In the West, the term can sometimes refer to the Roman-inspired decorative arts that became popular throughout Europe during the Renaissance.

Hassan Fathy is perhaps one of the most recognizable figures in modern Egyptian architecture. His name has become synonymous with sustainable, vernacular design that strives to bridge the gap between the old and the new, between tradition and the increasing demands of the people and of modern life.

On the 12th day of the third month on the Islamic calendar, Muslim communities across the globe celebrate the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad. While festivities vary depending on where you are in the world, preparations in Egypt can sometimes begin weeks before the day itself, with the iconic Arouset el Moulid (the Moulid Doll) being the centerpiece.

Egypt has perhaps one of the longest histories of any civilization on Earth, and over the course of more than 6,000 years and several foreign invasions she’s been given many names, each reflecting her rich heritage and cultural, political and geographical importance.

The history of Egypt’s textile production is as rich and diverse as the history of the country itself, and this should come as no surprise considering the enduring connection between textiles and cultural identity.

From the more northern oases of Fayoum and Siwa to Bahariya, Farafra, Dakhla and Kharga further south, each oasis has its own story and elements that make it unique, but all are steeped in rich heritage and traditions that bridge the world of the nomads with that of settled communities.

Colorful skirts whirl against the backdrop of a 16th century caravanserai in an ecstatically hypnotic trance that can be traced back to the great Sufi poet, Jalal ad-Din Rumi in the 1200s. It’s a practice that has endured for centuries, kept alive by various Sufi orders and performed in historic and cultural landmarks around the region, including Cairo.