Feature: Egyptians joyful with robust Ramadan evenings

Once the call for the Sunset Prayer is heard and people finish their fast-breaking meal (iftar) after a long fasting day during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Egypt looks completely different.

The most populous Arab country turns into a beehive, with Ramadanic colorful lights and decorations everywhere and people going out to spend good times with family and friends.

The streets of Egypt, especially those of the capital Cairo, look more joyful, colorful and busy during Ramadan evenings, as coffee shops reopen their doors to visitors who would like to enjoy nice gatherings and spend some time for entertainment until they have their pre-fasting meal (suhur) before dawn time.

Hundreds of Egyptians were moving around outside Hussein Mosque near Khan el-Khalili in downtown Cairo, amid fireworks, hanging colored lanterns and crowds sitting opposite to famous coffee shops that offer special services during the special month.

"Ramadan is a beautiful month and I love to go out to Hussein area with my small family in the evening and have our suhur in this happy environment," said Mu'tassim, a 40-year-old employee, who was accompanied by his wife, mother and a little child wearing a funny red fez at one of the overcrowded coffee shops in the Hussein area.

Mu'tassim's 65-year-old mother told Xinhua that they spent the daytime in fasting, praying, worshipping and preparing the iftar, so they would love to go out in the evening to have some entertainment. "It's a balance between worship and fun," she said.

Since the month is so special for the Muslim country, coffee shops offer special services during Ramadan besides beverages and hookahs (shisha), while street singers with their two-man bands entertain the guests.

Reda, a street singer in his 30s, was performing at Hussein Nights coffee shop opposite to the tall-minaret mosque near Khan el-Khalili, with his two-man band consisting of a lute player and a drummer.

"Actually I feel very happy while entertaining these people during such happy Ramadan evenings," said Reda after performing a popular song to customers who were cheering and singing with him at the outdoor part of the coffee shop.

At ever-crowded Faisal Street in Giza province near Cairo, Harafeesh Cafe looked different than downtown ones, with its oriental shape, dome-like ceilings, paintings of late Egyptian writers and artists on its walls and Ramadan hand-made lanterns hanging on each corner of the unique cafe.

"The basic role for a coffee shop is entertainment, but Harafeesh tries to play a cultural role as well. We offer a cultural meal, especially in Ramadan, including general information competitions, artistic contests and a professional oriental band that offers unique and original Egyptian music," Harafeesh Cafe owner Fakhry Youssef told Xinhua at one of the corners of the cafe named after the late author and Nobel Prize laureate, Naguib Mahfouz.

The man continued that most of his guests are middle-aged men and women who appreciate classic art, noting that Mahfouz himself used to come to Harafeesh on a weekly basis and some other contemporary writers and painters come to the original place to compose their works.

The musical band was playing Ramadan-related traditional music, like the most famous "Ramadan Gana" old song, which means "Ramadan has come," before performing romantic music by late renowned singers like Omm Kolthoum, Abdel-Halim Hafez and others, based on the request of the audience.

"There are customers who come from Arab countries and head from the airport directly to Harafeesh to listen to unique and classic Arabian music that are not provided in other entertainment places," Harafeesh Cafe main singer Mahmoud al-Feki told Xinhua before going back to the band to continue performing for the eager customers.

Men and women at the coffee shop looked happy while playing backgammon and chess, smoking shisha, listening to music and chatting together, and it seemed that most frequent guests know each other although they sat in different groups at different tables.

"I have been coming to this cafe for 13 years now. Here we smell the scent of our classical old heritage and we all have become like family members who love each other to the point that some celebrate their birthdays here and we all join the party," said Ahlam, a lady in her late 40s who works as a dress embroiderer.

Ahlam added that she made friends with lawyers, university professors and retired police officers through the 23-year-old Harafeesh Cafe.

Elsewhere in Cairo, particularly in classy Street 9 in Maadi district, modern coffee shops are also jammed with customers during Ramadan evenings, but they are westernized compared to those unique ones in downtown Cairo and Giza like Fishawi, Hussein Nights and Harafeesh.

With a large and tall Ramadan lantern (fanoos) decorating its main gate and indoor Ramadanic ornaments, Greco cafe looked different, as it is one of the oldest coffee shops in Maadi that is often frequented by those who seek a nice gathering with family members and friends in a place preserving their Egyptian identity.

"This cafe in particular is a very old place; it's been here ever since Maadi was built. We come here for socialization with family and friends especially after 10:00 pm during Ramadan, which is a completely different and unique month," Abeer, a 50-year-old media professor, told Xinhua while sharing a table with her teen children and other family members.

Mina, a Christian young man, said that although Ramadan is a Muslim holy month, he likes gathering with his Muslim friends, spending a quality time and enjoying a joyful and colorful Ramadan evening.

Although coffee shops are the main destination for Egyptians after having iftar during Ramadan, many Egyptians, especially teens, also like to have a walk with their peers by the Nile River banks in the fresh air, buying ice cream and grilled corn amid fireworks rising in the sky every now and then.

The amazing four bronze lions of Qasr el-Nil Bridge leading to iconic Tahrir Square were surrounded by light lines and colored paper decorations hanging on the two sides, with crowds of young men and women walking back and forth by the Nile River during a warm, vivid Ramadan evening. Endit