Balconies are a thing in Egypt. Fun fact the word balcony in Arabic is “balacona“. My favorite pass time at an Uber is looking up at people’s balconies while driving around. I’ve always liked looking at homes, a hobby developed while growing up in Portugal, particularly because Portuguese architecture is exquisite. If you arrive in Egypt for the first time then you will notice immediately that every floor of a building has its unique touch. That’s because most structures here are personalized with every detail including the balconies.
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Balconies are a fascinating thing in Egypt, you can actually be entertained by observing them. Just by the photo below, you can see carpets hanging, dark clothes, light clothes, sheets, towels, car covers, man-sitting, curtains, colors, shatters and so much more. Curtains used for balconies have many purposes from combating the heat of the sun, preventing the city’s pollution and dust coming inside the home, to setting privacy from spies AKA me sometimes. There is a consensus among the curtains, the stripes pattern being the most popular.
Cairo and Alexandria are overpopulated which creates pollution and dirt problems. However, areas in Cairo like Maadi and Zamalek still have traces of their natural representation. Movies in black and white allow us to see what these areas looked like many years ago. The Nile River was still naked so to speak, without the clubs’ overwhelming presence. Greenery was everywhere and enjoyed by the public contrary to today, greenery is considered a luxury that can be enjoyed by the privileged.
It makes sense to create greenery on one’s balcony, especially in a country with heavy concrete invasion. Greenary has been known to create relaxation and peace of mind. This year I’m extremely proud to be growing vegetation for the first time on my tiny balcony in the middle of a very crowded street. Because my balcony is so small, I had to look for inspiration online in order to make this work.
Can we just acknowledge the smart sitting arrangements in these small balconies? I never thought of cooking while sitting on my balcony but once I figure out a smart sitting on my balcony I will be sipping my coffee more often there. I think that having a folded table on the metal fencing of the balcony is the most economical in terms of space.
Potting plants on shelves is the perfect way to incorporate many plants in small places. I have a soft stop for messy and wild-looking gardens.
During the summer a small tent for the kids to play with water on the balcony. Usually, kids are happy and busy for a long period of time if the activities involve water. The next couple of pictures will give you a couple of sitting inspirations.
My garden does not look as beautiful as the inspiration pictures but I am so proud to be growing food. The happy yellow bell pepper growing beautifully. Mint, zattar and rosemary are some of my garden’s herbs. As well as some fruit plants that I planted but forgot which type. I can’t wait to see what my garden will look like once spring comes around.
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