The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

Haram Street in Giza is famous for two
things; seedy nightclubs and the Pyramids. However, there is a small section,
two-thirds of the way down toward the Pyramids at the intersection with El
Areesh Street that has become a centre of congregation for the area’s trendiest
youths. There’s a Hardees, a KFC, a Cook Door, a shopping mall to hang outside
of, and much more. Hidden away at a small stairway next to Hardees is an
amalgamation of a shop that sports the names of Adidas, but also contains a
small section of Timberland stock.

The majority of the Adidas shoes available
are more sportswear-appropriate; with little to no choice if you’re looking for
casual footwear. They range in price at between 499LE to 799LE, but at the time
of this reviewer’s visit, there were some items reduced by 20%. With regards to
the rest of the stock, it again seems to cater much more to seekers of
sportswear and not casual wear.

Plain cotton-polyester blend t-shirts are
available in a range of colours for 250LE, while cotton long-sleeved and short-sleeved
tops set you back between 299LE and 399LE, and come in several designs,
including the colours and badges of some national football teams such as Brazil
and Germany. The thing that stood out the most was a collection of old-school
Adidas bags and holdalls. Unfortunately, like the rest of the stock, they are
grossly overpriced, with the smallest bag priced at 299LE, and the biggest selling
for 499LE. 

The most peculiar pricing in the shop comes
in the way of the official Al Ahly football shirt, which sells here for 269LE. The same replica shirt is sold in the official Al Ahly shop in Mohandiseen
for 129LE, with the real version of the shirt selling for 250LE; a shocking
disparity in price.

In regards to the Timberland collection, a
large collection of jeans caters mostly to wearers of straight and loose fits,
and range between 699LE and 799LE. When put into context, they aren’t that much
more expensive than you’d find at Levi’s and considerably cheaper than you’d
find at a designer shop like Calvin Klein; but it does seem an extortionate
price to pay. If you are looking for long-term investment in a standard pair of
jeans, then Timberland’s collection is worth a look; they feel sturdy and durable,
and are available in larger sizes. A small range of slacks are also available
for summer, and at 599LE they aren’t cheap. Like the jeans, they are of good
quality, and come in beige, khaki, green and grey.

A range of chequered short-sleeved shirts
are available for 499LE, and t-shirts sporting the Timberland name will set you
back between 250LE and 350LE. The highlight of the Timberland section is the
shoe collection, with most occasions covered for men’s footwear. You can grab
yourself a pair of boat shoes for summer in brown, beige and dark, worn brown for
699LE.  

As is common in retail in Cairo the staff
is incredibly intrusive. They probably think they’re helping, but it’s absurdly
discomforting. Where does this policy of shadowing come from?