The Good Holiday.

 

So, you still want more? Here you go. Together with a host of other contributors, I now share responsible tourism stories from around the world on THE GOOD HOLIDAY. Here's how Daréll Lourens, the passionate film-maker behind the blog, describes the project:

TGH produces films in places that make an extra effort to involve and empower local communities. Our photographers take pictures in parts around the world that amaze with natural beauty and our writers string together sentences about destinations that inspire an inner knowledge that living well creates more abundance than living rich.

Do I need to say more?

Tea with Mint.

Imagine sitting on the crest of a sand dune in the middle of the Western Desert, there's a fire going while the sun disappears on the horizon. Your bedouin guide mixes together sugar, water, black tea and mint leaves into a sweet concoction that's being poured into tiny glasses and handed to you. You take a first sip and feel completely content. It's warm and refreshing at the same time. That's why we love simple tea with. Because it's the quintessential flavour of Arabia past and present. Also enjoyed in Cairo tea houses and at home with friends and family, but at it's best out in the vastness of the desert.

Cake Café.

It's the weekend! Time to treat yourself to a good cup of coffee and some sweet treats. For our afternoon caffeine fix and bar of scrumptious pecan pie, we often head for the tiny Cake Café opposite the Islamic Ceramics Museum in Zamalek. It's one of the few places around where you can sit outside on the pavement and although they only have one small table with two chairs for al fresco eating, we often find it vacant. As if it's always waiting only for us. Most people seem to prefer the air-conditioned inside sitting area. It's a great, quiet spot close to the hubbub of El Gezira St where affluent parent ferry their kids to the sports club of the same name. Perfect for watching people or just the birds in the trees above.

https://www.facebook.com/CakeCafeCairo

Taziry Ecolodge.

Sometimes only Siwa is remote enough if you need to get away from it all and escape the mayhem of the big city. And if you want to give even the mild bustle of Siwa town a miss, look no further than Taziry Ecolodge. Around the corner from the more upmarket Adrere Amellal, this is a most charming mud-brick retreat, perfect to spend a couple of nights on the doorstep of the desert. Literally. The various guest rooms, dining rooms and lounges are scattered on the foot of a towering rock formation. You can have dinner under the stars and breakfast with a splendid lake view. Food is of exceptional quality and taste, a rare find in the Egyptian culinary scene. Feast on tender beef with dates and caramelized onions or succulent chicken basted with pomegranate molasses. A huge, deep pool invites guests for a cooling dip in the afternoon heat or after returning from an excursion to town or into the Great Sand Sea. Grab a book, make yourself at home on one of the palm-shaded daybeds and relax. Rooms are spacious and comfy and kept in a natural colour palette, all decorated with beautiful Siwan crafts. It might be wise to bring a torch as Taziry is only lit by candles and lanterns, which creates a magic atmosphere fit for Arabian Nights. Thanks to solar water heaters, you don't have to do without a hot morning shower, though. All good.

http://taziry.com

Asir Laymoun.

On of the most wonderful gifts of Egypt to the world, though its availability is sadly confined to Egypt and neighbouring countries for the most part, is fresh lemon juice. Known as Asir Laymoun in Arabic, it's made from a small, local variety of lemon that actually looks more like lime but doesn't have the distinct bright green colour of its sibling. To make the juice, lemons are simply cut in half and then frothed in a blender with some water and a dash of milk, then sweetened to taste with sugar or syrup. A version with mint leaves added before blending is both very common and super-tasty. In more upmarket establishments you can sweeten it yourself with syrup served on the side, but it's a lot of fun to simply try the lemon juice in as many places as possible and enjoy the nuanced differences in taste and texture. We especially love the Asir Laymoun at Taboula for its heavy lemon-and-mint aroma and sugary goodness.

Maison Thomas.

When the afternoon light comes shining in at the Maison Thomas Zamalek branch and the racing green interior gets that chic glow, you can for a moment or two forget the mayhem happening outside. An intriguing mix of an English country pub, a French bistro, and an Italian trattoria, Maison Thomas is a beloved Cairo classic and has been a mainstay of the capital's culinary scene ever since the golden 20s. Come here for a leisurely lunch of pizza and salad on the way from a meeting or on the way into a well-deserved weekend and watch the chefs working away at doughs and toppings behind the glass partition that separates the seating area with its bar stools and high tables from the kitchen. Their signature delivery boxes in natural brown with the restaurant's timeless logo printed on top are stacked high on the wall behind the kitchen and payment counters, so don't be surprised to see a stream of delivery boys darting in and out of the place to cart the hot pizzas to customers around town. Close your visit in style with an espresso and a helping of their heavenly tiramisu. Adds a silver lining to even the bleakest of days.

http://www.elmenus.com/cairo/restaurants/maison-thomas-1519

Cairo Kitchen.

There's people who think that it's outright crazy to pay double or triple the price for something that can easily be had at a much lower cost a few block down the street. But then, these are probably people for whom food is all about affordability and taste. For us who also value attentive and friendly service, a homey atmosphere, beautiful design and clean tables, some savvy entrepreneurs invented Cairo Kitchen, the contemporary (and yes, somewhat posh) answer to Cairo's food carts that can be seen around town selling tamia, fool and grilled vegetables. Around town, four outlets welcome hungry guests with their signature mix of white-against-colour interiors and Mondrian-esque facades. Colourful light bulbs add to the quirky look and feel and you can easily pretend you've stepped into a never-ending summertime street festival. Charming! At the food counter you can choose between warm meals from molokheya to koshary and an array of salads, dips and appetizers, all served in rustic enamelware and oh-so delicious. Don't forget to try their great, bottomless juices and cordials! They also do deliveries (of course, this is Cairo!) and cater for smaller and larger functions.

Tired of eating out or ordering in? Thankfully, the guys behind Cairo Kitchen recently also developed a cookery book of the same name, wrapping Egypt's most beloved recipes into a gorgeous layout with pictures so heartbreakingly beautiful in its description of profane daily life in the city you might forget Cairo tends to look like a grey, Soviet-era nightmare way too often.

http://www.cairokitchen.com

Taboula.

When in Cairo it's become one of our dearest weekend habits to aimlessly wander around Garden City and explore the grand avenues and little alleyways of this most charming of enclaves. After admiring the faded grandeur of the turn-of-the-century mansions and leafy gardens in sweet slumber, we end our outings at Taboula restaurant. While the brand has recently opened more branches in other upper class haunts around town, the Garden City mother ship is by far the most cosy and welcoming outlet. Plus, it's one of the few decent eateries you find in the area these days. It's proximity to the UK and US Embassies might have been a boon back in the days but road closures associated with these missions surely haven't helped much to stimulate business recently. However, the besieged location undoubtedly adds a bit of an adventurous feel for those who come here. Once inside, Taboula is like a warm, pastel-coloured bubble and anything that might happen outside seems far away. From our vantage point in one of the corner nooks furnished with comfy cushions we observe the regulars, a mix of local old money and expat youngsters, while smoking shisha and nipping on our super-sweet lemon juice. We always make sure to order a generous helping of the moreish Hummous Beiruti and a portion of the spicy potatoes. Whenever we feel like a full dinner, additional bowls of Mouhamara, Aleppo Olives and Eggplant Fettah do the trick. Not only do they keep us occupied for hours but they also leave us so full we have to add an evening stroll back home to Downtown to digest all the Lebanese goodness.

http://www.taboula-eg.com/

Simonds Bakery & Cafe.

Another one of those wonderful Downtown treasures, Simonds Bakery & Café has been delighting Cairenes with gorgeous sweets for over a century and still does so to great effect on the neighbourhood's coffee tables. Nobody quite manages to pack as many calories into so small a space as Simonds does with their slices of cake that come in all chocolatey hues from white to dark bordering on pitch black. Each piece is literally crowned with a cherry on top, which sometimes takes the form of a walnut or cluster of gold, adding another layer of sophistication to the anyway elaborate creations. Unfortunately, their café doesn't have much natural light and is far from cosy, so we rather like to get a box of gateaux soirée or danishes covered in icing to take home to the balcony where we neutralise the sweetness with a strong caffeine fix. They also do good croissants and artisanal bread if you like it less sweet. 

http://simonds1898.com

Patisserie El Abd.

A long-time Downtown fixture, Patisserie El Abd never fails to impress with their huge array of sweet delights. Apart from the sugar-and-honey soaked oriental pastry section, Al Abd also boast a wide range of wonderful cakes and gateaux from humble cheese cake to elaborate death by chocolate, as well as a special department for croissants and Danishes. Most of the time we are truly overwhelmed with all the different sweets to choose from so we always go for the same, proven treats, such as the rich chocolate croissant or the yummy pizza slices. When on an evening ramble around Downtown make sure to stop by at one of their branches in the area for what is arguably some of the best ice cream in Cairo. The mango version actually tastes like super-creamy, frozen fruit, as does the strawberry one. And the best part is, all the wonderful things on display are really affordable and cost only a fraction of what you would have to fork out at posh bakeries in places like London, Vienna or Paris.

High Tea at the Cataract.

If you can't (or don't want to) afford to stay at the magnificent Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan but still want to enjoy a slice of its grand splendour, reserve the afternoon and come for high tea instead. It's served on their famous veranda overlooking the Nile so you get to enjoy one of the highlights of this very special place at a fraction of the cost of what you would have to fork out for a room. Plus, there's delicious tea and tasty treats galore to go with the view. Watch the feluccas sail by before a backdrop of glistening water, lush greenery and the desert in the not-too-far distance while you munch on cucumber sandwiches and scones with clotted cream. And when the evening arrives with a fresh breeze that mingles with the clinking of fine china and silver cutlery and the background music, you might as well stay for a couple of drinks or even dinner before you head down to your modest abode in one of the less ritzy establishments in town. Sweet dreams.

http://www.sofitel.com/gb/hotel-1666-sofitel-legend-old-cataract-aswan/index.shtml

TBS - The Bakery Shop.

Bread-and-patisserie start-up The Bakery Shop reached nationwide acclaim for their »Got Ink?« campaign to promote participation in Egypt's parliamentary elections, during which they offered free products for everyone who could prove they voted as indicated by their inked index finger. In normal life the folks at TBS, as their artisan bakery is known, simply produce Egypt's best croissants that come in a large variety from plain to almond but always with plenty of greasy goodness. They also do wonderful sandwiches, donuts and fancy bread, but for us it's really all about the flaky French indulgence they are so famous for, though according to TBS the croissant is not of French provenance at all. Be it as it may, make sure you don't miss out on the their sweet (and savoury) treats whenever you happen to be near one of the TBS branches, of which we definitely want more in future, also outside the expected upper class haunts of Zamalek and Maadi. We'll start a campaign for a downtown outlet soon!

http://www.tbsfresh.com