Green Ma'adi

 040810 – Green Ma’adi

As Albert & I stroll around the "leafy-green suburb of Maadi" - well that's how Maadi is described, according to the only sentence the Lonely Planet Guide [LPG] extends to Maadi in it's entire publication. 

Now! When you read these words, various mental pictures immediately come to mind. In most cases, Maadi falls way short of expectations, not only in this department but in many others as well. However, these words have to be seen in context to their surroundings and the longer you spend here, the longer you see that these words are, in fact, very true. BUT coming direct from the UK or northern Europe or North America or even from parts of Australia, these words don't seem to fit when you first arrive in this all-but-desert land. 

How can you call a suburb where there are dirty-leafed trees and bushes and shrubs, 'green'? Where many trees and bushes appear to be stunted in their growth? Where the spindliest of trunks reach ever upward in search of what? In search of sunlight? Hardly! In search of what then? Upon a not-so-careful inspection of the foliage on any street on any given day, you will see that the leaves have more dirt, dust, pollution and cobwebs on them than has anything else in the nearby surrounds. What is funny to see, however, is that in spite of the state of the leaves, those trees and shrubbery that were planted not for the 'green' they would add to the landscape but for the colour of their flowers, is a sight to behold. In its season, these flowers burst out in their brilliant colour, upstaging their host; taking the breath away from casual observers; and creating beauty amidst their otherwise dowdy and very ordinary-looking surroundings. The brilliant reds of the eucalypt and flame trees; the rich deep pink of the frangipani; the purple of the Jacaranda; and other trees and shrubs which are yet to be identified by species but the colours tell their own stories - the vibrant yellows, as well as the softer tones of the coral pinks, the stark whites intermingled with the subtle primroses - ah! the wonder & beauty of His creation! The colours seem to be in stark contrast and almost contradiction to their surroundings. But wait a minute longer before declaring the obvious! Why not sit back and think, wonder and ponder as to why this is so? 

This country, if it wasn't for the Nile, would be almost totally desolate. 94% of the country is non-arable land: therefore 94% is desert! Man would not survive in most of the country if it were not for the Nile: this country's only water supply! The Nile is the lifeline of Egypt. Along its course and channels and canals life pulsates and in abundance but immediately outside its arms-reach, the land is pure desert! Nothing survives, except for the oasis where the few of them are scattered far and wide. 

Have you ever taken a look at NASA's lights of Earth website? If not, then do yourself a favour and look at it and look especially at Egypt! You will see a bold white line which extends from the Aswan Dam in the south through to its emptying into the Mediterranean in the north. It graphically shows the life-blood that it is to this country: 

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/Images/earth_lights_lrg.jpg 

Along the banks of this mighty River the course of Egypt's history has lived, generation after generation. From the Pharoanic era through the Christian era and today in it's Islamic era. Egypt has been captive of many forces and nations throughout history but all of it has been staged along the banks of this mighty River! Cities have been built and cities destroyed along its banks. 

Maadi, like the rest of the country, is built along the banks of the Nile. It was during the British era that many of its trees were planted! Water was piped from the Nile to provide life and sustenance and nutrition for them and not only did they survive but they thrived. Today we reap the rewards of those visionaries who planted the first saplings that would, generations later, provide the shade and shelter that we appreciate and value today! 

However, horticulturalists the local establishment are not! The "green" of Maadi does not survive because of them but in spite of them! Where else in the world would you see the trees being lopped, pruned and hacked about in the height of summer? On days when the outdoor temperature is nearing the 50 degree [celcius] mark and the population are looking for shady areas to walk or chat or shop or just 'be'. Where oh! where is the shade? I'll tell you where most of the shade is - it's in the bins and stacked metres high along the roadside waiting to be dumped; to be hauled off to who knows where to be used as who knows what! And what about the trees themselves? What trauma are they going through? However, at some stage in history someone declared that August is the month for pruning and so generation after generation August is when the trees are pruned! We have observed first-hand the almost destruction of beautifully shaded parks, common areas and medium strips - just at a time when they are needed most! It almost makes one cry! 

However, intermingled in all of this, is that the streets of Maadi are not only being denuded of its greenery but also that dozens and even hundreds of rubbish bins are being brought in! Along some streets, workers are welding a rubbish bin to every second lightpole; they are unloading streetsize-bins along many corridors; and in areas of greater need, even bigger street-bins are being set down - bins the size of trucks! All of this to start the mammoth project of cleaning the streets of Maadi; of changing hundreds of years of practice of dumping one’s rubbish wherever one is, rather than taking it home to dispose of later; of changing the practice of throwing your rubbish bag from your window or balcony into the empty block next door; of hauling your rubbish out onto the street corner to leave it for I-don't-care-who will collect it later - and usually it's much later; of making a difference to the streets of Maadi! A bold step by a bold person! We used to walk beside a brick wall and often wondered what was beyond it -well one day we discovered what was beyond that brick wall - it was a mountain of rubbish, all bagged up and tossed from the adjacent windows, doors and balconies until one day, the wall fell over to reveal exactly what was behind it...

For every upside where we introduce change into a community, there is always a downside! The downside of all this is that the street cats and dogs will have to find other sources of food; as well as the shepherd and goatkeeper who take their small flocks from one street to another in the search of food for their charges.