Cairo is a big city with little quirks, a unique collection of buildings and people, that has its own aesthetics. Over the last few months, several accounts have started piling up, creating a virtual museum of everything from Cairo’s ChillOut gas stations, traffic, Firehorse Ad sightings, Cairo cats, and a lot more. We’ve compiled the best profiles that showcase the one-of-a-kind run-down charm of the city.

1. @SHABABEKNA

Shababekna (Our Windows) documents interesting-looking windows, balconies, and stories of Egyptian buildings.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by قصة شباك (@shababekna)

 

2. @ELCATSPROJECT

ElCats Project documents cats all over Cairo.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by @elcatsproject

3. @YETANOTHERACCOUNTABOUTCHAIRS

According to the account’s bio, the profile documents socioeconomic patterns in Egypt through chairs, which is a unique take on Egypt’s socioeconomic gap.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Another Account (@yetanotheraccountaboutchairs)

4. @MANNEQUINOFEGYPT

Through unsettling postures of mannequins in shop storefronts and windows, this profile possibly reveals details about Egypt through subtle imagery.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by mannequin of egypt (@mannequinofegypt)

5. @CAIRENETRAFFICDIARIES

Cairo is well-known for its constant congested traffic, and if you look closely, you’ll always notice random details and easter eggs on people’s cars, buses, and trucks. This account documents them.

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Cairene Traffic Diaries (@cairenetrafficdiaries)

6. @SIGNSOFCAIRO

From beautiful calligraphy to spray-painted scribbles, these signs are works of art in their own right.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Signs of Cairo (@signsofcairo)

7. @DIZEBALETNA

A thought-provoking account of trash, DiZebaletna (This is our trash) documents the endless everyday waste of Cairo in this day and age when global warming is on the rise, and reminds its viewers that “every piece of plastic waste ever made, still exists.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by zebaletna (@dizebaletna)

8. @SPOTSH3RAWI

The late Muhammad Metwalli al-Sha’rawi is one of Egypt’s most popular Islamic scholars, so popular that one photo of his is commonly found plastered on buses, cars, windows, and walls in the street. SpotSh3rawi collects spotting of the photo all over Cairo.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Spot Sha’rawi (@spotsh3rawi)

9. @YEAROFTHEFIREHORSE

Another absurd common spotting is advertising for the Firehorse energy drink, which can be seen anywhere from 6th of October bridge billboards to microbus windows.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by firehorse (@yearofthefirehorse)

10. @COME_CHILLOUT_WITHME

With the recent opening of a large number of ChillOut gas stations, this account documents their appearances all over the country.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Chilloutwithme (@come_chillout_withme)

 

Subscribe to the Egyptian Streets’ weekly newsletter! Catch up on the latest news, arts & culture headlines, exclusive features and more stories that matter, delivered straight to your inbox by clicking here.

---

Subscribe to our newsletter

---