Over the centuries, Egypt has been home to many cultures and many civilizations, has housed religions and renegades, lovers and unlovables. As a result, Egypt has become a pinwheel of diversity, city names ranging from Latin to Arabic, Greek to English. Whether it’s a tongue of antiquity or one we still use today, Egypt remembers them all in the form of Cairo. Cairo is both the capital of Egypt and its massive darling, with upwards of eight districts ranging from ancient to modern to postmodern. Each has a unique identity, a unique sense of self; Maadi is for the dreamers, the florists, the let’s-get-lost in peace. Mohandessin is a concrete jungle, fast-paced and merciless, a hub of noise and corporate-savvy. But there’s always a little more to each of them. There’s a name. Ain Shams Ain Shams is the most predictable on this list. Its meaning is “Eye of the Sun” in Arabic, as the district now sits atop one of antiquity’s most interesting locales: the ancient Heliopolis. Not to be confused with the modern city, the true Heliopolis was the spiritual epicenter for sun worship in ancient Egypt. Today,…
