Tucked behind a Maspero construction site is a narrow alley, punctuated with small shops and idle fruit vendors. They sit on the sidewalk and cool themselves with feather fans used to air grilled corn. Out on the street are a few scattered men selling fresca (thin, honeyed wafers) and children’s toys, sweat gathering on their brow. Further down, where the Nile starts and the Ramses bus lot ends are two women selling soft batata (sweet potato). Mobile vendors are a common sight along Egyptian roads, on metro lines, and tucked to the sides of tight streets. They are the meeting point of innovation and poverty, men and women who struggle against the heat on a daily basis, who produce and distribute their own goods, and remain animated and gracious in the face of bitter looks, pointed authority, and car horns. Egyptian Streets had a chance to chat with four vendors, some woven into the fabric of Maspero, others scattered across Zamalek and Mohandeseen. Here is how they answered a simple question: what is the hardest part of your job—and what’s the best part of it? Om Ghali Sitting behind the…
