The role of Egyptian cafes in history

In the turmoil before Egypt's parliamentary elections, the formerly bustling city center was once again depressed, and most shops closed again, except for the cafe on the corner, whose windows glowed soft yellow. It is here that Najib Mahafuz, a longtime customer of the Nobel Prize for Literature, drinks coffee with his literary friends, observes life, talks about the current situation, and witnesses the ups and downs of history.