A House of two doors
A tradition in the villages of northeast of Cairo, is to build houses with two main door entrances. The main door entrance leads to the rest of the house, while the second door leads to only one side room in the house. The side room also has another internal door that can be locked or shut from the inside separating it from the rest of the house.
Usually this room with both an indoor and outdoor entrance is called the ‘Guest Room’ or a ‘Visitor's Salon’ designed so that it protects the privacy of the house, only permitting visitors to access a very small portion of the home rather than all of it.
It is also designed so that women can enjoy their privacy without having to cover up or limit their actions in their own homes.
Village Doors & Street Cats
Some villagers from the village of Diabia, Egypt, leave their house doors open when breakfasting or starting any meal for cats to stop by. Street cats sneak in and patiently wait by the doors, timidly observing the people as they eat, waiting to be fed.
I asked one of the villagers about the cats, if any of them live with her at home. She answered quite fervently in a thick rural accent,
‘ Who gave you the right to tie an animal's freedom to your own house? Why oppress them? God created them to be free. An animal exists for them to help us, and for us to help them, not oppress them. I don't know how they feel, so why should I assume they like staying with me? They come in, eat, and leave and that’s that.
You know what I hate? Those who imprison birds in cages and call them pets. Who do they think they are snatching away a bird from its entire essence - the blessing of flying! See that sky? That’s their kingdom and they just take it away from them like that. Just feed the beast and let it be and it will let you be. That’s the cycle of nature, but you city folk like to manage everything.’