2025 Egypt
Here are the results – although this time they really are of minor importance. The sporting side is always secondary anyway, but this time even more so: most of the other teams’ players could have been our grandchildren. Still, it’s nice not to have finished last.
On the other hand, we have an enormous number of lovely photos – more than ever.
Alexandria, 26–30 November 2025
The Egyptians held their tournament for the 15th time. It was our fourth time there. While it used to be for “Sports Media and Journalists”, this time it was for “Sports Tourism”.
Ancient Egyptian bakers kneaded bread dough with their feet. Women in ancient Egypt had a surprising number of rights: they could own property, write a will and get divorced.
Some of us travelled to Cairo before the tournament and from there on to Alexandria. More precisely: the teams were accommodated on the campus of Senghor University, a French-speaking African institution for developing Egyptian-African activities – more than an hour from downtown Alexandria. About 70 km away and pretty much in the desert, opposite the Japanese university E-JUST, where the matches were played.
Hero of Alexandria, a brilliant mathematician and engineer of the 1st century AD, invented mechanical devices, including the aeolipile, a simple sphere driven by steam. Although it was used as a curiosity rather than for practical purposes, it was essentially an early steam engine – almost 2,000 years before the Industrial Revolution.
Valuable picture frames protect the antique entrance of the historic lift and prevent unnecessary trips out of pure convenience. This protects the valuable technology and is good for body and mind.
In the evenings the entrance area of our exclusive flat turned into an outdoor restaurant. Before the challenging ascent of Mount Fourth Floor, refreshments of water and mango juice were therefore entirely appropriate. Baja and Joscha build up strength for the arduous climb.
Mango juice makes you happy – and not only because of the price (about 20 cents). It worked every time for Reza and Bernd.
Anyone can do pure strength. Sometimes it takes brainwork.
A Pepsi & crisps kiosk offers its colourful range.
View of the Nile from the rooftop of the “Nile Zamalek Hotel” on Gezira island. On the other side, several hotels line the Nile promenade before Downtown, the historic business district, begins.
How an advertising board became a work of art. These fluorescent tubes were once arranged in parallel inside an illuminated billboard. It is an expression of the greatest artistic genius to rearrange the board, power it in a creative pattern and do without the advertising that would block the view.
The Nile in the evening. 95% of Egyptians live near the Nile. The missing 5% presumably live abroad.
In the Muhammad Ali Mosque in the Saladin Citadel, also called the Alabaster Mosque. The 28-metre clock tower on the mosque was a gift from the French King Louis-Philippe to Muhammad Ali Pasha, who had his seat of government in the citadel in the early 19th century. In return, Muhammad Ali gave the king the obelisk that now stands on the Place de la Concorde in Paris.
The huge dome of the Muhammad Ali Mosque. The gold-decorated main dome has a diameter of 21 metres and is flanked by four smaller domes and four half-domes. The building is in Ottoman style with baroque elements and symbolised the transition to a modern Egypt.
The corn cob is still resisting, but in the end it had no chance. With the right aggression in the duel, Reza came out on top.
A great view from the Saladin Citadel of the pyramids of Giza, more than ten kilometres away. This view is only possible on clear days. There are many more pyramids south-west of Cairo, some not far from Giza; more than 130 pyramids have been documented across Egypt.
View from the citadel of the Sultan Hassan Mosque and the al-Rifa’i Mosque, which stand right next to each other. The former was built in the 14th century and once had 48 muezzins, the latter in the 19th and 20th centuries. The Shah of Persia, Reza Shah Pahlavi, was briefly buried here; after the Second World War he was returned to Iran, while his son’s tomb remains in the al-Rifa’i Mosque.
The citadel houses the “National Police Museum” and the “National Military Museum”. At least those are the official names. Well, who can read the top line anyway?
A pyramid and the Sphinx’s backside. The Great Sphinx of Giza is by far the largest and most famous of all sphinxes. For a long time it had its head buried in the sand, which helped to preserve it. The head is covered with a nemes headcloth, as worn by the pharaohs. Since Asterix we know the nose broke off (and why, don’t we?). Pieces of its beard, which also broke off, are now in the British Museum in London. The small head doesn’t really match the massive body. Some researchers suspect the Sphinx originally had a larger head and the current one was carved later. This is supported by the fact that the head is less weathered than the body, although the body was buried in sand even longer. There is no proof yet – even an intensive study of Asterix and Obelix produced no reliable findings.
Breakfast with Reza, Joscha and Mareike.
Sitting high up on a camel has the disadvantage of being even closer to the scorching sun – but the advantage that smoking is strictly permitted.
A kiss for the Sphinx.
In the deserts of Arabia live nomads called Bedouins. They move with their camels from place to place to find water and food for their animals. By old custom they live in tents and trade their goods at markets. Today, however, many Bedouins also live in cities, some even abroad – like this Bedouin, whose search for cigarettes has taken him all over the world. Once again he found what he was looking for.
Tired camels take a break in front of the pyramids.
There are several golf courses right next to the pyramids of Giza, notably the historic Mena House golf course, just a few metres from the Pyramid of Khufu. It offers a panoramic view of the monuments and is playable in winter too. In ancient Egypt, the profession of greenkeeper was still largely unknown.
This granite statue stands on the grand staircase of the Grand Egyptian Museum. In the middle is King Ramesses II, muscular and with rather large feet. To his left is Ptah, god of craftsmen and artists, said to have created the universe – and himself. His wife, a goddess and thus a divine spouse, is called Sekhmet and stands on the far right (holding hands with Ramesses!). She is a warrior goddess with a lion’s head who also lives on big feet. Her father, by the way, is the Egyptian sun god Ra. She fights the enemies of her father and of the pharaoh with a certain tendency towards bloodlust.
This golden shrine is one of the canopic shrines from Tutankhamun’s tomb. It protected the canopic chest containing the four canopic jars, which held the pharaoh’s mummified internal organs (liver, lungs, stomach and intestines). The shrine was part of a complex system of nested shrines and is entirely gilded. Each of its four sides shows one of the protective goddesses – Isis, Nephthys, Neith and Serket – with outstretched arms, protecting the deceased.
The death mask of Tutankhamun is the highlight of the Grand Egyptian Museum and certainly one of the most famous works of art in the world. It was meant to transform the pharaoh’s spirit into a divine form: the gold represents the sun and the blue lapis lazuli the sky, enabling rebirth. The mask, weighing over 10 kg, was found in the Valley of the Kings in 1922 and occasionally travels the world. In 2014 the beard came off – it fell to the floor when the mask was taken out of its display case for cleaning. The staff responsible tried to repair it with quick-drying epoxy resin, after which it was no longer centred. A year later the damage was noticed and repaired by a German-Egyptian team, who reattached the beard with beeswax, as used by the ancient Egyptians.
Ramesses II was somewhat careless with his dental hygiene. He probably died from the effects of a severe infection in his mouth: his mummy shows signs of an inflamed abscess in the lower jaw that may have caused blood poisoning (sepsis). He also suffered from arthritis and typical age-related complaints. The colossal statue in the entrance hall reflects the power and wealth of King Ramesses II. It originally stood in front of the main temple of the god Ptah in Memphis, guarding its sacred interior. It is 11.35 m tall.
Our guide got us a ridiculously cheap camel ride (today only!), a to-the-point visit to the Grand Egyptian Museum without needless viewing of all that Egyptian knick-knack, and of course the world-famous papyrus museum with its unique essence manufactory. You could put it that way, couldn’t you? Come on.
The flatmates at dinner.
Breakfast with Christmas baubles hanging from the ceiling.
The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is built in a round shape, like a sun disc rising from the sea. The ancient library is said to have stood near the lighthouse. As it was impossible to build on the original site, the new Bibliotheca was built within sight of it, close to the beach.
A Norwegian firm of architects won the architectural competition for the new library in the late 1980s. Construction took six years, with Egyptian, Italian and British contractors involved. Because the skylights face north, no direct sunlight enters the building to dazzle readers. The curved roof structure with movable elements makes optimal use of daylight.
The open reading room of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina is considered the largest in the world. The Bibliotheca opened on 16 October 2002.
After the visit to the Bibliotheca, a water and a cappuccino at the Athineos Café on the promenade – still accompanied by two students (front).
Crustaceans, fish and mussels presented by the next generation. In a few years his voice will have settled, and then he can out-shout his competitors.
A fish in each hand and then a handshake with Joscha. The friendliness of the people is outstanding.
Football is played everywhere. The footwear isn’t perfect but suitable – especially as the ball seemed to be organic. Perhaps a potato? Rubbish is an increasingly serious problem in Egypt’s big cities.
No two stalls are alike. What they all have in common: the goods are fresh. Or from China.
An estimated 15 million dogs and even more cats roam Egypt, many of them in the cities, where they usually live in groups and have better chances of survival. This cool kitten is still too small to ride a moped on its own. But it can already sleep on the seat.
The hands are spread wide and placed shoulder-width apart. Using the strength of the arms, the pelvis is pushed far back and up. The arms press actively into the floor, with the upper arms rotating outwards and the shoulders wide. The spine is long. The gaze is loyal. The correct alignment of the downward-facing dog, Adho Mukha Svanasana, is an important part of yoga practice.
The market in the narrow lanes works even without a food safety authority. This trader has a large basket of beans for sale.
The goods couldn’t be fresher. The fish market is impressive in every respect.
The sentence for avoiding the stairs lasted only four floors.
Drinks and snacks at the Blue Harbor Rooftop Restaurant of the Windsor Palace Hotel in Alexandria. We enjoy the wonderful view of the bay. And of Klemmi and Joscha.
The food and drink are highly recommended. The rooftop location has the advantage of keeping most of the street noise out.
The view from the Blue Harbor Rooftop along the promenade. The sun is about to set. Cheerful honking draws attention to the leisurely traffic. As in Cairo, the horns are actually dead man’s switches and must be pressed every four seconds.
Alexandria has several important oil refineries, including the Alexandria Ameriya Refinery, the Alexandria El Mex Refinery and the MIDOR Refinery, all belonging to the state company EGPC and with considerable crude-oil processing capacity. The shallow pools are used to extract salt by solar evaporation of seawater. The region around Alexandria is also rich in natural salt deposits such as salt pans and brine springs.
Because rents are not allowed to rise, the owners have neither the money nor the desire to carry out the necessary renovations of the many buildings right on the Corniche, the waterfront promenade of Alexandria’s bay. A horse-drawn carriage is parked in front of the building – plenty of them are available for willing tourists.
Daniel has the soul of a chips classic: red and white – ketchup and mayo.
Full concentration at the tactics meeting. There was simply a lack of places to put things down.
The tactical sketches that became known as the “Reza Files” have been requested by museums worldwide. The Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco won the bid.
The opening ceremony. All teams lined up with their flags.
This team photo was taken after the opening ceremony. The Egyptian photographer made a point of including the German flag, presumably to make the picture easier to identify.
Waiting for the first match.
The German team before the tournament: confident, full of energy and trained to the last fibre. Top from left: Daniel Schmitz, Baja Mihajlovic, Jonathan Cilimba, Jens Mickler, Reza Parsa, Mareike Behrens. Bottom from left: Ralf Klemm, Bernd Huck, Andreas Klemm, Joscha Douma.
A thoughtful coach. Reza set the team up brilliantly – and surprised the entire team with his artful tactics.
Spooning man-marking. Only used against extremely dangerous players.
Before the match against the Senghor University team. Actually an unfair contest: most of us were three times as old as the inexperienced African players, so our great experience gave us a clear advantage. Speed, strength, technique and stamina alone won’t get you anywhere. So we took it easy and gifted them the odd goal.
Two thumbs up: Jens enjoyed the full confidence of his coach Reza and repaid it with his performance.
Showing the sole of your shoe is frowned upon in Egypt and other Islamic countries. Football is an exception.
The dynamism of the German players rarely allowed sharper photos. Daniel at the back, Jonathan in front.
The complete board of the Daniel Schmitz fan club.
Keeper Andi with a long clearance. He saved whatever could be saved. Some shots were simply unstoppable.
Joscha plays a long ball.
On the right, long-distance runner Joscha with the elastic legs. In the background, Captain Klemmi covers.
The German team’s quick passing game was the basis for the sophisticated tactical instructions.
Joscha and Daniel work on the young Hungarians.
Before the match Hungary vs Germany. Their huge squad and an average age not even half as high did not stop the Magyars from conceding a goal against a composed German team. They themselves, on the other hand, did not manage to score more than seven.
Spirited tackles in the match against the Hungarians.
The oldest made his debut. Baja played for the first time – and made no mistakes.
The German team prepares intensively for the third match of the day.
Baja gave his opponents no room to manoeuvre – not even Tata (right), captain of the eventual tournament winners.
The German defence had plenty of work. Keeper Andi saved what could be saved; Klemmi and Jens throw themselves against the waves of Egyptian attacks.
Two who are always in top physical shape and covered a lot of ground: Captain Klemmi and Jens.
Cheerful even at the end of the matches.
At the citadel, these stones are identified as remaining debris of the lighthouse – at least by an employee with a broom, who offered this explosive information for a small fee. Further remains of the once imposing structure can be seen under water.
A view across Abu Qir Bay to the Citadel of Qaitbay, which was built on the ruins of the destroyed lighthouse to protect against the Ottomans.
Alexandria is threatened by rising sea levels. At the same time, underwater archaeologists have made spectacular finds: limestone buildings, royal statues and the remains of an ancient harbour have emerged from the waters. Divers have looted hundreds of ancient artefacts from the seabed off Egypt. The loot includes coins, statues and weapons – reportedly 305 coins, 53 statues, 41 axes, 20 bronze pieces, 14 bronze chalices, twelve spears and three statue heads, according to the “New York Post”. According to the authorities, one of the men has a criminal record. The “New York Post” quotes officials: “They admitted they wanted to sell the coins.” Oh, I see.
Daniel on the waterfront promenade in Alexandria. A quiet, relaxed moment, undisturbed by autograph hunters.
Auto rickshaw, motorised three-wheeler or simply tuk-tuk. They enrich the traffic mainly through sheer quantity. Incidentally, one of the last topics being discussed in the cities: cycle lanes.
The carriage horses have a lot to put up with: the constant honking, the hustle and bustle and all the lights. And very young coachmen.
With proper load securing, even larger quantities can be transported safely. After all, the dealers in the bazaars are already waiting for fresh supplies.
Every now and then something falls off the table. Then the animals are happy.
Waiting for the bus, almost at the end of a long day in Alexandria.
In the evening, right in front of the door to our flat. Not quite what you’d have expected during the day.
Old safes can be handed in at this collection point.
No, this is not FIFA. Gianni isn’t about to arrive and greet his buddy Mr President, no peace prize is about to be awarded, and Gianni won’t take a selfie with his bro. No – Mahmoud is about to arrive and the closing ceremony is about to begin.
Even the seventh-placed team was allowed on stage to say a few words to the hosts and the other teams.
As thanks for his excellent organisation, the German team presented Mahmoud with a signed shirt.
Students of Senghor University with their singing teacher (far right).
The Senghor University team on stage.
A series of traditional dances accompanied the closing ceremony.
Another little dance to entertain those present.
The students presented, sang and danced.
Time to dance.
