'Cairo Time' offers not only gorgeous scenery but food for thought

It's sad for a Travel writer, but most of my journeys this summer have been by way of the cinema. And my latest jaunt, thanks to Syrian-Canadian filmmaker Ruba Nadda's "Cairo Time," just may be the most fulfilling yet.

The film's website calls it "a love letter to a city intertwined with a love story about a woman"--and it's certainly true. Alongside the luminous Patricia Clarkson (as Juliette) and the gorgeous and sensitive Alexander Siddig (as Tareq) stars the peerless city of Cairo, one that's been at the top of my personal Travel "bucket list" for years.

And after watching this incredible 88-minute film, I'm about ready to book a ticket (and hopefully meet my OWN Tareq somewhere in the city!

The basics: A married-with-grown-kids magazine editor flies from North America to meet her UN official husband in Cairo for a three-week vacation. But trouble flares in Gaza and he's unable to meet her for awhile--so he sends his Egyptian friend and former colleague Tareq to meet her instead, as it's not easy for foreign women (not to mention tall blonde ones who neglect to cover their hair in this massive Muslim city) to navigate this dense and chaotic metropolis.

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Maureen Jenkins s a food/travel writer and communications professional who's visited more than 30 countries and territories, lived in Florence, Italy -- and is spending the year in Samois-sur-Seine, a charming village near Paris, France. The self-proclaimed “urban travel girl” talks travel, food and wine – abroad and in Chicago – in “TCW Travel Connection.” Read more of her thoughts on living globally at UrbanTravelGirl.com.