Reflections and things

Sabaah el kheir! Morning of charity!

Guys, from now on I pronounce this blog to be totally random! 

Some foreign girls I spotted in Zamalek bar on New Year's Eve. Mini-vuvuzlelas were distributed and actively used. Everyone was dancing and singing all night, not minding the perfumed snow foam sprayed in the air.

Days later we were invited to the house of the guy who helps with arranging our transportation around Cairo and millions of other things. It needs to be mentioned that all tourist groups of more than, like, 7 people, must be escorted by gun-bearing security guard while in vehicle. Another day while in Arabic classes school I needed to get water and was going just across the corner, when my language instructor and school supervisor stopped me and insisted she goes with me. They explained it is done for security purposes. 

    Abduh (million things guy) and our lecturer / tour coordinator have know each other for twenty years! It is so cute to see them call each other habibi and kiss on cheeks, which is how Egyptian friends greet each other. His wife prepared turkey dinner for us! Delicious! I can't say I am in love with Egyptian food yet, but this stuff was so hearty!

 We had lunch, left and while waiting for the minivans to pick us up watched cart vendor walk on street and offer bananas and oranges for sale.

 We have ten minute breaks between Arabic classes and use it to practice conjoined twins dancing and also to warm up our rapidly cooling bodies. The houses in Cairo are built of stone and have granite or marble floors. Incredibly cold inside (. But must feel nice when Cairo is at its hotttest  - up to 40 degrees in July.

 Today I went to an old restaurant in Zamalek, it opened in fifties and still retains the aura of those glorious times. You can see European influence in paintings on the walls. The waiters think they are still in the past century and moving with according speed. As everybody says, everything is happening according to Egyptian time, which means who knows when your food will arrive and that tea takes 15 minutes.

Our tea came in a little enameled pot with fresh mint leaves. Total bill for two was 150 Eg pounds (24 US $), including tax and services. We had two soups, three small apps and tea.

Haven't figured out what that TNT meant 

After that lunch buses hauled us to Cairo university,  one of the most famous and prestigious higher ed institutions in Arab countries. Boutros Boutros Galy was a graduate, among other notable figures. Here Obama gave his infamous speech, which gave hope for change in US-Arab relations. Students of the university were kind enough to come to talk to us on various topics ranging from US-Egypt relations to sexual harassment. That was one heated discussion!

The university is public and as all education in Egypt is free.

 And a random pic after visiting the Giza pyramids: Mostly there are boys and men selling tourist trinkets, but I saw this little girls follow us for a while with their postcards. Economy of Egypt heavily depends on tourism and the inevitable globalization haven't anyone untouched. That's a Pizza Hut franchize in the background with a pyramid reflecting in the window. I go to buy some snacks in the supermarket around the corner from the hotel, and most of the packaged stuff is either US or European brands: snickers, Trident, clothing, ahh everything! Egypt with its underdeveloped economy is the largest importer of foreign goods.

Sabaah el noor! Morning of light!