Recycling Project in Cairo

My friend "A" from The Sinai Peninsula sent me this information which I think everyone in Egypt should know about.

Its a wonderful recycling project at no cost to you, but extremely helpful to its beneficiaries.

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I've suggested this NGO to our residents coordinator here and thought maybe folk here would also be interested.

They deliver bags to you to collect household waste and then they collect it each 2 weeks.

It's a great recycling project run to give jobs to poor Egyptians, so maybe you want to give them a call too and help them.

You can do it company, individual or compound basis.

All you do is give them a call in English and they will put you on the system. Easy peasy and you can help give Egyptians jobs and help recycle our rubbish!!!

Here is all the info here for you to spread around : )

For companies they also provide metal containers to hold the paper and cardboard as well as special bags for glass, plastic, cloth etc.


Dear Mrs A

Thank you!

Gamayit El-Misbah El-Mudii provides a free collection service for residences, companies and schools to collect paper, plastics, glass, clothes, household appliances, batteries, furniture and other recyclable items no longer needed. Since 2005 they started to collect recyclable items and sell it to recycling companies. In 2005, the founder, a very energetic and enthusiastic Egyptian Lady started this collection service to be able to provide work and income for poor people. She has done so for almost 70 employees by now!

Apart from providing jobs for the poor, this service fulfills another desperate need: to Clean Egypt! It is also important to separate our waste so recycle companies can make new products out of it. This way there is less waste to go to the landfills, less air pollution through burning landfills and less health implications and even savings of natural resources. New Egypt is Clean Egypt!

The NGO collects almost everything, of course glass, plastic, paper, cardboard, Carton boxes of Juices like Pure, old clothes, electrical equipment, furniture, batteries, metall. Until now they DONT collect the carton box of the Juhayna Milk and these Styrofoam packages because nobody buys it from them. If things are already pre-sorted it facilitates their work.

For the PET-bottles which you best collect by bringing the air out and putting the cover again (less volume), just ask for the big collection bag that you can hang in any store area. The carton you preferably collect in any carton box ex. Nestle or Aquafina etc. Smash cans to reduce the volume and put it in any plastic bag. For the old clothes you will get a special bag to put them in.

To make sure to be registered in the system please fill in the electronic form:
(if the link does not show properly please just copy it into your browser)

https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dHpiQTdTMjhqV2xXa2RoUk95Snh5MlE6MQ

We will contact you to inform you about the regular bi-monthly collection date at your place.

If you want to get more information, if you have special needs or if there is any problem please do not hesitate to call, and we might be able to sort it out 0170588869 or 0143282727(english)

It might be that things do not work out perfectly for the first time but once you are in the system and your place is known, it works pretty well – with reliability.
We are learning together!

Thank you and best regards

For Gamayit Misbah El Mudii

Catherine

Alf Mabrook Ya Misr - Congratulations Egypt!

I never thought I would live to see this day.

I am absolutely deliriously happy.

My kudos to my brave friends who have been at Tahrir square everyday, those who have been conducting neighbourhood watches, those who have been operating medical camps, rallying people, but all the time been peaceful, even in the face of vioplence from State sponsored thugs and hoodlums!

Hopefully a wonderful new positive Egypt will soon emerge with power to the people!

I am not suprised with the car honking and fireworks as being aired on tv :D

I miss Egypt all the more now, really wish I was there right now and able to feel that positive energy.

At this time, I also think that it is important to remember and pray for the martyrs of this revolution that was completely peaceful by the people - Unfortunately the outgoing dictator did not have the same commitment to peace or the welfare of its people at heart.
http://1000memories.com/egypt

May you be blessed for your strength and courage. May you get the wonderful government that you deserve!

#Jan25 Personal Experience No 4 - Merry's Story

When I asked Merry for permission to post her story on this blog, she responded: I would be honored if you shared it for everyone out there to read and know the truth about those AMAZING AMAZING angels/heroes... please don't edit it... I know there might be some punctuation and grammar errors here and there, but it was spilled out of my heart and i feel it's meant to stay that way with its imperfections.

Merry's testimony is extremely touching and had me in tears. Not because it contains violence, but the outpouring of goodness in the face of injustice and violence.

Until recently, I have been too reserved about sharing my writings and my opinions for undefined reasons...  but THIS is bigger than me... and please, I do not mean to come off as an opinionated dictator, but I AM NOT open to counter argument on this one.... you're entitled to your opinion of course, and you are most welcomed to make it heard, but I will choose not to listen to it or read it because this hits an aching nerve that may never heal...

Thanks for putting how I feel into consideration.

Square of Angels

I just came back from Tahrir Square on my way to ease the horrible sense of guilt I felt for not having been there with them during the dark hours when they were being mercilessly attacked by the mercenaries...
My friend and I thought those heroes needed food, water, and medical supplies; however, upon reaching there, we realized they had all had their breakfast (consisting of dry bread and cheese mostly, not Kentucky) and that they had already been supplied with rather more bandage than we provided!

NOT by foreigners, not by hamas, not by MBs, not by Israelis or even Martians... they were already provided by those things because God is great in his most gracious way has managed to send out people like me who could make it earlier....

Despite the ruins, and the massive injuries, I had a very soothing sense that I was in heaven... for the first time in my life the sight of blood did not turn my stomach, for the first time in my life the the smell of horse pee (near the entrances) or that coming out from public restrooms did not make me gasp for air or feel sick!!!!
I was among ANGELS, not human beings... I was surrounded by people with a spirit higher than the sky, THANKING ME, ME!!!!!!!! I did all I can to smile at them, and thank them, and pray for them when all I wanted to do was weep and hide in their arms, and kneel to kiss their feet for making me feel so safe in a place so ruined and destroyed, for making my tense muscles relax after a long night of hysteric crying!!

They were not thanking us for the little food we brought or the few bandage rolls that could fit in my bag... they were thanking me for believing in them, for having swollen eyes that cried for them... for asking them if they had breakfast yet!

I dared not ask them how they were; I was afraid I'd cry and get them down when all they had done was get me up!! One of them asked me and my friend  as his face beamed with a smile "why did you come?"... my friend said "because this is our country...", I looked him in the eye and resisted hugging him as I answered "because YOU are my country"... and they are, Oh God, they are the country I have been looking for my entire life and I finally found it... I found it praying for me and it made me feel like I was safe beyond any harm... the only real harm is the fear that I would lose them to those bastards BASTARDS who try to massacre them when they were so peaceful and unarmed and mostly gracious!!!

One of the women around me who also arrived early this morning like me to help and to find redemption and refuge stood there and kept shouting at the top of her lungs at the army soldiers in their tanks "TRAITORS, BASTARDS, DIRT BAGS" I felt like joining her, I felt like spitting at them... YET, those injured yet high-spirited men asked her politely to stop, then they even apologized to the Army soldiers saying the most adorable Egyptian phrase "7a2ak 3alaya"... They even shared the breakfast they had already had before we made it there with those Army soldiers who stood there all night and watched them fall all around without moving a muscle to protect them... WHO DOES THAT???? Certainly not those who were sitting safe in their homes, either completely ignorant or consumed by pain like me and those who share my feelings... I wanted to snatch the necks of those soldiers, but seeing those people defending them made me respect and honor their wishes, so I wiped away the nasty look I was giving that Army Soldier as he was biting THEIR bread, yet still, I refused to offer him food...

They were smiling faces who welcomed me and apologized for searching me... they thanked me as they refused to take more food than they needed to eat, and pointed to a far away direction saying "our brothers over there have not yet, perhaps"... when I told them "where can I find those who have not eaten", they smiled at me and thanked me and my friend and prayed even more for us! And when I walked too close to Abdel Moneim Riad Square, the line of fire, one of the men asked me to "stay safe" as he offered to take the food to his brothers at that end, to keep me safe!

Before we got in, as I was calling one of the amazing guys who spent the night there to ask where "our people" were to feel safe, he just said "you will know them, they show"... as I told him in a shaky tone of voice "it's hard to tell", I suddenly felt that strange yet very fulfilling sense of security taking all over me as I saw their faces... It was NOT how they looked, it was the aura that surrounded them...

While I was there, I heard that horrific sound of metal clashing, the sign they have amongst them that an intruder is trying to get in... my friend tried to grab me away from the commotion... but I stood still feeling absolutely no fear... I was CERTAIN no one can touch me or harm me as I stood there between those who had sweat and bled all night for my safety while i was sitting on my bed doing nothing but wailing words on my FB account and feeling utter shame.

Those people DO NOT need food or medical supplies half as much as they need our constant and most dedicated support, and presence by their side when the night approaches and those murderers attack them... But most importantly, they DESERVE our utter and complete RESPECT...

As we were walking home, after having passed the secured areas, I began to feel less safe and rather more skeptical of every one walking around me... when a man in a Blue Elantra approached us asking where we had come from, I said "Tahrir Square", he asked "and who are you", I found myself smiling in the same spirit they left me with as I very calmly (yet secretly doubtfully) asking him "and who are you?", he said "are you those who are protesting?"... I smiled even more and told him "those who are protesting are much much better than me, I am only here hoping to help, but who are you with?", he said "I am with Egypt", I pointed towards the end of the street that leads to Tahrir Square and told him "Egypt is right there"...

I collapsed and cried my heart out the moment I stepped home... I have sobbed to at least 4 of my friends after my mom and sister sat to hear me as I told the story just like above to make their voice heard because it's the very least I should do... I bid you all to pray for them... I could not tell their faiths, their socials classes, their educational backgrounds... they all looked the same with their tired yet hopeful faces, with their injured bodies yet healing souls... they looked like a country I would have loved to stay in...

If it weren't for my two sons, I would have stayed there and never left until either Mubarak left or until I had died there between MY PEOPLE, MY FAMILY, My BROTHERS AND UNCLES AND THOUSAND DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF MY FATHER... I would have rather died there with them than face the fear of living a shameful unsafe life among those who doubt them or say what they would have done had they been in their shoes...

I felt like millions of arms were holding my soul safe and sound, and giving me a sense of peace and tranquility I had never experienced before... And now, my heart, my body and my soul are shaking because I left that safety behind as I returned home, I left it there for fear to fill its place, fear of losing those people... fear, and massive disappointment that those people are being called so many bad things they are most definitely NOT...
Today, I have seen Angels in shape of humans... I have seen heaven in the midst of ruins... I am so close right now to faith and yet so close to losing it...

God, please PLEASE be there for them to keep them safe and sound... God, please protect them and shield them from all harm... God please don't let them go in vain... God please change the hearts of those who are in their homes judging and condemning them and send your angels to fight for them...

Until I went today, I only knew few people who were there by name and a friend for whom I was concerned... but as I left there, I left a huge part of me that I know I will always always miss...

I could not change or sleep even though I had not slept in more than 24 hours before I shared this with everyone who can read it... may my words be of use, may those who read my words feel the way I feel right now..

#Jan25 Personal Experience No 3 - Aisha's Story

On Friday afternoon I went with my boyfriend and a group of friends to Tahrir. Of course we did not make it to Tahrir because of the tear gas and crowds. It was really hard to breathe and we often had to turn back for a ways in order to breathe and wipe our eyes. We saw people running back with their eyes streaming and many people we saw were being carried back, unconscious from the fumes. As we moved on we saw one boy being carried past, with his face bloody, unconscious in the arms of several men who ran by in search of help for him.

We eventually got to Ramsis Street where there were large crowds of people all moving in the direction of Tahrir Square. The streets were a mess and looked like a war zone. We kept following the people and everyone was chanting slogans against Mubarak and the government. Shortly after we came up to a riot truck and several cars that had been burned and were still burning in the streets. By this time it was
nighttime. We kept moving and then after a while we saw everybody getting to the right hand side of the street. Then suddenly, we saw a riot truck come careening down the street. Everyone was scrambling to get out of the way, and I was sure that it would start shooting. That was what was on everyone's minds, that it was going to start shooting at all the people in the street. We scrambled to the sidewalks against the walls. But the riot truck didn't shoot. Instead it went speeding
down the street, going at least 80 miles an hour, and there were still people in the street throwing rocks at it and trying to get out of the way! As it sped thru, it hit a guy who had been in the street, and it kept going, and the man's body, and I say body because he was killed instantly, was still spinning from being hit so hard.

That was the hardest day for me so far during these protests. I went out yesterday and saw Tahrir and it was wonderful to see the hundreds of thousands of people protesting peacefully. But today was a different story what with the fights in Tahrir. I am very worried about how polarized the situation has become here in Egypt and I worry that things may get much much worse. While many people have left the country, after having been here for 5 years, I am staying put to watch
and wait and see what will happen.

Hoping everyone in Egypt is staying safe.

Aisha

#Jan25 Personal Experience No 2 - Karim's Story

"I criticized the protests up until Friday, at which point it was hard to ignore the government's heavy-handed response, and I joined the protests on Sunday from 2pm to 8 am, and again all day Tuesday. I lucked out as the mood on both days was overwhelmingly positive and happy.

On Sunday, I saw soldiers play a short soccer match with protesters, soldiers huddle around fires with protesters, and people break off into small groups to share stories, jokes, and poems to help pass the time through the cold night. I saw people pick up trash (if you live in Cairo you know how amazing that sight would be) hand out water and food, and start spontaneous conversations with strangers.

On Tuesday there were volunteers working crowd control, checking to make sure that protesters didn't bring in weapons and checking people's IDs to make sure the police didn't get in. While doing this, they announced: "If you're police, turn around and leave now. We don't want you here". Despite the intense crowds, everything was managed by the people and things went remarkably smoothly.

When groups of Muslim Brotherhood would start chanting pro-Islamist slogans, everyone around them told them to stop because the revolution belongs to all people. People carried signs showing solidarity between Muslims and Christians.

I walked home alone all the way from Tahrir to Nasr City starting around 9 pm, and felt completely safe the entire time. Soldiers who asked for my ID asked me where I was coming from, and I told them I was at the demonstrations. They were completely fine with that. At all times they were incredibly kind and courteous and are nothing like Egyptian police.

And then we have the situation in Tahrir today, for which I wasn't present for. I'm incredibly upset at what's happening to those people who I believe are being attacked by plainsclothes police officers, and even more upset by family and friends who are brainwashed by state-run television into thinking that this assault is in any way justified. I hope everyone in the community is alright, and for those who felt compelled to leave Egypt for their safety, I hope this country is soon
stable enough for your return.

Karim"

Some on the ground blogs and photos from the #Jan25 days in Egypt

I am currently not in Cairo, but have plenty fo friends still there. Some have evacuated, some are staying back.

I'm linking to blogs and photos taken during these days by people I know in Cairo. I'll also be posting personal testimonies once I get individual permissions.

Photos:
Women of Egypt are also standing up and participating.

The Best Egypt Protest Signs From Around The World

SVC Photography.com

Pictures from Alexandria - Scroll to the end of the album.

Blogs:
A Guide: How Not To Say Stupid Stuff About Egypt To clear up misconceptions, this is a good read, ignore the swearing and there's some good stuff in there.

Why it is wrong to believe a word Mubarak said Some sound logic here with legal knowledge.

Neighborhood patrols defend a Cairo in flux - How "ordinary" citizens are protecting their families and property.

Clueless in Cairo by Nicholas Kristof

The Road to Grad School has a daily diary up. Katie has been writing it daily and uploading her posts when the internet is up.

Sam On Earth resurrects his blog.

Videos:
Egypt: A New Spirit of National Pride - The most awesome video on Egypt I have seen in the last few days. For someone who hasn't lived in Egypt, you will have no idea how monumental the change in attitude is, but you will still appreciate this video

Heather has a few videos up on youtube


Online Petitions:
Click here to stand with the Egyptian protesters

An appeal to the US government for the people of Egypt.

This is a petition thats doing the rounds on the internet.

If you are an US citizen and feel strongly, you may want to mail your representatives:

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PLEASE SPREAD AS FAR AND WIDE AS YOU CAN! including to press and politicians if possible. Thank you.

Freedom, democracy, and self-determination are the main tenets of U.S. foreign policy and are used to justify our actions around the world. We zealously preach these concepts and yet now when confronted by a people forging their own path to achieve these goals our leaders are cowering on their soap boxes with their lips sealed. Silence is tantamount to consent. We teach our children that they must not stand for the abuse of others, that they must advocate for what is right, so why does our government keep quiet? The Egyptian people do not need foreign approval in order to achieve their revolution, but they want it. They want the world to recognize that what they are fighting for is their right as a nation to free themselves of an oppressive and corrupt dictator.

      The U.S. government needs to stop this hypocrisy and declare its support of the Egyptian people in their attempt at peaceful reform. The illegitimacy of Hosni Mubarak's regime is clear and if there was ever any doubt about the nature of his rule being oppressive and terrorizing then the events of today have underscored this reality to an extent that the international community can no longer choose to ignore. A leader who speaks sweet nothings one evening only to send out his party members, police force and convicted criminals into the street to foment dissent and incite violence between his people should not be cosseted by foreign governments. This behavior is not only disgusting but it underlines the fact that he cannot be trusted to aid in a constructive transition. It is clear only after today's events that there is no way forward with Mubarak remaining in power, his continued presence would poison the process of rebuilding a free, fair, and democratic new government for Egypt.

      As an American living in Egypt I am dismayed by the ignorant and shortsighted response of the U.S. government to the situation. Pulling the U.S. embassy out of Cairo is an example of fear mongering and jeopardizes the safety of its citizens here and our country's relationship with the Egypt to come. The statements thus far by our leaders have been completely devoid of meaning for the Egyptian people and have yielded only confusion, frustration and disbelief. I implore my government to dispel its unfounded fear and act as we would teach our children to.

Personal Experience No 1 - An Indian friend who left Cairo this morning

I SALUTE !!!!

I was in Cairo until today morning - I am touched by what I saw and experienced - never ever before have I seen, heard or read about such a mass scale revolution in such absolute PEACE.

Violent reaction if any was only against police and its property or National Democratic Party (NDP), that too only after the police confronted them. Incidences of looting as reported – were only by criminals who escaped from jails or reportedly orchestered  by the state security to divert the people – not by any section of the public.

At night people secured the neighborhood in total harmony – I had no fear moving along with them at night and organizing tea and cookies for them.

I left Egypt not out of any fear or anxiety – but only because work is stopped – felt very safe at all times.

I saw Egypt as one united nation across all classes, which I shall never forget in my life and I SALUTE all Egyptians for this.

Saudis own over 600,000 flats in Egypt

Come Summer, and the influx of Saudis into Egypt begins.

As a naive expat 4.5 years ago, I had thought that the start of summer would mean the end of the tourist season and the price of all touristy stuff especially at the Khan would go down.

Quite the opposite, the Saudis stream into the country, raising rental rates (when searching for company guesthouses, we were told by a lot of landlords/landladies that they would rent the apartment for 10 months and then if we wanted it for the summer months, we would have to either pay the higher price or vacate the apartment)

As Arabic speakers, they pay local rates for entry into all museums and tourist locations, but the taxi drivers can spot them a mile away and will triple the price when you ask, if he can spy a Saudi family hunting down a taxi in the distance.

Shopping seems to be their favourite past-time and prices of touristy stuff in the Khan and clothes etc in the local markets are jacked up.

They often take over entire hotel floors if not the entire hotel for themselves and their retinue. When we were hunting for conference venues a couple of years ago, we were told by some hotels like the Move n Pick that they were completely booked up for the whole summer by a Saudi Prince and his extended family.

Todays news report in the Arab News says that Saudis own over 600,000 flats in Egypt. 60% in Cairo, 20% in Alexandria, 10% in North Coast resorts and the rest across the country. This does not take into account the number of Saudis who rent apartments or book hotel rooms.

What do you think, is the influx good or bad for Egypt?

Eating from Street Carts in Egypt

Someone who has just come into Egypt, asked if eating from the streetside foodcarts in Egypt was something that could be done without fear of reprisal from his digestive system.

Personally, I've liked most of what I tried from the food carts, except the sweet corn cobs. The corn cobs in Egypt taste terrible to me. An American friend even went so far as to say that what is sold on the street as corn on the cob, would only be used as cattle feed in the USA. There are better versions of corn available in Egypt, but it is mostly found in the frozen section of the supermarket, rather than on the street.

The only thing I would advise  a newcomer is : "don't try to eat off a street cart, if you have just arrived in Egypt. Give your digestive system a little time to adjust to change in water, the new surroundings, the new microbes and germs in the atmosphere etc. After that just use your common sense. Most food carts are as hygenic as you can expect in a country like Egypt (or India, where I am from), but if you are particularly put off by the surroundings or hygiene of a particular push cart, then move on. If you see flies hovering around the food, then avoid it completely."

I would also personally avoid anything that is uncovered or not wrapped and being sold at a very dusty or polluted part of the road. Unless it was something that could be washed before eating.



The roasted sweet potatoes are lovely. The white beans (more common in Alexandria) are lovely with a squeeze of lemon (although I  often take them home to add a good sprinkle of chilli powder or chaat masala, to further enjoy the flavor). There are many delicious varieties of breads and biscuits sold on carts. The wafers that are sold near the citadel in Alexandria with fillings of sesame seeds, or groundnuts are also very good.

Street food in Egypt is not half as scary for me as street food in South East Asia. At least here, I know what I was getting myself into when I ask for something. :)

Further Reading:
An Article I wrote shortly after arriving, comparing Street food in Egypt vs India
Where to eat Street Food - An Article from Egypt Today
If you want corn cobs


Bon Appetit

Obama's Speech in Cairo

I wanted to write about it the moment I started to hear him speak, but life has an irritating habit of getting in the way. What is normal after such intereference by life, is that I shelve the idea. But this particular event is just too important to be lightly tossed aside in my "expired" folder.

The fact that a US President would be visiting a "Muslim Majority" Country before Israel, was in itself a huge departure in recent practice. There was speculation as to where he would speak from. Options ranged from Al Azhar Mosque (which I personally think would have been an excellent, yet impractical location) to Sharm el Sheikh. He settled on Cairo University.

The whole city of Cairo virtually came to a standstill on June 4th. Rumors abounded of 10,000+ snipers, 20,000 troops coming in on their own helicopters from the US and other such fantastic numbers were bandied about.

Passes to the event were carefully distributed by the American Embassy from what I gathered, to ensure an appropriate balance of profiles. 15 students from each major university were invited.

The Government declared a holiday for all its offices. A lot of Universities postponed exams to cope with this extra holiday. A number of private companies too decided to give employees the day off, fearing that they may be stuck in one of the road clearance drives. People who had parked their cars in certain areas along the route, were told to remove them the day before the President was due to arrive. (Now if we can only get similar celebrities to visit different parts of Cairo each day, we may be able to get those broken down heaps that masquerade as cars, that take up precious parking space to get towed away - How's that as a long term solution to Cairo's parking woes?)

But I digress. Coming back to the speech.

It was absolutely brilliant. There was no fault that an unvested interest could find in that speech except perhaps for him mis-pronouncing hijab and Al Azhar. But given the content and message, those are errors that can be easily overlooked.

The greatest strength of his speech was that he identified with his audience on a personal level. Compared to his predecessor whose speech writers made assume a superior and supercillious tone, Obama came across as "one of us". He drew attention to his Indonesian and Chicago life experiences amongst muslim communities.

He gave them praise where it was due, for their innovations in printing, algebra, architecture and then came to his main point. That he would fight negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they may appear. A statement that was greeted with loud applause, that almost died down with his following sentence "But the same principle should apply to Muslim stereotypes of America" This did not seem to be what the crowd wanted to hear. Until then, Obama had seemed to be a cheerleader for the Muslim world, but this statement showed that he wasn't going to unilaterally support the Muslim world. There was going to have to be some give and take.

Once the audience reconciled themselves to this idea, things improved again.

I will not get into the rest of the content of his speech, as it has been discussed ad nauseum on multiple fora.

It was a wonderful bit of speech writing to include references from the Torah, the Bible and the Quran. When he said "Jerusalem - is a place for all the children of Abraham to mingle peacefully", I had goosebumps and I know many Americans who have made Egypt their home, who were moved to tears by this sentence.

His body language was firm yet conveyed his openness to change. He came across as determined while engaging the public through eye contact and clear speech. Again, notable when compared with the last guy to hold his post.

He changed the terminology from the aggressive posturing of the previous government to one based on mutual understanding and dialogue. Instead of general nonsensical terms like "War on terror", he firmly stated that "America is not at War with Islam"

Another firm departure from previous policy was when he clearly stated "America does not presume to know what is best for everyone" If he can follow through on this and not have American Foreign policy and their idea of Democracy being stuffed down the throats of unwilling citizens of countries that aren't ready for the American idea of Democracy, it will go a long way in building bridges that had seemed burned and irrepairable a year ago.

The speech was transmitted live on Facebook and was texted as sms in English, Arabic, Farsi and Urdu. Thus upholding his campaign strategies of involving the younger generations by utilising media more familiar and accessible to them. It has also been uploaded onto Youtube.


The reaction to his speech by most locals that I know, has been "Let's wait and watch" "We want to see actions, not words" This guy is talking about change in policy, so maybe we can stop suspcecting the littlest sneeze. But to start trusting the Americans, we need to see concrete proof. We need to see steps being taken in the right direction. Words will not be enough.

It is undeniable that the US has a large role to play in World Politics. We can only hope and pray that instead of mindless wars and Nuclear arms races, we can at least have dialogue and hope for a future of peace.

In Obama's Words "All of us share this world for but a brief moment in time. The question is whether we spend that time focused on what pushes us apart, or whether we commit ourselves to an effort – a sustained effort – to find common ground, to focus on the future we seek for our children, and to respect the dignity of all human beings"

Also Published on desicritics.org

My Favorite Time Outs in Cairo

Been in Cairo for awhile and seen the pyramids a hundred times?

Here are some ideas for Cairo which are slightly off the beaten path.

Take a walk through Al Azhar Park. You will be surprised to find such a vast green oasis in the midst of the madness that is Cairo. Catch the sunset that is heralded by the calls from the muezzin from multiple surrounding mosques. At just 5Le entry, this is great value for money. If you would like to jazz it up a bit, there is a wonderful restaurant on the premises that you can sit at to catch the sunset and a wonderful dinner surrounded by the twinkling lights in the distance of the multiple monuments around the area.

Climb the gate/minarets of Bab Zuwayla. This is one of the three surviving main gates of the Khan el Khalili and the only one that can be legally accessed. The view from the top of the gate is marvelous and for the more adventurous, both the minarets can also be climbed. It is easier to access the pinnacle, in the minaret on the left (when facing the tent makers street). Entry is just 10Le but the view is worth much more than that; and if you are lucky, you may be the only people on this edifice.

Catch a Sufi Performance at the Wikalat al Ghuri. This is a free performance at 8pm every Wednesday and Saturday. The performance here is more devotional and less commercial than those on the Nile cruises and can transport you into a mystical world. Just watching the whirling dervishes can put you into a trance. (Turn right after accessing the street adjoining Al Azhar Mosque in Khan el Khalili) Go early for good seats.

Sakiat El Sawy and Makan are 2 other places to catch a performance. While the former has different performers at different locations within their compact premises, the latter has traditional Egyptian and African performances every Wednesday at 8pm.

By now, the weather should have improved enough to take a picnic basket on a felucca. Hire a felucca on the strip adjoining the Grand Hyatt hotel. They charge around 50Le per hour (if you bargain hard) plus tips. The charge is for the felucca itself, no matter how many people get on board, so it’s a great option for family outings too.

If you want a more luxurious option then you may want to take a Nile Cruise aboard the fancier cruisers. These are available as sunset cruises or dinner cruises. Our personal favorite is the Golden Pharaoh (opposite Four Seasons, Giza). They offer open buffets and 3 course meals served at your seat. Golden Pharaoh also allows you to opt for an Indian menu if you book at least a day in advance. This works out to approximately 200Le per person with meals included.

For a truly extraordinary experience, I would highly recommend a meal at the Revolving Restaurant at the Grand Hyatt. The food is not outrageously priced. This is one of the 2 locations within the hotel where alcohol is still being served. The ambience, food, service and view all combine to make this one of the most wonderful places to enjoy a leisurely dinner in the city.

Christo’s is a lovely sea food eatery opposite the Mena House Oberoi. They offer a wonderful sea food spread (where you choose your sea food and tell them how you would like it cooked) during dinner. The reason, we keep going back here is not just for the food but the wonderful color bathed view of the pyramids while the Sound and Light show is on. Do try their salads and sea food soup too.

Sapporo at the Sheraton (opposite the Opera House) offers a special kind of dinner theater. The Master Chefs prepare Teppenyaki at your table and watching them at work is to view poetry in motion. They offer combinations of meats and seafood and can customize the seasonings to your taste.

For a less pricey meal but one with ambience, chose one of the many eateries on the stationary boats in Zamalek for lunch. They are reasonably quiet at this time and you can gaze at the Nile as she flows past in her eternal journey to join the sea. The Fish Market, TGIF, Chillis, Maharani. . . You have a choice of cuisine and budgets among these boats.

The various bookstores in town are an interesting place to catch up on the latest in the literary world and enjoy some peace and quiet in serene surroundings. Some bookshops have cafes attached where you can sip a cup of coffee while perusing your latest purchases. Diwan has opened at many more locations outside of Zamalek. Kotob Khan on Lasilky road and The BookSpot on Road 9 in Maadi are 2 other locations which offer extremely friendly and non obtrusive service. The AUC bookstores offer a great variety of English books on Egypt that make for great gifts.

Other places that offer unusual gifts while contributing to a worthy cause, include Tukul Crafts at the All Saints Church in Zamalek (products created by prison inmates, Sudanese refugees and other disadvantaged groups), the Fair Trade Center on Yehia Ibrahim street in Zamalek (where the artisans are given fair prices for their creations), Touch Her World Inc (017 280 0756 - products made by young Egyptian women seeking self sufficiency)

Karishma Pais (Kim) is an expat trailing wife in Cairo. She has a Masters Degree in Human Resources and Behaviour. She consults on HR projects, delivers intercultural training at the CSA, counsels new and experienced expats, is the editor of DIVA, writes for several magazines – online and offline, she runs whazzupcairo@yahoogroups.com and whazzupcairo@googlegroups.com among other activities. Her Social Commentary and blog about life in Egypt can be read at http://whazzupegypt.blogspot.com Pictures are by her and her husband Brajesh Bajpai.

This article appeared in the February Oasis and on desicritics.org.

Fatimid Walk

It was such a pleasure to be able to attend a PTP walk again (Its been over a year since I could last attend a walk) yesterday.

As added bonus, my husband was able to come along too and he too got to see the beauty and history of Islamic Cairo through Camel's eyes.

We started at Bab Zuwayla (entry 15LE for foreigners, 1LE for Egyptians) where the gate itself was built by the Fatimids, but the minarets were added about 300 years later. We climbed up the gate and some PTPians even climbed up the minarets. The view from here is lovely. Unfortunately today was not a very clear day, so it was hard to take long range pictures of the skyline.

Our next stop was at the Fakhahini mosque where we heard the stories behind Al Hakim the "eccentric" 3rd Caliph in Egypt.

We then crossed the road to reach the Mausoleum of Al Saleh Nagm ad Din Ayyub which is built on the site of a Fatimid palace - Beit Al Qasreen (which lent its name to one of the books from the Naguib Mahfouz trilogy).

Most PTPians then headed back for some refreshments, but since my husband had come to the area after so long, the 2 of us decided to carry on walking down Sharia al Muizz ud Din towards the Northern Gates.

We looked for some of the other Fatimid monuments that were mentioned during the presentation. We identified the Al Aqmar mosque and Al Hakim mosque before arriving at the Northern wall.


We also wandered into the Beit al Sihaymi which is a beautiful Ottoman house (actually 2 houses), not as well furnished as the Gayer Anderson museum, but some rooms are semi furnished.
We had a wonderful time. The weather was comfortable for walking, the pace relaxed, we met old friends, made new ones, learned a lot, ate roasted batatas, some wonderful local bread stuffed with dates(boreik - sometimes also stuffed with cheese) and some interesting pink and white sweets (moz halawa) and fell in love all over again with Islamic Cairo.

On another note, I would also recommend that you visit the Bein Al Qasreen area in the evening when it is all lit up. It transforms into something mystical in its beauty.

Eid Mubarak - Kol Sena Wenta Tayieb

Eid Mubarak to all my friends who celebrate this feast.

Cairo has these special colored cloths associated with different feasts through the year. The color for this festival is red as seen in the pictures below of the butchers shop all decorated for Eid.

They were taken from a moving car, so the picture may not be as sharp, but its colorful :)

New Campus - AUC, Future University Egypt - AUC Book Sale

Since we had already driven all the way to New Cairo and the AUC Press bi-annual sale was supposed to start today, we decided to take a look at the bookstore on the new campus.

We just got to see a bit of the campus when we drove in at the Visitors Gate (no1) . The buildings do look beautiful and they have tried to replicate the architecture of the original campus in some ways, but even the briefest look showed us that the campus wasn't ready to be functioning full time.



The bookstore at the new campus that was opened at the end of August, had more space and seemed well laid out. They are offering a flat 20% off on all books, but the bargain books (upto60% off) are only available at the downtown campus. The sale will continue until the 5th of December. The downtown bookstore remains my favorite of their 3 locations and we returned here to buy our book fix :) today.

New Campus Bookstore 2797 5927
Downtown Bookstore 2797 5887
Zamalek Bookstore 2739 7045

While on our way to AUC's new campus, we also passed by the Future University of Egypt. I'm not sure about the University itself, bu their building did stand out on the road, kind of like a modern structure pushing its way out of the Roman Colosseum. Take a look.

An experiment for Arabic speakers who read this blog - MEME

I received a lot of interesting comments on my last post Arabic adventures in Egypt

So I'd like to conduct an experiment/ throw down a challenge for those readers who live in Cairo and speak Arabic (with any degree of fluency)

The challenge is to go around town (no sitting at home) on your regular business - catch a taxi, order lunch, go to the market, deal with clients and customers - whatever it is that you do on a daily business. But the challenge lies in the fact that you can ONLY SPEAK IN ENGLISH. No French, no Arabic, no other language, only English - not even an Aiwa or an alatoul.

When you have done that, you can
1. write a blog post and link to this post.
2. write a blog post & leave me the link to your blog in the comments on this post
3. write down your experience as a comment on this post.

I'd love to see what stories you have to tell at the end of such a day. and it would be interesting for you to see what a non-Arabic speaking foreigner/expat/student goes through in the city.

Where to you can buy/shop for cheap used and new books in Cairo

My friend Allison of Cairo compiled this information and since it was so interesting and comprehensive, I requested her permission to re-post it here, which she graciously allowed. Thanks Alli.

Buying books in Cairo.

Went downtown yesterday and went to check out Attaba for books since someone was mentioning it previously.

Take the metro to Attaba Station. Take the exit named Attaba Sq or Attaba Garage. Walk out the exit steps and you will be right next to the booksellers.
There are around 100 new kiosks all with arabesque designs and each has good lighting installed. They are the same size as the previous ones, but now each has an address to make it easier to locate a favourite [Big Grin]

The book kiosks are open every day including Fridays from 10am till 9pm, best time to go would be around 12ish to make sure that they are all open and plan to finish before 7ish as some start to close around then.

Types of books
Thousands of Arabic books.
Medical Textbooks ( in English )
Engineering books
IT books
All sorts of Arabic textbooks
Islamic books , tapes and CD's
All kinds of magazines, and periodicals

Stacks of English books mostly used including thousands of novels in both hardback and paperback, the stuff you see in every bookshops at home. Lots of trashy novelettes [Razz]

The classics i.e. Shakespeare, Dickens, Bronte.

Books on learning English and teaching English.

English magazines like Chat, OK, Readers Digests, Cosmo, Good Housekeeping, National Geographic, Bella, Computers, Cars, Body building, Health, etc etc. Both used and new but maybe a few months old.

Miscellaneous Books and magazines i.e. biographies, technical,Politics, History etc.
Tolstoy, Solzenitzen stuff.

There is a fair selection of French, German, Russian,Greek books dotted around, with more languages.

Old rare book kiosks.

Childrens books.

You can find fairly recent books and very old ones too.

I would say that only 1% of the book keepers will hassle you. The rest will let you browse in peace and if they dont have what you want they can direct you to another kiosk who might. [Smile] They are mainly older men who are friendly, but in a nice way [Wink]

Prices vary.
I found one guy who was a real darling. Very polite, helpful who has 2 shops. I bought a load of books and he charged me under 10le a book.

He is at numbers 83 and 84 kiosk.
name Mahmoud Kasem tele:0101218948.

I told him that I would put his name on ES and if any member goes to him and wants to buy books, he will give them a fair and honest price. [Wink]

All you do is tell him the word (ES) he will then know I sent you .

Enjoy your books folks

Car Seats in Cairo ?

A lot of friends with young kids who visit Cairo, are aghast that taxis aren't equipped for Car Seats, even if they do bring their own seats along.

In countries like the US, you need an infant car seat even to bring a new baby home from the hospital.

A lot of expats in Egypt bring appropriate car seats with them from their home countries. There are some shops in Cairo which stock car seats but they aren't as well stocked as parents would like. Also the prices in Cairo are quite prohibitive (as I heard from a friend here, who just delivered her first baby - Mabrook!)

Most people in Cairo as I mentioned before, bring in their car seats from abroad, borrow it from a friend whose kid has outgrown their car seat, (infant car seats aren't appropriate for toddlers), or order them online and pay the shipping charges.

For those who have grown up with car seats, it may seem a huge safety hazard to take a child for a drive (especially in chaotic Cairo traffic) without belting them down into a car seat, but in Cairo as in India and many other countries, children are considered to be perfectly safe in their parents arms. If anything were to befall them it is either "inshallah" (God's will) or "karma" (fate).

Given the high incidence of accidents in Cairo, common sense would recommend a car seat, preferably one that could be strapped into a Universal Stroller so it has a two in one use.

This is a welcome step in the right direction to make Egypt safer for the women who live here or visit.

From BBC news.

Egyptian sexual harasser jailed

Ms Ostadh fought back and then went public about her ordeal

An Egyptian man has been jailed for three years with hard labour for sexual harassment of a woman in the street.

Sharif Gommaa was also ordered to pay 5,001 Egyptian pounds ($895) damages to Noha Rushdi Saleh for the attack in Cairo's Heliopolis district.

Women's rights activists welcomed the ruling saying it was the first known case of prison for such an offence.

The defendant was accused of repeatedly groping Noha Rushdi Saleh as he drove slowly alongside her in his car.

Although many Egyptian women and visiting foreigners complain of unwanted sexual advances in Egyptian streets, the subject is rarely addressed by the authorities or mainstream media.

After an hour-long tussle she dragged her attacker to a police station Noha's case highlighted in media

However, this attack in June became the focus of media coverage after the 27-year-old filmmaker, also known as Noha Ostadh, went public about her ordeal.

She told the BBC how shocked she had been at her attacker's behaviour, and also at the attitude of passers-by who told her not to go to the police - while others blamed her for provoking the attack.

After an hour-long tussle in which she dragged Gomaa to a police station, she says the police officers initially refused to open an investigation.

Women regularly face harassment on the streets of Egyptian cities

The case was taken up by the Badeel opposition daily, which blamed Egypt's oppressive government, and "the majority of citizens who identified with the oppressor", and "decades of incitement against women" in some mosques.

'Example'

Egyptian women's rights campaigners have praised the judge for handing down what is being seen as a harsh, exemplary sentence.

Engy Ghozlan, of the Egyptian Centre for Women's Rights, told AFP news agency: "This is the first case we know of where someone was jailed for groping.

"The judge was obviously setting an example."

The organisation released a survey this year that showed 98% of foreign women and 83% of Egyptian women had experienced sexual harassment. Nearly two-thirds of men admitted harassing women in public.

But very few reported cases because of a "total lack of confidence in the police and judicial systems", Engy Ghozlan said.

In an unusual development earlier in October, eight men were arrested in Cairo for allegedly taking part in a mob-style sexual attack on women pedestrians.

The attack, during the Eid holiday, was reminiscent of an incident in 2006 during the same holiday which marks the end of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan.

On both occasions, witnesses reported that police officers were present but did nothing to protect women who were violently groped and had some of their clothing torn off.

New Traffic Laws in Egypt

All of us have at some time or the other despaired over the traffic situation in Cairo. The government is bringing some new laws into effect within a month or so. The spirit behind the laws seem good and hopefully, it will help bring about some order in the chaos on the streets. But only time will tell how well the implementation goes...

Following are the laws as mentioned on the Egypt State Information Website

Dear Driver

• Failing to buckle in your seat belt doubles the risk of your being in an accident and subjects you to a fine of EGP100 to EGP300.
• Hand-holding your cell-phone distracts your attention for driving and subjects you to a fine of EGP100 to EGP300.
• Besides putting you and other people in danger, driving in the opposite direction may cause accidents. You could be fined from EGP1000 to EGP3000.
• Parking in the wrong place causes traffic jams and could subject you to having your license suspended for a period of no less than 30 days.
• You could be imprisoned for a period of no less than six months and fined from EGP200 to EGP1000, if caught in the act of removing your car clampers.
• You could be imprisoned for a period of no less than six months and fined EGP300 for allowing acts of public indecencies to take place in your car.
• Driving at night without the head and tail lights and without the side mirrors subjects you to having your license suspended for a period of no less than six months.
• Driving in unauthorized processions subjects you to having your license suspended for a period of no less than 30 days.
• Having a triangle warning sign prevents road accidents when stopping at night. In the case it is absent your license could be removed for a period of no less than 30 days.
• A first-aid kit will help you take care of your injuries until the ambulance arrives.
• Failing to have a first-aid kit inside your car could subject you to suspending your car license for a period of no less than 30 days.
• Using projector headlights at night endangers other people's lives. Your license could be suspended for a period of no less than 30 days.
• Failing to wear your protective head-gear when riding your motorcycle could subject you to a fine of no less than EGP100.

What does this mean for you? Start following basics of driving on the road. Equip your car with a reflector triangle and a first aid kit.

The government rules do not mention anything about what should be in a first aid kit, but this link on Sahara Safaris official website is a good place to start. Scroll down a bit to get to the Medical Checklist.

Some of the medicines like dehydration powder may be required more when hiking/camping/offroading in the desert, but there is no harm in having a supply of them all in your car.

Also remember to check the first aid kit for expired medications every 3 to 6 months at least, we don't need any nasty side effects, do we? :)