Gone divin'

Location: Red Sea
Bottom time: 55 minutes
Depth: 3 meters
Visibility: 81 %

Red Sea is no doubt a diver's paradise. On a single dip, you may see dolphins, barracuda, lion fish, angel fish, grouper, flute fist, parrot fish, spotted eagle ray, and sea serpent. And if you get really lucky, a reef shark. There are about 1400 coral and fish species, many of which native only to Red Sea, world-famous wrecks like 2ndWW-Thistlegorm, great visibility, and there are a lot of different reef profiles; islands, walls, drifts, etc. To read on, you can pick any book on a given topic. However, you will now read a different diving story from rookie's point of view.

I love water, swimming, and marine life, and know nothing better than spending a day chillin' on a snorkling trip. After a couple of months and a dozen trips I considered myself an old hand in snorkling. I figured it would be a sin not to try out exploring the underwater world through the oxygen tube, or first stage, as the pro term goes, now that I had the prime opportunity.

I enrolled on a half-day intro course in a 5-star diving centre. First we were each given a plastic box full of equipment. I happily added the parts I already owned: silicone mask, Mares leak-proof snorkel, and a 5 mm Beuchat wetsuit. Then we watched a video, after which my head was spinning from the technical terminology, how to calculate the ratio of pressure and shrinkage of lungs, and the necessary paraphenalia: SPG, BCD, first and second stage, buoyancy, O-ring...

The next task was to put together the equipment. The oxygen bottle was rather heavy that I could hardly lift it. I wondered how it was physically possible to carry all the stuff in my back, with the weigth belt and all. We had to be very careful not to make the oxygen bottle tumble, lest it could explode. We had to wrench a little screw in order to test that the bottle was ok. Our instructor, Amir, was helping my fellow course member. He loosened the valve and – bang! There was a loud explosion sound, we were all in one piece, and he quickly managed to close the ring. No O-ring bottle for me, thank you, I will use the other system.

We filled and emptied the BCD (air vest), and practiced breathing through first and second stage (emergency oxygen supply). We learned the necessary communication signs to use underwater, and to read SPG (pressure gauge). We helped each other lift the bottles to our backs, and off we went from the shore, backwards, of course.

We held the air valve upwards, pressed the button that emptied the BCD, and descended 3 meters in the sea bottom. We had to keep popping our ears as we went, to stabilize the pressure. Amir signaled us our tasks, and one after another we repeated them, knelt in the seabed. First we practiced taking off the regulator from our mouth and putting in back again. Here is a simple test for you, who are thinking of taking the diving course: If the thought of being temporarily disconnected from your oxygen supply in sea bottom freak you out, then diving may not be meant for you.

When it was my turn, I removed the regulator, but had to get to the surface. The others waited for me, and the second time it worked. Then we emptied the mask by slightly lifting the underpart, and blowing air through the nose. Then we tried another technique, replacing the 1st stage with the emergency regulator. My mask had salty water inside, and I was freezing. My ears were sore and ringing from the pressure difference. We had been sitting at the bottom of the sea for almost one hour.

I did not become a diver, and am unsure if I would ever want to do the full 5-day open-water course required for PADI certificate. The thought of standing on the seabed in the depth of 15 meters did not become any more attractive to me. But who cares... I did it, and passed the intro course. My life motto is to try everything at least once in life, so here another landmark has been passed. However, somewhere deep inside of me still resides a little thought... maybe one day I'm going to repeat the course from the diving boat, gazing the diversity of the reef in hues of rainbow, and marveling the beauty of the lively, bright, multi-coloured fish that I have learned to love...

Let's learn Arabic!

I love to study languages, so one of the must-do's for me was to take an Arabic course. I now want to share the best bits I learned.

Greetings is not just 'Hi, how are ya' -business in Egypt. When you meet a friend, you generously shake or hold hands, stare gently in the eyes (also guys with guys, because eye contact and showing friendliness is crucial), and exchange the following:

-Sabah el heer. (Good morning)
-Sabah el nour. (Morning of light)

If you want to go the full round, the routine continues as follows:

-Sabah el full. (Morning scented with jasmine)
-Sabah el ishta. (Milky morning)
-Sabah el a-azel. (Morning scented with honey).
-Sabah el warda. (Morning scented with flowers).

By the way, Warda (flower) is also man's name, as well as Badri, which stands for 'early'. One of our bus drivers was called Badri (no pun intended, I guess). Well, let's move on.

- Amle ee? Means, 'How are you?'
- Meya, meya. = Good. (literally: 100, 100).
- Nouss, nouss. = Not so good. (Half, half)

The Egyptian Arabic differs a lot from Classic Arabic. For example, the everyday word for car in is 'arabeya', while in Classic Arabic it is 'sayyara'. Therefore, one needs to learn two sets of words, the vernacular, and Classic terms.

It's no coincidence that 'Sahraa' stands for desert, as of Sahara, which is the only environment type in this corner of earth, featuring rocky mountain ranges, sand, and sole acacia trees.

One of the very useful expressions I learned, was 'Not your business': 'Da mish shorlek.' Egyptians are extremely curious to the point of nosiness, and notorious gossips. The news seem to travel faster than in the internet! A person asking for something that do not belong to him, is called 'hesheriy'. Another funny one, reminding me of a certain Biblical analogy, meaning 'get lost', or, 'you can go now', is: 'Il beeb iifaod gemel', literally, 'The door is large enough for a camel to pass'.

The Arabic-speakers love idioms and proverbs. Here's one for you: 'After the incense is passed there is no sitting on.' (Don't overstay your welcome). The explanation: When the visit has lasted long enough, the host passes round the incense signifying that it's time for his guests to leave.

Moon, 'amar', has a lot of symbolism in Islam. Is also is an analogy for beauty. If you want to call someone beautiful, you can call her 'inti amar', 'you (are beautiful like) the moon'.

Travelling: Alexandria

A friend of mine, one of the 5 Muhammeds with whom I regularly work with, comes from Alexandria. He constantly tells me how wonderful the city is. When my colleague visited there and also highly recommended it, I decided to explore the city myself.

I arrived at Cairo railway station early Saturday morning. I bought a ticket to 'Al Iskandria', as the Arabic-speakers call it. All the first-class tickets had been sold out, so I booked a seat in the second class later that morning. Another colleague had advised me to admire the Nile delta scenery along the way. According to her, the train ride is the best part of the journey. I studied some history of the cities and the map along the way – Benha, Tanta, Damanhour. Vast corn, aubergine and sugar cane field extended on both sides. I saw cows, watering channels, electric water pumps and more green fields that I had seen during my whole stay in the massive sand box known as Egypt.

I had 24 hours to explore the highlights of Alexandria, so I wasted no time hiring a cab to the Kom al-Shuqafa Catacombs. These tombs named as 'hill of treasures' date back to 2^nd century AD and house underground library and tombs. The taxi drivers fight vigorously for clients. The first driver didn't agree on the price I offered, and when another taxi picked me up, he informed the second one how much I would pay. But this was not an issue for him, so off we went.

Qaitbey fortress used to face one of the ancient seven wonders of the world, the Lighthouse of Alexandria, but the latter collapsed in an earthquake in 1303 AD. However, the sturdy Fort still stands, posing against the brisk winds and mighty wawes of the Mediterranean. I climbed to the top of the fortress to capture a panorama view towards the city and the sea (picture). Then I sat down on the wave breaker near the sea, nibbling cotton candy and watching sea shell seller lure clients. The day before my journey a friend of mine told me how he had sat on the same spot as a kid, watching the waves pound the rocks.

What suddenly stroke me was the absence of tourists, or any kind of foregners even at the most popular places of interest. Flocks of locals; young families with children, and couples walking hand in hand milled around the fort and the promenade, but I spotted only five other foreigners. I was keenly aware of the Egyptians peeking at or directly staring at me, a white woman travelling alone. A group of young lads followed me while I captured snapshots, and made some comments about me. They were quite astonished and amused when I responded to them in Arabic. I was growing weary and annoyed to being noticed everywhere, even though the friendly and naive interest that the Egyptians show towards foreigners is common everywhere. Here they obviosly were not used to us. When I said Good aftenoon in Arabic upon entering a shop, the girl clerks gave a shy smile and giggled with each other.

I took a ride on the minivan-microbus to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. The bus driver was confused because I didn't understand if I had given him too much or too little change, and he didn't charge me anything when I exited. The original library doesn't exist any more, of course, but the new one, inaugurated in 2000 and featuring 8 million books in 11 floors, could rightly be called one of the modern wonders of the world.

On the way to the hotel we passed Stanley bridge, another symbol of Alexandria. The taxi driver slowed his vehicle down so I could make some sunset snapshots. We drove along the coastline lined with sandy beach and parasols, and high-rise hotels on the other side. I felt like I was in Riviera. Finally we arrived at huge park, featuring Montaza Garden & Royal Palace. My hotel, Helnan Palestine, was inside the park, nestled in a sandy harbor. The Neo-Gothic summer palace is one of the presidential residences.

I had gotten sick during the overnight voyage because of freezing air conditioning. All I wanted was to get some rest and soothe my flu. There was a big surprise waiting for me in my hotel room... I was been given a special room from the top floor, with a fruit basket and all the trimmings. It was such a treat... The view from the balcony was gorgeous. On the left side I could see the president's palace, the Mediterranean sea stretched straight ahead, and a small islet and the lighthouse appeared on the right. There was so much beauty gathered in one place that I could only take a deep breath, watch in awe, and then bounce for joy like a child for discovering it. This became one of the top 10 the places in the world where I want to return.

Our landlord

This is Abdullah, our landlord. He always wears his traditional cotton dress called galabeya. It is very comfortable and has handy zippered pockets, where one can easily slip his Nokia phone, money and keys. He is always smiling and helpful.

One of the most important tasks of the landlord is to keep unwanted guests away. In other words, Egyptians of opposite sex. People in groups and foreigners are okay. On the bottom floor Abdullah has a small room, equipped with a mattress, and he constantly peers the people who is coming and going, even at 4 am.

He also has spare keys to our apartment. But here's the catch: If we forget the key on the inside of the lock, the door cannot be opened from the other side. This happened to me once, on my birthday, late in the evening after a long day at work. My neightbor wasn't home, so we had to wait for her to arrive, because the only way to get back inside was to climb into my balcony from hers and get inside through my balcony door. I climbed, but of course the balcony door was also locked. Then Abdullah climber over the balcony rail in his galabeya – on the height of 5th floor. He cracked into my room with his tools and then fixed the door. Voilá, I was back at home.

Landlord's other tasks involve supplying us with the household equipment that is included in the rental contract. We received the ironing board and laundry lines in due time, within a week after our arrival, but the balcony furniture never showed up, and the shower curtain was installed punctually in the middle of the bathroom – two meters from the shower itself.

However, we concretely discovered the meaning of Egyptian time concept while waiting for the bed covers. Officially, the expression goes, 'bukra, insh'allah' (Tomorrow, the Lord willing'). This roughly means the same as 'mañana' in Spain.

We started asking for warm blankets in the end of October, when the apartment started getting cold at night. Abdullah does not speak many words in English, but he made most of it. The first few times the answer was 'tomorrow'. After several inquiries, apparently aiming to calm us, he then promised to bring them 'after ten minutes'. I came back after two hours, but there were no blankets, neither the next day. (Those who have lived in exotic countries can probably relate. It was no helping the case that I was going through culture shock in other ways, too.)

We really needed to get the covers, so my flatmate and I took turns asking, but the answer was always the same; either ten minutes or one hour. However, it didn't make any difference. After few more weeks of this I called my Egyptian colleague and asked him to interpret for our landlord, that we couldn't risk becoming sick, because it was freezing cold at night, and we didn't have the promised blankets that were supposed to be there when we had arrived. Calmly Abdullah walked into the laundry shop in front of our flat and said the guy working there something in Arabic. He produced two blankets. They were clearly used, but our landlord explained that they had been washed. Actually we were supposed to have new blankets, but after all the hassle and waiting I was more than glad to have them.

Miraculously, after another month the new king-size covers and even more pillows arrived. Our boss had found out that Abdullah had actually visited the household store, but it had been out of stock for a while. Anyway, now I know what 'five Egyptian minutes' stands for.

Conquering Mt. Sinai

One of my dreams during my stay was to climb on Mt. Sinai. I had few days off in May and flew to Sharm el Sheikh to realize my desire.
Our Egyptian guide picked me up 22:15 from the hotel, and the others after me: 3 French-Egyptians, 4 Russians, and 2 Egyptians. I didn't know beforehand that it would be a 3-hour drive to the base, 1500 m from the sea level. We reached the gate of the national park 2:25 am. Each was given a bottle of water and a flashlight. And then we started climbing.
The trail was quite narrow, and we had to beware of camels, that were available, if anyone would get too tired to hike. Every 40 minutes were took a rest of 5 minutes and then we pressed on. We were not alone on the mountain: every night about 3,000 pilgrims venture towards the top, so the huts along the trail and the path was quite crowded at times.
I felt dizzy and slight headache in the beginning, but it passed after I took some painkillers. After a couple of hours of climbing I didn't feel tiredness or the altitude, just totally at balance. It was full moon, so we could see the outline of the surrounding mountains and numerous stars. The trail was dotted with hundreds of torchlights of fellow climbers coming up the rugged terrain.
The last leg before the top, 2285 metres, was the steepest and the most dangerous. We stepped into 350 stone stairs in pairs, and every now and then we had to stop to wait, because of the long queue ahead: everyone wanted to reach the top before sunrise.
Finally, after 7 kilometres and 3 hours of climbing, we were on top. It was cold (+10 C), but the scenery was breathtaking: sharp mountaintops reaching into 2000-3000 metres everywhere around us. The rising sun coloured the sky orange long before we saw the red ball of sun emerge in the east. We took our time to snap pictures and admire the barren beauty of the uplands. Then we took a steep plunge down: 700 stone blocks and 2 hours later we we back in the starting point, St. Catherine's monastery. We paid homage to the Burning Bush and the well of Moses, where he supposedly met his wife-to-be, Zipporah.
In Egypt you have a change to plunge into the depths of the sea or to the bottom of the pyramid, or to reach the heights of the highest peaks. The hike was no walk in the park, but absolutely an experience to remember for a lifetime.

Nowhere else than in Egypt...

I like Egypt. It is not only getting warm, but soon I will start missing this country, for my contract is coming to end here.
Where else does a driver casually stop the bus or taxi and walk to a convenience store to buy a pack of cigarettes, and then continue driving like it was the most natural thing to do.
Where else can you walk into your favourite restaurant and ask them to open the wine bottle for you (if you don't have the corksrew), as in Egypt they are nowhere to be found in shops.
You can also ask the landlord/security of your building to go and buy a prepaid phone card or bring some takeaway food for you.
In hospital you can get past the queue in you know some doctor there, or if you take with you a friend who does.
The landlord/security doesn't allow the Egyptians of the opposite sex come into your apartment, unless there are several, or they are rich and figure a way to pay. Likewise the Europeans are not allowed into most Egyptian's apartments.
In this country they will also do anything to sell you an item. Once I wanted buy a beautiful lilac turtleneck sweater. One knitted string loop had gotten loose in the middle of the front part, and as I mentioned this to the seller in order to get the price down, he got his scissors and cut the loop, which practically ruined the whole sweater.
If the shop owner doesn't have change, he may give you a cookie or candy instead. If you buy something expensive, you'll often get an extra gift.
This list could be continued endlessly. Nowhere else than in Egypt...

Survival tips

Living in Misr, as the Egyptians call their land, is quite a cultural experience. I love many facets, but few others take a long fuse. I've collected some items that I've learned or still in the process of installing into my everyday behaviour.

1. Smile, you are in Egypt. You cannot underestimate the importance of a warm smile in this county. It is not only a nice thing to flash to others, it means you do not harbor hostile thoughts. People smile even when they deliver the most severe complaints or are quite upset. You can say anything with a smile.

2. Keep small notes and coins with you at all times. You will need them in shops, for tipping and public toilets, because there is very little change around.

3. Develop a high tolerance against honking horns. You are honked at about 50 times a day, mostly by taxis, but also other traffic. Add also vendors and any men cooing and yelling after you and commenting your looks. Their top 3 favourites: 1. ”Ohhh... I can't belive my eyes! 2. What beautiful eyes! 3. Krasiva! (see the next point).

4. Learn Russian. It's the second (un)official language here. Most restaurants have a menu in Russian, shop and pharmacy signs have Cyrillic script, and most people speak some of it. In many hotels 70-80 % of the guests are Russian-speakers.

5. Take time to everything. It pays off (sometimes literally) to sit down, drink tea, and chat with people. There's no hurry with people. You will learn a lot from the culture, as Egyptians are eager to share ffrom their lives. I spent one hour buying bedsheets. Before this I had already chosen the exact fabric, model, and color I wanted. They were the top quality famous long-fibre Egyptian sateen cotton. But when I went to pick it up and pay for it, I politely let them show me several models and colors in detail. I turned down their offer to show me towels and other stuff. I asked the price of my sheet set for the first time. Then we drank karkade (hibiscus tea), exchanged Arabic music via bluetooth, got to know the shop clerk and his 2 friends, plus politely refused the invitation to marry him :-). Then we bargained the price and waited if the boss would give me special discount. (The clerk called the boss). Next I read out loud some words in Arabic script for their delight. They asked about my family and job, and again we bargained. The boss eventually called and gave his approval for the special price, only for me, because I was now considered a friend. I finally exited the shop after 60 minutes with a broad smile. I had not only gotten a great deal, but experienced another unique moment.

Impressions on Cairo

Constant stream of vehicles, black and white 80's Lada taxis, all honking and beeping. A maze of ramps and highways in three layers, the highest ones above rooftops. Grey concrete and clay tile buildings, skyscrapers, smog and dust hanging in the air, making even the parks and palm trees grey. The river Nile splits the city into two parts. In daylight Cairo, or Al Cahira in Arabic, is an ugly city, and there seems to be too much of everything.
Cairo with its 22 million people is the largest city in Africa, and it actually is a cluster of 10 cities. Giza, where the pyramids lay, is a different town altogether, the capital of Upper Egypt, which stretches to the southern regions like Luxor.
The Islamic Cairo hosts the Citadel on a hill, completed in 1183, and several mosques. I visited the mosque of Ibn Tulun, where the endless noise of traffic ceases. It is hundreds of years old, and brought a refreshing break after the hustle and bustle of touristy spots and kitch vendors. Spacious inner court, gas lanterns, arching hallways, and light sieving from woodcrafted windows invite the guests to quiet reflection. There is a museum inside the mosque area, with a beautiful garden and a vast collection of items. Some scenes from James Bond 007 The Spy I loved, were filmed here.
Khan el Khalili's bazaar, the largest bazaar area in the Middle East, starts from Al Hussein mosque. Yes, it's the same where the bomb had exploded 2 weeks ago, just 4 days before I explored the narrow alleys. There were policemen and security at every entrance, making sure it was safe. Many stalls were still closed 10 am, when we hit the bazaar, but I found few beautifully decorated scarves, and a carpet.
When you have seen the dusty city, the contrast couldn't be sharper when you explore the city at nighttime. Cairo Tower offers the most breathtaking views. It glistens at dark into distance and stretches 187 metres high. You can take an elevator to top and admire the vistas spreading in every direction. The skyscrapers and hotels rise up to 20 storeys high. If you are lucky, you can catch the light show on the Giza pyramids in the south. I could see the river Nile flowing peacefully below and cruise ships, decorated with hundreds of light bulbs, leisurely gliding in it. I took the opportunity to dine in the rotating restaurant on top. The food was just ok, but the service was superb.
I visited the largest shopping centre, City Stars. After having visited the pyramids, museums, and mosques, it took a while to believe I was still in Cairo. Designer labels and and international brand names offered all you could possibly imagine in six floors. I've been trying to avoid buying a lot of clothes and other stuff, because I will have logistic problems hauling everything back to Finland, so I congratulated myself as I made my exit with only one new shirt!
Cairo is cheap - another trap for shop-a-holics. So cheap that it's easy to catch the shopping virus and buy stuff you don't really need. I have to admit I got infected on the day 2. I bought two pairs of beach slippers, just because they cost only 35 pounds for both, 5 euros.

Taxi rides are cheap, too: 30-40 minute ride for 20-25 pounds, the start-up rate being 60 piasters (less than 10 cents). There is one downside, though: the drivers don't understand a whole lot of English, and therefore they don't always know where they should take you. I once too a taxi who didn't have a clue where he was going, so I got off after few turns. The best strategy is to learn the key terms in Arabic, such as 'mahattet mas' (railway station). The hotels are better recognized.
One thing that annoyed me about Cairo is the toilet caretakers in restaurants, museums and airports. They are all too helpful, pointing where you can get liquid soap, offering you toilet paper, and napkins. It is wonderful, expept that they expect tips with extended hand and begging look in places where there are posted notes on the wall: no tips, please – service is free. However, I fell in love with Cairo, and am looking forward for the next opportunity to visit there again. Wait for me, here I come!

Culinary treats

Now I will take you to my favourite restaurant, where you can sample delicious Oriental dishes.
For starters I advise you to order knickel (vegetable) or lentil soup, served with crispy croutons. The waiter brings to table standard appetizers: hot pita bread, tahina (sesame paste) and babaganou, aubergine paste (picured right). Fried aubergines (pictured top middle) and dolma, stuffed wine leaves, are also worth ordering.
There is plenty of choice with the main course. Stuffed pigeon is a local delicacy, served with seasoned pilau rice. My favourite dish is kebab halabi, which is a long skewer of minced lamb meat grilled on open fire and served with herbs. Or try Turkish kebab: minced lamb skewer with spicy tomato and garlic sauce. Camel steak is available in some restaurants, the taste resembling pork.
The menu has plenty of healthy drinks, which are called 'non-alcoholic coctails'. I often go for mango smoothie with honey or Florida, a mixture of strawberry, mango and guava nectars.
For dessert I recommend sähläb, which is hot milk pudding with coconut and raisins. For something light, make your pick from an array of fresh seasonal fruits: caneloupe, strawberries, or watermelon. The meal ends with a glass of mint tea. The waiter is thanked with a tip, which is about 10 % of the total sum.

Arabic wedding

I was delighted to receive an invitation to an Egyptian-European couple's wedding. It was held in a banquet hall of a large hotel. When I entered with my friends, the dj was playing lively Arabic tunes. The Egyptian family members and friends were seated on the left side, and the other guests and colleagues on the other. The chairs were decorated with balloons, and there were two large hearts on the podium, displaying the couple's names.
There was no MC to lead the occasion or to announce what would happen next, like in European weddings – one of the biggest differences I observed. At least that solved the issue of multi-lingual gathering. The whole evening flowed seamlessly from one event into other, and Oriental music played a big part. Everyone took snapshots of the bride and the groom. Then the guests were invited to dance – ladies with the bride, and men with the groom, both in their own circles.
Then it was time for a lavish buffet dinner. There was a everything one could possibly imagine, from appetizers to salad, soup, and meat The chef had made delicate and imaginative ornaments from vegetables and fruits. Because of the Muslim family, only soft drinks were served, no alcohol. After dinner the rings were brought forward on a red pillow. The bride placed the fingertips of both hands together, and the groom slid the engagement ring from right hand to the left, along the fourth finger. The bride repeated the same for the groom, and they exchanged kisses – on the cheek and forehead, as was appropriate.
The newlyweds then had their first dance as brand-new Mr. and Mrs. Both had chosed a special song, one in English, and the other in Arabic by a Egyptian celebrity singer, Amr Diab. More dance followed, and first the parents, and then all the guests were invited to join.
We proceeded to sample the desserts – cakes, tarts, cookies, and baklava pastries. We were all given star-rain sticks, and as we lit them, the wedding cake was carried forward, as well as a long, sharp knife. The couple was assisted by the manager of the hotel to cut the cake, and again this was celebrated by dancing.
Gifts were handed to the couple. As the custom went, we took our turn to extend an envelope, containing money. Then we climbed on the podium, and took pictures with the bride and groom.
Four belly dancers emerged, dressed in rather revealing apparel. They performed several numbers, and changed costumes in between. Then four men, dressed in traditional, loose garments, danced with long sticks, beating them on the ground according to the rhythm. The lead belly dancer performed a routine in front of the bride, and invited her to join her on the dance floor. The groom's turn came next. Groom's friends jumped to the floor, and danced around him.
There was one more typical Egyptian dance number, called tanoura (pictured). It is performed by a man, dressed in several layers of colourful skirts, spinning around for nearly ten minutes. The skirts were lifted high, at times covering the face of the dancer. At one point he removed the topmost skirt, and formed a bundle, resembling a baby, while he kept whirling around without break.
Five hours later the newlyweds made their exit. Musicians playing a drum and traditional horn lead the way, and the guests followed at the wake of the couple. Women took a souvenir from the floral centrepiece as they left the hall. A car with a driver was waiting outside, and the escort customarily honked the horn all the way until the destination.

Everyday life in Egypt #1

I've shared some of the highlights and unique experiences. Now I want to give you few glimpses into my everyday life.

At grocery store
There's a 24/7 mini-market downstairs of my apt. They sell juice, milk, candy, chocolate, toothpaste, phone cards, and 6-litre water jars, my main staple from the shop. The cashier typically doesn't have change, the case in all shops, so I need to have an exact amount. If I don't, no big deal, I pay the rest the next time I drop by. When I have picked the products I want to purchase, the following conversation often follows.
- Salaam aleikum. I will take these (juice, water, and some candy).
-Cigarettes?
-No, thanks.
-Phone cards?
-No, thanks.
-Bubble gum?
-No, thanks. (If the clerk doesn't have enough change, I'll get bubble gum instead).
-Cigarettes? (again)
-No, I don't smoke. Halas (This is all).

The clerk shows the price with his calculator. He then picks up a plastic bag, and I say, 'La shokran' (no thanks). This happens every time, even though he knows me. It is very hard for a local person to comprehend why someone doesn't want a plastic bag. It's equally hard for me to accept one, thanks to my Western mind, brainwashed with environmetal consciousness.
The plastic bags were forbidden in the Red Sea governorate in August, because they are a major environmental issue. The governor gave one month's transition period, but now, half of year later, there is no change. The shop clerks, especially at grocery stores, are obsessed with handing out bags, and one is not enough. There's a bag for every few items. A multitude of plastic bags are stuck in the airport fence. A plastic bag flying in the wind is such a common sight that it has actually been nominated the unofficial national bird of Egypt.

Laundry
One of my colleagues has a washing machine, but it's more convenient to drop dirty clothes at landry, located downstairs of my place. The price for washing and ironing is identical for any item, 1 Egyptian pound (15 cents) from a sock to bedsheet. The laundry is dried outside, where the brisk sea wind and hot sun dries it in few hours. The clothesline hangs between two tile pillars of an abandoned high-rise building site. The clothes are ready to be picked the next day. They are neatly folded and packed – you guessed it – in a plastic bag, and the price tag is stapled on top.

Transportation
There are downtown-hotel buses, microbuses and taxis. My favourite mode of transportation is microbus, a.k.a. yalla-bus. ('yalla' means 'let's go'). They stop anywhere you wawe your hand, and a two-kilometre trip costs 0,5-1 pound, depending on how local you behave. When you enter, you tell the driver your destination. There are no street names, so you just name the nearest shop, hotel, or restaurant where you want to get off, such as Vodafone or McDonalds. You can also just jump in, and when you want to get off, holler: 'Älägäm hena' (Stop here.) In Arabic there are no polite forms, such as 'please' or 'could you...' You just tell, 'do this'.
Taxis can be a pain in the neck. They are cheap (10-minute ride equivalent to 1,3 euros), but they don't always know the way, and sometimes try to trick you. They may claim you only gave them 50 piasters (half a pound) instead of 50 pounds, and sometimes they refuse to drive you if you are going only for few kilometres, or bargain too low price. No big deal though, because there are over 1000 taxis around, about 50 % of the car population. Normally you need to negotiate the price beforehand, but I've learned the local way: state the destination, and pay whatever seems appropriate. There are hardly any complaints. The drivers blast Arabic music (talk about a cultural experience), but they also smoke while they drive, as 90% of men everywere, inside the buses, cafes, and apartments.

Ah, and the taxis love to honk the horn. The drivers have developed a diverse language using the horn. It means, depending on the context, 'I'm free, jump in', 'Watch out', I'm about to pass you by', 'You idiot/move faster'. A newly-weds' escort is also announced by beeping the horn. At dark horn-honking is replaced with flapping the far lights on and off. Nearly not all drivers use driving lights at dark, because they think they disturb others. The emergency lights come handy at dark, especially when the car needs to slow down at bumps. I've also gove native, both by honking the horn and using emergency lights, whenever appropriate.

Mini-getaway in luxurious Luxor

I've started leading excursions to Luxor for my countrymates. I had two days off in a row (normally only one per week), so I decided I'll explore a new city during this mini-vacation.
Bus tickets are sold on the day of travel. The bus was to leave 7am, so I had to fetch the ticket 6 am. I was in queue early to make sure I got the ticket. It was pitch-dark, and at 5:45 I was the first one - there wasn't anyone else even around. The bus left 7:30, and 4 hours later I arrived in Luxor. The scenery on the way was breathtaking: sandstone mountain peaks rising to 1,5 km on both sides, and endless plains of Eastern Sahara sand. Halfway to the town the landscape changed dramatically, as we reached one of the watering channels of the Nile: lush, green sugarcane, sesame and aubergine fields, donkeys pulling wooden carts, and farmers strolling in long calabeya dresses.
I hitched a horse and kitch-decorated carriage for 10 LE (1,5 euros) to reach my hotel. Warm sun felt blissful after freezing cold air-conditioning in the bus. I had been shivering the whole journey and loaded on all my winter wear: woollen socks, double-layer sports pants, scarf and wind-proof jacket. Egyptian buses are notorious for their effective air-conditioning, and this one had been no exception. After few days I was diagnozed with bronchitis, so no wonder I had felt sick.
I hadn't even finished checking in the hotel, when my phone rang. My agent called and wanted to finalise the arrangements for next morning's hot air balloon ride, the highlight and main purpose of my visit. Soon my local colleague was waiting for my downstairs with a car and chauffeur. We were on our way to animal hospital. We drove through the streets of Luxor, and my colleague was greetings ackquaintances and neighbors here and there from the open window.
The hospital housed donkeys (cute little white ones) and horses. The establishment in run by donations, and the services are free for the owners. The objective is to improve the conditions and treatment of the work animals. They are fed and cured, also operated on, if necessary. Anyone could bring his donkey and horse to be washed. The vets also visit surrounding villages to educate farmers and lead animal clinics.
Next I visited the Luxor temple. It used to be connected to Karnak temple with a 1,6 km long sfinx alley. Then I had the 5-o'clock tea in Winter Garden, the best hotel in town. When Tutankhamon's grave was discovered in the King's Valley by Howard Carter in 1922, the sensational press conference was held in this hotel. It is built in Victorian style and it features a large botanical garden, where I had my 5-o'clock tea.
After all this I felt quite sick, so I returned to my hotel room. I realized I needed some medicine, but I couldn't locate an open pharmacy. I later discovered that the were all closed because of the Coptic Christmas on Jan 7. I kept walking and looking, and eventually took a microbus downtown. I ended up in the bazaar area, and bought few beautiful hand-stiched pillow cases. I asked for a pharmacy, and one stall owner pointed to a dark alley. I said I was not going there, but he sent his 11-year-old son to go with me. After several turns in the sandy backstreets we arrived at pharmacy, and I got my cough drops.
Back in the hotel room I enjoyed from a long, hot bath. When I had left my apt, we didn't have much warm water in tap, just few drops, and my flatmate said while I was gone, there had been no hot water at all!! I went to sleep early, because the next morning I would be picked up 5:25 am for a hote air balloon ride.
A minivan whisked us to Nile river bank, where we got into little open-air boats. We had tea and cake, and crossed over to the Western bank. After another short journey on microbus we arrived on a field. Several hot air balloons towered above us, as the crews funneled hot air from gas bottles. The flames went high inside the balloons. The daylight was beginning to show.
We were given a short briefing on safety instructions. Then the 22 of us climbed into a large, wowen basket with several compartments. The ground crew let go of the basket, and in few minutes we were hundreds of meters high in the air.
The sun was beginning to rise, but there was a thick mist on the sugar cane field near the river bank. The scenery was magnificent. King's Valley as the backdrop, we first sailed towards Hatsepsut's terrace temple, dating 3400 years back, then towards the columns on Memnon, built around 1300 B.C. We then made a plunge in the sugar cane field so that we could touch the plants with our hands. The we took off to the sky again. The crew was letting out hot air from gas tanks every now and then, and they made whizzing noise. I was standing next to one of the gas bottles, and despite cool morning air it was warm. After 50 minutes of flying, the captain dropped down a long cord. The ground crew pulled us down and we landed on the same plot we had taken off. The landing was very smooth, and in no time the crew had emptied and packed the balloon away. We headed back to hotels, and as we said good-byes to the captain, we were given certificates for flying on one of the world's largest hot air balloons.
I went back to sleep after a lavish breakfast. Then I visited a one-room mummification museum, featuring mummies of a baby crocodile, a baboon and some birds. A driver took me to bus station outside the city. We still had extra time, so he drove me to nearby village and showed the countryside. Everything was green, because of the Nile watering channels. He said his friend lived nearby, and asked if I wanted to see his house. I was delighted to see how the locals lived. I was shown calves and goats on the back yard, and then we went on the roof. It was a place where corn was dried for poultry. I took my turn feeding them by throwing a handful down to chickens, ducks, pigeons, and one rabbit.
Then I was introduced to the couple who lived in the house. The wife showed me around their the 3-room house and gave me some freshly squeezed lemon to drink. Then we said good-byes, and they welcomed me back.
The bus arrived 30 minutes late, which already seemed to be a norm. This time we stopped on several cities on the way. After one hour several local men came onboard. One of them, wearing long grey dress and white turban had 12 men seeing him off. Each of them came inside the bus one by one and wished his a nice journey and kissed him goodbye on both cheeks as the local custom goes. I gathered he was going for a long journey, maybe even on pilgrimage, or that he was a man of significance. Six hours later I arrived back home, so many experiences richer than when I had left.

Plucking eye brows on New Year's eve

Winter has arrived in Egypt. On New Years' eve the temperature dropped to +5 degrees because of ice-cold wind. Gloves and winter jacket were not an overstatement, when going out for shopping. I went out to buy juice, chocolate, mandarins, and strawberries for New Years's dinner. (Ironically enough, the strawberry season is at its peak now, and they are big and delicious). On the way I wanted to buy a knitted, turtle-neck sweater. The clothes store was locked, even though the sign said ”Open” and the lights were on. I asked the neighboring barber's shop where the owner was. At McDonald's downstairs, came the reply. Ok, I decided to hang out and wait for a few minutes.

One of the guys working at hairdressers', next door, peeked out to ask in I wanted to have my eye brows plucked. It is traditionally done with sowing thread that is folded into two, and then rolled and twisted between the fingers, while moving it near the hairs to be removed. ”Only 5 minutes! You'll get it for 20 pounds.” (2,5 euros). I agreed, since I had planned to do that anyway in one of these days, and I thought after that the clothes store may be open again.

The barber's saloon was full of young Egyptian guys – at least 5 working, and other 5 as clients. Everyone took a good look of me, but later my ”beautician” assured me that they also have female clients. The Arabic people prefer woman's face to be ”as white as moonlight” (why talc and bleaching face creams are popular here), and without any facial hair, excect eye brows. Therefore I was not surprised when the beautician asked if I wanted also other facial hair removed (forehead, cheeks, above top lip). Even though my facial hair is invisible and minimal, this is standard procedure. One could describe plucking eye brows more accurately ”plucking your face”. I need to add that the shops here don't feature women's leg/underarm shaving gel, only for men's beard, so that's what I use :-) There is a copious supply of wax strips, because the local women also shave also their arm hair.
Now that this procedure was completed, the guy started speading lotion into my face and massaging it in. Then he asked if I also wanted a facial mask and steaming. I gathered this was not part of the plucking deal any more, so I asked the price. ”Only 5 minutes! For you, everything only 50 pounds. Your face is very dry after sun and wind.” The latter part was quite accurate, since I had returned from sea trip few hours earlier. It had been so windy that I almost flew off the captain's bench on the top deck, as I helped him maneuver the yact in heavy wind.
I decided I needed full facial works, so there was more massaging, cream, steaming, and of course tea to drink. Twenty minutes later the treatment ended with a hot towel on my face, followed by a cold one. Voilá! The massage was wonderful, and my skin hasn't felt as soft for weeks. Talk about value for your money!
In the meantime the clothes store had re-opened, and I could purchased my knitwear. Then I proceeded to buy mandarins (”How much?” Normally 2,5, but today for 2 pounds, because it's New Year”, and off I went to prepare New Year's dinner with my flat mate.