Tuesday, July 31, 2007

more ramblings of a scottish bellydancer in Cairo....

last night was the first time I actually felt a breeze- and that was about 4am!!! really- I know many home in UK would have been glad of some sun after all the rain there has been there- but its been a heat wave here.... the weather forecasts said around 40 deg- but the measurements are taken out at the airport- not in the heart of the city where all the buildings are which trap the heat- not to mention the cozy blanket of pollution which keeps it in! So I have spent the last 2 weeks simply melting. really. Sitting in the flat I would be typing at the computer and having to make sure the sweat didn't drip on the keys- sexy image eh?!!!!

I have had a few days off, since there are 4 dancers on the pharoah boats - so we have to share the rota between us- Me (scotland), Doaa (egypt), Otti - aka Donya (finland), and Joanna (portugal). So the europeans are cornering the market bellydance wise- by the looks of our boats anyway! I am hoping that next time I get a few days off in a row it'll be over a weekend so i can go up to the north coast and swim in that fabulous sea- but I guess summer season as a bellydancer thats just one of the sacrifices you have to make!

I am beginning to feel that mohandiseen was maybe not the best choice of areas to live in. I love my flat, and my street... and the fact that if I want to shop/eat out it no problem at all- just a short walk... BUT for taxis to and from work- never mind anywhere else... fighting the arab traffic on the streets is a nightmare. SOOOOO busy. Being stuck in a traffic jam anywhere is never pleasant- but imagine all dressed up- full make up, false eyelashes,wig the works....... sitting in an oven for over half an hour- You melt!!!!!!!!! I have taken to trying to arrive at work early and doing all that there- so i arrive looking like Lorna the tourist and leave Lorna the bellydancer!!!

On Saturday night at work i had one sailing with a bride and groom- they joined me on the dancefloor- but I had to leave them to it- her dress was such a big white merangue number that it took up the entire dancefloor!!!!!!!!!!!!! There was a young boy in with his family the same night (obviously with special needs) and he saw the bride and groom dancing together holding hands on the dancefloor and rushed up to me, took my hands to mimic them- it was so sweet! Then there was the night before where I would say over 50% of the audience was under 12 years old..... probably one of my most receptive audience yet!!! was fabulous atmosphere and clapping and singing and cheering- I felt like a magician at a party though!!!! What else? you know each deck, on each sail, has some story of other- and since I do at least 2 sails per day (ie 4 shows) they all roll into one. But I love it... if I feel I haven't done my best on one deck I have a chance to rectify it on the 2nd! Oh and my band and I are gelling more and more... we have been trying out some new numbers and it is going really well.

There is a new club on the top of the Nile Hilton. Called Mojito. they play a wide range of music, from arabic pop, to salsa, to r+b to 80's style oldies... its great fun. They also have nice food, drinks and the best mint sheesha around. been really enjoying heading over there after i finish work of an evening! you can see the whole of Cairo and all the traffic from that high up looks like fairy lights on a christmas tree. The only crash to reality is when the music stops at the end of the night and you can actually hear all those car horns!!!!

No comments: