The spec wearers of Cairo...

I have been told by a friend that i HAVE to write this as a blog entry since seemingly my logic isn’t obvious to everyone....

I walked into a shop yesterday and asked, in Arabic, the price of something. He looked very confused and i laughed and said i know you expected English and chatted away in English  for a bit with him. My friend was a little confused- “how did you know he spoke English”? My answer, “Well... it’s obvious isn’t it? He was wearing glasses......”

Ok- there were a few other telltale signs. His clothes, his manner, the way he was following the conversation not trying to butt into what we were saying.... but yes... my gut instinct was because of the specs.

I am probably very wrong statistically.... but it seems to me that the majority of spectacle wearers in Cairo speak English. Talk about stereotypes eh?! Yes I am guilty of it.

 I can only suppose I think this from my experience’s so far and have never before realised that is what I have always assumed!

My only reasoning for it goes like this:

Glasses are expensive to buy = therefore the wearer and or his/her family has money = therefore have given him/her a good education =and that always includes another language =and that language is usually English.

So, in my logic (which of course is often found to be faulty) if you are in Cairo, and need to speak English for some reason... ask the guy in glasses........!

Timekeeping in Cairo

The first time a man in Egypt said to me “ we should have breakfast together soon”... I freaked out. Until i realised he wasn’t implying that we spent the night together, but that we meet during the day for food since breakfast can be the name of the 1^stmeal of the day taken as late at 3 or 4pm! If somebody says”let’s do lunch sometime you never read anything seedy into it”. This is how a breakfast proposal should be taken here!

Also, when planning an event, night out, anything in fact-even work, exact times are rarely given. It is always left open in accommodate whatever‘happens’ to you during the day, which an exact time only being when someone says, “yes I’ll be with you in 5 mins” (which always means nearer 15 at least!). Also people will say, “ let’s do something later”... which could mean anything from a hours time (granted this is seldom the outcome) to 8pm, to 10 pm, to 2am..or later this week or month... it’s all very fluid. I really don’t know how things ever happened or people ever managed to meet with each other at all here in Cairo before the time of mobiles!

Oh, and if someone arranges to meet you 'later' but doesn't call... it means it was never a fixed arrangement anyway! In reality it actually means that something else (usually something better in their eyes) has come up. It is never meant as an insult. Be wary of any planned meeting times which end with 'Inshallah'. Always call to confirm! The real meaning of this word is 'god willing' but in reality is often used to imply that there is a good chance it will not happen....

At work I have to lie to my musicians about what time they have to be at the boat for (so that they are there in plenty of time before it sails!). I have learned to do this, but unfortunately the boat management in turn also do this to me... telling me the boat is due to sail before it actually is. Which is fine if you are late, since you aren’t in fact late, but hellish when you arrive early and discover you are super early! I once had a band arrive an hour after I had asked them to come... which was 15 mins after the guests were really supposed to come ( and 45 mins after the time the management told me they would come) and when i went nuts at them for being late one drummer told me “ but the guests aren’t here yet so what’s the problem? Obviously god loves you which is why the guests are late......” (I won’t write what i replied!)

At weddings people always state a time on the invitations at least an hour before they even really want people there... knowing that guests will be late. Recently when helping a friend plan her wedding , she was saying we’ll say 2 so they come for 3, and the ones who come by 3 or 4 are the real family and friends and the ones who turn up by 6 or 7 are the distant relatives etc anyway so it doesn’t matter?!!!

As for dinner arrangements, it’s always wise to check what time someone usually eats their dinner if you arrange to meet them for that. Dinner can be anything from 6/7pm- 2am depending on the lifestyle of the people in question. Certainly in my work it is unusual to eat the evening meal before midnight!

Friday daytime doesn’t actually start until after the prayers at 12/1pm. That is to say, of course it does, but if you are arranging to meet someone... never ever arrange a Friday ‘morning’!

Oh, and morning doesn’t end at midday.

Obviously, it ends at the afternoon prayer (the one which is mid way between the noon prayer and the sunset prayer).

So when greeting people you say “good morning” to them until about 3/4pm!

That’s me off to bed now... I feel like I need an early night. Its 2am. Night night!

Oh- and please forgive me my very unreligious approach to the 5 calls to prayer in Cairo;

Sunrise= bedtime

Midday= get up

Mid afternoon= breakfast

Sunset= drinks on balcony (assuming no work- if I have work, then run for taxi)

Last prayer= get ready to go partying (or get onto stage if at work!)

Cairo's timings don't suit everyone. If you plan to do lots in a day, you will often be disappointed since even seemingly easy jobs like posting a letter can take up a whole morning. Especially if there is traffic to contend with! In UK I was always taught not to phone people after 9pm, unless its been arranged previously, since they may be in bed. Here that idea is proposterous. In Cairo it is normal to call almost anytime, since the understanding is that if you want to sleep at 3pm, or 3am, either way, then you will put your mobile on silent. Many people I know come home from work between 3 and 6 pm and get 2-3 hours sleep before heading out for their night out. Every night of the week. Shift sleeping patterns are normal to many people!

Once you get used to Cairo's time keeping it usually becomes fairly easy to understand... however the times I now always get caught out are by those freaks of nature- the 'perfect' time keepers. Usually these people who meet you at exactly the pre arranged time because they assume that i will be punctual- being British. Oh dear..... I am sorry to you all if i have ever left you waiting for me at anytime!

I love Cairo- The city where no-one would be surprised or frown at me or criticise me for sleeping until 11am everyday.

See- even bedtime is fluid... my 'early' night is after 2.30am now!

Musicans, morals and the makings of a better future..

Well... it's been an interesting week at work.



The first day of work I unfortunately had to call in sick. I can dance through many things... but a tummy bug is a bit too risky to attempt! (All better now!)



Then, the next night I was missing my dholla player. Seemingly his nephew had died so he’d had to travel up north to the funeral. He had been shot. I didn't get the whole story- or at least I didn't understand it, but I got that he was young. Unfortunately gun crime in Egypt does seem to have escalated since the revolution. I am guessing it’s still not level with that in most ‘developed’ countries, but still a lot more than was ever heard of in Egypt before. It is seemingly not illegal in Egypt to own a gun, even though they are supposed to be licensed... but then again- so are the cars!



The next day at work brought the fun and games. Whenever I have had a musician leave my band... there always has to be a drama around it. I can totally understand in these days with so little work for us all, that a tabla player, for example, might be able to get more work somewhere else and therefore chose to take the job that will cover his bills. If my work visa allowed me more freedom I would certainly be taking more work that the Pharaoh’s alone can offer just now. However, rather than come to me, his employer, and tell me that’s what has happened, obviously the better way of dealing with it in his mind was to make a big fuss about something very small and storm off in a huff. Huffing is a behaviour I have had to deal with more than I ever expected to in Egypt, especially since I don’t to work with children.



Saying that I did work with children last week... teaching salsa dance of all things to a group of Egyptian children on a summer camp program. I loved the way the younger girls, aged 5 and 6, already knew how to completely charm you, flirting their way through the class. The other girls, up to 13 years old were super conscious of their bodies, as all teenagers are... but when I tried to explain how to move the hips in salsa and pushed my hip out, it went out so much further than one of the girls expected that her eyes nearly popped out of her head in astonished admiration! She actually looked like she had got a fright!!! However- she then imitated beautifully!



Anyway... back to musicians... I have to say the working week finished with me being very impressed with my new tabla player, who although hasn’t quite understood the notion that he is supposed to follow me, rather than the other way around, is a super fast learner and managed to play my entrance piece without having even heard it before. My bereaved dholla player shouted out which rhythms to play and when. An on-stage class and rehearsal and performance all at once. They both did an amazingly good job. I enjoyed that show!



So to sum up, it’s worth putting up with the various problems and tantrums that get thrown in your way, if artistry is of such high quality when it appears. However, Egypt is full of talented artists and therefore musicians who respect their work and their employers and their audiences are the ones to look out for and hold onto! Not just musicians either, dancers too.



I have had many debates with my band over the years, because during lunch time sails they want to dress casually, often turning up to work unshaven and in less that their full ‘uniform’ of shirt and tie. I try to reason with them... but since the audiences are tourists on package trips from sharm or from cruise ships, the band seem to think that they wouldn’t know the difference between a good show and one just thrown together. This is what happens unfortunately sometimes when art becomes work... just do the bare minimum to get the pay. I still haven’t managed to get them to understand why they should respect these foreigners who come to their country and often are very interested in the culture and music. Eventually I have managed to get them into shape somewhat by showing them the clips that end up on YouTube. Who are the audience members who film everything and put it on the internet? The tourists. Who sees that- EVERYONE, including Egyptians, agents, other dancers etc etc. The message sank in a little, even if not for the right reasons.



Recently a friend of mine, and Egyptian, wrote on facebook that Egypt would do well if people would learn to stand in line..... I would argue- that if Children in Egypt were taught respect for others, no matter who they are, older, younger, Egyptian, non-Egyptian, rich or poor, then the vast majority of this societies negative issues would disappear. You don’t have to teach someone to stand in line if it makes ‘common sense’ that someone who was waiting before you for something should receive it first. You wouldn’t shoot a young man through difference of opinion, you’d reason with him. You wouldn’t huff like a child to distract from your own lack of loyalty. You wouldn’t judge a person’s art appreciation by their nationality. If people are all equal in your eyes, as is taught in most religions, including in Islam, then you would respect them all, and life would be so much better.  



Ah, sorry........’takes a deep breath’...... there I go again............ wearing my rose tinted glasses again to dream of a brighter future....... dare I dream?

endorphins

Don’t you already find that the nights you least expect to be good turn out to be the best?!!!

Last Thursday night I was NOT in the mood to party at all. I went out only because I had promised my friend Linda I would attend her open mic night, up on the roof, at Darb17/18. I take the metro to get there since it’s in fustat, very close to the metro stop mari girgis. Ellie and I were hesitant about taking the metro, since at night there are usually just too many men around for comfort, even if you ride the woman’s only carriage, which I always do, you still have to get there in the first place! Even if they don’t ‘do’ anything- they slow down so they can walk next to you, or behind you... it is not a nice feeling! Last Thursday night we were lucky. There was a major football match on with Ahly playing (one of the major Cairo teams) ... so many of the usually annoying boys, were plonked in front of a TV somewhere and not out to intimidate us girls! There is always the shove to get on the metro when it is so busy... people don’t wait for others to get out before they push their way in... It’s the worst thing about the metro. I have heard a story of a guy being separated from his shoe trying to get off at his stop! There is no concession made for a woman with a baby in her arms either. She is shoved along like everyone else.  One woman in our carriage got in... But it was such a stressful event that she had obvious tears in her eyes but the time she came to a standstill! It’s never boring. Even going to an event is always eventful!

So by the time we got to Darb unfortunately we had missed most of the 1^st set. The second set was shorter than usual- but had some impressive acts. Leena from India performed a dance that was like a fusion of belly dance, Indian dance and contempary. That is the first dance act I have seen at one of these events.  There was a poet who had written traditional style poetry in fusha inspired by modern films. I couldn’t understand a word- but his voice and delivery was beautiful. There were two guys there called ‘extra cheese’ who did some rapping... and it was incredibly entertaining.... a mix of English and Arabic and very bouncy. I have to say though I wasn’t the only one in the audience who held their breath the 2 times one of ‘the cheeses’ jumped up onto the wall behind the stage (it is held on the roof of Darb after all!!!) The good news for the night was hearing that the open mic events have been deemed so successful that they will now be held every 2 weeks rather than once a month!! Well Done Linda!

Then I decided that part of the reason I had been in a low mood earlier, was because with less work these days than normal, my body was missing movement. If I don’t dance every 2^nd or 3^rd day at least then I get depressed. Literally... I am addicted to the endorphins that dance releases in my body! I should lock myself into my dance studio and just dance- but for some reason i can never seem to do that.... So off to Salsa at Bian Cafe, Mohandiseen it was. I loved it! They played one rock and roll track, which I sat out, but every other song of the night saw me being spin around the dance floor like a woman processed! I cannot explain the high dancing gives me! But Bian Cafe does not party all night long... and I was not prepared to leave that high too early... so Ellie and I went on with a group from salsa to the Armada nightclub... which parties till the break of dawn- literally. They play a mix of music with some R&B, which I love, and Egyptian pop and shabbi tracks to full on house music (which I hate- but last night with all those endorphins kicking about inside me found me bouncing about the dance floor with the rest of them!!!) It was the best of nights!

 The downside of the night was on leaving the club, discovering that someone had slashed the tyres on the car we had arrived in. His wasn’t the only car, 4 others had suffered the same fate. The theory is that the car valets, who charge money to look after your car while you are in the club, took offence to us just parking in the street and decided to take matters into their own hands. Horrific! Complaints to management were made. Inshallah that won’t happen again!

At the end of the night, i.e. dawn!!!, some of the group were still in party mood and suggesting sharia haram for the cabaret clubs there...... one of our group excused himself with the most entertaining and original reasons I have ever heard; “ Sorry- but I have a revolution to make in the morning! “

On Friday masses have gathered in Tahrir to demand that the original revolutions demands from January are actually met. Mubarak may have been brought down, but many feel it is only the figurehead that has changed and the way the country is being led is as far away from democracy as you can get. I wish them well and pray for a peaceful resolution, now they are on day 3 of their sit-in which has been peaceful thankfully. There is a lot of debate about whether this is the 'right' way forward for Egypt or not. Some people worry that having all these protests will scare away the tourists- who are much needed for Egypts economy. I feel that it is such a joy that Egyptians can at long last- for the first time in their lives and those of their parents, actually hold public political gatherings and voice their ideas, that as long as the protests remain peaceful, they actually cement the progress the country has already made since January. Education though is the real key now and needs to be pushed more. Teach people how to vote, how to campaign, how to chose what thhey want from a government. They have never had options before. Good luck to them all (to us all !!)

are there any MEN in Egypt?

Cairo nights have really changed since before the revolution. I used to always say i felt safer walking in the street here at night than I would have done in UK... but that, unfortunatly, is no longer the case.

I dont know what has caused it. The realisation that people can 'get want they want' if they go for it on mass? (often the abuse comes from groups of young boys). Maybe because there are far less police on the streets so people know they can get away with crimes? or perhaps its just down to boredom? since Cairo shuts down eary these days with restaurants and bars closing before midnight. Shops which used to be open til the last customers went home, now pull down their new post-revolution shutters around a time when Cairians used to start their shopping for an evening!

The comments have increased... and although i have become thick skinned towards the various phrases that get thrown at women (Egyptian girls too- not just foreigners...) , the number of boys trying to touch also seems increased. In the last week i have had a stone thrown at me, hundreds of comments, one grope ( a child under 10) and two attempted gropes (both teenagers who regreted it since my reactions seemed to have speeded up and will have a bruise to remind them of their actions for a day or two...)

Why walk about at night then you might ask...? fair question i guess... except that the latest attempted grope happened at 5.30pm whilst walking from my house to get a taxi! It makes no difference at all. I am so tired of it. I wish .... oh , so many violent things. I hate what this constant bombardment of abuse is turning me into.

So if any Egyptians are reading this...please
- women- educate your brothers, sons (rather than giggling when your habibi, who you are sittting on that bench on the corniche, throws a comment out at me and you giggle rather than berating him!)

 men- likewise educate yourselves and those around you.... It is NOT the way forward to make yourselves stronger by putting others down. Even if the most beautiful woman in the world walks by you- THERE IS NO NEED TO COMMENT. I'll repeat that- THERE IS NO NEED TO COMMENT! You may think its a compliment, that you are being 'nice' but any comment which is not asked for is UNWANTED. Oh and be careful welcoming woman walking alone to Egypt. The tone of your voice can turn a beautiful, caring sentiment into an intrusive, frightening attack. It is amazing how sleazy the phrase 'Welcome to Egypt' can be!  Bite your tongue. Say nothing. PLEASE!

Prove to me you can BE A MAN- that you know when silence is the biggest compliment- that it shows to me you can respect and care for my feelings.

Prove to me you can BE A MAN, and speak up, when others in the streets throw stones, words and hands out at women.

Dont prove it to me..... prove it to yourself!

I have spoken with many 'men' here about this... and their instant response is - 'but of course they comment- you are beautiful'. This is as insulting as the comments. It implies that men have a right to impose their thoughts/hands on me just because of my looks? These same 'men' who consider themselves educated, westernised, caring, above such things are the ones who completely ignore comments hurled at you by idiots when you walk with them in the street, ushering you quickly into 'somewhere safe' instead. Instead they should be defending you and defending the dignity of all Egyptians. BE A MAN.

Stand up men..... you dont want to live in a world of mice and men haters... yet this is what women turn into when suppressed and abused through generations.....

Speak out... to the abusers... not to the victims. BE A MAN.

I LOVE Egypt... I have lived here for over 5 years. i want to continue living here... The animalistic attitudes of the 'men' here towards women is the number one reason why I would ever consider leaving.

April Madness...

It was been a crazy and wonderful month!

Hotel Bellylorna has been full and overflowing with dancers from all over the world... a fabulous atmosphere to be in!

I bought lovely red roses on sunday 2 masssive bunches for only 20le (from a lttle boy on a street corner in Zamalek) ! There are somethings, like that, about life in Egypt that make it easy to have a beautiful life!

Work has been picking up too...

...granted its been a holiday weekend here in Cairo- with the coptic Easter celebrations linking into the Egyptian celebrations of Shem al Nessim yesterday.

 My audiences these last 3 nights have been in full party spirit.. with a huge majority of Egyptians who seemed to enjoy my dancing as much as I enjoyed dancing for them! THESE are the nights that keep me in this country- whatever is going on, even through a revolution! Last night at the end of one show- i was taking my bows... and this old lady jumped out her seat- ran onto stage... and said she MUST book me for the daughters wedding!!! while I was still on stage! Lovely to be able to inspire that kind of reaction... Ya rabb (oh god) give me lots of those types of audiences please!!!! oh and held a really cute baby for a photo and she was wearing a tartan dress.... wonder if i can somehow get a copy of that pic... hmmm....

Had a lovely relaxed day at the pool yesterday too- the Atlas Zamalek Hotel in Mohandiseen has a pool on the roof and they charge 60le- but that is a minumum charge so the 60 is deducted from your food/drinks bill at the end of the day, asssuming you spend over 60le! The pool isn't great- but if you want sunshine... then its a good place to be! Julia (guest who's a dancer in Holland) and i had a few lovely peaceful hours there.

Also last week i went back to Salsa for the 1st time in ages and ages- i had such a good time at Bian Cafe (mohandiseen), I maybe sat out about one song in 3 hours?! That s what i call exercise!

talking exercise-






... i am also now attending golds gym in mohandiseen.... its small , but they have everything you need, plus the 5 star changing rooms and fabulous- sauna, jacuzzi, steam room.... I think i died and went to heaven! The personal trainer pushes me enough to make me feel like I have earned the spa treatment after too- perfect!!!

oh- and I have a new spa/beauty salon- on my street. Its a bit 'baladi'... but affordable and the girls are very entertaining!!!! in fact- off there now.... 50le for manicure + pedicure... can't really complain can you?

what will May bring.... oh- Eshta is moving here from London to live (and work as a singer isa!). Maybe i should rename my place Hotel EllieLorna?!!! 

....... and Randa Kamel week long course from 21st May... yes- i think this is going to be a good month!!!

How the men are taught...

I went to visit a friend in Maadi yesterday and decided to ride the metro home. I have been on the Cairo metro many times, and love the fact that there is a female only carriage and that, wherever you go, it only costs 1le. However, I haven’t ridden the metro on my own, only with others, always opting for the more expensive, but more comfortable taxi ride home instead. I decided I should stop being lazy, and face my fears. It’s very easy, I have found, to slip into the ‘easier things’ but by doing so I often miss out on more interesting events and observations to be found in Cairo.

So, in the women only carriage yesterday we were just about to leave Maadi when 3 young boys (about 12 years old) all jumped in through the doors. My initial reaction was oops, they made a mistake, they’ll jump out straight away.

How naive of me.

As soon as the train pulled away from the station it became apparent that they wanted to break the rules, and started clapping and singing about the ‘hareem’. I was very interested to see how the women would react, because my biggest urge was to physically push them out the door at the next stop. I waited to see what the rest of the passengers would ‘punish’ these boys. Instead, to my disdain, the young girls all giggled at the boy’s jokes, and even made comments back. Even though the train was full to bursting these boys had space around them since none of us wanted to be brushing up against them. In the mixed carriage they would be squished along with everyone else. I guess that is what added to the attraction for them. That and the girls giggles.

Only at the end of their journey, after maybe 5 stops, did the boys leave, but the problem was the platform was now at the other side of the carriage, so although so far they had been up against the door the alighted by so far, now they had to cross through the middle of the sardine can of ‘sittet’ (Arabic for women) to get off the train. Finally, at this point, one girl made protest. Her argument was that they got on, so they could wait until there was space to get off, even if that meant missing their stop. I admired her spunk. Her voice though was strange, very rural with a strange squeak which the boys used to make fun of her rather than listen to her. Unfortunately the giggling girls stood up for the boys and helped them push through. One of the boys did get a slap round the head by the complaining girl’s mother though... and I really thought he was going to hit her back.... he stood in the doorway for a long time with a look of hatred on his face staring at her, but i guess he decided the odds were against him and finally left!

So the moral of the story is... boys will be boys... but only it seems because the women let them and actually in many cases, actively encourage them!

Oh for the day where my Arabic is good enough to chastise them myself without being afraid that my poor grammar would be used as a way of ridiculing me in return!

i just want to dance!!.. but where?

so, in a city of 20 million... you would expect there to be a wealth of places to go clubbing. I wish! I am hoping people reading this will be able to recommend some new places to me, because quite frankly, i am fed up with 'bars' being called clubs just cos people dance in them... in the tiny space where they might be able to move.

Cairo 'clubs';

After Eight (downtown)- a bar with live music most nights, really nice, but small and smoky. min charge 80-100le.

Cairo Jazz Club (Agouza)- a bar with live music most nights, also very nice, but small and no dance floor. No min charge.

Villa 55 (Maadi)- a bar/restaurant with occasional live music but definitely a bar not a club. min charge 150le

Floor10, Kempenski hotel (Garden city)- a hotel bar which seemingly is jumping (but was totally empty last night!) still not witnessed it in full flow.

Hard Rock Cafe (Garden city)- restaurant by day, sharia haram by night. mainly arab men with a few working girls dancing on the chairs and tables. lots of khaleegy music played. usually high entrance fee- but last night was free cos all Cairo was empty due to Eid.

Stilleto (Dokki)- lovely location club on the Nile, with great salsa night on a sunday night, but sound levels always low cos near police club. Can't really club wiith quiet music!

Blues (Giza)- bar where people sometimes dance,which stays open til 6am with mixed music, but also mixed clientele.

Deals (Mohandiseen)- Bar where people sometimes dance and has fairly steep min charge

Dice (Royal king boat, Agouza)- club playing mainly house music, dubious clientele.

Morocco (Blue Nile boat, Zamalak)- restaurant by day, club by night. expensive min charge. but good mix music usually.

Purple (Zamalek)- only been once, was nice club, with mix music but difficult to get past doormen.

Africana (Haram)- great music, wild night, not very safe for women unless with bodyguards!

Club 35 (Giza)- not been yet. no one I suggest it to every recommends it- but can't say from experience why!

Ritmo (Downtown)- hotel bar where people go to dance but only ever seen people drinking, not dancing!

Swiss Club (Imbaba)- a lovely old villa but mainly organised party nights rather than reg weekly club nights.

Cafe Bian (mohandiseen)- cafe (no alcohol) which has organised dance nights. salsa on tues and thurs, oriental on wed.



what else.....?

really struggling now... ok- so it looks like there are a lot of places to go... but actually, to go and dance and not get hassle or mistaken for a working girl, there are few. very few. I want to dance! and specifically, i want to go to dance to R&B music... but I can't find any.

Please have any suggestions pass them on....

more flat hunting............ and the best dance teachers around..

Blooming heck..............

well, thats the polite way to say what i really want to say anyway. today I had a day off work, which was supposed to be a day of rest and recover, however I agreed to go and view just one more flat with my friend. She is still seeking that perfect to be in place!

Downtown first... interesting characters showing us around, an old, greek looking, man with a stick, and a young higabbed girl with a wiggle in her walk. Old downtown flats are amazing- the architecture is fabulous, Italian and French inspired, and the ceilings are even higher than the ceilings i have seen in Edinburgh. Carved stone balconies and wrought iron lifts, wooden floors and fabulous carved ceilings are the order of the day. The downside, of the ones we saw today anyway, are no AC, little light, and LOTS of road traffic noise (and fumes). Romantic, but not practical.

After lots of sitting about, and waiting, we then headed to Zamalek to look at more flats... My friend thought she'd died and gone to heaven when she saw the 1st place.... wooden floors, huge windows, balconies.... just perfect really............ then of course- the price almost double her budget! Grr. It is so frustrating. You tell people EXACTLY what you want, and what you can afford,... and they show you something thats just NOT suitable. The next place was unbelieveable perfect, for the price, until we found out it didn't have enough bedrooms. Yet again the estate agent ('simsar' in arabic) hadn't listened at all.

The last place was funny (near 'nadi sid' - ie the Shooting club- which is also very near my house). There were 3 women 'cleaning' the place when we arrived. I putting cleaning in ' ' because one was asleep on the sofa , one was sitting chatting and the other was sort of cleaning.... sort of.... anyway- that flat is a possible... thank god the day wasn't totally wasted............ checking it again tomorrow in the daylight- god grant us strength!

Whats the point of this blog?............ Just to show how things are never easy here in this crazy city. Never boring either though. And that it does pay to stay tough, and to keep searching and searching for EXACTLY what you want. For my friend, its that perfect flat, for me It was a year searching for a dancing job without strings and with workpapers! Nothing is easy- but when you get what you search really hard for- its totally worth it!

I recently received the comment from a reader that she'd like to hear more about dancing.... The thing is that just day to day living here teaches me SO much about Egyptian attitudes and behaviour. I believe that until a dancer understands that, how can she hope, as a foreign dancer, to 'dance like an Egyptian' ?

What do i mean? Even the Estate agent... in all ages, shapes and sizes plays 'the game'... offering you the perfect flat, teasing you with flats out your reach, persuading you that you are his friend and he'll get you the best deal... all of that is useful on the dancefloor... Never actually promising anything, or even giving, but instead suggesting- a life of glamour,a bit of fun, a cheeky grin, an emotional response, an understanding soul. Telling your audience through your actions what they want to hear. It's all imperative in the dance... as much as a perfectly executed shimmy or hip drop or arabesque.

Even time keeping... often non Egyptian dancers (and occasionaly Egyptian ones too!) dance a little too fast. I've seen myself do it in the past, and still if I am nervous or ill or tired. We often try too hard. Egyptian attitude is so laid back that you think the dancer is going to totally ignore a certain beat in the music, and then she manages to hit it- effortlessly, almost as if it was an afterthought. This is a common approach to life here, planning your night out, after you have already left the house..., planning an appointment to view a flat, only to find you are there, but the owner still needs to be found to get the keys,whats the rush?....

The teachers of this intricate, amazing dance form are all around... in the people.

Flat hunting in Cairo and 'Cable guy'

Despite feeling lousy with a cold i decided i needed to get out the house this morning and went round with a friend of mine who was flat hunting.

The 1st laugh was when we tried to direct a taxi downtown. The problem being... I have totally lost my voice so couldn't direct the driver, my friend doesn't have arabic so the pronunciation was slightly off and the driver was totally deaf!!!!!! To crown it all- he took one look at us 'tourists?!!!' and made the automatic assumption that we weren't saying 'Babaloq', we were actually saying 'khan el Khalili' ! Because of course where else in this city would we want to go anyway? If it hadn't been so funny I might have strangled him (joking!)

4 different estate agents, 4 flats later... nothing yet- but more to see tomorrow. It's hard looking when you know that the prices get hiked up for foreigners. Frustrating.

The other thing is that the landlords are not satisfied with demanding silly high rent prices from you- they also feel they have a right to tell you how to live your life within 'their' flat you are paying so much for. I'm not just talking no pets, no smokers here.... (of course- no one would ever DREAM of saying not to smoke- unfortunately!!!) the main one is 'no Egyptians'. One landlord didn't like his last tenents (french) because they were couples. ie settled, quiet people who got on with their own lives, but since they were unmarried he decided this wasn't right. Thats when both people in the relationship are foreigners- if one of them happens to be Egyptian- then it is a definite no-no!

Oh- and my internet is fixed!!!!!! At long last!
I have been running about chasing the internet company for weeks,
and weeks
phoning,
texting,
visiting their office,
for weeks and weeks,
who eventually sent me to the phone company,
who i called and called
and had friends call on my behalf,
who sent a technician and said all was working and it wasn't,
so I went back to the phone company, who were supposed to send another technician out,
but didn't.
anyway- you get my point- it's been a drama!.....

In the end, I mentioned to the bowab that someone was supposed to come from the phone company and he said why? The local guy, who's sole job is to cycle around with telephone wire on his back and fix peoples phones easily and cheaply, comes by everyday. i only had to say! Grrrr. The things that you dont know from not having grown up in an area! Anyway- this 'cable guy' we'll call him for the sake of it, came round today and fitted a new cable for me all in less that 15 mins and everything, phone line and internet, has been hunky dory ever since! ( 'Imsick Hashaab'! 'Touch wood' ). I gave him 50le for doing the job, because he refused to quote me a price and said he'd be happy with whatever I gave him, and so he was and went off happy. That made 2 of us (3 if you include my current guest too, 4 or 5 if you include the friends I have been complaining to about it for over a month!!!!)

Nothing is easy in this city..... but nothing is boring either!

Disappointment

Last night many grown men cried in the streets when Egypt lost in the football to Algeria.

I wasn't too happy about it either! I had a fabulous dance planned. White saaidi galabeya with red bra and head scarf and back belt..ie the Egyptian flag.... I entered on a saaidi song we then played a 'Masr' song (all about wonderful Egypt and how much we love her!) then into the saaidi again. It was a show designed to enter the spirit of the night................. and the band were great, and the costume looked great..

BUT just as I was dancing towards the stage to start it all.... you know what happened......... Algeria scored!

No matter what I did, the show was completely flat and no-one even had to tell me what had happened- I knew from the faces of the band, the staff, the customers... everyone was as low as they could be and I couldn't have possibly had worse timing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I had been so proud of myself too, doing something new and different and fun within my show like that. How frustrating! !

Wat surprised me was that when Algeria got their goal... everyone acted instantly as though all was lost... but there was still over half an hour to play. My theory is that its not over til its over....... but EVERYONE around me had faces tripping them instantly. It's one thing to accept your fate and yet another to give up too soon. I am guessing if the players had the same attitude as everyone around me did then that might the the real reason why my streets home from work were not full of screaming celebrating fans last night!

Also - another thought, by an Egyptian friend, was that if people could get as excited about politics as they do about football, blocking the streets and practically bringing the entire city to a standstill, then maybe things would be very different in Egyptian government!!!!!!!!!

Drunk on football!

so... there is a football match on tonight. Egypt v's Algeria. and don't we know it.........

Cairo has gone crazy.

Everywhere is covered with the Egypt red white and black. Flags, hats, hooters, you name it have been sold at the roadside for 3 days now. Most cars have been sporting their flags since yesterday. It was hard to believe last night coming home from work that the match hadn't already been played and won by the partying that was going on in the streets! The shouting and cheering and horn honking went on in gamet dowel street til 3am! All this- for a qualifying match? I dread to think what the streets will be like tonight if we win!!!

Seemingly it is a fairly big deal since Algeria and Egypt have always been at war when it comes to football. I heard that in Algeria a cartoon of Egypt and Algeria was published with Egypt as the bride and Algeria as the groom. What that symbolises I wouldn't like to say! Advertisierng ads have been cashing in on it too, with one restaurant's poster having an image of 2 men, one in an Egypt shirt and one in Algerian, sitting in front of a table full of wonderful, tasty looking food. The slogan being that not even these 2 would disagree on how good our food tastes!

I plan to walk to work tonight..... even the taxi drivers are getting out of town. The taxi driver that brought me home from work last night was telling me how he as going early this morning to Alexandria today, since there was no point in working as all the roads would all be at a standstill! He also described the people already celebrating as 'drunk'. He didn't mean literally that they had been drinking alcohol, but that the frenzied atmosphere was as if they were, and I agreed! As long as that frenzy stays positive then all will be well. The worry is if the crowd turns... it could be nasty. I've arranged for a friend to collect me from work tonight as I really don't fancy trying to make it home alone!

Whatever you do today, if you are in Cairo, don't wear green!!!

Belt up!

Flying back from a few days break in Sharm last week,on Egypt Air, my friend Nick and I were horrified by what we saw. All the adults were being checked to make sure they were wearing their seltbelts, but there were children, not only not belted in for take off or landing.... but standing up in the aisle and being passed between family members throughoutit all!!!

I tapped the woman in front of me on the shoulder and helpfully, i thought, advised her that her child (under 3 years old) should also have a belt on and she replied that she had asked and been told it wasn't neccesary! Indeed the air stewards were walking past the child, who was standing up, and not making any comment. We were dumbstruck!

Trying to understand it we came up with a few theories as to why this attitude was so different in Egypt than in UK. (remembering that this is a country where you see entire families, babies included on the back of a moped with no helmets and no safety precautions at all)

1- Egypt air maybe just doesn't have child belts on that particular flight... so in order to cover this failing they say it's not neccesary?

2- Inshallah laws- ie if its God's will that the child will live or die then who are we to question or do anything about it? although that doesn't explain why the adults were carefully belted in?

3- We are on a plane, and truth is that if it's likely to crash- they none of us will survive anyway whether belted in or not? So rules are broken , cos they are deemed silly anyway?

4- Egyptian children often get their own way in every situation..... and no-one likes to be belted in... so their freedom on the flight is more important than potential safety hazard? anything so the child doesn't cry?

5- If a child dies it's not important cos you can always have another one? (I KNOW this can't be the case the way children are treasured here!)

6- The child didn't pay a seperate ticket therefore isn't entitled to the same safety?

7- Maybe its all just over protection and no-one really needs a belt but we are all belted in because of silly, over cautious laws impossed, probably by the west, on all airlines and since deemed silly (a bit like traffic lights in Cairo) then promptly ignored wherever possible (indeed the mother herself wasn't belted in for landing and no-one said anything to her)!

8-.........??????? any rational reason??? if you have any other ideas I would love to hear them........

I had been hoping to persuade my sister sometime while she is holidaying in Sharm to fly to Cairo to see how and where I live, but if my nephew has to fly without a selt belt... I think I'll tell her not to until he's old enough to be in his own seat with its own belt!!!!!!

Otherwise, I quite like Egypt Air.

Stalkers

what a couple of days I have had.

Yesterday- a bunch of flowers arrived at my door, with a card, but no name. I had NO idea who they might be from. Next day I got a text from someone i had met once, a friend of a friend, asking if I had thought about him the day before. The truth is i hadn't thought about him once since I met him- why would I ?It's not as though we had been chatting over the week or anything- I hadn't heard anything from him after we met at all, which was fine by me! Anyway- turns out he had eavesdropped while I was on the phone and caught my address... and then a week later decided to send me flowers....... creepy. I told him that my 'husband' was furious. That should send him running- i hope!

Then tonight.... i was in a taxi home from meeting friends for a meal, and a guy in the car next to us draws up alongside my taxi and shout 'hey bellydancer... I know you!' ...... then (unknown to me) proceeds to follow my taxi. My driver, bless him, noticed and drove like a maniac trying to lose him and only told me we were being followed when he hadn't succeeded in losing him. Then with my permission ( it was a white taxi and the meter was running!) He then started to turn into all the side streets he could, speeding up and turning again when we were out of sight and managed to lose the creep. Thankfully another friend was out and about close by and I had him deliver me there, just in case , rather than to home. Very greatful to that driver... if he hadn't been as observant as he was, who know what might have happened? (This is the way a lot of the prostitution happens in Cairo , seemingly... guys and girls make eye contact from car to car in certain areas of town and then someone will switch cars or follow the other to a 'meeting' place- yuck!)

They say things come in threes- i sincerely hope not...... 2 weirdos in 2 days is more than enough for me thanks!

Very excited about all my new costumes. 2 new saaidi ones from Amera el Kattan.... should be ready next week, and another 2 new ones from Eman Zaki, coming soon ( I hope!) . I realised just before ramadan that some of my costumes i have been performing in for nearly 3 years... so have been strict and managed to sell off at least 6 - so now I figure I HAVE to replace them all...... well it is legitimate work expenditure!!!

Of to bed to dream of car chases around the back streets of mohandiseen!!!!!!!!!..................

balcony and boring night....

I just spent a LOVELY couple of hours on my neighbours balcony eating my dinner and chatting. I love having them just across the street!

The bizarre thing was when they asked how was work tonight I said oh boring- nothing special....... then I started to talk about my night- and realised it was anything but!

1st- I got in a taxi... and he got us nearly there... and asked permission to ask me a question... he asked ' are you the 'star' on the pharoah boat', when i smiled and said yes.. he got all excited cos he had seen me there before and thought my dancing was wonderful and where did I learn etc etc etc... in the end- he didn't want to accept any fare for the taxi ride!!!!!!! I got recognised!!!! so chuffed!

2nd- I was sitting about after my one show tonight chatting with the dresser and the tannoura and we were all laughing and joking... and then I realised- i was chatting and laughing and joking 'in arabic' ! And they were laughing at my jokes, not because I said something wrongly or in a funny way!

So although nothing untowards happened on stage... or no friends were in the audience... it was far from being a 'boring! night! Amazing what can become normal until you stop and think about it!!!!!!!!!!!

It's all go.......

THE KITTEN
well- the main news is that Tux is gone to his new mummy. Thankfully (with the aid of facebook and good friends passing on the link!) we managed to find a teacher in Maadi who had been looking for a kitten to play with her kitten when she was out at work during the day. So little Tux has a big sister 'Mumkin' now and is seemingly VERY happy. We are very relieved to have found him such a perfect home ( although my house is now clean and too quiet without him scarpering around).

THE COMPUTER
What else? oh- my computer 'went' this week ( fixed now- obviously- since I am writing this!) and had to take it to 'compu me' in Lebanon square and they fixed it in a couple of hours and reinstalled windows etc etc for only 110le and were wonderful. I am no longer scared of computer problems knowing that they are a short taxi drive away! Although maybe I shouldn't speak too soon!!!!

ME
Count down is on til I go to UK for a month, this week in fact. My next blog will be details of my grand tour.... so far workshops are confirmed in London, Edinburgh and Dundee! so more to come shortly on those!!!!

THE YEAR
The bizarre thing with Ramadan moving forward 2 weeks every year is that it makes the years seen to go by faster and faster....... or is that just what happens as you get older anyway?!!!

MY COSTUMES
I plan to be selling a lot of my costumes and cds and various related bellydance items this ramadan in Edinburgh- so if you feel like sparkly things... I'll add info of how and where you get to see what I have got. It's all gotta go.

so there you go............. it's all go !!!!!!

Searching for a home in Cairo for 6 weeks old kitten!

Forgive me if you are a facebook friend and have read this already............. or am repeating myself from previous blog entries!!!!

just really want to find our baby a good home in Cairo as soon as possible!

My kitten needs a new home!!!!

can you help?

he is 6 weeks old today.

very playful and affectionate. VERY playful in fact!

Tux is fit and healthy. He eating solid foods now (no longer on his very cute baby bottle) and is happy using a litter tray.

We call him Tux (on account of his markings making him look like he is dressed for dinner in his bowtie and tails) but we have only been using the name for a week so that can probably be changed if you wanted.

I dont want him to leave.... but I have no choice. Both I and my flatmate travel for ramadan and as much as I love him... I am allergic to cats- so he cannot remain a permenant feature in my flat! I never would have chosen to have a kitten at all- but when I found him on the street , only 3 days old, with his eyes still closed and no mummy nearby, being played with (as if he was an aeroplane) by a child who figured he could just keep him in a box filled with water..... i know he wouldn't live to see day 4 if we didn't take him in.

Mummy Marte and Daddy Lorna love their baby- and you will too..........

please someone find a loving home for him??? (with kids would be great since he loves to play so much- and he enjoys a cuddle in front of the TV too!!!)

Please forward this to anyone in Cairo you think would be interested- we need to have him settled in before Ramadan when he'll be homeless!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Animals and children........

I just found this dead on my living room floor. Seemingly it flew inside a couple of days ago.

In arabic it is called Gharada. My labisa was saying that there have been times here when the sky was so full of them that it was black and you couldn't see anything else!!!

It's thankfully my 1st time to see one and I am glad it was dead!! I worked out from what she said that it was some sort of locust or grasshopper, although looks more like a stick insect (but do they fly?)- but when I look in google- I can't find out what it is exactly!!! Any ideas?

This week at work has been child friendly. Everyone has wanted me to hold, cuddle, kiss or dance with their precious one. It's been fun actually. Apart from last night when I had to do my entire 2nd set, including drum solo with an under 2 year old circling me round and round and imitating my every move. cute- but dangerous.

It gave an extra dimension to the drum solo thats for sure! it's one thing to not know what move I am going to do next, or what the drummer is going to play next - but another altogether doing all that, and performing for an audience whilst watching where your arms and feet and hips are going- just in case you knock out a child! I managed it- although i suspect at least half the applause was for the wee one!!!!!!!!!!

Talking of wee ones................. Kitten is now 3 weeks old...

and beginning to play..........

It's co-ordination is not quite right yet- so its funny to watch the 'hunting' face and then the sprawl onto the belly that usually follows!!!!!!

Adorable.

Flying cat!

Yesterday I was rushing to work and I saw a boy in my street running about making aeroplane noises and holding something tiny and animal in his hands... making it fly through the air. He went to put it down in a cardboard box and I followed him and saw it was a days old kitten. I shouted at him for playing so roughly with it...... it hasn't even opened its eyes yet! He didn't seem to know where its mother was either. As I walked off to get to work I realsied that dumped in a box, beside a container of water that poor wee thing wasn't going to survivie even the day.

I called Marte.

Marte is nuts about animals (I like them- but am allergic so tend to keep my distance). I told her what was happening and asked her to go check it out, bring it home if needby. She rushed downstairs and found a bowab (not mine) carrying it in a box that was full of water... as if they were trying to drown it! Rescue misson completed, Marte then had lots of running around to find a vet that was open on a friday. Cat is fine... no aliments that vet can see yet.. just starving!

Poor Marte has been up all night doing the 1 and half hourly feeds!!! Mind you- she wasn't complaining!!! A proud new mum!

It just did it's 1st poo ever and its umbilical cord just fell off too. It barely even looks like a cat its so small... anything between 3 and 7 days old.

If anyone out there has advice re new born kittens fire away- its all new to us.... thank god for the internet!

so what has this to do with Cairo or bellydance- I'll tell you.......

in Cairo - animals get far less well treated than they do in UK... because it's a struggle to keep your children alive, never mind a stray cat. A tin of baby cat formula cost 200le (around 20 sterling). That could keep a child alive for a month!

and bellydance? well- I dont know many dancers who stay here for any length of time who dont have a cat!!!! I guess we all succumb to it at some point? Nice to have something to welcome you home at 3am when you get in from work maybe? But i REALLY didn't think it would happen to me! Well- once he/she ( it's too early to tell) is no longer being fed by the bottle i think it'll have to go to a new home. My sinuses are a nightmare at the best of times with Cairo pollution without adding allergy to that as well!!!!

For now we have to think of a suitable name for him/her !!!!..........................

I have photos.... but my camera lead seems to have disappeared so I can't download anything.

London bellydancers do Cairo.... in all its glory.

The girls went off to the Nile group festival this morning for a workshop with Aida Nour. I have to admit- I had a long lie (was bliss) and then taught a private class in my studio.

We headed for an American style lunch.. at Chillis- fabulous- BIG food and a waiter called johnny who skidded to a halt as soon as his name was even whispered and brought iced tea before it was even requested!

then a walk to Amera el Kattans where I got to try on my new costume ( yummy!) then off to Emans costume shop for a fitting for one of the girls and I ordered another costume... ooops... couldn't help myself! Then we dashed off to the Sawy centre in Zamalek to see a show....

but not just any show

no....


the ....


wait for it.........

..................


Abdul Halim Hafiz PUPPET show................

It was possibly the most bizarre thing I have ever seen. Original Halim songs.. but with the full orchestra in puppet form performing it! Ok... so Once we stopped laughed (oh- and after one of the girls gave a TV interview about it all!!!!) then yes- we could appreciate how good the puppeters were- all the musicians played their instruments just when they should with the music.......... but really......... I cannot describe it... the photos say it all. Cairo's answer to the thunderbirds.

The most surreal thing I have ever seen. (seemingly according to the cairolive events blog- the 1st recorded puppet show was in Egypt in 2000BC !!!!!)

Oh and they also do an Om Kalthoum puppet show. .....( check it out if you don't believe me!!! http://www.thedailynewsegypt.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=5954)

A walk to Cairo Jazz club took us past an open shoe shop which just had to have half an hour spent inside trying on EVERY shoe........... with one pair, the correct size, it was to be presumed , being delivered in an hour ( ie at 11.30pm!)- they did get the shoe from another branch- but they had ordered the wrong size... oops.. guess the bling went to their heads...

A 'rock' band next in Cairo Jazz club, who played everything from The Police to George michael to Duran duran to .. Oasis. .... oh- and there were 2 guys in there who looked like Jesus. One, the origional- skinny Jesus- and one the American good-living sup-ed up version- big broad musclely thick jaw jesus. Most entertaining. You can imagine the jokes....

The drive home was yet another experience. Egypt beat Italy in football tonight 1-0. I'll repeat that. Egypt beat Italy! The streets were MOBBED in mohandiseen. EVERYONE was on Gamet el dowal st with flags and drums and horns and generally dancing in the streets. A fantastic vibe- and all without alcohol. Egyptians really know how to celebrate.

so recap.... in one Cairo day

-Aida dance workshop
-American lunch with more food than we could eat
-costume shop- bling
-drinks on the balcony ( forgot to mention that earlier!!!)
-A different costume shop- more bling
-A PUPPET show- sore jaw from all the laughter
-a rock concert- with Duran Duran songs....
-a football riot- without alcohol

Cairo.................... you just have to love it.

Otherwise you would go mad!

( oh- and there is probably stuff I forgot about too!!!!!!!!)