The longest journey ever between Cairo and Alexandria! -Cruise part 4

So, to recap the cruise story so far.

I flew to Rhodes, via Athens. I joined the ship MS Noordam... and then we promptly sailed directly back to Egypt.

When we did arrive at Alexandria one of the first things for me was the relief that my internet worked again.  Sad, but true. The day at sea was too far away from anywhere to pick up 3G, so I had been a day without internet. No facebook, no connecting with friends, no IMessage. If I had been ready for it, I suspect I would have dealt with it better, but I hadn’t thought about not being able to use my phone on ship at least and felt trapped. It is amazing isn’t it, how in the few years that wide use of the internet has developed our dependency on it has increased so dramatically. You can buy internet cards on the ship, but they are very expensive and the connection very slow. I have to admit- I did panic and buy a card. I think it would be healthy for me to try to go for longer periods of time offline. So as soon as I publish this blog and update my facebook, and check twitter for latest Egypt news, then that’s what I will do... for an hour or so at least!

I digress. So, the ship is in Alex. I plan to meet a friend who is from there for lunch. I walked from the ship to the corniche, though some of the most rubbish strewn streets I have seen for a while which really saddened me. When I walked from the ship to shore I met guests from the ship coming back saying to me- ‘don’t do it... it’s filthy, don’t go there! I laughed, thinking they were just comparing ‘normal Egypt with their spotless clean ship’. No. They were right.

   I know things are tough financially, politically, every which way really, but please- have some pride in your country, even just your little bit of it. Imagine how all these two thousand tourists, getting off their 5 star ship and stepping directly into that view you and your country. And their opinion should count, if you want Egypt to do well the tourist rates need to increase. Unfortunately, our two days docked at Alex made almost everyone on board totally confused as to why I would choose to live in a dump like Egypt. Their words, not mine. I found myself having to defend my chosen home over and over again, although with a lot of it, I unfortunately did agree with them. How much respect would it need to put your rubbish in your pocket until you get home instead of throwing in the street? To smile and welcome people to the country without the hard sell that actually most found aggressive and frightening (and didn’t result in sales?)? Come on Egyptians, I know you can do better than this. Please.

Actually, while I am on my rant, humour me please readers. On my way to the corniche the call to prayer was sounding. It was Friday. One man tried to walk up close to me, making sexual comments. I shouted at him, ‘shame on you, cant you hear the sound from the mosque?’ he looked mortified that I had pulled him up on what he was doing and apologised and ran away. Egypt needs more reminders about the respect involved in following Islam. For yourself and for women. It shouldn’t need the infidel bellydancer to remind a Muslim man that he should be paying attending to the prayer, not to my backside. And while I am on the subject. On the way back to the ship after drinking my fresh juice (lunch got cancelled so had a wander about Alex instead- which totally closes on a Friday- good to know if you ever want to do tourist stuff there- Not on a Friday!!) a man tried to do the usual, ‘hello... whats you name? Where you from?’. I answered him in Arabic asking him to leave me alone, he replied... ‘Ah you are Arab...are you from Syria? Do you think the way you are dressed is appropriate for an Arab?’ It is the first time someone has openly tried to control what I wear in this way, and if my Arabic had been better I would have told him exactly what I thought of him and his attitude. As it was I ignored him and kept walking and felt sorry, yet again for what Egypt is becoming. Alexandria, the ‘European city of the middle east’, yeah right. The next day I saw a much nicer side to the city and I'll show that to you in the next blog entry! It wasn't all disappointing!

I need to balance all the above with a positive, in case people reading this think I am just using it all as an excuse to bash Egypt. I love this country and I see it’s potential. I do see the positives too. The lovely place I had my juice at laid out a tray of juice and a box of oranges and were handing them out to people as they came out of the mosques and to the beggars in the street. The caring and sharing that Islam does preach in action. It was good to see.

OK. So, the surprise I was writing about my blog last time; usually when a ship is in port they contact the port agent who gets them a ‘local band’ to come and entertain them. I got very excited when Margo (Entertainment manager) said this... does this mean I get to dance with them? With a live band? She said yes. Then I told her it was a shame I hadn’t known about this, I could have brought my band up from Cairo. She asked me to quote a price. My band came back with a price, that to be honest I felt was way too expensive, and I told her just to get the Alex band. She however told me the port agent was asking for double what I had quoted! I couldn’t believe it. The amount of money that man must have been pocketing for himself was mammoth! She asked me to bring my band. Yippee. I was getting to dance in this huge theatre, with my own band. I was so excited!

The band arrived late. The port agent created problems because he was so angry at them and me since he lost out on the deal. He told security that they shouldn’t get into the port etc. It took about two hours to clear up. To see their faces when they saw the ship I was working on was worth every second. It didn’t harm that Margo is stunningly beautiful and they all though that a real life Barbie was greeting them! 

Most of the band haven’t been abroad at all. So, to come aboard and find this other world, full of different peoples and luxury and way of talking with each other, It blew their minds a bit! They all commented when Margo bent to pick up some nails that had dropped on the floor in the pools area, amazed that a manager would do that, not just stand and shout loudly for someone else to do it. They wanted her to come and take over the Pharaohs. I have to agree with them! Said, the tannoura when he was checking the stage before our show said,’ I can’t believe we are still in Egypt. I feel like I am abroad’. I felt proud I had been able to bring them this experience.

They played in the gazebo by the pool on top deck while everyone was eating their BBQ. It went well. I of course had been busy organising security clearance etc etc and was needed to translate everything for them, so hadn’t even gotten changed yet. I left them to what I knew they did best, and ran for my 20 minute shower, hair make up costume! It was all very stressful getting them from that stage, via a super fast food and cigarette break down to the main theatre on time. Herding cats might have been easier. We made it 2 minutes before curtain! I of course still hadn’t finished make up or gotten into costume so I told them to play a song before my entrance. It worked well.

The show went really well. I danced. The tannoura span, I took the mic and got everyone doing some audience participation from their seats. I love dancing, I love teaching and I love entertaining. This show combined all three and I felt totally at home. I just wish we had had longer. The hour was possibly the fastest in my life!

Everyone loved it, and Margo told me it was the best local entertainment they had ever had on any ship she had been on. What a relief! We went up to deck again for a cup of tea and relax before getting the band onto their bus and sending them back to Cairo. Oh and the photos.. Everyone was desperate to get a picture beside the beautiful Margo. It was very funny to watch!

And, the good news, the whole show was filmed... so watch this space until I manage to work out how to edit and upload it!!

What a day! I was totally drained, but happy, when I collapsed into bed!

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!!!

Busy Back.

The tourists are here...

well, they always are in Cairo really, but recently we have started getting more and more coach loads of them coming to the Pharoahs boats for lunch cruises... so I have been performing a lot in the mornings too, not just at night!

Sorry to say it, and i don't mean to offend anyone, but I have to admit... I dread it when those buses are full of Russians. I am sure they are lovely people... but they tend to make for a very cold audience. Even the children often give me an icy glare when i smile at them. I find it amazing that people film my dance on their camerass and mobile's and then don't give anything back, good enough to film, but not to applaud? There have been lots of Italians too.... they love it when you pull someone from the group up on stage. The Americans usually make the most receptive audiences.... lots of loud applause at the end of each song- lovely. The Japanese of course give you lots of lens contact.... and the Brits are the ones who fully get my sense of humour.

Anyway... lots of work- thats a good thing right?

.... right.... when i am in full fitness. Which i was on friday. I'd been good- I'd had a class during the day, then done lots of stretching before going to work..... then on my 1st tummy pop in my 1st number... I popped my back instead of my tummy. I did the move right... but I think I must have been slightly twisted or something... anyway- my back felt like I had snapped something inside. However... i still have to complete that show, and do another 3 as well, that night!!!!!!!!!!!! 800mg ibuprofen didn't even take the edge off it..... It was NOT a good night. Especiallty since the last show was a massive crowd of Egyptian all celebrating a wedding.. and in party mood.. and i could only dance like a stick (or thats what it felt like to me) i was so disappointed with myself.

In the morning... no change......... still sore to walk, sit stand.... and of course hellish to sneeze (which i have been doing since i also have a cold- occupational hazard when you dance and sweat in a AC'd room each night). However, I had to go to work becuase I had an 11am sail in addition to my normal evening sail. Problem was, when I got there i go the news that it wasn't one sail... but 3 morning sails ( so that means 4 sails total in the day with the number of shows anywhere between 4 and 8).

I cried. Literally- when i heard what i was going to have to put my back through- I cried, and took more paracetomal!

In the end i did 6 shows...... and did a clenched teeth smile through them all........ I love my job , i really really do... but not when I am in pain! It hurt esp to do anything with any kind of forward back pelvic tilt.... so if you are a dancer, you can imagine that rules out a LOT of moves....

The positive slant on all of this? I played about with different angles to do moves and different moves to accent certain parts in the music where normally i would have done a camel, or twist or pelic tilt! In fact, it may, bizarrely enough have been a good thing long term for my dance since it forced me to explore alternatives... rather than choosing the move i would have gone for 1st.

Today I am still in pain. Still no rest (2 sails tonight).... although doing nothing all day and having a massage before work too, so fingers crossed that all helps.

I just have to say though, that i am not writing this blog to receive get well wishes or anything like that...or even to moan abotu what happened.... but because i wanted to tell you the Egyptian take on what happened.......

the 'fact'- I pulled a muscle/pinched a nerve- something like that- something physical- directly related to a movement i did and i felt it at the time!

the 'Egyptian fact'- you have a cold in your back.... what the....?

or...


the 'Egyptian fact no. 2'- the more popular one- wait for it............ Someone watching me dance had a bad eye. ie the evil eye, or envious eye. So many Egyptians will say it for anything that goes wrong; a shoe heel snaps, you trip on a paving stone, you pull a muscle in your back.... that it happened because someone is jealous of you!!!!! Hence all the wearing of turquiose, and the 'hand of fatima' or 'hamsa hamisa' and holding your hand infront of you with the fingers sprea- 5 - the magic number to confront all evil with?!!!!!!

hmmm...

fingers crossed, or maybe spread!!!!, that tonights shows go well, without any jealous feelings attached from any audience member who might wish me harm!

Cairo answers

Answers to problems..................... some are very strange... for instance , if I spent a large amount of time in my car... and found my mobile phone battery kept dying- I'd buy a charger for my phone...


in Cairo -no- they install these units at petrol stations so you can charge up your phone as the same time you are filling your car with petrol (or whatever it takes!) and yourself with coffee!




I don't have my own car... therefore don't carry around a charger that works in a car... so i have actually had to use this on occasion!!!!

Actually... my current answer to this problem, which is a huge problem in Cairo since all plans are made and changed at the very last minute!, is to always have a spare battery pr charged in my wallet!!Thats the cost of living moment to moment!!!!!

Pharonic Village, Cairo

Every day when i get a taxi to work, the driver asks if i want the pharonic boat, or pharonic village.... Since I had never visited the 'village' I thought having visitors from Scotland was the perfect excuse to go and see what i had been missing.

This was a very expensive day out (160le for an adult, which means anyone over the age of 10!!!) ...... but incrediably interesting and educational. The children i went with really enjoyed it too.

The tour starts with a boat trip round the island with a prerecorded commentary, showing you statues of people and gods of note from the pharonic era. We found it amusing that the god Osiris had his own personal shower head over him!!!


There were lots and lots of herons nesting,

and a model of the Moses story within the bullrushes...

and lots of 'how life was' scenes of cultivation and craftmaking...... all with actors dressed in clothes of the day, and some responding to that fact that there was a boat full of tourists looking at them, but mostly just repeating over and over their actions, which i think i prefered because you could imagine more how it might have been in those times...

farming....

storing the grain....

None of the women working there looked particularly happy, but i felt it made a really nice change to see so many women employed in somewhere like this despite that...mind you, i guess they must repeat the same actions numerous times for all the boats coming round all day....

fishing (he had some plastic nile fish in his net too!)...


The women pretending to squeeze flowers to squeeze out perfume oils was a very pretty scene..

But the potter was the only one actually actively creating something, rather than just miming....

spinning the wheel with his feet.....

It was all very well done... but there were a few things that really annoyed us... like the metal file with plastic handle for filing the alabaster???? and the plastic sheeting over some paintings which reflecting in the sunlight and meant you couldn't see the imagine. Plastic in pharonic times... hmm- they were ahead of their time- but not that much!

Also the commentary was incrediably fast as was the boat, so to listen to everything, take it in, think about it and watch everything going on, never mind to take photos there just wasn't time. I think i heard maybe half of what was said. I would have liked all that slowed down... especially for people who might find a lot of these ideas and words new. I felt very sorry for the chinese guy in front of us who was translating everything into chinese for his group after it was said in English.... even he just gave up in places! It wouldn't have taken much on their part to have added a few minutes onto that section of the tour, since it was the most interesting part of the entire village.

After the boat tour we had a personal guide to take us round the 'temple' which is a copy of the temple in Karnack in Luxor, although much smaller! She had a lot of interesting things to say... but unfortunatly her English wasn't good. She knew her script, and recited it incrediably fast, but didn't know the intonation of how it should be said , so we could hardly understand anything she said, and that was us British,... trying to understand English, god only knows how the Chinese group got on with that!!! Esther did try on the anubis mask though and said it was very heavy!

I guess its the performancer in me that really loved seeing the 'actors' when they had finished their pharonic jobs for us, sinking back into real life- a pharonic bread maker checking her mobile!!!....



The scene themselves were really well recreated and reminded me of scenes i saw in Siwa, where house are still built around palm trees, these urns were used to store the wine!

The thing that really let the whole experience down (other than the boat with prerecorded message being too fast, and the guide's English not being great and being incrediably fast) was that we felt the hard sell.

Maybe this works with some people, but to us it felt pushy and cheap. The tickets to the pharonic village are not cheap, yet the guide's talking suddenly slowed down and we weren't rushed onto the next exhibit any time there was an opportunity for us to spend money... at the shops and cafeteria. To the point that we really got quite annoyed and i had to ask the women to move onto the next exhibit after the shop as we didn't want to spend any more money! That's when she discovered i spoke arabic, and wasn't too impressed at my request to move on. Which makes me think that her work is partly commision based. After spending so much entrance fee it really was a cheek to be continually asking for more.

At one point they showed us bread making and described an ancient egyptian pizza- some bread with olives and tomato... and offered to sell us some.. tell me; what would it have cost them to have had a tiny portion for each of us to try, for free. We would have felt it was a much classier experience, worth the huge entrance fee! In fact- we were so angered by this attitude throughout that i even took a photo of the 'motto' they had around the village... because i felt it all sounded lovely- but NOT lived up to, unfortunatly! Especially number 2 and 5 !!!!

However, depsite the many things they could have done to improve our experience, Overall fun was had by all............ as you can see from the photo below... a fun informative, child friendly day out.

Translations of songs

Found a blog that has a lovely translation in it..also some thoughts, poems and ideas, political and emotional from an arab man's viewpoint. check it out!

http://saeedomar.blogspot.com

This is the translation included...

Amal Hayati by Om Kalsoum


Hope of my life
O love that has costed much;
one that does not end
O beautiful song
that my heart has heard,
and cannot be forgotten
take all of my life
but today, but today, let me live


let me aside you, leave me
in the lap of your heart
and leave me dream, leave me
and i hope my time wont wake me up!


i have never tasted passion like your passion
i have never liked my life, if it wasnt for you
i accepted my wishes, and accepted this life, and accepted love

the first time we met I gave you my heart; my heart

more than this joy i dont dream
more than what i am in, i dont ask

after my contentment with you
if my life persihes, i wont regret

and it is enough to wake up to your smile saying 'Ya Ein'
i d hear it like a song,
that says 'my love does not end'

let me aside you, leave me
in the lap of your heart
and leave me dream, leave me
and i hope my time wont wake me up!

whose love, have made all life love
whose closeness, woken my life and my heart

and you along, it is hard to blink an eye; not even for a second
it is hard to see your beauty and sweetness fade

thus i miss you, thus i long for you
longing for you, and you and you

i wish i can call you with a word that has not been called upon you, by anyone
a word that measures up to all of your love
measures up to all my yearnings
a word like you; and who is like you!?
for the like of you, have not seen another

o my love, however long my life is with you, its days would be few
for the happiness and passion in your love, could not last us long generations

your love have fulfilled my heart and thoughts
illuminated my night and make me live longer

Ladies night in............

Last night I had a really fabulous evening.

I decided that in Scotland I have a large network of women who i care about and we all support each other and it feels good, essential. Here in Cairo I have a few close friends, and lots of woman I know to say hi to... but there never seems to be enough opportunity to either deepen those friendships or to meet new women.

so- in keeping with Egyptian culture and tradition, i decided what we needed was a Ladies night in. There was about 12 of us in the end.... and it was such a positive, enriching enviroment that i am getting excited about planning the next one already!

It is the 'thing' that Egyptian women have I guess which helps them cope in such a male dominated community... these gatherings of the women... and its not just about meeting when you don't have to have your hair covered!!!! I can see now that is the secret to the Egyptian woman's strength... other women. Not exactly an earth shattering realisation- but one thats taken 4 years before I did anything about it! So I am adopting that element of the Egyptian culture. After all- in Scotland when i was teaching so much I would literally see 400 women on a weekly basis, on top of my contact with close girlfriends. I can't believe it has taken me so long to realise that this is how to fill the massive gap in my life!

So last night me and my 'gals' sat for HOURS chatting about every topic under the sun. A marvelous mix of ages, nationalities and life experiences. Women from all walks of life, all loving the opportunity to relax and be 'themselves'.

We are fabulous!

....Girl Power!!

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!

More superstitions.....

In august last year I wrote a blog about some superstitions in Egypt....I had a similar discussion with my dresser last night. It seems like there are a few similarities in Egyptian and UK folklore...

I already mentioned the 'touch wood' thing in the last blog about superstitions.

In Egypt, if your palms are itching it means money- money coming in if it's your right hand (if it itches you should scratch it like crazy- preferably with a piece of gold!!!!) and money going out if its your left hand (in whch case DON'T scratch it as it'll make the money go faster!!!)

Also here, if you get a 'frog in your throat' (the constant feeling to clear your throat) then it means someone is talking about you.... If it is just a slight tickly feeling then its someone who loves you and is saying nice things.... but if it is really bad and wont go away then its someone who doesn't like you saying bad things!

Itchy feet means you are going to travel. (or you just have dry skin or athletes foot!!! :-) )

A couple I have only heard here- If the toffee mix crackles when you are getting your hair removed by 'helowa'- or 'sugaring' then your husband loves you. Likewise if the thread keeps snapping when you are getting your eyebrows shaped, he also loves you!

Black cats..... here, if you see a black cat (but only if you see it out of one eye!) then it means really bad things and you should just turn around and go straight home... nothing good is going to happen that day. In UK ( and I have just been told in Norway too) a black cat is only bad luck if it crosses the path in front of you- ie I guess that means you have to see it with both eyes!!!

Crows are the messenger of bad news (often that someone is going to die). Owls hooting means someone has died. Doves spread peace from God and Storks bring babies here too....

Its interesting enough to hear these things in your own culture and try to guess where they come from... its even more so in a different culture especially when there are similarities.... makes you wonder how much truth in it there is....................!

Cows

Its the Big feast again here in Cairo (aka Eid Kabeer)... the 40th day afer the end of Ramadan.
That means that all today people fasted... and tomorrow they will get up for morning prayers then kill something, either a sheep, or a cow ( or a chicken if they dont have much money!)

The festival is a celebration of Abraham's sacrifice- when he was asked to kill his son Isaac, but instead God stopped him and allowed him to use a sheep instead.

The area I live is full of cows right now, on rooftops, street corners and mainly lined up besides the butchers...... last night I couldn't get to sleep for ages cos they were moo-ing for all they were worth...... knowing their fate tomorrow its hard to listen to!!!

Last year, at the same feast, in the area i live in- a man had his 2 cows on the roof of his 7 storey building, he did something which was wrong morally, and religiously- he allowed one cow to see the other being killed. of course cow no.2- went crazy (mad cow) ... ran around and then jumped off the roof. It flew off the building (holy cow) and landed on, and killed, a man below.

Inshallah- no more repeats of THAT tomorrow morning!!!!!(wishing I had some ear plugs for the morning)!!!!

Rumi

"With passion pray.

With passion make love.

With passion eat and drink and dance and play.

Why look like a deadfish in this ocean of God"

~ Rumi

I read this recently and thought it was worth comment! Passion - the driving force of life.

Some call Rumi the 'Sufi poet of love' some describe him as the ' Persian Mystic'.

The 1st time I had ever even heard the name was maybe 9 years ago- on a visit to Cairo when we stayed in an apartment owned by an american professor who practised Sufism and who's house had a prayer room and images of sufi's and quotes from Rumi all over it. It was a beautiful apartment and sparked a curiosity in me.

Many dancers reading this will have read of Sufi dancing ( AKA whirling dervishes) and perhaps seen a Sufi dancer perform on a Nile boat , like the one I work on , The Pharoah, or at the free sufi performace near Khan el Khalili .

Rumi (full name- Mawlānā Jalāl-ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī) wrote in Persian and lived in the area which has eventually become known as Turkey. After his death, in 1273, his son and his followers founded the Mawlawīyah Sufi Order which is where the twirling 'dance' that, we see mainly in tourist shows today, comes from.

Rumi believed passionately in the use of music, poetry and dancing as a path for reaching God. His whole thinking revolves (excuse the pun!) around unity and love. He has written widely on love- a love that connects all peoples from all religions with God.

"Your task is not to seek for love,

but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.”

check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jalal_ad-Din_Muhammad_Rumi if you are interested in finding out more.... also check out a film called 'Seventh Heaven' (recently released here in Cairo).

"What can I do, Submitters to God? I do not know myself.
I am neither Christian nor Jew, neither Zoroastrian nor Muslim,
I am not from east or west, not from land or sea,
not from the shafts of nature nor from the spheres of the firmament,
not of the earth, not of water, not of air, not of fire.
I am not from the highest heaven, not from this world,
not from existence, not from being.
I am not from India, not from China, not from Bulgar, not from Saqsin,
not from the realm of the two Iraqs, not from the land of Khurasan
I am not from the world, not from beyond,
not from heaven and not from hell.
I am not from Adam, not from Eve, not from paradise and not from Ridwan.
My place is placeless, my trace is traceless,
no body, no soul, I am from the soul of souls.
I have chased out duality, lived the two worlds as one.
One I seek, one I know, one I see, one I call.
He is the first, he is the last, he is the outer, he is the inner.
Beyond "He" and "He is" I know no other.
I am drunk from the cup of love, the two worlds have escaped me.
I have no concern but carouse and rapture.
If one day in my life I spend a moment without you
from that hour and that time I would repent my life.
If one day I am given a moment in solitude with you
I will trample the two worlds underfoot and dance forever.
O Sun of Tabriz, I am so tipsy here in this world, I have no tale to tell but tipsiness and rapture"

This one describes why I dance.........

"Everyone has been made for some particular work, and the desire for that work has been put in every heart".

and

"Let the beauty of what you love be what you do".

Inside and out

I am trying to be good.

One of the hardest things about the dance scene in Cairo is how perfect you are supposed to be. I guess thats why so many dancers get surgery of one sort or another. Botox is everywhere (and seemingly much cheaper than in the UK) not to mention boob jobs, tummy tucks etc etc........Cairo is the only place in the world where I have had straight men comment on a nice manicure!!!!!!!!!

so last night I decided that I should maybe be making a little more effort. I put hot oil in my hair overnight, lathered pints of moisturising cream all over my body- foot cream, hand cream, you name it, and about 4 coats of moisturiser on my face.....(so sexy- glad I was sleeping alone!!!!), then a dark green face pack when i woke up....(thank god the water wasn't cut today!!!) Now, all of this so far is a big deal to me, I am generally so lazy about such things, although I know maybe to some of you reading this that it is your normal nightly regime!

Then I went to get my nails done (manicure and pedicure) and of course to get the hairs ripped out my eyebrows with bits of thread- its amazing the way they do it- all they need is a long piece of thread, their teeth and nimble fingers...... oh and a bit of sadism thrown in. (Fingers, Toes and Face defuzz all cost 60le- ie less than £6!)

I wont even talk here about the practise of Helowa (pronounced like 'Hell ow a' quite appropriatly!) which involves having a lump of sticky suger substance , a bit like toffee, pressed firmly into your skin then ripped off, with a fraction of the hairs in it that you want removed from said area- so the process has to be repeated over and over again on the same place. ouch. Mind you- unlike wax at least its a cold something place on sore skin rather than hot stuff.... and also- when it gets on yours clothes or nails etc etc it just washes away with water- very easy. Oops- I said I wasn't going to talk about that and I just did. Anyway- a full body 'sweet' (haha nothing sweet about it I tell you) will cost about 90le- a heck of a lot cheaper than a leg wax at home!

All thats left is to get my roots done (dying dark blond to dark brown- the opposite of what I have tried to achieve most of my life until i came to Cairo!!!)But that will have to wait a couple of days!



Then for the inside- I bought tonight (went shopping at 11pm because I realised I had run out of oinions!!!) for 50le (ie for under £5 ) the following;

1kg onions
1kg bananas
1kg apples
1kg oranges
1kg brown rice
1kg couscous
yoghurt

I thought that was a pretty good price considering what you might pay for the same in UK....and all the fruit and veg are local, and in season.......... yummy.

and cooked up lots of good, healthy, veggie food. moroccan aubergine. curried peppers. broccoli and sweetcorn and the rice. Ate a good portion of it too. The rest is in the fridge for tomorrow. I Have still got another big bottle of water to drink before bed too.

So hopefully- assuming I washed all the veg well enough (gave myself horrible food poisening once before from not washing aubergine properly!) then I will feel, and look, the picture of health and vitality by morning............


so the question is this- does all this good behaviour make me any better looking as a bellydancer or indeed make up for the 2 bars of chocolate, the macdonalds and the bacardi that I have also consumed today? ( not to mention the fact that ALL I ate yesterday was cheese and tomato sandwiches and banana sandwiches, oh and chocolate...) ?!!!!!

Music in culture

I had a very interesting conversation with a friend last night.... he is Egyptian and loves music, (although he is a Lawyer by occupation- ie so not personally involved in the music industry).

However he hates the numerous music channels we have here in Egypt- saying that they fill them with rubbishy pop, that is totally commercial and talent free. The fact that these channels exist actively, in his opinion, prevent talented artists from gaining the recognition they deserve. I think its the channels themselves he has the problem with- the idea behind music being made just to fill all these spaces on a channel... rather than because it is worth making. I could have the same conversation with many music lovers in the UK and the rest of the world. Indeed many people feel the same about programs like pop idols etc etc.

What stood out though was a comment he made.

'That the channel did not follow the mood of the Nation'

when pressed to explain he said that when 'we, the people' were sad the music being playing was still faceless, expression-free pop and when 'we, the people' were happy then the music really wasn't capturing it to the same degree. The music wasn't reflecting everyday life.

Think about that for a moment.

Have you ever heard of music being that important as a reflection of a Nation's feelings before? It overwhelmed me. That someone much the same age as me, could come out with a comment like that too made me realise how socially aware people, even young people here can understand the concept of 'the people' and 'the people's feelings' in a way that I have never even considered before!

This is exactly why artists like Mohammed Abdel Wahab, Om Kaltsoum and Abdel Halim Hafiz amoung others were so crucial to the history of Egypt- not just musically- but historicaly too- because they did exactly that- they represented and shaped, the political and emotional sentiments of 'the people' at the same time they were feeling them. There is so much more I could say about these artists and their role in reflecting and shaping the world around them that it deserves another blog entry in its own right- so watch this space!

I guess an equivelant would be something like punk in the UK when it 1st appreared, although that was more of a rebellion rather than a representaion of 'the peoples' feelings!

There are other issues re the 'pop' music today, for instance, it losing its identity which again need more time to discuss!!!!!!

a huge topic... so I'll come back to it another time!

Ramadan- again.

today is the 2nd day of Ramadan... so 'Ramadan Kareem' and 'kollo sena wentu tayyibeen' ie peaceful ramadan to you all and may all your year be good!

What shocked me was on wednesday night- just before ramadan starts I had almost as much hassle in the street as I had on monday night walking home. cars curb crawling, comments from everyone and stones thrown not to mention firecrackers thrown at me! The night beofre the fast. What- they had to release all the testosterone left in them or what???

Last night I thought I would experiment, so a friend and i went out to see if we could find any bars/clubs etc open on the 1st night of Ramadan. We found one bar in the whole of cairo serving alcohol, to foreigners- not to Egyptians, but you weren't allowed to dance. Egyptians were served beer- but only if they were christian and only if they agreed to drink it out a tea cup- in case anyone came in! Oh and the bar manager thought nothing of flicking through pron channels on the TV while we were there too- I'll refrain from naming the bar in case it gets closed down- but you see what I mean about contraditions! Bizarre!!!!

I really do find Ramadan the lonliest time of the year in Cairo- not enough work, no partying, salsa is cancelled, pool closes early (assuming you can find someone who will agree to go with you!) ,everyone is spending time with their families. It is the hardest time for me anyway! It's going to be a long month......................

Great Book

part of the reason I haven't written here for over a week is because I have been engrossed in a great book.

'Nine parts of Desire' (The hidden world of Islamic women) by Geraldine Brooks

The author is an australian journalist who has access to and contact with some very interesting groups of women over a very interesting time period- Iran at the death of khomeini, Iraq, Palestine, Cairo, Jordan (ear to the Queen Nour). In reading this book I felt i had an education into middle eastern politics as well as into these womens lives. Some of it is scary- some of it enlightening. All very easy to read. The particularly interesting parts for me were where there was debate as to what the prophet meant when he said such and such- and how different groups of people have interpreted the Koran in many different ways.................. There is even a chapter about the bellydances of cairo taking the veil..........So for understanding more what fundamentalism menas and were it comes from to challenging stereotypes re women veiling its worth a read!

The only down side I felt was that as it was published in 1994- so much of the world has changed since then and i wish she had a book which talks about the period from then til now- that would be even more interesting!!

Sleeping in the heat

ok- so tell me- does anyone have any answers........

seemingly

if you sleep under a fan at night you 'catch' a cold- a cold can be a common cold- or a 'cold' in your stomach- go figure.

if you sleep in AC- you get really ill, and dehydrated (plus it is expensive and really noisy)

if you sleep without anything you sweat so much you wake up drowning , ok so not literally- but not far off (remember its often hotter than 20degrees here at night!)

so tell me- what is a girl to do???????????

I have been in bed for days now with a horrible chest infection (and bad diahhorea) both of which, if I listen to Egyptian folklore, I got because I slept under a fan. Somehow I can't believe that- but really don't know now what to do for the best!!!

But- on an up note- I actually bite the bullet after a year and a half here and phoned a dentist for an appointment- have been too scared too up til now- but needs must- so that story to follow!

bits and bobs ...

I haven't been so good at writing often and keep missing the little things I mean to put in here.. so here goes..

Fish- last friday I went to Ain Sokna again , with a group of friends. It was a stunning hot sunny day- and spent lots of time in the sea which was lovely! One of the group swam out further than the rest and a flying fish swim out the water and brushed past him- causing a angry looking welt on his arm!!! guess fish do fight!

what else- oh- smoking sheesha just before you perform is NOT a good idea............ leaves you out of breath and a bit dizzy!!!

Band and me- we are experimenting trying out new songs each night.......... picture this- I am on top deck ,on the Nile, between sails (ie trips out, rather than between 'the' sails!!!) , surrounded by my band (6 of them) and they are singing me song after song until we find one I know, like and want to dance to. They all play their parts- so they mimic the tabla and duff and org etc etc ........ it really is a show in itself! Esp when the technicians and other crew join in a particularly favourite song!!! Oh and then you get some of them up dancing.................. really, very entertaining. I feel so honoured at times being a part of it all!!!

Cultural differences- a couple of weeks ago, and this happened twice in the space of days, 2 seperate singers from the western band (they change in same room as me) both said the same- 'ah, inti takhena shwaya' meaning literally 'oh you have got a little fatter' JUST what you want to hear seconds before you go onto stage!!!! The 1st time it happened I swear I danced really badly cos my self confidence was shattered, it might be true but NO woman ever wants to hear it! HOWEVER- what they meant- was 'oh good- you are filling out a bit- you look sexier like that, more curves'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So in so many ways- here, bigger still is better! (in some peoples eyes!)

Samia- I thought I would sit down a couple of days ago and watch some DVD's of famous dancers before I went to work- to inspire me...... so I watch Samia Gamal (wish Farid would just get out of shot and let her have space to get on with it!) and I always feel refreshed by her light and cheerful manner. Like watching a butterfly on a summers day. HOWEVER- anyone thinking of doing this yourself before you dance be warned- you will be inspired, and your dancing may improve BUT you WILL feel like a left footed elephant on stage! WEll........ I did.

Sandstorms

I meant to write this up a few weeks ago- when it happened- but somehow I got distracted!

'Sham el Nessim' is a festival and holiday celebrated by all people in Egypt, and seemingly goes back to the time of the pharaohs (4500 years ago!). It is basically their celebration of the coming of spring (the scent of the breeze) and is celebrated on the Monday directly after the Coptic Easter day.(i.e. this year it was 9th April- so only a month late writing up about it!!!!) People have the day off work and usually go for a picnic- and eat Fiseekh (a raw salted fish) it is very smelly!!! Unfortunately often it smells funny because it is bad and many people end up in hospital round sham el Nessim from fish food poisoning! People often boil and colour eggs (coloured eggs also date back to pharonics times and are the direct root of our 'Easter eggs'. They were believed to symbolize regeneration of life. Spring onions were once used to cure the son of a pharaoh and so nowadays are also on the spring menu!

This is a festival for all- and is one of the few big public holidays which are non-Islamic.

Around the time of this celebration there are always sandstorms (khamaseen). We had a pretty major one (photo below taken from my living room window!) but I heard that it actually did kill people- not to mention causing severe road accidents out of town where you couldn't even see the road- far worse than fog!!!

covering up

I haven't written on the blog for a while- partly since I was busy working last week....... but mainly because I have been in bed with a tummy bug for last 5 days!!! Grr here they call it a 'cold' in your stomach- and a doctor even prescribed me the equivelent of lemsip pills for it (no cold at all- just everything in my stomach escaping, rapidly, from whichever end it deems closest!!!) Anyway- drugs and bed rest for 5 days- and I am hoping to be fit for work again tomorrow- Inshallah!!!!

However- Whatever I could complain about- right now I am soooo glad I dont live in Iran. I read this on the BBC news today about the crackdown on dress code of women over there....

"Since we came out this morning many people we met have continuously warned us to be careful about our headscarves and to wear them further forward because they are arresting women who are dressed like this," she says.
Boutique owners are furious. Some shops have been sealed - others warned not to sell tight revealing clothing.
One shopkeeper selling evening dresses told us the moral police had ordered him to saw off the breasts of his mannequins because they were too revealing.


Did you get that- saw off the breasts of his mannequins !!!!!

I couldn't believe it when I read that (there's a picture too!!!) What 'sad' 'so and so' in the moral police in Iran felt that a mannequin in a shop window was too tempting to be left whole? How sick is he? And whats next? being covered not enough? they going to insist women bind their chest (or worse????)

Thank god Egypt is not like that!!!

Egyptian Food part 2!

I am so lazy about cooking... I put it off until i am starving and then I can't be bothered making anything that takes more than ten mins... so , to try and encourage me to eat more healthily, I asked my cleaner Romaya (who I know is a good cook!) to make me some food when she was here. On Thursday she made me a huge pot of lentil soup- which I lived off right up to sunday night... lovely. Todays food dish was to be a surprise though... not through intention but becuase my arabic couldn't keep up! I knew it was chicken........ I didn't expect Melokhya! (also spelt Molokhia)

For those of you not in the know- Melokhya is meat (usually rabbit- this time chicken) cooked in a slimy green soup (made from the melokhya - green leafy summer vegetable- a bit like spinach!) seasoned with lots of garlic and coriander, which you serve with rice.

When I went online to check my spelling of this dish I found it is also common in Sudan too, and seemingly the make a health drink out of the stuff in Japan!

So what do I think? well- I have had this dish in restaurants before and I prefer Romaya's receipe- but I am a bit nervous about having to eat the whole pot of it!!! A small plate is nice, unusual........ but the slimy element of it kinda gets to me.....although I know it is seemingly very high in iron therefore very good for you....... I do know people who swear by it.... maybe I can invite them round for tea over next day or 2!!!!

So what started as laziness- ie not cooking myself... is developing into a culinary cultural experience! wonder what she is planning to do with the lamb she is cooking for me on Thursday- watch this blog to find out!!!