What a Weekend!!!!
This weekend was definitely a weekend of mixed feelings, good and bad news and thus once more an emotional up and down for me!!!
The 1st good news was that I got to see Tom one day before planned!!!! The plans were that I was meant to go to Cairo on Thursday night to spend the weekend together - only to find out that as Wednesday was a public holiday (which unfortunately I did not get to enjoy cause I did not get time off) - most of the Cairo people had decided to go to the north coast. We thus thought that it would be a good idea if Tom came up to Alex on Wed night and we could attempt a trip to the north coast to join the others. (please note this place is not really easy to go to if you don't speak Arabic or don't have a car!!!!)
2nd News - 2 bad ones at once on Thursday night!!!! Irena, my beloved (now pretty sarcastic) house mate got a cool job in Cairo, so she decided to abandon me to my destiny in Alex in my beloved apartment. Choice one - leave the apartment - too expensive - (are you joking!!!!! nothing can replace the calmness and beauty of the sea as soon as you wake up in the morning), choice 2 - get a replacement (which was obviously my alternative - will get more news about this later) 2nd bad news, Tom had to leave for Cairo Friday night - so no North Coast - actually this had disappointed me more than my deserter of a house mate as I had always wanted to go to the North Coast since I did not get the opportunity this summer, besides I was dying to spend two whole days with Tom - anyhow, it turned out that on Friday it was pretty cloudy, so that was a little comforting. So you can just imagine how devastated I was on Thursday night after this news!!! Luckily there is always Roastery (my Cafe) to cheer me up with its luscious Oreo Milkshake and Grilled Chicken. Which I definitely made a point to feast myself that night!!!
3rd News - was in fact a good news - it turned out that Tom did not have to leave Friday in fact but Sat Morning, so it means that we got to spend another night together, I would have rather preferred all Saturday but you can't have it all I guess.
Finally the 4th news was actually the most disastrous news, it was the new of the Bombing in the Sinai area, where the tourist haven of Israelis as well as thousands other people all over the world visit quite often. This coincidentally happened on the weekend where both Egypt and Israel celebrated the 6th of October, which to my understanding is the day Egypt won the peninsula of Sinai from the Israelis. There are no real suspects as yet, and nobody really knows who could have done it!! It was probably not the Egyptian Islamic Extrimists, as those are kept under tight eye, then who could it be, the AL-Qaeda?? - for what reason. Many of the Egyptians say that this could actually bring Egypt and Israel together for the fight against terrorism. Sinai was actually the only place in the Middle East where the Israelis felt pretty safe - not any longer I guess. Thank God none of the people were knew were hurt or injured, although quite a few people were actually in the surrounding area!!!!
Anyhow it turned out to be an interesting weekend - on Friday we went out shopping for vegetables in my favorite place in Cleopatra (where I live) - our vegetable market - which has all the things you want - fish, fruit (all sorts, even a thing called Ixta which, after our quest of trying it, found out, it was custard apple - which I have never heard of in my life - and which was definitely not to my liking ), live game and poultry which they eventually kill for you, all sorts of vegetables, milk in a plastic bag and many more. Tom and I then attempted to make a nice home meal of dumplings stew and baked potatoes!!! Which unfortunately did not turn out to be as successful as we thought.
We then enjoyed the serenity of the sea and finally decided to go and watch Fahrenheit 9/11 which is practically Michael Moore's view on what happened to the United States after September 11; and how the Bush Administration allegedly used the tragic event to push forward its ruthless agenda. Revealing certain facts ( though not sure if they have been twisted or not) about how Bush before and after his presidency, his relations to the Bin Laden family/ Saudi Arabia, and his intentions towards Iraq. Michael Moore depicted all this in quite, I must say, an influencing and witty way which, considering the elections are right round the corner, could definitely manipulate eventual results.
Saturday we then went to my 2nd favorite place in Egypt, which is Manxejja, Purvi (English/Indian/Kenyan Trainee here in Alex) and I decided to finally explore the 'peasants' streets of Alex on our own. Quite an experience I must say though, now that I have a grasp of what I call market Arabic, its much more fun speaking to the people in the shops and streets.
Finally the night ended with a touch of Egyptian Karaoke!!! I could not believe that these guys actually have the guts to stand up and sing in front of so many people without either being drunk or high!!!!! I never ever sang karaoke unless I was out of my mind!!!!! Though I swore to myself that one day I will do it!!! Though it definitely means loads of practicing in the shower!!!!!
