Froody and I were lucky enough to stumble into a Thanksgiving dinner invite. Of course it was with a small crowd of American expats. We had a good time and both enjoyed speaking to people who 1) were native speakers of English and 2) were people we were not married to. We laughed a lot except when us girls got around to sharing our harassment stories. But still, a good time was had by all. :-)
Other than packing up our bags (gee, did it all used to fit in one bag?) Froody made a final batch of chili and took pictures of the people he bought ingredients from. I guess it takes a village to make some chili!
*butcher #1 and butcher #2 of this shop
*hot peppers
*tomatoes and herbs
*cleaning supplies
********************
Hey, is this really in Cairo?
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Where Are You From?
I get this question a lot, usually after someone has spoken to me in Arabic and seen the puzzled look on my face as I try to make out what they said.
"Where you from?" is the natural question. "America," is my answer. They blink, after which they either ask me again or say "Really?" Sometimes they'll even ask if I was born there.
Once I convince them that I really am an American, born and bred in the USA, they smile and tell me that I look Egyptian. (Here I am with a native Egyptian. What do you think?)
I was sharing some pix of my family with our Egyptian neighbor, which she enjoyed, and once she saw my father she exclaimed, "He looks Egyptian!" and "He looks like an Arab!" and "If I met him on the street I would speak Arabic to him!" Then I showed some pix of my husband's family, and our neighbor pointed to our niece and happily said, "That's an American!"
Most of the time, I see reactions like these as an opportunity to educate others on the diversity of my country's citizens. :-) Americans come in every color. I mean, really, we just elected a black president! :-))) But when our neighbor said that about our niece, it does remind me that there is a reason we, American people of color, are a minority. And that is that most Americans are white and most American tourists are white.
So I can't really blame people for double-checking where I come from. Especially since I'll continue to be mistaken for a local for the next couple of months!
"Where you from?" is the natural question. "America," is my answer. They blink, after which they either ask me again or say "Really?" Sometimes they'll even ask if I was born there.
Once I convince them that I really am an American, born and bred in the USA, they smile and tell me that I look Egyptian. (Here I am with a native Egyptian. What do you think?)
I was sharing some pix of my family with our Egyptian neighbor, which she enjoyed, and once she saw my father she exclaimed, "He looks Egyptian!" and "He looks like an Arab!" and "If I met him on the street I would speak Arabic to him!" Then I showed some pix of my husband's family, and our neighbor pointed to our niece and happily said, "That's an American!"
Most of the time, I see reactions like these as an opportunity to educate others on the diversity of my country's citizens. :-) Americans come in every color. I mean, really, we just elected a black president! :-))) But when our neighbor said that about our niece, it does remind me that there is a reason we, American people of color, are a minority. And that is that most Americans are white and most American tourists are white.
So I can't really blame people for double-checking where I come from. Especially since I'll continue to be mistaken for a local for the next couple of months!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Final Cairo Sights
Well, the time has finally come. Froody and I leave Cairo this weekend. We took some time off of class to see a few more sites before we go.
The last thing we did with my in-laws before they left was see Saqqara. We all agreed it was much more interesting than the pyramids at Giza, yet everyone needs to see them, too. Many of the artifacts in the Imhotep Museum were so well-preserved, it was like they were just made yesterday. And remember, this is the oldest of the pyramids and started that whole pyramid trend. Even cooler than the pyramid and its complex was the tomb of a high official and Teti's pyramid. Unfortunately, cameras weren't allowed inside either and I wish I could share the details of the river scenes in the tomb and the star-covered ceiling of Teti's burial chamber.
After the in-laws went home, Froody and I were on our own. We did more exploring; there are still some things that still surprise me, like goats grazing in the street and huge mosques coming out of nowhere. We found the Ibn Tulun Mosque and the madrassa right next to it. We also met some school children who asked Froody to take their pic. Again, I love the friendliness of the people we've met here and everywhere. The minaret of the madrassa was a nice place to take pix of my hubby, too. The Ibn Tulun Mosque was lovely and there was something peaceful in the large, quiet space and the graceful curves repeating over and over again.
We also found Bab Zawela and the Tentmakers' bazaar. The walk through fabrics and quilts gradually became a walk through a market street, though with a "small meats" section we don't have in our own neighborhood. Sometimes we had to stop because the sidewalk and street were too crowded for anyone to make it through. Another surprise! an ancient door, probably 600 years-old and crumbling.
Finally, we made it to Rifai mosque and the Sultan Hussen madrassa, somewhere we've been meaning to see since Ramadan. Pretty incredible, don't you think? I find it strange that one was built in the 1400s and then in the late 1880s someone built another huge mosque right next to it. The new one (Rifai?) is also a family tomb.
The last thing we did with my in-laws before they left was see Saqqara. We all agreed it was much more interesting than the pyramids at Giza, yet everyone needs to see them, too. Many of the artifacts in the Imhotep Museum were so well-preserved, it was like they were just made yesterday. And remember, this is the oldest of the pyramids and started that whole pyramid trend. Even cooler than the pyramid and its complex was the tomb of a high official and Teti's pyramid. Unfortunately, cameras weren't allowed inside either and I wish I could share the details of the river scenes in the tomb and the star-covered ceiling of Teti's burial chamber.
After the in-laws went home, Froody and I were on our own. We did more exploring; there are still some things that still surprise me, like goats grazing in the street and huge mosques coming out of nowhere. We found the Ibn Tulun Mosque and the madrassa right next to it. We also met some school children who asked Froody to take their pic. Again, I love the friendliness of the people we've met here and everywhere. The minaret of the madrassa was a nice place to take pix of my hubby, too. The Ibn Tulun Mosque was lovely and there was something peaceful in the large, quiet space and the graceful curves repeating over and over again.
We also found Bab Zawela and the Tentmakers' bazaar. The walk through fabrics and quilts gradually became a walk through a market street, though with a "small meats" section we don't have in our own neighborhood. Sometimes we had to stop because the sidewalk and street were too crowded for anyone to make it through. Another surprise! an ancient door, probably 600 years-old and crumbling.
Finally, we made it to Rifai mosque and the Sultan Hussen madrassa, somewhere we've been meaning to see since Ramadan. Pretty incredible, don't you think? I find it strange that one was built in the 1400s and then in the late 1880s someone built another huge mosque right next to it. The new one (Rifai?) is also a family tomb.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
My Thoughts So Far-DELETED
The other day I was talking with my sister, who is a professional Middle Eastern dancer and has made several trips to Egypt. She asked me about my impressions of Arabic culture. This was a good question; I've never taken the time to make them comprehensible to anyone else. Or to myself, for that matter.
So I started blogging on how Egypt is different for female tourists than for male tourists, and a bit about the dirt, garbage, and pollution, and a bit more about how religion is a part of your life. Everyday. 5x a day.
BUT after reading what I wrote it all sounded like whining and I don't like whining. I don't want to get all down on Egypt, because it really is a cool place to be. Do I want to live here for ever and ever? No. Am I glad to have been here for 2.5 months? Heck yes!
Instead, I will share a couple of amusing bits of conversations we've had with locals.
The waiter(? owner?) at the fuul place we frequent complimented my husband on the fact that I was dressed appropriately. That was weird: my way of dressing was a good reflection on my husband! Of course, this was all said in a nice, friendly way with lots of smiling.
Our neighbor has told us that she really wants to go to America, especially Las Vegas where she hopes to make it rich on the roulette table. Then, she tells us that gambling is not allowed in Islam, but she wants to do it anyway! She also told us that if she was to meet Bin Laden she would hit him with her shoe!
I do want to share this pic with you: In Cairo the sun doesn't set as much as it sinks into a thick sky.
Another neat cultural difference is in all the greetings! Every other day we find another way of saying "How are you?" There's also greetings for the normal stuff like congratulations, condolences, and welcome back. The funniest one is the greeting for having just gotten a haircut or taken a shower: "naiyman" to which you reply "allah yenaiym aleek." There is no direct translation, but based on all the other greetings and their resposes it might be something like this: "That is a nice haircut/ You are nice and clean." "Yes, but God has the best haircut/God is always April fresh." XD
I do hope you make it to Egypt.
So I started blogging on how Egypt is different for female tourists than for male tourists, and a bit about the dirt, garbage, and pollution, and a bit more about how religion is a part of your life. Everyday. 5x a day.
BUT after reading what I wrote it all sounded like whining and I don't like whining. I don't want to get all down on Egypt, because it really is a cool place to be. Do I want to live here for ever and ever? No. Am I glad to have been here for 2.5 months? Heck yes!
Instead, I will share a couple of amusing bits of conversations we've had with locals.
The waiter(? owner?) at the fuul place we frequent complimented my husband on the fact that I was dressed appropriately. That was weird: my way of dressing was a good reflection on my husband! Of course, this was all said in a nice, friendly way with lots of smiling.
Our neighbor has told us that she really wants to go to America, especially Las Vegas where she hopes to make it rich on the roulette table. Then, she tells us that gambling is not allowed in Islam, but she wants to do it anyway! She also told us that if she was to meet Bin Laden she would hit him with her shoe!
I do want to share this pic with you: In Cairo the sun doesn't set as much as it sinks into a thick sky.
Another neat cultural difference is in all the greetings! Every other day we find another way of saying "How are you?" There's also greetings for the normal stuff like congratulations, condolences, and welcome back. The funniest one is the greeting for having just gotten a haircut or taken a shower: "naiyman" to which you reply "allah yenaiym aleek." There is no direct translation, but based on all the other greetings and their resposes it might be something like this: "That is a nice haircut/ You are nice and clean." "Yes, but God has the best haircut/God is always April fresh." XD
I do hope you make it to Egypt.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
The Citadel
Well, the in-laws are safely back home in the US. Froody and I ejoyed their visit and are glad they had a good time.
We all spent a whole day at the Citadel together. Like much of Cairo you find a lot of monuments from a lot of different times in history all clumped together. The walls were built by Salah al-Din to protect the city from the crusaders, around 1180. Inside there are two mosques and two museums. The Mosque of Sultan al-Nasir was built in the early 1300s and is an empty shell as all its marble was carted off to Turkey later on. It's still great to wander in, and I love the striped arches and wooden ceiling. The military museum was OK. The most interesting part was the building itself, built for a sultan's harem (his wives and children), but we didn't want to pay the camera fee so there aren't any pix.
The police museum was one none of us had any interest in, but the view from the terrace was pretty sweet. Last thing we did before leaving was to go into the Mohammed Ali Mosque which sits on top of a hill and looks down on the city of Cairo. (Sadly, with all the tall buildings you have to be high up and pretty close to the Citadel to see it watching you.) It was built in the 1800s and its interior is the most beautiful I've seen. Mohammed Ali is still there, in fact. By now it was well after noon and the sun was coloring the limestone on the outside of the mosque and playing in the shadows.
We decided we weren't tired enough so we walked the 1.2 km to Al-Azhar park to show off the view to Froody's parents. It's wonderful standing there at dusk and hearing the call to prayer reaching up to you from all over town.
And, we all got a kick at watching the young people act like young people seem to do all over the world- hang out and play with their cell phones!
We all spent a whole day at the Citadel together. Like much of Cairo you find a lot of monuments from a lot of different times in history all clumped together. The walls were built by Salah al-Din to protect the city from the crusaders, around 1180. Inside there are two mosques and two museums. The Mosque of Sultan al-Nasir was built in the early 1300s and is an empty shell as all its marble was carted off to Turkey later on. It's still great to wander in, and I love the striped arches and wooden ceiling. The military museum was OK. The most interesting part was the building itself, built for a sultan's harem (his wives and children), but we didn't want to pay the camera fee so there aren't any pix.
The police museum was one none of us had any interest in, but the view from the terrace was pretty sweet. Last thing we did before leaving was to go into the Mohammed Ali Mosque which sits on top of a hill and looks down on the city of Cairo. (Sadly, with all the tall buildings you have to be high up and pretty close to the Citadel to see it watching you.) It was built in the 1800s and its interior is the most beautiful I've seen. Mohammed Ali is still there, in fact. By now it was well after noon and the sun was coloring the limestone on the outside of the mosque and playing in the shadows.
We decided we weren't tired enough so we walked the 1.2 km to Al-Azhar park to show off the view to Froody's parents. It's wonderful standing there at dusk and hearing the call to prayer reaching up to you from all over town.
And, we all got a kick at watching the young people act like young people seem to do all over the world- hang out and play with their cell phones!
Teh List
This blogger that I like to read had posted her TO DO list. You know, the one comprising all the things you want to do before you....die. And last night I was reading an article in Oprah's magazine that mentioned the Bucket List. So, I think the signs are telling me to finally write down the list I carry inside my head, which is good because then I can cross them off! (Or, the signs are telling me to remember all the great stuff I have already done and therefore stop thinking that I am a very boring person who hasn't done anything. Hmmmm...definitely another post.)
Ladies and Gentlemen- Janola's To Do List:
fly first class
see Turkey
dive among ancient greek ruins
see Antarctica
see wild polar bears
go to Alaska
visit all 50 states, even the square ones in the middle
walk on the Great Wall of China
visit the Louvre (actually go in it next time)
see the Sistene Chapel
see Da Vinci's Last Supper
visit rat temple in India
see Mt. Everest and hike along its foothills
ride a hot air balloon
see cave dwellings
experience a winter with snow
become fluent in Spanish
swim with whale sharks
write a book
paint and draw more
rebuild an old car
visit Australia
fly a plane
knit a beautiful cable-knit sweater
participate in an archeological or paleontological dig
take a ceramics class
*whew* of course, there's more I haven't thought of yet.
Your turn!
Ladies and Gentlemen- Janola's To Do List:
fly first class
see Turkey
dive among ancient greek ruins
see Antarctica
see wild polar bears
go to Alaska
visit all 50 states, even the square ones in the middle
walk on the Great Wall of China
visit the Louvre (actually go in it next time)
see the Sistene Chapel
see Da Vinci's Last Supper
visit rat temple in India
see Mt. Everest and hike along its foothills
ride a hot air balloon
see cave dwellings
experience a winter with snow
become fluent in Spanish
swim with whale sharks
write a book
paint and draw more
rebuild an old car
visit Australia
fly a plane
knit a beautiful cable-knit sweater
participate in an archeological or paleontological dig
take a ceramics class
*whew* of course, there's more I haven't thought of yet.
Your turn!
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Which are 3LE per Kilo??
Buying produce is, like everything else here, different. And it's taken us a while to learn how to it.
Not every produce stand is alike. Some sell only veggies and some only fruit. Some stands only carry herbs. And, they may only sell one or two types of fruit/veg. Also, about half of them have a price on any of their wares, usually printed or written on a card and stuck into the lovely pile. We've seen some that have one fruit priced, but not the others. I take it to mean that the sellers expect me, the customer, to already know how much everything costs. I've learned to pay attention to the pricetags whenever we're wandering the market street.
Another thing is that the quality of the produce varies from person to person, so the tomatoes of the person you bought from today may look good, but they might look worse later on in the week. So while we do try to buy from people whose produce and prices we like, there are times when we have to go elsewhere.
Then it becomes an opportunity to learn how to "look".
For example, we found a man who was selling oranges from a cart. He had a price, 3LE (that's about USD 0.75 for two pounds), on a card stuck in the front of the only pile of orange oranges we could see. We gladly walked over to buy some and he directed us to the back of his cart. I just thought he wanted us to not disturb the neatness of the front of the pile. After picking 2 kilos, he weighed them and we gave him 6LE. He asked for 1LE more. ??! But the price is 3LE a kilo! we said that comes to 6LE. Yes, he said,smiling, but that's for the oranges in the front. The ones you got are 3.50LE because they are bigger. Of course, all this was said in very broken Arabic on our side, broken English on his side, and a lot of pointing on both sides. *grrrrrr* We paid him, grudgingly. But it was a good reminder to be careful. Especially with that guy.
Part 2: Since then, we've gone to other places for oranges, as that's all I've ever seen him sell. But the other day we found ourselves in front of this same cart of oranges. And there was the sign, 3LE per kilo. I got another two kilos of oranges, this time from right around the sign. He weighed them and I gave him 6LE and, again, he asked for one more pound. What do you mean? I said the sign says 3LE a kilo! Yes, he said, but that is for these oranges over here on the side. See how they are smaller?
*grrrrr* If we weren't so tired we would have dumped the oranges right there and filled the bag with small ones.
*sigh* But then, I say to myself that I'm getting upset over USD 0.20. But then, another side of me says: I don't like getting taken advantage of.
Not every produce stand is alike. Some sell only veggies and some only fruit. Some stands only carry herbs. And, they may only sell one or two types of fruit/veg. Also, about half of them have a price on any of their wares, usually printed or written on a card and stuck into the lovely pile. We've seen some that have one fruit priced, but not the others. I take it to mean that the sellers expect me, the customer, to already know how much everything costs. I've learned to pay attention to the pricetags whenever we're wandering the market street.
Another thing is that the quality of the produce varies from person to person, so the tomatoes of the person you bought from today may look good, but they might look worse later on in the week. So while we do try to buy from people whose produce and prices we like, there are times when we have to go elsewhere.
Then it becomes an opportunity to learn how to "look".
For example, we found a man who was selling oranges from a cart. He had a price, 3LE (that's about USD 0.75 for two pounds), on a card stuck in the front of the only pile of orange oranges we could see. We gladly walked over to buy some and he directed us to the back of his cart. I just thought he wanted us to not disturb the neatness of the front of the pile. After picking 2 kilos, he weighed them and we gave him 6LE. He asked for 1LE more. ??! But the price is 3LE a kilo! we said that comes to 6LE. Yes, he said,smiling, but that's for the oranges in the front. The ones you got are 3.50LE because they are bigger. Of course, all this was said in very broken Arabic on our side, broken English on his side, and a lot of pointing on both sides. *grrrrrr* We paid him, grudgingly. But it was a good reminder to be careful. Especially with that guy.
Part 2: Since then, we've gone to other places for oranges, as that's all I've ever seen him sell. But the other day we found ourselves in front of this same cart of oranges. And there was the sign, 3LE per kilo. I got another two kilos of oranges, this time from right around the sign. He weighed them and I gave him 6LE and, again, he asked for one more pound. What do you mean? I said the sign says 3LE a kilo! Yes, he said, but that is for these oranges over here on the side. See how they are smaller?
*grrrrr* If we weren't so tired we would have dumped the oranges right there and filled the bag with small ones.
*sigh* But then, I say to myself that I'm getting upset over USD 0.20. But then, another side of me says: I don't like getting taken advantage of.
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