Friday, March 30, 2007

On Pyramids, Belly Dancers and Skirts





Yesterday (Thursday) was a crazy day. Very busy at work and then the local management took us out to have dinner on one of those boats that make cruises on the Nile. So, fancy dinner and short Nile cruise! The food was good, the belly dance was entertaining and everybody was merry so I guess the evening was a success. The rest of the people continued the evening in a bar but I preferred to return to the hotel as I felt tired and wanted some time alone. Also, I do not drink or smoke so sitting in a smoky bar, while other people get more or less tipsy and I only drink espresso is not my idea of a perfect evening.

As always, I was fascinated with the belly dance. Every time it has the same effect on me and every time I promise myself that I will take classes and be able to perform it enchantingly. I don’t know what it is – the music, the dancer’s lascivious waist and belly moves fascinate me. It’s a powerful seducing instrument, that’s for sure … So womanlike, so feminine. If I needed to seduce my man, this is what I would try in the bedroom confinement (apart from intelligent conversation, of course). Last night, however, I was very sad to learn that I would need to put on a lot of fat around the waist in order to be able to be a good belly dancer. Which statement I tend to take face value because all belly dancers that I have ever seen were chubby. So there must be some truth in it. I am not sure if I really want to pay this price, though.

And while I am still on this subject, I have recently started to wear skirts more often. This was a suggestion from a male friend, which I wanted to try for my amusement. The effect is, indeed, incredible and is two fold. First, I feel differently – at the beginning it felt quite awkward, as I have never been a skirt girl and I feel incredibly comfortable and secure in trousers (office or play – jeans, etc.). Therefore, wearing stockings and skirts most of the time made me feel quite vulnerable, almost helpless. Additionally, I noticed a certain change in the men around me. It seems that they suddenly feel the need to be more considerate and protective. Is this good?

This morning, L, M (the other M) and I were supposed to meet up at 9 in the hotel lobby and find our guide to go to the pyramids. M had a plane to catch early afternoon which didn’t actually leave us with too much time on our hands. Just enough for a visit to the pyramids and sphinx, the traditional visit to the papyrus shop and a souvenir shop. Both L and I had done all this before and for us the excitement was somewhat diminished. For M, however, this was his first time in Cairo so he was all eyes. Unfortunately for him, he only had two days here. After the papyrus and souvenir shops, M dropped us off at the hotel on his way to the airport.

L and I had coffee and ice-cream in the hotel coffee shop. During the conversation I found out that L separated from his wife. This came as a total shock as I had met his wife and they seemed happy and had not been married long. Life is treacherous, these things happen so often. And it’s sad.

My afternoon was spent in the room, mainly sleeping and texting. I was down with a bad migraine which prevented me from accompanying the guys on the visit to the Coptic Church, the souk and the Egyptian restaurant as it had been planned. While I regret having missed those, I really appreciated the time alone and, not least, the nap I took which nearly cured my migraine.

It’s dark now. I am feeling better, the splitting headache has somewhat subsided. I am writing this blog post, listening to Natalie Imbruglia and waiting for a message from someone to tell me that he made it home safely, on his bike, in the pouring rain.

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Walk Like an Egyptian



I have been in Cairo since Sunday and enjoying it. The trip was a bit tiring but not necessarily due to the flights themselves (hell, I had to change planes in Zürich) but because I had to fly very early in the morning and I usually don’t get any sleep on the night before in such cases. On top of everything, the clocks had to be moved forward on that same Sunday. But that’s a whole different story.

I don’t think the city has changed too much since 1999 when we came to Egypt as tourists and made a tour of the country (pyramids, Nile Cruise, temples, the Valley of the Kings and all the rest). It is very loud, pulsating with life, polluted and very safe. The traffic is crazy and it never stops. After all, it’s a city of several million people (18 after some sources, 22 after some other) out of which approximately 5 million are forced by poverty to live in cemeteries, in tombs.

The weather has been extremely pleasant, the hotel is acceptable (apparently the best in town but there still is a lot to be desired, Egyptian standards) and the people are extremely nice and friendly. The hotel is a real fortress, with police using especially trained dogs to check the incoming cars for ammunition; they also scan all suitcases, backpacks, etc. the way they do it on the airports.

I am the only girl in the team, the other 3 members being men and our office here is also staffed mostly by men. So I have been very spoiled and have received a lot of flattering attention during these few days :-) . Too bad that we are supposed to do some work here too, hehe. If men were staring in China, well here they are simply overwhelmed … They look as if they cannot believe their eyes. I understand that a pleasantly shaped, green eyed, natural blonde girl is not that common here but, hey men, get a grip!! This is starting to become embarrassing!

M, who is German, has convinced me that I have to practice my rusty German. Having done so to a certain (limited) extent, both of us have discovered that it is not that rusty after all – quite correct grammar and the vocabulary is not poor at all! Well, I think I need to practice more and, with so many German colleagues continuously around, this is feasible. It is actually not the first time I receive praises for my German – too bad that I stubbornly refuse to speak it, fearing of making silly mistakes. And I am also quite lazy which is not of much help.

I haven’t had time for play since I arrived in Cairo so I am looking forward to the weekend (which is Friday and Saturday) and to the following weekend which will be a long one (A will join me here for a mini holiday). However, on Saturday I have to interview a local candidate for one of the positions in our team in Brussels so ... work again. But I will also be a tourist – I have brought my camera and I have promised people to take lots of pictures of the smog and, if possible, of pyramids :-). It’s true that some of them just wanted pictures of me so I will try and please both categories …. Oh, and I should not forget my dear friend Richard who, as usual, would like pictures of dirt and street cabinets!!

One of the guys, who has never been here before, wants to go and see the pyramids on Friday - perhaps I will join him because I want to see them again. The rest of the guys would like to go to the souk (market) for some bargaining and fun. I can’t bargain but M has offered to do it for me in exchange for a certain tip. What’s the advantage of having him bargain on my behalf if I need to pay him for that :-)

In one of my future posts, I will write about the referendum that was held here these days – quite interesting …. But for now, I bid you goodnight and get under the covers ... I promise to write again soon and post lots of pictures ...

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Life ...


... too busy living it to the full, no time to write about it ... Yet.