Egyptian Adventure #2

Good Morning Everyone and Happy May Day!

We heard the news that demonstrations are planned throughout US. We will be keeping our eyes open. I can get my New York Times on line.


Guess what!!! No rain today! It was a perfect, dry, Cairo spring day. Oh boy, did we need this....I slept so soundly last night that I didn't even hear the Muezzin call to prayer at 4:30 AM, even though the minaret is very close. But, then, they always are!
Guess what!!! No rain today! It was a perfect, dry, Cairo spring day. Oh boy, did we need this....I slept so soundly last night that I didn't even hear the Muezzin call to prayer at 4:30 AM, even though the minaret is very close. But, then, they always are!

We started our day with a light breakfast and were quite lazy as we unpacked our bags and other boring stuff. Then we went out for a relaxed hour in a lovely tree-shaded area on a patio at TGI Friday's for cold drinks. The Nile flowed lazily past, by the bank below our table. Sweet!

From there Soha drove us to the club where she made reservations to meet with other old friends for lunch on Friday. Then off the Hedayet's house for a late, wonderful lunch. All the dishes served were Egyptian traditional food. Other than the chicken and bread I could not tell you the names of anything else, but, it was all delicious.

To come back to Soha's house, we and Hedayet and Hedayet's husband, Dr. Edel, all squeezed into Soha's little car. They were going to a mourning for an old friend of Dr. Edel's. If I have described the driving conditions in Cairo to you before, or if you have experienced them, pardon me ---- but they are unbelievable. Fender-to-fender maneuvering at impossible speeds with every driver fighting for space. Donkey carts and pedestrians (even whole families) dodge cars and busses. We have seen very few accidents but many, many miracles.

On our way we passed Tahrir Square where we saw hundreds of pedestrians and lots of tents erected in the square. It was not possible to stop; the traffic just goes around the square. Occupy Egypt is alive and well! I understand that 13 candidates are running for election to President. I learned something new today (perhaps everyone else knew this long ago). There is a difference between being a Muslim and being Islamist.  I had always thought that Muslims were just the name of the people who followed the Islamic teaching. Not so, Islamist people are those who follow the  fundamentalist interpretation of the Koran. Among the Presidential candidates are followers of all shades. Our friends are Muslim, but seriously not Islamist.
After arriving back at Soha' house, we had a cup of tea on her lovely balcony then retired to our cool and comfortable room to relax.

AND SO TO BED......
Hugs, Noreen