Yes, yes. I know I'm a slacker.

Well, here I am again.  I know I'm such a slacker when it comes to posting.  

Anyway, this past month has been a lot of fun.  I've been going out with my friends, playing a lot of darts, hanging out with Leila, Sama and tante  Samia.  I've been having a great time.

At the end of this week, Sama will leave for Switzerland and Nadim will come to stay with me (maybe... if I ever hear from him) so I'm sure I'll have more interesting things to post. 

So until there are more interesting things to talk about and/or I have more pictures, I'll apologize for this rather meager post and promise a better one next time!  :)

Going out, the beach, my solo taxi ride and an interesting birth certificate

Ok.  I know.  My title is too long and it's like an outline, but what do you want? 

Anyway, something I've learned in the past few weeks is that in Egypt people don't sleep (well... not literally, but enough).  After a verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry long work day everyone goes out until about 3 or 4 in the morning... EVERY NIGHT.  Even I'm tired.  So just about every night, I'll go out with Sama or another friend of mine and play darts or hang out or even - God forbid - sing karaoke.

In any case, I am sick of the pubs here.  So yesterday I decided to open a bar.  I don't think it would be hard to get the capital through partners and financing (at that point) should be relatively easy.  I could also quite possibly get a bank loan.  But anyway, that is too far ahead.  Here is the plan:

-a fairly swanky and posh 20s inspired jazz club.

-dark blue walls, red pseudo-velvety upholstery on dark wood 1920s really ornate furniture.

-low side tables, also with the ornate 20s style.

-Tiffanys inspired lamps on the tables, very low light, blah blah blah.

-raised dance floor and separate area for the band (live music every night).

-Huge gilt mirrors (you know what I'm talking about... the really ornate gold ones)

-20s Deco style artwork and track lighting.

-20s Deco style bar and bar stools.

Let me know what you think.  Anyway, I started to plan that because I'm sick of the pubs here.  They're all the same crap and I want something really nice, kind-of underground.  Help me think of a name for it.

Ok, now to the beach.  This past Friday, Sama and I decided to go to Ain Sokhna.  It's an area on the Red Sea that is about one hour and a half from Cairo.  We got up at like 9 am and got there around 11.30.  It was great... freaking HOT (43 dC... which I think is about 110 dF) with a nice breeze and almost no humidity-- I think the humidity was around 9%.  Anyway, after checking on Tante Samia's apartment we headed out to the beach.  It was BEAUTIFUL as you can see from the picture and I was loving it.  I forgot how much I love the beach and how much I love the sea because it's CLEAN (well, cleaner than the Jersey shore) and BLUE :)  It was awesome.  Unfortunately because of the breeze there wasn't really a way to feel the heat.  So in the water out of the water in the water out of the water... and a few hours later (about 3) I'm thinking, you know... I can kinda feel the sun burning my skin. So I said to Sama that whenever she wanted to go I was ready.  She had just been thinking that it was a good time, so we left.  the car ride home was an interesting one, because both our sunburns started to show.  Let me just tell you... I couldn't sit properly for three days... and in fact there are parts that still hurt.  So I was a tomato and now I'm a peeling tomato.  You can see the burn best in the birthday shots... and that was a few days later.

BUT I HAD FUN! :D:D

The night after the beach, I wanted to go out, but Sama had Leila so she couldn't.  No one was around to pick me up, so I got the name of the intersection I wanted to go to and decided to take a taxi.  I got in the taxi and told him where to go.  The ride started out normally, he was going the right way, talking on the phone, the whole shebang.  No problem.  However when we got to batal Ahmed Abd el Aziz, he didn't stop.  Well we were talking, so it took me a minute to notice that he hadn't stopped at the intersection I wanted.  So I told him stop- you took me the wrong way.  Well his English wasn't that good so I called Sama and put her on the phone with him.  Thank God she was awake and thank God she wasn't angry with me for calling lol... the cab driver (Ali) was very nice and took me to exactly where I needed to go without further ado.  For my first solo taxi ride I thought I did ok... LOL.... but it totally could have been worse.  Additionally, I learned some valuable information... PAY ATTENTION WHILE IN A CAB. lol

So yesterday I went to get my new birth certificate so that I could get my national ID card.  They don't accept that old handwritten one I've got so I had to get the new typewritten one.  Anyway, Hussein took my old birth certificate and made the new one.  I just had to pick it up from the office.  Well I got there and it looked right to me (everything except that my mom's name was Margaret Jimy Harti instead of James Harvie).  But here, and take no offense to this mom, the mother's name doesn't really matter because the child takes the fathers name.  So anyway, Sama and I are in the car getting ready to go when I take mine out and see that not only is mom marked Christian, but me and dad are too.  Now, you all know I don't really care, however the laws are different here for Christians versus Muslims (in banking and lots of different things) so it could potentially cause a major problem for me.  So, I have to go and fix it tomorrow and then go to get my national ID.  I'm also going to get the new and VERY UGLY passport soon too.  It's smaller and also not hand-written.

Oh and Sunday was Naidm's 18th birthday.  Now he's a man LOL.

Well, I felt like those stories were a lot more than they actually were... and a lot more interesting lol... but there you have it.  That's what you get.  I hope you were at least slightly entertained. :)

The Proposal

So, the past few days have been pretty interesting.  I've been running errands with Sama and getting to know Cairo better.  I went to the hairdresser by myself (trust me, that's a big step... lol) and a few other things.  

However, these things are not the main topic of this post.  Here is why my evening (yesterday... that's Thursday) was so interesting... and truly hysterical.

Sama had some friends pass by to get their gifts from tante Samia (from her trip to Switzerland).  So people were ringing the door bell all evening.  Well, the doorbell rang and Sama and Leila answered the door.  

Let me give you a little back story here:  the apartment below us is being renovated.  I like to sit on the balcony for non-air conditioned air.  Sometimes the guys are working while I'm outside.  I stay generally out of their sight, but sometimes it can't be helped.

ANYWAY, last night the doorbell rang and Sama and Leila answered the door.  There was a man at the door that Sama didn't know.  He asked if he could talk to the foreign girl who lived here.  Sama said why?  Who are you?  He said my name is... (whatever)... and I want to ask her to marry me.  Sama said, I'm sorry but she has someone in her life.  He gave her his card (with a shaking hand apparently) and said please can I talk to her?  Sama said, no.  But if something changes we'll call you.  lol...

OK.  When Sama came back to the living room her and Leila are cracking up.  Sama proceeds to tell the story.  The poor guy even went home and showered and put on his nice clothes... everything.  lol... he's a marketing and product sales manager for the company fixing the apartment (according to his card).  Let me tell you we all had a good laugh.

According to Sama and her mother, I'm not allowed to leave my room and I certainly am not allowed to sit on the balcony anymore.  

Well, I just thought that was a wonderfully ridiculous story that I needed to share.  Otherwise, things are good here and I'm having a great time.  :)  

Friday/Saturday

So Friday was a very uneventful day.  Although, I can't say that I'm not really enjoying this down time.  Anyway- Tante Samia came to take Leila (a.k.a. the shadow) to her house for a few days as she had just returned from Switzerland.  

After Samia left Sama and I went to drop a pair of sunglasses to get the prescription, went to the supermarket (which was really interesting, actually) and then went to Samy's for a few hours.  We hung out and didn't really do much, but as I said, I don't really mind.

When we left Samy's, Nadim came to meet me and we went to get a cell phone.  I got a really sweet LG that's made of all stainless steel... it's part of the shine collection and I freaking love it.  It's so pretty. lol

Today (so far) Sama and I went to Samy's.  lol That's it.  I'll either be going out tonight with Sama or Nadim.  I'll see.  But either way, I'm going out. lol

xoxo

New Cell Number

Just as a side note:

If you haven't gotten my new cell number yet please e-mail me, msn me, facebook me, myspace me or whatever.

xoxo

The First 48

Well, here I am.  Moved in, unpacked, set in my room and already set in my routine.  The first 48 has been interesting and absolutely surreal. 

Monday/Tuesday-

My flight left JFK late.  I was supposed to take off at 6.30 pm and I didn't leave until almost 8 pm.  I was stuck next to a nice woman, but one who had to pee just about every five minutes.  Needless to say, that got old really fast.  The only saving grace to my flight was Kareem and Mohammad- two Egyptian brothers from South Carolina.  Mohammed was maybe 20 and Kareem was 10.  We had a blast in the airport then on the plane.  They're staying with family close to my apartment in Agouza, but I didn't get to see them in the airport to get a phone number so I could pass by.  Still, they kept me entertained and laughing on what could otherwise have been the worst flight of my life.

When I got to the airport I was greeted by Sama and Leila- the latter of which immediately became my shadow.  We came back to the house, brought my stuff to my room (previously Gandmaman's) and ate molokhayya prepared by Saba7.  Just about the best thing ever, actually.  After dinner, we just hung around the house until Samy and Nadim came.  After Samy left, me and Nadim went to Oum Koulsoom- a cafe near the flat- and sat for some time.  Watching people here is so different from watching people in the states; there isn't any drinking in cafe's so it's all people smoking shisha and chatting and (if you're a guy) checking out girls.  Sorry Allyn, this isn't the place for you :(

After Oum Koulsoom we came back to Agouza and watched The Departed while eating Pizza Hut.  I know, I know.  No comments please.  

Wednesday-

Wednesday was fairly uneventful.  I unpacked, Samy passed by for a short while and I played with Leila.  She decided to dress up in my shoes, belt, watch, purse and lipgloss... and use my cell.  lol   That's the picture (above).

 I think the travel was finally catching up with me because I slept quite a bit throughout the day.  Salwa came to clean the flat, I went to Radio Shack to get a converter for my computer and we went to McDonald's for Leila.  And, it rained.  IT NEVER RAINS IN THE MIDDLE OF MAY!!!!  That's actually it, though.  I know, I'm in Egypt and going to Radio Shack and Mconald's, it rained... and I ate Pizza Hut.  The world is going to end.

Thursday-

Today was more interesting, by far.  It started out the same as usual- I waited for Nadim to pass by, but (also as usual) he didn't come.  So around 6, Sama and I dropped Leila to Sara's house- so Leila could play with Laila lol- and we proceeded to pick up Salley.  Salley is Sama's friend and I love her a lot.  She just had surgery and we had to take her to the doctor's office (in Do2i) to remove what I dubbed her "blood purse."  I'm not going to explain because it's too much.  lol  

After we dropped her back in Maadi, we came back to Zamelek to pick up Leila.  We stayed at Sara's for a few hours and ate her father's cooking.  Let me tell you, he is the most amazing cook who's food I've had the pleasure to eat.  We had eggplant with tomatem and kofta with batatas and tomatem.  It was a taste explosion... literally.  Also at Sara's I found my future husband.  He's a famous actor who is currently filming on Sara's husband's boat with Omar Sharif.  I'm trying to go visit them, but I don't think that's going to happen.  I'm really quite upset.  I love, love, LOVE Omar Sharif.  Although, now that he lives in Cairo again, there is the distinct possibility I will stalk him and meet him when he least expects it... hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha (oh yes, that was the evil laugh).

Other than that, I've been gawked at more times than I care to count and I'm already cursing at them. :)  I love it.

I'm not dead, I'm generally happy- if not a little tired- and I can't wait to see what happens tomorrow when I try to get a mobile (and, yes Allyn, insert a Friends quote here).

Love you all.