Tuesday, June 30, 2009

EGYPT SAFE? YOU BETCHA!


You know, whenever I tell somebody that I live in Egypt while I'm visiting Britain, the almost universal reaction is an incredulous look and the comment - "is it safe?"- and even when I assure them that it is, you can see the disbelief on their faces.

I've just been reading a report in a British daily newspaper about how an 82-year old lady was stabbed in broad daylight in London yesterday as she got off the bus with her carrier bags of groceries, going home to her husband for whom she is the sole carer.

This lady is only 5' 2" tall and the crime is apparently motiveless as it seems she wasn't robbed.
She is now fighting for her life in hospital.

Hardly a day goes by without at least one similar crime making the headlines and not just in the cities but increasingly in smaller towns too.

Now I know that I'm sometimes guilty of having a giggle at Egypt's expense - at their way of doing things, at the lack of organisation.

But one thing that I don't worry about is my personal safety, especially in broad daylight.

I can walk in old Cairo on my own (and often have done so when buying jewellery supplies) and my only fears are being hassled by an over-enthusiastic Tshirt or postcard seller.
Or "accidentally-on-purpose" having my breast or rear touched by a passing Lothario with sex on his mind. And I also know that if I complained about that loudly, I would instantly be surrounded by a dozen people who would take it upon themselves to protect me, even chasing after the offender.

A year or so ago there was a report of a mystery man in the suburb of Maadi who carried out random stabbing attacks on women - though they were only really cuts as he seemed to just lunge at them in passing and run off. Nobody was seriously injured.

When the young guy was caught he was sentenced to 43 years in prison with hard labour.

Now I know that Egypt has a notoriously bad human rights record.......but.....compare the crime figures here to those of Britain and the US.

In the UK the streets are are being terrorised by gangs of underage kids - girls as well as boys - who know that their only punishment will be probation and community service. Even the police don't scare them.

A friend who was visiting from the US was really surprised that I could sit in my parked car in the street without having to close the windows and lock the doors - and I was just as amazed to think that anybody would have to do that.

I'm not saying that Egyptians are angels - there's lots of petty pilfering and pickpocketing that goes on in Cairo.

Just that I'd like to send out the message that at least here, when you leave your home - or hotel if you're a tourist - you don't have to be in fear of your life.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

ONLY IN EGYPT

One of the engaging characteristics of the Egyptians is their sense of humour.

Although they'd be understandably affronted if a foreigner poked fun of the country, amongst themselves they have a wonderful wry humour about the foibles of their homeland.

I often get emails entitled "Only in Egypt" with photos showing some of the hilarious things that you can see on any street.......


.....such as this novel way that a tour bus driver has managed to prop up his vehicle whilst changing a flat tyre!

Or the donkey using the steps up to a flyover pedestrian crossing!

The picture above reminds us that it's definitely a man's world!


It seems that the architect for this building never graduated from primary school!

And pickup drivers have amazing confidence that their vehicles can carry everything!


All of this adds a sort of quirky sense of surprise to life and each time you go out, carrying a camera is a must.
Thank heavens that these days small digital cameras and mobile phones mean that you never miss a photo op.

I've coined a phrase for such things - "The E Factor" - which saves causing offense but conveys a sense of the wonderfully chaotic world which is Egypt.



Friday, June 19, 2009

THE DATE HARVEST

When we first came to live in Egypt, home was a house surrounded by farm fields on the road between the Pyramids of Giza and Sakkara.







Rural Egypt is completely different from rural England where I'd grown up so every day was a discovery for me.

There were several varieties of date palms which were harvested around September by fearless farm workers who climbed up the tree trunks supported by a sling and carrying a huge flat basket.

When the big bunches of dates were cut from the trees by large curved knives they were tossed into the basket which was lowered to the ground with a rope before the man himself came down.

One day I opened the front door to find the branches of freshly cut dates plus the old boots of the farm worker lying there in such a way that it shouted "painting" to me!

I made some quick sketches and "The Date Harvest" in watercolours was finished a couple of weeks later.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

It's a tough life......................


I've lived near the sea all my life but never as close as I do now.

The majority of holidays were beach ones as it's always been my favourite environment.

I never thought that I'd be lucky enough to actually be able to walk to the beach in literally two minutes.
Egypt has - except for a couple of very hot months - a lovely climate so we appreciate being outside as much as we can.

Sometimes I'm lucky enough to swim with the dolphins who pass by


We're also able to grow some stunning flowers in our garden - Hibiscus, Frangipani and Bougainvillea - as well as cactus that flower several times each year.

Yes of course there are downsides to this lifestyle but for the most part they're far outweighed by the good.

And I never, ever, forget to count my blessings.

Saturday, June 6, 2009

TAMING THE MACHO MALE

I love living in the Middle East but one aspect that drives me nuts is the prevalent culture of the Macho Male.

The Macho Male, you must understand, is a self-proclaimed superior being. He is unshakable in his belief that he is the strongest as well as the most intelligent and above all is he never, ever wrong.

In his eyes women automatically fall at his feet regardless of whether he's a testosterone-fuelled teenager or a saggy old bloke who's so far past his sell-by date that he should be consigned to landfill.

The Macho Male at all times must remain aloof from mundane day to day domestic trivia as he loses Macho Points if seen to show the slightest interest in such unworthy dross.

Not for him the simple tasks of putting his used plate in the dishwasher or throwing his dirty socks in the laundry basket.

He must believe in good fairies or some such invisible powers as how else does a house run so smoothly as he's convinced that his womenfolk spend their lives doing frivolous, girly things.

For example how does carelessly discarded dirty laundry find it's way clean and folded back to the cupboard?

Who else can have created a buffet of lip-smackingly delicious dishes for a gathering of friends at home? And so on.

If he ever bothered to think about it, it would be a mystery to him.

It's not that Macho Male is deliberately being unkind - merely that he's never been taught to be thoughtful.

Coming from the kind of Western family where all the men helped around the house, I knew it didn't have to be that way and wondered at first if it was a genetic thing.

But it turns out that mostly it's the women who have brought it all on themselves.

I've come across countless mothers from all walks of life who dote on their sons and wait on them hand and foot whilst their daughters are expected to make themselves useful and even join their mothers in pampering their fathers and brothers to the extreme.

In turn the boys expect the superior treatment to continue when they get married and so it goes on ad infinitum.

Oddly enough the women are forever complaining amongst themselves at the general attitude of men, how lazy and helpless they are, without realising that the solution is in their own hands.

So ladies...yes, your son may well be a wondrous child but please don't turn him into a spoiled Macho Male.

Teach him to make his own bed, produce a simple meal and do the dishes once in a while and you will have the unwavering gratitude of generations of future wives.

And the Macho Male culture will be unceremoniously consigned to the past where it deserves to be.