Siwa was too quiet!

The atmosphere was too serene in Siwa.  Now I'm having trouble sleeping.  The square on which I live in Dokki is SO LOUD.  I don't know how I didn't notice this before.  At ungodly hours of the morning I keep being woken by car alarms, dog fights, construction, and the call to prayer.  We tried closing our window, but yet again I was woken this morning.  We're on the 15th floor for goodness' sake!  My roommate wondered yesterday, "How did we ever sleep through the call to prayer?  It's so loud!"  This chant is sang and amplified for surrounding areas to hear at 4:55 am.  During the day, the call to prayer is one of the most beautiful sounds I know, but if you are awake or woken up by the morning call to prayer, it's one of the worst!!!  

Inspiration

I spent my weekend at the BEAUTIFUL Siwa Oasis.  It was an amazing trip.  I am still struggling with my photos, but plan on posting the best selections soon.  Siwan culture is fascinating, they have their own language!  Siwan history is vibrant, I got to climb around the old fortified city of Shali and star gaze.  Siwan desert is awe-inspiring, we sand boarded in the Great Sand Sea.  Hot-springs.  Salt Lakes.  Palm trees.  Couscous.  Hospitality.  Gosh golly gee.  As a teaser here are some watercolors I did at our beautiful hotel.  They are photographed on my beautiful new Siwan rug.  (Please forgive any flaws in my first ever attempt at watercolor painting.)

WINNING!

And today I won a kilo of bananas for visiting Al Masar Gallery!   Unfortunately, I dragged my friend Kathleen up and down 26 of July street in Zamalek for no reason, because when we finally found the building and this sign, there was no gallery attached to it.  But I got the picture by the sign anyway so I could claim my prize  :)

Luckily, I knew of some other Galleries nearby, so we had a lovely art-tastic night.  All three of these Galleries are within about a bock of each other, and there is yet another one in that immediate area that we didn't get too.

How convenient!  The lighting is best in the photo of my favorite gallery.  It's a nice cozy space with a fun loft that creates more exhibition space than there might be in larger galleries. 

This is also the site of that fantastic Ganzeer show I attended earlier.  The artist just posted pictures of his work from that exhibition.  I strongly encourage you to check that out HERE.  Another artist I've been following is Hassan Hassan.  I like a lot of his stuff, but I can't help getting sexist vibe from his work, like his latest posts.  But at the same time a lot of his posts express educated but unemployed young male adult frustrations, so maybe being sexist is just part of the territory.

Pictures... almost

I have some fantastic pictures from my visit to the Arab League and Garbage City, but my "start-up drive" is full on space.  I am trying to figure out how to post them for you to see.  Those were both fantastic trips.  I think the solution is to delete some of the photos on my computer, but that scares me a bit, because then the only place I have the photos saved are on the photo cards, so if they break or get lost I'm screwed.  But I think it will have to be done.  I am going to visit Siwa Oasis this weekend, and I just won't be able to stand not showing you some of those photos.  I don't know if I mentioned this, but that will be the first trip I can take with AMIDEAST, and it's a place I've never visited before.  I'm so excited :)

AMIDEAST has a little poster up in our facility where they post a new place to visite and eat every week.  If you do those things and bring them a picture you win a prize!  GUESS WHO WON TWICE!   This girl.  No one else has even bothered doing the activities, but that's fine by me.  MORE PRIZES FOR ME.  I have so far won a galabaya (yet to materialize), and a t-shirt.  Cassidy, my partner in crime, won 75 pounds in the form of a food order in!  Here are pics of our adventures:

Cafe Riche is a historical spot where Naguib Mahfouz received his Nobel Prize for Literature.

This place is AMAZING.  Great food, super cute vibe.

AND my favorite professor and Egypt mentor was visiting from the USA!

There and Back

Hello!  Once again I fail at regularly posting.  Last week I was in the US.  It was a much needed return home.  I saw my Grandpa and Uncle, both of whom were ill.  That was important, and I was glad to spend time with my sister over Halloween.  Since my return to Egypt my uncle passed away.  He was a really excellent man, and I'll miss him.  I feel so lucky I was able to see him when I did, and my thoughts are with my family back home.

So the first day or two back in Cairo were hard due to the situation back home, but now I'm back in the game.  The trip home was much easier than he trip to the USA.  I am finally starting to live the Cairo life I envisioned for myself when I first came.  Chill.  Active.  Out most of the time.  Lots of socializing.  Lots of academic outings.  Arts.  New Egyptian Friends.  I finally made it out to visit the Zabbaleen today.  It was an amazing trip.  I hope I can keep this up.

Let this article hold you over until I can get you a more in depth post: Mudslinging in Denial.  My friend Katie is a smarty.

IT'S RAINING!!!

RRAAIIIINNNNNN!!!!!  Droplets of water fell from the sky, and I felt them on my skin!  Everything cooled down and it smelt clean and wet!  RRAAAAIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNN IN EGYPT!

smoggy morn off the balcony