The revival of the tourist industry in Egypt is the fastest and least painful way (much less painful in the long run than borrowing money from the IMF) to get the Egyptian Economy back on it’s feet. It is adventurous people like Caye Poe and John Francis of Dayton who will hasten the return of…
Niqab – Hijab. To wear or not to wear. There is a brilliant personal piece of writing by Nadia here where she tells her story of going from not wearing to wearing and back to not wearing the niqab (face veil etc. worn by some muslim ladies). The 70+ comments at the end of her…
The new Egyptian Minister for Tourism, Mounir Fakhry Abdel Nour said on April 15: “We are doing whatever we can to inform the world that security is prevailing, that hotels and Egyptians are waiting to receive tourists,” Abdel Nour said. “And with this effort, I expect the last quarter of the year to be excellent.” …
The day I saw the following in Tahrir Sq., my mind went immediately to the French Revolution – Madam Defage and her buddies knitting under the Guillotine as the forces of the popular Revolution cut off the heads of the aristocrats. As I took the photo I wondered if the Egyptian Revolution would go the…
“There comes a time in the affairs of men….” Well, I think we are fast coming, if we are not there already, in the affairs of Egypt when somebody must speak up for Egypt!I am back in Cairo after a much needed two weeks in Ireland. Two glorious weeks away from anger, resentment and frustration. …
As I was saying here just two days ago……same intersection just this time it was a red and a black car…. these two were not as lucky as the last two! Cairo is wonderful – just take it easy and keep your eyes open!
If you have an apt. with a street view (especially near an intersection) in Cairo – you don’t need a TV if you are into suspense thrillers. What happens when you have an intersection and just for a split moment there are no cars in the intersection? Well, in Cairo drivers seem to believe they…
Cairo 5.3.2011 – It’s 7pm and Talaat Haarb St. is turning into one big market place. Now that the street traders don’t have to run from the police who used to go around chasing them from the streets and confiscating their goods they are setting up all along the street. They are selling everything from…
I don’t know if I am becoming more enlightened about the world or just succumbing to manipulation from what I read on the net and see on the TV. So for anyone reading my ramblings please bear with me if you see me swaying this way and that way from blog to blog! Only time…
There is a movement afoot to take the name of “Mubarak” and that of his wife “Suzanne” of buildings, streets etc. – mostly in Cairo at the moment. I do hope this won’t go too far. It is what we call a “knee jerk reaction, which with hindsight may look petty or meaningless.Egypt cannot simple…
What is reality? If you are a fan of the “Matrix” films maybe you think it is just possible we are part of a BIGGER, muucch bigger “mind” or “consciousness”? Maybe, just maybe these bodies we believe we are in – we are not really in them at all? We are just using them to…
The Muslim Brotherhood held an open-air open meeting tonight which started at 6pm in front of Luxor Temple. There were an estimated 2,500 – 3,000 people in attendance. Two other observations – first the noticeable total absence of the army and the presence of one white police car and one small blue truck. The second…
Many times guests have asked me the differences between Western and Egyptian ways of life, thinking etc. and it is a subject one could talk about and analyse for hours. But today I found this on the net and I think it answers part of the question—differences between the societies brilliantly and concisely in the…
It is Friday the 18th – By the way President Mubarak stepped down on the 11th Feb, which reads 11022011 – it is a palindrome (meaning you can read it backwards as well as forwards). So, now 8 days since the historic event and I haven’t written any blog of note since then because to…
“This advice has been updated with new amendments to the Travel Summary and Safety and Security Political Situation. We continue to advise against all but essential travel to Cairo (all four governorates, including Giza), Alexandria, and Suez. However, we no longer advise against all but-essential travel to Luxor. We have also removed the recommendation that British…
Be careful what you ask for – you just might get it! Or to put it another way….be as specific as you can about what you want – for you will surely get it then! A few weeks ago I put it out to the Universe (God if you prefer that term) that I was…
As everyone probably know by now President Mubarak resigned yesterday. I have been busy preparing to get back to business myself so here are just some items of news to bring you up to date. People turned up at Tahrir Sq. today with brushes and bags – they cleaned up the square, the streets leading…
Christian Bible begins with the words “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” We could spend lifetimes trying to understand these words alone – Words creates our World. We have long heard the phrases “the power of the pen” and “the pen is mightier than…
We have a phrase in Ireland – usually used in a rather patronising or sarcastic way…..”the hurler on the ditch”. The hurler on the ditch is the loud mouth on the sideline shouting instructions (and sometimes abuse) at the players on the field. And, of course, he is the guy who (in his own mind)…