moving on for good

It's finally hitting me, in waves of moistening eye ducts, and perhaps amplified by a slight caffeine overdose: this is not just any benign day, I am starting a new chapter in my life.

I'm moving from 4 years of experiencing Cairo, to at least two intense years of living in Geneva as a student.
This is significant because it marks the beginning of something somewhat serious which is true adulthood?
–at least that's the way I see it at the moment, we'll see what life has in store for me.

But then I also think: 'no big deal', 'change is good', 'it's all part of a process', 'I'm moving forward, not moving on'.

Symbolically, this flight from Istanbul to Geneva marks the separation between my time in the developing world v.s. my time in the developed world (although I don't really like those categorizations, and, anyway, Cairo is stagnant –not developing).


On another note, this vacation in Turkey with T was very good. I also enjoyed the last few days we spent in Istanbul with E and her friend J. They were very relaxing, chill. E is really easygoing and fun to talk to and I really liked the mellow vibe given off by J. T needs to keep away from alcohol... :-)

This morning was especially simple and enjoyable. The weather was perfect, our breakfast was nice, beautiful Turkish girls everywhere (wow, I have really been in Cairo for a long time), and I got a cute Turkish girl to show me her tattoo on her side ribs (about 20 cm below the armpit) without even asking :-D


I am now at the airport, a single individual lost in a mass of travelers, lost in my thoughts, careening somewhere between the third and fourth decade of my life, and boy-o-boy do I feel it. 

Urban planning on gameat al.dawal

Cool. So they planned out a parking lane here to allow people to shop and use the stores. Nice. Insightful. Though-out. Rare here

L'etang de mounira

L'étang de 1802 est revenu parmi nous.

Easter

Easter in dokki. A quiet day off, no traffic, like on Fridays.

Cairo Climate Talks urban transport and development

David Sims

Lufthansa bike

Blue bus

Today's novelty was a brand new CTA bus... colored blue instead of red

Yemeni breakfast

Yum yum, not a bad way to start the gastronomical day, with Yemeni omelet and beans.

memories of studying for the GRE

This is the cafe -cilantro in misaha square where I spent a long time studying for the GRE. Back in 2011.

SnapShot: shady street vendors

On the left see how they've pulled the banner out to make shade over the sidewalk? Pepsi was never so refreshing. Genius. 

separate your garbage campaign

Separate your trash to deal with the garbage problem.
Food in one bag and the rest in another bag.

Thoughts on: Garbage problems around Soliman Gohar square, Dokki

So, lately, I have once again been baffled by something which is total normal in Egypt. 

Consistently for the past few weeks, everyday that I go out around 8am, I see at least three garbage trucks picking up the garbage at Soliman Gohar (SG) Square. 

SG square is a place where all the garbage gets deposited (not in bins, on the floor, taking up two or three parking spots) from the surrounding market place and businesses. Usually there is a bit of a lag between the accumulation and the pick up. Not so anymore! But now, we have not one company cleaning up, we have TWO!

From what I've gather based on different local nearby merchants, one company is the government entity (or governorate, not sure) where the workers get paid peanuts (300 EGP/month?). this money gets collected as part of the water bill (which for our 5-story building is about 250 LE per month (including both) according to my cheap-o landlady). 

The private company that picks up the garbage and does a good job is the one were each apartment unit or business has to pay about 15 LE per month for their private services. That's the service traditionally associated with the zabaleen in manshiet nassr (I went to see an exorcism there in 2011). They are also generally considered very efficient. This has been extensively covered by Western media.

Anyway, the point being, we went from having not enough garbage pick up, to TOO much garbage collection. And still no garbage bin. 

Finally, a nice quote from my favorite NGO operating in Egypt, GIZ:

"The institutions responsible for waste collection and disposal are unable to cope with the complexity of the task in hand despite international support. There is no legal framework or strategic planning and responsibilities and tasks are not clearly allocated. The sector is significantly underfinanced and has an enormous need for long-term investments and services."

That's the zabaleen truck. pilled high. probably super dangerous for the roads too. and therefore perhaps TOO "efficient". 

Here, we have a view of the square, with one truck on the left, and two on the right, and one behind us (above). Normally the garbage is piled up in the center of the photo where the three men are standing side by side.  

This is from a different date than the two photos above. same location. "The truck has become the bin..." I like the tree/shrub sticking out of the back of the truck. 

Photos: Exorcism in Manshiet Nasr

These are from 2011.

There are not actual exorcism photos here, just photos of where they take place. 

Nice drawings on the cliff at the entrance

the two tablets of the ten commandments

Entrance to the church before it goes in to the side of the cliff.

JEEZUS

During mass

I like how the crosses also support the ceiling. 

after mass. when the exorcisms took place. I didn't take photos of it out of respect!

A chat about religion lead to an emotional hug out.

Notice the Egyptian flag. We are Copts, but we're still Egyptian too! 

The exorcisms were actually quite powerful. Although I knew they weren't real, it did feel like something was going on. Definitely something interesting to witness at some point. the power of faith. 

SnapShot: cool door in garden city

Super nice door. I should take a better photo of just the door and just the facade. Located on abu el din gamal mohsen street. by Falak café. 

Memories: coffee making in cairo

Final result

And the source of it all... Brazil! 

SnapShot: Construction site à la egyptienne

This is what we call here engineers doing engineering work

What they are doing here, in both photos, involves using those three poles connected in a teepee form, to start laying the foundation. The three poles suspend a pulley which connects a large cylinder. A machine raises and drops the cylinder (gravity) causing the cylinder to pound the earth until it gets deep enough and reaches the bedrock (I'm assuming). I'm not sure if they pour cement afterwards or just note the depth.
It's pretty fun to watch these guys work. So far, I've only seen them work on the edges of this property, starting the the foreground, working down the left side of this picture, to the back (in the picture above, not sure about below).

Update: of the construction site shown above

Taken on March 28th. Foundation coming along well. 

Site #2

The first photo was in dokki across from the noran hotel by ghir zaman.

The second was on Mohei eldeen by behoos. 

The first site caused the death of about five old trees which were cut down after the earth was removed from next to them for the foundation. 

These were taken on Sunday February 23, 2014.

Update: taken on March 5, 2014

"Allah! Allah" as they exert their strength to move the motor. 

Same guys as above. Calling to join in the fun. taken on March 18th 2014

Site #3 

Taken on March 28th near Midan el Geish. Again, notice the outer rebar of the foundation. 

Photo: Chair with a cool penchant

Keeping the parking spot with some creative means. two weeks ago, on Haroun street in Dokki

Photos: in and around Clot Bey Street

Future entrance to the attaba metro station. Probably for line 3

We originally roamed this street to find jean material from a store named "tutu" so I could get some jean pants made. (1.5 meters= 1pair of trousers=30LE)

To "fan" the  coals, they set up a ventilator. automation. 

Homemade car cover/quilt! nice!

Photo: A night of gun shots

We had a little get together for dinner. We could hear 6th of October bridge gunshots from out balcony. this is the only photo I took of the evening. 

Photo Essay: Balade de Saida Zeinab a Geish Square

This whole walk took about 3 hours. We went to Saida Zeinab to Geish Square (to eat chinese). passing by Ibn Tulun, Amir Taz Palace, Bab Zuweila, Azhar park, Azhar mosque, and Moez el-Din Street. Photos taken on July 6th, 2013

View of Saida Zeinab Mosque, with traffic 

Ibn Tulun minaret

Some school. with a nice brick facade/entrance.

Sabil up the street from Ibn Tulun. Amir Taz Palace is down that street on the right.

An old cinema

Coffee bean being roasted on the sidewalk. Smelled SO good

Market street scene with kids playing

Bab Zuweila, one of the seven door guarding Old Cairo

Probably from the early 20th 

Street Scene with minaret in the background

The old wall they discovered at the foot of Azhar park 

View from the top of Azhar park

Citadel in the background

Lots of romance going on at this particular spot... :-)

 VIDEO:

Almost NO room for light to pass through in between the buildings 

Islamic library. telling of how close we were to al-azhar university/mosque

Chinese dog. a sign it was time for chinese food in Abaseya 

Abdel Zaher

eh ya HAG BOULBOUL el-HELW عامل ايه؟؟؟

I never noticed this before, but here we have a nice mural