The day of rest

The day of rest/holy day is not a true day of rest, but I had a great time today. It was a galabaya BBQ. A galabaya is a long robe worn by both men and women. The women's are very formal and the men's are plain.



The BBQ was at a farm on the outside of Cairo. We went through Giza and through a very poor section of town where people wore galabaya as their everyday wear. The only thing I can compare these areas to the farm is Costa Rica. The poverty is very extreme. they are bringing sewer to some of the areas, but the roads are dirt and it is still an area where some people get their water from the Nile.



The party was lavish. The BBQ was a lamb that they put into the ground to cook for four hours and it hangs in a way that all the fat drains off. I wouldn't say all, but a good portion. Next, there was a folk-type band that played traditional music with drums and wind instruments that look like clarinets. We all danced and needless to say even in Egypt I still dance like a white girl. Everyone dances like a belly dancer and by the end of the day I was doing better, so much so that my belly is sore and so is the hip that is always sore...more yoga for me tomorrow.

One big difference between Egyptians and Americans is the buffet line. I know what you are saying, how could this be true? Buffet lines are homogenous. In the US we file these orderly lines and we do not cut infront of one another. In Egypt everyone is pushing. If you do not push, you do not eat. They swarm in and swarm out and everything is gone (except of course their version of the jello salad...no one eats that). THis is done for both the main course and deserts. Bryant and Regina almost got knifed trying to get a peice of ice cream cake--no joke. Ok the knifing might have been on accident but there were knifes being forced at the icecream cake and they were in the way.

We played backgammon and dominoes and futbol (soccer) and frisbee and danced more in the afternoon. We left after Asserf (not the right spelling of his name) began to sing Sinatra..I did it my way and we all went to a cafe on the Nile. It was very pretty and very much like sitting on the Seine or the Rooftop without the alcohol. Asserf loves stand-up comedy and anytime he wanted to make me laugh he was say "my name is Ahck-med. I am a terrorist....I kill you" It is a routine from Jeff Dunham, I think. By the way it is Ah-med. There is no Ahck-med.

It is time for bed again. I don't know when I will have good internet again. Mona and her mother moved a bed into their family room so I would have a private room and this is where their internet is. I am very lucky and I don't think this lightening will strike twice.

By the way Brad....I am looking for a vile of sand. I picked up a rock at the pyramid to take (thought that would suffice) and was told that they may hold me in customs for bringing it in. I am trying to at least not get myself thrown in jail. On the way here, Bill, my team leader, brought a bag for one of the Egyptians in NC and they had packed butter knives and cake knives in his carry-on luggage. He was detained for about half an hour at the Charlotte Airport. He had a little trouble in Germany, but it wasn't as bad. I think they took the cake knife and TSA will call him when we get back to make sure he is not smuggling anything else.

Also, it may take me longer than I wanted to upload pictures. Someone, not naming names (me), forgot the cord for the camera to the computer and will have to buy another on in Alex. Regina may have something that might work. Again I apologize for the lack of pictures. There are some good ones....especially now when we are in the galabayas.