*** Friday, 25Aug06 ***
I have been photographing the life guards at the hotel pool because they are so handsome. Recently I decided to give them a copy of the pix of them I liked best and the effect has been magnetic. They are blown away by the pix (which I print in color on about 8 by 10 paper). I am now a celebrity at the pool. They all know my name and treat me like an important person.

Haythom, Ahmed No. 2, Ahmed No. 1, Regab and their boss.

They are nice guys and I am even learning their names -- not easy here since nothing is familiar. I used to photograph them surreptitiously but now I tell them the poses I want and they cooperate because they want pictures of themselves. No less than two of them have given me Egyptiana (tourist junk) as a thank you. I got a small Horus statue from Regeb -- even before I took his picture. At this rate, I could end up with a ton of free crap before I leave.

I am beginning to count the days till I leave, October 1. It's just over a month now. I have been working hard all the time here but more on other people's problems and that is a problem since, at least technically, I will be judge by my deliverables -- not the work I actually did. I have to get this part of my work here straightened out.I couldn't control myself and showed Regeb, Ahmed No. 2's picture. He was so impressed he asked me for a copy and told me that Achmed#2 was off for a week. These pictures have certainly put me on the map at the pool.

*** Sunday, 27Aug06 ***
I am officially counting the days until my departure on October 1. Given that Oct 1 is a Sunday and I would be leaving at 12:30 A.M. I plan on changing my departure to Friday morning or maybe Thursday morning.

I asked Paul if he would take a package for me to the States and mail it. He replied, "Yes, but I don't know where I am going." Possibly a more prophetic statement than he realized.

*** Monday, 28Aug06 ***
My photographs of pool staff have become a minor problem: everyone wants one. They literally line up to ask for pix. How do I shut this down without offending people?

*** Wednesday, 30Augch06 ***
This morning there were some pleasant clouds in the sky. Clouds here are very unusual. After five months still seems quite odd -- if in a pleasant way.

*** Thursday, 31Aug06 ***
Thank god it's Thursday!

Ahmed No. 3.

I awoke to an actual cloud cover today. I could hardly believe it! This is the first time in five months! I assume it will burn off but it moderates the temperature in the morning and so is very nice.

I had another cheese omelet disaster this A.M. They ended up sprinkling small chunks of cheese on my cheese-less cheese omelet. I just don't get it.

Tonight was Judie's apartment warming party. I went with Phil and his wife and a thoroughly disbelieving Paul but I led the way and we got there for minimal cost (20 LE).

The party was nice, Julie and Lucas put themselves out to make everyone feel at home. I took some pictures but not many. I thought it would be interesting to put together a very brief video of the party so check out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vP5bAGoHmek

for a two minute video.

*** Saturday, 02Sep06 ***
The heat wave that has been continuous since the end of June has finally broken. Temperatures have fallen from a steady 37 C. (99 F.), day in and day out to 32 C. (90 F.) and -- strangest of all -- there are clouds in the sky! There were no clouds to speak of since I arrived at the beginning of April so they seem anomalous now. I even forgot that clouds cast shadows that moderate the effect of the sun so the clouds are a welcome addition to the weather. They appeared for the first time only in the A.M. Now they hang around all day long. Before the clouds the only variety in the weather was the morning mist which slowly grew in its dawn intensity but was always burned away by the strength of the sun.
Men here really like mustaches and a high percentage sport them.

Haytham, one of the lifeguards.

The photo thing is getting tiring. On the one had they shower attention on me -- when they see me at the pool each life guard comes over to me and shakes my hand -- on the other there is always someone else who wants a picture. This time it was the one not-so-good-looking guy at the pool desk. And the food server guy -- did I mention him? So I took a group shot of the life guards and one of the food service guy and hopefully this will be the end.

While walking, a guy shouted out at me, "You walk like an Egyptian!" and I kept walking like an Egyptian, as fast as I could. The line was one that is regularly used by touts to start a conversation and get you into their shop so they can wear you down and get you to buy some floral essences.

While waiting for the car to the office, a woman working in a different area came over to the table and told the story of how an Egyptian man came over to her and started a conversation. Before long she was in his store and completely fascinated with his collection of perfume essences. She told us how they were made from grinding thousands of flowers and how the aroma was extracted (she called it a "smell"). She described how he put a dab of the essence onn her wrist and how wonderful it all was. She did buy some (but didn't say how much she paid). She was a happy customer, completely thrilled with the experience. Surely, it takes all kinds.

In the evening I went to Taboura Restaurant and had the Steak in Pepper Sauce with no vegetables -- that meant more French fries so I didn't complain. The steak is distinctly mediocre and would be a lot better if it were ground into a patty but the pepper sauce is a delight.

*** Sunday, 03Sep06 ***
Egypt gets a lot more climate and a lot less weather than New England. The weather (I should call it climate) changes little from day to day so I miss the variation that is so New England. The average temperature has fallen which is quite an improvement.
Does Egypt ever get cold?

It can get to the low sixties here and everyone nearly shivers to death. No one has any heating so it really seems cold to them.

*** Monday, 04Sep06 ***
I had an early dinner with Richard at La Bodega in Zamalek. I ordered beef in peppercorn sauce and they brought me beef in mushroom sauce but for the very first time in Egypt -- the VERY first time -- the beef was tender. A very delightful first!

The Cairo Tower at night.

At my request we stopped in "Drinkies" -- you guessed it! -- for a case of 1/2 liter Heineken cans and a small bottle of vodka. I don't get to Drinkies very often so I perhaps overdid it but a desperate man will do what needs to be done. Richard was the perfect gentleman (the taller, stronger, younger -- and yes, handsomer -- gentleman) and carried the case of Heineken while I led the way across the street holding the black-bagged vodka.

We (well, I, Richard having hands busy) flagged a cab and I gave our destination to the driver and said, "Ten pounds," to which he said, "Fifteen pounds," to which I said, "Come on! You know the fare is five pounds!" to which he laughed and said, "OK". So we got in the smallish cab and the tallish Richard and the case of Heineken took up the whole back seat so I took the front seat. The driver went forward and leaned over to me and said, with a twinkle in his eye, "Ten pounds plus two cans of beer."

The driver took the less direct route that brought us over the Qasr al-Nil Bridge but that let him turn on the street directly in front of the hotel. I have frequently been dumped on the Nile Corniche (pedestrian walkway) in front of the hotel but then I had to negotiate the crossing of the high speed traffic lanes which can be heart-renderingly scary. Our driver not only brought us to a safe access to the hotel, he insisted on going through the delays of security to drop us off directly in front of the rotating hotel entrance doors.

This is but one instance of how nice Egyptians have been to me. I should have given him two beers in gratitude. But, after all, beer is really important.

But the trip was not over. Richard quietly acquiesced to my carrying the plastic wrapped case of beer through security. Now I was prominently carrying 12 kilos of low grade liquid alcohol and a swaying bag of not-so-low-grade vodka through hotel security. Fortunately, these guys have seen everything -- including me struggling in with cases of Heineken before. (After all, I have been here more than five months!)

With considerable aplomb, the Tourism Police person took the case from me and demonstrated its heft while looking me in the eye with no expression in his face except for the suppressed smile. He put it on the other side of the metal detector and said, "Welcome". The other guards were equally discrete -- and amused.

So I got the beer into my room and into the half-fridge and imagined what it would be like in twenty-four hours. For now, there was the vodka. And so another day ended in Cairo.