Kaddee’s Cairo Chronicles

10 August 2008 - near Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, off the backside of Jackson Reef aboard the Brina I

Photo from: National Geographic website

3 dives in the blue

last dive - 8 hammerheads

I couldn’t be more pleased

No, it is not as bad as all that!

I began SCUBA diving when I was 19 year old. I was Open Water Certified (Level 1) in university. At that time, I thought, “Wouldn’t it be cool to be able to dive for a living?”

Years went by. In grad school, I returned to diving (a lot) to support my research and other projects in my lab. Again, I thought, “I should get more certifications, and, perhaps, use diving as an alternate career path.”

During grad school, I began the 2nd level certification, Advanced Open Water. Due to research schedules, however, I never completed the course. I never really thought much more about it.

More years went by. I was teaching at Highline Community College. They have a Marine Science facility on the Puget Sound. A number of us were using the facility for teaching, sample collection and community outreach education - some of which included SCUBA diving.

We realized that it would be “prudent” for us to gain further certifications, if for no other reason than that we were LEADING dives with Open Water divers, and were not much better trained (although FAR more experienced) than they were. A group of us completed the Advanced Open Water and Rescue Diver certifications. This level of training prepared us for emergencies in the water, and gave us all more experience and confidence. However, none of that training really prepared us to LEAD dives and manage dive plans for others.

Fast forward to a month ago. Jack and I decide to spend a month in Dahab to get out of Cairo for August. I decide that, perhaps, this is the time to fulfill one of those long-standing wishes/dreams - complete DiveMaster training. With this certification, I cannot TEACH classes, but I can assist and I can guide dives.

Assisting and leading dives is not my long-term goal for this training, I have a job that (most of the time) I really enjoy. My goal is more personal and educational. With this course, I shift from the “Look and swim” mindset of diving to the “Show and lead” mindset.

So, here I am in Dahab. We have been here for 3 full days. I have begun my DiveMaster Training (DMT) with my favorite dive center, Sinai Divers Backpackers Dive Center. On the second day after arrival, I assisted on 2 guided dives and an “Intro to SCUBA” dive. Yesterday I assisted on a “BubbleMaker” (kids intro) dive. Today I am up to my eyeballs in homework. The irony does not escape me!

I am doing EXACTLY what I’ve wanted to do for a VERY long time. OMG is it hard work. I couldn’t be happier.

It seems that everyone (especially Gozi - Arabic for my husband) knows that the idea of us moving to another flat, even within Zamalek, is INSANE. Everyone, that is, except me. Until last night.

Back story: in my last installment, I talked about us TRYING and being DENIED a flat in Zamalek. Just after posting that, I received an e-mail from housing. My complete raving b*tch, hissy-fit e-mail about how “…it’s not FAIR…” was received, and responded to. We could move to the other flat, on OUR schedule, if that was what we wanted.

Oh joy! Oh happiness! Oh CRAP!!!!!
This turnaround means a ton of legwork and packing as well as readjustment to a new physical space.
NO PROBLEM! We got the key and began taking measurements.

After a weekend of logistical nightmares, pages of notes about the items that needed fixing, changing or moving, and the realization that certain of our belongings (namely the dishwasher) could not be moved to the new flat (no room in the kitchen without a TOTAL remodel), the “light dawned on Marblehead”.

I cried.
Not because we can’t move - we can if we want to. I cried because of all the stress and wasted energy that had been put into an idea that was doomed from the start. Jack knew that and through it all was a trooper. He measured, commented, made suggestions, came up with harebrained solutions for problems with the flat. All that so that I would “be happy”. And instead I caused unhappiness to both of us.

Well… Closure has been attained. We are not moving. My decision. The problems with the current flat are far fewer and the fact of not having to move far exceeds the benefits of the other place.

Why are others able to see these things so clearly, when I cannot? Maybe it is time for glasses?

Yes, I have been a lazy bum about keeping up with the blog! Things have been hectic.

We have been talking about spending an extended stay (1 month or so) in Dahab, and FINALLY put in the time to find a place and make it happen.

Last week we were in Dahab looking at flats for August rental. It wasn’t looking too good, AND we were supposed to be changing apartments in Cairo, so hell was breaking loose all over the place.

Long and short of it - we found a nice place in Dahab, close to the beach, our favorite pizza place, and a nice pub; we are not changing flats in Cairo, life has settled down.

I have to admit, I am VERY bummed that the apartment in Cairo didn’t work out. It was SUCH a nice place. AND it was not in the dorm, so I could avoid seeing my students day and night, I could have privacy! But, alas, the housing office decided to be EXTREMELY unhelpful, and eventually told us that IF we wanted to move to that flat, we would have to do it in a span of about 3 days - after the current residents left, and before the start of August or Tough Sh*T.

One opportunity lost, but another gained - August in Dahab.

Last week was a lot of reconnoitering interspersed with some really nice dives - for BOTH of us! Soon we will head back for more diving, interspersed with work (and, for me, Dive Master Training!).

I, apparently, am living in INTERESTING times!

For reasons that I cannot currently recall or fathom, on the 4th of July, in Cairo, I decided to participate in my first Hash.

You may be thinking - “HASH!!!! Is that LEGAL in Cairo????”

FYI from the Cairo Hash House Harriers website:

Variously described as “the lunatic fringe of running” and “the drinking club with a running problem,” the Hash House Harriers are a worldwide loosely organized collection of individual clubs.

The Hash was set in an area called Wadi Degla. A wadi is a dry river bed, or canyon (similar to a Spanish/Mexican arroyo). This particular wadi has been designated an environmental preserve. More info about Wadi Degla HERE (caveat: this article is from 1999, some of the info is out of date). It is a popular place for people to run, walk, cycle, walk the dog, or just get out of Cairo. It is about 45 minutes south of downtown by taxi.

So the Hash is loosely scheduled to begin at 5 but my friends and I (I went with 3 people from the Club) arrived just after 4 - bad planning, as there is no shade in the wadi, and it is a DRY canyon! We tried to stay cool and hydrated until the Hash began.

I decided to do the walk, not the run. Both trails began with an excruciating assent to the rim of the wadi. Twenty minutes of heart-popping climbing on loose rocks and sand. At the top it was unbelievably hot and dry, but also beautiful and a load of fun.

Imagine, if you will, adults with good educations and respectable jobs, running/walking thru the desert shouting “On On” to indicate that they are on-trail, choosing frat-house names as their Hash Names (think Hugh J Nuss), drinking beer and singing silly songs after the Hash is done.

It was a TOTAL BLAST. I look forward to going back!

One of the “draws” for coming to a place like Cairo, and a large(ish) university like AUC, was the access to unusual events and opportunities. I’ve been calling these posts “Bonuses” because in the realm of my life in Cairo, that is how I view them. They are unexpected and wonderful additions to my experience here - and are not readily available to all who visit.

A few days ago, I received this e-mail:

My dear colleagues,

I am going to play a short, informal recital on the harpsichord this Monday, June 30, at 8 p.m. in the Falaki Studio Theater (in the AUC downtown campus, room 312 of the New Falaki building, at Falaki and Sheikh Rihan Streets). The balance of the concert will consist of music for harpsichord of Scarlatti, Bach, and Couperin. Gala El Hadidi will also join me to sing a few arias of Monteverdi and Vivaldi with harpsichord continuo.

The harpsichord in question dropped out of the sky about three weeks ago, on loan from an extremely generous benefactor. Since then I seem to be spending most of my time playing it, as opposed to getting any actual work done. That being the case, it seemed to make sense to invite you all to a recital in order to better acquaint you with this marvelous instrument.

I hope you can join me and Gala on Monday evening.

How often does one get invited to a harpsichord recital? And then, being joined by a singer to “sing a few arias of Monteverdi and Vivaldi”?

I have to admit, I’d never heard a harpsichord being played. I’ve seen them in museums, but to have a friend actually PLAY one was fantastic. The selected pieces emphasized both the strengths of the instrument, and the versatility of the musician. The singer had an incredible mezzo-soprano voice that filled the small venue with sensuous sound.

So I have a new version of the blogging software, with all kinds of cool, whizzzz-bangy features. I’m learning how to use them, so watch out!

One of the features is that embedded video is “easier” (for some value of easier). So I’ve been going thru all my old, short, point-and-shoot videos.

First point - my camera shoots in *.avi mode. “So what”, you say. Well, I’ve discovered that a 15 second video in *.avi is about 26MB, but if I change the format to *.wmv it is about 2MB!!! So I am in the process of editing and resaving my videos as *.wmv format, SO THAT I CAN POST THEM!!!

Second point - people (namely, myself) take video of some of the STUPIDEST things on the planet. This new technology is bringing that point home for me. I’ve been surreptitiously viewing and hastily DELETING a number of videos that are unfit for even my viewing. Be thankful.

Third (and last) point - videos shot with p&s cameras are, typically, CRAP. I know this, and yet will still be subjecting the vast blog-o-sphere to some of my masterpieces of crap. Thanks for understanding.

Video #1 - from Qatar: March 2007
We went 4-wheeling with some people from Pole Position on the dunes in Qatar/Oman. It was a lot of fun. This was shot by Jack as we drove/slid/nearly rolled down the slipface of a VERY TALL DUNE.

Video #2 - the Dead Sea, Jordan side: April 2007
This video is “not fit for prime time”. Everyone does it, but few put it online for others to see. I am embarrassed, and yet…..here it is.

Actually this was added to the original Dead Sea post, so some of you may have already seen it. In which case, do not feel obligated to push play.

After 2 weeks of relaxation in Barcelona, we flew to Rome for 4 days of being REAL tourists. I had not been in Rome for over 20 years (OMG - how is that possible??), and this was Jack’s first visit, so we had things to do.

Rome was MUCH hotter than Barcelona (although cooler in temperature than Cairo, it was much more uncomfortable due to the humidity). We made a valiant attempt to see as much as we could in four days. Unfortunately, both Jack and I were “out-of-shape” for the tourist blitzkrieg. The heat, humidity and hills took their toll on us!

The day we arrived, we met TV&KC near the Spanish Steps for a glass of wine and a nosh. The four of us had a beautiful postprandial stroll to the Trevi Fountain before heading off on our separate ways.

This is one of the cool perks of this job and location. How often does anyone get the chance to say, “We flew to Rome and met XYZ for a drink and a stroll….”? I know I am incredibly lucky to be able to do it - and it makes me giggle to see it in “print”.

Day 2 in Rome was scheduled for a FULL itinerary of tourist stuff: Colliseum, Forum, Pantheon. We got a very late start, and only managed the Colliseum, due to the heat.

Day 3 was mellow, in that we used one of the Hop-on-Hop-off busses to get around the city. We stopped at the “Bocca de la Verite”, Plaza Venezia, Plaza Navona, Plaza de Popolo. Again it was hot, so we would stop for a few pictures, something to drink and a short walk around each area before getting back on the bus. We drove by the Circo Maximus and the Forum, and the Vatican, but did not have the energy to explore either place. In the evening, we went back to Plaza de Popolo for an outdoor “show”. It was similar to the one we saw in Lisbon 9 years ago. There was scaffolding and guy wires around the fountain on which acrobats performed “dances” in mid-air. There was also a stage around the fountain, where dancers performed short choreographed pieces in shallow pools of water! Very odd, surreal and fun!

Day 4 (our last day) we went to the Vatican museums. I *had* to see the Raphael “The School of Athens” fresco. It is one of my all-time, Renaissance favorites. I was nearly in tears (really!) to see it in person!

And, of course, we were both excited to see the Sistine Chapel. I cannot express my awe at the frescos of the Chapel, and my horror at the general behavior of the masses of people in the Chapel. There are signs everywhere, and guards “reminding” everyone that this is a religious place - BE QUIET and no pictures or video are allowed. I think Jack and I were the ONLY TWO PEOPLE who DID NOT take any photos in the Sistine Chapel. EVEN THE NUNS WERE TAKING FLASH PHOTOS. I was horrified and offended by people’s behavior, and I am not Catholic, or even religious!

After the Vatican, we went to another religious structure - the Pantheon. This was a bit more in line with my ideas. It has survived for over 2000 years by serving as a site of worship for “all gods”. The interior is still beautifully covered in marble and inlays, and there is nothing quite as captivating as the “Oculus” in the ceiling, allowing a single beam of natural light to illuminate the interior.

More Rome photos HERE.

We just got back from nearly 3 weeks of PURE vacation. This is very rare for Jack and me, since he has a “real job” and does not get the buckets of vacation that academics are afforded. THIS was a REAL vacation - neither of us did a single iota of work. It was incredible. And needed.

Thanks to my family (THANK YOU EVERYONE), we rented a studio apartment in the Gothic district (Barri Gòtic) of Barcelona for 2 weeks. We were 3 blocks off the Ramblas (right at a Metro stop - Liceu) and about 7 minutes from Port Vell and the Passeig de Colom.

The “reason” for picking Barcelona (other than the OBVIOUS - charm, beauty and amazing food, wine and people) was MotoGP (pics are HERE). Yes, we went to ANOTHER GP event!! It was WONDERFUL. The weather was spotty, but the practices, qualifiers and races were excellent. Unfortunately Lorenzo was badly hurt in practice, and did not participate in the race.

(Both of these photos are from Friday, before free practice. We had paddock passes and were hanging out near the residence RV’s as the GP guys headed for the pits for practice!! LUCKYLUCKYLUCKY!)

After race weekend, we spent the remainder of the time on vacation. **I had to be reminded of that, on occasion, when I would hyperventilate and have small fits over Jack sleeping in. I eventually loosened up.**

We were in Barcelona for the first time in the summer of 1999. A lot has changed, not the least being the ECONOMY. The Euro has made all of Europe VERY expensive and much harder to live in. The days of certain countries being cheap (Spain on the peseta) are over! Given that, we still LOVE Barcelona, and Spain, and would move in an instant, given the opportunity!

Having been there 9 years ago also meant that we had already done/seen a lot of the standard tourist attractions. So this trip we could just relax into and enjoy the city without the strain and rushed chaos of trying to “do all the sights”.

We did some touristy things (the Picasso museum, Parc Guell, the Dali museum in Figueres), but for the most part, we wandered, ate, drank and relaxed. A short smattering of pictures are HERE.

15 February 2008

Along the lines of “I can’t believe it!” NSTIW- sitting at my desk at AUC, when an e-mail pops up (GOD I hate Outlook) saying that one of the Uni offices has FREE tickets to see the Smithsonian Jazz Masters playing an outdoor concert IN FRONT OF THE SPHINX in Giza! Yeah - REALLY!

So I texted Jack, did not bother to wait for his response, and headed over to the office to get tickets. The were “First come, first served” so I went quickly! When I got there, they had a HUGE stack of tickets, but only allowed one person to get 4 tickets - so I got 4. (I had contacted AJ on the way over, and she asked for tickets, if I could get ‘em).

I got tix for all of us! (Unfortunately, a significant number of our friends did not manage to get tix - Sorry Guys. Apparently “important” people were allowed to PHONE IN ticket orders, even though the e-mail said you had to go in person.) The concert was the day after Valentines. It was a mixed day, weather wise, with breaks of bright, hot sun and clouds threatening imminent rain. Luckily for us, the rain never came.

The concert was OUTSTANDING. A marvelous collection of classics (Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald etc.) as well as more “modern” classics (Quincy Jones).

I managed a couple of pics with the point-and-shoot, and a quick video of the piccolo piece which many of you may recognize. Sorry for the quality

Pictures:

Sorry for the head in the way

PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THE VIDEO WORKS!!! This is my first attempt at video on the blog, and…..I’m not convinced it will actually work!