I always feel a little down after returning to cairo after a vacation, but the feeling usually subsides after a few days and I get back into my normal routine- this time however, it has stuck.
I wasn't in Cairo last summer for more than about 2 days at a time, so maybe this is what summer is always like but all the little things that usually annoy me, just seem so much more....annoying!
People are more irritable (including me) because it's warmer; people who smell bad in the winter smell exponentially worse in the summer; people who do stupid things normally seem to think even less in the summer (including people I work with) and most annoying of all... apparently the electricity and water going off is normal for this time of year, but when I ask for an explanation (like in the winter in cold places when pipes sometimes freeze, I thought maybe there is some sort of heat-related issue too..) I am just met with incredulous stares and the statement: "it's
summer." My washer also broke this week and I'm sure that is summer-related too. Unfortunately Ahmed my boweb ( guy who sleeps under the stairs and helps with stuff around the building) has gone MIA..( he probably has the good sense to get out of cairo in the summer).. so it remains unusable.
Food is never in perfect condition when you buy it here.. some things you get used to (spotted fruit, dented cans, dusty jars) and some things you draw the line at. Mold is usually where I draw the line, but this week I have been working my way through a loaf of bread that is moldy- I don't actually eat the mold
but I take out a slice, inspect it- if it's moldy I throw it out, if not, it becomes a sandwich. I know from foodsafe (and having dad as a dad for almost 30 years) that the mold is likely all the way through the loaf and I just can't see it, but the alternative- going to a fly- filled, hot store; fighting my way through the tiny aisles, trying to get past the fat egyptian ladies who see no reason to move their cart from the middle of the aisle while they gossip on their cellphones at full volume, and then waiting in line with dirty, smelly men who stare at me, while another dirty, smelly man rings me through and another equally dirty, smelly man touches all my food with his filthy hands as he bags my groceries- is almost worse.
So here I am, only able to bathe intermittently, with dirty clothes, eating moldy food... it's great.
I know, I know, it could be worse- I am just feeling sorry for myself this week thinking about all the fun things I'd be doing in Victoria right now if I was there (open water swim workouts at thetis, camping, sooke potholes, willows beach, BBQs, drinks on patios etc) . I hope you're all doing well and are making the most of your showers, clean clothes and enjoying your food the way the manufacturer intended it! xoxo C
Sorry for the long time between posts...it's just that most of the runners are away and I've been sort of sick lately so I haven't really done anything besides working lately.
but I take out a slice, inspect it- if it's moldy I throw it out, if not, it becomes a sandwich. I know from foodsafe (and having dad as a dad for almost 30 years) that the mold is likely all the way through the loaf and I just can't see it, but the alternative- going to a fly- filled, hot store; fighting my way through the tiny aisles, trying to get past the fat egyptian ladies who see no reason to move their cart from the middle of the aisle while they gossip on their cellphones at full volume, and then waiting in line with dirty, smelly men who stare at me, while another dirty, smelly man rings me through and another equally dirty, smelly man touches all my food with his filthy hands as he bags my groceries- is almost worse.
This is how I spent the day; alternating between this chair and the water- it was too hot to do anything else. Over 40 today....
Sorry for the long break. I got back from the UK last Saturday but the week has been totally nuts since I got home- I haven't even done laundry from the trip yet. It looks like we're opening for sure on Oct 1 so there have been some late evenings at work, but TGI Thursday now and I have no plans tonight so I'm doing some laundry, baking banana bread for tomorrow's brunch and going to see if there's anything good on one of the 5 english tv channels I get.
who was a pleasant surprise)- then I took the train to Leeds and spent the rest of the week in Yorkshire with my parents, Aunt and uncle and cousin and his wife who I haven't seen since their wedding 5 years ago! We stayed in an old stone cottage for a few nights in a teeny town called Reeth and did a couple of walks in the dales. Unfortunately it wasn't the respite from the heat I was hoping for- it was 30C or over most days and way more humid than Cairo ever is.
friends from work for Lebanese food...we have an ulterior motive- chef and I need to find a lebanese chef asap so if he's good we're going to march into the kitchen and make him an offer he can't refuse... okay maybe not, but if you know a good one, let me know!