monkeys with tarter sauce™: Egypt

aventuras psicodélicas

Sat, 13 May 2006 08:09:56 GMT

Introducing, good old friend Bruno Bortolli from Brazil, which now is a student exchange in Egypt! His photos are amazingly beatutiful. Check out his blog in aventuras psicodélicas

2650 photos

Fri, 20 Jan 2006 14:15:23 GMT

I've forgot to mention that since I was in Egypt, I've taken almost 2650 picture and more. A photo would cost me 45 cent. And I've taken almost 200 photo's each day in average. While in Alexandria, its 300 something and almost 400 actually. This is what happen when you use Canon Digital Camera. LOL!

Holiday Highlights

Fri, 20 Jan 2006 13:59:14 GMT

Holiday Highlights

23/12 - Cairo Museum, 3rd time eating Koshary, first time taking Metro and microbus to Giza with Dalia

24/12 - (noon) Carrefour in Maadi

25/12 - Host dad's shop in Giza, went to Cairo Mall to buy Adidas sweater

26/12 - Nasr City's shop, then later night to Giza's shop

27/12 - Outing with Bruno and Leo using Lonely Planet walking tour from finishing point to starting point. Midan(square) Salah ad Din to Khan el Khalili Bazaar (around 10km) and got lost somewhere and went to Midan Talaat Harb and next to Midan Tahrir

28/12 - Out with Ms Wendy to Malaysian Embassy for some Nasi Lemak and Milo. Went to HSBC, Barclays and Egyptian American Bank but failed to cash travellers cheque. Moving on to Nile Hilton, next to Cairo Museum near Midan Tahrir and to Gezira Club for lunch

29/12 - Out with Bruno and Leo again to Vodafone, Bruno left, went to AUC bookshop, walk around with Sharifah, Naomi and Renata in Zamalek and had hot shoc in Cilantro

30/12 - Falukkah ride, Khan el Khalili, Sheesh Tawook

31/12 - rest day, Carrefour Maadi, out at night but just in the car. Celebrated New Year by playing games on the cell phone, and found out it's already 12.10am

1/1 - Went to LeeAn, another elementary teacher's house in Heliopolis and met the husband, Retired Captain Mohamed, pilot for Singapore Air, Egypt Air and personal pilot for the late Idi Amin; Uganda's dictator president ate Asam Pedas and Hokkien style satay for lunch and watched Herbie with Adam, the son

2/1 - Out again with Ms Wendy to the embassy for bihun goreng and nasi lemak, went to Orabi to the Enginnering Society to renew Ms Wendy's insurance policy

3/1 - Out again with Ms Wendy and Ms Mona, another teacher and Rana, her sister together with Mimi, a chartered librarian for the British Council and went to the Citadel of Salah ad Din and had lunch in Al Azhar Park during the sunset

4/1 - met Bruno's new family in Sahafayeen, Mohandiseen, on Ahmed Orabi street. Trying to figure out where to go and ended up hanging out chatting with the new host bro who's an architect

5/1 - went to AUC, waited Leo for 2 hours in AUC bookshop, and went to French Cultural Center in Mounira

6/1 - Finally! went to Haraam, the Great pyramids, entered some tomb outside the pyramid of Khufru and went inside Khufru's and another one small one just outside it

7/1 - Went out alone. AUC bookshop, hang out in Cilantro for 4 hours, walked to Midan Talaat Harb and later stayed in a cyber cafe, and strolled along Sharia Talaat Harb and 26th July street, went to Giza to meet some friend, got lost in microbus, got help by some old man that told to take another microbus, and headed to Sayeda Zainab's metro station and went onto the ladies carriage, the first carriage, got home around 12.30am

8/1 - went to Quiksilver in Zamalek, came home and went out with Ms Mona, Rana and Kareem her cousin to El Sawy Cultural Center underneath Zamalek bridge for Wust el Balad concert

9/1 - home, pack bags

10/1 - Eid Haj, went to prayers, came home and saw sheeps hate chopped off and blood all over apartment lobby, headed to Port Said, passed by Ismallia, crossed the Suez Canal, went to Port Fuad, came back and visit host dad's cousin, watched Arabic movie at night

11/1 - Meet another family of them, went to eat in Al Amir, a famous seafood restaurant, went out with the cousin's kids, walked around Port Said, passed by Amr Diab, famous Egyptian popstar weekend apartment

12/1 - Back to Cairo

13/1 - Went to Coptic Cairo with Sharifah, Naomi, Victoria, Renata and Leo. Visited the churches and went inside Ben Ezra Synagogue, illegally took some photos.

14/1 - Went to Alexandria with Sharifah by train, 3 hours journey, passed by Benha, Zagazig, Tanta and Mansura; just some places on the delta and rich with agriculture. Went out at night to cafe with new host bro, Karim and smoked sheesha, apricot flavor

15/1 - visited the Bibliotech Alexandria, the great library, National Alexandria Museum, ate Mo'men's egyptian sandwishes, went out at night to Carrefour and hang out in some outdoor cafe and met Christof; community service exchange student and Sabry; French exchange student

16/1 - Had breakfast in Hilton Bibliotech Alexandria Cafe, visited the famous Mosque, and went to Qaitbey Citadel (note:while in Alex, I've stayed with new host family I had breakfast at 12noon, lunch at 6pm and dinner at 1am)

17/1 - Stayed home, went out with everyone to Jungle cafe at night, had Mexican food; Fajita Chicken

18/1 - Went to Ahmed Hafiz's house, AFS chapter leader of Alex to transfer photos while in Alexandria and back to Cairo

19/1 - Back to Madrasa; school

20/ 1 - Writting this report

Fact: I've eaten more and gained more weight and have chubby baby fat on my cheek and panic-ing on how to loose it before coming back to Malaysia and still, loving Cairo and Alex no matter how bad it could actually be. Now I have less than 15 days left here.

I'm still writting a very long stories and came out with this report of what activities I've done. The full coverage will be published soon.

Ma'asalaama

Eid Mubarak! Bloody Day. City of the Slaughtered Animal Blood

Mon, 09 Jan 2006 22:00:58 GMT

Eid Adha is tomorrow. Prayers start at 6.30 and I will leave with my host family to Port Said soon
after the prayers. I believe I would escape the bloody mass sacrifice. It was mentioned by many
that below my apartment here, people slaughter animals. I can hear a sheep from my room
*mbek-ing* strangly sheeps here aren't really like those goat but sort of capricorn kind of animal with
weird horn. I wont be able to come online anymore because when I come back I will be going to
Alexandria. Darn it feels so short now. Time is really running away. I haven't been to Cairo Tower
nor the Coptic Cairo. And yeah not even the Al Azhar mosque! Oh shoot.. I still haven't pack my
bags yet. for both port said and alexandria. and it must be in seperate!! well so long for now..

Earthquake.. in Cairo

Mon, 09 Jan 2006 00:14:44 GMT

January 08, 2006

I woke up at 11. Got washed and stuff. I left the house at 2.30 to head to AUC bookstore which is
actually closed for Eid Adha feast until 18th. I must get myself a calender and planner before I go
to Port Said and Alexandria. I stopped at Nasser and not Sadat. I took a cab to Zamalek and head
for Quiksilver. Only later I walk to Sadat from Nasser and found out that AUC was closed. OK
Cilantro here I come. I love this coffee shop specially because the lovely ambience. Those
shopkeeper remembers me because I was there for almost 5 hours on Saturday. I wanted to go out with Leo and Bruno and everyone else but they didn't reply my call. So I gave up and hang out there. Hot chocolate for today. Went down to the subway and head to home. Then I came home at 5 something because Ms Mona is going to bring me to a concert in Zamalek. I left and waited her infront Metro supermarket. And she did mentioned and asked about Ms Wendy which is, "Have you heard anything from Wendy?". I remember that Mimi is leaving to Brazil today." she said. And yet Rana, her sister and Kareem didn't mention anything strange and so we arrived safely at the El Savy Cultural Center. Waes el Balad a.k.a. DownTown was totally an amazing band. It wasn't a concert but sort of a gig but almost few thousand people flocked by the small hall under the bridge next to the Nile. I don't understand Arabic, yet I still can clap and jump like mad. It was fantastic!! I came home at 11.30 and my host sister asked me to prepare my clothes to Port Said. We will leave after the Eid prayers. Then around 10 minutes later my host mum mentioned about an earthquake. I didn't feel it! Damn it! But I knew something was wrong. I was in the bathroom putting on my contact lens when it occurs. Now I'm just going to panic because my host mum said she realised when it happened and said things were moving but didn't mention anything earlier. I remember when I was in Ms Mona's car there was no building collapsed or whatsoever. I see no one got panic early that day. Life is normal to everyone. After all this place is stuffed with 18 Million people. Once chaos pop, its going to be hell!! Even in the metro, I waited for the next 3 trains to pass by because its super crowDed. Hundreds and hundreds of people flow into it each hour. Well I will need to go so I can go out early the next morning to do some sight seeing before leaving to Port Said and Alexandria. Anyway the earthquake happened in some small island in Greece but can be felt here. Thats all. Not serious but can still be felt. Wait. No wonder my contact lens solution bottle dropped. How silly! I thought I've dropped it. haha..Chao..

Hustle and Bustle of Cairo

Mon, 09 Jan 2006 00:09:04 GMT

January 07, 2006

So its been a while since I've last posted. Nothing much here. Crossing the road is a matter of life and death. If you are not careful, watchout of those crazy drivers everywhere. Traffic light are everywhere but it ain't working at all. I've used most of the public transportation. Including the middle-class long air-cond bus and the lower class micro bus, minu bus etc. I used a lot of Metro underground and aboveground. So far I've been going out a lot with Leo and Bruno. And I've eaten Nasi Lemak and Milo with Ms Wendy from my school. I've went to the Lonely Planet walking tour from Midan Salah ad-Din to Khan el Khalili Bazaar. Its about 15km? I think and I've been walking almost everyday. I had lunch during the sunset in Al Azhar Park and I went to the Citadel. After the Hajj prayers I will be going for a vacation to Port Said with my host family. A suprise from them to me. Then when I come back I will be going to Alexandria for 4 nights and stay with a different host family. Then on the 26th I will be going for a Nile Cruise trip from Luxor and Aswan. hmm...what else should I put here? The last 2 weeks has been crazy...so slowly I will update myself...gosh I don't want to even know any shit about PFS.. haha..lol.. don't feel like goiing back because its very comfortable here..despite the crazy traffic and stuff...anyways later days... ma'as salaama...

Second week in Cairo!

Fri, 23 Dec 2005 21:41:45 GMT

Al-la-wassalam! (hello) people! it feels like I've wrote my last post like a day ago but its been another wonderful week and I'm so loving my school unlike other AFS here in Cairo. The week started well as I started hanging out with Eliza, Gerard's sister from gred 12 and she looks so young although she's 18. The people I've hanged out with her are very welcoming and indeed very nice. We bitched around about this 1 "plastic" who "flips" her hair almost everyday. like making hair done not curl but bouncing. and oh god she's soo plastic. when i've asked ms sarah, she said "god this place is full with plastic!" moving on, i've hanged out with keziah a.k.a. rookie; a black american girl and people from gred 11B. they are known as "people-who-study" but NOT quite actually. This class might look like Zamrud but with 6 people, they rock. Unlike A, D and E which are like crazy as monkey and C is full with BOYS. Imagine how crazy a class could be even most only filled with 15-25 people. Me and Keziah started to tease Khaled, a Djiboutian lived in Canada all his life "bad lil Djiboutian" since he's been talking all crazy kid he actually hang out with in his neighbourhood in Rehab City. And I've actually gossiped with Keziah and Ms Sarah and Meena who has been living in Austria all her life and doesn't look Egyptian at all about people here. And a week before we were talking about hell and sin and heaven and stuff. MADNESS! Food. Crazy talk about nasty food with Mrs Fiona from Scotland. Fly larve in chocolate, egyptian beef turned out to actually a buffalo or donkey or camel and how we're missed OREO, MILO, Hershey's, Hacks and stuff unavailable in Egypt. There's not even a Body Shop here. And Mrs Fiona would only eat out if she know's how food are served and believe me, she knows many cook and owners so she don't have hard time here. Ms Wendy from the elementary who took the same bus with me gave me 3 pack of Milo instant 3 in 1 thingy and i was soo delighted!! I've been a Lipton Green Tea-aholic since I've been here and many Egyptian loves tea no matter how it's served. So far, this week in Egypt isn't anything much but on Wed & Thursday, there's a christmas party but gred 10-12 parties held on thursday. No class was on. Mrs Fiona bought us sanwishes. And later, I was suprised with a big A4 card. Signed by many because they thought I was leaving the school since I will be going to Alexandria. How thoughtful aren't they. I barely know them but I do get to know them closely and suprisingly, they're soo warm and nice to me. I mean they always sing "Malaysia Truly Asia" to me and loves to jumps and bounce around in front of me. They wouldn't want me to go back. God! I love these people! They are GREAT! We was suppose to go to Fudruckers but it was canceled..yeah sounds like Fcukers right?haha! I've enjoyed Ms Sarah English class, Mrs Fiona's Fench, Ms Rosetta's World History, Mr Omar's Psychology, Mrs Nermine Nabil's environmental science and yeah those are the only classes I've interested to get into. No other science and maths. Skip those algebra and precalculus. Oh yeah! The christmas party. Oh my goodness!! Mrs Amira the deputy director and wife of the owner of the madrasa (school) was in the middle of the dance floor. These kids loves to party even in noon time. They even hired a DJ!! and when the music was off, they just sings all the songs!! Jump, Bounce, Salsa, Hoopla, you name it they danced it!! ITS SUPERLY MADNESS. I guess nothing much happens yeah. Oh Hassan cried before the party even started. That poor guy I wonder what went wrong lol but otherwise he's even MAD. The school people, I even have many video to proove that they really danced and how great they could be. No dance floor required. SERIOUSLY! Until then, Ma'as salaama!

Much love from Cairo
Azhan
they call me Mohamed here. Almost everyone.

After a week in Cairo

Sat, 17 Dec 2005 17:41:36 GMT

I'm terribly sorry I didn'y get to update my blog. First of all, love to everyone especially MuMo who is very very worried about me right now. I'm all fine thank you very much. I've written this blog in my friendster so I'll just copy and paste it here.

assalamualaikum. (peace upon you) lol since ive been here ive speak very little arabic and even the coptic
christian here use such greetings. my name here is MUHAMMAD from "Malezia". not AZHAN anymore.
anyway im still having little flu i got from dubai and little cough. i live in maadi, sort of like huge area of subang and full with multi stories apartment. all color of the buildings here are the same. pale and brownish. cars here are rusty. nobody takes care of the care coz its dusty. its freezing and its just 20 degree here. the road system; dont even ask. crazy drivers here and people cross the road as if its their grandpa's road. accident; once hit-small arguement-sorry-then leave. its TOO COMMON. 18Million people here!! people here are warm and they make music out of their own. ive been here for a week and been listening to Amr Diab almost everyday! and people here dont need music. they just start clapping and singing and there the dance go. believe me even on the roller coaster and the bus. i go to Modern American School of Egypt, MSE. Its a school of rich oil tycoon children. school shoes; adidas, puma and nike. dressing code;polo uniform and dark blue
cargoes. sweaters; espirit, adidas, zara, guess, and all designers label. super rich kids and spoilt brats.
however, most are warm and welcoming.

they receiced a newsletter a week before i start going to
the school. and when they came to see me, they will start singing "malaysia truly asia". now we know
where our goverment spend money on advertising. ive tried several favorite food such as fathir, koshiri, fatah, kosta and oh god my host family serve the food like 3 times more what i usually eat. on my first day in school; sunday, the principal and deputy director, mr howard and mrs amira selected few students to give me tour for 4 days. they're kafafi-sort of jock, hedeel, cool girl who attends every class and madonna-no not the singer. on my first day i went around the school and on my second day i go to Modern University. The third day I went to the Dream Park and yesterday I've hanged out with hedeel. Today i went around with philipine-american girl, eliza and english-egyptian girl dalia. school so far are good and everyone are really warm unlike what happened in pfs; lyam gammon.

the way of greetings are also different. religion doesnt matters here. both coptic and muslims are happy together without prejudice. guys and girls just shake hand while guys and guys and girls and girls kiss on
the cheeck. its very odd for me but i got used to it although ive almost freaked out when Tony(frenchie
guy came and did it). when they asked when im going back; they told me not to go back and they insist of
me to stay longer. everytime i attend any classes, there will always be at least 1 student screaming and
be sitting next to me and drives the teachers nuts; like Sysy and Dina. i've attend french, social studies,
english, psychology, environmental science, english lit, precalculus and music. im still having trouble in
choosing with whom i am suppose to hang out with as everyone wants me to be with them. even the crazy
jocks and the plastics. they're actually really nice unlike what seen on movies. Ms Sarah is one of the
coolest teacher. Great english class. My school is very far from home. I live in Maadi and school is in
New Cairo City. About 20km and the journey is about 1 hour and i go to school with a van. the matron is ms
dunnia. going to school is like from Bkt Antarabangsa to Putrajaya. sooooo far!!! and its like padang jarak
padang terkukur. (means like empty desert with nothing) but of course there are many apartmeny buildings everywhere.

Tomorrow i will go to AFS office to celebrate christmas party organized by sharifah's host mum,
najwa specially for all international students in cairo. on the christmas break i will visit alexandria for 10
days and on 25th Jan i will go for a Nile cruise trip to Luxor and Aswan for 4 days. Not sure about the
pyramids yet =s. i will update more on me soon but everyday is an adventure yet its too much to write but
its GREAT!!and by the way, besides all those designers wear clothing these students comes with gadgets. most owns nokia 6600, 7260, communicator and those 3G toys. pnes are allowed in school. and also
iPod. a lot of the students here owns one. Serious sh*t. and they takes 10-20 minutes to settle in
their classes. crazy kids.

i want to go to nasr city so badly but its very far. the city stars is over there. its a sort of shopping mall but very extravagant but not as big like midvalley and great like suria or avenue K or starhill and OU. cairo is very polluted. a friend says he live in some place on a hill and whenever he comes down to cairo, he says he is entering the "black fog". trash everywhere and traffic are too crazy. tooo crazy.
and the public buses. imagine mini bus. now think of penang yellow bus. but its a long bus crammed with humans like sardine can. but overloaded sardine can. serious thing. try watching globe trekker; egypt in discovery travel and living. its almost the same thing. my gosh this place is soo crazy yet happening with all warm people. you can just open the window and scream "ahlawassalam" (hi) to the car or lorry next to you and they will reply with musical horn of their vehicle. people here are really warm although the weather is really cold. according to many others, winter has yet to come and ive been wearing 4 layers to school everyday and its still cold. the wind is chillin especially in school since its in the middle of nowhere. yeah
like courage the cowardly dog who lives in out of nowhere. my school people are citizen of the world. there are philipine-american with egyptian stepdad, egyptian-lebanese-who-has-been-living-in-emirates-until-this-year, egyptian-english-looks-like-eurasian, scottish-egyptian, canadian-djibouti-an, yemenian-jordanian, omanian-qatarian, albanian-armenian and so on.. thank god theres ms wendy, a singaporean who born in bentong who is another asian i could head for is here and she has been living here for almost 15 years and her arabic is very good. she offered me to go to the malaysian embassy on wednesday where they serve free nasi lemak (malaysian favourite dish) to students. and of course married to an egyptian lol. hebat (awesome) skool.

i was suppose to live with a host family in alexandria a.k.a. iskandariah but something went wrong so now im loving with current host in maadi. thats why it took so long for me to receive my family profile. however i will be visiting them for a week soon. ive attended school for a week and 3 weeks left. times run soooo fast.. damn... i love this place especially those warm-welcoming people in my school..haha...lol..gotta go..
until now..ma'as salaama