Tuesday, 1 July 2008
Home Again
Home at last. It certainly was a comfort to touch Canadian soil again. Although I had a lot of fun and had wonderful experiences It was so good to get back home to all that is familiar and dear to me. I was up at 4:00 AM and left for the airport at 5:00. My flight left at 8:35 AM. Stopover in Heathrow in London and were delayed there for an hour. Arrived in Montreal, made it through customs and although I was afraid I would miss my connection to Halifax I was OK since my Halifax flight was delayed for an hour. I was able to catch up on a bit of sleep in the airport and on the plane to Halifax. Pat and Bill Danburger picked me up at 12:30. It was so thoughtful of them to wait so they could pick me up on their way home. I was in bed just as the sky was getting bright. Archie arrived home Saturday from Fort McMurray so now we are a family of 3.
Our lawn mower was non responsive till Linda finally was able to fix it , but by then the grass was out of control so we had Ranald come with his bush hog. Looks like a bad hair cut now, we will have to do a lot of trimming and raking.
Friday, 20 June 2008
Back to Bulaq
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A group of us went to Bulaq again today (high of 41C) to look at fabric and the sights. The fabric is awesome and the market is loaded with fabric and clothing. Got a bit more silk, so cheap I couldn’t resist for $6.50 a meter. We walked through the network of walking streets and each one filled with fabrics and clothing. Then you run out off the fabric section into the next area. The neighboring souq/market is car parts. All arranged in every nook and cranny. The dresses are very flashy and full of sequins and lace. I posted some to my web album…… http://picasaweb.google.com/colmac27 …. The picture of the fellow on the bike is classic Egypt. They can drive a bike with an almost impossible load. The same goes for motorcycles and small cars.
Wednesday, 18 June 2008
Irlen Lens
Time for an information break!!
I have been involved with promoting Irlen lens/filters for students since about 1 ½ years. I discovered it accident, because I had many capable, intelligent students in my class who were not achieving their potential, especially where reading and paper work was involved. Because of them I searched the net and found the Irlen method of helping readers using colored lens. These students who obtained the Irlen lens have on the whole experienced a surge in their learning process ranging from moderate to astonishing. We have to keep in mind the Irlen lens/filters are a “piece of the puzzle in solving learning problems. For some it is the only puzzle piece which is missing, for others it is one of the pieces but there are other factors which play a part.So if you are a capable person, unable to reach your potential, have problems with the words on the page moving, going into 3D, they may have shadows or just disappear, read on. Studying is a nightmare for you, for no matter how hard you study you can't retain the information, you are sun sensitive, dislike reading because of the work your eyes have to do, maybe have headaches and feel restless when you have to sit still, check out this web page and do the self test questionnaire and read all about this Syndrome. ------------- http://www.irlen.com/I am very excited for now a group of parents in Egypt are going to have their children, who I have screened, tested for the Syndrome. PS: I am not involved in selling them!
Tuesday, 17 June 2008
Bulaq Fabric Market
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Doesn't time fly!! One more week, can't believe it. Maadi is in a fly lane and when I see the big aircraft flying over, I think, won't belong before I'll be on one heading out. Today I went to Bulaq the fabric market, with an Egyptian teacher for both of us wanted to get some fabric. We went by subway and got off at the Nasser Station. Coming up from that station you are hit by a mass of humanity and vehicles. The street is choked with vehicles which are honking most of the time, so very, very noisy. Getting across the street is like a Video game. As Gerri Mac Donald told me “use a local as a shield”. So watch when Egyptians cross and follow behind them. It is one big market, with stores filled to the top with fabric. The prices there were much better than what I have seen before, $9 a meter for silk, and $2 for crepe lining. The fabrics there are beautiful, Egyptian cotton and so many patterns and kinds of silk Besides fabric there is so much clothing, and every thing else you can think of stuffed into tiny shops. I looked in one place off the sidewalk and there were car wrecks stacked 3-4 high selling car parts, another shop had large coils of rope and there are people wandering about selling food and drinks.
Saturday, 14 June 2008
Ain Sukhna Beach
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Today a group of us took a van to Ain Sukhna, a resort town on the West bank of the Red Sea about 2 hours from Cairo. We went to the Ramada Hotel beach, (you have to pay to use the hotel’s beach) and got to sit in the sun and swim a lot. The water was very warm, past the very best temperature Cape Breton can offer, even in August. The beach fee includes towels and a lunch from the beach restaurant. It is a sandy beach and has a lot of little tropical fish swimming as you swim. There was a huge oil tanker anchored off shore and some type of refinery close by but the water appeared clean and was the usual turquoise colour. Some of the girls saw 5 dolphins body surfing in the waves.
The beach wasn’t crowded and some Muslim ladies were there dressed in heavy jeans or full length heavy skirts, long sleeves and headscarves. Hot, Hot, Hot. The Muslim bathing suit consists of something like a full body wet suit and some wear a dress over it and the required headscarf ……... http://www.jelbab.com/Swim-Suit.asp
Friday, 13 June 2008
A Walk Downtown on Friday the 13th
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This morning I went to pick up a new suit case and walk around in the downtown shopping district. On the way to the subway I noticed so many mango trees, just like apple trees at home, full of mangos. I also saw a fig tree which has the fruit very close to the trunk of the tree. I took the subway to the square opposite the Egyptian Museum. The subway is always very crowded and there are, just like in NYC, hawkers trying to sell their wares to a captive audience. Today there was a lady with assorted trinkets, a man with air freshener (very bad smelling) and a fellow with sesame seed sticks all in the same car at the same time. The subway brings you right to the heart of a very busy intersection. I can never get the courage to walk through traffic like the Egyptians. They just stroll calmly through the 3 or 4 lanes of heavy traffic. It is amazing more aren’t killed in the street. Walking down the street was getting very crowded as I went down Talat Harb Street, for the sellers were opening up their bags and spreading their wares over the side walk. Suddenly they all expertly grabbed the four corners of the square of cloth they had their wares spread on, or others lifted up the large tray their wares were displayed on to their heads and they all (20 or more) went running or dragging their wares down the street. Behind them ran a policeman, (but I could see he was enjoying it for he was trying not to laugh). They all melted into alleyways and down other streets. After the policeman left I could see them peeking out and reestablishing themselves in a safer area.
It is amazing how many friendly people approach you and strike up a conversation asking where you are from and praising Canada. Then….they start trying to steer you off to the store they are working for to sell you fake papyrus, poor quality gold or ‘essence’. Scammers everywhere!!
I found some shops selling fabric and saw some beautiful silk for about $20 a meter or less. The Egyptian cotton was very nice as well and I bought a piece. (I guess all they sell here IS Egyptian cotton.) Tuesday I am going to a big fabric market called Boulac.
Baa Baa in the hallway
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Hemochromatosis
This information could make a big difference in your life!
In 2003 I was curious about my blood iron/Ferritin levels and asked for them to be tested (It is important to stress it is NOT the hemoglobin test but the Ferritin level). Turned out I had very high levels and further genetic testing revealed I had the genetic condition Hemochromatosis (iron overload). Symptoms do not appear till damage has occurred, so it is important to be checked before you show signs.
This condition has a higher rate among people of Celtic/European descent.
Since I have this condition, it is a fact, Hemochromatosis is scattered throughout my family tree, the French one and the Scottish. (among those names in ‘Fair is the Place’ our family genealogy) Both my mother and father were each carrying at least one gene for me to be positive. My own children all have at least one gene for Hemochromatosis which makes them all carriers.
Quoting The Canadian Hemochromatosis Society
“Hereditary Hemochromatosis (HHC) is the most common genetic disorder affecting Canadians. It is a crippling, potentially fatal condition caused by a defect of iron metabolism that leads to iron overload in vital organs, joints and tissues. The complications caused by the disorder are preventable if a diagnosis is made before the excess iron causes irreversible damage, and effective treatment exists.”By the way I discovered it early, no damage, just regularly give blood. One of my first tasks when I get home will be to make appointments to give about 3-5 pints of blood (one a week) as soon as possible. I was not comfortable giving blood in Egypt, so I am overdue. Their website: http://www.toomuchiron.ca/index.php So.... get your Ferritin tested!!
Thursday, 12 June 2008
Water Games
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Friday, 6 June 2008
How much hotter??
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Monday, 2 June 2008
Ticket Home
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Dahab in May
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Wednesday, 28 May 2008
Fruit
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Saturday, 24 May 2008
Spring Fling
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Walking Downtown
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Friday, 23 May 2008
Felucca Ride
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Friday, 16 May 2008
Birthday Party
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Thursday, 15 May 2008
Cairo
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Monday, 12 May 2008
Guests Gone Home
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Friday, 9 May 2008
Visitors From Home Part 3
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Visitors From Home Part 2
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Visitors from home
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Thursday, 1 May 2008
Safe and Sound
Just checking in to let everyone know all is well. We are back here in Cairo. We were in Luxor which isn't near where the bus crash occured.
Saturday, 26 April 2008
Friends in Cairo
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Sunday, 20 April 2008
Snorkeling Hurghada
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Tuesday, 15 April 2008
Felucca Ride
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Thursday, 10 April 2008
Markets and Beggars
On the street today on the way to the Metro, I saw an old Fiat Taxi as usual, with its roof rack piled high with cargo. The cargo was about two or three beef carcases cut up in quarters or more going to market. Just a small tarp pulled over to hold it on with most of the load or more exposed to the elements.
On the Subway/Metro I rode in the ladies car, no men allowed. (The Egyptian men in close quarters tend to get too friendly, hence the ladies car).Got off at the Nasser stop in the downtown area and walked to Ataba, where there is a huge fabric market. The downtown streets are bustling with people and modern looking shops with trendy Muslim clothing and some Western looking clothes. It is amazing that even though we are in full summer weather they are just getting out the summer clothes, but a lot of corduroy still around. I had to do a lot of experimenting with routes and asking friendly Egyptians for directions but I found the fabrics. On the way there I had to pass through a HUGE Bazzar type street market where the streets were blocked off and jammed full of vendors selling about any type of clothing, pink ‘bloomers’, scarves, gallabayas, bedding, baby clothes, T-shirts and so on. The markets are often by type of item, I passed through an area where appliances were sold, hard ware, house wares, carpets and then I finally found the fabrics, upholstery and clothing. Some areas are only wholesale and sell by the bolt, with some searching I found the fabrics I could buy. Most of it is cotton made in Egypt. I bought three cotton pieces at $2.72 at meter. Found some sheets as well for $6.36 (no fitted sheets here, I could find). for a flat sheet and 2 pillow cases. Every shop I went into is about as big as the bed of a small pick up truck. No room to turn, with a big school bag on my back. The fabrics are plied high with a path through.
It is the side streets that are very interesting. They are so narrow with delivery people running through with fabric bolts on their shoulders, huge boxes on their backs, small delivery carts and even when there is no room, small delivery trucks. I took a walk down one and it was full of spice stores, little tiny shops filled with every spice you can think off over flowing from burlap bags with the sides rolled over to form a rim. Curcumin, white ginger, red ginger, cinnamon, saffron, pepper, toothpick plant, hot peppers, dried lemons, a real yucky looking tennis ball (size) which looked a lot like bear poop (leaves berries, tarry looking substance), they told me put it in water it makes a good drink! Mixed in with this is dust, dirt and many flies. I didn’t venture in too far for I stood out very obviously, being the only person with a ball cap visor while the other ladies all were wearing a headscarf, or a veil and dress/skirt. No pictures on this trip, people were friendly but taking pictures would push it to the limit. The always ask where I’m from and always smile when I say Canada. The small streets wind in deeper and get odder and narrower as they get away from the main streets. Lots of food vendors but you leave your appetite home if you are smart especially when you see the conditions in which some foods are packaged and prepared.
That was the interesting part and this is the ‘keep you awake at night’ part. This is where you see the beggars and you see why they beg. There was a man sitting on the sidewalk in the dust and dirt, cradling his approx 14 year old son in his arms. The boy is unable to sit up, is handicapped or injured, maybe burns. His hand has no skin on it and is a red open sore accessible to the flies and street dirt. There is a woman sitting on the street with her 3 year old who is playing on the sidewalk and climbing a fence watching the cars going by. She is calling to him to come to her for she has no feet. An old man with his hand held out, blind eyes covered by very droopy lids. There is a handicapped man in an antiquated wheelchair, very small, very deformed, who smiles so gratefully when I gave him money. Meanwhile people are rushing by them without a glance.
Can’t forget it, be thankful we were born in Canada. “There but for the Grace of God go I”!
Wednesday, 9 April 2008
Dahab and Mt Sinai
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Wednesday, 2 April 2008
Bling Bling
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Saturday, 29 March 2008
El Marg Children
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Friday, 28 March 2008
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Sunday, 23 March 2008
Desert camping : Part 2
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Desert Camping in the Sahara
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Wednesday, 19 March 2008
Well just survived the first parent teacher night in Egypt and all went well. Parent teacher afternoon is tomorrow and then we leave for desert camping,(Wed to Sat). I'm excited about it, sleeping under the stars and going to Bedouin camp. The whole weekend all inclusive will cost about 200 dollars. We go in jeeps and go off road in the desert, stopping at several Oasis.
I was walking home this evening and could smell Jasmine flowers somewhere. The
perfume was so nice. The trees are all starting to bloom and are beautiful.
WE had a science exhibition today. As I was putting up stuff and assembling the
projects I was thinking, what am I doing here? I thought my last science fair was
last year!...............But we have an EIGHTY FOUR year old substitute so who knows how long I could be doing this.
Saturday, 15 March 2008
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Friday, 14 March 2008
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Wednesday, 12 March 2008
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