Quote of the Day

“Leave naught undone of what you have to do, for when you go, you will return no more.”
Omar Khayyam


(My favorite quote from my new favorite book "Chicken with Plums"- Marjane Satrapi)

Just a Thought

2011 marked, two successfully ME revolutions, two in progress, Mubarak the glue stepping down, officials and corrupt businessmen going locked up until they go to trial, Kate and Wills finally tie the knot, and I'm sure that won't be the last of it...Bin Laden assassinated!

If I'm really going to believe that 2012 will mark the world's end, then I'm very disappointed in the way life has conducted itself by wrapping everything up in the last moments after centuries of buildup of events; just like a bad movie where its makers suddenly realize they are running out of time after two hours of crowded events and an excess of stars and extras where we have to finish it up in 5 minutes!

Some People Still Think They're Above the Law!!!

Something really ticked me off today, but let me start at the very beginning.  Sometime mid Feb the traffic authorities had installed automated traffic lights at Shooting Club cross-section.  I thought it was a great idea because this area is always a bottleneck especially at rush hours.

Anyway, yesterday it was Friday morning when I went out, and as usual Egyptians were still asleep and I could have easily ignored the traffic light, but I decided that I won't do that in the new spirit of respecting the traffic laws in Egypt.  Today again I went out in the late morning with my best friend, and just as we reached the cross-section the light had gone red so we stopped.  I was amazed that everyone else did, and what was more amazing that on the intersecting side of the road people where actually waiting for their traffic light to turn green, given the very first line of cars consisted of taxis.( I also want to highlight there was no traffic officer on duty at that side, so they could've easily get away with anything)

Sadly my feelings of pride vanished so quickly, after someone was honking their horns quite hard somewhere behind us, well it was about 50 seconds until the lights would turn green again so I thought he will stop the honking when nobody makes an unlawful move on his behalf.  Just as I was thinking that, a microbus passed by and had to cut on the intersecting side so he could pass ignoring the red light.  I said, OK, still within the normal range, he's a microbus driver, we need to enlighten these people. Right behind him followed a black, brand new Benz, and I recognized the driver, who was the one honking his horns all along, it was the D-list actor Mohamed El-Shakankiri, which without thinking he broke the law by ignoring the red light as well.

Well I felt very angry and I felt like I want to get off the car and run behind him to strangle him.  Why on Earth does he think that he's above the law? He's a nobody when it comes to artistic talents so i don't think anybody is missing anything even if he's late for a shoot or something.

I'm making this a big issue, so in case you don't know what this loser looks like here's his picture.

Anglo-Chinese Bloopers

This is not really a blogging comeback, it is just something that I promised myself to do as a "comeback," no pun intended, to people making fun of Anglo-Egyptian bloopers circulating under "Only in Egypt"
Well the upcoming shots are original taken by yours truly, so sit back, enjoy and have a good laugh :)

There was only grass there, so I don't know what did they mean and about what!!

L-squared!

Looks Russian to me!

Part 1- Chinese dude making himself busy with something else when I busted him taking a photo for me without permission! (yes, I was very popular there)

Part 2- He decided to take that photo anyway, but I took his too! (pretty "smart" those Chinese)

Dressed for prayers, very pious!

Inverted Swastikas on all Buddhas in that temple! 

Relativity: what's exotic for you is quite local for me, and vice versa!

Love notes on Bamboo stems rather than on trees! (they climb them like monkeys too)

A very "appetizing" item from our buffet!

Success..

This goes to people with self-esteem issues and insecurities :D

*From http://www.chalkboardmanifesto.com/

Desert Road Open for the Summer: Happy Vacationing!

The summer has arrived; I know that because since the 1st of June it's finally an open road with no detours: YIPEEEE!!!
OK seriously now, that's great news and all but I have few tips for the road that would make our journeys less stressful and safer, so I really wish at that moment that really bad drivers I meet on the road would get to read this post and learn a thing or two:

• The left lane should harbor only people who are driving at least to the road's maximum speed or more! Slow drivers should resort to the lanes more to the right!
• The car should really be driven within a lane! Definition of a lane: it is the dark area that should easily contain the width of your vehicle between the white striped lines as its borders. (It really is not driving right through one of those striped line as if balancing the car on a suspended wire!)
• I promise you bad drivers, it is not a strategic secret to tell the rest of the unfortunate drivers right behind you where are you going next. Signals in your newly purchased vehicle are put there for a reason, it's your turn and obligation to put those into good use and to make sure you really got some value for your money on all the perks your car can offer..yaaaayy!
• You can use more efficient ways at signaling where you're going than using your hands; really sometimes I don't know if it is a sign for me to take some kind of action, or you are just arguing or you are overexcited in some conversation with the person in the passenger seat!
• For non-Alexians coming over to have some good time over, please don't start picnicking on the road just yet, wait until you get to the Corniche so at least you would get a good excuse for your overly slow, zigzagging on the road. It is not attractive the way you drive, and that's why you get a lot of hate stares, and probably hate mail as well if we had your address, from us!
• It is true many parts of the freeway are completed, but a word of advice the speed limit is still 100 km/hr not 120 yet; and yes radars are working at night too, smarty pants! True, there won't be any "lagna" though to confiscate the license or issue an instant ticket! (For those who have their tickets crossed off for them, please ignore this tip!)
• This one is not really a tip on driving, I'm just tipping you off to keep a close watch for funny signs on the side of the road, there is one that I really want to take a picture for but I'm usually driving alone so it's so hard to make a stop and take a snapshot. Anyway, you'll find it over at Madinet Sadat it simply reads:
  "المجموعة الفرنسية خٌش يمين"

That's all I can think of for now, if I get more tips for you I'll let you know:D
Happy vacationing, and drive safe :)

Random Act of Kindness

Today, some random stranger in a black car offered me a 2.5 hours worth of a random act of kindness.
It all started out near iKingi Maryout when he clearly couldn't maneuver between a couple of trucks, so me with my typical impatient attitude to driving simply took the lead and got away. It seems this move has injured his dignity somehow so he raced me until Alex toll gates.
When it was pretty obvious I was traveling to Cairo on my own, his attitude changed completely and he started literally watching my back keeping an eye on me throughout the whole journey. It turned out we also have the same techniques in fooling speed radars as well.  So we were driving to the same speed most of the way without bothering each other or obstructing the lane visibility.
He slowed down when I was kept behind traffic and sped up when I got some distance advantage; actually he kept my company until we reached the Mehwer and then we went our separate ways.
Weirdly enough I didn't feel violated or obnoxiously followed,  I felt perfectly safe knowing that this guy will come to my rescue if anything happens on the open road.
Since I didn't get the chance to thank him, and even if I did knowing me I wouldn't have pulled over and talked to him, I would like to send him a couple of things through the infinite world of cyberspace:

1. Thank you for your kindness on the road today, I appreciate it more than you would ever know
2. I take my hat off to you and your superb driving, it is quite rare to find someone in Egypt driving so well

Have a great day everyone out there! Ta Ta...