Grey Wool Knickers They breathe

November 10, 2007

Suggested reading/viewing

Filed under: Masr —مصر — Tags: , , — admin @ 9:42 am

Here are a few things I’ve been following:

  • An article from the Financial Times on the expansion of informal housing in Cairo (thanks to the Arabist)
  • A somewhat roughly-made, but substantively very informative documentary on eWaste processing in Guiyu, China (thanks to Andrew Leonard)
  • Taking “self-hating jew” to a whole new level (thanks Sabbah)
  • On the wonkish side, a 40-page paper entitled “Upgrading Authoritarianism in the Arab World“; uninspired policy prognoses not withstanding (ignore the latter 7 pages), it’s a pretty interesting analysis (hat tip to Abu Aardvark)
  • As’ad AbuKhalil (the Angry Arab), always a great source of humorous repudiations of Western hypocrisies and Orientalism, this time sets his sights on New York Times reporting on gays in the Muslim world.

And, on the sillier side:

November 9, 2007

Gridlock on Qasr Al-Aini—زحمة موصلات في شارع قصر العيني

Filed under: Masr —مصر — Tags: , , , — admin @ 5:54 pm

Qasr Al-Aini in Gridlock

A couple days ago I had a horrible time getting to school on Qasr Al-Aini St., my usual route to school. The road was completely gridlocked for many blocks, and I had rather a hard time getting through the tightly packed cars. I had originally thought that it had something to do with overall traffic chaos as a result of football fans rushing to buy up tickets to the final match of the African Champions League (taking place today), but I learned later that it was because of the inaugural session of Egypt’s Parliament, located off of Qasr Al-Aini. Al-Masry Al-Youm had an article about the impact of such sessions on the local traffic, traffic which I’ve discussed here extensively. It turns out they halt traffic to allow representatives to cross the street, but for long stretches of time. I don’t generally pay much mind to the traffic cops since, unlike drivers, they have no particular leverage over me, but the article mentions the impact on pedestrians as well. I generally take my cues from other cyclists, most of whom, like pedestrians, will cross roads where there is space to do so, no matter what the traffic police are telling the cars to do. I wonder if perhaps I’m not being a bit too cavalier when it comes to government representatives.

November 4, 2007

Biking in Cairo, Take 2—ركوب الدراجة في القاهرة، الڤيديو الثاني

Filed under: Masr —مصر — Tags: , — admin @ 5:30 pm

Here’s another attempt at filming my daily commute, to and from school (down Qasr Al-Eini—قصر العيني and back on the Corniche—الكورنيش). This one is not as crooked as the last, but rather more shaky. The traffic is a bit more exciting, though. More pedestrians, more wheelchairs, more crazy drivers, more horns, more cabbies absentmindedly sticking their arms out the window (another reason to plug those bar ends!), more greetings with the bawab (doorman), more close-up shots of my nostrils. Good times!

November 1, 2007

A Video of Biking in Cairo—ڤيديو ركوب دراجة في القاهرة

Filed under: Masr —مصر — Tags: , , — admin @ 8:30 am

This was a bit of an experiment. I decided to see what would happen if I strapped my little digital camera to the shoulder of my messenger bag. Below is evidence of what happened. The video came out alright, and you can get a sense of what it’s like biking downtown, but it is tilted at a 45º angle to the left. I hope you don’t get a crick in your neck trying to watch this. Luckily, as you will see, it documents only my ride from home (you’ll hear me say good morning to the security guard downstairs) to the AUC campus, which, as it turns out, is only 4 1/2 minutes. Unfortunately, you can also generally only see to my left, which leaves something to be desired. My shirt sleeve also covered up part of the lens in the wind. A much better video is available here. (more…)

October 28, 2007

Islam and Capital—الإسلام و الرأسمال

Filed under: Masr —مصر — Tags: , — admin @ 11:46 pm

A perhaps too-authoritative title for a post that is much more of the beginning of an exploration than an unequivocal pronouncement. I came across a number of readings over the past weekend that have piqued my interest in the subject. The first was a forthcoming essay (by a for-now-unnamed author) on neo-authoritarianism in Egypt and the second a 2003 thesis by Lindsey Wise on the “new preachers”, in which she explores the phenomenon of a new crop of lay preachers of Islam. Lastly, and, most especially, an article in Le Monde dipomatique on the same phenomenon, though much more brief, and with a stronger focus on the ways in which these preachers have enlisted not just the outward trappings of modernity, but the specific modes of articulation of business management. (more…)

October 27, 2007

Maggots in the Cherimoya—دبان في القشطة

Filed under: Masr —مصر — Tags: , — admin @ 11:04 pm

MaggotsSugar Apple—قشطة

I ventured out today to get some fruit and vegetables at the Sayida Zeinab Suq. I have to admit that i walked around for a while and then chickened out and just went to the smaller market off of Falaki, near AUC. I barely feel confident ordering food in Arabic, and i definitely don’t feel up to the challenge of bargaining. I always get decent vegetables at a good price at the Falaki market, though, though not on fruit. After getting the veggies, i went to the fruit vendor on the corner of Falaki and Mohammed Mahmud and paid entirely too much for 5 mangos and a cherimoya. Actually, it wasn’t a cherimoya, but rather a similar species called in English a “Sugar Apple” or “Custard Apple”. I have to say, it does not compare favorably to a Cherimoya, at least the kind i’ve had in Southern California. (more…)

October 25, 2007

The Pyromania of Cairo—هوس القاهرة الحاري

Filed under: Masr —مصر — Tags: , , , — admin @ 4:10 pm

Fireworks over the Four Seasons Hotel—ألعاب نارية فوق فندق أربع فصولFireworks over the Four Seasons Hotel—ألعاب نارية فوق فندق أربع فصول

Maybe i’ve just been lucky, but i feel like i’ve seen a lot of pyrotechnics here. (more…)

October 21, 2007

Cats in Cairo—قطط في مصر

Filed under: Masr —مصر — Tags: , , , , , , — admin @ 11:00 pm

Cats at AUC

 

They are friggin’ everywhere!
At first, we thought that they were actually a different breed of cat because their heads seemed to be a different shape and they were more sleek. Then, we talked to a few people who had adopted local cats off the street and it turns out that they turn into the same lay-about tubsters as American cats when they are given a steady diet. In fact, they get even fatter. We’ve thrown around some theories about this. Maybe it’s because they were raised in an environment of scarcity and so tend to eat too much whenever there is food around. Maybe it’s because it’s hard to find anything but Cat Chow. Who knows. (more…)

October 20, 2007

Desperate Housewives

Filed under: Masr —مصر — Tags: , , , — admin @ 11:00 pm

You know, there’s all sorts of things that i would never do in the US that a combination of boredom and isolation have driven me to do here. Riding bikes with a bunch of petroleum industry dudes is one. Another is watching Desperate Housewives. I was a bit resistant to the idea of getting a television, but it was cheap and i thought it might be kind of interesting to watch local television. We didn’t get cable or satellite or anything, unlike most people in Cairo with any money to spend.

Satellite Dishes

(more…)

Motor Scooters—دراجات بموتور

Filed under: Masr —مصر — Tags: — admin @ 10:02 pm

Another thing i like about Cairo: the efficient use of motor scooters. I can’t tell you how many times i’ve seen a family of four packed onto a Vespa. Mother and father with kids hanging off in precarious ways, everyone all grins (well, i can only imagine the mother’s grin—she’s wearing the niqab), traveling at speed, robes thwapping in wake, in heavy traffic down the Corniche.

Everyone loves a bidet—يحب كل واحد شطافاً

Filed under: Masr —مصر — Tags: — admin @ 10:00 pm

AUC Bathroom

There are some things about this country that i really appreciate, like the ubiquity of bidets. I have to say, however, that i was a little embarrassed the first time i discovered this. I was in a newly-remodeled bathroom with a fancy toilet that didn’t have the flusher in any of the usual locations. I looked all over for it and couldn’t find it. It seemed like a long shot, but i saw this handle just below and behind the toilet bowl. I couldn’t find anything else remotely like a flusher, and it wasn’t sophisticated enough to flush on its own, so i turned the handle. Of course, i was sprayed hard right in the forehead by a jet coming out of the toilet bowl. I had to contain myself to keep from laughing hysterically. I stood up, wiped my eyes and then finally saw the flush button about five feet up on the wall above the toilet. I exited the stall with a difficult-to-control grin on my face and a very wet t-shirt.

Actually, this isn’t really a bidet, but a toilet/bidet combo. As far as i can tell, there is no word in English for this, although there are a few trademarked terms, like `’Washlet`’ and “Bidet-Loo”. The Arabic word شطاف is for the part that actually produces the rinsing jet.

A couple questions for the Caireens—بعض اسئاة لقاهريين

Filed under: Masr —مصر — Tags: , — admin @ 9:58 pm

I have a couple questions for y’all:

WHY DOES NO ONE EVER HAVE CHANGE IN THIS FRIGGIN’ COUNTRY!?!

Gratefully, now that i’m not having to take taxis everywhere anymore (riding my bike is so much more pleasant), i don’t have to worry about this problem, but it’s still a bit perplexing. Is this just a peculiarly American expectation, that you’ll be able to go into a bank and get change? يعمي, i guess that would sort of make sense. If the Federal Reserve is good at one thing, it’s definitely printing more money. Still, the bank staff here seem like they are sincerely put out if you ask for small bills, like they take it personally or something.

Oh, and how ’bout this one:

WHY CAN’T ANYONE JUST SAY “I don’t know” OR “No, we don’t carry that.”!?!

Is it really such a hard blow to arab manhood to say, “I actually have no idea what you’re talking about or where this place is of which you speak.” Instead, they’ll just make something up.

And if you can’t make me an omelette at the moment because your chef is at Friday prayers, could you just say that instead of making me wait for an hour…for scrambled eggs!?!

And if i ask you if you have something in your shop and you don’t have it, could you maybe just tell me so instead of going to the back of the shop as if to get it, only to disappear for 15 minutes while you get it around the block at another store? I swear i won’t think less of you for it.

Biking in Cairo—ركوب الدراجة في القاهرة

Filed under: Masr —مصر — Tags: , , , , , , — admin @ 3:58 pm

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Despite not hanging out much with people, i seem to have made something of a name for myself. And it didn’t even require carrying a doll around. I’m apparently now well-known as the guy who rides his bike to school. (more…)

October 19, 2007

Food in Cairo—طعام في القاهرة

Filed under: Masr —مصر — Tags: , , , , , , — admin @ 6:56 pm

The food here is mostly pretty good. The taamaya (طعمية, what they call falafel here) is excellent. In most places, i’ve found the ful (فول, beans) to be pretty good, but it can be pretty bland in some places. We actually haven’t gone out to eat all that much. (more…)

I love Arabic! أُحب اللغة العربية

Filed under: Masr —مصر — Tags: , — admin @ 3:43 pm

The language is totally fascinating to me. There are a lot of rules and conventions that are strange and challenging for someone like me who has only studied indo-european languages, but once you learn the rules, there are very few exceptions to them. There is a whole class of verbs called (by European linguists) “defective” verbs, but there is no such thing as an irregular verb. As such, learning to read and write well is an accomplishment i can see on the horizon. Unfortunately, learning to speak and listen well is a totally different thing, as one has to actually internalize many of these rules and conventions—and they are legion—to listen and speak well. Matters are further complicated by the fact that the rules are quite different in the colloquial, and there are significantly more exceptions to them, as opposed to the “classical” or “modern standard Arabic”. Still, it is all very fascinating to me and i’m excited to be learning the language.

If you’ll indulge me for a little while, i’d like to tell you about some of my favorite things about the language. (more…)

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