الجمال - Beauty

al Gamaal - Beauty (not to be confused with al gamal - the camel)

Yesterday morning, I woke up to sheets of grey, chilly rain outside my dusty windows (free cleaning service!)  Deterred from the idea of going to class, I still got up, pulled on multiple layers (it's still freezing. How? Why?) and went to Islamic Studies. It's the first week after all, and classes are better this semester, by far, than they were in the Fall. Over the course of the afternoon, the rain decided to stop, the sun decided to come out, the temperature shot up, and then the rain would suddenly start and the cycle repeated itself three times. It's almost like Austin, Texas weather, eh? By the time sunset rolled around, I was in awe at the splendid colors in the sky, the clear air (CLEAR AIR. in EGYPT!) and the pleasant hum of activity outside my window. Egypt is beautiful, you just have to look harder for the beauty. A repetitive theme in my blog, but it bears saying. It doesn't spill out of every possible experience, like in France, where it seeps into you, and makes you feel more vibrant and more energetic, as if by some process of aesthetic osmosis. It's here in Egypt too, and when you stumble across moments of finding beauty, it's even more empowering, because you might have had to dig for it.

Travelling with the group to Luxor and Aswan (in south Egypt, or "upper Egypt") to visit ancient Pharaonic temples was a treat, and one full of beauty and little annoyances (like any good vacation). Our expedition was interrupted by a strike at the Nile river locks at Edfu (which prevented our cruise from arriving at its destination) and the gas shortages throughout all of upper Egypt (which resulted in a tense argument outside our tour bus when we strolled up, requested permission to cut the line so we could quickly get on our way, and were rightfully turned down, due to the line of patient yet upset drivers who had been queueing up for hours outside the station.) We also had some fabulous and some terrible tour guides, and arguments and disagreements about tipping and prices. But whenever we encountered such travel inconveniences, like the lock strike and the gas shortage, they were quickly solved to make sure we could continue with our tourism. As such, it was an interesting glance into just how deeply the Egyptian economy depends on tourism (whose levels continue to plummet), and just how intensely Egyptian society is aching for change. Sentiment in Upper Egypt doesn't always resonate with the spirit of Tahrir Square, but they want change too; the same changes Egyptians have been asking for since well before the 2011 Revolution. We experienced Luxor and Aswan as most foreigners do - with tour guides, police escorts, and people serving our every need along the way, with a little baqsheesh (tips) to ease the way. It was an odd experience, traipsing across ancient holy places, and then piling back into cozy buses, being instructed to ignore each and every souvenir peddler offering us cheap trinkets. 

The horrific deaths of close to 80 soccer fans in Port Said occurred on our last night in Aswan. Watching the Egyptians around us react to the disgusting news was saddening, and observing our waiter argue with the manager about who was to blame only underlined how complicated and uncertain life can be here. Who's on whose side anyway? is a question to which Egyptians want answers.

The temples were awesome, in the original meaning of the word. Awe-inspiring. A lot more pictures can be found in the facebook album I just posted, if you have particular interest:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10101640932784420.3353641.7958266&type=1&l=163531ba8f

Immediately after the night train from Aswan to Cairo, myself and two others flew to France for the rest of the break. Two days after returning from Paris, in a fit of inspiration and embarassment and self-defense, I wrote out a journal entry to that country and language that I love. I was going to post it immediately but decided to save it and maybe just discard it. It felt wrong; seeing as I live in Egypt, and truly enjoy life here, why was I so excited about what was beautiful in France? (Also, I wanted to post it on Mardi Gras, as my own small commemoration of everyone's favorite French excuse for sugar gluttony, and that's NEXT Tuesday). As such, I've been meditating on what's beautiful in Egypt this past week. And there is a hell of a lot to be in awe of.

The short list:

These people that I study with.

Islamic art

Pollution's crazy effect on sunsets

Organic fruits and veggies, all the time, everywhere.

The ocean

The Nile

Hamster-head car seat covers

Ridiculously large and cheap fruit salads

Stella, birthdays, baklava, and kunefe

National pride in Tahrir Square

Random gardens alongside the Nile

Creative cemeteries behind closed doors

Creative cemeteries COMPOSED of closed doors

Places like this

Coptic churches

Sunsets AT Coptic churches

Storefronts with great diction

15-cent fava bean sandwiches

Being able to buy (almost) anything you want

Adorable (usually) cats. Everywhere. This is a mosque cat.

That inimitable beauty of an old yet well-kept mosque

The urban chaos and harmony that is Cairo

No fear of color, and a fondness for yellow

Parks like Al-Azhar

Interiors like this

Exteriors like this

Arabic numerals. Ramadan lanterns. Doors that look like that!

This great place in Garden City

Nescafé. Oh, there IS more to wake up for, and it's not nescafé, but powdered instant coffee substance, you are pretty great, I guess

Overlap of cultures and religions, all the time

Disregard for safety rules. Cross the street how you like!

Or steer the boat 10 of your friends are riding in!

Or pet this crocodile!

Plus way more. Das the short list, yo.