Mona el Said In Memoriam

Mona passed recently (February 2024).  She was one of my favorite Egyptian dancers.   I was thrilled to meet her in person and take workshops with her.   I first did so at the festival in Cairo, Ahlan wa Salan (AWS) in June 2004.  I have some really old blog posts from my 2nd trip to Egypt when I first started to blog.  

I started a website sometime after that so some items went to both places.  

I had photos posted on my website (long gone now) from an event in September 2004 and a review I wrote was published somewhere.   This was before facebook swallowed everything.   I actually dug out both but seem to be missing some photos from a later event.  Whether the photos were on an old mobile or an old camera . . . I had some memory cards that are somewhere but not sure how much is accessible anymore.

Meanwhile, I am posting some photos from Mona's Saturday night performance in September 2004. , , .

I found links to the review I had posted on Gilded Serpent.   I actually have a page here on my blog that has the links of my reviews from Gilded Serpent.posted,. . .  lightbulb moment, :-) . . . i haven't messed with my blog in awhile obviously.

First part of review:   Part 1 Mona el Said Review: 

Second part of the review:  Part 2 The Saturday Night Show

Jasper, a 4 year old Norwegian Forest cat, came home in April, 2022

 Like I needed another cat , right??   I was at East Lake Cat Care Center when I spotted this big boy that had been surrendered.  He had some teeth removed since they were in bad shape so he was quite groggy.   I put my name down on him and a week later I brought him home.   A big Norwegian Forest Cat according to the vet.  I looked for similar breeds on the internet and I think he is a mix   . . .   but who cares??  He is a big dude!

Here we are almost 2 years down the road and I still wonder if he likes me.  It took him 2 months to come out of the room where I quarantined him from the other boys.  There are still spats amongst them and I am not sure he wouldn't be better off in a home with no other cats.  But mostly it is OK.  

He was diagnosed with diabetes in July 2023, so we  have had a total turn around in focus  with me giving him insulin shots twice a day.  He lost a lot of weight in the beginning so it has been a big adjustment in feeding to get him to gain weight.  Getting the insulin shots caused a big change in his appetite and he hated everything at first.  I was frantic for a few weeks as I was working on him gaining weight while adjusting his insulin.  It is definitely better.   I am no longer feeling his bones . . . ribs and hips were so obvious when I touched him but looking at him it was as he had long hair with a double coat.

I hope he will level off soon with the weight gain because I am afraid that he will eat himself into a giant  super-sized cat.

The Feline Additions: Pre- and During the Pandemic

 

Bart came with Teddy in December 2019.  Even though he is several months older than Teddy

, Teddy's foster brought Bart to meet with Teddy to smooth the transition of the adoption. Bart had been waiting awhile for adoption and all his siblings had already found homes.  He's overall a good boy, friendly, easy going with some quirks.

Teddy was approx 4 months old when he was adopted in December 2019.   He will be 3 years old in August 2022.  He is a skittish boy. I knew he would be a bit of a challenge but I was hoping for more progress by now.   At least he isn't hiding from me and I can pet him . . . even rub his belly.  But he won't sleep with me unless he is next to Bart.  Maybe some day.

  

Then I adopted Ozzy about 6 months later.   I missed my ginger Maine Coon, Rufus, so much.  I thought it would help me if I got another ginger kitty.   They are not even remotely alike except for being ginger with white.  So it goes.

Ozzy was 2 years old in February 2022.

They grow so fast!!! But they still act like kittens.

Cheesy Bread Baking

 Since I have returned home from my trip, I've been baking and cooking new recipes. The bread recipes I made were from King Arthur's website.  The recipes were quite different but similar in that they both used cheese and a tomato element. 

Pane Bianco recipe is made with Italian cheese blend (I grated hard parmagiano reggiano and pecorino), sun dried tomatoes in oil, lots of garlic and fresh basil.  I added some mushrooms and black olives.

The other recipe is Pizza Party Buns with mozzarella, pepperoni and pizza sauce.   I added some pizza dough seasoning to the dough and some pizza herbs/spice mix to the filling. These are made similar to the ones above with the ingredients rolled up.  But this recipe is cut in rolls while the other is split down the length and made into a figure 8 shape.

While both of these recipes turned out nicely and taste fine, I probably won't make them again.  I already have a cheesy bread recipe that I like to make with a mixture of cheddar and jack cheese.  Honestly, I think I prefer the parmesan cheese in biscuits and basil in Thai noodles.

Now I want a real pizza.  Saturday pizza  . . .  time to knead some dough!

Cairo: Starting the 2nd Half of my February 2022 Trip to Egypt

 Sunday, February 20, 2022

Back to the Grand Hotel again in Downtown Cairo . . .  Wust al Balad.  I seem to have photos of these streets from different sojourns here,  The first time was in February 2005.  Now that was a story in a different chapter in my life.  I have made a lot of memories here.  I have walked around in the area a few times . . .I have been lost in the area a few times too.  It has changed over the years of course. Egypt has changed overall . . .  for better, for worse . . . through the Revolution in 2011 and big changes after.  Egypt looks like a construction zone all over.  There has been an expansion on the metro in Cairo going on for years that has made a lot of progress.  The area around the Grand Hotel was really bad for awhile but better on this trip.  Progress?  Yes.

.

February 18, 2024

Looks like I need to finish this . . . at least add some photos

Luxor - Part 3: Egypt February 2022

 Friday, February 18, 2022 (continued)

We cruised into Luxor early enough for a visit to Karnak before dark!  One of my favorite temple complexes other than Habu Temple.  I have been to Karnak twice for the night light show and 2 other times during the day.   You really need more time than we had to properly see more of the complex but we definitely hit the highlights.  For me those huge magnificent columns are some of the main things to see.  There are so many of them and they tower over everything!

You get a double dose of those columns because I always take so many photos of them

One of our group photos taken with Kay's phone I believe.  She's in the photo!

Other cool things to see . . .

This large scarab has some magic attached to it . . . if you walk around it 7 times!  I didn't do that but saw other people.

The group photo in front of Karnak . .   looks like we all made it including Kay and Yasmina!

Back to the boat for our last evening . . .

When we returned to the boat, we had a class with Khairya Mazin, the last of the Mazin sisters who is still teaching Ghawazee style.  She has become quite popular for groups and individuals to go to her for a class when they visit Luxor.  I went to her flat for a class in 2013 during the Journey through Egypt 4 lead by Sahra Kent.

During the pandemic,  I attended a zoom on-line event where Saidi musicians played several pieces and she danced to a few of them.  I really enjoyed that so I had no doubt I would find lots to keep me interested even though I wasn't dancing.

I wasn't disappointed.  I loved the music and everyone dancing was having a good time.  I spotted at least one female passenger who came up to the front of the bar where we were located to join in for a little while.

The rebaba player was so good.  It almost made me want to get one to learn how to play.   I saw some for sale when we visited a musical instrument store in Cairo/Mohamed Ali Street.   I didn't even ask how much they cost,  Can you imagine what the neighbors might think when you practice?   :-)

I have a few video clips where Khairya teaches then dances with members of the groups . . . here's one of the longer ones . .Khairya with zills       

. . .  but this might be the most fun . . .  she is dancing with a stick with the Saidi music:  Khairya-Stick-Saidi

After class we went to dinner, then came back to the bar later to watch a belly dancer and a tannoura dancer.  I think they were making the rounds of the docked boats because they had short shows.  It was a full evening so that was fine.

Photo courtesy of Vickie Ng

Tannoura photos courtesy of Nikki/Seraphina

Saturday, February 19, 2022

Saturday was the last day on the boat and our last day in Luxor.   We had to be all packed up before our day began so luggage could be stowed on the bus.  

Meanwhile, we all crossed over to the West Bank to make stops at  Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut's Temple.  I am hurrying through these myself as I have been here before a few times.   I have lots of photos from those previous trips but I have to show something of the group!!

I went into one of the tombs but decided to sit outside for awhile instead of going in others.  The amenities have expanded since the last time I visited.  I remember when the place where the shady cafe sits was a concrete slab.  I hate to date myself but I remember when there wasn't a cafe or a concrete slab, hmmmm.  These spotty memories have sent me back to look at photos from 2005, 2012, 2013 and 2017/2018.

Ok, I don't want to include photos from a prior trip but I can't resist one photo from Nov 2018  . . . the view to the east from the top of the steps of Hatshepsut's Temple from this trip might not make it too apparent that Karnak can be seen across the Nile.  Maybe if you enlarge the photo or squint . . .but look at the photo below this one . . . .

Hatshepsut's Temple as seen from Karnak Temple on the east side of the Nile, Nov. 2018 

A quick visit to an alabaster factory . . . I think I have been to a few at this point and I still had to buy a Bastet for my collection and another for my neighbor who stopped by to look after my cats.

During the demonstration, the workmen here had all been coached to say "Oh, my god!" right on cue during the narrative.
 

photo courtesy of Mary Ann Daniels.

After the alabaster factory, we headed back to the Nile to get on the motorboat for a cruise to Banana Island for  lunch and Tahtib class.

The restaurant we visited is Aladdin's Banana Island. There is a banana plantation on the island along with a few other things tourists can see.  We didn't have time for that with the tahtib class after lunch.

Photo courtesy of Nikki/Seraphina

The Banana Queen!  I tried to  lay claim to the title but Jessica claimed it! 

"Ana Mawz Malika!!!!!" 

Both above photos courtesy Kay Wheatley

The restaurant is mostly open air and the group was seated in the outside section.  There are lovely painted and cloth decorations inside and out.

The Tahtib class was after lunch.  I chose a nice comfy spot to watch and take some more photos.  This is quite  a scenic spot with the Nile in the background.

Off to Luxor Temple  and our last stop before heading to the airport . . . Yes. I know. I try to sneak in as many photos as I can of the Nile with all the sailing/cruising vessels.

Luxor Temple

Still some daylight left when we arrived with lots of photos a bit shady depending on which direction you are facing.

The Avenue of Sphinxes . . . maybe I will be in Luxor  at another time with more time to walk it to Karnak . . .  someday!

Finished our visit to Luxor Temple and headed out to the airport for our flight back to Cairo . . . Whew!!  What a day!   I never do this much in one day.  I am usually quite lazy, lol.  I think we did in one day what I might have spent 3 days doing if on my own.  I would have spent way more time  sitting by the Nile or cruising on the Nile.  Every trip has its own flavor.

We finished our day at the Grand Hotel with falafel sandwiches from Gad.  We ate a lot of falafel sandwiches because we always seemed to be rushing around.  It was nice when we had time to sit for awhile to eat something more.  Our lunch on Banana Island was nice so maybe I will have the opportunity to do that again . . . when I go back to walk the Avenue of Sphinxes.

Cairo/Alexandria in another post . . . or maybe I will split up a bit more by topic to make smaller blog posts.  Seriously, the last 3 are already too long!!  I have photos from the Islamic Museum and the NMEC in Cairo, the Tannoura show, Alexandria Library, more dance shows in Cairo.  

Stay tuned for more blog posts on my February 2022 trip . . .  but don't hold your breath . . . these last few might take awhile.

If interested in joining another adventure with Kay Taylor and Farida Adventures, check here:  Farida Adventures

There just happens to be another trip organized for November 2022.