Old Yeller

I really have nothing to say about this picture .Just that I love it.

And when I first saw that dog, I remembered Old Yeller, the movie... ahh Old IS Gold :)

Milk with a stranger

There’s this girl in the fuchsia jacket that I have been seeing almost weekly for 2 months by the seaside walking on the sand. I was always curious about her, don’t know why, just this inner feeling that you want to know more about that person.

So, this morning I was cycling by the seaside, and I stopped to drink water then, there she was, she saw me from a far distance, came approaching me, she started asking about my bike, and told me she’s been cycling for a very long time, but recently she had a knee injury and her doctor told her to walk daily on the sand, aha, finally the mystery has been solved.
I’ve been seeing her from a far away distance, small figure, yet well built, not thin.. Short black hair always a pony tail. She looked young. Yet, when we actually talked she looked like late 30s with a fair complexion.

She invited me to come and sit on the shore and have a drink from her thermos, which oddly I accepted. I don’t know anything about her, yet I went to a somewhat isolated area of the beach…, I didn’t ask her what was in the thermos and I accepted it and actually drank!! It was milk with a hint of coffee just to give a small taste. And milk is very well known to be a drink that can mask any kind of drug. Still I drank!! Plus, it was milk, so she’s a health freak, just like me:D

See, I don’t usually trust people...at all. I definitely don’t sit alone with someone I just met in an isolated area. And most of all, I don’t drink something I don’t know from a complete stranger. Yet I did all of these. There was something about her that was both soothing yet peculiar...I still didn’t trust her and so she did most of the talking, which then revealed that she’s actually 50 years old!! Wow, that was a shock.

We stayed there for almost an hour, she told me everything about her live, her marriage her 2 sons, her divorce, her second marriage, her work ever since she left school till this very moment. She didn’t seem like a lonely person who needs someone to talk too.
Then I told her I had to leave cuz I got lectures to attend, so we exchanged numbers and I left her still drinking her milk and watching the waves…

Lotsa letters

I was digging in some of my old stuff, when I found my shoe box of "PenPal Letters". Last time I sent or received a letter was 5 years ago...and then.. I don't know it just stopped. So I was browsing the letters, and looking at the nice things people wrote and sent,from China,Estonia,France,South Africa,Slovakia,Netherland, and then it hit me.. I missed writing penfriend letters!!

I chose to write to my longest correspondant, Taro, from HK,China. I didn't know if her address was still valid, I didn't want to e-mail, so that I won't spoil the surprise and it's been 5 yrs ,so I'm not sure if she'll even know me, or be interested in writting back, so I wrote to her and sent her the letter by the time of her birthday, merrier surprise. :)

3 weeks later, I received a reply! She was thrilled, said she'd stopped snailmail as well, but she did remember me, and that she'd love to resume writing again :) lots have happened in both our lives in those 5 yrs, and it was very interesting to catch up :) Also started with a new correspondant, HeidiLinde from Germany and it's going grt...

There's just something in writing letters and reading other people's handwriting with small doodlings around ,that makes it intimate and nice... no matter where technology takes us,jumping from phones to e-mails, to chatting, and next it's probably telepathy.. I still like the postman leaving me something to physically open and find little surprises within :D

My second cake! Yay

It’s sister’s birthday’s cake!! The Paint Palette!!

My sister is a very artistic person, she draws , like me –we both got it from our father-, she paints ,- which I don’t-, she knits, she bakes, and makes accessories and she’s recently been into planting.. She ‘s a very creative person, and for that I Love her… oh the things she made me, a crochet pencil-case, a scarf, gloves, handmade photo frame, plus all those delicious cookies and cakes she makes …emm

So I decided to make the cake this time, instead of buying it –as we always do -, and after my first experience I thought I’d make another one and get more character to the cake.. and I think I did improve a bit..

Despite that we are totally different in characters, our tastes are almost always different, and the 7 years gap between us, I LOVE HER!! Cuz she’s soo good from the inside and soo generous and has suffered a lot -from a medical condition- and still is, yet she tries not to complain if she can help it and is being so tough about it, even though she’s still a kid…. Oh I ask God to make her life happy and successful and to help her recover and become healthy!

Sista Power Tokens

My sister’s birthday was a few days ago, exactly the 14th, and I was staying up at 1:00 am doodling and drawing some random stuff, with a couple of bottle caps scattered in front of me when a thought hit me… why don’t I make her something out of those, that would be special, and no one would have one like it except the 2 of us!

So I made this key chain and a necklace, cuz I didn’t know which she’d prefer, I personally love necklaces, casual ones not fancy once or beads, I hate those… Anyway, I made a simple design and stuck it on the inside and..Voila!

Next morning I showed them to her, and she was sooo happy, and loved them, lucky for me she chose the key chain :) Her bottle cap’s other side is an orange “Fanta”, mine is a green “Sprite”.

Londonizing Alexandria

And the double decker has finally arrived... well it's been here for almost a year now. I think Alex is the only city that has it in all of Egypt. It has been a big hit when it first came, and everybody wanted to try it, but now.., well it's not THAT popular, due to the ticket cost compared to other means of transportation.
Still, I think it is great to have them.. I just LOVE to watch them.. I try every time I ride it to take the front top seat, never have I found it unoccupied yet :( Won't give up trying!

5 Reasons why I hate Shopping

Well it’s that time of year again, when my wardrobe needs a serious update, since college starts in less than 10 days, and I’m not a fan of shopping, so I always delay it till it becomes a necessity.
so here are the 5 reasons why I hate shopping:

1- The sales ladies always walking like my shadow, asking if they could help, I say no thanks. Then she keeps following dropping comments, like “ oh this would look lovely on you” or “This style is very new ,you must try it” or “That colour would look great on you” ..arghhhh, Lady ,I have eyes of my own , and a brain that can think for itself thank you very much. So I either tell her to stop following me, or simply leave the shop.

2- I can’t find something that’s my taste; everybody is starting to look the same to me, since all the styles are becoming similar.

3- If I do find something, I can’t find my size. Even though I’ve got a medium figure, it’s all either too small or too large :(

4- Since I get stuck shopping at shopping seasons such as “Start of College” or “Eid, as this year” or “End of summer’s BIG SALE” Everywhere is crowded. People are shopping like maniacs. If there is anything that I hate outdoors, that’s NOISE, PEOPLE, and CROWD.

5- When it comes to Brand stores, Egypt has the least and worst products!! Like, I love Timberland’s shoe collection, and in most countries I’d definitely find something that I’d like, but here.. They only have like 8 or less items, and nothing suits me!!

Ahhh, I’m out of breath, I’ve actually written this post after 3 consecutive days of attempting to find something decent to wear…and the mission is still not done yet :(

I can’t understand how some people actually like shopping or think of it as a hobby!!

Headphone Herd

And these are just my personal headphones, plus 1 that is my mum's!! Still my bro & sis has 2 each, but I didn't get hold of them to include in the herd.

Why would someone have all these?? I still don't know, the pc headphones',1 has the mic working but the speakers no, the other one's vice versa,the third which is at the top center is my favourite -no preasure on the ear :)-. Then there's the mobile's original headphone, which malfunctioned so I got another 2, but I didn't throw the original.

I seriously need to get rid of some of these and stop being attached to some cords&wires!

Summer's drifting away

Grilled corn is a major sign saying "Summer's here".

You find the streets, specially the sea side filled with corn stands being grilled on coal and the sparks glittering and scattering all around. The smell also fills the place...

Now, I can hardly find one!! So guess summer is almost over, regardless of the weather,which is still sometimes blazing hot.., like it or not,the academic year starts in two weaks :( !!

The Blackout is over.. I AM BACK!!

I’ve been away for almost a month..sowwwy.
I missed blogging and reading other blogs sooo much.
My pc got damaged, and my mobile was already not working –which is now fixed after 4 weeks !! better late than never-. And we had some family issues, plus Ramadan came in and we all got kinda busy.
But all’s well now, and I am back, and will be catching up with other blogs' reading very soon :)

Missed ya allll!!!

Rest In Peace,Grandma

Yesterday was my paternal Grandma’s funeral, she passed away Friday night.
It was a surprise to all, since she wasn’t seriously ill, just complained from arthritis as far as I know.

I felt so terrible, thinking of all the things I should have done, I should have called more often, I should have visited more often; maybe stay over a couple of days. Actually, I was planning on sleeping over at her place as soon as we came from vacation, we came Friday morning, and she left Friday night!

Whenever I was a bit distant and didn’t call for a while, then visit or call her ,she’d greet me as if I was travelling and came back and goes “ How was your journey?” smiling at me to make me feel at ease instead of going “Haven’t heard from you for a long time. “Or “why don’t you call, did you forget your grandma?”

She always talked to me about Karma , how when I was a baby, mum would drop me at Gran before going to work and She, Gran would feed me, change my diapers and play with me. Then, how now, that she’s old, I go and buy her groceries, and give her, her weekly injection, and run her some errands.

Grandma was the news center in the family. She always spread the word about everything, who’s ill, who did what in their exams, who’s pregnant, who’s moving to another house, who’s travelling, who’s coming,….I wonder now, if we will call each other more often, or will everyone be isolated and no one will know anything as if we were perfect strangers!


I was the only grandchild she babysat, so I was kind of special to her.
Grandma had 4boys and a girl, 13 grandchildren, and 3 great grandchildren! It was always great when we gathered at her place every Friday, and on special holidays…I’m not sure how that’s gonna happen now, I’m worrying everyone’s gonna get distant, and won’t bother to gather or meet, I really hope that won’t be the case.

Coincidently, Grandpa passed away at about the same time she did, a few days away from the holy month of Ramadan, but that was 6 years ago. So now their house is empty, feels kinda weird!

5 Reasons why I need my phone to awaken!!

My phone is in a coma!

I was calling someone when suddenly the screen turned white!! I could still here it ringing, but the screen is just blank, I can’t get around. Immediately, I went to the Nokia maintenance service, and they said, they may or may not be able to fix this, just give them till Friday.

I lost a lot of numbers which were saved on the phone’s memory. Not really bothered about msgs, pics, songs, videos I have copies of these. But my phone was my:

1) Phone, naturally I feel isolated –especially since our land line got messed up for 2 days now!!-
2) My faithful camera!! I entered photography contests with pics from this phone, and even got published in a magazine!! Oh Plus I made a 3 min movie that I’m planning to share on the blog soon, it’s a thriller ;)
3) I listened to trance music before going to sleep on it... How am I supposed to sleep now?
4) I read a lot of stuff on that phone. I uploaded a couple of books and some scripts that kept me company in my long car/bus journeys.
5) Internet!! I’d log in from anywhere, and just check or send a quick e-mail or search for something…ahhh

I hope I come back and find that it’s back to life, awake from its coma!! I really can’t afford buying a new one now, yet I need it!!

Macaroni Salad

I was supposed to make lunch for the kids , mum told be to saute some veggies, I burnt them!
so I went to my old faithful Macaroni Salad, and here is it, as promised in the El Montaza post

I boiled Macaroni " I choose the spiral ones"

then added boiled veggies " carrots, peas, grean beans"

Then a can of red kidney beans,

one can actually put anything you find in the kitchen "sweet corn, white beans,..etc"

Then I put olives

And chicken chunks " can be replaced by tuna, mashroom, or none :D"

And finally, the French sauce;
Mayonnaise, salt, sugar, vinegar and oil

Mix 'em well!!



Bon Appétit =)

Instrumental : Santorini

Another one of Yanni's, from his Album, "Devotion /The Best of Yanni" .
Santorini is a greek name of the volcanic island located in the Aegean Sea, about 200 km southeast from Greece's mainland.

I remember the first time I ever heard this track, was when I was 12 ,attending a wedding cermony and they were doing a fireworks show, and this was the background music. It was played really loud and I felt my heart beating so hard, touched by the power of Santorini.



Yanni - Santorini

Summer Schools’ Peace Camp

My second time to experience being a trainer/activator/teacher. or whatever they wanna call it! Along with a partner, we were responsible for 20-30 kids for 3 days. Well first we were a group of volunteers targeting 5 public schools with 60 students in each age 12 to 15. Volunteers were divided into teams of 4 or 5 for each school. Then we were paired.

It was more of a workshop than a camp, we made some activities for the kids to help them 1-know more about themselves and their personalities 2-learn to appreciate people surrounding them in their lives 3- learn how to solve problems they have with people by peaceful non-violent means.

It was so much fun, I discovered that I liked working with kids :D I also found out that a lot of kids at his age –especially those in public schools- are very much in need to talk and express their views, also they were all complaining that they have low self confidence! One girl told me that she felt self conscious while walking in the street around college students, and felt everyone stare and think “oh you’re such a kid!!”, oh my! So I prepared some extra stuff and quizzes to do with them to help them build up their confidence and self esteem, which they enjoyed so much, and that made me feel very proud =)!

This Peace camp is part of .“The Suzanne Mubarak Women’s International Peace Movement”


Why is it different this year?? Well, the First Lady, Mrs. Mubarak has asked to hold a meeting with the volunteer trainers...Tomorrow!! Well, I’m not the type of person who usually goes to meetings with the President’s Wife!!! So this is HUGE for me!! I’ve never even met our Governor.. Not even our College Dean!! And here I am, skipping these steps and heading straight to the First Lady!!

I wonder though why she didn’t do anything before, this is the 5th year that the Peace Camp is held, and no one ever bothered to talk to the volunteers after the camps were through! This should be interesting!

Only thing is, we were asked to dress formal, I hate formal!! Oh, and no mobiles and cameras are allowed!!

Dude Doodling :)

The one at the top, looks like his punched in his left eye,& the one below, has really some messed up hands.

Out & About: El Montaza

Since our school friends -who have gone abroad for college studies- came this summer holiday to their homeland,Alex, we decided to make a re-union . Destination : El Montazah !!

Former residence of the King of Egypt, now one of several Egyptian Presidential Palaces. In Alexandria .The meaning of the word Montaza is to be far, untouched, unblemished, and free. It is famous for its vast royal gardens , beach and several things .

After contacting as much people as we could, 14 people were able to make it, which was great since they were my closest friends during school!

The Montaza main entrance (It has 2 other entrances)

The entrance from the inside, or rather the exit now :)

It lies on the very east of Alex, were one stands almost at the edge of Alex, viewing the rest of the city that's on the seaside.

The water was soooo inviting, too bad we didn't get our bathing suits :( And that, would be King Fuad's Palace..no visitors are allowed entrance, because it currently serves as a place for the President to receive his guests or maybe come and enjoy himself ..LOL

A friend of ours had access to one of the cabins, were we put our stuff and had our own private area were we played some racket.

It not really that cheap to get a cabin there, it was my fist time to go to one actually, when I used to go with my college friends, we simply hang out at the public gardens,or I went on some occasions were I was a volunteer organizer of a certain event.

so, it was cool :D

After playing, we were hungry, we had each got something to make a dish party,and this is how the layed table looked like.

Drinks:Water,Coke,Juices( 4 flavours ,if you wanna know, oh well, grapes, pineapple,apple & the final is my first time to try Orange and carrots mix, it was okay.. but pineapple is my fav.)

You might be wondering about the dark think in the middle of the table..ehm well that is, " Mahshi Waraa' Enab" i.e grape leaves stuffed with rice .It's more delicious than it looks, every Egyptian is a fan of it.I's also well know in Greece, since they're a mediterranean Country as well.

I got Macaroni Salad, I actually made it, whenever there's a dish party, that's my trade mark!! It's Easy, Tasy, & Healthy. I'll probably make a post of it later!! Maybe you'll find it handy as it requires minimal kitchen knowledge, but saves the day when you're hungry !!

Another pal made chinese rice & chicken sweet and sour, that is always my favourite when I order at the chinese restaurant, and it was as tasty as the restaurant's,I salut you my friend for your great talent :)

We then decided to abandon the cabin area and go to the famous Montaza Bridge, that appears far away in the pic below.

It was quite a distance ,but we made it!!

It was really fun to see those people whom I haven't seen half of them for five years now. And it was as if we were back in high school with the same spirit .

Wishing those who are heading back to Australia, USA, & Netherlands a safe journey!!

Bathroom Tiles:Pick one!

I have a relative who’s living abroad. She asked me to pick up tiles for the bathroom of her apartment that’s over here cuz we’re preparing it for her. So I went yesterday and viewed some tiles, and well here they are... Have any favorites?

Drugs!

Since I'm studying them , might as well draw them, hmm forgot the syringe though and some ampoules..ah well.

Personality change,is it permanent?

I had this friend at high school that was highly energetic, outgoing, spontaneous and very loud. She was so loud that I could hear her from the far end of the corridor and our classroom was at the other end. She was so spontaneous and daring that she once jumped into the pool fully dressed in the school uniform, (& told the teachers that she simply slipped: D)

2 years ago I met her at the university campus by chance –we’re not really close friends- . What I saw was a whole different person. She was quiet, calm, very descent in her talking, asking how I was and talking in such a formal way that has gotten me laughing so hard from the inside. I couldn’t help but ask, “What happened to you? This isn’t you” She said” I was wrong all along, God forgive me, I was so stupid and reckless, but Thank God now I’m a better, more serene person” -oh and her voice has become so low, I had to come so close to her to hear her-.…okay, Fine by me, I wasn’t for any of the extremes myself, but then again I’m not into the extreme quietness and hiding myself in a shell.

So she’s been like that now for like, 4 years…a 180 degrees transformation.A few weeks ago I get an invitation to her Henna Night –night before marriage were girls celebrate, blah blah boring stuff that I always try to wiggle out and not attend- This time though, I was eager to go and see what she’ll do, cuz they usually go really wild that night, and I didn’t expect her to do anything. Not now, that’s she’s changed. I was wrong!!

I went; it was held at her house, were she had gotten a D.J with all the equipment and stuff –AT HER HOUSE- and she have gone really wild. As if 4 years of harnessed energy has been unleashed. She danced in costumes of several regions, Hawaii, Arabian belly dancing, Gypsy, Spanish, Hip-hop, and Nubian. She got 3 ladies that wore customs as she did and danced in the background. She was dancing so dynamically that her hair was all wet & damp.

Why am I writing this, well does a person manage to make a life time change in their personality or will they always have their old selves still within them struggling to surface out at any given opportunity ?

Out & About:Farah al Bahr festival 2009

The Anna Lindh Foundation held the Farah El-Bahr 2-days festival, the first annual Mediterranean cultural festival taking place at Qaitbey Citadel in Alexandria. The programme constituted of a variety of cultural activities, including traditional dancing of Palestine and Greece, theatre performances, storytelling and handicrafts presented by artists from around Egypt including Cairo, Assiout, Siwa and Port Said.Furthermore, gastronomy also featured in the Festival and was presented both through traditional Egyptian cuisine and demonstrated by members of foreign communities living in Egypt.

In the picture above, THAT was my cotton candy :) Luv it !!

During the Anna Lindh Festival a number of special activities was dedicated to children including puppet shows, henna tattoos, caricature artists, calligraphy, kite flying, a fire blower and a magician.In the evenings renowned contemporary Egyptian bands including Massar Egbari, Sout fl Zahma, Nas Makan, Station Band and the Egyptian artist Ahmed El-Sawy performed within the Citadel. The festival also included a joint performance between the Egyptian artist Mohamed Antar and the Spanish guitarist Fernando Perez who presented a fusion between traditional Egyptian music and Euro-Mediterranean music.

I hope this year's festival will be as exciting as the previous one!!

5 Things I can't live without!

Here are the 5 things I can't live with out;

1- Water: I drink around 2 litres per day. No amount of tea, juice or whatever drink could substitute for my need of water.
2-Wrist-Watch: I am very much time dependant, it sometimes really gets on my nerves, but it's difficult to change certain traits within us. Even when on a holiday, with no schedule of what so ever, I still need to see and feel my watch on my hand.
3-A Book: yup, I am a book worm :)
4-Internet: Need I say something about that!! Internet is where I read, learn, play,share, connect,listen,discover,and virtually visit places.
5-Belila =D : It's an Egyptian food, that one usually has for breakfast.Some countries, call it Pearl barley. It's basically cooked whole wheat grain, with added warm milk, and sweetened with sugar. some top it with cinnamon or coconut. I Love it. I eat it whenever I get hungry, & I never get bored of it.

**Check out Rei's 5 Things I can't live without ,turns out we have ONE in common :)

**Also, there's Booth's , that was interesting :)

** And Cladyns'

6 Steps to the Sun

If only things were that easy, and goals were that near...

checkered art

Supposed to be doing some mathematical problems, but ...ah well, it's always when I'm supposed to be working that I get more on the artistic side within me =)

My first cake !!

I'm not into the kitchen at all. Yet, mum was coming from abroad, and I didn't know what to do to welcome her...my bro suggested making a cake. and what a success it was !!

German: Bilder von dir

Ever since I started learning German, I found that listening to songs while reading their lyrics is a very helpful way to memorize vocab and an already built sentence.Specially if it has a nice tune that would stick to your mind. I would recommend this method to anyone who's taking a new language course, you'll be ahead of your mates in the course ;)
This is the first German singer I've ever tried listening to, Laith Al-deen, this song is called, Bilder von dir or "Pictures of you". Enjoy :D



210-laith Al-deen - Bilder Von Dir

Instrumenal : Don't lose your mind

The most Famous Egyptian composer & pianist, Omar Khairat. This is a track called " Don't lose your mind".Starting 3:02 is my favourite part in this piece. Enjoy :D




06 - Omar Khairat [ Don't Lose Your Mind]

Out & About: Green Plaza

Yesterday I took my siblings to Green Plaza, to see Toy Story 3 at the Cineplex.

I love this place because it's open, and green. I'm not claustrophobic,but why go to a mall, with all these people walking under the same roof, when you have a spacious open air place to have a walk , shop or dine at the same places you'd find at the mall !!

l;

There's all the usual brand shops, and some regular ones.

We dined at Pizza Hut,

Then there are the numerous cafes where you can sit and enjoy a drink, dessert or whatever you want while watching people pass by. or if it was the World Cup season, like now, you can watch the game on the big screens with alot of football fans around you.. I personally hate football. It makes people act so irrationally .

I love this flower shop.. It always brings a sense of joy to me , just watching it and watching people go in and come out with different bouquets ,wondering who they are ment to be given to :)

This colourfull, castle-like building is Karamantas, the gaming area in the Plaza.I enjoy it most with my friends, my favouritees are , air hockey and the laser storm. There is also bowling, crashing cars, video games, trampoline,..etc

The top level "2nd level" of the plaza is dedicated to the Hilton Hotel.

It's a nice place to stay in, since you're basically surrounded by everything.



"Piece of Egypt", the antique shop.

And we finished off the day by some ice-cream. I had a pistachio and mango ice-cream :D

The place seems a bit deserted, because it was before 3pm.. people start storming in around that time. But I'm an early person, so we started our day at 11 am. Almost everyone was still asleep at home.