Egypt; A brief history

To make it clear from the start, this piece will not cover the current events in any detail. I'm writing this in an attempt to help explain the history of the major players in the current situation in Egypt and why the situation is so polarized. I am neither a journalist nor a historian, so please forgive any errors (if you could point them out, politely, and explain where I went wrong please do so in the comments). I will try to be as impartial as possible.

The first thing to understand is that both the Armed Forces and the Muslim Brotherhood are deeply embedded in Egypt's modern history and social conscious.

The Muslim Brotherhood was formed in 1928 by school teacher Hasan Al Bana, with the aim of returning to a Caliphite stretching from Spain to Indonesia, taking the Quraan and Sunnah (sharia law) as the guide to politics and society. For most of its history the brotherhood has been officially banned from politics and outlawed as an organisation. The first time came after the assassination of the Egyptian Prime Minister and the second under President Nasser after an attempt on his life. Despite having supported the 1952 revolution that removed the monarchy from power, they disagreed with the secular goals of the new regime.

The organization has gained support manly through charitable work ( especially in the form of food and healthcare to the needy) and because they were the most prominent form of opposition. This may help explain the loyalty at a grass roots level that the Brotherhood has amongst people, especially the poor. Where state institutions failed them, especially on an economic level, they were there to help cover bills and provide help. And of course, there's no one so willing to join an organization in opposition than those already on the fringes of society where it provides a sense of belonging and importance.

At the beginning of the uprising in 2011, their leaders asked their members not to join any of the protests, however as the movement became more popular and it looked like the police might retreat they joined in. This was enough to give their candidate the edge in the elections; despite having said that they would not be putting forward a candidate.

People have always been incredibly distrustful of them, despite this enough people decided to give Morsi a chance over Ahmed Shafiq who had been PM under Mubarak, to give him a slim margin to win the elections despite an incredibly low voter turnout in the second round.

Then came all the broken promises: a Copt as Vice President, plenty of cabinet positions for women, cracking down on the interior ministry and police brutality, to name a few. Instead more members of the Brotherhood and islamist parties were placed in key ministerial positions.The Brotherhood's political wing The Freedom and Justice Party ( FJP) then flooded the ballots ( along with more extreme "Islamists"). All their campaigns around poorer neighbourhoods involved bags of basic food stuffs and they were everywhere.

Parliament was elected and promptly set to work, their primary concerns seemed to be lowering the legal marriage age (to 12!), overturning the ban on female gentile mutilation and not teaching foreign languages in schools as they are 'corrupt'. Nothing about increasing wages, manufacture or any plan for the economy apart from trying to secure an IMF loan.

Then came the constitutional declaration in November which gave the President sweeping powers and was full of enough holes that even someone,like me, who struggles with legal jargon could see problems down the road. That lead to protests and a sit in at the presidential Palace which was forcibly broken up and people died ( not by the security forces but by supporters of the President) to no official condemnation.

That's not counting the things that made daily life, if not unbearable for all, then certainly inconvenient, daily power cuts and water shortages, garbage in the streets.

The police weren't exactly helping during all this time, as a kind of unofficial protest to having some of their powers curtailed and their torture brought to a wider light, they stopped doing their jobs. Crime rates escalated.

So, when a group of people decided to start the 'Tamarod' or Rebel campaign to call for early elections they ended up gathering more signatures than Morsi had votes to win the election (the movement claims at least 20 million signatures). Security forces saw this as a chance to gain back their previous positions of power and get the all important public opinion on their side and they promised to do whatever the people wanted and that they would protect the anti-Morsi demonstrations on June 30.

Egyptians love their Armed Forces. This dates back to 1952 when the Free Officers Movement lead a coup to overthrow the king- unlike recent events the king willingly abdicated to prevent bloodshed. Because of the British occupation, it was also a liberation from foreign rule and lead to a surge of patriotism and nationalism. The two main leaders were Mohamed Naguib and Gammal Abd El Nasser and while the latter is the most famous, Naguib was actually Egypt's first president, who due to disagreements with Nasser has been relegated to the footnotes of Egyptian history (if included at all).

Nasser on the other hand, is not a figure history can ignore. Love him or hate him, he was a charismatic leader and a gifted orator whose humble backgrounds meant the majority of Egyptians found him relatable. With proclaimed socialist leanings he insured that 50% of parliament seats went to workers and farmers as well as distributing farm land to those who worked it. He nationalised the Suez Canal which lead to the retaliatory invasion of the Sinai peninsula by Britain, France and Israel. After stepping down following the Six Day Way in 1964, he was reinstated by popular demand.

After his death came Anwar El Sadat who opened up the economy through trade agreements and signed the Camp David agreement. It was during this time that mass migration of the rural poor to the cities began (devastating the agricultural sector) and immigration to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states.

For centuries Egyptians of all religions had lived peacefully side by side with neighbours celebrating religious and secular holidays together. There was a thriving and vital Jewish community. There was vibrant art scene and nightlife and through it all, Egyptians held fast to their faiths. Many claim that this began to change once people who had been working in Saudi Arabia began to return to Egypt with money and spreading the more conservative and fundamental Whabi form of Islam practiced there. Starting with the assassination of President Sadat in 1981, there began a crackdown on various armed islamist groups (several of which were off shoots of the Muslim Brotherhood). The 90s in particular were a violent time in Egypt, with bombs on government facilities, civilians and tourists all common. The perpetrators were the Islamists who looked 'different' and who seemed to be speaking of a different Islam than that which the majority of Egyptians practiced. It sought to reshape the country and it's people. They threatened security and the economy and so people supported any steps taken against them.

This may go some way to explain Egyptians' love and loyalty to the Armed Forces. They see them as having restored national pride and dignity to the people after decades of foreign rule. The police state whose end was called for in 2011 grew out of people's readiness to put down the enemies of the military and those they see as threatening Egypt's national identity and security.

What you see happening now is an -almost inevitable- implosion of the supporters of these two decade old foes.

Many of those opposed to Morsi's rule and who are supporting the current crackdown feel let down by the West, especially the media. For years Muslims around the world have been screaming that not all Muslim are like Al Qaeda and are trying to bring down Western civilization. The way they see it, is that what the security forces are doing now is clamping down on an organization that has bred terrorists who have effected the lives of millions around the world. They resent being told by the Brotherhood supporters that they are not 'true Muslims' for not wanting to live under their rule as they have always practiced the Muslim faith diligently. They feel that they are responding to what we hear so many Western politicians say whenever a Muslim commits a crime in the name of Islam; standing up to the extremists.

I hope that this has in some way improved your understanding of the current situation and why each side is as passionate as they are. Please also remember that your own democracies have been around for much longer and have already gone through most of these teething problems.

2011: A Review

     Well, it's not likely to be a year anyone will forget. All around the world events, whether natural or man-made have affected the lives of millions. In fact, billions is probably more accurate as in 2011 the world population hit 7,000,000,000 that's BILLION.

       Let's go back to the beginning shall we. 2011 started with a bomb attack on 2 churches in Alexandria during New Year services, shocking Egyptians and laying the groundwork for what was to begin a mere 24 days later. The desperate actions of a single man in a small city in Tunisia became the spark that was needed to make millions in the Arab world shake off decades of apathy and stand up to their leaders. How this will all pan out is yet to be seen, but I'm so glad that I'm here to see it instead of reading about it in a history book. For better or worse I can tell my children and grandchildren (presuming I ever have any) all about it. 

      The economic crisis focused on Europe and spread. The Occupy movement started with Occupy Wall Street and expanded to include cities and economic landmarks around the world.

       The UK in general and London in particular made international headlines twice in 2011, the first time in April for the Royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton (now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and then again in August because of the riots which swept from London to include several major UK cities. The riots surprised and horrified some, while others seemed surprised that they hadn't happened before. Either way, everyone agreed that the grief of one man certainly helped bring them to an end. Tariq Jahan lost his son Haroon during the riots in Birmingham, Haroon and two others (brothers) were killed in a hit and run in what appeared to be an anti-Muslim crime by members of an Afro-Caribbean gang. Jahan had tried desperately to revive his son himself. This is what he had to say; "I lost my son. Blacks, Asians, Whites - we all live in the same community. Why do we have to kill one another? Why are we doing this? Step forward if you want to lose your sons. Otherwise, calm down and go home - please."

   Osama Bin Laden was killed a decade after the 9/11 attacks. US forces pulled out of Iraq.

    Natural disasters included earthquakes in New Zealand and Japan. The Japanese earthquake in March was followed by a devastating tsunami. The most dangerous and worrying effect of which was the meltdown it caused at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. The area is still contaminated and people have yet to be allowed to return after they were evacuated.

    There were floods in Asia and droughts in Africa. Again.

     2011 started with several dictators in place: Ben Ali (Tunisia), Mubarak (Egypt), Gaddafi (Libya), Saleh (Yemen), Kim Jung Il (N.Korea) and Mugabe (Zimbabwe). With 2 days till 2012, Mugabe is the only one left in power.

     On a personal note, I finished my Masters degree in education (woohoo me!) and started teaching full time and I voted in my first ever elections. My love life has remained uneventful, which considering everything that's been going on, is a relief. There was no time for romance during a revolution!

      What does 2012 have in store for us? The Olympics in London, Presidential elections in Egypt and the USA and if the Mayans are to be believed; the end of the world. Whatever's coming, it will be memorable!

Egyptian Elections 2011

     Today was the first day of voting for Egypt's Lower House of Parliament (Magles El Shaab مجلس الشعب) or The People's Assembly. As with almost everything political in Egypt this year, it was new and different. For a start, there were new names to vote for! Gone were the names of those who had dominated the parliament (and country) for decades and they were replaced by countless others. With all these new faces came new symbols (due to the low literacy rate in Egypt, each candidate and party is given a symbol so that illiterate voters know who to choose). I remember the only signs I would see around my neighbourhood were the camel and the crescent, both used by the National Democratic *snort* Party candidates. This time there was a veritable cornucopia of candidates to choose from (130 on my ballot paper) and their symbols ranged from the bizarre to the ridiculous (cookers, food mixer, tank, knife, shirt, carpet, chair, bouquet of flowers, gold ingot, water heater, bus, school bus, tram, train, basketball, basketball net and so on).

The main roundabout near my house becomes an election campaign hub

Some of the candidates' banners

There's a lovely fountain hidden behind all those banners

    Of course, this being Egypt, nothing is as simple as it first appears. Under former President Nasser an addition was made to the constitution stating that 50% of the Lower House should be composed of workers and farmers. A later amendment set the minimum % of women who must be MPs. This means that voting is not as straightforward as placing a check mark next to your preferred candidate's name. 

   

    Once in the polling station, you're given 2 papers; one to vote for the party and one for the individual candidates. Of the individual candidates you must choose 2, one of whom must be a worker. These individual candidates may be running as a member of a political party or as independents. Confused yet?

   My day began at 8:30 when I left home to head towards my polling station (polling stations were assigned according to your national ID number and so my parents and I were each at different stations despite sharing an address). I had no idea where the school serving as my polling station was, but I was lucky enough to meet up with 3 young ladies from my neighbourhood who were at the same one, and despite none of us knowing where we were going, we set off together. We found our school in a middle/working class area of Cairo called El-Zaitoun which is fairly conservative, it also has a large Coptic population which meant the queue was a mix of people voting for the Freedom and Justice Party (the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood), a minority voting for the ultra-conservative Islamist El-Nour party and Christians who, like me, were voting for the more liberal or secular candidates.

   The queue was long, and seeing it was amazing as Egyptians are not famous for their patience or queue formation! It snaked around the block in a U shape and was twice as long when I left as it had been when I joined.

The queue in front of me. At this point we'd been in line for an hour and still had to turn the corner before we could even see the school gates.

Part of the queue (about halfway along) when I was leaving.

 We were all chatting, but none of us ever really discussed who we were voting for, we were just pleased that we were voting. There were a few people passing out flyers as we waited, despite this being against election rules which state that all campaigning had to have ceased 48 hours before the vote.  The actual voting only took a couple of minutes, as I knew exactly who I was voting for. So after a 3 hour wait, weeks of reading up on parties I made my 3 check marks, signed the register, dipped my thumb in the fluorescent ink and was done! I had voted for the first time!!

    Of course, none of this was imaginable a year ago and if people had not taken to the streets and squares in January, we would have "voted" for a new President next September only to have Gamal Mubarak win with 90% majority. There are  many who think this parliament will be a useless entity, there purely for show until the constitution has been reviewed and a President elected next year. They also say it may not even last beyond a couple of months. Whatever happens, for better or worse, Egyptians went to bed today feeling, for the first time, that they made a difference. So for that alone, I say, to everyone who protested, was injured and especially to those who gave their lives; "Thank You"

Here (Doesn't) Come The Bride

    *steps onto soapbox and clears throat*
   
     The other week I took my father to the hospital for his check-up. While there, we met my uncle who has a clinic in the same hospital. After the usual greetings and niceties, my uncle asked me what my brother was up to now and I proudly told him that he was off to London to do his Msc.at The London School of Economics in Human Rights. The next thing my uncle asks is whether or not I have any marriage plans in the near future "mafeesh 3rees wala eh?"

     Now I am well aware of how things are in Egypt, I grew up here after all. I know damn well that as soon as a girl hits puberty she is called '3roosa' or bride-this does NOT mean that Egyptians or Arabs in general condone child marriages, just that it is the beginning of what I see as brainwashing of young girls that they will grow up to be wives no matter what. 90% of the time this will come from a female relative and is always meant as a compliment. When I started university I remember an aunt telling me to make sure I didn't graduate without having "caught someone.". Well, I did catch someone, the wrong one as it turned out; but that's OK as far as I'm concerned because we didn't get married, there was no ugly divorce and no one got hurt but us.

    I don't feel I need to be married or in a relationship right now to feel 'successful' or 'complete', I wasn't raised that way. My parents' focus was always education, education, education not matrimony. So while there is a Tiffany&Co. ring that I think is gorgeous, I'm not bothered that I don't have one (and having seen the price tag, I'll probably never have one!). My point is this, I am more than just someone's future wife, I have a brain and I use it. I have opinions and I say them and I will argue to defend them. I don't want a 'protector and provider' I want a partner.

   I am not against marriage but it is not my sole goal in life I have other ambitions and I have no problems waiting for love, marriage and the baby carriage. I'm not rushing to meet men and when I do, I don't judge against a romantic ideal or a check-list (I tried writing one of those once, I struggled to get past 10 items).

   If I met the right man tomorrow and fell head over heels in love, then yes, I would want to marry him; not to feel like I've succeeded in some great game but because I would want to build a life with someone who will treat me as an equal.

*steps off soapbox*

Mubarak in the Dock

    Today, August 3rd 2011 was the day deposed President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak finally had his day in court. After delays, and all the reports about the state of his health--"He's got terminal cancer." "No, he hasn't." "He's in a coma!", "No, he isn't."---Egyptians finally got what we wanted; Mubarak (and sons) in their white overalls in the accused's cage. And in an ironic twist of fate it was in the same hall (at the Police Academy) that Mubarak gave his last speech before the start of the January 25 protests which lead to his eventual downfall.

   Today was merely the opening session in the trial of Mubarak, his sons Alaa and (President in waiting) Gamal and former Minister of Interior Habib El-Adly (one of the slimiest human beings on the planet IMO). As such the lawyers of the defendants and the prosecution were presenting their arguments and demands for the trial. This was, unfortunately but not surprisingly, chaotic with only one microphone that had to be passed around amongst all the lawyers (there we several there representing the families of the martyrs in various areas of Egypt in civil suits against the deposed and the former MOI head.) which lead to the judge having to discipline the courtroom much as a teacher disciplines a classroom.

    Suzanne Mubarak was conspicuous by her absence today as were the wives of Alaa and Gamal. Suzanne is also facing charges relating to illegal profiteering during her husband's 30 year rule.

   It wasn't until after the first adjournment that the Mubarak and his sons were charged and called upon to state their pleas. Unsurprisingly all three pleaded 'not guilty.'. The charges against them included; ordering the shooting of protesters (could lead to the death penalty), selling Egypt's natural gas to Israel at greatly reduced prices (thus harming the economy). 

Highlights:

• Seeing them in the cage! For non-Egyptian readers; this is normal procedure in Egyptian courts as it is in Russia I believe.
• Mubarak picking his nose. 
• Gamal and Alaa standing in front of Mubarak's stretcher in an attempt to hide him from the cameras. Didn't work.
• The judge asking the lawyers if they had their demands written down or were going to waste time trying to remember them.
• The public prosecutor listing the charges against Mubarak, Alaa and Gamal.
• Hearing Mubarak say ' Ya Fandem' meaning 'yes sir.' to the judge to show he is present. He probably hasn't said that in 30 years!
• The one conspiracy-theorist lawyer who demanded DNA tests on Mubarak to prove it's really him and that he didn't die in 2004.
• THAT IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED!!! There's no denying that this is a historical day in Egyptian and Arab history. An Arab leader has never before been tried after being deposed by their own people. It was unthinkable a mere 7 months ago and right up until Mubarak was actually wheeled in, most people thought we would never seem him stand trial. 

      After a second adjournment the judge declared that Habib El-Adly would be tried separately for his role in the deaths of protesters and would resume tomorrow (it has already been postponed 3 times, although he has been found guilty of money laundering and profiteering). The Mubaraks' trial will be resumed on the 15th of August 2011 with Alaa and Gamal returning to Torah Prison where they have been held since February and Hosni Mubarak will be held in a military hospital on the Cairo-Ismaliia desert road. 

What's in a name?

     The other week as I was booking my flight to the UK, I told the lady at the travel agents my name and then spelled it out for her. As we were waiting for the ticket and receipt to be printed she asked me whether my name was Nora or Noora as I had pronounced it Noora (I was speaking Arabic at the time) but spelled it Nora. This lead to me explaining that it's the way it's spelt on my birth certificate and it's easier for non-Arabic speakers to pronounce that way.

     I love the fact that my name sounds completely different, but still correct, depending on who's saying it. It's like I have two names that are both me; Nora has both Greek and English origins, the former means Light while the latter is honour. Noura (نورا)-of Arabic origin- is a derivative of Nour (which was my grandmother's name) which means light.


   So that's me, Nora, Noora, Noura, Norah, however you say it I'll answer!

Revolution 2.0

     This Friday (July 8th) Egyptians around the country returned to major squares to reapply pressure on the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) to ensure demands are met. These protests have been called for for a while but escalated following the release in Suez of 14 police officers accused of killing protesters during the 18 days of revolution in January and February. People in the city famous for the Canal have been protesting for most of last week after this court decision and this greatly helped raise the enthusiasm around the country to protest on Friday. 

     The atmosphere in Tahrir Sq. was great, a cross between a carnival, rock festival and in some parts a slightly more angry and grieving crowd. The demands were, as always, posted around the square on banners and placards carried by people.

   The demands vary according to political affiliations but there are those that are common across the board;

• The swift and public prosecution of members of the former regime, most prominently former President Mubarak and former Interior Minister Habib El-Adly (the former's trial is -tentatively- set for August 3rd while the latter has had his trial into the deaths of protesters 3 times so far). 
• Lifting of the emergency law. 
• No military trials for civilians, and the immediate release of those already detained and convicted.
• SCAF handing over power to a civilian panel to hold power till elections are held.

    The sit in is planned to continue until these demands are met. Hopefully it will continue peacefully and not be broken up by security forces in the middle of the night.

Appreciating The People Around Us.

  This morning my principle called me as I was writing the morning assignments on the board for my homeroom class and told me that the security staff were looking for me as there was a problem with my car. My car (named Veronica by my brother and fondly nicknamed The Lady V), was hit by a minibus driver as she was parked outside my workplace. He had been driving in the wrong direction down the road, lost control, slammed his back into a lamppost and then went forward into my passenger side.

    The situation, although bad, could have been much much worse. For a start, if it had happened 15 minutes earlier we would have still been in the car and my mum-who was in the passenger seat-may have been injured. The damage to the car itself was also less severe than originally feared. We had thought that the axle may have been broken, or at least damaged by the look of the wheel. Luckily, that was not the case, it was something to do with the suspension that was bent (hey, I watch Top Gear for the stupid challenges not the car specs!).



         What a way to start the day! Now on top of the fact that I was staying at the school till 8:30 p.m for my Masters course, the fever that I've had for nearly a week and a full day of work (with kids who have advanced in leaps and bounds in terms of bullying) I had the added stress of worrying how I was going to get home!

     The real heroes of the day were the school security personnel. As soon as the accident happened, they stopped the driver, contacted me, made him contact his boss to claim responsibility and confiscated his licenses. They got the school mechanic to take a preliminary look at the car and once the owner of the minibus arrived they made sure he left his car keys with them as security while he-and one of them- took V to a mechanic.

    All ended well. At least I think it did, V got her ER surgery and I was able to -slooooooowly- drive her home. On the way home I was escorted by two male friends following along behind to ensure IrishAlexandrian and I wouldn't be alone if anything happened.

   So a big, big Thank You to the security team at school and my knights in shining armor. 

Sharm El-Sheikh and Sham El Nessim

    Recently the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. In 2010 there were a series of shark attacks that killed several people and since he was deposed in February 2011, former President Mubarak has taken up permanent residence in the city. Despite all this and the drop in visitor numbers since the Revolution, it is still a popular destination for tourists, especially those looking to combine sun, sea and sand and stunning natural beauty with an active nightlife. The waters of the Red Sea are ideal for snorkeling and scuba diving.

   Sham el-nessiem is an Egyptian national holiday and is a uniquely Egyptian way to welcome spring. It translates literally into "smelling the breeze"  and dates back to Pharaonic times. These days it falls on (Coptic) Easter Monday and is celebrated by all Egyptians irrespective of religion. It is celebrated, as most festivals in Egypt are, with food; in this case, coloured boiled eggs, green onions and salted fish (ringa and fessekh). These are usually eaten as part of a picnic as most families head off somewhere green. I remember when my cousins and I were young, we would all head off to the family orange grove and the smell of orange blossom still brings those memories back.

  This year a friend and I headed off to Sharm El-Sheikh for the long weekend and I have to say, it was one of the best ideas we'd had for a while! She was able to get us a good deal via her workplace so we were staying in a lovely 5 star resort at a fraction of the cost. The hotel was nice, the room large enough for the 2 of us not to constantly be in each other's hair and the view from the balcony was lovely

View from our room.

The other advantage this hotel had to the one I stayed at two years ago was that the beach was right within the resort. A three minute walk (through the pool area and garden) lead you to a walkway from which you had a glorious view of the red sea.

First view of the Red Sea

   While I would have been perfectly happy to spend all 4 days on the beach, snorkeling, reading and soaking up the sun, my friend had other ideas. She insisted that she wanted to climb Mount Sinai and visit St. Catherine's monastery. I was slightly less than enthusiastic as I had done this on my last visit and it was exhausting, freezing and took up a whole day. However, remembering just how tiring it was I felt I couldn't leave her to do it alone so we booked 2 places on a trip leaving the night we arrived. Unfortunately, the trip was poorly organized and our guide was rude, badly spoken and aggressive, but enough of that story now! On the bus journey to the mountain the air-con was on full blast and that was just enough to bring the cold I'd been keeping at bay all week to full strength. By the time we started the hike, my nose was completely stuffed and breathing and hiking at the same time was becoming problematic (I've discovered I like breathing...it helps keep me alive), so in the end I only made it as far as the first rest-stop on foot and then carried on on a camel!

Me on the camel watching the sunrise over Mount Sinai

    My camel pilot Saleh (a Bedouin native to Sinai) and I had a good chat as we made the trek up, he's been doing the job for about 3 years and that on a good day he can hire his camel about 4 times in either direction. The best tourists in his opinion are Indonesians as they nearly always opt for a camel ride up , while Russians are far less likely. I asked him how the revolution had affected business and he told me that they've definitely had fewer people this year but the numbers were starting to pick up again. 

  The view of the sunrise was as stunning as I remember and I'll let the pictures do the talking.

  In the end we weren't able to go around the monastery as the monks had decided to close to visitors in preparation for Easter services, but we did manage to use the facilities there and I snapped a picture of the door to the main church decked out for the occasion.

    Back at the hotel I took some paracetamol and slept for 12 hours straight! Luckily I got my wish and was able to spend the next 2 days on the beach.

First Taste of Democracy!

   Today Egyptians took to the polls to vote in  the referendum on the proposed amendments to the constitution (for more details please see my post HERE).

   I'm 26 years old and I voted for the first time today. Even though I've been eligible to vote in Egypt since I was 18 there never seemed to be any point before, the results were a forgone conclusion; Mubarak's National 'Democratic' Party would win. In some cases even dead people would manage to vote!

  My brother and I were at our local polling station by 8:20 and there was already a queue winding its way from the office on the second floor to the street outside. By the time I left at 9, the queue had spread further down the street and I couldn't actually see the end of it when I came out, and that's just one of the polling stations in my area! Egyptians willingly and quietly lining up with no pushing or shoving is in itself is an amazing sight to behold!  

    The atmosphere was great, very positive and everyone was eager to ensure their voice will be heard, anyone who started to try and convince people to vote one way or another were told to keep their opinions to themselves and just vote when it was their turn. I had a woman behind me in the queue, whom I can only describe as a traditional Egyptian Mama, who was welcoming everyone who joined the line and told me she'd spent last night going around her neighbourhood reminding everyone that it was their right to vote and brought some of them with her today. She was talking about all the changes she's hoping to see in Egypt including an all-female police force to deal with sexual harassment. She got a big cheer for that one!

  In the end, I went into the polling room handed in my National I.D, took my ballot paper behind the screen, popped it in the box and dipped my finger in the fluorescent ink to prove I'd voted.

WHAT A FEELING!!

 To think that a mere 2 months ago, all this would have been impossible. In 3 months Egyptians have toppled a corrupt government and taken the first steps to re-build the country democratically. That's amazing.

  If you live in a democratic country, don't ever take your right to free and fair elections for granted. We had to fight and many died for us to get this far today. 

VOTE!

To Question Authority or Not To Question Authority?

   Over the last few weeks stories have been spreading through Egypt at the speed it takes to press 'send' on a mobile phone. These stories always start the same way; "Confirmed news" or "True story" and end with "plz spread" and the like.

   All this coupled with people's reactions to television news (I'm thinking specifically of state-run television here) has made me wonder why Egyptians are so ready to believe what they're told without question. In my opinion, the blame lies with the education system. The Egyptian national education system is very old-fashioned in one vital aspect; it relies on rote learning and not the understanding of concepts to achieve high grades. Year after year, regardless of the subject, students cram the facts into their heads then extract it all in the exam and wipe the slate clean for the following year. This continues all the way up through to university. The only time it doesn't happen is when children go to international schools which follow a foreign system or one of the private universities where grades can also depend on research papers.

   My point is, if for the major formative years of one's life the only way to succeed is to blindly and deafly repeat what a higher authority(teachers, lectures, textbooks) has said then surely this will have an effect on one's ability to think critically? If that authority is thought to have all the answers, surely one learns not to question that authority for fear of failure? And when the authority behind that comes out with statements about the state of the country one has become so conditioned that once again, no one questions it.

  Yes, things are dangerous here in Egypt, but my question is this; is it more dangerous or a different kind of danger? I'm not saying that all these people are lying, or that the people behind these messages are not well-intentioned. Nor am I claiming that all is calm on the streets. However, what I am saying is that there is, in my opinion, a great risk of panic spreading among people. Everyone who reads these messages believes them and sends them on to their contact list. But no one seems to bother to find out where the story originated from. The cousin or friend in the message could be anyone. Please, if you get one of these, call the person who sent it and ask if they wrote it. If they didn't and are just forwarding it, please try to verify the story before sending it on.

   Mad-Eye Moody from the Harry Potter is always urging "Constant Vigilance", this is certainly the line we should be taking, just make sure vigilance doesn't turn to paranoia.

Tea and Politics.

   Well we didn't actually drink tea, but we most certainly spoke politics. A few nights ago my brother, a friend and I went to a friend's house to meet with a judge and former UN lawyer to talk politics and the discuss the future of Egypt.
 
   Conversation ranged from the structure of the country's justice system and the challenges facing those in it and the possible scenarios in Egypt's future. The major focus of the evening though, was the proposed amendments to the constitution. These amendments address several main areas:

1. The President (who is eligible and time limits of office).
2. Elections and voting.
3. The appointment of a Vice-President.
4. Emergency Law.
5. Presidential use of military justice.
6. Amending the constitution. 

For the full details of the amendments please click here Egypt's Constitutional Amendments

   Something that I hadn't realized before this meeting was that the old constitution is technically null and void since when Mubarak stepped down and handed control to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces the constitution fell with him, because he left office due to a revolution. Legally our current constitution is what was issued by the SCAF in their communique which stated their intent to uphold the laws of the land and all international agreements and treaties ( a thinly veiled assurance to Israel regarding the Camp David peace agreement). This means that instead of simply amending the constitution, now is the best possible time to re-draft the entire document. The only possibility of this happening is if the proposed amendments are refused in the referendum to be held on March 19th.                                 

   One article that was not mentioned in the list of proposed amendments is the second article. This states that the official language of Egypt is Arabic, the official religion is Islam and that Islamic sharia is the only source of jurisprudence.  This is the section that a growing number of people have objections too. Egypt has approximately 10 million Coptic Christians and it is felt by them, and many Muslims, that this last section of the second article is unfair to this section of the population.

   What 'our' judge was able to tell us, is that in his professional experience this is only applied in family law and only to Muslims. Our host family was Coptic Christian and to hear the situation discussed rationally, calmly and intellectually from both points of view was refreshing, too often these conversations turn hostile. One of the points raised was that of religious education in school. One argued that from a very young age she felt "different" from her friends when the class was separated for religion classes. Her argument was that if this were removed from the curriculum (leaving religious education to the home and family) it may well go some way to removing the 'us and them' mentality which in cases may be subconscious.

   All in all it was one of the most interesting, stimulating and thought-provoking evenings I've had in a long time. I really hope we get a chance to repeat it.                                    

My Evening in Tahrir Square 10/02/2011

   Tonight Thur. Feb.10th 2011) all the signs pointed to Mubarak stepping down. 'Experts' on all networks were predicting that he was about to step down, some even citing inside stories. Whether or not they were just optimistic or whether they had deliberately been fed false information we'll probably never know.

   My brother, best friend and her brother decided to go to Tahrir to listen to the announcement live with the thousands there instead of at home. We went by metro (underground/subway) to the closest station to Tahrir and walked the rest of the way. On the Metro strangers were discussing and debating what the speech would reveal. Strangers on a train talking to each other; the world really is changing!

    We walked along Ramses St. (went pass the Lawyers Syndicate which still had posters supporting the protests from their massive march on Wed.) and entered Tahrir via a small side street. As you enter, people at the checkpoints remind you to have your National ID card ready for inspection. For those of you who are not Egyptian, the ID states your name, address and occupation. There were several checkpoints to go through, they were all manned (and womanned!) by civilians, no military presence at all.

• frisked and IDs checked when going in by civilians not military. Once by woman in niqab. 
• people ensuring we, as women, were able to pass.
• All socio-economic levels. however much or little you have, this is breaking down social/class barriers. No fear of pickpocketing or harassment.
• One man started arguing with another, crowds around them started chanting 'selmia' peaceful, a reminder to stay true to the spirit of these protests.
• One stage had a man with a microphone announcing lost items that had been handed in.
• One group of people who had just arrived were shaking hands with people and saying they had come from Suez. There was also a group from Sinai.
• Constant movement in the square, only small groups staying in one place. Usually these groups have a megaphone or similar to lead chants. One group was reciting poetry.
• Various patriotic songs were playing, with the crowds singing along and sometimes breaking into dance.
• The field hospital appeared to be well stocked and manned. 
• A large piece of white fabric was stretched out as a screen to show the speech. Crowds were jostling for best view.
• Speech was scheduled for 8 pm GMT (10 local time) but by 10:20 the crowds were surging, there was no sign of a speech and our lift home was restless so we left. In the end we listened  to the speech on the radio crowded around a parked car on the Kasr el Eini bridge. The reactions there were vocal enough, I can only imagine what it was like back in the square.
• Until I was there, I hadn't really realised how big Tahrir is. Even though I've been there many times before I've usually been driving and so concentrating more on traffic lights and other cars than the area I'm driving through. Whatever the outcome of all this, I'll never be able to just drive through again without feeling very emotional.

The sign reads: The People Want the Fall of the Regime

The flag flying proudly

Revolutionary artwork

Listening to the speech

Note: This was written before Mubarak stepped down. That one's for tomorrow! 

Surrealism.

    No, I'm not talking about the art movement of the same name-although I am a big fan of the work of Salvador Dali. I'm referring to the way things and circumstances, that a 17 days ago were-if not unthinkable- then at least improbable.

   There is a tank parked outside my building, I have to navigate it to get my car out to the main road. Every night  we hear several more tanks trundle down the road and while the first couple of times we rushed to the window to watch them, we now just say 'tanks' and carry on. 15 days ago I'd only ever seen a tank either in a museum or when they were being transported.

   Curfew was a word on the news that related to other countries and relic of high school when I had to back home before 11pm. Now it's worked it's way into everyday conversations as we work out our day around it.

  Yes, life has seemed very surreal over the past 2 weeks, and it may for some time. But somehow it feels more real than ever.

Personal Log of the Events in Cairo, January 2011

Please note that this is a personal log of the events in Cairo starting Jan.28^th. The events mentioned are eyewitness reports and from news networks and this is not intended as an official report.

Friday Jan 28^th: The day of the massive after prayer demonstrations.

  Egyptians woke today to a complete communications shutdown. All mobile phone networks and internet service providers were down on orders of the government. This is because the majority of organization of the demonstrations was conducted via Twitter and Facebook. This is the first time that the internet has been completely shutdown in a specific location.

  I spent the day glued to the coverage on the television in particular Al Jazeera International which had daylong coverage from the three major cities, Cairo, Alexandria and Suez. In Cairo, the main live feed was being broadcast from next to the Ramses Hilton and The 6^th of October Bridge opposite. This bridge is a main road of the city linking the suburbs on either side of the Nile and is often called the city’s spine. 

  The images were both heartwarming and infuriating. There was a definite sense of pride in the protestors, especially when they confronted the police and security forces informing them that they would be praying. The images of them praying while the police stood and watched was amazing, especially when you realize that the protestors standing around the prayers were Christians, watching out for their Muslim compatriots. That’s the Egypt I know. However, as these things invariably do, the situation soon turned violent. As prayer was nearing its end, a tear gas canister was hurled at the worshippers. Say what you will, that was an act of cowardice.

  From then on, things seemed to get worse, especially as far as the security forces were concerned. Following more attacks on the demonstrators, mostly involving the shooting of tear gas canisters (from the bridge, which seemed to be blocked to traffic at the time) that were lobbed back by the protesters who had taken position outside the hotel.

  This continued for several hours until the protestors were eventually able to overwhelm the security forces and managed to reclaim the bridge, despite a curfew being announced from 6pm to 7am. Several armored vehicles were set alight as were several buildings including the N.D.P’s headquarters. These were scenes repeated in cities around the country, my friend told me her family in Alexandria was trapped in their own home by the tear gas that was in the air and the vehicles and various other items that had been set on fire nearby.

   There were reports that at one point the protestors made a human shield around the Museum of Antiquities.

   By the end of the evening, the police and security services had retreated and the army had begun to roll onto the streets to be greeted by jubilant crowds. I counted at least 8 go by my house, one of which is still parked by my building, probably due to our proximity to the sensitive government buildings. There was also the unmistakable smell of smoke in the air that evening, similar to what can be smelt after a bonfire.

  At midnight, the President made his first address since the nationwide protests began. He did not comply with the people’s demands to stand down and instead announced that the government would resign and new ministers would be appointed.

   Inevitably there were casualties many of which did not become known until the following day.

Saturday Jan 29^th: When the looters came.

    Angered by the President’s address in the early hours of the morning the people of Egypt took to the streets again, this time in their 10s if not 100s of thousands. Cairo alone saw approximately 50,000 congregate on Tahrir Square in the centre of the city. The police were conspicuous by their absence and the army was being hailed by the people whenever they came into contact, with the protestors frequently seen shaking hands with the soldiers. Many of the live images show people climbing on to the tanks and armored vehicles to greet the soldiers, chant, and wave the Egyptian flag.

   The army is not and never has been seen as the repressive force that the police are. This is evidenced by the fact that despite being deployed by the same government that ordered the police onto the streets, the army has remained mostly hands off with regards to the protestors.

   The brutality of the police forces was made apparent today when the bodies of those killed in clashes yesterday were shown on television with the grieving relatives waiting outside the morgues. These were images repeated around the country with reports that in areas where there were no news cameras, the police had not used water cannons and tear gas but had moved straight on to live ammunition.

   The first side effect of the situation started to reveal itself today once darkness fell. Reports of looters invading homes around the city soon spread and neighbourhoods started taking matters into their own hands to secure their properties. People are being advised to stay indoors and not open the door to anyone unless they know them. In my area, locals (mainly the men and youths) have organized themselves into shifts to watch over the buildings throughout the night. They are armed with whatever they can find; sticks, knives, pipes, strips of rubber tires, guns if they have them. One neighbour has been patrolling with his mastiff and I could swear I’ve seen one person with what looked like a sword. This being repeated all over the country, everyone I have called have said the same about their street.

Sunday Jan 30^th: My 26^th birthday!

   It will be a memorable birthday anyway! There is still no-or extremely minimal- internet access in Egypt today, however my friend in England  has been in touch and has been able to pass on my number on Facebook. It was lovely having a call from an online friend I’ve never met before who has promised to pass along messages to my online community.

   Reports also began to come through late last night and today of the people who have fled the country. These are mostly high ranking business men who have links to the ruling party. The message to leave is obviously getting through to some people!

   Everything is still tense; there is a sense of lawlessness, with people arming up to protect their homes come nightfall. The army is patrolling main streets and areas but around the suburbs and residential areas of the city, it’s the citizens in charge of security. A friend and work colleague with family and friends in Alexandria told me that her friends there actually managed to capture looters.

   On a personal level, I know how nervous I am as I’ve started cleaning! We now have lovely clean sparkly windows and I’ve cleaned out some kitchen drawers, believe me, this is not normal behaviour for me!

   Some countries have begun to urge their nationals to leave Egypt, with Turkey and sending planes to evacuate their expatriates and the US has advised its citizens to leave.

    Al Jazeera- the Arabic language news channel- has been taken off the air, presumably due to their daylong ongoing live coverage of the events. However, Al Jazeera International is still available as are other news networks. But in a change from previous days, the journalists on the ground are no longer being named or giving their locations (beyond which city they’re in) as the Cairo bureau has been closed.

    People are gathering once again, hoping to get into Tahrir Square. The main major roads are being closed off and patrolled by the military but the protestors are being allowed into the square, but from smaller streets and through checkpoints. These seem to have been set up to allow the soldiers to check the protestors for weapons or to ensure they are not plain-clothes police trying to enter the square and cause riots. There were reports of gunfire in the square when a fire engine attempted to enter and was attacked by protestors fearing that it would be used as water cannon.

    The army has announced that they will come down hard with regards to the curfew and there are reports that they have been ordered to use live ammunition against the protestors. I’m writing this at 3:20 pm which is 40 minutes before the curfew comes into effect.

   It’s now 4:06 and the curfew is officially in effect. The sky over Cairo has been filled with the sounds of fighter planes (F15) as the circle over Tahrir Square. From my balcony we can see in the direction of Tahrir and the planes as well as the occasional helicopter can be seen.

   6:00 pm: Mr. Mohamed El-Baradie, the former head IAEA has just been elected by the opposition parties (The Muslim Brotherhood, the April 6^th movement and the Kefaya party among others) as a figurehead president to negotiate with the government on behalf of the opposition. He is now heading towards Tahrir Square to join the protestors.

   9:15 pm: Listening to an NDP member talk to Al Jazeera, saying that “millions and millions of Egyptians want Mubarak to stay!” What a load of crap! It has also been announced that the curfew has been extended to 3pm to 8am starting tomorrow (Monday) and that the police force will return to the streets. Time will show whether or not this is a good thing.

   A silver lining to today’s cloud; my best friend called me to tell me that her sister had given birth to a baby boy in the early hours of the morning.

Monday Jan. 31^st:

    This morning my brother and I ventured out in an attempt to find an ATM that has some money. The first two had no cash and at the last there was a queue and I was only able to withdraw 100 pounds which turned out to be the last of the money in the machine. While we’re lucky that money isn’t actually running low at the moment at home, we were hoping to get most of our salaries out of the bank.

    It was interesting to see what the streets were like, I haven’t actually been further away than the local shops since Friday, all the shops on the way to the nearest square and shopping district (Roxy) were shuttered up. The road leading to my old primary school is partially blocked by an abandoned police van which had obviously been attacked as the windshield was smashed and the tyres slashed. The police are supposed to be back on the streets today, but I only saw 4 traffic wardens. Traffic in Cairo is normally chaotic and bumper-to-bumper whatever time of day, today there were significantly fewer cars on the road and pedestrians were also at a minimum. Our taxi driver on the way home said that he was giving up and going home for the day, we had been his first fare in over 2 hours.

   We are also beginning to see the start of shortages of some basic foodstuffs as people have begun to panic buy and stockpile. The local bakery hasn’t been making baladi or traditional bread and is limiting its production of rolls and completely stopped non-essential things like breadsticks, biscuits and cakes; once his supply of flour runs out, chances are he’s not going to be able to get anymore.

   Watching the ‘new’ government being sworn in. What a joke! All the major ministerial posts are the same; no one has changes apart from the interior minister, culture minister and prime minister. That is NOT a change in government! The man is delusional. I just hope that this will spur foreign especially Western governments to start to call for his removal. What he has done is fan the flames even more.

    5 Al Jazeera journalists have been detained, although it’s not clear whether they are from the Arabic or the International channel. The Arabic language channel was taken off the air here in Egypt yesterday and all the licences were revoked. Again, banning the free press and trying to control all media is not the actions of a rational stable government. Hoping for more widespread condemnation of the President and his government following these actions.*The journalists were later released.*

    Some more bad news today, my friend’s little nephew didn’t survive the night. He had been born almost 6 weeks prematurely but it seems he was too weak despite being in an incubator.

   The new Vice President Omar Suliman has reported that the President has delegated the responsibility of negotiating with the opposition to him. Obviously, this is something the President feels incapable of doing, or even announcing himself.

Tuesday Feb.1^st: The Million Man March

    Today over a million Cairians made their way to Tahrir Square to continue the eighth day of protests. Although the original plan was to march from there to the Presidential Palace in Heliopolis (a distance of about 3-4 Km), this was changed to instead remain in the square and continue the protest there instead of running the risk of losing their position there.

    The streets have been eerily quiet all day today and a friend who lives near the palace has said that the entire street (it’s one of the main roads here in Heliopolis) is full of security forces and barbed wire is everywhere.  

    At the moment we are waiting for the President to make a statement, whether it will be what we want to hear or not and what will happen if it isn’t, is yet to be seen.

Just listened to the speech. Too angry to write a reasonable response. I think the protestors are saying it best; “Irhal!” “Get Out!”

Internet Restored

   Hello all!
   The internet has been restored in Egypt (for now at least). This is just a quick update to say that we're all safe and that most of us are hoping that all of this and the 100s that have died have  not died in vain.

   I hope to update again soon with a log I've been keeping of the events.

Stay safe and hope for change.

Define Thyself

   This post is a response, of sorts, to Nikki's post HERE. The premise is simple' how do you define yourself?' What, as well as who, are you? So this is my attempt to define myself.

   I'm British. Then again I'm also Egyptian. I'm not particularly more one than the other, there are things I love and things that annoy me about both countries and both cultures. I may be shocked or even disapproving of something in one country that I wouldn't bat an eyelid at in the other. Over the past couple of years I have realised that I'm no longer trying to fit in to one in particular culture or identity, quite simply I am what I am, which is my own combination of what I see to be the best of both.

   I'm a Muslim, but while that's a big part of what/who I am it's by no means all I am. It's just one of the building blocks, a major one, but not really the corner stone.

   Since I left university, I've had a similar dilemma to Nikki. For years I was a student, studying was the main thing I did, despite anything else I may have done on the side. Now however, if you were to ask me I would say a teacher, even though I'm technically still a student teacher and am not actually in charge of my own class. I feel closer to a teacher than a student and hope to have my own class next academic year once I'm qualified.

   I enjoy writing, but first and foremost I'm a reader. Ever since my mum got me reading Enid Blyton as a child, I've read anything that interests me whether it's classic literature, "chick-lit", bestseller or online. I read for enjoyment which is the main reason I didn't want to study English at university, I didn't want to have to read something and then analyze it. I've started doing that more now, but only for myself.

   I'm a traveler at heart, but my funds are limiting me at the moment! One day though!

So that's me according to me: British. Egyptian. Muslim. Reader. Teacher. Optimist. Friend. Traveler. 

Mini-Michelin Men

   Maybe people would be more apt than men, but I'm in the mood for alliteration.

  One of the first things you should know about Egyptians is that when it's winter, the coats go on. And stay on. All day. Inside or out. Of course under the coats there's usually a jacket (maybe two) a sweater or two and a vest. Of course this makes sense to a degree, unlike in Europe there's no central heating or insulation and all buildings are designed to stay cool and keep the heat out. Great in the summer, not so much in the winter.

   It's not the fact that people wear several layers that gets to me, it's the fact that once inside they will not take anything off! Coats or jackets stay on indoors and then people complain that they're cold when they go outside again! Of course you're cold, you've got warm inside and then gone outside without adding an extra layer!! Grrrr!!

  Nor does this look to be a generational phenomena that will die out as the next generation grows up, in class students more often than not, refuse to take off their big winter jackets 'because my mum told me not to'. The result is that they sit in class looking like mini-Michelin men and can barely move their arms!

Egyptian Weddings

    The first thing you should know about Egyptian weddings is that they are loud. LOUD! The loudest part is the 'zaffa', this is the procession the bride and groom take-usually into the hall where the wedding is taking place. They are preceded by a band of traditional musicians with 'tablas' , the traditional Arab drum, trumpets and occasionally dancers with candelabras on their heads. There are traditional wedding songs, usually singing the praises of the bride and the joys of marriage. The zaffa can be as long or as short as the couple want but I've never attended a wedding where the zaffa has been shorter than 10 minutes. Sometimes the couple spend some of this time dancing with each other and friends and family, other times they simply watch on as others dance, it just depends on the couple's preference. As with anything else, the quality of the zaffa, in terms of musicians depends on the amount of money spent on the band, the songs are the same across the board but the difference is seen in the costumes worn by the band members.

    Once the happy couple reach the doors of the hall they do not simply walk through. Oh no. As if the last 10-20 minutes hasn't been enough of a hint that they're ready to party, they are whisked away into a ante-chamber before a big announcement to mark their entrance. Once in the hall, they usually head to the 'kosha' a seating area reserved for the couple, usually on a slight stage. Depending on the couple they may either spend most of the wedding there, talking to guests and having pictures taken or they barely sit down, spending the whole time dancing. Different strokes, different strokes.

     Some weddings will include the 'katb ketab' the actual marriage vows part, if they don't then the couple have already tied the knot officially and have decided to split the celebrations.

    As usual the highlight of any wedding is the buffet. Don't expect a piece of wedding cake, as my friend colleague and fellow blogger IrishAlexandrain recently discovered, there's a high probability that the cake is actually a foam model and the bride and groom cut a piece of cake hidden to one side.

    The most important thing to remember about Egyptian weddings is that they never start on time. If your invitation says 8:30, don't go before 9:30 and don't expect anything to happen till 10 at the earliest. Most are held in hotels at night although it's starting to become popular to have alternate venues. Some people rent villas out for the occasion, allowing for an outdoor party.

Ramadan and Food!

   A nice juicy steak with all the trimmings. A big bowl/plate of pasta. A pizza with your favourite topping. Roast potatoes. Molokhya*. Fatta*.  Whatever food you like, and sometimes even ones you don't like much, at some point during the  day in Ramadan you will be thinking about food. If you're not thinking about it, you're talking about it. Or watching a cooking programme. Or reading recipes. Or shopping for/preparing food for Iftar-literally breakfast-the main meal of the day. 

  It may be breakfast Jim, but it's not as we know it! Forget cereal, toast and pancakes. This is a breakfast of soup and dates rice or potatoes of vegetables and meat, especially  in Egypt, meat reigns supreme. No gathering of friends or family would be complete without copious amounts of meat. Red meat cooked in various ways, chicken, turkey, you name it, chances are it'll be on the table!

  

A traditional liquorice juice seller.

  The juices are equally varied but usually include Ammr elDin which is an apricot drink, made from sheets of dried apricots dissolved in hot water (much like sheets of gelatin). Karkadeh is a tea made from the hibiscus flower and can be served hot or cold. Kharoub  is another favourite in my house as is liquorice. All these drinks have medicinal benefits,  some can help regulate blood pressure (Karakadeh lowers while liquorice increases), cholesterol and blood sugar levels-essential when a person has been fasting.  


  And now, dessert! Although the sweets eaten in Ramadan are available all year round, they have a special place in any Ramadan meal. In Egypt most people stick to Oriental sweets at this time of the year, the most popular being konafa a dish made with shredded fillo pastry, drenched in syrup and stuffed with nuts or cream or raisins. Basbousa is a semolina dessert again cooked with syrup. Baklava, golash (pastry not meat) and various other sweet things also make an appearance. 

     


  Sohoor  is the meal eaten about an hour before dawn as a chance to fill up the tank before another day of fasting (all that food from earlier doesn't count!). This is a much lighter meal usually of eggs, fool( broad beans) and cheese. 


  It should be noted at the end of this piece that although food plays a major part of this holy month, it is about much much more. This is the first time I've experienced Ramadan in the heat of summer (Ramadan gets earlier by about 11 days each year, following the lunar cycle) and never in my life have I been more grateful for a glass of cold water and count my blessings that I have access to clean, safe drinking water. And that is the main reason behind this month, to remind us of how lucky we are to be able to eat and drink and to give a taste (if you'll excuse the pun) of how people with little or no food and water feel everyday and to remind us to help as many of those people as we can. A common sight in streets during this month is Moa'ed Rahman  or Mercy Tables where people pay or provide food to feed the needy, these are open to anyone all throughout the month.


All images were found using Google Images. No copyright infringement intended.