Making Do With What Is Here

The riding trails in the valley are sprinkled with hand-built huts used by the farmers to shelter their water buffalo, cows, sheep and donkeys during the days while the men work in the fields. They also provide shelter for the farmers from the sun of summer and the chilly winds of winter. These shelters are built of whatever happens to be at hand and in this case it was some old discarded floor tiles and mud. It's all about recycling.

Traveling Department Store

Village women don't have the transport or the time to go into town to buy things so enterprising businessmen bring goods to the village wives. In this case, a tricycle motorcycle base has been fitted with a box on the back to carry cartons and some rails on the sides where quilts and blankets or dresses can be hung for viewing.

Cultures Colliding

I spent a morning a while back sitting on the Great Pyramid photographing people taking pictures of families and friends on or by the pyramid. About halfway through the morning I noticed a man in a galabeya, jacket and scarf who looked like a visitor from Jordan or Libya...not a local outfit. He sat quietly on a stone in front of the pyramid apparently waiting for someone for some time. Then a Russian family stopped to take a photo of the mother and son in front of the pyramid and this totally captured his attention. To be honest, mine as well since the woman had to be wearing some of the least appropriate clothing for visiting Egypt and more specifically the pyramids that I've ever seen. Short shorts, a backless tshirt and platform high heels....she could barely hobble around. With all the information out there on culture and sensitivity, I wonder if we really need tourists like this.

Aging Gracefully

Years ago a friend of mine was visiting and shook her head in wonder that the shopkeepers in Egypt were dusting the shoes in shop windows but the meat was hung out in the air with only a cloth covering. On the other hand, meat here is very fresh in that it is usually cut from an animal slaughtered within the last couple of hours at the most and is cooked the same day in a way such that it is very well-cooked. And when butchers advertise "aged meat" it means that the meat was left hanging somewhere for a period of time before selling. I was sitting at a corner in a village and noticed a motorcycle parked against a wall. On closer inspection, I realised that the owner of the motorcycle had a large piece of beef strapped to the carrier in back.

A Sheltering Place

Egypt can be problematic for many animal lovers. We still have a working horse and donkey population who don't exactly have a great life in many cases. Most people don't realise that the children's classic Black Beauty was originally written as a plea for more humane treatment of horses in 19th century England and many of the situations fit here. We have a lot of stray dogs and cats who are important in our environment to help with keeping vermin down, and many people want to "rescue" these animals from short, difficult lives. The problem is that there often isn't a decent place for the animals to live and not much prospect of adoption. Near my home one cat rescue, Animal Haven, has a beautiful shelter for cats and a few dogs that they couldn't avoid. The cats have sunny courtyards, sleeping places, fresh food and the cleanliness that cats love. This is a fabulous place to adopt a cat from because they are socialised and enjoy company. I will be doing a blog post on this place on Living In Egypt. Good things should be encouraged.

Mothers and Daughters

I love the interactions between mothers and their children. I miss my own who are now adults leading interesting lives abroad.

My Life

I took my camera out when I went to play with the horses and check that they had their flymasks on. Flymasks make wonderful toys in the sand paddock. My big Thoroughbred/Arab mare Stella came up to me to nuzzle my neck and ear while I was trying to get a shot of the mules playing across the paddock and I took this silhouette of us. I wouldn't trade my life with anyone.

Home Delivery

Sometimes you can't afford or find a delivery truck for something. This man decided to take his refrigerator home on his bicycle.

A Row Boat

Resting in the middle of the canal, it must be moored to something but what isn't apparent, nor is it clear how the owner might get out to it. It's made of rough wood and the "paddles" are usually just two pieces of timber. It might be used for fishing, crossing the canal, or for cleaning blockages of plants from the canals.

That Time Of Year Again

It's May and the wheat is being harvested and threshed in the fields by the tiny portable threshing machines, nothing at all like the huge combine harvesters of North America. If you have the misfortune to work on the harvest, or even to have to walk or ride through the cloud of dust downwind from the machine, it isn't wonderful. Your skin, hair, eyes, teeth, clothing...everything is full of dust and finely chopped wheat stalk. From a distance at the right angle, however, it is magical.