Your Egypt

[Hedgehog]

Hello everyone

These are my observations about my travels and experience

I have returned to Hedgehog Towers in Maadi :sunny:

I am here for quite a while and to entertain during Ramadan
This might be disrupted as I am still 'on call' to nurse my daughter in law when she has her operation

I flew out from Birmingham UK on Wednesday to Amsterdam then to get a connection to Cairo. I usually fly 'cattle class' (ecconomy) but as I have been doing a lot of traveling between Amsterdam and the UK so I treated my self and used my flying miles to up grade to business class. BOY....how the other side live :smt112

Now....I am going to rub this in and tell you what goes on in Business Class. Some readers may travel this way all the time, but I know many do not and I never have. :smt018

I flew KLM to Cairo. When boarding you turn left at the door way and find seats large and multi adgustable. You can recline and at the same time have your legs raised. Your coat is taken from you and placed on a coat hanger and taken away to a safe place. You are greated with Champagne or orange juice,before the plane even starts to move down the runway. :drunken: :drunken:

There is a menu for you to choose your food from. Not just a choice of two items as in cattle class but with starter main course, desert, cheese and fruit, Each course being accompanied by a glass of wine should you wish. Prior to the beginning of the meal you are offered an aperitif. I chose a glass of very nice South African Sauvignon Blanc Mulderbosh, which accompanied each course that I chose..... :thumright:

So here goes, The meal started was Scallaps served with a crab and asparagus salad, the next course I chose braised beef with a truffle sauce, served with hazelnut potatoe puree and broccoli timbale. Dessert comprized of coconut and raspberry tart with whipped cream, followed by the cheese and fruit Now..... all this food is served on china plates, with proper metal cutlary.....there is a table cloth placed on your table and when the tray comes with the food it has a cotton tray cloth on that, and the napkins are cloth....... :D Seeeeee I told you the people at the pointy end of the plane are treated as if the are in a posh restaurant. In fact all this eating and drinking took up the whole flight. The guy sitting next to me worked in the oil business and we had very interesting conversation .... :smt036 :smt036 'putting the world to right'
Nearing the end of the flight we witnessed an electric storm taking place over several Greek islands with names ending in 'ous' it was like a huge firework display. :smt101 :smt101

Then the lights of Cairo appeared, sparking and twinkling spreading for miles and miles, it made a beautiful sight........shame the sparkle vanishes in the day light. Cairo always look better with the lights on..... :-k

Before we left the plane we were all given a china gift. These are models of buildings in and around Amsterdam. They have become 'colectable' and there is a very big choice. BUT I can't see me traveling too often in business class It does cost a lot of money, but the experience I will never forget.

Feet back on ground I went shopping in Carrefour. This was a bad choice as it was the day before Ramadan, and it seemed the whole of Maadi were food shopping before the start of the holy month. :evil: ...So bad move. :evil....

The shoppers did nothing but push and shove their trollies right into me. Their soul aim was to pack their trollies with as much as possible and and with no thought to anyone else around. ( a memory of Chirstmas in UK comes into mind at his point) As a hardened shop-o-hollic these trollie pushers found out that it was not a good move, as there charged into me. I stood my ground like a brick sh-- house...... ](*,) there are a few going around with a whiplash as a result of charging into me............Perhaps just perhaps Ramadan may make people think that they should be a tad more patient and tolerant when shopping and going about their daily life [-o< [-o< [-o<...even if they don't like shopping.

Well....thats all for now...I have just heard the operation will take place on 5 October...now to see what it is like booking a flight to Amsterdam from the Cairo end.... [-o<

Bye for now :smt006 :smt006 :smt006

[moll]

Hi hedgy........you're just a showoff :smt098

I travelled First Class on EgyptAir once, that was nice 8) but I've just got back from a nightmare Ryanair flight, I'll NEVER fly with them again, might have a little rant later about that....

So.....was it nice to see everyone again? Any changes to Hedgehog Towers since you left last time?

If Carrefour at Ramadan is ANYTHING like Tesco at Christmas, I don't envy you...

[Hedgehog]

Moll.....Carrefour was worse....CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?.......

I can just about cope with Tescos....JUST :evil:

Hedgehog Towers still the same....Needing to bring back to hedgy standard.. :lol: :lol: :lol: Although Naser did his best to keep on top of things... :wink:

[moll]

Hedgehog wrote: Moll.....Carrefour was worse....CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?.......

NO, Hedge......I just can NOT believe that :shock: :shock: :shock: Oh God, I'm dreading Christmas Eve at Tesco's already :(

Although Naser did his best to keep on top of things... :wink:

I'm sure he did, Hedge :D



I'm off to have a rant about my horrible weekend and Ryanair now......

[Hedgehog]

Moll.....I thought there were too many people in the shop that it was a health/safety/ and fire risk...... :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

[kamar]

Often I has strange flies for to go in Egypt, expecially with Flash Tour :shock: really I was scared from that aeroplan, it was all broken inside and the hostess when was saying " ladies and gentlemen, also for this time, we arrived " :shock: :shock: :shock: and then...she not arrived...the aeroplane falled 1 week later I was on it :shock: :shock: :shock:

A part with Alitalia, always I found problems in Egyptian aeroports...always late to go, also 4 hours :shock: but I think this is a bad way about arabic countries cause this happened also in Marrakech.......we were in aeroport waiting our fly and after 1.30 hours late, the woman said " for people going in Bologna, we have not news about this fly " :shock: :shock: :shock: they lost our fly ??? :shock: :shock: :shock: yes...it happened...our fly arrived after 5 hours cause fog :? :? :?

[max]

I travel a lot with egyptair&they are not so bad,but their terminal in cairo!!A cattle market would be an understatment,passengers shouting&throwing their luggage&children all over the place,staff retortnig back,my god,i love africa!! :) :) :)

[ruby slippers]

Nice one Hedgy! This thread was worth logging in for! :D Kamar, your English is enchanting! Don't ever learn to speak it 'properly' will you? :D

[kamar]

No way.
I'm sorry but I started to hate English language...........so I started to think to leave all foreigner forums.......
In this moment there are other things in my mind and I'm far to learn English language...I needn't it in this moment and maybe I needn't it also in future 8)

[Hedgehog]

ruby slippers wrote: Nice one Hedgy! This thread was worth logging in for! :D Kamar, your English is enchanting! Don't ever learn to speak it 'properly' will you? :D

Thanks Ruby....I was feeling a bit low and your comment cheered me up.. :lol: :lol: :lol:

[ruby slippers]

How's the cold, Hedgy??? Nothing worse than the 'common' cold! :( I hate 'em!

[saffron]

Well I can see that I am out of my league here. That kind of vacation is only something I dream of.

[Hedgehog]

ruby slippers wrote: How's the cold, Hedgy??? Nothing worse than the 'common' cold! :( I hate 'em!


It's now moved to my chest....and a cough... :lol:

7 days to come
7 days to stay
7 days to go...........thats what they say for a cold....so a bit to go yet... :cry: :roll: :wink:

[ageperfect]

Sorry to hear that you're sick, Hedge. :smt056

How do you manage with Ramadan?

[Hedgehog]

Hello everyone

These are my experiences and observations

It’s Raining !!!! Yes I am back in Amsterdam, I have recently spent 3 weeks here and for most of that time it rained. I left Cairo in the early hours off Wednesday; it was a warm very pleasant evening. Touch down 4 hours later it was pouring with rain. :arrow: :roll: :roll:
I am back in Amsterdam to give support to daughter in law who is due to have an operation on Thursday.
Oops…..
I started writing this on Wednesday but did not get too far. It is now Thursday. A very nervous young lady left the apartment with an equally nervous husband at 7.15 to make their way to the hospital. Mum sat down to watch the morning news on TV and within two hours son had returned. I was surprised. :shock: It was his intention to wait with her and be there as she came out of anaesthetic, but the hospital people had other ideas and sent him home to wait for a phone call. So to while away the time son has been playing games on his computer and mum did what she does best….went shopping….well…. food shopping. I am in charge of the cooking and the feeding for the next few days We are still waiting so I thought I would put down a few observations I have noted about Ramadan

Ageperfect asked me about it so…here goes…..last year I was staying in Nasr city during Ramadan and I did not notice too much preparation, or too many signs that there was an important event taking place in the Islamic calendar. We did quite a lot of entertaining of friends after sunset; there were lots of fresh nuts and dried fruit being sold from stalls at nearly every street corner. :wink: :wink:

In Maadi where I live now there was the mad dash at Carrefour which I described in my last account. The most noticeable thing is the coloured lights. Maadi is coming to life with coloured lights. :smt042 My apartment block has been decorated on the outside by the caretaker, he has fixed flashing and twinkling lights all round the entrance. Really…. very welcoming. :thumright: As you drive around you notice the owners have decorated their balconies, and even whole buildings have long lines of coloured lights. Streets have streamers hung between buildings, and even many Mosques have extra lights decorating their roofs and spires. I notice that lanterns are on sale and there are many outside buildings and family homes. Some shops have such a choice I just stand wondering which one to choose. I have been promised one will be waiting for me when I return on 12 October. :smt054 When we were driving to the airport the lights slowly vanished, Maadi was colourful, Nasr City had some lights, but I was disappointed with Heliopolis. :? Hardly any colour at all, but there is still plenty of time; lights will be going up any time during Ramadan so watch this space….
The taxi drivers have become even more erratic. If you want a taxi nearing sunset or breakfast….the first meal of the day….they put their foot flat on the accelerator….trouble is the breaks are not so good, and I do have my suspicions about the car tyres. :smt018 We have nearly rammed into the back of the car in front on many occasion. The crescendo of car horns from around 4pm is quite noticeable as driver’s blood sugar is lowered and tempers become frayed. I have often commented about it, to the western ear there is a big change in the sound. Not so to the Egyptian ear..... :smt101

We were driving to Nasers family home for the breakfast and got caught up in the traffic. As you wait in the traffic queue people appear with trays of drink and supply of nuts to revive the body until you reach your destination. They weave in and out of the traffic handing out this refreshment and with out asking for payment. :shock: :wink:

That’s about it for my Ramadan observations. I have not been out too much as I have had a very bad cold. In fact it is still with me so I think it was more like flu. Lost my voice for a few days…some say …..’Good thing’

Just had that important phone call and son has gone to collect his wife…..more later.

Bye for now.... :smt006 :smt006 :smt006