Not only that I lived there. I was also born there, raised there, lived there for 15 beautiful years. I think that the reason we only saw the beauty in it is because we were kids without any responsibility or a job to care for whatsoever. However, it still glorifies as my best years.

Remember that Shallal they had there? DID YOU KNOW THAT THEY'VE ACTUALLY DEMOLISHED IT AS WELL???? It was heartbreaking for me. I loved that thing. I even loved the damn orange trash bins they had everywhere.

Hmm.. I should write a post about it :D

This is bitter sweet!

Raven (I still don’t get the reason behind your love for that poem),
I’ve been doing this thing recently, and it’s so soothing.. After praying fajr, I get sometime (something like an hour and a half) before getting ready to go to my new worky work.. I pray, and then go back to bed (which is right next to my window that doesn’t have sheesh :[ ), and pull the curtains and while lying in my bed, I stare at the sky.. Just gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaze at it.. The sun gradually rises and light fills the room.. It’s been like two weeks now that I’ve been doing this, and trust me, it’s so comforting.. And everyday is different! I love it when a new day comes.. And get paranoid when it ends..

Raven and Garfield,
Nothing ever stays the same.. Ever.. In 1996 I was only 10.. But let’s see.. That fountain (nafoora) that changes it’s color is removed (that one that was on the beginning of the corniche).. I remember always being scared of it.. Especially when having to sit on it’s borders to get a picture.. But I was so upset not finding it there no more..Tourist club khalas.. Majid is still there but baba doesn’t get it that often.. Sometimes he gets it.. But still not weekly as he used to.. And young times.. How I miss those days.. Fighting over who’s gonna read what.. Now we’re even less.. Bro studying in Canada.. Giddo passed away.. Cars are more.. Bikes are less.. Discrimination increased.. Schools turned into night clubs.. The radio is filled with offensive words.. Prostitution has become so apparent and it’s being protected by police.. Girls lost their modesty.. Guys don’t give a damn no more.. But Tola (chocolate) is still for a dirham.. Prozonic is no more prozonic.. That painting of sheikh zayed on the “kasir” has changed.. Long ago it had his feet ‘fy wishinna’, but now it has no feet no more.. YES! No parking spaces as often..


You should definitely look outside your window much much often, the sky won’t bring except all that is khair inshaAllah..

With respect,

PS. Don't know how it would feel like to come back here.. I mean I can't advice you not to, but maybe it would be better having that image for keeps.. And NOTHING EVER STAYS THE SAME..

Hey Sara,
I dunno why it's my favorite, that poem. Perhaps it's because you can read it all and not feel tired at any bit, perhaps because it makes more sense than most pieces of so-called-poetry, maybe it's the fact that it brings the worst in all of us. The guys fears all evolved as he saw that raven, perhaps as a reflection of his ugly self? I dunno.. but then again that bird is what taught humans how to bury the dead... No matter how much one's sinned, you can always get a clean slate, I pray.

Oh well, I wouldn't want to go back. There's much potential in Egypt as there is in most countries and I'd rather trade off the extra money, if any, with the fact that I won't have to fear nationalization, you know. Anyways.. I was offered a chance to go back there a couple times.. but I'm staying here to take care of my aging parents. :)

I think the fountain you're talking about was called Al Shallal back then. It was one of the landmarks that they should have kept, those idiots! and yes.. I've heard about prostitution and how women have all lost their modesty and decency over there. I couldn't believe it when I heard it at first. I remember a day when a girl wearing a short skirt walking into the tourist club and how everybody started staring at her.. Some called it hot, others were just embarrassed and felt sorry for here. Overall.. that wasn't normal. Even the definition of Normal hasn't stayed the same I reckon.

Thanks for letting me know, Raven..
"No matter how much one's sinned, you can always get a clean slate, I pray."..

Normal.. "'aadi ya'ni".. Typical words that lost their meaning..

Way to go with sticking to your parents.. How do they do it all? No really, I wonder! Ya Rabb yekono radyeen 'annak and all parents would irda 'an their kids.. I mean I'm praying for them to be radyeen, and they mostly ARE radyeen, which is crazy! No matter what I do, they shouldn't really be as radyeen as they are!! SubhanAllah!

And ya, I just asked mama about that nafoora, she said ya, it was called shallal and at other times burkan!

And regarding masr.. Well, while growing up, I’d always hear baba & mama say “inshaAllah we’ll buy this or that when we go back HOME..” And wooooooooooow! Here we are.. Still living here..

Hope that the potential you mentioned would help you all shabab alummah.. Amen.

Rabinna yestorak akhy.. Rabina yestorna gami’an fawqa alard, tahta alard wa yawma al’ard.. Amen.

With respect,