Because I wanted to capture more of the things that happen before I forget them.
Because I fancy being a critic of things.
Because I like the idea of exposing my fundamental humanity to myself.
Because exposing my fundament appeals.
Because the man at the bar is large and wearing a very dodgy large-flowered shirt-English of a colonial sort spoken here.
Because it's a waste to miss ideas that flit past otherwise forgotten.
No doubt I'll think of more reasons shortly.
Ok, the name? A Scottish colleague once talked such hillocks to a customer that they asked if that was the jingle of spurs they could hear...
Wednesday, 7 April 2010
Cairo Capers
Sitting in the hotel foyer, minding my own business, casually browsing interweb crap on my phone, and suddenly I'm being crowded by guys in white trousers and red waistcoats, armed with superannuated bongoes and variations on crumhorns, which are being exercised in the usual dull musos-warming-up fashion. Turns out there's a wedding in town!
The bride and groom make their entrance down the ostentatiously triumphal staircase, preceded by the Video Man, marked out by the blinding light that renders every shot flat and lifeless, probably because its glare sucks your life force and has you frantically shading your eyes. Now the music starts in earnest - that ump-diddy-umpbah rhythm that characterises all that ME stuff, and makes one realise that Jews and Arabs have more in common than they'd admit! Lots of kneebending handholding dancing, surrounded by the grateful guests, struggling to capture the moment forever on their phones, and the ambushed hotel guests, Italians, Americans, Brits, likewise marvel at the local colour to be caught on their poxy camera-ettes. Only one couple, Italian from their reading material, disdain to be drawn in. They have supercilious mouths. They could be brother and sister, or did they just grow similar, drawing features from their shared emotional landscape?
What am I doing here? Flew in yesterday to assist a customer to improve their new system's performance, on a couple of days' notice as the last man standing in the office. The work is a bit scarey, on the basis that I have no idea what I'm talking about until I've read the manual, but the travelling is interesting. Here's some stuff I jotted down yesterday coming in from the airport, about an hour by Toyota Avensis "limousine" (turns out the 150EGP fee was a good deal - how lucky was that!):
"Sitting in an air conditioned taxi, it's easy to make lyrical nooses about Egypt. All human life is here or at least that part of which has access to a motor vehicle. This is a multi-lane road, but people seem to be able to cross it with impunity. A pickup full of crates of tiny chicks is pursued by am ambulance with a weird wobbly siren. No idea how the cars part for it pass but they do. Crossing the Nile now, previously lots of very poor semi rise housing with garish clothes drying in the fumes, and a tea seller with a marvellous collection of chrome urns. This part doesn't look any different, huge variation in individual flats. , judging by the windows!
Pyramids - I can see them between the buildings and swoop of the road ramps, it's opening out here a bit, some grass and horticulture, sheep, same shit buildings..."
The bride and groom make their entrance down the ostentatiously triumphal staircase, preceded by the Video Man, marked out by the blinding light that renders every shot flat and lifeless, probably because its glare sucks your life force and has you frantically shading your eyes. Now the music starts in earnest - that ump-diddy-umpbah rhythm that characterises all that ME stuff, and makes one realise that Jews and Arabs have more in common than they'd admit! Lots of kneebending handholding dancing, surrounded by the grateful guests, struggling to capture the moment forever on their phones, and the ambushed hotel guests, Italians, Americans, Brits, likewise marvel at the local colour to be caught on their poxy camera-ettes. Only one couple, Italian from their reading material, disdain to be drawn in. They have supercilious mouths. They could be brother and sister, or did they just grow similar, drawing features from their shared emotional landscape?
What am I doing here? Flew in yesterday to assist a customer to improve their new system's performance, on a couple of days' notice as the last man standing in the office. The work is a bit scarey, on the basis that I have no idea what I'm talking about until I've read the manual, but the travelling is interesting. Here's some stuff I jotted down yesterday coming in from the airport, about an hour by Toyota Avensis "limousine" (turns out the 150EGP fee was a good deal - how lucky was that!):
"Sitting in an air conditioned taxi, it's easy to make lyrical nooses about Egypt. All human life is here or at least that part of which has access to a motor vehicle. This is a multi-lane road, but people seem to be able to cross it with impunity. A pickup full of crates of tiny chicks is pursued by am ambulance with a weird wobbly siren. No idea how the cars part for it pass but they do. Crossing the Nile now, previously lots of very poor semi rise housing with garish clothes drying in the fumes, and a tea seller with a marvellous collection of chrome urns. This part doesn't look any different, huge variation in individual flats. , judging by the windows!
Pyramids - I can see them between the buildings and swoop of the road ramps, it's opening out here a bit, some grass and horticulture, sheep, same shit buildings..."
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