Behind the Mashrabeya

Belly Dancing Hip Scarves

2006-06-05T13:12:00.000-07:00

I've been able to source amazing quality crepe hip scarves with lots of noisy, jingly coins - a must-have in my opinion!!

The scarf is triangular shape and measures 130cm at the longest edge and has a drop of 50cm. It's great for training and also looks fantastic when worn with jeans or trousers.

I'm offering these for the unbeatable price of £9.99 each with free post & packaging. Please email me; she_shimmies@yahoo.com to take advantage of this incredible offer!

Colours available:
Black with gold coins
Black with silver coins
Lime green with gold coins
Navy with silver coins
Red with gold coins
Turquoise with gold coins
Blue with gold coins
Mauve with gold coins
Light orange with gold coins

Stop the Clock!!!

2006-06-02T12:43:00.000-07:00

Aaaaarrrghhh....where does time go? Where has this year gone? Where has the last 32 years of my life gone!

I can't believe that almost a month has passed since my last entry!

In that time I've applied for and been rejected then accepted for a credit card (which I'm still waiting to receive), had a digital camera, and then not had one as it was faulty (replacement arriving on Tuesday hopefully). I've also received my international driving licence and so have been let loose on the roads of Egypt. And finally, I've partied on a Dahabiya boat on the Nile from sunset til dawn. And to think I sometimes say life is boring!!!

At the moment I'm refurbishing my apartment and having decorating nightmares. My living room is a really awkward shape. It's too long (but not long enough to divide in 2) and narrow. So at one end I've got sofas, tv etc and tables, but the other end looks kind of squished and I don't know how to proportion it to look better *sigh*.

Life's Too Short

2006-05-06T00:07:00.000-07:00

Yesterday evening my significant other was late coming home and we had an argument about time. Whilst we were exchanging words there was a horrible noise - the screeching of brakes, metal crushing metal.

We rushed to our balcony to see what had happened. A car had hit a motorcycle - the driver had been killed. On the handlebars were bags full of groceries. For some reason I found this extremely poignant - he was probably on his way home to his family who were waiting for him. I imagined a wife and children wondering why their father was late, not knowing he'd never come home again.

That reminded me that life is far too short to waste on petty arguments - it can be over in an instant.

These are words I hold dear:
Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow is a mystery.
Today is a gift. That's why it's called the present.

Instant Stress Relief - Guaranteed!

2006-05-05T01:06:00.000-07:00

Above: Felucca on the Nile

With all the stresses of the past couple of days, it's so easy to forget about the beautiful place I'm living in. One of my favourite de-stressing pastimes is walking alongside the Nile, looking across at that timeless view.
Ahhhhhh...I'm feeling better already

Aaaarrrrgghhhh

2006-05-03T12:34:00.000-07:00

I've had a very stressful couple of days. I organised a bank transfer to the UK which hasn't gone through, I entered the wrong pin code for online banking too many times and now I can't access my account, which means I've got no idea when/if the money arrives......aaarrrrghh.

Everything in Egypt always takes lots longer than anticipated and sometimes that can be extremely frustrating.

2006-04-27T14:19:00.000-07:00

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire. If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don't know something, for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times. During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations, because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you're tired and weary, because it means you've made a difference.

It's easy to be thankful for the good things.

A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks.

Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, and they can become your blessings.

Egyptian Weddings - Part One

2006-04-25T07:45:00.000-07:00

Having attended lots of Egyptian weddings, I have to say that they are in a class of their own. Weddings in Egypt are either grand affairs at a 5* star hotel where as much money as possible has been spent - and everybody knows it. For most of the population, however, a wedding is a simple gathering of family & friends - these can take place in the humblest of alley-ways, decorated with as many bright lights as possible!

Let's start with the 'baladi' (simple) wedding. Celebrations start after the evening prayer (a'sha) has been called - around 8pm. The music is pumped up loud by a local mobile dj on his pc. Sound quality isn't important - volume is king. Although mostly Arabic songs are played, it's not unusual to get the hear odd bit of Eminem or Shaggy! The women make a trilling sound which competes nicely with the music!

Lots of seat reserving goes on as families arrive and the alley-way quickly fills up. At around 10pm (yes, the guests have been waiting for almost 2 hours!), the sound of tablas (drums) can be heard as the bride & groom arrive. Whilst we've been sitting waiting, they've been off having their photo taken at a local studio with their nearest & dearest (parents, inlaws, siblings).

They take their seats up on stage (usually a wooden platform) and start to receive their congratulations from guests. There is an ever-present cameraman recording the whole evening on video.

After about an hour the music slows down and we're treated to romantic meldies. This indicates that it's time for the 'Shabka' (when the husband presents his new wife with the all the gold he's bought). Before this, the groom's mother or sister walks round all the guests showing them the contents of the 'shabka' so they can make oooooh and aaaahh noises and seem suitably impressed. Then it's up on stage and piece by piece, the bride receives her gold. Even in the poorest of families the gold represents a major investment - often costing tens of thousands of pounds.

No Egyptian wedding would be complete without the dancing - and lots of it! Little girls move like the most professional belly dancers, groups of men form circles around the groom with lots of clapping. The bridge and groom usually manage one dance together though.

After the shabka has been presented, guests are then served a bottle of Coke, Fanta or 7-up with a slice of gateau, after which things start to wind down before everybody starts drifting away at around midnight.

Luxor, Egypt

2006-04-23T01:33:00.000-07:00

This is a view across the Nile towards the West
Bank of Luxor, where you'll find the tombs of the pharaohs (Tutankhamun, Ramsis and Nefertiti to name a few) in the Valley of Kings & Queens. The Colossi of Memnon and Hatchepsut's Temple are also situated on the West Bank of Luxor.

The reason the ancient Egyptians chose the West Bank as their burial site is because they were great believers in the power of the sun. Because the sun sets in the west, it was the perfect setting for the pharaohs' eternal resting place.

Things That Go Bump in the Night

2006-04-22T14:36:00.000-07:00

I'd been invited to have lunch with an Egyptian family. Custom dictates that one arrives quite early in the morning to spend time with the hosts. It's considered quite rude to turn up 5 mins before the food is being served (makes you look like you're just there for the food apparently!!).

Visiting the bathroom, I heard a strange rustling noise coming from behind the closed shower curtain. Holding my breath, I peeped round to see what on earth was there.....and came face to face with 2 ducks, a goose and some chickens!! I discreetly asked my host's daughter what on earth they were doing with a mini-zoo in the bathroom, only to be met with the completely serious reply 'oh those.....that's lunch'

Woooo Hooooooo

2006-04-22T14:29:00.000-07:00

My very first post