You can run...

Salaam,

Why does this happen to me....?? Arrrgrgrgrrhjrgrhrhrgrh

So, what happened; I had my end of term exam yesterday (went OK) and then rushed off to Zamalek to book my plane ticket for Morocco (it ended up being VERY expensive). After having done this I thought I would visit the Cairo Tower as the views from the top are supposed to be amazing and the structure is the tallest in Egypt (170 meters-ish, equivalent to 60 floors). So I get to the top and then start walking around, and I realise everyone is staring at me "Oh no, I haven't got food in beard have I...??" I think to myself (A bro in Amman had a major bout of this - you know who you are!!).

So I just look back at them in a "what are You lookin at?" way...but as I continue walking, it dawns on me; everyone on the platform is with someone else - someone else of the opposite gender...

So it seems that I had busted in to one of the prime scenes in Cairo where couples like to hook up and exercise their lips...and so I figured that everyone was looking at me a) cos I had a beard and was wearing a hat and thaub so what on earth was I doing there..?? or b) they were thinking I Too was dodgy and had gone there to hook up with My girlfriend...

The horror when I first realised where I had ended up...but I had just paid 60 Egyptian pounds to get to the top so I wasn't going to let them scare me off....or so I thought. After a quick few minutes and taking quite a few pics I quickly left. It was Reaaally bad what was going on there...I suppose the people there thought it was a pretty "private" place so they decided to take advantage of this privacy...and of course all the girls were wearing scarves.

Then to add insult to injury, on the way back I had to walk across one of the bridges over the Nile and then along the corniche before catching my bus. Both sides of the bridge and the corniche was jam packed with couples...I REALLY want to wish they're all married..I DO... (I later found out that the four or so bridges over the Nile in this area are know as, surprise, surprise "Lovers Bridge" )

It was Another VERY depressing day. Not being discriminatory or anything but the hadith which states that no bigger trial has been left for men than women...and also whenever i'm unfortunate enough to see these things I think that 50% of Egypts population is under 25 and with most of them doing things like this what on earth does the future hold for Egypt. It seems to have become soo widespread that most people do it publicly i.e. sin publicly and there's no embarrassment or shame in it - its become a fact of Egyptian life that most teenagers and up ahve boy/girlfriends. I try to look for the silver lining in the clouds...but I can't really see one for Egypt. And where are the leaders of Egypt...??? They're more interested in the set-up of the constitution, "democratic" reform and who will succeed Mubarak etc rather than doing something about the corruption of their children. People out their praying for Egypt, forget it, it's a lost cause, start using your energies for countries with Some hope left (I humbly suggest Bangladesh..)

R.I.P Islamic Egypt

Anyway...wasn't feeling too good so didn't go into Qortoba today, but guess what? Only three days of school left...!! (i dont know if i'm sad or happy at this) and then the Arabic experience is over. Things are pretty quite these days too as my flatmate and most of the bros i stay with have gone to Aswan for a week, so i'm all alone, roaming the streets of Cairo. Do dua.

Pics coming soon inshaAllah.

Salaam