Out of the neighborhood

Today was the big first trip into the Embassy. This morning the alarm went off at 5:30 AM. I hit snooze at least 4 times. (Why?!?) After finally getting up and sneering at the husband because it is so early and on general principles, I quickly got showered and dressed.

"It's 6:50. We need to leave," the husband called out. He is such a task master. More sneering followed, especially when I tried to point out that the time on the stove was only 6:40. Lesson #1 of the Cairo Kitchen: Don't trust the time on the stove; clearly it can't keep the time.

Anyway, we made the shuttle with time to spare. Go figure. I was planning to take some pictures along the way to show what the greater Cairo area and traffic are like, but I didn't get the seat I wanted so I would have just taken a bunch of pictures that looked like the inside of a van. But along the way, I did get to see the Nile. After being here a week. (I suppose I could actually walk to the river from our apartment, but I haven't tried that yet. A walk for another day.)

The traffic was intense and I was very glad that someone else was driving. I mostly chatted with my seat-mate about life in Cairo, trips she'd taken, etc. The time at the Embassy was go here, go there, sit, wait, listen, wait, eat, wait, catch the shuttle home. I did come away with my new ID so now I can go to the commissary compound -- yes, it is a compound and a topic unto itself, which means another day for discussion -- without getting an "escort" badge; I just hate being labeled as an "escort."

The trip home was more relaxed with just one other passenger on the shuttle. We chatted a bit. There was noticeable less traffic, which means the van can go faster, so less opportunities to snap pictures with my point and shoot. A couple of highlights though: donkey pulling a cart on this very busy road (going the wrong way nonetheless; no picture since we were moving too fast) and the Supreme Constitutional Court (see below; not my picture, borrowed from Wikipedia, still can't find my own cords to download). Of course, the Supreme Constitutional Court would be of interest to us law types. We're just weird -- or is it wired -- that way. But very interesting building. Not sure that we are supposed to take pictures of it since anything security related is supposed to be left unphotographed. They are ansty about taking pictures of "sensitive" stuff. Might hurt the stuff's feelings, I guess. On the other hand, there is a military area in Maadi with a BIG sign that says "NO PHOTOS" in 1-foot lettering. I should get a picture of the sign. But I digress.

On an administrative note, I do plan to make this blog "pretty" and add some more features and do all that blogging extra stuff as time allows and as I remember how to do it.