Cairo is suffocating me! 7 May, 2009
Posted by nousha in Books, Cairo, Culture, Recommended, Thoughts.2 comments
Throughout the past few years I congratulated myself on my capacity to deal with the daily nuisances by looking at the bright side of Cairo and its people, and what it offers for attractions and activities. But lately going to venues to attend concerts, exhibitions, screenings and that sort of activities became a burden, even when the event itself is REALLY interesting.
Traffic!
One hour to go anywhere, and one hour to return from anywhere, and that’s only an estimation, it may take longer in some cases.
I try very hard not to hibernate, and to push myself to get out of the house and enjoy it, yet if I did go to any venue, this means that the whole day is dead in terms of any other thing that I had in mind. Adding to that the fact that now I am responsible of a household, o this means I have to spend a considerable amount of time in maintaining it, and God it takes a lot of effort!
This leaves me with very few hours of rest 
On the other hand, for the first time in my life, I ENJOY the feeling of nesting 
I am turning to be a better cook, not that I claim to reach the status of my husband, he is an artist in the kitchen. Sometimes I just stand there and watch him moving around the kitchen, trying this and that, combining the uncombined and creating some wonderful dishes. Delicioso!
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It’s a new cultural center that recently opened its doors for the cultural and artistic enthusiasts in Egypt. I didn’t have the opportunity to visit it more often before, but lately I am keeping an eye on it as much as I can.
It’s location is eccentric, in the middle of el Fustat, very close to Amr Ibn El 3as mosque and Mar Girgis church.
I go there via kornich, I take the bridge that heads to masr el kadima, then I take a U turn, straight ahead, then left. The below map will give you a better view
The architecture of the place is genuine. It mixes traditional styles of Domes and modern techniques like the usage of glass roofs in some indoor areas. The entrance is very eccentric, on the left there is a huge drawing of a skull with an Arabic calligraphy of a Koran verse “قل هل يستوي ” الذين يعلمون والذين لا يعلمون” / “Are those who know and those who don’t know equal”, I liked the idea of the artwork, but I can not say that I liked seeing a huge skull on the entrance of a building…
Their mission is: “is to be a trampoline to advance the burgeoning contemporary art movement in Egypt . We do this while endeavoring to engage with various social and cultural groups in the Fustat community.” Pretty interesting!
Next Saturday, there will be the opening of a photography exhibition called “Nostalgia” by a Ethiopian/Canadian photographer Aida Muluneh, a sculptor exhibition called “The Self … The Land” by Egyptian artist Salah Botros, and a performance called “After Life” directed by Bridgette Loriaux. Definitely a must see!
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أول مكرر – كتاب تعليمي ساخر
هيثم الدبور
I have recently read this book, and I gave it on goodreads website a 3 star. It discusses the catastrophe that is our educational system (school and university). At the beginning I thought that the writer is using the name Haitham el Dabour as a funny comment on the character played by Ahmed Mekki, then I was surprised to find that this was his real name! I can imagine all sort of incidents happening to the poor guy due to the popularity of this name!! poor guy!
The book is very light and funny, and it touches on many problems that we are facing in our educational system.
I’ve heard that El Sawy will turn it into a play…. I hope it will retain its flavor and not go bad…
You will like it if you were a fan of Shaklaha Bazet.
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I still didn’t finish The Foutainhead, I’m in page 450, so I’m close to the final quarter of the novel! I thought that after finishing it I would read Atlas Shrugged by the same author, as per the recommendation of lecturer who gave us a workshop on negotiation skills, unfortunately I don’t recall her name, but I still remember her vibes. She was REALLY good, and that’s why I still remember her book recommendation even if this was almost a year ago!!
The First Arabic Report on Cultural Development 16 November, 2008
Posted by nousha in Arabic, Culture, Thoughts.add a comment
“أطلقت مؤسسة الفكر العربي الخميس بالعاصمة المصرية القاهرة “التقرير العربي الأول للتنمية الثقافية” الذي يناقش إيجابيات وسلبيات المجال الثقافي العربي ويضعها أمام صانعي السياسات والباحثين. ويرصد التقرير -الذي شارك في إعداده ما يزيد عن 40 باحثا عربيا- واقع التنمية الثقافية في الوطن العربي بهدف بناء قاعدة معلوماتية تعين الباحثين العرب في بناء مشروع نهضوي عربي شامل بإرساء قيم المعرفة والنقد والمراجعة وحوار الذات، حسب قول معديه.”
http://aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/D6C88AC5-7840-455F-9CEE-2E43B5CA7115.htm
So far so good….
“ولا يُخفى ما للثقافة من دورٍ أساسيّ وفاعل في حسن توجيه مسارات التنمية وفي تكوين الأطر والبيئة والظروف الملائمة للمطالبة بها، والتحفيز عليها، والمشاركة فيها. إضافة إلى ذلك علينا أن نولي ثقافة التنمية عناية شاملة، بوصفها عنصراً أساسياً في بلورة رؤى اجتماعية واقتصادية وتنموية جامعة، وتعزيز الإلتزام بتحقيق هذه التنمية، والتشديد على ضرورة إحداث تغيير في الرؤية والمفاهيم والعقليات، وإبراز جدوى تضافر جهود جميع الأطراف – من سلطات حكوميّة، وقطاع خاصّ، وهيئات المجتمع المدنيّ والأهليّ- على قاعدة الشراكة، وبذلك بهدف الخروج بدولنا ومجتمعاتنا ممّا تعاني منه من حرمان وتفاوت، وبلوغ ما تطمح إليه شعوبنا من ازدهار وتطوّر وعدالة، في المجالات كلّها وعلى المستويات كافّة.”
http://fikr7.org/ar/Agenda.aspx
kalam kebir bardo…
I was intrigued to find that the location of the conference (in Intercontinental City Stars Hotel) is written: قاعة الهمبرا / i.e. Alhambra, even though the original name (from which الهمبرا is drived from) is in arabic: قصر الحمراء. When I noticed that, I felt a bit uneasy about the seriousness of the whole thing… Am I a bit too prejudice??
I don’t want to be too philosophical about it, cause I can interpert this as the arabization of what is known in the western culture without looking back at its origin that turned out to be arabic… but still it gives me the impression that those who wrote the agenda (or perhaps the hotel coordinator) were not acquainted with the term, OR perhaps they knew this info yet they felt that calling it الحمراء wouldn’t have the same impression as people know Alhambra with its spanish name and calling a meeting room as The Red Room would be misleading……
Just a thought,,,
On the other hand, I found some interesting questions that were raised in the agenda, I am curious to know how the conversation went, and what it reached
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ما الذي يجعلني عربياً؟ وما هي قيمي وثقافتي وعاداتي الموروثة؟
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ما الذي يميزني، وبم أختلف عن غيري؟
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ما الذي يجمعني وبماذا أختلف عن الآخر؟
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من أنا كعربي؟
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ثقافتنا السائدة: عامل محفز ام معوق للتنمية؟
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ما الذي يجمعنا كعرب؟ ما هي هويتنا المشتركة؟
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كيف نخلق ثقافة التنمية في مجتمعنا العربي؟
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كيف نخلق ثقافة التفاؤل في العالم العربي؟
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Isn’t it like those self-help guide books??
Last thing, I didn’t understand this point in specific. So if you got it, please explain it to me. “are there registration fees to attend the conference? yes, you can attend as a participant without fees”
س: هل هناك رسوم تسجيل لحضور المؤتمر؟ نعم ، يمكنك الحضور كمشارك من غير رسوم. كما يمكنك الحضور بعضوية ذهبية ذات امتيازات مقابل رسوم تسجيل في مكان انعقاد المؤتمر قيمتها 1000 دولار لغير المدعوين.
I don’t want to sound pessimistic about the conference. I was happy to see that they invited famous peoople like Dr. Farouk El Baz, and frankly I can’t wait to get the report and see what it talks about…
For more info: www.arabthought.org and http://fikr7.org
March 2008 28 February, 2008
Posted by nousha in Cairo, Culture.add a comment
Let’s see what’s on Cairo’s agenda:
Tuesday 4/3: Waguih Aziz @ Gomhoreya Theater @ 7:30 pm (for more info)
On the same day there is a book discussion in el sakiat @ 7, the title of the book is very ,,,, mm,, weird! “Never marry a woman with big feet“…. And as I am one of these unfortunate women, then I had to know what’s it all about!! Plus, the arabic translation is also,,,,, intriguing (إياك و الزواج من كبيرة القدمين ) !!! Then I found it talks about the perception about women across different cultures through proverbs, for example: A wife is like a blanket: cover yourself, it irritates you; cast it aside, you feel cold. (Ashanti, Ghana); The name of the father is the secret of the mother. (Creole, Jamaica); A woman who knows Latin will never find a husband nor come to a good end. (All over Europe) Wives and shoes are better when old. (Japanese)
And there is a concert for Ehaab Abdou “Ana Masry” in Howard theater (fel AUC) @ 7 pm
Wednesday 5/3: A talk about the newly published bloggeresses @ sakiat el sawy @ 7 pm.
Friday 7/3: Zorba Ballet @ Cairo Opera House (Main Hall) @ 8 pm. On the 7th and the 9th they will show one act from Zorba and from Bolero, and on the 10th and 11th they will show complete Ballet of Zorba, ana mesh fahma leih el ta`sim dah, bas ma 3aleina, Zorba ballet was one of the Opera’s hits.
Sunday 9/3: Persepolis @ CFCC el Mounira @ 8:30. AKHIRAAAAAAAAAAN!!!!!!! The long awaited comic book that was turned into a movie is now here in Cairo!!! At last!!!! grab the opportunity! I don’t think it will be on DVD’s shelves anytime soon in Egypt.
Friday 14/3: el Korba Carnival. I love how this Carnival was able to continue in providing a feeling of celebration to Heliopolis . I confess that I am not a Heliopolitan, I don’t know much about Heliopolis, and can’t compare it to Maadi for example. But this carnival in particular makes me smile. The streets of Cairo can have fun too (IT’S A RUMOR )
Another concert of “Ana Masry” @ el sakiat @ 8 pm
That’s it for now, more to be added soon
Dorito 26 September, 2007
Posted by nousha in Culture, Egypt, Spanish.add a comment
Dorito in the Bejawy language means “The Beautiful Girl” (from Sahara Safaris), and in Spanish it means “Little bits of gold“. Do u think this has a correlation?? 
September 9 September, 2007
Posted by nousha in Cairo, Culture.4 comments
I’M BACK!!!
Akhiran I took a week off work, my first long vacation! I went for a hike in Sinai with some friends, then headed for Marina for another 3 days. There are tons of things that was on my mind. The experience of my first hike. Sleeping under the moonlight. Stagazing. Walking in the valleys. Feeling the cold water amidst the mountains in the middle of a hot day. Defeating the mountains. Chating with the Bedouins. Learning about some geology, botany, culture,,,. Getting to know about Saint Catherine. Heard about the castle of Abbas. Captured lots of photos. Sang old songs. Got to know many people. Slept in a sleeping bag. Ate nuts and fruits straight from the trees….. Oh I can go on and on about the things I want to talk about
But before I do that I want to check out what’s happening in Cairo this September. Let’s see:
9/9 (i.e. today) Poetry & Calligraphy night @ Kotob Khan @ 9 pm. Gihan Amr will read her poems (from “Before we hate Paulo Coelho”, while Calligrapher Sameh Ismail writes Poetry in Arabic Calligraphy… Too bad I can’t make it…
And Azza Balbaa @ sakiat el sawy @ 9 pm
10/9 El Sohbageya @ sakiat el sawy @ 8:30 pm
And Wayward “rock music” @ sakiat el sawy @ 9 pm
And Book launch “أسباب وجيهة للفرح/ Good Reasons to be Happy” by Omar Mostafa @ Town House Gallery @ 8:30 pm. I met Omar in one of my friends’ felouka nights. He showed us his poetry book, and he also played Anoun and sang to us kaman . The book is very sweet. It will remind you of childhood with the bright colours of the drawings. Also his poems are very simple and cheerful. Very recommended.
11/9 Wust El Balad @ sakiat el Sawy @ 9 pm. The website of el sakiat mentions that it’s gonna be free admission! I can’t imagine how crowded this is gonna be! So even if I were free that night, I don’t think I will go there khaless…
16/9 Omar Khayrat @ sakiat el Sawy @ 10 pm
18/9 Omar Khayrat @ Cairo Opera House ”the main hall” @ 9 pm
And Nassir Shamma @ sakiat el Sawy @ 10 pm
19/9 Tanoura troupe @ Wikalet El Ghouri
And A Baroque Concert @ AUC (Ewart Hall) @ 9 pm. I can’t imagine how it is going to be like
20/9 “Musica Antigua” troupe @ Prince Taz palace @ 9 pm. It’s a spanish troupe that aims at reviving the old spanish music
And Eftekasat @ sakiat el sawy @ 9:30 pm
And “Les yeux de la Momie Ma” directed by Ernst Lubisch (a silent movie with some jazz music) @ CFCC @ 9:30
21/9 Fathy Salama @ Cairo Opera House “open theater” @ 9 pm
And Fouad Haddad songs @ El Geneina Theater in El Azhar Park
22/9 “Musica Antigua” @ El Geneina Theater in el Azhar park @ 9 pm
And “El Tamye” @ Town House gallery @ 9:30 pm
And “black Theama” @ sakiat el sawy @ 9:30 pm. I don’t know if they are called “Black Theama” as written in the facebook walla “Black Tima” as it’s written on the sakiat website.
And Fouad Haddad songs @ Beit el Harawy
23/9 “Musica Antigua” @ Creativity center in Alexandrai @ 9 pm
And “Tony Kaldas & Maysa Orensa” @ Cairo Opera House “open theater” @ 9 pm
And Omar Khayrat @ Markaz el Khazaf. I don’t know the exact location of this place. But check this website for more info.
24/9 “Ibn Arabi” troupe @ El Ghouri palace @ 9 pm. There is a festival called “De l’Euphrate au Guadalquivir”.
25/9 “Ibn Arabi” troupe @ French Cultural Center in el Mounira @ 9:30 pm
And Magd el kassem @ Markaz el Khazaf
25/9 Yehia Khalil @ Wikalet El Ghouri
26/9 “Musica Antigua” @ Edward hall in AUC @ 9 pm
And “nessmet Saif / Summer Breeze” @ sakiat el sawy @ 10 pm. Ahmed Haddad, Hazem Shahin, Samia Jahin, Aya Hamida, Mai Haddad.
And El Ismaileya Troupe for folkloric music @ Prince Taz Palace
27/9 Nassir Shamma @ Creativity Center in Alexandria @ 9 pm.
And Yehia Khalil (Jazz) @ sakiat el sawy @ 9 pm
And Eskendrella @ Talaat Harb Library. Over and Over again,,, I love this band!
And Sayed Darwish night @ Prince Taz Palace
28/9 Lena Chamamyan @ El Geneina Theater “el Azhar Park” @ 9 pm. THIS IS BIG! I can’t wait for this concert!!! Her voice is amazing! and her songs choices are beautiful!!! YUPPY!!!
And Nassir Shamma @ Prince Taz palace @ 9 pm
And “sahara” @ sakiat el sawy @ 9:30 pm
And Fathy Salama @ Beit El harrawi (behind el azhar mosque) @ 9:30
And Karam Mourad @ Wikalet El Ghouri. I heard about Karam Mourad as one of the pioneers in the Nubian artists. I hope one day I can listen to his songs.
29/9 Wust EL Balad @ Cairo Opera House “open theater” @ 9 pm. I think this is my first time to hear about Wust El Balad performing in the Opera! Mmmm, I found this even on facebook, but after the website of the Cairooperahouse.org doesn’t mention it! Actually I found many events on facebook located in the opera while the website doesn’t mention it! weird!
And Sharhabeel @ Prince Taz Palace
30/9 El Nile troupe for folkoloric instruments @ Beit El Soheimi. Yesterday two of my friends were talking about this band. They highly recommended them.
And Wust El Balad @ Markaz el Khazaf
اللغة 7 August, 2007
Posted by nousha in Culture, Egypt.7 comments
Yesterday I attended at el Kotob Khan a presentation and discussion about the rise and fall of the arab civilization. It was an event organized by PTP. Dr. Qassem Abdo Qassem was a remarkable guest speaker.
Camel gave us an introduction on the arab culture in general, then Dr. Qassem takled for a while about the growth of the Islamic civilization and its decadence, then we had a time for questions.
One of the things that I was thinking about was about the language.
There was a time when Arabic was the dominant language of science, philosophy, literature,,, etc. If any scholar wanted to further his knowledge in any field, he’d have to learn Arabic in order to ensure his exposure to a wider range of resources, and if he wrote anything, he’d write it in Arabic to ensure a wider audience. Even El Ghazali wrote most of his works in Arabic, except for only two which he wrote in Persian.
So my point is, definitely there is an crucial relation between the use of the language and the rise and fall of its civilization. So when I write a story or thoughts in my blog in English, am I unintentionally weakening my civilization?!
Anyway, here is a nice collection of Arabic loanwords in English (From Wikipedia), there are other pages for the Arabic influence on other languages (like French and Spanish)…Some words are just so close, I can’t imagine how I didn’t notice them before!
For example:
admiral: أميرالبحار, amīr al-bihār commander of the seas
adobe : الطوب at-tūb, the bricks
barrio : barriya, open country, from barr ‘outside’ (of the city).
hazard: الزهر az-zahr, chance, name of the pieces used in the game of ‘nard,’ or ‘tawola.’
jar : جرة jarrah, large earthen
magazine : maxāzin, (or makhāzin), storehouses
sherbet, sorbet, shrub, syrup : شراب sharāb, a drink
I was just discussing with some friends who are well acquinted with the ancient Egyptian language, we were talking about the words we use in the colloquial Egyptian Arabic that have no origin in the Arabic language. Here are some examples:
Bekh بخ : the word we use to frighten others, it actually means عفريت / ghost in anc
kani wi mani كاني و ماني: we use in the meaning that the person says nonesense, actually means سمن و عسل /
Maarafsh معرفش: “I don’t know”, when we say this word, we turn our palms upward, and the shoulders are shrugged a bit. This body language was drawn! And it was pronounced “khom” خم, another word we use when someone talks about something he doesn’t know, or when he tricks another person.
I also heard that some of the words we say to little kids, like تاتا (tata) when he starts walking, or امبو (embou) when he drinks, these are also ancient words!
This is another side of the impact of the language on the daily life of people. We are using words without knowing their real meanings and origins. Just like history. I may not be aware of historical events and wars (for example el Ayubids, the mamluks times,,,) but definitely it left its marks in our consciousness.
in Cairo 6 August, 2007
Posted by nousha in Cairo, Culture, History, News.3 comments
If you are staying in Cairo during this weekend (just like me), then you might be interested to know what’s going on these days:
Monday 6/8 (tonight): there is a very interesting discussion on the rise and fall of the Arab civilization at el Kotob Khan, with guest speaker Kassem Abdo Kassem. Currently I’m readnig his book about the political and social history of Mamluks. It’s an AMAZING book! Very straight forward, with references to the sources of informations, he really made history seems to be alive!
Also tonight there is a concert for Omar Khairat in el Sakiat at 9 pm (but I’m not really in the mood). And for Alex people, Eskendrella are performing in ABD EL WAHAB THEATRE at 11 pm!
Wednesday 8/8: there is a presentation “How to develop ideas & do research for picture ideas” in the CICC by Ken Grant. The presentation will cover the basics of research and developing ideas for picture stories and the building of picture stories. I think this seems interesting.
Friday 10/8: SOS music festival! And now they are going to make it in el Sa7el! I can’t imagine how crowded it is going to be! It’ll be in Zahran City Park, and I don’t know why but I don’t like this place, I thoguht they would do it somewhere by the sea,,,
Saturday 11/8: Music Matbakh Concert, 9 pm, @ British Council Garden (El Agouza): Under the banner of ‘Music Matbakh’ (Arabic for ‘kitchen’), the British Council has brought together a dozen of the most innovative young musicians from Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia and the UK. Audiences will be treated to a dynamic set of new tracks, encompassing hip hop, rock, jazz, funk and electronica and featuring oud, ney, beautiful vocals and sufi rhythms.
Sunday 12/8: Harp Concert for Arabic Music by Manal Mohei Eldin @ 9 pm, El-Qal3a Festival, Sareyat El-Gabal. I think this concert will be special for the beautiful atmosphere in the Citadel, and the melodious performance of Manal Mohie ElDin. She introduced the Harp into the Egyptian music community. It’s funny how this instrument is originally ancient egyptians, while it is not that famous nowadays in Egypt!!!
Monday 13/8: El Tamye at Rawabet at 7 pm. I can’t beleive myself that I wasn’t able to attend the 2 previous concerts of this groupe (even though one of the singers is actually one of my closest friends!). I relaly hope I’d be able to make it this time.
Tuesday 14/8: Fathy Salama at el Qal3a. I am not a big fan of Fathy Salama, I just don’ like the sound of Keyboard! I feel it is too much electronic! But I know that some people really like him, that’s why he should be mentioned.
Friday 17/8: Nagham Masry at El Qal3a (at 8:30). I heard about this group for a long time, I hope I’d have the time to check them out and let you know.
Sunday 19/8: Omar Khairat (tani!) but in the Cairo Opera House, it’ll be at 7:30. I don’t think I would ever go twice in one month to a Omar Khairat concert, kefaya awy once (or max twice) per year! I confess that I like some of his music: el Bakhil we ana, el Lo`a el tani, damir abla hekmat, zai el hawa,,,, etc, but sometimes I just feel bored from his repetitive sounds…
Zar 5 July, 2007
Posted by nousha in Cairo, Culture.2 comments
Yesterday I attended a Zar.
I can’t say it was a real zar. It was more of a musical performance with the touch of Zar for a group called Mazaher. When I mention the word Zar to my friends, they think that I went to a REAL one, like the things we see in movies. But it wasn’t like that at all. 
I don’t know how to describe exactly the evening. The place is called Makan, it is located in Saad Zaghloul street. It was my first time to see Saad Zaghloul Mausoleum. It is impressive! (I wonder whether it is open for the public or not)
Mazaher has two weekly performances (on Tuesdays and Wednesdays).
First of all we enter into a small room, there is a second floor for the people who would like an overview of the place. Some people are sitting on coushons, others on chairs. There were lots of foreigners, and there were also some people who seemed to be well acquited with the band.
Most of the songs are praising prophet Mohamed (PBUH), others talking about love, but there are also songs you’d have a hard time deciphering its meanings as they talk Arabic sometimes with Sa3idi accent, and at other times with Nubian accent.
You have to see the faces of the people performing. You can tell stories out of their gaze. You can see ther ups and downs, their happiness and pain only through their look and the way they play their instruments.
Madiha (the lead singer) is a very remarkable woman. When she smiles, her faces radiates. And the way she dances is really unique. But the look on her face sometimes gets so gloomy, that along with the powerful drumming I was really scared sometimes.
VERY RECOMMENDED.
Georges Henein 24 June, 2007
Posted by nousha in Books, Cairo, Culture.add a comment
Ireceived this from the French Cultural Center. There is a tribute to George Henein on the 25th of June at 7 pm. It was my first time to hear about him, so I thought to seek some light:
Henein, Georges (1914-73). Egyptian poet, editor, and journalist. For over a decade (1937-48) Henein led an active Surrealist group in Cairo, keeping up its contacts with the main movement and writing many poems, tracts, manifestos, and short stories (Déraisons d’être, 1938; Pour une conscience sacrilège , 1945). After a rift with Breton , Henein created a more informal and eclectic grouping, centred on the journal La Part du sable, where Egyptians figured alongside French writers such as Bonnefoy, Henri Thomas, and Jean Grenier . When, like his Jewish friend Jabès, Henein (a Copt) bowed to Arab nationalist pressures and left Egypt in the late 1950s, he turned to political journalism. Although from 1956 he eschewed publication, he never stopped writing creatively, and the works published since his death, including Pour un pays inutile (1977), La Force de saluer (1978), and L’Esprit frappeur (1983), have attracted increasing attention as they reveal an unusual alliance of intellectual brilliance, polemical drive, and poetic fancy. 
He seems to be very well-known in France and not here in Cairo!!!! That’s very weird!! So Did anyone read for him anything??
I found an interesting blog post by Mr. Samir Gharib. I have to quote him saying: “
الخلاصة أن جورج حنين قام بدور مزدوج شديد الأهمية في تاريخ الإبداع المصري الحديث : فتح فيه عالما جديدا من الأفكار والتصورات والأساليب ذات الوهج الثوري والحالم في آن . وأدخل هذا الإبداع من جهة أخرى في آتون حركة الفن العالمية بما جعله جزءا منها ، وجعل مبدعين مصريين متميزين معروفين في أوربا ومشاركين في نشاطات ثقافية طليعية فيها .
Weekend report 2 June, 2007
Posted by nousha in Cairo, Culture, Fun, Photography, Thoughts.8 comments
what’s up Cairo? All of a sudden everyone is celebrating something ! Anniversaries, weddings, katb ketab,,,, it’s fun, but it’s so hard (and tiring) to keep up with all of this.
Anyway,,,
Last Thursday me and some friends decided to go to Wust El balad concert in el sakiat. It was CROWDED! Seems like I won’t feel like seeing them again in the next couple of months….. They anounced that they are recording a CD,,, akhiran ! But I wonder who is going to buy it because their songs are available everywhere…. ma3aleina.
Seems like the “Fete de la musique” on the 21st of June is attracting more attention. El Sakiat will organize a big concert with 6 bands in EL ORMAN garden!! yes, the good old garden where they used to shoot old movies and where university students wonder around holding hands It’ll start at 7 pm. I hope that I can go there and then heading to Souad Massi’s concert in el qal3a.
And one last thing, here are a couple of photos I took recently. The first one was in wust el balad concert and the second was in the house of Zeinab Khatoun behind el Azhar. I look at these pictures and I can not help but notice the difference between how I take photos now and how I used to before. Few years ago I got used to take photos of things as they are, I just tried to find the right angle. Now I try to take the light as the main point in my photos, and I tend to experiment more. Before, I was afraid to try drastic changes in the photos, beleiving that it would ruin it,; now I play around mainly with the contrast to get different results, they may not be realistic at all but this is how I like them. However in the photo the concert I didn’t try any editing in the photo, I tried to play with the light when I was taking the picture itself (slow shutter while zooming in and/or out). Aho, koloh tagarob…
I wonder whether this means that my personality changed along with my way of taking photos! Or maybe I was just able to experiment more as I have a digital camera instead of my good old Minolta SLR…. in other words: Maybe because my perception of how things should be changed. Maybe I had the opportunity to express myself better. Maybe it’s just a coincidence. Maybe Maybe Maybe.
