At Ismailia in Egypt, there a. ..
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our close call, Foad arrives in 20 minutes. The reunion is warm. Since we do not have access to internet, we have no idea of the program he has concocted. One starts, then comes back after 5 minutes to take our bags and leave the hotel. We sleep with him. It takes us first to his sister, or you arrive after 15 minutes by minibus. The apartment the ground floor is spacious and beautiful: a double living room, carpeted floor and the walls are bordered by armchairs and sofas. The TV is on constantly. Happy presence that avoids the "white in the conversation. Foad selects channels in English, with subtitles in Arabic. We see mostly Nanard, but also some good movies.
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arda's sister Foad, is delighted to receive us. Her husband, Ahmed, is also very welcoming, but he goes to nap, because he works nights as cammionneur: he toured the farms to bring chickens to market. Their treasure, c is Habiba, "little love", their one year old daughter who adores us. We look at family photos, there is also lots of pictures. Magali Warda assists in the preparation of fish and rice pilaf. The meal is presented on a large platter. We eat fish, pan-fried with garlic sauce, a hand, which is very handy for removing bones. Eaten, while Habib caper. She has a walker for your baby, very useful because it can run around without getting hurt, and without being able to catch things as bad as ashtray.
After nightfall, around 17h, Foad takes us by the lake near the Suez Canal. The place is one of the outputs of the usual locals. We are embarking on a boat "disco". Lights & Projectors dasn every sense, a sound background, a dozen girls (veils) dance for fun, while the boat made ripples in the water. We never did that all alone, but we have good memories. Foad has flashes on one of the dancers, as we take a picture. A good time before returning. The apartment inhabited
Foad with his mother is less chic than Warda, but still, spacious and confortable4. There is no satellite, then the only channel in English is Top Movies, which passed as horror movies. We laugh, and Foad added to his vocabulary of English slogan for the chain: Freeze Your Blood! We finally opted for a chain that passed the old Arab films in black and white. P
ar lucky, one of them is subtitled in french. It's great to say we spent the day together, while Foad was just fifty words of English, and we are ten in Arabic. However, we understand so well! His friend Ima rejoin us in the evening speaks better English. He often seeks his words, but understands what they say, and you can really discuss. We go to bed at midnight, Foad's room, both dressed in galabia (djelaba) lent. We sleep like babies, and you emerge around 11am the next morning.
The breakfast, we eat on the ground on a plateau, consists ful, cucumbers, cheese and tomatoes, as is eaten by hand with bread. It's good and keeps its body. Then party visited IMA. Along the way we watch Foad workshop where he works. It is craftman. We met his boss, a friendly man with a mustache that we offer two Fantas. Ima lives with her parents with her grandmother, on the 4th floor of a building. He has a computer, but internet does not work today. We watch videos and listen to songs, including Mohammed Foad, a famous singer do not name became the nickname "Foad", as our friend has the same voice: it's great to hear him sing. Taking tea. Amusing to note here the question is not "with or without sugar," but whether we want two or cuilleres trios!
On the balcony or Foad Ima and smoke their cigarettes on the sly dry bikini fetish Ima. This is one of the football team of Ismailia, one of the prides of the city. One of the best trios teams from Egypt, and the glory of being the first Arab team to win the African Cup of Champions Clubs.
In the after-noon they left the mother and the grandmother of IMA to go to the Suez Canal. We're going as "Zarlula", ie in a rickety Seat of a respectable age, mine, dating from 1982. Foad Steering Wheel has just shift gears. Zarlula hold often, and sometimes refuses to reboot, so Im pushing and I go out. The horn not working. The lights and twinkling, but the knobs are broken and you have to push the remains of the fingertips. B
M any defaults against a real quality: Zarlula roll! She rolls, and takes us to the Suez Canal, we crossed on a barge. Impressive to see an oil tanker passing between two strips of desert. Foad and Ima take us to the memorial of the wars against Israel. Ima recounts his military service, performs Inthe Sinai. As it was a good shot, he had more permissions. Foad did not. Funny system in Egypt, where only the natives of a certain month of the year are required to serve. You visit a sort of giant statue shaped bayonet. Inside, paintings war before which Foad takes poses heroic.
New Zarlula ride, and here we are at the bus station, where one learns that the only bus to Nuweiba from a 21h. One hesitates to leave that night, but we are guests in Warda. Stay a day longer do we have a problem that only because we are a total load of Foad. It remains, and we slip a few bills under the mattress, as both his home we hit, we all genes are unable to share the costs.
So we took advantage of chickens and macaroni Warda, another feast! Habiba is in great shape, too happy we found. Ahmed is awakened. It costs a wonder combines truck Peugeot in France and wants me to resell it in one! Magali and play three-Warda p'tits-cats. At the tele, Nicolas Cage saves the world. It is after midnight when we go to bed.
We're exhausted, and we barely get up at noon. Foad takes us into town. We drink tea and an infusion of anise in a shop has water filters, or working one of his friends, then on to ONV internet to use Google Translator and talk a little bit better. Fast enough, Foad wondering if you can write him a letter of invitation to come to France. Of course we can, but e ons doubt that this is not so simple. You look online, and it is sickening. Touristqieu for a visa, you must provide more than 15 different documents, including pay slips, bank statements and insurance certificates. In a country where much of the economy is informal, this results in clear "no gooks with us!" We are deeply ashamed of our country.
We return from IMA. His mother greets us with a beaming smile, that of the grandmother was half blind, but happy to know that we here, really warms the heart. Luckily, internet is working, so we can extend the discussion, and especially show our blog, Foad reads Arabic thanks to Google Translator. The translation must often be incomprehensible, but then it should give an idea of what they say. The morning after passes slowly. We spent the evening in the studio or Foad and Ima bossent with friends. They make souvenirs for tourists that are sold Sharm el-Sheikh. D
role to see this between-dusty soil, with a mass of horned sheep. Mohammed and we oofrent Slam necklaces and a small drum, do not we get to see the production, with a piece of PVC pipe to the soundboard, and rosary beads at the end of a string. Last ride Zarlula, and here we are on the bus, planned a 21h, which starts at midnight. Funny print only to find ourselves, after a fantastic day and memorable trios. We do not know when, but we will return to see friends Ismailia!