FJP to win or not?

Does the apparent success of the Justice and Freedom Party in the first round of elections in Egypt mean something sinister? With the majority of the population outside of Cairo, and a long way from Tahrir Square, are their needs being ignored, or put aside in the quest for democracy?  Democracy for who? The illiterate?  The farmers? The small shopkeepers? Or the liberal, middle classes who do not know hunger, can afford 20LE for latte as opposed to the majority who would not even know what a latte is?
Is this apparently large vote for the JFP a reflection of what they want, or is it buying votes? If it is buying votes, then are they looking directly at the majority of the population's needs and will they come good on that?
I was told that the MB would never win any elections, the people do not want it, but it seems my source was wrong...... possibly.

Many questions, and maybe no answers......... just food for thought

Some interesting comments by an aquaintance of mine, Nicole Hansen, living and working in Cairo.

"A suggestion to my liberal friends: Fast tomorrow, and reflect on what it is like to be hungry. Don't go to Cilantro for your 20LE latte and muffin. The people who voted for FJP and Nour parties because they gave them food ormoney didn't do so because they are uneducated or because they are religious zealots, but because when one has to choose between life and death, people will always choose life. Until survival is no longer the primary concern of the majority of the population, then the people will logically choose who feeds them"


And


"On CBC a few weeks ago they brought this guy in from the Fayyum to be interviewed in the studio. He was 52 years old but looked 75, had no steady job, his wife earned 150LE a month. They rent a house for 200LE a month, are 6 months overdue on their rent and their lease is up in May. They have no furniture and sleep on the floor. They eat beans and macaroni from a charity, usually 1 meal a day. He had an old mobile, he didn't buy it, he happened to have found it in the street that day, and didn't even know how to turn off the ringer when it rang in the middle of the program. His daughter is first in her class in school but he cant afford to buy her new clothes for the eid. They asked him if he knew who the prime minister was, he didn't. And you know what, he told the interviewer he knew people who had it a lot worse than he did. That is the average Egyptian for you."

Unrest in Egypt unlikely to pose threat to tourists: MD

Unrest in Egypt unlikely to pose threat to tourists: MD

See the above link, but the text is as follows:

I write to clarify a tremendous misconception that is being purveyed about Egypt and the problems facing it.

The press in general is portraying Egypt as a country in considerable disarray. At worst, the common misconception is that the situation in Egypt is extremely dangerous and that the country should not be visited.

I spent the last two weeks in Egypt. I visited Cairo, Kom Ombo and Edfu, Aswan, Luxor and Sharm el-Sheikh. I visited all accompanied by my wife and my daughter, Stephanie. While we were always accompanied by a tourist guide and people who had invited us, there was never, for one moment, a question we were in danger or threatened in any way. We of course did not venture to Tahrir Square, nor to any area where there was news of disturbances.

But let's be realistic. This is a matter totally between the Egyptian people and their government, which is currently a military dictatorship.

No guest or visitor is in danger. In fact, an Arabic principle is that guests are protected. Visitors are revered and treated well. We were treated like royalty - pampered, in fact. While it behooves visitors to be responsible and use common sense, one can still visit Egypt safely and in comfort. We are very glad we were in Egypt. We cherish our memories and we have made many new friends.

Dr. Barry Lycka, Edmonton

© Copyright (c) The Edmonton Journal

A Divided Egypt?

Just read an interesting article by tmideastposts.com regarding the current differences in thinking between Cairo and the rest of Egypt.  It reflects many of the views of the local population here in Luxor who simply wish to be able to move forward, regain their livelihoods and be able to live with peace and justice for everyone.


A Divided Egypt - Outside Cairo

These are 2 Americans sailing a felucca down the River Nile and blogging their journey! Great reading!

Felucca down the Nile.. Blog

Egypt Unveiled Photography

I have written before about Egypt Unveiled Photography...... great photographs by a friend of mine.

Helen Bailey lives here in Luxor, Egypt  (she is not related to David Bailey!) and I personally love her work.

She has now got herself online with a Flickr account

Flickr Egypt Unveiled

and a Blipfoto account

Blipfoto Egypt Unveiled

When you have a few minutes, check out her photographs, visions of my adopted home!  Enjoy

Hotel recommendation

Following my previous blog about self catering accommodation, I thought I would share a few more of my recommendations for somewhere great to stay.

This blog is about a small hotel on the West Bank of Luxor, the El Mesala.  Run by an Egyptian family, it has the perfect location, right on the banks of the River Nile with direct views of Luxor Temple on the East Bank.

Sit on your balcony and watch the river traffic as it wends it way up or down river while gazing at one of the most impressive monuments of Ancient Egypt.




Hotel El Mesala is currently adding 6 additional rooms, making the total number of rooms at 18. All have individual air conditioning, refrigerator and television.  The rooms are simple, but spotlessly clean.

A new rooftop restaurant is also currently being created and I do have to say the views from the roof are absolutely amazing, virtually the whole of Luxor lies in front of you!  And within the next couple of months there will be a brand new swimming pool for your enjoyment.

They currently have a small restaurant at the front of the building, with excellent egyptian and international food at great prices, and their onion bahjis are simply to die for! They even have a small selection of Indian dishes on the menu.

Give it a try if you are looking for somewhere smaller and more intimate than the large East Bank hotels, a hotel that is just a few minutes walk from the local ferry is a perfect place to combine peace and solitude with all the life that the East Bank has to offer.

Contact us at Spirit of the Nile if you want more information, alternatively check out the website Hotel El Mesala  but please mention Spirit of the Nile in your enquiry.

More small hotels and apartment rentals to come soon....... all personally known to me and highly recommended.

11.11.11 in Luxor Temple

Our day in Luxor Temple began around 9am in the morning. West Bank rendevouz for just 4 of us, the rest to meet us outside the Temple entrance.
We had already been told that it would not be possible to join with the Diana Cooper School for their meditation, so I had been busy preparing a couple of hours of meditations and everyone was planning on bringing something with them to share with the others.



2 of the West Bankers had overslept, so it was just 2 of us who caught the ferry across the River Nile. The other 2 were following as quickly as possible.  I had 2 guests here on spiritual tours and they were joining us as well.
We finally made it to the temple, my 2 guests were already inside having a look around, 2 had overslept and 1 was in the bathroom in McDonalds! 2 more had already called to say they were running late lol.
So, it was something of a " ok........ so this will go where it will go" moment. Obviously, the best laid plans were about to go awry!

Off we went, tickets purchased, found my guests and we made our way to the very back of the temple. Many of the guardians know me and were all asking if we wanted to pray..........a combination of my own good self, and the fact that the temple's Sun Court was very busy with the Diana Cooper group. There was also a large group from South Africa there too.... (saw them again on Sunday, when my guests were visiting the Sekhmet Chapel........ we had to wait until they had finished!).

By the time everyone had arrived it was after 10.30am...... so it all turned very relaxed although we did manage to do a little bit of meditation and a couple of readings.  Then it was 11am! We all got comfortable..... and I prepared to guide the meditation.
I do have to admit that I would have loved to have been listening to a guided meditation instead of guiding everyone else, but hey..... the end result is the same.
So we began..... and the temple was almost silent. A few tourists wandered in on us, but left fairly quickly.
There were 8 of us in total....... but just as we reached 11.11am....... 3 ladies eased their way in, sat down and joined with us. And now we were 11!  For myself, even though I was guiding the meditation, I still felt a wonderful sense of peace, and an angelic shower washed over me.

After the meditation we stood in a circle...... joined hands ready to chant an OHM...... when 2 egyptian ladies with 3 children came by.  The children joined us..... laughing and smiling, one of the guardians also joined us.... and we began our circle. We must have done our chant very loudly, as we heard nothing from anywhere else..... maybe we drowned them all out!

Although the day did not turn out as I had planned, in many ways, we were there! We were open and waiting at the moment the energy flowed down..... and we received it.

We ended the day in unity with a small group consisting of English, American, German and Egyptians and 3 lovely children who will be the future of my adopted home. I hope the love they received on Friday, will bring them bright futures and many blessings.

Love, light and blessings to you all.

And many thanks to Helen Bailey...... Egypt Unveiled Photography for her wonderful photographs!

Self Catering Accommodation in Luxor

      

Are you looking for accommodation in Luxor where you have the freedom to come and go as you please?


If so, we recommend Flats in Luxor for spacious, comfortable apartments on both East and West Banks. Many of the apartments have access to a swimming pool, so after a hard day around the temples and tombs, what better way to relax.   The flats are perfect for a family who love the freedom that an apartment can give.


    

For more information email us at hazel@spiritofthenile.com  or contact Jane at Flats in Luxor directly, but please mention Spirit of the Nile in your enquiry.

We at Spirit of the Nile, can arrange all your felucca cruises and sightseeing tours with your transport collecting you from any hotel or apartment, East and West Bank, so wherever you choose to stay is convenient for you.

NMEC museum in Cairo

Al Ahram Weekly. Report on the NMEC museum Cairo

Interesting reading about the ongoing project to develop the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation in Fustat, Cairo.
I cannot help but notice the final paragraphs setting out the idea of all the Royal Mummies being moved here, "to recreate the experience of visiting the tombs in the Valley of the Kings".  Combine this statement with the intention to build replica tombs on a hill on the West Bank of Luxor in Gurna, and we do have to ask if it will not be long before the Valley of the Kings itself becomes permanently closed to the general public, and only extremely large amounts of money will allow access to visitors.
I personally would not pay large amounts of money to take a holiday here if I could not see the real thing. I can go to Vegas and see a replica of Tut's tomb and have fun in the casinos at the same time!

Living in a cocoon or Universal protection?

As you all know, I now live on the West Bank of Luxor, but I am beginning to think I am living in a parallel universe!

Recently, I seem to live my life saying just a few words such as "really? did it? who?"  I know nothing and I know no-one!!!  I see things posted on forums and internet sites, Facebook and other places and I have no idea what any of it is about!  Snippets of information find their way to me now and again, but its almost always hearsay and everyone else seems to know all the details, but this person living here has wandered around deaf and blind!

Or have I?  Maybe these things........ which are predominately negative are not meant to impact on my life. My life is meant to be happy, joyous and loving and I like it that way. Stress, trauma and negativeness have all been around me at some point or another, but recently they have stayed away. Ok, so I still worry about money, and I guess I will continue to do so until things improve with the tourism situation, but I am still here, still working, still paying my way and everytime I think "something needs to happen"....... something positive always does!

The Universe, the Source, God, the Creator, call it what you will........  keeps my life, in general, happy, joyous and positive.  I have sunshine every day, I have Spirit, I have the River Nile outside my door, I have temples and tombs a few minutes away, Ancient Egypt everywhere I turn. I have Reiki and crystals and the power of the Universe, good friends and wonderful family.  What more do I need?

Elhamdulilah!

Oh and I now have full satellite back!!  They just switched the cable with a dish belonging to an empty flat..... but the cable is still draped over the balcony!

Off now to sort out winter clothes, the nights are getting nippy!

And! Saw the crescent moon last night........ low in the sky and a gorgeous orange colour, I was on the ferry and watching the moon when a shooting star fell right over it!  A magical moment!