Village accomodation

The house I stayed in is only 10 or so years old and on three storeys, the largest and most modern in the village. I felt very grand staying here. The large main room on the ground floor is given over to receiving visitors and has cushioned benches round three walls. The first evening saw a collection of men in galabeyas (that may not be how to spell it) sitting round the cushioned benches, smoking and setting the world to rights, discussing local and national matters and of course the upcoming elections, something on everyone's lips it seems. The second floor contained the family rooms but the top floor was all mine! A was given the choice of one of the family bedrooms or one of the two bedrooms opening off a large central room with own shower and toilet and a balcony. How could I resist the top floor with its balcony and views?

The 'back garden' is basically a mango orchard but also has mandarine oranges, avocado pears and sugarcane, as well as flowering shrubs near the building. Sadly, the mango season was over but I was given some sugarcane to eat. You have to have good teeth for this because first you need to rip off the outer bark, then break off a lump of the inner cane and once chewed and sucked dry you spit out the wad. It took me ages to get the knack of stripping the outer bark because I was afraid for my teeth but it was well worth the effort.

When we arrived we found a camel, a sheep and four goats tied up having their meal under the mango trees. Twenty four hours later there were only three goats left, the other goats, the sheep and the camel all having been sacrificed for the festival.

I spent some time sitting under the mango trees myself, sketching and generally relaxing. One afternoon was spent on the balcony on the top floor sketching with my friend's son. I haven't sketched for many years and he was determined I should start again. It was great, I'd forgotten how much I'd enjoyed it and I wasn't as bad as I'd thought I might be after all these years. It's re-kindled my interest and I feel the urge to start properly again. We set a kerosene lamp between us to draw and talked and laughed quietly while we worked. We were level with the tops of the mango trees in the orchard out back and as the sun started setting we could see large dragonflies dancing around the treetops. It was a wonderful way to spend some time.

The kerosene lamp got used in earnest that night because we had a series of power cuts, somthing that is quite common in Egypt. Her son was out with his cousins so she and I sat and talked in the light of the lamp and candles and a torch. Kerosene lamps give a much warmer light than torches so it was very cosy and fun.