Well, young Michael (who has the watch and clock shop on the corner downstairs) has
had a look at the camera, taking it as far to bits as he could with his
miniature screwdrivers and other watch working tools. But all to no avail,
sadly! He's promised to take it to some local camera 'person' today, so keep
your fingers crossed for me, please?
I know that doing such things (crossing fingers, or making the sign of the cross) are an anachronism in our modern faithless world. And not only with those who scoff at us Christians, I myself have no real truck with the supposed value of such inanities! However, here in the past (which is where Luxor certainly is) the efficacy of such signmaking is held in high regard, as well as being a sure sign of a living faith!
When I came across Mr Edward (also known as Igor, the surgeon's assistant from the first floor) frantically, and repeatedly, making the sign of the cross at the lock on the surgery door, I was amazed to hear his irritated response to my (probably) patronising and (certainly) quizzical smile, "But I am Christian, Mr Edward; the lock is stuck!" I walked on, feeling quite ashamed. On another occasion, as I passed a paint shop in the souk, I was surprised to see the owner locking up for the night, and making exactly the same repeated cross signs as he placed each bolt in the roller shutters and turned the key in each lock.
Is this what Christianity is actually about? Or would we be exercising our faith more if we didn't bother with locks in the first place; having faith that God would protect our goods and chattels? Or, then again, does God not expect us to take responsibility for looking after whatever is entrusted to us while we are here? Are these musings a worthwhile use of my time?
The answer is a resounding "NO"! I am not a philosopher, nor yet a theologian, and any thoughts that I might have, will already have been thought and recorded and explored and expounded by many more learned and worthy fellows than I. It's not as if I'm like Captain Kirk 'boldly going where no man has gone before', is it?
So, we are always on the lookout for new and exciting places to see or eat, even if we don't make the sign of the cross before we cross their threshold! But in the case of the Elhoot Fish Restaurant, we might have been tempted, just look at the address!
The "House of phosphorus"? Saints preserve us! (No, I'm not Catholic!) Safer to go somewhere where we possibly wouldn't feel quite so near to the 'fires of Hell', maybe. Our latest restaurant outing was on Thursday night, back to the lovely Salahadeen at Mara House. I put the following review on TripAdvisor, so that anyone else might give it a try and find the pleasure and enjoyment which we do every time we go.
The review title is "Stuffed again!"
"I'm sorry about the indelicacy of the title, but that is what happens to me whenever I visit this place!
With the dearth of tourists here at the moment, we were lucky to catch the Salahadeen open last night. It was lovely to again be greeted by the smiling Madam (Mad for short, lol.) Mara. Unlike any 'normal' restaurant, where the food can be prepared quite quickly or re-heated in the microwave, the food at the Salahadeen takes most of the day to prepare freshly, each time the restaurant is open, and therefore Mara won't open unless she has a worthwhile number to cook for. During normal times this isn't really a problem, but customers for any sort of business are very few and far between just now!
Anyway, along with the other diners, we thoroughly enjoyed our Egyptian feast in the beautiful diningroom, with the ornamental fountain gently gurgling away and the barely perceptible background music, after first chatting and sipping our pre-prandial drinks in the comfortable bar.
The lovely and satisfying meal was similar to those we've had here before. Even with the odd variation which Mara makes in some of the mezzes from time to time, it was still all that we were hoping for. The pudding was especially delish; vanilla ice cream and sliced mango, they complimented each other perfectly!
Freda even took a couple of books across, to swap with some different ones from the Mara House library. (Damn those 'Kindle' things, people just aren't bringing, and leaving, books in hotels any more!)"
Well, I'd better get off now, as Freda wants the computer for something important, she keeps thinking that she'll have an enquiry to deal with, poor deluded girl!
Byeeee.
I know that doing such things (crossing fingers, or making the sign of the cross) are an anachronism in our modern faithless world. And not only with those who scoff at us Christians, I myself have no real truck with the supposed value of such inanities! However, here in the past (which is where Luxor certainly is) the efficacy of such signmaking is held in high regard, as well as being a sure sign of a living faith!
When I came across Mr Edward (also known as Igor, the surgeon's assistant from the first floor) frantically, and repeatedly, making the sign of the cross at the lock on the surgery door, I was amazed to hear his irritated response to my (probably) patronising and (certainly) quizzical smile, "But I am Christian, Mr Edward; the lock is stuck!" I walked on, feeling quite ashamed. On another occasion, as I passed a paint shop in the souk, I was surprised to see the owner locking up for the night, and making exactly the same repeated cross signs as he placed each bolt in the roller shutters and turned the key in each lock.
Is this what Christianity is actually about? Or would we be exercising our faith more if we didn't bother with locks in the first place; having faith that God would protect our goods and chattels? Or, then again, does God not expect us to take responsibility for looking after whatever is entrusted to us while we are here? Are these musings a worthwhile use of my time?
The answer is a resounding "NO"! I am not a philosopher, nor yet a theologian, and any thoughts that I might have, will already have been thought and recorded and explored and expounded by many more learned and worthy fellows than I. It's not as if I'm like Captain Kirk 'boldly going where no man has gone before', is it?
So, we are always on the lookout for new and exciting places to see or eat, even if we don't make the sign of the cross before we cross their threshold! But in the case of the Elhoot Fish Restaurant, we might have been tempted, just look at the address!
The "House of phosphorus"? Saints preserve us! (No, I'm not Catholic!) Safer to go somewhere where we possibly wouldn't feel quite so near to the 'fires of Hell', maybe. Our latest restaurant outing was on Thursday night, back to the lovely Salahadeen at Mara House. I put the following review on TripAdvisor, so that anyone else might give it a try and find the pleasure and enjoyment which we do every time we go.
The review title is "Stuffed again!"
"I'm sorry about the indelicacy of the title, but that is what happens to me whenever I visit this place!
With the dearth of tourists here at the moment, we were lucky to catch the Salahadeen open last night. It was lovely to again be greeted by the smiling Madam (Mad for short, lol.) Mara. Unlike any 'normal' restaurant, where the food can be prepared quite quickly or re-heated in the microwave, the food at the Salahadeen takes most of the day to prepare freshly, each time the restaurant is open, and therefore Mara won't open unless she has a worthwhile number to cook for. During normal times this isn't really a problem, but customers for any sort of business are very few and far between just now!
Anyway, along with the other diners, we thoroughly enjoyed our Egyptian feast in the beautiful diningroom, with the ornamental fountain gently gurgling away and the barely perceptible background music, after first chatting and sipping our pre-prandial drinks in the comfortable bar.
The lovely and satisfying meal was similar to those we've had here before. Even with the odd variation which Mara makes in some of the mezzes from time to time, it was still all that we were hoping for. The pudding was especially delish; vanilla ice cream and sliced mango, they complimented each other perfectly!
Freda even took a couple of books across, to swap with some different ones from the Mara House library. (Damn those 'Kindle' things, people just aren't bringing, and leaving, books in hotels any more!)"
Well, I'd better get off now, as Freda wants the computer for something important, she keeps thinking that she'll have an enquiry to deal with, poor deluded girl!
Byeeee.
No comments:
Post a Comment