Who's a clever boy then?

Yes, I have to admit, it's ME! I've figured out how to get videos from my new (to me!) phone. It used to belong to my No. 1 Son and it's a very fancy Google Pixel 4. I've only had it for about 3 months or something, and am ever so slowly getting the hang of it.  

I've started to use it instead of my camera; 'cause it takes better quality pictures, is quicker and it's also more convenient, in that I only have one piece of electronic wizardry to carry around. What's not to like?

I'm sure that there's some way of converting the videos it takes to the correct 'format' (see, I'm even picking up the jargon!) for the Blog to accept, like Wav files or mp4's or whatever. Our Richard (my recently deceased brother) knew all about that sort of thing, and would often show off and embarrass me with more jargon that you could throw a stick at! But I wish he was still here.

Never mind, I've just found out that I can load videos straight to YouTube, and then use the Blog to pick them out of there! So here are a few recent ones for your delectation...........

We'll start off with the two which I posted links to in the last post on here. It turned out to be a right mess, don't know how; couldn't have been anything I did, surely!!!

This is a taste of the 'Stick Fighting for Abu Haggag' which has been a tradition here at Al Hod (just outside of our building) since heaven knows when. It's a recognised part of the Moulid of the said Sheikh, which ends 15 days before Ramadan. I took this from the first floor of the 'Fat Brother's' building next door.

This next one is also a regular feature of the Moulid, but happens at ad hoc times and places with different people and styles, too. It's the same sort of thing as the Whirling Dervishes. who are properly a sect which is banned in some Muslim places. (And not just an entertainment of sorts on the Nile Cruisers.) The rhythmic movement (or so I'm told|) tends to alter the normal pattern of blood-flow through the brain, creating a trance-like effect where the participant feels in closer communion with Allah. It's obviously a very personal, if public, experience, and being so I asked if  was OK to film it before commencing. 

I'm absolutely fascinated by this sort of thing! This seems to me to be the same as what is described as a Zikr, in some of my elderly (19th Century) books about Egypt. But my neighbour called it something entirely different, which I couldn't get the gist of!

As you will remember, Dear Reader, I spent a lot of my life repairing road going vehicles, cars, wagons and buses, so the following vid is a bit of an indulgence. It's what we in England would call a "Back Street Garage" except that it's on a main road here.

Just one more, as it's time for my beauty sleep. This is a 'pop up shop' which is selling  Fawannies! Fawannies being the plural of Fanous, and the Fanous being the representation of the lights which were traditionally displayed to light the way home for the pilgrims returning from the Hajj at Mecca. In recent years, most of those I've seen for sale have been disgusting plastic things from China, but I'm delighted to see that these are proper, very thin and lightweight, tin plate examples, and probably made here in Egypt. Most homes which can afford one will have at least one hanging somewhere prominent for everyone to see. Rather like Christmas decorations in Christian countries. Anyway, enough rabbiting........

That's all folks!

See you all again soon, Insh'Allah.

Did I say, "The work is actually going along at quite a pace"?

 Actually, yes I did, I've just checked back!

Well, I went past the building site again on the local (1.75LE) 'bus, and was so surprised that I asked the driver to stop and got off, in order to have a better look. That shows real commitment in a "journalist" doesn't it? (You can reimburse me the fare when we next meet, Dear Reader.)

Here is another shot of the works:

I think that they've poured a lot of concrete in the past couple of days, and there are quite a few individual bases there now. Mind, I'm surprised that those rocks in the foreground haven't been dug out yet. It could be a serious task, though.

Anyway, from there, I walked up Ibn Khalid Walid Street a bit and then turned off to pass the, dead before it was finished, Morris Hotel (which is up for sale, if you have any spare sponduliks) and call to see our long-time friend and travel agent, Mr Bahaa, in his new office nearby. On the side road I couldn't help but notice the following:

I may have shown you these before (my memory, you know?) but that isn't just a roof, it's (I believe) Luxor's first attempt at harnessing the sun's power to create electricity. I seem to recall that the wiring wasn't up to the job, and burnt out with the intense heat. I cannot imagine that much electricity would be produced with that much sand on the receptors, what do you think, Dear Reader?

Another complaint I have is regarding what was formerly a lovely park area behind the Temple, opposite McDonald's. Years ago, it was a pleasant oasis in the heart of town, with trees and grass and lots of local families. Some just stopped to rest in the shade of the many trees, some had picnics others came with their children to just spend time with their neighbours or whatever. It was lovely!

Then, the powers-that-be decided to excavate what turned out to be some Roman remains, and the trees all went the distance! Now, the whole area has been fenced in, and it's become a haven for the flying rats (otherwise known as pigeons!) whilst local people now have nowhere to just chill. It's very sad!

Here are the pigeons, in their element it would seem:

You have to look through the fence to see them, as they all gather at this end, where people feed them!

I almost forgot! Some whizzkids were on with the fancy laser lights again last night, in the Temple, I presume. We were watching Netflix on our laptop on the roof terrace at the time, so I only got a couple of minutes of video for you. 

Ha! They're on my Google Pixel phone, and I cannot find a way to get them off and onto the Blog, sorry. Here's a taste, by way of a still picture: 

Sorry about that, it was a good little video as well. By the time I get up-to-date with technology, I'll be in my box.

See you later, alligator!