Picture post (15): Mohammed Morsi is Egypt's new president

Historic day for Egypt yesterday, not a good day to have your camera run out of battery...

More photos here.

Learning Arabic (2): 'I hate Egypt'

My new* Arabic teacher has got his priorities straight:

"Today I will teach you the verb 'to hate', 'cause you will use it a lot when you live in Cairo." 

(He's Syrian and stuck in Cairo because they are bombing the shit out of his hometown. I don't think he likes it much here.)

My homework:

انا اكره القاهرة

نحن نكره القاهرة

I need to work on my nighttime photograpy skills

Tahrir June 22, 2012, a photo by Ester Meerman on Flickr.

Wondered around Tahrir for about an hour last night, this was the best I could do.

Picture post (14): Tahrir June 22, 2012

Tahrir 22 june 2012, a set on Flickr.

Video: Sandmonkey on CNN talking Egypt presidential elections

Intelligent man, with guts. Watch until the end: "Can I just say one last thing?"

Picture post (13): City of the Dead

City of the Dead, a set on Flickr.

"The City of the Dead, or Cairo Necropolis (Qarafa, el-Arafa), is an Arabic necropolis and cemetery below the Mokattam Hills in southeastern Cairo, Egypt. The people of Cairo, the Cairenes, and most Egyptians, call it el'arafa (trans. 'the cemetery'). It is a 4 miles (6.4 km) long (north-south) dense grid of tomb and mausoleum structures, where some people live and work amongst the dead. Some reside here to be near ancestors, of recent to ancient lineage. Some live here after being forced from central Cairo due to urban renewal demolitions and urbanization pressures, that increased from the Nasser 1950s on. Other residents immigrated in from the agricultural countryside, looking for work."

Source.

What I saw today (19): an Egyptian cabaret

A friend had her Egyptian friends take us to a cabaret last night. Well, what they call a 'cabaret' here (read: whore house). They weren't too keen on me taking pictures, so this grainy image is the best I could do. There was a midget at the door, shiny silver tinsel on the ceiling and a guy crooning Egyptian songs. It felt very Twin Peaks. The snacks were good, the singers okay and the belly dancer atrocious. 
Also found this on the wall: 

Yes, that is an election poster for Shafiq. 

Picture post (12): Presidential elections in Egypt, round 2

Presidential elections in Egypt, round 2, a set on Flickr.