Quite disappointing..

CIMG2491
Originally uploaded by lastoadri.

There isn’t anything more worst than standing long waiting for your bus.
Then after you take it, you discover you’ve taken the wrong one..

Thus I say..

من وحى الذكرى

شمس الأصيل دهبّت خوص النخيل يا نيل
تحفة ومتصورة في صفحتك يا جميل
والناي على الشط غنى والقدود بتميل
على هبوب الهوا لما يمر عليك
يانيل


بى اس: الكلمات لبيرم التونسى، من رائعة أم كلثوم "شمس الأصيل" تلحين رياض السنباطى
أما الصورة فأخذتها ساعة غروب من أمام شط النيل، وقت زيارتى لأسوان
:)

Toot Toot Hatshibsoot..

Now I can announce.. I've completed the set on flickr..
You can watch the complete photo collection I took in my visit to Luxor and Aswan..

The slide show
The set itself

Dazzled!

CIMG2193
Originally uploaded by lastoadri.

Walking thru the photos right now and feeling pity. I'm greedy. There were lots and lots of beautiful things I could have shot; but totally forgot. And how can't I forget?
Now I wonder where I was the last couple of days, really in Luxor and Aswan, or place from heaven on earth?!

No, I don't have an answer.

And if you asked me what was I feeling all through the cruise I'll tell you.. fear "rahba" and "entma2".

I've met my ancestors before at the pyramids and the Egyptian museum. Each time got a different flavor, yet this time, and this time alone, I was proud Egyptian as if its my 1st time to know what's the meaning of the word. And why not. Yes.. it was my 1st time to taste it..
This heritage I was walking through, is the ruins of my great grand fathers. And who knows who stepped in here before me too..
All the tombs were robbed, only the Tut Ankh Amon's tomb was discovered complete (can you imagine the wealth?). Almost all the oblisques and treasured monuments were sent to different cities of the world, and us were left with the ruins (can you imagine the tragedy?). The temple of the karnak, the Nile at sun set, the beauty of God's hand make everywhere, the weather, the people.. Aswan people got the best smile one can meet.

What to add?!

I don't want to look the dreamy person, but yes, it was a dream. 5 days passed like a dream flashed in a sky like a comet then disappeared in Cairo's dim and trains whistles.
I fell in love with Luxor & Aswan..
See, I visited the temple of karnak twice per day for the 1st day, and the 2 times I felt it different. Standing so strong with dignity up to the sky!
The temple of Luxor at night with the lights lit every where leave no space for words to describe a thing.
The beauty in Temple Fiala. The beauty of man's work & ALLAH's creation *full stop*.
The Nile with the felucca for the Nubian village. Hour and half going and another returning in the best spot of the entire Nile (yeah the place near Agha khan palace).

1st timer..

1st time to travel all alone, only with friends. 1st time to visit there. 1st time to take a cruise. 1st time to draw "hena" on my hands. 1st time to feel that "3azama".

May be other time I'd tell the story in details. Yet at the gate of Karnak, where the stories start and end at the same moment. When time loses its meaning, and magic surrounds your sight.
Words elope.
You'd gaze at the cravings on the walls and know right away.. people may go astray or facts twisted.. But there, the essence of real civilization remains.


PS: You can always see the rest of my photos here though I still got even more about to upload isA..

Please take a min to..

I know, the Pyramids don't need all that. It should have been included automatically in the new7wonders final list. However, if its there, so I think we have to do it :)


Ps: Can't seem to stop Loving the "anything" related to this country ;)

قدامك سكة سفر

-- على أيامى كان القطر بيقوم على حوالى الساعة 8
-- ياه.. على كدة احنا لسا زيكم
-- لا بس أكيد قطارات زمان غير دلوقتى..
-- فعلا.. ع الأقل كان زمان بيوصل..

(لحظة صمت تبعتها نظرة قلق)

odamik sekt safar ;)

John Denver -- leaving on a Jet Plane

All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go
I'm standin' here outside your door
I hate to wake you up to say goodbye

But the dawn is breakin', it's early morn
The taxi's waitin', he's blowin' his horn
Already I'm so lonesome I could die

So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you'll never let me go

'Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane
I don't know when I'll be back again
Oh, babe, I hate to go

There's so many times I've let you down
So many times I've played around
I'll tell you now, they don't mean a thing

Every place I go, I think of you
Every song I sing, I sing for you
When I come back I'll wear your wedding ring

So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you'll never let me go

'Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane
I don't know when I'll be back again
Oh, babe, I hate to go