Shisha, Tuktuks....., and a trip to the dentist....)-:

Today we leave for Dahab and the Blue Hole.... a few more interesting new things.... Shisha and Tuktuks!  My housemates were very interested in "doing" Shisha. Shisha is a type of tobacco that is flavored and smoked in a waterpipe or Hookah. It is a very common pastime in Egypt for social situations. They bring it to you, it sits on the floor, and the long hose has a new sterile fitting on the end. Hot coals are put on top which a waiter refills on occasion while walking through the restaurant. People then smoke the shisha at their leisure with some inhaling and others working it around their mouth and letting it go through their mouth or nose. This can be done over a long time period, an hour or more. We did it and it was very nice. Matt and Stephanie went as far as buying their own Shisha pipe which is in the picture below. A very Egyptian pastime and quite pleasant.  So we went one night with Ahmed our real estate agent and he introduced us to Shisha. Everyone gets their own pipe and picks a flavor. I chose apple which we were told was a favorite and others chose grape or other flavors.

Near Mena Garden City (our compound) is a sort of TukTuk station. Every morning when we leave our villa we pass about eight to ten of these tiny vehicles. They are not exactly a car or a motor scooter. They are a cross between a golf cart, a three wheeled scooter, and a car. They are from India and very inexpensive. There is one seat for the driver and then a bench seat behind which is covered for the elements and has a small baggage compartment in the back. These contraptions can carry as many people as can get squeezed in. They pop on the freeway and the adventure begins. If ever one would have an accident it would not be pretty. Here are a few pictures of TukTuks.

Root Canal

No this isn't a famous Nile River offshoot. This is what I needed because of a raw nerve being tickled (for want of a better word) occasionally. Nasty thing to anticipate throughout each day. I went to a dental clinic going passed the many half finished and unoccupied buildings and Ahmed (our faithful, reliable, and excellent driver) told me we were there. Right above the pharmacy I was told.  As I scanned the building in front of me I noticed a small building that said pharmacy so off I went. I walked up three flights of stairs saw a sign that said dental clinic and my anxiety multiplied. In I went, asked if they spoke English, was told "Of course" and was given two small blue pieces of plastic by a woman. I took them, and looked at her with a puzzled expression. She did not speak English so tried to explain to me through laughter from her and others that they go on my feet! I unravelled the plastic to reveal little booties. I awkwardly put them on and proceeded to my appointment with doom. My doctor then told me that I probably would not be able to go diving since it would take three visits to accomplish the root canal and new crown but then when he saw my sad expression he went and consulted with the main desk. He came back (Dr. Khalil) and told me if I was willing to hang in there for two hours he could do the whole thing in one visit! Two hours later I walked out with no pain and huge gratitude. He was in short the best dentist I had ever seen, bar none. A funny side note. He told me to get some painkillers from the pharmacy below. I tried to pay for it using a few one pound notes. (it was eighteen pounds). They laughed and said, "No, no, this money no good, it's ok, just 15 will be fine... but do you want us to sign them..." "What? I looked incredulously back, then they said,"Autographs" and laughter...
Another funny encounter... at the golf course yesterday I met some great people with whom I shared a beer. Egyptians and expats after a round of golf. Ali, an owner in the tourist industry said that the country was broke, things were a mess, and the industry was dead. He asked if I wanted to buy anything of his from the tourist business... he said, "What do you want? I can sell it to you? Do you want a Pyramid? It is yours. No one wants it.....", I said I would take a Sphinx. He laughed and said, "Of course, any size you want.... small, big, red, blue.... I will even sell you life size." Laughter around the table. So despite the hard times they laugh, smile, and are hopeful for better times ahead. They almost all feel safer today then they felt in the last year despite the troubles. They tell me," Democracy is hard but dictatorship easy.We prefer democracy but also safety so it is not so simple."  On to Dehab!