ETERNAL EGYPT UPDATE

I did make it to the exhibition at the Royal Ontario Museum yesterday. Tickets were timed, and there was a long line of people snaking around on the second floor, but I managed with no problem, to get in when I wanted. No photos and no SKETCHING! Wow, that really surprised me. Wondering why no drawing even...similar issues when the Albright Knox had their special exhibition "Masterworks from the Phillips Collection" last spring, highlighting Renoir's "The Boating Party." So I was a bit disappointed, since I brought my camera and had hoped to take time-lapse photos with no flash.

The exhibition spanned many eras in Egypt's history and the guide information was excellent. What struck me most about the statues and objects, etc, was the incredible preservation. Some of the statues could have been created in modern times. Absolutely incredible. The hieroglyphs were particulary precise and clear. I felt that I was looking at something quite unreal. At times I felt that the commentary next to each piece, almost detracted from the pieces.

What I mean by that, is that I found myself reading every word, while at the same time, wanting to simply gaze at the objects. I feel that sometimes, one appreciates art not by knowing every detail of its meaning and construction, but by absorbing the particular spirit of the piece. I like to stand there and imagine the people behind the sculpture. It's like imagining the story of its life.

Anyway, I enjoyed the exhibition, but did feel a sense of melancholy, that I was so far away from Egypt. Especially when I had come so close this week to being there.

ETERNAL EGYPT

I am going to see this exhibition from the British Museum tomorrow. More on this later.

BRINGS BACK MEMORIES

I found this guy's blog in one of my doing-nothing-so-I'll-search-for-life-on-this-planet moods.

I was looking through his photo gallery, particularly at the photos of Cairo.

On the second page, the photo on the bottom row, center, made me feel very melancholy...

It's the street where he lives, but it struck me as similar in some way to Paris. I don't know why, and I am certain Cairo is so much different than Paris, but it made me long for Paris again.

Y tells me there is very bad pollution in Cairo, that I would have so much trouble with my asthma there...hmmmm...same in Paris. Really. One of the things that brings me almost instantly back to living there, is the smell of exhaust...lol...

Anyway, the narrow street, grated windows, little cars, and high walls reminded me of Paris.

I have heard people refer to Cairo in relation to Paris...

FLYING

I just have to mention that when I was in search of a flight to Egypt, that the so-called CHEAP and DISCOUNT airfare search engines were extremely expensive. Mainly because I was searching for last-minute tickets, but even when I looked for dates two or three months from now, I hardly found anything under $1,000 USD.

EgyptAir prices also had a wide range (up to $2,300) but for some reason, I could get a fare that was more than a thousand dollars less.

Just call the airlines. Forget about these supposed online discount deals...if I hadn't bothered to call the airlines directly (although I do have to say that the service was less than spectacular-- I spent two days trying to get someone to answer the phone at the ticket office, and at least one representative became very impatient very quickly with me, when I asked questions about pricing and discounts...etc) I would never even think I could afford to travel there at ALL.

Just venting...

POPULAR CULTURE

Profiles of pop culture Arab stars can be found here.

Problems with the scrolling bar of photos at the top, seem to make it difficult to navigate, however.

LEARN ARABIC

I found this Arabic Language site by accident. Hmmmmm...but I still prefer my Pimseleur CD's. They are remarkable at getting one's pronunciation correct.

But this site looks like it might be helpful if one wants to learn to read Arabic.

Umm Kulthoum

Amal Choucri Catta's review of the Swiss company, Ballet du Grand Theatre de Geneve's, dances set against the musical background of famed Egyptian diva Umm Kulthoum's music.

As a singer and composer, I recognize the importance of using one's work in the way it was intended originally. It's similar to my argument against music piracy. Some of my former librarian classmates felt that it was harmless, and maybe for me, monetarily, it is. But artistically it is an insult.

After all, the original artist is the creator, the imaginer, the one whose heart was involved in the creation. Any use after the fact of that work, should take into account those things, and be respectful of them in the future adaptations of the work.