Monday, October 6, 2008

Irish Confetti

VB apologizes for the lack of communication. Last Sunday The Boss Man's cousin flew in with his wife, for a visit. Tuesday we took the train to Alexandria, and returned Thursday afternoon. Friday, on to Giza, except for VB who was ill. Saturday was a jam packed day of The Cave Churches at Mokkatam, shopping, and The Citadel. VB will try to post some more photos of the visit when possible.

Nothing can be more exciting to an expat, local, or visitors, but to see, first hand, Egyptian Police in action.

After visiting the churches, we visited a small shop near the base of Mokkatam. A large blue police van was parked.

Cousin: "Is that a police vehicle for transporting criminals?"
VB: "No, it's a truck for transporting police."
Cousin: "Oh, it looks like something they would use for criminals."
VB: "Yeah, I know, no windows, but they transport police in them."

We shopped at the alabaster company. Since they had a huge order to deal with ahead of us, we paid, and decided to return later after our items were wrapped. On to the Citadel for about two hours visiting two of the Mosques.

Return to Mokkatam. A bulldozer was trying to knock down an illegally built house. There were two truckloads of police in riot gear. To the left of the photo below (which you can't see), people were hurling huge rocks through the air. We were literally stuck between two police trucks, in a panic, trying to leave. One knocked down the electrical post directly behind our car, and they both tried to maneuver back and forth, while we tried to avoid them. The rocks did their work, smashing the truck windows, and hitting the police squarely on their bodies.

The Boss Man speaks (with a chuckle): "Irish confetti!"

Cousin: "Oh, those guys were there earlier. They were just waiting for reinforcements."
VB: "Huh?"
Cousin: "Yeah, remember I asked you about the police truck when we were leaving?"
VB: "Oh, yee-aah. You did."

We avoided taking pictures, for fear that we could be hauled off by the police, although they seemed to be afraid of the angry mob protecting the illegal structure.



We backed up and went to the bottom of the hill, on to the dirt. When the coast was clear, we resumed our trip up to the alabaster store. After we retrieved our items, (see below) it looked like another riot was breaking out. So, we pulled back up to the small street by the shop. Eventually, we were told, no the police are gone. Now the residents were fighting among themselves.


(Below): The illegal structure.


(Below): What was left.





No comments:

Post a Comment