Funkengroovin - Egyptian Driver's License

Here's VB's ride to and from the traffic department, in Cairo, where she got her new Egyptian Driver's License. What does that entail? Basically just showing up, having a photo taken and halas (finished)!

Today will be mostly photos with short explanations. VB's computer system has been "corrupted" and she needs to wipe it clean and reload everything. Not sure how this happened, but it showed symptoms originally back in Cairo. VB suspects it might have been caused by a Firefox application she recently downloaded.

VB has an Apple MacBook, which has something called "Time Machine". Time Machine backs up everything on your computer daily, hourly, however you wish. This might take awhile, and VB will return ASAP to finish the series on her visit to The Glass Factory and Mokkatam.

Enjoy the trip through Cairo. (The photos look very hazy. It was one of those dirty, windy, sand blowing days in Cairo.)

(Below): Another view of a newfangled (T5?) VW Ambulance.


(Below): Somehow we always end up behind a green Beetle.


(Below): A blue Caravelle in traffic.


(Below): Close up of a driver of another blue Van.


(Below): The van he's driving.


(Below): He turns off, after we pass him.


(Below): A sunwashed yellow Beetle.


(Below): On the way home, VB's driver asks if we can go through The City of the Dead as a shortcut. VB loves the place and readily agrees. Here's the butcher and his driver. He has just finished butchering his meat. It is fresh, inside the large green container, and he's on his way to deliver it.


(Below): A horse pulled cart, sitting on the side of the road.


(Below): As usual, cut off again by a donkey led cart.


(Below): Behind an onion and garlic cart driven by two young men.


(Below): A white Beetle in oncoming traffic.


(Below): Another donkey led cart, carrying gas cannisters.


NEW:

Wheels: Beach Boys Didn’t Have a Deuce Coupe or a 409
"But before the gig, Mr. Wilson told AutoWeek that neither he nor his brothers were interested in drag racing.

“No, we never did, never went to the races,” Mr. Wilson said.

He added that there was no particular 409 or little deuce coupe. “I didn’t know much about cars, anyway,” he said.

The real hot-rod hero was Roger Christian, Mr. Wilson said. Mr. Christian, a Los Angeles radio D.J. and record producer, wrote many of the lyrics to the Beach Boys songs. He was known as the “Poet of the Strip.”

And you may have guessed, Mr. Christian also co-wrote “Little Old Lady From Pasadena,” “Dead Man’s Curve” and “Drag City” for Jan and Dean."


Fastball - The Way

Flying Pets - Egyptian Style

(Above): Doggie and half brother Cooper (on the bottom,) back in Connecticut.

Previous posts related to pet travel starting with the most recent:
Funkengroovin - "Stambs";
Funkengroovin - Animal Village;
More On Traveling With Pets, At 30,000 Feet;
Another Bureaucratic Waste Of Time, Doggie Do, and Addictions.

VB has flown pets into and out of the USA, Baku, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai. We originally flew our pets through Heathrow, via BA. After moving to Baku in Azerbaijan, BA refused to fly them. Their argument was that British Mediterranean ("BM" - an appropriate acronym considering the level of service they provide), which is one of their subsidiary companies was not the same as BA. They would only fly pets through to the USA on one carrier (airline) only. If it were just BA, then fine, they said. VB thought their argument was contemptible.

The difference between BA and BM (besides the crappy pieces of metal BM calls airplanes), is the disservice and the passengers. The staff on BM made sure to ply the already drunken sots who worked on and off 6 week shifts (rotators), in the oil fields (platforms), with more alcohol, so they became so rowdy, and abusive towards other passengers, the flights became truly hellish. The staff walked by, with small bottles of alcohol, and literally tossed them around the plane, like candy, to the boozed up oilmen. Why fly, if there's no adventure involved, right? Why fly, unless you can have a drunk kick your laptop from aisle to aisle? Why not? Why not just kiss your ass good-bye, cuz if the plane ride doesn't kill you, the other passengers will?

That's pretty much when we started using Lufthansa, beside the fact that BA made it pretty clear, our dear Doggie was no longer wanted. True, Lufthansa terminals are nothing compared to Heathrow Terminal 4 , with the mini shopping mall (basically eye candy since we could hardly afford the goods), but we have been very satisfied with Lufthansa's service, particularly regarding our pets. Though, the food on Lufthansa, leaves a lot to be desired.

Every country has rules and regulations for importing and exporting pets. They all require exams, some (Azerbaijan) require another rabies shot (regardless of when you had the last one), and a worming, in order to leave the country; and most like those "stambs." For the most part, your country's Embassy page for the host country generally specifies what's needed to enter that host country with a pet. For instance, The US Embassy site for Azerbaijan contains detailed information on how to import and export your pets, in the "Visiting Azerbaijan", Travel With Pets subsection under the US Citizen Services link. Whereas, The US Embassy to Egypt site contains no information whatsoever (if they do VB can't find it.) What's not included, is the rigmarole involved in departing the host country.

As many times as we have flown with our dogs, VB can probably count on one hand when a customs official actually asked to see documentation. It may seem to be a waste of time, but no one wants to get caught without it. Otherwise, your pet will be the one to pay.

Azerbaijan requires an unofficial $50.00 fee upon arrival. They make no qualms about the shakedown. The customs man holds your vet certificate in his right hand (even though he can't read a word of English), his left hand held out, palm up. The message is: just fork it over, and I let you pass. They (officials in Baku) will tell you, if you don't pay, your pet will be put into quarantine. Problem: Baku has no quarantine facilities that are known of. They do have a military/police dog training center on the outskirts of town, holding some very large and menacing looking German Shepards, which VB visited. VB was told, that for a fee, you could board your dog there. But, quarantine, no. Baku's form of animal control is to have a "Dog Call" day, where gangs of men, dressed in black leather jackets (resembling the Anthony Soprano gang), and matching black Mercs, drive around shooting cats and dogs in the street, during daylight hours, in public view (VB witnessed such a day). They then grab the animals by their tails, and throw them onto a flat bed truck. If they can't kill the animals with one shot, they either track the yelping animals down, or they bully club them to death, despite the fact that there may be droves of people coming and going (or someone like VB watching it all from a balcony). They will even shoot animals with tags if they find them on the street, as VB was advised by a local. VB says, "better safe than sorry."

Here's the rest of VB's latest "stamb" saga:

To The States, July 2008

VB checks in Doggie, as usual, paying the extra fee for transportation through Lufthansa. For an approximately 45 pound dog, that was about $150.00. When we arrive in the States, it's not as nice as it was in the past. Usually, you get called over to the area with the large scanners. Someone behind the counter checks the papers, asks a few questions, and you're on your way home. Just wondering if this (the Obama bumper stickers) had anything to do with VB's most recent entry?




As usual, VB was called over to the area with the ginormous scanning machines (you know, for those of you who think you can hide a teeny weeny apple in the bottom of your luggage). The real tall customs official, with his hands on his hips, asked, "Where's the papers for this dog?" VB hands him the Egyptian export papers. He says, "This is worthless! Where's the stamps?!" (Where has VB heard this before? Is there an echo in this "customs" environment? Are all these guys starting to sound the same?) VB then hands him the USA export papers from January 2008 (remember, this is now July 2008), which has the rabies date, (December 2007) signed and sealed by the local vet, and the Connecticut State Vet. (VB refuses to use the pet passport, unless all else fails.) VB says, "I took her out with these. They should be good enough for her re-entry." The customs official says, "Okay. Now do you have any fruits or vegetables on you?" (WTF!? Does VB look like a fruit or nutcase?!) VB replies, "No." He then asks, "Any dog food? Maybe a few snacks?" VB reluctantly says, "Snacks, yes." "Where are they from?" he wants to know. VB says, "The States. I bought them here. They don't sell dog snacks in Egypt." (They sell them, but they can be very difficult to find.) Customs official (who's itching for a fight, and barked up the wrong tree) says, "Okay. You're free to go. Have a nice day." VB says, "You too. Thank you." And whispers to Doggie, "Let's get the fuck outta here!"

(Below): Cooper welcoming Doggie back, July 2008.



One cycle of the export, re-import chain, and now another round begins.

Now, onto the start of the next sequel:

To Egypt, January 2009

Vet and Forms:

On this most recent trip (January 2009) VB had the dog vaccinated over 30 days before leaving (December 2008). She even made sure to have the vet give Doggie individual doses for the vaccines, so she could put the bottle stickers in the pet passport. "The stambs" (stickers) were all signed, initialed and stamped with the veterinarian's license. Then VB arranged for a visit to the vet within 10 days of departure from the USA. Everything normal on the pre-trip examination. (VB's Doggie is perfect in every way!)

The next day VB and The Boss Man head down to the state's agriculture department for a signature from the state vet, to make "official" the transport form that was filled out by the personal vet. Upon arrival, a young woman, sees "Egypt" as the destination and says, "Oh, you'll need the Fed." Well, (1) someone at the state capitol division of agriculture can actually read?, and (2) Since when did they have a federal agricultural agent working for them? The fed charged us $24.00 for his opinion of how the animal world works (regarding Baku's extra rabies requirement, "You can't have too many rabies shots in these places." "Baku is totally different, let's not talk about Baku,") and his "official" signature and "stamb". He said, we should really have Federal Form 7001, signed by a Federal Agent (isn't that what he is?) and when asked, he couldn't seem to find a copy of Form 7001. Some fucking expert.

VB remembers the day when she stopped in to that office located in the slummier part of Hartford, with no one on duty, to pick up a form she had sent in over a week earlier, and had not been returned yet. She was leaving for JFK, and stopped (praying they would have a copy) on her way to the airport, en route to Baku. After this fiasco, VB decided driving the form to the office herself was a surer and safer practice. They are now centrally located, among other government offices.

(Below): Connecticut Statehouse, Hartford, CT.


VB decides, just out of curiosity, to look up this, so called, Form 7001. Many sites dedicated to helping travelers with pet transport, mention Form 7001, as well. So VB gets to the Federal Internet site, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Down to the right, there's a link: Travel With A Pet:

"This page provides basic information on domestic and international travel of common pets and other animals. If you have any questions or concerns about exporting animals to another country, you should contact the Veterinary Services Area Office in the State from which your pet will be transported."

After clicking on the "More" link, VB goes from one page to another, all essentially repeating what she quoted above. So VB clicks the link for Area Offices, where she goes to a useless link for Connecticut, with another freaking sub-link for New England Area Offices. It states,

"...We assist many business entities and citizens with health certification of animals and animal products for importation and exportation...."

The address given, is the same one we visited, Bureau of Regulation and Inspection, CT Department of Agriculture, 165 Capitol Avenue, G-8A - exactly same office. To see the actual Form 7001, go here. It literally looks like the Connecticut State Form VB had signed. (VB got tired of searching for an online copy of the CT State form. Just take her word for it.)

From another link at the APHIS website on Egypt, they have: "Pets

The following requirements are those listed in the ASPCA booklet entitled

"Traveling With Your Pet".

"Cats and dogs must be accompanied by a valid government veterinary good health certificate issued at the point of origin (validity means 2 week from date of issue). This certificate does not exempt the pets from examination by an Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture doctor on arrival. If disease is suspected, quarantine will last no longer than 15 days. In the case of a quarantine period, the owner will be charged for the care and feeding of the animal."

Airports and Customs:

Upon leaving the US, VB was told the carrying fee, with Lufthansa, had gone up to $200.00. And, they stated, "Oh, this is the third time Doggie has flown with us." VB said, "Yeah, and she doesn't even get frequent flier miles. VB thinks they should have one for pets too." Wow, they thought that was just hysterical. A nervous VB - not so much. The check in agent "assists" VB to the office where they swab the cage, to make sure VB hasn't planted explosives in it. Then the swab dude says, "Okay, you can not touch the crate from now on. Oh, would you put the dog back in?" VB asks, "Yeah, Doggie will kennel up, but VB does have to touch the gate in order to lock it." Swab dude says, "That's okay." Ya think!!?? "It's going to smell like beef jerky," cuz VB had to buy some at the rest stop, since she forgot treats!!! Did anyone ask to see the papers? Nooo. Swab guy staples an official Transportation Security Administration, Notice of Baggage Inspection to the gate, also. (VB usually finds one of those in the top of her luggage, when they've decided to rummage through it, and pick out a favorite item to keep.)

On every flight, VB says (to the friendliest looking stewardess), "Um, I have a dog..." "And would you like for me to check to see if your dog has boarded?" "OMG. yes, please." Then later the stewardesses ask VB about her dog, how many times she's flown, what kind of dog she has, is it friendly, and does she drug it for the flight?" VB says, "Well, VB thinks after Doggie's flown like 10 times, they should at least give her a pedicure, while she's on layover." Hoot, hoot - wow they and a few passengers thought that was a howl. VB, not so much. VB's "not a good traveler," according to her own kids. BTW, no Doggie doesn't get drugged (anymore - from past experience), but VB does. From the AVMA: Don't Sedate or Tranquilize Pets Traveling By Air:

"Pets are just like people who sometimes become anxious when they don't travel frequently. This leads some owners and veterinarians to question whether administering sedatives or tranquilizers to dogs or cats prior to flight is a good idea. According to national and international air transport organizations, as well as the American Humane Association and the American Veterinary Medical Association, in most cases the answer is "no"!

"An animal's natural ability to balance and maintain equilibrium is altered under sedation," noted Dr. Patricia Olson, DVM, Ph.D., director of veterinary affairs and studies for the American Humane Association. "When the kennel is moved, a sedated animal may not be able to brace and prevent injury."

Whether flying in the cabin or with cargo, animals are exposed to increased altitude pressures of approximately 8,000 feet. Increased altitude, according to Olson, can create respiratory and cardiovascular problems for dogs and cats who are sedated or tranquilized.

"Brachycephalic (short-faced) dogs and cats are especially affected," noted Olson. "Although thousands of pets are transported uneventfully by air, airline officials believe that when deaths do occur they often result from the use of sedation."

The American Humane Association cautions veterinarians to carefully consider the use of tranquilizers or sedatives for their clients who are considering air transportation for their family pet."

When we arrived in Cairo, (how many times does VB have to repeat herself?) the customs guys did not even freaking care! The papers stayed folded in the small folder, unopened since being shoved in there, after the federal animal expert, signed them and had them signed by the state vet, for good measure. We were waved through, like "get outta here, already." Doggie does not bark, (the insane barking usually gets us moving out of an airport faster than anything) but the customs guy was on his mobile - obviously so much more important than doing his job. He didn't even give a shit about what was packed in VB's bags ( just adding insult to injury! VB expects to be harassed by customs on each and every departure and arrival. If this is not done, it will give her a pleasant feeling of complacency.) Holy cow, if all VB and Doggie's departures and arrivals were so uneventful, we'd get through with a lot less anxiety. This must be a fluke!

Fluke is right. The new terminal is not yet open. As the meet and greet agent commented, "They said December, but not which year." Now, your driver can not bring the car around for you any more. We were urged to take a driver used by the agent. We declined. Instead our driver and VB got on the overcrowded public bus and took the bags to the car. We drove back around, and told the guard VB was departing (he didn't believe us, but let us through anyway). Then The Boss Man threw the disassembled crate into the back, Doggie onto VB's lap, and off we went. The last VB has heard, no private cars will be allowed for arrivals, at all. You will now need to use one of the meet and greet agents' drivers in order to get to the parking lot, or the public bus. So, if you're bringing in a pet, your arrival just got a bit more difficult.


(Below): The brand new highway from the airport. As our driver said, "You can only go 65 mph. This is torture!"



If anything, the International Standards people (those folks who decided slow moving signs, and other traffic related signs could be used as international standards) should get together, and define an international code for pet travel. This way everyone is on the same page, even if some decide not to read it. It would make international travel with pets much easier, and less ambiguous.

When it comes to customs and the TSA, VB has always been confused. They say, put all your liquids in a quart size bag. Okay, so VB did that. The ass from TSA, snooping through VB's luggage a couple of years ago, pulls out the quart size bag and yells (at the top of his lungs) "LIQUIDS!!!!!!! LIQUIDS!!!!" Ooooh, what a find - liquids all bagged up in a small quart size zip-lock plastic envelope, just as instructed. Then on another trip, VB accidentally packed an Opinel knife in her carry-on. The Opinel is in a zip-lock plastic bag which she uses for "Road Trips." She, unfortunately forgot she had it packed in her carry-on, last year (January 2008) when they found it. The TSA idiot pulled the knife out, fully open (it was a real nice larger version.) He then held it up, over his head, and yelled (really loud, for everyone to hear and see), "Noooo, you can not take this on! It's Too Big!!" (Hold that up higher and scream louder, would'ya?) Really?! VB knows that. The damn thing just got buried on the very bottom of VB's bag. Does VB look like a terrorist? Obviously. The Boss Man felt so bad for VB, he bought her a whole new set. Now she's got even bigger ones than before.

Between "coming and going, and coming and going" as one Pakistani taxi driver in Abu Dhabi said once, VB gets awfully confused.


VB's no expert, but here's a few tips on importing, and exporting a pet to and from Egypt.

Import To Egypt:

Don't worry your little heart out. When you arrive, they will not look at your damn veterinarian papers. Your pet could be carrying ebola and they wouldn't notice. They couldn't care less. That pet, is a distraction, and you obviously have contraband items in your possession. Instead, Egyptian customs officials will, open the largest bag you have (don't you know - that secret thing is always hidden in that largest bag), and rifle through it. (Do they really need to sniff VB's underwear?) A man in a suit will ask, "What is in these bags?!" You will reply (since they haven't figured out after unpacking and repacking the damn thing), "Blah, blah, blah...stuff for our house, clothing, etc." and don't ever mention dog treats or dog food, as VB has been told, these items are forbidden. "Do you have anything to declare?!" "What would that be?" VB asks. "Video cam-me-ra, or more than 3 lit-res of alcohol." VB: "No." (Thinking, "WTF! Right now, I only wish I had a drink!") After the harassment (no bakseesh required), VB is allowed to exit terminal.

Export From Egypt:

This only applies if the pet is accompanying you on your flight, either on board or in freight / cargo (like with your check-in luggage.)

1) You need all shots documented with stamps (aka, "stambs"). Get a "pet passport" for this (not one from the USA, cuz they don't have room for the stamps). Some American vets will give you the sticker from the bottle, but most won't. Ask (in advance) for vaccinations from single dose bottles so the American vet keeps one sticker, and you can put the other in your pet passport. These stickers need to be signed, initialed) by the vet, dated (within the past year), and stamped with their official logo and license. (If you don't have stamps, there are people in Cairo who can do this for you, for a price, without the shot - again you will need to provide evidence of true vaccination, like an official vet / USA export document.) The customs official will accept the export documentation from your home country, if it is within the past year. But, again, stamps are the best.

2) Having your dog chipped is also good. If you have a chip, and an I.D. provided by the chip manufacturer (as in Home Again Microchips), you don't need it, but it's recommended. The Egyptian customs official was very impressed with the chip information, and expounded on it in Egyptian, which VB doesn't understand one iota. VB is actually thinking of purchasing a chip reader, just in case it's ever needed, since the American chips may not be the same as the ones used overseas.

3) Your passport.

4) Your pet.


Make a copy of all these items before traipsing out to the Wildlife Office. Take the papers, copies, and your pet to the Wildlife Office near gate 3S at Cargo Village. A vet will vet your papers, and might want to see your pet. He will want copies made, and if you get there very early in the morning, or possibly middle of the night, you will find few xerox machines available anywhere nearby.

You can visit the vet at the Wildlife Office anytime within 24 hours of your flight, or 3 hours before your departure (if you are blessed with good luck.) All this will cost you 50LE.

Anyone who tells you anything else is full of shit. They will have you running in circles, and most likely getting the shakedown from everyone you talk to. This is much simpler than most people will tell you. It is fact, one of the simplest pet export procedures I have experienced, providing you have ALL of your documentation (and your pet there too.) Some vets will take care of this paperwork visit to the Wildlife Office for you.

Also, the vet at the Wildlife Office upon seein the form from VB's private Cairene vet certifying that Doggie was healthy and vaccinated, states, "this means nothing to me." He didn't even want a copy of it. VB paid 70 LE for that meaningless form.

VB will continue to use these procedures whenever she imports and / or exports Doggie. As she has stated before, "better safe than sorry." No one wants a glitch put into their travels, and you never know when you will encounter the one customs dude who demands that all rules have been followed.

Here are some links to other posts about importing / exporting pets to and from Cairo, from different perspectives:

Bringing Pets To Cairo, at Old Bag of Cairo blog (UK perspective)

Traveling With Pets To Cairo, Egypt! at petrelocation blog (They suggest having your documentation travel with your pet, and the requirement for Form 7001). VB never lets her certificates out of sight during a trip, unless it's a copy of the original. And as for Form 7001? Click on the link further down, and you're taken to PetRelocation. com, which states,

"We are a full service pet relocation company, who offers the complete Door-to-Door service for your pets. Our prices can typically start off at a minimum of $800-$1,000; for complete Door-to-Door services, of a small animal, within the United States."

VB hates to think what the charge would be for international "Door-to-Door" service.

Bringing A Dog To Cairo, from allexperts.com

Two, more recent, pet related articles, about Cairo:
DESIGNER DOGS:POOCHES BIG AND SMALL ARE THE LATEST MUST-HAVE IN CAIRO’S SUBURBAN ENCLAVES

Room with a view:

"Strays may lead a dog's life in Cairo, but others live in the lap of luxury, Dena Rashed checks a deluxe pet hotel"

Articles on Animals and Airports:

Airport's 'Animal Lounge' caters to furry frequent fliers

"Anyone who thinks air travel is a jungle should trek through the Frankfurt Animal Lounge, Europe's most modern airport site for just about everything from worms and fish to wolves and hippos.

Tucked in a corner of the city's sprawling airport, the lounge covers 3,750 square metres, or the size of a professional soccer pitch, and is one of four European hubs for getting your pet from Shanghai to Chicago."

Animals in transit get better treatment than passengers at Frankfurt airport

"Frustrated and exhausted travellers at Heathrow have been complaining recently of being treated like animals, caged in the terminal with little to drink and taunted by snarling ground staff.

Little wonder then that Frankfurt airport, the main European competitor to Heathrow, has decided to make a point by treating its animals in transit even better than its pampered business-class humans."

Animals also have a Fear of Flying

"Lufthansa's recently opened Animal Lounge at Frankfurt Airport is Europe's largest airport animal ward. All animals leaving, arriving or just making a stop-over in Frankfurt end up here. Be it a dog or a cat, an ornamental fish, a horse, a parrot or a camel - they are all looked after by a vet."

Tell Us Your Top Holiday Travel Horror Story

You Tell Us: What's The Worst Airport In The World?

(Below): VW Bus going in the opposite direction.

Funkengroovin - Animal Village

After VB received the "stambed" passport for Doggie, she proceeded to make plans for the trip to Animal Village, located at the Cairo airport. Again, this was not simple. She was told by one person to bring the pet out in her crate, and leave her there at 1:00 PM. They would then transfer Doggie to Lufthansa later. VB's flight took off the next morning at around 5:00 AM. They wanted VB to leave her pet, in the late July heat, unattended, at the airport for over 14 hours! Bullshit!!! From experience VB knew Doggie goes directly to the Lufthansa counter for check-in, even though she would be riding as cargo. So VB called Lufthansa to confirm this, since you never know if countries impose different rules for handling. Indeed, Lufthansa does check the pet in at the check-in desk, as usual in Cairo.

Early in the morning, VB went off to Animal Village, with Doggie. We were told Animal Village is located at Gate 3S, in Cargo Village, at the airport. When we arrived, we just asked around, and eventually found someone who thought it was in a small abandoned looking building, and pointed to it.

Inside, there is no air conditioning. They did not need to see Doggie, so she waited in the air conditioned car. The driver translated for VB. The customs rep held up the certificate from the Cairene vet and asked loudly, "What is this?!" I told him it was a certificate from our personal vet in Cairo, who told me to take it to Animal Village. The customs officer declared, "This is worthless! What else have you got?" VB decided to see if she could get away with just the documentation from the States. Our driver had to run out to make copies of VB's passport, US Vaccination Certificate, and the chip documentation (Doggie has a chip.) This took longer than anything else.

The customs official then proceeded to write down all the specifics onto a sheet eerily resembling the USA document VB brought with her. At the top of the certificate is the title: "Arab Republic Of Egypt Ministry of Agriculture And Land Reclamation. General Organization For Veterinary Services Under - Secretary Of State For Veterinary Affair Veterinary Quarantine Department. Quarantine Dept: (handwritten in - Cairo Airport). Veterinary Health Certificate For Living Animals." At the bottom it states he collected "6 Fees." It wasn't expensive at all (50 LE), but he produced three separate forms, for separate charges, which were untranslatable or too confusing to translate. And even though he didn't speak English, the form was filled out in English. It stated (just like the American version) that Doggie was in good health, and had a Rabies Vaccine December 2007.

That was that.

(Below): Sights from the trip to Animal Village. It was early in the morning, when we left. The first two photos are of trucks ferrying men to work - it's a usual scene in Egypt. The air was thick that day.











(Below): This was actually a double cab truck, which VB didn't catch fast enough, as we passed. It was broke down on the highway.






That "stambed passport" - did VB ever need it to begin with? And, how did that certificate from Egyptian customs work out? What happened when VB and Doggie arrived in The USA?

Stay tuned.

Funkengroovin - "Stambs"

In less than two weeks Doggie and VB return to Cairo. It's a repeat of what we've gone through with our dogs many times before, but it does not get easier. Regardless of where you are, transporting a pet is a major hassle, mostly due to red tape.

Flying pets out of Cairo, is more insane than flying pets out of Baku, or Abu Dhabi. VB discovered this fact, this past summer, when she was told the certificate swearing her dog had been vaccinated in December 2007 (within the past year), signed by the local town vet, the Connecticut State vet, and recognized by her local Cairo vet, was pretty much invalid, at least to the concerned Egyptian authorities. Suffice it to say, transporting a pet, anywhere outside the USA, either to or from, involves blackmail. It's a shakedown of substantial emotional and petty monetary proportions. VB says, just put your fucking hand out and get it over with, like they do in Baku. It's obvious, easy, and gets the message across loud and clear. No one will question customs authorities once they've been met with a proper extortion, and truly intimidating welcome.

VB received a certified letter from the local vet in Cairo, stating that Lotus was in good health, and her vaccinations were up to date. She was told to take this letter to Animal Village, at the airport, within 24 hours of departure. VB called the airport, trying to get connected to the Animal Village personnel to no avail. It's always good to know where you're going, before you head out. Plus, it also helps to know exactly what documents are needed, and if the pet needs to be present, as well. More scam artists, came out of the woodwork as more phone calls were made. "For a small fee, I can help you." Actually, no one VB had talked to had direct knowledge of Animal Village, but they had heard about it. It was like a phantom place; a place people spoke of, but no one really knew about. But again, "For a small fee, I can help you."

So, VB consulted someone, with connections to someone else in the higher regions of government authority, who is knowledgeable of animal matters . She was told that the certificate from the USA was useless; the certificate from the Cairene vet was useless; that she needed to get "stambs" (the ones from the vaccine bottles) in order to get Lotus through Egyptian customs for export. She was provided with a name, and number of someone who could help her.

VB contacted this person. For a fee of 200 LE, VB was provided with a passport, complete with all the necessary, vaccination "stambs." Let VB remind you, readers: Our dog already had the necessary vaccinations. It wasn't as if we were trying to get away without them. We just didn't have the damn "stambs!"

Below are the sights from VB's trip to the pet passport operation.



















Question:
How did the "stambed" passport work out for VB and Doggie?
Stay tuned to find out.

(Below): A scene from the USA.






R.E.M. on Letterman - Bad Day

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.

I Voted Today

Vagabondblogger went up to the local Town Hall and voted by Absentee Ballot Today, even though she had to deal with the clerk with an attitude. It's horrible to interrupt the daydreams of a tax leech. Isn't it enough she gets to take off at 1:00 PM every Friday? VB and The Boss Man are paying for this. And believe VB, taxes around here are not cheap! But, it was more than worth the trouble - I made sure to hold my ballot up high, and turn it over several times to show her who I was voting for. Since it was well known that she was a Lieberman supporter, when I was for Lamont, it's a good guess she's a fan of Hill too.

FOR THIS MAN:

Weekend News Roundup

Vagabondblogger hopes the first article answers all your questions regarding Islam and space travel. As usual, the regular dose of censorship, and F.I.S.A. related articles are also included.


ISLAM:
HOW DOES AN ISLAMIC ASTRONAUT FACE MECCA IN ORBIT?

Allah is watching – even in outer space. And that poses a problem for a devout Muslim astronaut who is scheduled to fly to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a Russian rocket this week.

Imagine trying to pray five times a day in zero gravity while having to face an ever-shifting Mecca hundreds of miles below. How do you ritually wash yourself without water? And, now that it's Ramadan, how do you fast from sunrise to sunset when you see a sunrise and a sunset every 90 minutes? Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, a Malaysian astronaut, must decide before the Oct. 10 launch.

Five times a day (before sunrise, at midday, in late afternoon, after sunset, and at night), earth-bound muezzins call Muslims to prayer. A spaceship traveling 17,400 miles per hour orbits the earth 16 times in a day. Does that mean praying 80 times in 24 hours?

The next problem: Where is Mecca?

The attitude while at prayer is also an issue. In zero gravity, the sequence of the praying postures – standing, bowing, kneeling, and prostrating oneself – is difficult at best.

Before worship, a Muslim must perform ritual washing – cleaning face, hands, arms, feet, and hair. The problem: Water on the ISS is so precious that even sweat and urine are recycled.

Then there's diet. Pork and alcohol are forbidden. Animals to be consumed for food must be slaughtered in a particular way. All food must be halal (allowed by Islamic law). But how can the astronaut know if the food aboard the ISS is halal?

Meals raise another complication. Ramadan – the holy month during which Muslims abstain from all earthly indulgences (including eating) during daylight hours – doesn't end until Oct. 13.

Laughing at "Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week"

An ex-senator that opposes individual rights of women; a pundit that calls people "faggots" and considers Islam a "cult"; a Christian scholar who is considered a "polemicist" and an "Islamophobe" by conservative Christians themselves; and an intellectual who has received millions from "far right" organizations since 2001, are rising up for the rights of women, gays, and religious minorities in the Muslim world. This laughable spectacle is called the Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week. It will be coming to a university near you on October 22 - 26.

CENSORSHIP:
Bono speaks out against torture - and gets censored

Archbishop Tutu barred by U. of St Thomas because of criticism of Israel

Now it’s official: winning the Nobel Peace Prize doesn’t protect you from charges of anti-Semitism if you criticize Israeli human rights violations. Neither, apparently, does being one of the most compelling voices for social justice in the world today, or even getting an honorary degree from and giving the commencement address at Brandeis.

Minneapolis/St.Paul’s City Pages just reported that members of the St Thomas Justice and Peace Studies program were thrilled when Bishop Tutu agreed to speak at the University– but administrators did a scientific survey of the Jews of Minneapolis, which included querying exactly one spokesperson for Minnesota’s Jewish Community Relations Council and several rabbis who taught in a University program– and concluded that Tutu is bad for the Jews and should therefore be barred from campus.

To make matters worse, when Cris Toffolo, the chair of the Justice and Peace Studies program told Tutu what happened and warned him of a possible smear campaign, she was immediately demoted.

Utah mine investigation documents should not be public, agency says

(CNN) -- Court proceedings of the investigation into the collapse of Utah's Crandall Canyon mine should not be made public, argue attorneys for the Mine Safety and Health Administration.

The documents included MSHA's response to a federal lawsuit filed in Utah earlier this week by news organizations, including CNN, The Associated Press, The Salt Lake Tribune and the Deseret Morning News.

The suit seeks to stop the investigation into the mine incident until a judge decides whether the proceedings should be open to the public. It also asks for a temporary restraining order to stop investigators from conducting closed proceedings.

The suit also demands that a transcript of all closed hearings be released immediately.

On August 6, six miners were trapped when the Crandall Canyon mine caved in. Their bodies have not been recovered. Three other people, including an MSHA inspector, died as they attempted to rescue the trapped miners August 16.

Cubans go to unusual lengths to post blogs

HAVANA (Reuters) - When 32-year-old Yoani Sanchez wants to update her blog about daily life in Cuba, she dresses like a tourist and strides confidently into a Havana hotel, greeting the staff in German.

That is because Cubans like Sanchez are not authorized to use hotel Internet connections, which are reserved for foreigners.

WHEN US-MADE 'CENSORWARE' ENDS UP IN IRON FISTS

ONI researchers are conducting tests that have so far found censorship in 24 of 40 countries. Testing involves local users in each country trying to access various websites. Certain patterns and failure messages emerge, indicating which filtering system a country uses.

The software companies involved sell this technology primarily to private companies in the US and abroad. Companies use these tools to keep employees from accessing pornography sites and websites infected with viruses.

Repressive governments also turn to these American systems, not only to filter out porn and viruses, but also to block political, religious, and other websites.

A Websense spokeswoman denies the firm has sold software to Iran, which would be illegal.

ONI also found in 2005 that Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates, countries with Internet censorship, use SmartFilter. The company wouldn't confirm or deny.

"We are a US organization that adheres to US rules. We only do business with organizations and countries we are approved to do business with," says Mr. Chatterjee.

That position is echoed by Blue Coat Systems Inc., whose sales materials have boasted that Internet access across Saudi Arabia is "monitored and controlled" by its technology.

Moves are afoot in Washington to take a harder line against censorware exports. High-profile congressional hearings last year examined the roles of Yahoo!, Google, Microsoft, and Cisco in helping China censor the Internet. Rep. Christopher Smith (R) of New Jersey has introduced the Global Online Freedom Act, a bill that would, among other things, study the feasibility of restricting censorware exports.

There is some debate over whether such filtering software merits real concern. In Burma, the regime ultimately decided to shut off the country's Internet access after it appeared unable to selectively filter out antigovernment communication.

Internet-censorship tools can be defeated with the use of proxy servers. But many people living under repressive government are not going to hear about, or dare to try, methods to get around Internet fire walls, say experts.

"Some people say [censorware] is ineffective because dissidents can get around it," says Seth Finkelstein, a programmer and anticensorship activist. "I say political control doesn't have to be 100 percent to be effective. Controlling the ability of the vast majority of the population to see outside information is still very effective for the goals of the totalitarian regime."

F.I.S.A.
Former CEO Says U.S. Punished Phone Firm

Nacchio's account, which places the NSA proposal at a meeting on Feb. 27, 2001, suggests that the Bush administration was seeking to enlist telecommunications firms in programs without court oversight before the terrorist attacks on New York and the Pentagon. The Sept. 11 attacks have been cited by the government as the main impetus for its warrantless surveillance efforts.

The allegations could affect the debate on Capitol Hill over whether telecoms sued for disclosing customers' phone records and other data to the government after the Sept. 11 attacks should be given legal immunity, even if they did not have court authorization to do so.

In May 2006, USA Today reported that the NSA had been secretly collecting the phone-call records of tens of millions of Americans, using data provided by major telecom firms. Qwest, it reported, declined to participate because of fears that the program lacked legal standing.

In a statement released after the story was published, Nacchio attorney Herbert Stern said that in fall 2001, Qwest was approached to give the government access to the private phone records of Qwest customers. At the time, Nacchio was chairman of the president's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee.

"Mr. Nacchio made inquiry as to whether a warrant or other legal process had been secured in support of that request," Stern said. "When he learned that no such authority had been granted and that there was a disinclination on the part of the authorities to use any legal process, including the Special Court which had been established to handle such matters, Mr. Nacchio concluded that these requests violated the privacy requirements of the Telecommunications Act."

Weekend News Roundup

Well this week's Roundup is mostly Egypt. Stories cover urfi marriages (also discussed in the book, Muhajababes), F.G.M.(again); to crackdowns on the press, the Muslim Brotherhood, and a human rights organization. Muslims in America covers new State Department bloggers, blogging for America. Censorship covers the Egyptian stories as noted earlier, plus book removals from U.S. prisons, which was included in last week's Roundup, and my favorite new topic - spying on Americans - the new F.I.S.A. Law recently passed by our spineless congress. I am not going to go over the "Don't taser me, bro!" episode, even though I think it was a form of censorship, and another example of the police over reacting. If I have to see the video again, I'm going to start screeching!


EGYPT:

YOUNG EGYPTIAN COUPLES IN A HURRY TIE TEMPORARY KNOT

Concern grows over use of a secret, unrecognized 'urfi' marriage that many couples feel allows them to be alone and to engage in sexual activity.

In Egypt, a Rising Push Against Genital Cutting

KAFR AL MANSHI ABOU HAMAR, Egypt — The men in this poor farming community were seething. A 13-year-old girl was brought to a doctor’s office to have her clitoris removed, a surgery considered necessary here to preserve chastity and honor.

The girl died, but that was not the source of the outrage. After her death, the government shut down the clinic, and that got everyone stirred up.

“They will not stop us,” shouted Saad Yehia, a tea shop owner along the main street. “We support circumcision!” he shouted over and over.

“Even if the state doesn’t like it, we will circumcise the girls,” shouted Fahmy Ezzeddin Shaweesh, an elder in the village.

Slideshow

Interview With a Young Egyptian

My parents at home don’t know that I work in F.G.M., and if they find out, they’ll kill me. ...

MUSLIMS IN AMERICA:
For State Dept., Blog Team Joins Muslim Debate

Two Arab-Americans have been hired to post on blogs and Internet forums in an effort to improve America’s image.

Some analysts question whether the blog team will survive beyond the tenure of Karen P. Hughes, the confidante of President Bush who runs public diplomacy. The department expects to add seven more team members within the next month — four more in Arabic, two in Farsi and one in Urdu, the official language of Pakistan.

The team concentrates on about a dozen mainstream Web sites such as chat rooms set up by the BBC and Al Jazeera or charismatic Muslim figures like Amr Khaled, as well as Arab news sites like Elaph.com. They choose them based on high traffic and a focus on United States policy, and they always identify themselves as being from the State Department.

CENSORSHIP:
EGYPT EXTENDS CRACKDOWN TO PRESS

The arrest of Ibrahim Eissa and three other opposition journalists is the latest signal of tightening government control, reflecting anxiety over presidential succession.

Egyptian and foreign human rights activists say the crackdown on the press is unprecedented in recent Egyptian history. While state harassment comes with the territory for independent journalists, never before have four editors been tried and convicted at the same time.

Mr. Said, the political scientist, argues that the current crackdown reflects the cycle of Egyptian politics since independence.

"Towards the end of regimes they engage in harassment of opposition leaders, close newspapers and so forth," he says. "It's like in September 1981 when [Anwar] Sadat arrested many politicians of many political persuasions." Shortly after that, Sadat – then president – was assassinated. "That's why many people are calling what's happening now the winds of September," says Said. "These are the last years of Mubarak's life, and whenever the government feels it has to ensure a favorable successor, it does this."

GOVERNMENT BANS MUSLIM Brotherhood's ANNUAL RAMADAN EVENT

CAIRO: The government has banned the Muslim Brotherhood's largest annual social gathering for the first time in 20 years, part of a concerted crackdown against the country's opposition, the group's leadership said Sunday.

Every year, the Brotherhood invites a diverse group of some 1,500 people to one of Cairo's five-star hotels for a gala dinner during Ramadan.

The government has also targeted organizations unrelated to the transfer of power. Earlier Tuesday, authorities closed the Association for Human Rights Legal Aid, which had been involved in the first lawsuit against a state security officer for torture.

Egyptian officials said the group had received funding without the necessary permission, but fellow human rights groups said the closure was related to the torture case, which ended with the officer's acquittal on Sept. 5. Associated Press.

AS STATE CLOSES PROMINENT HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP, ACTIVISTS FEAR FURTHER CRACKDOWN

Noha Atef, the editor of the advocacy website www.tortureinegypt.net, agrees. According to her, the shut down of such a prominent legal aid organization is meant to have a chilling effect on human rights advocacy in Egypt.

“This association is very active and has defended many torture victims, so it is only logical that the government would come after them,” she says.

“The state wants to send a message to other civil society groups — they say ‘this was one of the biggest groups and we can just dissolve it whenever we want.’” she adds “That this can happen to a big organization with a lot of its own lawyers — how do you think normal people who don’t have a team of lawyers with them will feel about standing up against torture?”

Bush Calls for Expansion of Spy Law

Critics Right and Left Protest Book Removals

The federal Bureau of Prisons is under pressure from members of Congress and religious groups to reverse its decision to purge the shelves of prison chapel libraries of all religious books and materials that are not on the bureau’s lists of approved resources.

The Republican Study Committee, a caucus of some of the most conservative Republicans in the House of Representatives, sent a letter on Wednesday to the bureau’s director, Harley G. Lappin, saying, “We must ensure that in America the federal government is not the undue arbiter of what may or may not be read by our citizens.”