VB's latest obsession - the new kitten. We learn later this week what sex it is. This kitten is growing rapidly before VB's eyes. The first several photos were taken last week. The last six, just the past few days.
VB will continue with the trip to Mokkatam and The City of the Dead after Wednesday's Funkengroovin post.
(Below): We've been moving furniture. We folded and piled up the carpets, and new kitten likes to climb up and jump off of them.
(Below): VB has some old maijlis pillows piled vertically, and the kitten attempts an ascent.
(Below): Chewing on Cooper's leg. The kitten thinks Cooper is it's mom, and Cooper is a very even tempered dog.
(Below): Sexy Little Beast.
(Below): Hogging the dogs' pad.
(Below): Soft little paws.
(Below): Long whiskers.
(Below): Totally out of it.
(Below): Portrait - we think kitty would grow up to be an awesome biker (nice goatee). Possible name "Harley"? Number One Son registers his vote for the name "Pinto".
(Repeat from the last post.) Before VB's trip home The Boss Man and she decided to go shopping for a few items to take back to the States. We went to the Mokkatam Alabaster Factory Shop, and then our driver took us to The City of the Dead for more. Here's the VW part of the trip.
(Below 4 photos): A red single cab on the highway. They're a bit blurry, but that's what you get when you're trying to photograph a moving object, while you are in motion as well.
(Below): A wrecked car on a service road, cut in half by VB's rear passenger seat window.
(Below): Grrr! Just missed another one again!
(Below): In The City of the Dead, a white Beetle, with a very funky background. Looks like he's working on it.
(Below): As promised, the newest latest version of the VW ambulance seen around Cairo.
(Below three photos): The rear and front of a teal Beetle on the highway.
(Below): An overloaded garbage truck on the highway.
(Below): An orange Beetle for sale. You will probably see this one from another angle in a future post. this photo was taken as we passed. It was parked between two police look-outs and VB was a bit leery about taking a photo with the fuzz breathing down her neck.
NEWS:
There hasn't been a lot of VW related news lately (except their deal with Porsche and new car related items), but VB did find some interesting Egypt traffic and general auto news bits of interest.
""Driving in Cairo is a lot like playing Atari," the 42-year-old Noureddin says with a smile, referring to the popular 1980s’ video game system. "Here, you dodge cars, pedestrians, donkey carts, buses. You try to make it to the end without hitting someone, getting hit or getting a ticket. The difference, though: There's no reset button. This is no game."
As the number of new vehicles on Egypt's roads steadily increases, the congestion is getting worse, with the distance between cars on the road easily measured in millimeters. The problem has become so bad that the government is kicking off an awareness campaign to supplement a relatively new and much-criticized traffic safety law."
"Drivers swerve with the greatest dexterity into the tiniest of spaces. Nearly every car or bus carries the scars of battle. Of course spare parts are expensive, no-one has insurance and claiming for damage is about as worthwhile as dowsing for water in the desert. The rules are pretty simple. Full-beam headlights and blaring horns somewhere behind usually mean you are about to be overtaken - or undertaken - at high speed, even though there is no space between your car and that concrete wall beside you."
"“There are doctors, engineers, teachers, all of them driving taxis. They just don’t earn enough otherwise,” he told me, grinding to a halt as a pick-up tried to do a U-turn in the middle of a narrow road. “This government doesn’t even provide order.” It’s hard to argue with that point on the streets of the capital where even the newest cars have scratches and dents, testimony to traffic rules that seem to be regarded — at least to any visitor — as optional."
"Diyyah for the death of a woman during the time of the Prophet Mohammed was usually less than half that for a man. Many conservative muftis prefer to maintain this practice in court cases today, but it is controversial and varies from country to country."
"Compensation for damages and injury is common legal practice in many countries. Insurance companies in North America, for example, pay damages according to “tort”, or compensation, laws. Compensation for murder, however, is specific to Islamic countries governed by the Sharia laws.
“The amount of money is different from country to country,” Justice al Hamdi said. “The Quran just sets a guideline and the laws of the country determine what that price is.”
In Egypt, for example, the diyyah for car accidents is 53 Egyptian pounds (Dh34) while that for premeditated murder is 2,000 Egyptian pounds. These numbers have remained unchanged, which makes the issue of blood money irrelevant in jurisprudence."
"...While it appears, in this most populated of African cities, that an absence of rules leaves the roads in a state of chaos, just the opposite is true. The seemingly anarchic driving hides underlying order. It may not be immediately apparent, but traffic in Cairo works according to a clear, firmly understood (if unspoken) set of rules."
"... If everyone understands the rules and expects others to act accordingly, then no one is surprised. And it works: you are six times more likely to die in a car accident in Abu Dhabi than in Egypt."
"Honking of horns, just about the only form of signalling on the road, can mean many things. Drivers honk when passing through a small intersection to indicate to other drivers who may be out of view that they should slow down: “I’m coming. You wait.” Honking is used when passing other cars on the road, and at busy overpasses: “I am passing now. You’ve been warned.” Honking can express frustration at heavy congestion: “I am not pleased. I wish I was moving faster.” Taxi drivers use their horns to get the attention of a potential fare: “Take this taxi. Hello, I am here.” Sometimes a driver will honk for what seems like no other reason but sheer happiness: “Great morning of light!” Unlike in Abu Dhabi, where the hierarchy on the roads is an extension of the greater social order, no driver in Cairo – no matter what make of vehicle, its condition or the attire of the people inside – is an exception to the rules. "
"The experience on the roads in Abu Dhabi and Cairo couldn’t be more different. Both may be known for having aggressive drivers, but the nature and manifestations of that aggression are not the same. In AbuDhabi, the aggression exhibited on the roads results from a genuine sense of entitlement that some drivers have: they seem to think they have a right to drive recklessly and it is the responsibility of the other vehicles on the road to make sure they don’t get in the way. Cairo has never seen a 200-car pile-up.
Aggression on Cairo streets is defensive, not offensive, and it is the result of collective consensus that despite each driver looking out primarily for himself, each is only one cog in a much larger machine, and all have the same goal – to move forward without collision. "
"My first reaction to this news was shock. Sometime after I backed into a stump, but definitely before I clipped the neighbor's garage—actually it was around the time the babysitter somehow creased a perfect inch-deep furrow along the entire passenger side, headlight to brake light—I stopped thinking of the van as having any monetary value whatsoever. I resolved to drive it for at least 10 years, or until I developed a capacity for shame, whichever came first. At which point I would pay someone to take it off my hands.
Now I see the van with fresh eyes. It's no longer just a sun-bleached hulk with the rear wiper snapped off. It's a wiperless hulk worth thousands. If this is socialism, call me comrade!"
"Almost 400 vintage cars will participate in the Mille Miglia in Italy next week, a historic revival that pays tribute to what was once considered the most dangerous race in the world."
"We’re firm believers that innovation can take place in the most mundane places. A company can create a new product on the back of a coffee-shop napkin, an airline interior can be breathtaking, and the most utilitarian family sedan can feature a “must-have” doodad that few other cars can match.
In an attempt to spotlight some cool tricks available on, ahem, less-interesting cars, we’ve listed a few of our favorites. Whether any of them are make-or-break remains to be seen, but we’re sure you’ll let us know if you can’t live without any of these features."
"Last Friday, a procession of odd-looking vehicles paraded from San Francisco's Ocean Beach, through the city and across the bay to Oakland, as a memorial to an art-car pioneer."
"Silver has turned his somewhat jaundiced eye to the automotive industry in this month's Esquire magazine. In his "The Data" column, Silver posits that it's more than high gas prices and an economy on the skids that are helping to systematically change the amount we Americans drive, and that maybe, just maybe, this reflects a change within our national psyche. His findings suggest a one-year delay in Americans' response to gas crises and our growing lack of dependence on cars -- all this coming from a non-car-driving New Yorker. Silver does this with his usual mix of statistics and anthropological insight."
Getting There is Half The Fun on the Dubai Palm Monorail "As part of a plan to reduce gridlock while attracting tourists, a new monorail in the emirate of Dubai silently whisks passengers to exclusive resorts and offers sweeping ocean views along the way, proving that even public transportation is more extreme in the United Arab Emirates."
Last week was the season finale for Chuck, which is on NBC Monday nights. VB started watching it, when they offered the first episode free on iTunes last year. It was during the spat Apple was having with NBC, which resulted in NBC pulling ALL their shows out of iTunes. Chuck is produced by another company, which apparently had the rights for reproduction, putting it out of NBC's jurisdiction. Well, VB got addicted. Let's just say Chuck is something akin to a modern day Get Smart. VB hopes that the contract will be renewed for next year, and nothing has been decided yet. This is part of the last episode.
For more background on Chuck, and when and where in the world you can view it, check out Wikipedia.
This post is basically a response to the mass slaughter of pigs in Egypt.
VB was born in "Porkopolis" ("The nickname Porkopolis was coined around 1835, when Cincinnati was the country's chief hog packing center, and herds of pigs traveled the streets." - Wiki) VB remembers, as young child, watching pigs marching up the ramps for slaughter to become "The Weiner The World Awaited, " at the Kahn's packing company, on Central Avenue. (You may laugh at VB, and may have heard of Cincinnati, but check here to find out what growing up there was really like.)
VB's parents (just like every other Greek in America) owned three restaurants (at different times). The last one was in a predominately black area. It was the 60's, and every so often her parents would cook up some pigs feet. It was soul food, and the regular customers were fromthe neighborhood. Raw hooves would be piled up over the old-fashioned white ceramic freezer. Too bad VB didn't have a camera back then, but the sight of fresh, raw pigs feet piled high, remains embedded in her memories. Not only that, but a New Years Eve tradition with The Boss Man is to down pickled pigs feet, and his mom always had a roll of Goetta in the fridge. Let's face it, regardless of ethnic background, the majority of people in, and from Cincinnati, love pork products. That includes VB. Give her a pair of ham hocks and she will cook up some retro split pea or navy bean soup for you.
By now, most people have heard or read about the swine cull here in Egypt. It is an overkill reaction to the Swine Flu aka H1N1 Virus. Let's all remember, "It's the other white meat." Besides, most of the swine that VB has actually met, are human, and according to the dictionary, "an offensive word for a person who behaves in a cruel or disgusting way towards others." This definition would apply to those who made this decision, as well as those who own factory farms. These viruses are born in industrial environments. The small breeder is typically immune, and provides a service to the community. Plus, as we've seen in the past, (mad cow), small farmers are more capable of containing the disease, so it does not spread. Factory farms do not, nor do they produce the expensive specialty meats we crave. They basically produce mass market meat, at a price, which seems cheap at the grocers, but is subsidized through governments, with our tax dollars, but has a direct impact on the environment. Who are the real losers? The small family run farms - worldwide.
For those of you out there who can't get enough of the culling, or hate swine so much, you too can be a swinefighter!
Here's a few articles to chew on: Swine Flu Ancestor Born on U.S. Factory Farms "“Industrial farms are super-incubators for viruses,” said Bob Martin, former executive director of the Pew Commission on Industrial Animal Farm Production, and a long-time critic of the so-called “contained animal feeding operations.”" A U.S. Hog Giant Transforms Eastern Europe "European hog farming is being transformed by an agricultural powerhouse operating in far-flung outposts."
"Old customs and jobs are dying and the air itself is changing, however, transformed by an American newcomer, Smithfield Foods. Almost unnoticed by the rest of the Continent, the agribusiness giant has moved into Eastern Europe with the force of a factory engine, assembling networks of farms, breeding pigs on the fast track, and slaughtering them for every bit of meat and muscle that can be squeezed into a sausage."
Local Pastured Meats: Good for You, Good for the Planet "...Pigs, unlike the “monovore” cows, are omnivores. Along with some corn and soy, they eat whatever they can scavenge in the pasture. In the summer, they hang out and in the shade and pose for pictures like the ones we saw. When Jen said she lets her pigs dig into the ground (instead of ringing their noses to prevent it), I couldn’t help thinking that her pigs are like the teenagers with the coolest, most laid-back parents in town. If you had seen how happy those piggies were in the photos, you would probably want to be one. Maybe."
New Virus, Old Tale: Animals Share Bugs With Us "All of this is the latest iteration of a phenomenon dating to the dawn of mankind: zoonosis. A zoonotic disease is one that spreads from animals to humans, or vice versa. Bubonic plague came from a bacterium that infects rats and can spread via fleas to humans. HIV is a virus that passed into people from a monkey. Malaria, tuberculosis, rabies, yellow fever and typhoid fever are zoonotic.
And it's a two-way street, as seen recently when a Canadian farmworker infected with the new H1N1 swine flu apparently passed the disease to a herd of pigs. When it comes to influenza, the thoroughfare between Homo sapiens and Sus scrofa -- domesticated pigs -- is something of a superhighway.
From the perspective of an influenza virus, the receptors on the lungs of a human being -- the places where the little spiky knobs on the virus can attach themselves -- look very much like the receptors in a pig. A pig's anatomy is so similar in certain respects to a human being's that pig heart valves are routinely transplanted into human heart patients."
Swine Flu: Don't Blame the Pig "The swine flu outbreak that has sparked widespread fear — so much so that Egypt has ordered the slaughter of the country's 300,000 pigs, even though no cases have been reported there — is easy to pin on the eponymous animal from which it emerged, but the fact is, the current epidemic is little more than an accident of evolution. If pigs are to blame, so too are birds and humans...."
LIVING ON THE EDGE, WAITING FOR A SLAUGHTER"Public hysteria over swine flu has mostly been manifested as discrimination against the zebaleen. Local newspapers have published maps of zebaleen neighborhoods advising citizens to avoid these areas, and by extension their inhabitants. Women from El-Maya El-Haya have reported being refused entry onto public transport, and many city residents refuse to open the door for zebaleen, throwing their rubbish into the streets instead for fear of contracting swine flu."
11,591 PIGS SLAUGHTERED IN EGYPT"Up to press time 11,591 pigs were slaughtered. He emphasized, however, that the total number of pigs in Egypt which was erroneously reported as 300,000 is actually 156,000 only, none of which have tested positive for swine flu."
20 countries ban pork imports on flu fears ""Trading meat, whether processed or raw or frozen meat, should not be restricted because there is virtually no risk of transmission that way," the WHO's Peter Ben Embarek said."
"The other countries listed by the WHO as having imposed pork and meat restrictions are Thailand, Jordan, the Philippines, Ukraine, Lebanon, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, Montenegro, Surinam, the United Arab Emirates and Belarus.
In Lebanon, the trade measure involves "destruction of any cargo en route from (flu) affected countries" and also orders the closure of all domestic pig farms, prohibits the slaughter of pigs, and calls for "blood testing of all pigs".
Egypt has ordered the slaughter of all its 300,000 to 400,000 pigs as a precaution against H1N1, a move the United Nations said was "a real mistake."" Egypt persecutes Christian pig farmers in the name of swine flu "Muslim majority country seeks reasons to kill off ’unreligious’ animals"
"This event comes a week after the Egyptian government ordered the slaughter of all the country’s 300,000 pigs even though no cases of swine flu have been reported in the country. Egyptian animal rights activist Amina Abaza deplored the slaughter of pigs and said "the decision to cull them was probably taken only because they belong to the Christians."
In defense of the farmers, the World Health Organization has said the move to slaughter every pig in the country was unnecessary because the virus is however being spread through humans.
Changed alibi
However, the rationale for killing all the pigs in the country has now taken a different cause. The Egyptian health authorities now say that the authorized killing of pigs is in a bid to campaign against unsanitary pig farming conditions, particularly in the Cairo slums where the garbage collectors live.
But the garbage collectors who engage in pig farming are all Christians, who make up the minority of the society, and with no other source of livelihood available to them, or assured them, observers have questioned the intent of the health authorities in Egypt, raising charges or religious persecution."
France-"Authorities estimate it will take up to six months to kill all the pigs in the country, according to AgencePresse, and have announced plans to buy new machinery from abroad for the specific purpose of increasing the slaughter capacity to 3,000 animals a day. Al Masry Al Youm reports that as of Monday, only 888 pigs had been killed and that Health Minister Hatem El Gebaly has announced the government has set aside 30 million Egyptian pounds to compensate farmers.
The move has received criticism from some unexpected quarters in Egypt, with the editor of the pro-government daily Rose El Yousef mocking it on the editorial page.
“Killing [the pigs] is not a solution, otherwise, we should kill the people, because the virus spreads through them,” he wrote. “The terrified members of Parliament should have concentrated on asking the government first about the preventive measures and ways of confronting the problem.”"
As Israel Ignores Swine Flu Reality, Global Risk "After two potential cases of swine flu were discovered in Israel, and two Israelis who had just returned from Mexico with flu-like symptoms were quarantined, the Deputy Health Minister, Yakov Litzman, took the next logical step: he renamed the virus. "We will call it Mexican flu. We won't call it swine flu," Litzman declared. He chose to identify the virus with its alleged country of origin instead of pigs because pigs are not religiously permissible to eat, reports the Associated Press."
"Litzman's renaming of the new flu virus would just seem out of place and random if it had been in any other country, but in Israel--where pigs are raised on Arab lands and pork shops are firebombed out of certain neighborhoods--pork is highly politicized. Even the word for "pork" in Hebrew, chazir, is so reviled that it goes by many euphemisms: "white meat," "other meat," and "white steak.""
Turkey's Pork Shortage (And It's Not 'Cause of the Food Crisis Either) ""There are only 2,000 Greeks left in Istanbul," he grumbled. "None of us dares speak out." Curiously, all the other slaughter houses that once dealt with pork have been closed too. Lazari's reluctant to say what he suspects is happening.
"There are only 2,000 Greeks left in Istanbul," he grumbled. "None of us dares speak out.""
R.I.P. to all the poor innocents being blamed for H1N1 and slaughtered as a result. For all those little piggies, VB hopes you can all be "The Weiner The World Awaited, " and, if not perhaps you'd love to be an Oscar Meyer Weiner.
(Below): The homage to the Flying Pig in VB's hometown "Porkopolis", along the riverfront, Cincinnati, Ohio. Yes, we Cincinnatians worship swine.
And now links to some tasty pork articles and recipes:
Pigs' feet: the new superfood "The latest anti-ageing food? Pigs' trotters. That's right, you heard it here first. In New York, the most talked-about new opening of the past couple of months has been a Japanese restaurant called Hakata Tonton, where 33 out of the 39 dishes contain pigs' feet."
Since the pig culling in Egypt incited this post, let's visit Cairo. Earlier this year, Anthony Bourdain's Season 5 of No Reservations aired (in the States), with a segment on Egypt.
It's available on iTunes, but also on YouTube. Here is the first part of his Egypt segment, where he not only discusses food, but (on several occasions) traffic, which is great. (Um, no pigs are slaughtered or eaten during this Egypt centric episode.)
No Reservations - Egypt Part 1 of 5
If you watched the Anthony Bourdain visit Part 1 to Egypt, then you know why this photo is here. (Below): A pigeon coop in The City of the Dead.
A week or so ago, VB decided to go out for some Italian bread. At first she was going to drop in on the Fino Bakery, but decided, at the last minute to go around the corner and up the street, to the new Italian store, La Bottega Italiana. It's a tiny shop in Degla, located on Road 231, just between Crabs Corner (don't ask) and the Maadi Duty Free. BTW, just a note for those of you living in Maadi, a Subway is opening across from the Duty Free. Ever since the Quiznos on Road 9 closed quite suddenly (Wonder what happened? Maybe something like this.), VB has had a hankering for a subway style sandwich. She doesn't usually eat them in the States, but for some odd reason, craves things that aren't readily available here in Egypt. (When she has money, she can never find anything to buy, and when she's broke everything is appealing. It's that sort of mentality that is ruling VB's desire for a subway sandwich.)
La Bottega Italiana, to quote from the menu: "Il Supermarket dei prodotti italiani D.O.C. Formaggi, panini, colazioni e piatti pronti." Or, from their English translation: "Supermarket of Italian D.O.C. products. Cheese, sandwiches, breakfasts and pre-cooked dishes." Or in VB's words: fresh homemade pizzas, breads, salads, cakes, along with an assortment of pastas, cheeses, and real Italian salamis. VB bought some bread, salami and vegetarian pizzas, as it was a Thursday afternoon. Plus, The Boss Man was supposed to be going out for a beer after work, and he was not sure when he'd be home for dinner. The pizza was good, and able to deal with extra microwave time (melting the cheese), without getting rubbery.
This collection of photos pretty much represents a day in the life of VB, but read beyond, as this day turns into one long weekend.
(Below 3 photos): A VW Bus broke down near VB's apartment.
(Below): After purchasing her goods from La Bottega Italian, VB decided to trek on over to Road 216, where she has seen a silver Beetle parked. On the way she encountered an interesting two-tone Bug.
(Below 3 photos): The silver Beetle - It has two flats, thus the reason why it hasn't moved for awhile. VB has only seen this car while driving by, and wanted a better look at it.
(Below 4 photos): Rather than walk back on Road 216 along Victory College, which is busy, and has a roundabout, VB decided to cut through some side streets. The Brown, and the very dirty, yellow Bug below, are what VB found.
(Below 3 photos): A s the day grew into night, VB spotted this Bug parked near her apartment. She converted the original photo to the "antique" effect offered on iPhoto, as the color came out too dark on the car. It was a very light shade of blue, which distorted under the flash. This actually shows a truer shade.
As VB was taking the photo, a young man walking down the street decided to chime in. It turned out, he was in Cairo for training with a company he just joined. He asked VB if she was married to the black man, from Aswan, wearing a gellabaya, joking with her (the boab). VB was wearing jeans, sneakers, and a sweater. "No," she laughed at this stranger, and they began to chat. It turned out that the stranger was staying nearby, in the same business as The Boss Man, and VB told him to stop by for a visit. As it turns out, the stranger did - the next night, while The Boss Man and VB had just started to watch Burn After Reading. The stranger is German, (from East Germany,) and was very happy with his new job. He will be traveling to London, Dubai, and Huston, Texas just to name a few places. He doesn't drink or smoke, and is a vegetarian. He's pretty new to worldwide business associated travel, and the possibility of moving his family to a new country. We spent the rest of the evening talking with him. His visit was the beginning of our strange weekend.
The next night, while we tried to watch Burn After Reading again, a neighbor stopped by to drop off a piece for a Blaupunkt radio his dad had given The Boss Man earlier in the day (for our Beetle renovation). The radio is an original VW installed Blaupunkt, from the early 60's.
Back to the movie.
Then The East German dude stops by to drop off his business card on his way to the airport.
Back to the movie.
A while later, the doorbell rings. VB thought, "Oh finally - this must be our Nestle water delivery." (We hadn't had a delivery for three weeks.) No it's not the water. A man who speaks no English hands VB a cell phone. The man on the other end, who sounds like he's at wit's end, says, "You are on road number..., building number...yes!" VB (with a totally confused look on her face): "That's right." Caller: "Would you kindly point to the white villa next door, for this man!?" VB turns and points to the villa next door, while wondering if someone is watching. The non-English speaking man nods, takes the phone, and walks away. Since we live on the ground floor, we are often the ones who answer the main doorbell, particularly on Fridays when the boab is off and the main building door is locked; Or it's our doorbell everyone rings because they're looking for someone else (the mailman, delivery people - especially McDonald's for the kids upstairs.) But, this was one of the weirder visits we've received.
Back to the movie - finally!
After getting through, Burn After Reading, we proceeded to finish off the whole weekend with RocknRolla and Bottle Shock. All three are excellent movies. Well, okay - RocknRolla is a typical Guy Ritchie movie. After watching a scene from Bottle Shock, where Alan Rickman eats KFC in his car, we decided we absolutely needed a bucket of greasy, fried chicken to finish off the weekend. (They deliver everywhere, except in the USA.)
(Below): Shots from Bottle Shock, which is set in 1976 and has all sorts of French and American (and a few VW) cars in scenes. (Now if VB could get rid of those noisy rainbow TV lines that show up in the photos.)
(Below): An intern to the winery shows up in a Beetle that looks like it was plucked from the streets of Cairo. She drives in with a flat, a missing headlight, two-toned, and plenty of dents.
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.)
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:
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.
"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."
"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."
"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."
Expat currently living in Egypt. I'm not really a vagabond, but I would like to be. I do own an '87 VW Vanagon Camper (Weekender) and a 1965 VW Beetle Convertible.
I'm more of a rider on the corporate vagabond trail.
Views expressed here are mine and mine alone. If anyone feels insulted by this, or any other posts, don't worry I am a equal opportunity lampooner.
