Funkengroovin - Mokkatam

Last Friday, we went up to Mokkatam. VB does volunteer work for an agency located in the area. As we were driving up, it rained. That was somewhat unbelievable, since it was the second rain in a week, and it almost never rains in Egypt. As VB was leaving the agency, someone recommended she drive to the Mokkatam Corniche, as he thought the view this day would be a good one. As you can see, there are a lot of new buildings in this area of town.

(Below): Coming up from behind, a Vanagon.


(Below): Taking over.


(Below): Passing us up.



(Below): Looks like a VW T5. It's not in VB's Volkswagens Of The World, by Simon Glen (he pretty much ends at the T4.) We were just passing by, and didn't get to stop for a look-see, so this is our best guess. From Wiki: "The T5 is the fifth generation of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles medium sized commercial Transporter and people mover Caravelle/Multivan ranges which is sold on every continent except Antarctica.
T5 series was launched in 2003 and replaced the fourth generation T4 Transporter series." Narrowing it down to a Caravelle or any other specific model, at this point is impossible. The T5 below is just a stripped down version.


(Below): At the shopping area of Mokkatam.


(Below): The advice was spot on. The view was amazing. On this day you can even see the Nile and the Pyramids. The Mokkatam Corniche is splattered with small sheesha joints, which apparently do a good business in the evenings. You may need to enlarge the photo to see the Giza Pyramids.


(Below): Just to the left (south) from the Giza Pyramids are the Saqqara Pyramids. Unfortunately, VB couldn't fit them all into one photo. You will definitely have to enlarge this one to see them.


(Below): Others along the edge, smoking sheesha and enjoying the unusually clear view. Just beyond the hill, you can make out part of The Citadel.


(Below): As we were on our way back, parked on a side street, we spotted a Bus in decent condition.








(Below): And again, as we pass it by, VB just misses a red Beetle.

The Alabaster Factory

(Below): Alabaster for sale at The Khan.

A couple of weeks ago, VB wrote about visiting the Alabaster Factory, but focused on an event involving riot police, and an illegally built small house the government was tearing down. Last week she went back for another visit, and got a personal tour of the factory, which is the subject of today's post. BTW, if the photos look whitewashed - they are. When VB left the factory, she had alabaster splattered all over her jeans. It looked as if she had been painting. If you enlarge the photos, you can clearly see alabaster in the workers' hair, and covering their clothing.



(Below 2 Photos): The alabaster filled yard, across the street from the factory.





(Below 2 Photos): The room where the alabaster slabs are cut down in to smaller pieces.




(Below): Hollowing out and shaping a small vase.


(Below): Exterior work.

(Below): The shape maker. This worker is making something that looks like a mushroom. He's holding the top in his hand, and the base is sitting on the work table. The younger family members draw their own designs for many of the items.

(Below): This man is making ridges on a piece of alabaster.

(Below): Another hollowing out, but of larger vases.

(Below): These vases were sold at Restoration Hardware for $49.00 in the USA. They have a sample in the showroom with an actual Restoration Hardware sticker on it! VB did not get a price, but taking a stab at it, these probably cost about 50-70LE (say about $10.00-$14.00.) The fellow with the baseball cap, runs the alabaster shop across from Road 9 Metro, and just underneath Drinkies (Maadi.)

(Below ): These vases are a bit more expensive. This vase has vertical, thinner striations, which is less common. We put an LED light inside, which really shows off the design.

(Below): This pitcher is made from a much lighter, and antique looking alabaster. You can put water in the vase above, but the pitcher below is more porous, and should be used only for decoration.

(Below): The alabaster shop has so many items (lights, vases, candle holders, dishes), but on VB's last visit she found fish. These are great and relatively cheap.

(Below): A slab of alabaster they gave me as a freebie. Now, what to do with it?!

As I was leaving, they also brought me a copy of the September Maadi Messenger Magazine, which had a one page cover article about their factory and shop. The article does not show the factory, but does go into the history of this family business, located in Mokkatam. VB would love to link to the article, but apparently, they are updating their site.

If you're interested, the shop information is:
Luxor Co.
Factory & showroom: First left on the road to A.P.E. - Mokkatam City, Cairo
Shop: Mustafa Kamal St. (Across the street from Metro, and below Drinkies, in Maadi)

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.