Alexandria library

At last, after one year of living in Alexandria, I went to Alexandria library. Egyptians are very proud of it and they have all reasons to be proud. They put a lot of efforts to keep all premises clean. You can always, at any time of day can see people wiping floor, glass roof, passages. So, it is modern, shiny, full of culture and people. The library occupies a very large area with many other facilities in addition to book repository: a lecture theater, museums, planetarium, a restaurant, café... There is an entrée fee, by the way. It’s 4 Egyptian pounds for Egyptians and EP 10 for non-Egyptians. Plus, all belongings like bag or purse must be left in lockers. That is why if you decide to visit the library wear something with pockets to carry with you a cell phone and money. There is a nice book shop in the library that sells also nice souvenirs. I was unable to buy any although there were some attractive items because my purse was locked in a locker.

To cut it short, I took some pictures of the library. Have a look.



1. Front side of the library.



2. Part of glass roof that is wiped regularly by employees to allow light inside.



3. People admiring the view of the roof.



4. Bust of Aleksander Makedonski with Planetarium dome on the background



5. Monument in front of the library


6. Same monument from the library site

So frequently I hear how young girls with plenty of insecurities and low esteem go into modeling and acting. The latest example is Demi Moore (program “True Hollywood story)”. It’s just totally contradicts my perception of models. I’ve always believed that they are self-centered and confident girls. A girl who does not like her looks goes for auditions and photo shoots? Sounds very strange!

My first flowers

I am so proud of myself: my flowers are blooming! At last!

My main pride is pelargonium (pelargonia or geranium). I’ve grown it from seeds that I brought last year. I sowed them in April, found the first bud few days ago and yesterday it opened.



Tradescantia is another currently flowering plant. It has small pink flowers and dark violet leaves. At first, I kept it indoors. Then, I decided to try its survivability and moved it outside to my balcony. Just within one weeks leaves thickened and leaves got covered with woolly hairs. The conclusion is obvious – it grows better outdoors.



And finally, my succulents. They have been my favorites for many years. I love them because they do not need a lot of attention. And my current location provides them with so needed light, sun and air.

How to clean your house

Well, we all do it differently. There are even recommendations how to complete all cleaning in 19 minutes (found it on internet once). I found fascinating the description of routine used to clean a house In England in fifteenth century. Here it is:

“She'd driven the staff and herself hard, so that every corner of… house was properly scoured with hot water, finely ground cold ash from the fires and good fat soap she'd made herself. The windows had been polished with vinegar and three-day urine until they winked and flashed in the pale spring sunlight, and the expensive collection of silver chargers in the hall, and the pewter vessels in the kitchen, had been carefully buffed with a paste of the finest river sand, pounded hard in a pestle to make it finer still, before it was mixed with alum and more vinegar.

All the room hangings, had been beaten outside in the heber, the linen in the bedrooms boiled and blanched and hung out over the budding hedges in the kitchen garden - just coming into leaf - to dry in the last of the blustery weather; and the fine Turkish carpets were scattered with dampened sawdust before being vigorously shaken and beaten in their turn and hung back up on the walls.

Now the whole house smelled sweetly of beeswax polish and the fresh spring flowers placed in all the public rooms, and Deborah had gone to bed the previous night with a satisfied feeling that much had been accomplished.”

p. 80
The Exiled by Posie Graeme-Evans

Life does not work this way

Just learned that a 15-year old boy through himself out of a window. How often teenagers after being burned out in a relationship imagine: “I am laying in my coffin, still and beautiful/masculine; family and friends are crying their hearts out. Then, HE/SHE will realize what he/she has lost!” But in life it does not work this way. Anyone with some brain should be aware that once the funeral is over everyone goes back to day-to-day routine trying to move on, avoiding feeling of remorse, starting new relationship… Life goes on. And the only people who will never forget, people who will get up and go to bed thinking of you are parents. Everyone should remember this.

Cairo

People often say that Cairo is overcrowded city. Traffic is too heavy, too many people, smog. But there are nice places in this monster. Here are two photos - view from my windows.

Cairo silhouettes

Fascinating photo of Cairo (via Drugoi ) . Strange combination of a mosque, a Christian church, and satellite dishes.