Dawn Chorus

Awoken at 5am (30 June) by the normal dawn chorus - one of the advantages of living in a Cairo suburb where the trees mingle among the towering apartment blocks.  The soothing noise is soon to be broken by the planes landing at the international airport - with fewer passengers than those planes leaving,  the metro train horn becoming more prominent as a warning to those crossing the track on foot, and soon the voices of the street hawkers calling out above the general noise of this hectic city.  From our 1st floor balcony I notice a solitary policeman in his gleaming white summer uniform walking towards the metro station - I hope it is as clean  this evening when he returns home.  Overnight the opposing political crowds have been gathering - both protests have been relatively peaceful but when they come into contact with each other what will be the reaction?  Both sides have planned peaceful protests but in reality this rarely happens.  I am reminded of a Graham Kendrick song: 'Go do something beautiful...' - just like our little 'warbler' friend. P

Top Score - 8

Travelling around Cairo can be extremely slow and boring so car games help to pass the time.  We often travel with another family and in the endless queues the children sometimes wave to people to see who can get the most responses.  There are many other car games that I'm sure you know but I think that points for number of passengers on the next motor-bike would be boring in most countries.  Being a motor-cyclist for many years I can't imagine how this guy manages to ride like this, especially if you take into account the chaotic surrounding traffic.  Not sure what he will do as the children grow older or if he has another child! P