رائع

The word رائع (ra’ie<3>) means gorgeous and that is how the weather has been in Gouna the last two days.

I have only 13 full days left in Egypt, then I return to America.

My thoughts are already there, though I am enjoying immensely these last two weeks here.

I went to Mood’s yesterday for lunch, and met only the second American I have encountered on this 7 month journey; first there was a fellow who also comes from NYC, and then yesterday it was a man from Ohio who is married to an Egyptian woman.

We talked for two hours, about many things, including the grotesque buffoon currently stinking up the White House, as everyone was following the match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace, and there were cheers when Salah scored the winning goal, with the beautiful Red Sea and marina as a backdrop. The big match for me will be Real Madrid vs Juventus, on Tuesday at 8:45 PM. I will go to San Siro in Downtown to watch that epic clash.

I also saw at Moods a young German male shep who of course reminded me of Perfection, our lovely sheppie that died late last year.

When I came back home, I found this poor bird that had flown into the huge living room window and alas was not moving.

At first I thought it was just pining for the fjords, but then I realized it was deceased.

I hope all the other birds that live in the birdhouse that’s on the back porch are more careful.

Meanwhile, I’m toying with the idea of buying a ticket to see The Band’s Visit on Broadway. This would be for the Sunday 15th of April matinee show.

Usually I looked down on matinees (the blue haired crowd, etc) but I’m jonesing to see this musical, despite how it seems that the Egyptian roles seem to be have reduced to spectators, while the actors playing Israelis steal the show — not the first time they have stolen anything, of course: they just killed 17 Gazeans to prove it: lives, land, to them, what’s the diff? But with Tony Shaloub no longer in the cast, I’m not sure.

Just walking down 47th street again (where the Barrymore theater is located) would be a thrill, even if I don’t go see it, as I truly love NY, minus the Tel Aviv West aspect of it, and am, and will always be, a New Yorker, a marginalized immigrant who literally came off a boat on Pier 57 with not a dime in his pockets — which is about as New York as it gets.

I am looking forward to returning to my adopted country.

There is a sweeping cultural change afoot, and I want to be there for it, as we attempt to eliminate the unfair advantage America’s electoral system gives to rurality.