Monday, October 30, 2006

Friday, October 27, 2006

Amr Diab .......

Amr Diab is a sensation in Egypt!!! His songs have scorched the music scene here. For a flavour of his songs, check the following website :

http://www.amrdiabworld.com/music.php

Check the song Leily Nahary (2004). Lovely song......with a handful of 'habibi' and very peppy beats thrown in for good measure!!! You can watch the video here

But what you really must watch, especially if you have the patience to...is go through a clip of around 9 minutes of a Live performance in Dubai. Gives one a taste of the language we hear everyday and just the atmosphere of a live performance...check this out!!!

And Egyptian men have a way with their bodies, very feminine at times...the way they move and dance...check it!!!

Enjoy...

Sunday, October 22, 2006

My Arabic vocabulary so far.... ....

Arabic Words that I have picked up in Alexandria:

Shukran: Thank You
Afwan: You are welcome.
Aiwa: Yes
La: No.
Lou Samahht: Please, Kindly...
Alagham: Beside
Alatool: Ahead
Sifar: Zero
Wahad: One
itneen: Two
talata: Three
Arba: Four
Khamsa: Five.
sittah: Six
sabah: Seven
tamani: Eight.
Tehsah:Nine.
Ashara:Ten.
Noos: Half
Oroba: Quarter.
Guinea: Egyptian Pound.
Mumkin: Possible.
Shai: Tea.
Mesh: O.K.
Kholos: Finish.
Izzayak? How are you?
Kwais: I am fine.
Meshfama: Cannot Understand.
Mishkela:Problem.
Mish Mishkela: No problem.
Hena: Here.
Shwaiya : Little bit
Akbar: Big (Remember.. Allah Hu Akbar is Allah the Great!!!)
Bukra: Tomorrow
Sukkar: Sugar
Hatib: Fiancee /Engaged ( very convenient answer...when Egpytian men ask "you married?")
Baladi: Local
Heluwa: Beautiful
Habibti: Lover (when a man refers to his lady love)***Proliferation
of Al Habibi songs in their music channels here!!!
Habibi: " (when a lady refers to her lover)
Makhtaba: Library/Bookshop
Inshallah: God willing!
Hamdulilah: Thanks to God!
Taib : OK
Tabah: sure
Lei: Why?
Fi: Where?
Marhababin: Hello/ Welcome



To be continued.....

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

"Sar Jo Tera Chakraaye"

A lovely song from the old Hindi movie Pyaasa. I love it because it is so spirited.....and a wonderful way of looking at life...


(Sar jo tera chakraaye, ya dil dooba jaaye
Aaja pyaare paas hamaare, kaahe ghabraaye.. kaahe ghabraaye) -2
(Tel mera hai muski, ganj rahe na khuski
Jis ke sar par haath phira doon chamke kismat uski) -2
Sun sun sun, are beta sun, is champi mein bade bade gun -2
Laakh dukhon ki ek dava hai kyoon na aazmaaye
Kaahe ghabraaye, kaahe ghabraaye
Sar jo tera chakraaye..

(Pyar ka hove jhagda, ya business ka ho ragda
Sab lafdon ka bojh hate jab pade haath ik tagda) -2
Sun sun sun, are babu sun, is champi mein bade bade gun -2
Laakh dukhon ki ek dava hai kyoon na aazmaaye
Kaahe ghabraaye, kaahe ghabraaye
Sar jo tera chakraaye..

(Naukar ho ya maalik, leader ho ya public
Apne aage sabhi jhuke hain, kya raja kya sainik) -2
Sun sun sun, are babu sun, is champi mein bade bade gun
Sun sun sun, are raja sun, is champi mein bade bade gun
Laakh dukhon ki ek dava hai kyoon na aazmaaye
Kaahe ghabraaye, kaahe ghabraaye
Sar jo tera chakraaye..

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Ain't No Sunshine by Bill Withers...

Ain't no sunshine when she's gone.
It's not warm when she's away.
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And she's always gone too long anytime she goes away.

Wonder this time where she's gone,
Wonder if she's gone to stay
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And this house just ain't no home anytime she goes away.

And I know, I know, I know, I know, I know,
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know,
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know,
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know

Hey, I ought to leave the young thing alone,
But ain't no sunshine when she's gone, only darkness everyday.
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone,
And this house just ain't no home anytime she goes away.

Anytime she goes away.
Anytime she goes away.
Anytime she goes away.
Anytime she goes away.

Ain't No Sunshine by Bill Withers...

Ain't no sunshine when she's gone.
It's not warm when she's away.
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And she's always gone too long anytime she goes away.

Wonder this time where she's gone,
Wonder if she's gone to stay
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And this house just ain't no home anytime she goes away.

And I know, I know, I know, I know, I know,
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know,
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know,
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know

Hey, I ought to leave the young thing alone,
But ain't no sunshine when she's gone, only darkness everyday.
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone,
And this house just ain't no home anytime she goes away.

Anytime she goes away.
Anytime she goes away.
Anytime she goes away.
Anytime she goes away.

**** Can listen to the song here

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

A few of my favourite things....

1) TEA ( no sugar, no milk). I drink it at any time during the day....with my meals and even before i sleep at night. I have recently discovered a Green Tea with a mild flavour of Lemon....its heavenly!!!!

2) BATA QUO VADIS Sandals (Size 7). They are comfy and smart and basically practical.

3) SILVER (rings,toe rings and ear rings).Silver can be worn everyday...just my kind of thing. I don't like gold. Maybe if I can ever afford it i'd buy a simple Platinum band someday....but till then I am more than happy with Silver!!!

Sunday, October 01, 2006

Social Circus.....

Been thinking about the stalled Peace Process in Assam for a while now. For some time, it seemed that perhaps the ULFA would come round to the negotiating table for talks!!! The Army has resumed its operations against ULFA after the latter resumed its terror tactics (bomb blasts and extortions) in parts of Upper Assam. The Peoples Consultative Group (PCG) which proclaims to be a representative of the Civil Society is just a bunch of U*** hardliners....they do not represent the cause of the civil society or the masses of Assam.They seem to be taking an anti-government stance demanding the release of the top 5 jailed U*** leaders. In a nutshell what they are stating is that the U***'s recent terror tactics are justified because the government has not released the jailed leaders as yet!!! Its an absurd logic in the first place.Why should the government release them ? The bottom line is that U*** and the ilk are not willing to give up their cherished positions. They have amassed huge fortunes....they control most of the drug and small arms trade in the region.

I don't think the Government is serious about the problem either. Its all a Game to keep the money flowing in....in the name of counter-insurgency operations. There are just too many stakeholders .When they begin working in their own interest and when they begin to get swayed by the power of money, the ideological leanings are left far behind. They become opportunists...trying to make hay while the sun shines!!!

In trying to say all of this , I am not negating the fact that the region has faced neglect over the years and that there are REAL problems that have led to the emergence of these movements. But in the face of the current levels of corruption:political,ideolgical and social, I think its high time we evaluate the manner in which the State seeks to provide a solution!!!

There is a good report on Assam by the Centre for Policy Alternatives. The link is
given below:

http://www.cpasind.com/reports/13-Left-Behind-Case-Study-Assam.pdf

*********

Bata in Alexandria....

Ramadan in Alexandria.....

The Majestic Organ in the Church...

Inside the Church...

St. Catherine Church, the oldest Church in Alexandria