HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2004-06-30, Page 5Opinion
Cruising in Cairo no walk in
Camels, I have recently
concluded, might just be my
new favourite animal.
They're comfortable (or at
least, I thought so anyway),
they follow each other (I
wotild have liked to learn to
steer, but I have to leave
something for next time),
and they're incredibly sure
footed.
In fact, all you have to do
is hold on to the saddle horn
for dear life, and they will do
everything for you.
By the time we got to the
camels, I was already well
experienced with holding on
for dear life because the
driving here is crazy.
There are lines, but no one
follows them, speed limits,
which are more or less
ignored, and the only form
of tyaffic control are the
white uniformed military
Tourism and Antiquities
Police who, I am reasonably
certain, join up so that they
can mock tourists.
Car horns are an absolute
necessity. Crossing was
particularly nightmarish. We
were told to do the
following: "Pray to Allah,
close your eyes and hope for
the best." It worked alarming
well when we attempted to
cross six "lanes" and a "u -
turn."
But anyway, camels. As
anyone who has seen Lord of
the Rings with me will tell
you, I am quite good at being
excited. I was particularly
excited in this case because I
was on a camel and the
camel was headed for the
desert and in the desert were
nine monuments I had been
waiting a very long time to
see.
There are nine million
people in Cairo. The city
comes to an abrupt halt
(fence and all) and then the
Kate Johnston
NO' the Middle East
desert stretches away.
We were about 50 metres
away from the city when 1
realized that, aside from the
football game and the
children yelling at us in
Arabic (I think they were
trying to spook the camels),
it was completely quiet. We
could see the city, but it was
as though there was a sound
wall between us.
About then, we came
around a corner, and my
attention was more or less
thoroughly diverted, and I
understood why they didn't
let us drive the camel
ourselves.
We rode in a large circle
and the sun sank low. We
reached a spot where we
could fit all the Pyramids in
one picture, and just as we
got there, the silence of the
city was broken by the call to
Friday service which echoed
from the minarets of Cairo's
many mosques.
There were so many sand
dunes that that we couldn't
even see the city anymore.
and it was quite easy to
pretend that we were the last
people on Earth and could
spend an eternity gazing up
and up at the Pyramids.
It was cooling off by this
point, only about 40 degrees
Centigrade (when we'd
arrived it was 52, causing
ELizabeth to say "52? 1
always thought that was
more of a Fahrenheit kind of
number."), but the sand was
still hot and I got the distinct
impression that the only
thing between us and pure
misery was the breeze that
bore down on us and
threatened to make off with
our hats.
As the last few rays of the
sun shot over the dunes and
we took picture after picture
of the Pyramids as the
cloudless haze made them
look even more surreal,
Cairo exploded with sound
as the people called out their
Friday evening prayers.
It was, quite possibly, the
more amazing moment of
my entire life.
We trotted back towards
Cairo. Ali kept shouting
something at the camels that
comes out phonetically as
"Allah hopi hopa ridah", but
I don't know what it means.
If the first word is in fact
"Allah", however, 1
understand entirely why one
might say it before asking a
camel to trot.
The part of town we rode
through was quite poverty
stricken, but the streets and
cafes were full as they all
watched Eurocup soccer.
Since we were so high up,
no one could reach us, but
several children came up and
pulled the draw string on the
ankle cuff of my pants.
Apparently. it was highly
amusing.
On Saturday, we went
back for the second half of
our tour. We took horses this
time because no one else
liked the camels as much as I
did, but Elizabeth and Kati
rode camels because they
Letter
the park
hadn't come with us the day
before.
My horse was in the lead,
and we took a different
route, so Ali (our guide)
kept yelling directions at
me. We rode for a while,
and then Ali called out
"Through there."
"There?" 1 said
incredulously, pointing at the
three -foot -wide hole in the
fence with a rocky two -foot
drop on the other side. "Yes,
through there."
Thinking "God defend my
little broken body", 1 turned
my (very reluctant) horse
towards the hole.
With a fair bit of
persuasion (and an "Allah
hopi hopa ridah"), we were
hack in the desert again.
This time, we rode right up
to the Pyramid of Chephren
(the one with the alabaster
on the top, and the second
largest).
It's harder than I thought it
would be to describe the
Pyramids in words. I'm not
the first to try, obviously, and
if memory serves me
correctly, Herodotus is
particularly well written, but
words like "unbelievable",
"huge" and "awe inspiring"
just fall short.
We dismounted and
walked the last 100 metres or
so over ground that was too
steep and rocky for the
horses.
I've known for a very long
time (though, to be honest,
when you're standing two
feet from a pyramid, time
seems .to take a vacation),
how large those blocks must
be.
But when 1 reached out to
touch it, it all suddenly
seemed so much more real,
and so much bigger. As
Emma so succinctly put it,
"My life is now complete." •
Fun Day raises $i,600 for Seaforth Public School
From Page 4
A number of times in the
planning stages we worried
about the success of the
event, we worried about the
uncontrollable factors, the
weather, would people want
to do this, would we lose
money.
I am happy to say that all
of those worries were put to
rest on the morning of
Saturday, June 12. The
weather was perfect (though
those of. us who were in the
dunk tank would have liked
less wind and more heat) the
volunteers were fabulous,
with most of them dedicating
their entire day to a specific
task, and we did not lose any
money.
In fact we actually raised
$1,600 and change, which the
council has committed to
putting back into purchases to
enhance the school.
A number of business and
organizations also helped out
the event with donations of
cash and prizes; we would be
remiss in not extending a
heartfelt thank you to those
who went that extra mile for
us.
We also need to thank the
staff of the Seaforth Public.
They assisted with notes
.home and prize collection.
setting up and taking down,
sitting in the dunk tank, and
every other imaginable task.
To Bill and his staff. we tip
our hats, and thank you for
your patience.
I would also like to extend
a thank you and every ounce
of praise to Trish MacGregor
and Estella Higenell. Trish
was the "heart and soul" of
the event and Estella. her
right hand. Without their
dedication and hard work
they day would not have
been.
I thank you: the school
thanks you, the children and
their families thank you!
We hope to see everyone
again! It's a day you will not
want to miss!
Lisa Campbell
Chairperson
Seaforth Public School
Council
Expositor Q&A with Janet Keys
From Page 1
11. What is your
favourite thing about living
in Huron East?
The sense of community,
safeness and security. Both
my husband and I spent some
of our childhood in the city
and we feel very fortunate to
raise our children in rural
Ontario. The same people
you went to school with, sit
behind you at church and
then we sit together again on
the arena on Sunday night.
(Here is my plug for
ringette!) We know a lot of
people, yet continue meeting
new friends too.
12. Least favourite?
Small town gossip.
13. If you could do
anything to improve your
community, what would it
be?
There is always room for
improvement no matter what,
and to think otherwise would
be silly. I'm not a really
political person, so I can't
really comment on the
politics of running things and
improvements there. That left
me looking through previous
Q and A and Todd Chisholm
is right - Tim Horton's would
be a definite asset. I guess
right now, my plug for more
community involvement
within the minor sports -
hockey and ringette - would
be helpful. People are busy
and some have a fear of
adding more to their already
busy lifestyles but come out
and give it a try. It is
rewarding to successfully run
a tournament or fulfill those
fundraising goals. We have a
great system going here, and
without more people, the
system will falter.
14. When and where
would you like to retire?
I would love to spend a lot
of time in Florida in the
winter and then here in the
summer at my aunt's cottage
(soon to be ours) at Kettle
Point.
15. Describe your perfect
day.
My perfect day would he
mid-July, in the morning,
sitting on my veranda at my
aunt's cottage, drinking
coffee and Trevor bringing
back the London Free Press
from the store for me to read
in the sultry, humid, hot
sunlight beaming down.
Then, it would be packing up
for the day and driving down
to the beach to sit in the sun
and read (I usually only read
on holidays) and listen to the
kids playing in the water.
Maybe having a nap on the
lounge chair. Then, floating
(no swimming) with my girls
on the air mattress talking
girl stuff. Maybe having
friends or family drop by for
a day at the beach and drinks
and supper back at the
cottage. I could do this for
weeks, no telephone or
computer or places to be or
go - just us, food, the beach,
family and friends.
16. With whom from
history would you most like
to dine?
This was a little
challenging too. My
grandmother and her sister.
My Mother's mother died
when she was 12 years old. I
wish I knew her because my
whole life I was told how
much I am like her. She had a
twin sister and I would love
to dine with them and discuss
my family's history her and
in England.
17. What is your
favourite food?
Besides potato chips? It
would have to he my sister-
in-law's stir -fry or my
mother-in-law's ribs.
Actually, my favourite food.
is anything I don't prepare.
18. If you could be a
superhero, who would you
be?
The only "girl -like"
superhero I could think 01
would he Wonder Woman. I
dressed up like her for
Halloween when I was nine
or 10. Again. that much for
the superhero thing.
19. What is your greatest
fear?
I have always had a fear of
my house burning down, or
being ripped apart by a
tornado and losing
everything to natural disaster.
I think I've had that fear for
so long because my mother's
house burned down when she
was a child and they had
nothing left but the shirts on
their backs.
20. What is your happiest
memory?
Besides three special dates
that come to mind - Oct. 1,
1988, July 21, 1991 and July
28, 1994, a few other things
pop up. The first day of
Kindergarten for all my kids
and now as they are older the
last day of school seems to be
a happy one too. Watching
them learn how to skate and
then the first goal they scored
in hockey and ringette.
Taking the girls to Walt
Disney World when they
were five. Hearing my
nephews and niece call me
"Auntie Janet." Seeing old
friends and meeting new
ones. I am especially thankful
to iiave more than one happy
memory and blessed to have
more happy ones than sad
ones.
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•
..,•
_HEALTH ON THE HILL_
A Review of activities at
SEAFORTH COMMUNITY HOSPITAL.
Retirement: It is with regret that we acknowledge the
announcement of Dr. Ken Rodney's retirement from active
medical practice effective July 30. 2004. Dr. Rodney's surgical
expertise and dedicated service to the community in excess of 25
years will be greatly missed. We extend our sincere best wishes
for a lengthy and fulfilling happy retirement.
Seaforth Hospital Gift Shop Summer Sale; July 1-31, 2004 -
all merchandise (excluding confectionery) 50% off including
fashions by Dagoli, and Battenburg nighties and aprons. Hours:
Monday to Friday 11:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m. and 6:00-8:00 p.m.;
Saturday and Sunday 11:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Memorial Tree: the Seaforth Horticultural Society recently
planted a tree on the hospital property in loving memory of the
Society's founder, Dr. Roger Whitman who also provided many
years of medical service to the community.
Volunteer Appreciation Tea: in recognition and celebration of
the many contributions made by all our Seaforth Community
Hospital Volunteers, a tea was held in their honour June 15th at
the Seaforth Legion Hall. We look forward to a continued
relationship with these special. dedicated and loyal individuals
who continue to invest their time and talents toward the
betterment of healthcare for our patients and the community.
Church
Services
St. Thomas
Anglican Church
A Congregation of the Pansh of Thd
Holy spat
Jervis St. Seaforth
Fr Michael Atkins Parish Office 527.1522
Sunday, July 4
The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
Worship al 9:30 am
Catholic Church
St. James RC Church
14 Victoria Street, Seaforth
527-0142
Weekend Masses: Sat 5:15 pm
Sun. 11:00 am
St. Columban RC Church
Saturday Mass at 7:30 pm
Father Lance Magdziak
Bethel Bible Church
An Associated Gospel Church
126 Main St. Seaforth
527-0982
Sunday School 9:45 am
Sunday Worship Hour 11 am
Jim Wyllie - Pastor
Youth Group Tues. 7 p.m.
Egmondville
United Church
Worship 10:30 am
Sunday July 4
Steve Hildebrand Lay Pastoral
Minister In Training
Everyone Welcome
NORTHSIDE - CAVAN
UNITED CHURCHES
Cavan 9:30 a.m. 11:00 a.m. Northside
Winthrop 54 Goderich St W
Minister Rev. John Gould
No services at Cavan or Northside
for the month of July
Vacation Bible School at
Northside July 19-23.
For info call Susan 527-0127
First Presbyterian
Church
Goderich St. W., Seaforth
Minister Rev. Henry Huberts
Sunday, July 4
11:15 am
Please note that we will be open
for services in July and August.
Visitors are most welcome,
Activities for children will be provided,
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