Latest Dispatch From A Non-Xian Land

[onager]

Well, ok, Egypt is about 6% Xian, but they're off-brand Coptic Xians with a tiny smattering of Catholics.

It just struck me today, how ODD,..and how GREAT...it has been to spend a month without some assclown like Benny Hinn or Paul Crotch, er, Crouch ranting from the TV set. And no blathering editorials about Jebus miraculously saving a rug-rat in a trailer park while a tornado killed the other 200 residents.

In a move that will horrify my Fox-News-watching cow-irkers/fellow travelers, I just stumbled in from several hours of wandering around some sort of big-ass Egyptian street party that was going on in the park next door. Donkey and horse rides for the kiddies, party hats, tambourines, kazoos and drums. Cotton candy, roasted mangoes and corn on the cob. Loads of fun.

I have no idea what they were celebrating, but it was lots of fun being the only Western Infidel Devil in the crowd. Maybe they're just celebrating the weekend, which is Thursday & Friday here.

Anyway, to repeat myself, people could not have been nicer. They tried to buy me stuff. Gave me their babies to scare (and none of them peed on me!). Kids who are learning English in school wanted to try it out on me. Etc.

I also went wandering thru a big open-air market. Sort of an Arabic Wal-Mart under a huge tent. Same reception there.

(Desperate attempt to be on-topic)

The open-air market had one booth selling HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE! The signs were in Arabic and fragmented English:

Organic Balm For Treatment Of Piles And Problems Of The Rectum (I wondered if it might make Bu$h go away...)

But my absolute favorite was...

Special Natural Treatment For The Enlargement Of Certain Organs

They probably mean the pituitary gland...

[Synnical]

1. You're still there? n/t

[onager]

2. Until Sunday!

I fly out early Monday morning, about 4:30 AM.

[trotsky]

3. LMAO

Please pick me up some of that homeofakery. It's from Egypt, so it must be good!

Hey, I thought all those dark-skinned people just sat around and talked about how they were going to destroy the Great Satan. Has FAUX News been lying to me?!?

[LisaLynne]

4. I think it would do most people good to take such a trip.

When you're ensconced in a culture with a dominant religion, it does start to feel as though everything in the entire world has been influenced by it. Not to mention that you're also pretty much brainwashed into thinking that all the "good" parts of humanity and human nature are because of that religion. Stepping out of that, being around people who aren't of that religion and seeing that they're descent folks, too, is really eye-opening. Of course, the people who really need this particular experience don't travel or when they do, just hang out with other Americans.

[CarbonDate]

5. In the limited time I spent wandering around in Doha, Qatar....

...I noticed much the same thing. It wasn't full of a bunch of jihadists out to kill me, it was just a bunch of Qataris living their lives, and usually trying to sell me stuff. Kind of like in America.

[onager]

6. I'm back home, and mostly alive...

Got back home from Egypt late yesterday. Thanks to everyone for expressing your concern while I was over there.

I will never complain about Los Angeles traffic again...oh, who am I kidding? Sure I will. But at least we don't tailgate each other at 80 mph...

[trotsky]

7. Welcome back, onager.

I'm still jealous that you got to go! But glad you're back in one piece.