FRIDAYS FAVE FIVE

All good things come to an end, and our last week had started.




In not even two days the tent for the Christmas and New Years festivities were finished.



While we went to the big shopping mall Cleopatra, we saw Christmas decorations on the street. The locals or tourists, just enjoy the funny father Christmas, the beautiful fake Christmas trees, the garlands and the lights



We bought some bits and pieces for Christmas or just as gifts there were such beautiful things which you don't find in Europe or other Western countries.



I watched a young man who filled in glass bottles with colored sand and made little camels or other things with the sand. Amazing to watch that, I had seen it already but it always surprises me how they do it.



In our hotel too each day we discovered more decoration. The Christmas tree hadn't arrived yet, they had ordered a new one apparently.

On our last two evenings Nicole and I watched an Oriental Show in the evening and one where couples from the hotel had to do funny things.



This was a dancer on stilts, it looked just beautiful when he canced



Then a very nice belly dancer





A Dervich who whirled around



and the couples, where the woman had to make a mummy out of her husband with ... toilet paper ! I assure you it's really very funny. An English couple won.

On the last day there was again a fruit festival, this time with strawberries, ! Delicious.



These strawberries taste the sunshine and the other fruits too !

And then we had to leave. Our flight was only at 8.30 pm so we had the whole day at the beach, but we stayed at the pool not to import tons of sand with us in our suitcases. I had asked if it would be possible to keep one room until 5 pm, and of course I got it, I am such a good client !

The bus picked us up at 6 pm and we said good bye to Hurghada.



Last view out of my window.

The flight was quiet without airholes and we arrived punctually at 10 past 1 am in Brussels, were the streets were white with frost ! Our taxi was waiting for us and drove us home. I was in bed at 3.30 am !



And here is my view this morning ! Fortunately the sun is shining but it is cold !! So I feel a little upside down, half here, half in Egypt and I am dressed for the north pole !

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

Belly dancing in Hurghada, Egypt






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and Image-in-ing



And today my holidays in this wonderful place are finished. I fly home this late afternoon



Good bye to my winter residence, to the blue sea, the blue sky and ..... my love Oscar !!

MY WEEKEND OF MARCH 22

This weekend was also the last days of my sunshine cure in Djerba. While I was busy with my computer



a group of dancers arrived and changed into their costumes. I was discreet enough not to take pictures while they were undressed. I was even surprised that they didn't even hide or ask me to go away. One woman had such a big belly that I could have sworn she was pregnant, but she wasn't. Her belly was enormous. One of the men had to hold the long scarf she draped around or rather under her belly and he had to pull hard until she finally got into the dress. What did we laugh, the girl from the animation team (in pink in the background) and I.

After supper the show began with a wedding ceremony.



The "girls" danced with baskets, can't tell you why, from where I was with this loud music I could hardly understand the guy who explained in a mixture of French and German the whole ceremony to the guests.



Then one danced with a jar on her head and another one a wedding dance.





To end the show there was the traditional belly dance. Before all guests stormed the bar and started to dance too, I escaped to my room and continued to read my book.



The next day I said good bye to my girls who had been such a nice company for me and from whom I learned so much about the life on Djerba. I haven't seen many women wearing scarfs, only the once who  cleaned the rooms or outside, but this was more to protect themselves from the dust and sunshine, as our grandmas did when they worked on the fields and not for religious purposes. The female employes of the hotel were dressed in suits and looked very elegant.

I took a last picture of the hotel and the swimming pool where I had spent so many hours and head read two books !



I also fed my little friend for the last time, with sausage slices and turkey, he was such a sweet cat, his half bitten off tail had healed and the wound on his back looked much better. I was not the only one who fed him !

On Sunday morning I had to get up at 3.30 am ! The hotel had even prepared a breakfast for us but I couldn't eat anything so early and just had coffee. The bus made a tour to other hotels and picked up other guests and we arrived finally at the airport at 6.30 am. To get us out of Tunisia it went very quick, not like when we came in. They hardly checked the luggage and had a glance on our passports and we went through.



As the flight was only at 7.30 am, I had time to look a bit into the tax free shops. But there was nothing special to  buy, it only looked very colorful.

In the airplane it was freezing cold  and we all kept our coats on !  I finally asked if they couldn't turn on the heating a little more and after a while the temperature was better. The flight was smooth and we even arrived half an hour earlier.

Mr. G. was waiting for me and told me everything what had happened meanwhile, most of it was concerning our cats !  I think he had good holidays too.

The rest of the day I was feeling a little upside down and didn't even unpack my suitcase. It's such a difference being back in this grey and cold weather.

BELLY DANCING, AND WHIRLING DERVISHS,

Since I discovered the Internet café I had to change my blogging hours ! Now my day starts with breakfast, laying on the beach, swimming, Yoga on the grass, lunch, swimming, reading, then I return to my room to take a shower and prepare pictures and text for the post of the day, before I go down to my Internet café.



which is on the way to the restaurant.

Yesterday evening we attended a show again, this time it was belly dancing and a whirling Dervish. As we have seen this so often Dominique and I didn't find them very good, they danced too mechanical. But we had fun with the animation team, who tried to do their best to entertain the guests !



The start was very good, she danced around swinging a golden cloth



Then she throw the cloth in a corner and started belly dancing



Then we watched the Dervish whirling around !

Today the weather was cloudy for once when I got up at 6.30 am (!) everything looked grey, but warm, already 25 °C. So we started our day as usual.





As usual mostly Germans put something on the beach beds very early before you get the beach towels at 8 am, some of them even keep the old towels to be sure to get the best places. For that sometimes they are already on the beach at 6 am or even before and then they return in their beds ! Some Easter country people do that too, and we the others have difficulties to find a nice place ! It's useless to complain or explain. They only get angry.



The sea was quiet rough, but the painter continued to paint the rocks in a nice yellow ocher it was difficult to keep the balance on the dancing boat !



The ships were dancing around too !




The decoration in the in the reception hall had been changed and new flowers were in the vases !
Everywhere the flower decoration if very beautiful ! Real artists !

We had a funny "adventure" with an elderly lady who suddenly stood in Nicole's bathroom when she was naked as Good had created her  ! but that's a story for tomorrow !

Tonight we intend to go to Hurghada city center and do some shopping.

WHAT DID YOU DO THIS WEEKEND ?

Helps you to remember what you have done on the weekend of October 23. You never know if you need an alibi ! If you participate please put the little logo on the top of your post and leave your link.

My weekend is like all the days in last week and will be the next week too, until I fly back on next Sunday.

Observing people is a big work when you are at the beach.




I saw some very touching scenes, like this very old lady who sat in a wheelchair, but with the help of her nurse could sit in the warm salty water and enjoy the waves. Besides the little children building sandcastles and having fun too.


I did a lot of swimming and of course ate a lot too, the food is delicious and it is not the moment to do any diet.



Each evening we have a show at the swimming pool or in the Disco, and on Saturday night it was an Egyptian show with wonderful costumes and dances.


Dina looking for new clients on the beach

On Sunday it was the same whole day, watching people and chatting with Dina and her friend, they are both working in the beauty shop and do massages. They are such nice girls and are always coming to say hello and to chat.



The Belly Dancer



and the little boys

Sunday evening was a Belly Dancing show which was very nice, so funny to see the little boys yawning and keeping their hands on the ears, they didn't appreciate the round shapes of the lady yet.

After the Belly Dance came a whirling Dervich.



It was really crazy to see him whirling around without getting dizzy ! But then came his 8 year old son and danced exactly like him and then they danced together !



it was just amazing. I was speechless to see this little guy turning and turning. I made a video and I will show it when I am at home again.



The 8 year old Whirling Dervish