Luxor.... wahastini

how strange??!!!!?? LOL

who knows me, really does not wonder about that! So why should I myself wonder , that for me 1 week in Egypt feels like 1 or even 2 month there?!?

It is really strange, but as soon I get my feet on egyptian ground, it's like coming home and believe me, THAT'S a hudge feeling (think you know it!)

To see all my friends again, spend some time together while drinking a cup of egyptian shai (love it).

Oooooh yeah.... egyptian shai! You know what I wait most on my way to Egypt after a long time I was not there? My first cup of egyptian shai on the airplane LOL, sounds weird, ok, it's tea on an airplane, BUT it gives you the first „hmmmmm“-feeling before you arrive.

Back to my friends.... I love them all, they are so nice, so friendly, so funny. We have lots of talking and laughing about and we all love dancing and music. And the best of all, there is always some party out there, were we can go to and have fun!

Don't believe it? Next november you will see with your own eyes... just join me in Luxor on Eshta!!! dance retreat :-) you will love it! PROMISE!!

here my friend Mohamed's restaurant "Nile View" in Westbank

the best food ever :-) sooooo delicious

Eshta!!! 2013 - here are Stefania, Omar, Gabriele, me and Maria

Kaf Saidi from Upper Egypt

Ok.... you already know, that I love egyptian dance. As soon as I hear some music, I cannot stand still. I have to go up and dance.

Kaf Saidi is a typical dance of Upper Egypt. Kaf means "hand" and also "klapping". So, as the word says, kaf saidi is a dance using mostly klapping hands. Years before, kaf saidi used to be danced at different celebrations, maybe a wedding party. But the men who danced kaf saidi, were not professional dancers; they went to the party as friends and just to make some fun and to celebrate together with the people, they began dancing. Kaf saidi is danced by a small group of people forming a line. There is the leader in the center and outside you finde the "kafafa" - so are called the men on the two sides, following the movements of the leader.
Kaf saidi is danced basically to drum music - normally are used frame drums.

During our dance retreat we NEVER EVER will miss a kaf saidi at a hafla in the evening, because it is too funny and it makes you just feel good :-)

 
 

Welcome to Luxor

What can I say... I LOVE IT.... but guess you know it already LOL....

I am here only for four days now, but it seems to me as I would have been here since couple of weeks. I feel so comfortable here, that time flies. I adore seeing my friends again, hanging around, talking and drinking some shai masr... or maybe you prefer some helba or gensebil?
 Anyway I am not only relaxing, I spend this special week together with my dear friend and teacher Sahra C. Kent, as I already wrote in a post. She came here to continue her research work about egyptian folklore and I am happy beeing around with her and sharing all these moments.

We already had a full calendar.... saturday there was a small celebration for the new president here in Al Beirat (anyway they are celebrating all over the country) with a live mizmar band, horse dance and tahtib. GREAT.

Our first day could not be better!!!

One more night to sleep....

.... and tomorrow.....

yes! back to Luxor! Can't wait to be there again - ok, I was there 3 month ago, but, who ever was in Egypt knows, that since the first time you place your feet on egyptian ground, you will loose your heart (at least a piece of it) over there and so you have to come back again and again and.... again.

But this time it will be a completely different experience for me. I'll spend a week with my dear friend and teacher Sahra C. Kent, a wonderful person, with a big heart and a delightful personality, who also loves Egypt (and all about it) from the inside out.

What we plan to do? Yay, Sahra wants to continue her research work for egyptian dance, music and culture in Upper Egypt, which she already is doing for many many years now and I am soooo happy to be there with her. THIS will be an AMAZING week.

So, stay tuned this week and join me and Sahra on our adventure :-)

jumping around in the garden of Winter Palace Hotel (ops - don't tell anybody)

you want to find out more about Sahra's research and what she found out about egyptian dance? so watch out her blog!!
Sahra C. Kent's blog about her research work