07.31.09
Chain of Hope!
A few days ago I watched an interview by Al 3ashera masa2an TV show with Sir Magdi Yacoub, the famous Egyptian heart surgeon, from Aswan where a team of 25 healthcare professionals led by Dr. Magdi, including intensive care nurses, intensive care doctors, Biomedical engineers, technicians, cardiologists and surgeons travelled at the beginning of April to conduct the first ever open heart surgery in Aswan… The outstanding global center is said to be for research, training as well as treatment in the field of heart diseases…
Being the modest he had always been, Yacoub never wanted to be in the limelight, nor did he seek posts or positions… Even when he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II, he was as humble as ever… and I cannot describe how crystal clear this was through his talks during the interview…
“Chains of Hope” association that adopts the heart surgeries medical center in Aswan, was established by Sir Magdi Yacoub to perform free heart surgeries for the poor children and adults in Africa, Asia and other parts of the world. He decided to perform such surgeries regardless of the patients’ sex, race, color, or religion… all free of charge!
Being faithful to his own country, Yacoub gave special care and more attention to Egypt, and he repeatedly refused to take his personal fees from Egyptians, especially the poor. His activities extended from Cairo until it finally reached Aswan where he eventually established the new medical center specialized in heart surgeries through his “Chain of Hopes”…
An amazing positive vibe for me…
All the best,
Rou…
07.28.09
High on “Praxa”!
Tayeb, if I ignored the fact that the show started almost an hour late, I would say that this was one of the most enjoyable nights I have spent lately…
Today I had the chance to experience the amazing musical play “Praxa”, by “Theatroe” group, hosted by the Cairo Opera House…
All the way through a very interesting and comic prism, this musical play succeeded in making you feel you were back in time and place to the year 400 BC in Athens, through the outstanding scenography and décor of the talented Mahmoud Samy… A BIG applause for one of the best décor I have seen on stage before…
Another HUGE applause goes for the amazing Hisham Gabr, for a marvelous music composition that takes you to the higher highs and lowers lows of moods depending on the sequence of events in the play…
Chapeaux to the excellent performance of the main characters in particular, and to all the actors in general… the efforts exerted are obvious… you all did a great job!
I particularly loved the roles of “Abocrat”, “Herominos”, “Belbros”, and “Cremmes” performed by “Rushdi El Shamy”, “Elhamy Amin”, “Ahmed Thabet”, and “Khaled Ibrahim” correspondingly… *
Guys, seriously this is a must see play; don’t miss the chance of watching it!
Ati, thanks for the invitations, my best to Hisham!
Beautiful Evening,
Rou…
* I’m sure I misspelled the characters’ names above, so forgive me in this, I’m not a greek! 
07.14.09
UP!
Never had I imagined that an animated movie would touch me as such… well… I caught myself getting really sentimental after almost 5 minutes of watching one remarkable animated movie, and it was only then that I knew how come it was chosen to be played in the opening ceremony of Cannes Film Festival …
I’m talking about the delightful animated movie “UP”…
With a loving widower old man (Carl) and a curious young kid (Russell) as the main heroes of the movie, there’s a surprising heartfelt emotion that seems to be flowing all through the movie… Stunning and colorful imagery along with an astounding music, taking you into a gentle ride that makes you at times almost flying with them, and touching the skies and landscape of the movie…
It’s not very common to have such an old man as the main hero of an animated movie… it’s pretty obvious to you at the beginning of the movie that the years have done a lot to that old sad man, to his spirit even more than to his body, to the extent that you can see the corners of his mouth almost pointing down, as if he is desperately wilting into earth…
I can’t really describe how much the early scenes of the movie, which tell Carl’s story and his love to Ellie and the couple’s dreams and disappointments with extraordinary tenderness, were touching… and yet how breathtaking were the later scenes of the movie with Carl’s bravery and adventurous spirit…
The idea of a flying house was more than amusing, where a huge bouquet of thousands of balloons sends Carl and his house soaring into the skies and into an adventurous trip to South America, to that one place that he used to dream of all through the years of his life with his beloved wife…
“Up” is a pretty engrossing movie that gives you a noticeable emotional impact of the beautiful wordless life of a lonely old man, opening up new routes in life to him and consequently to those who thought they were stuck in their loneliness…
I just loved it!
Rou…
07.13.09
أنثى
معان للحب… و معان أخرى للحيرة…
أعاصير و حروب و ثورات…
في 13 يوليو 2009
07.10.09
On the charm of history… A 100 years of Egypt!
I just finished one amazing night watching one remarkable documentary movie written and directed by Dr. Madkour Thabet, documenting the history of a nation in a time of 100 years…
100 years of Egypt in one movie that lasted for more than 2 hours… I’m talking about: “سحر ما فات في كنوز المرئيات” documentary movie…
The exciting thing about this is the fact that it was screened on the “old-new” TV show; “نادي السينما”… presented by the superb Doreya Sharaf El Din…
If you’re one of the followers of Mona Al Shazly’s TV show “العاشرة مساءً”, you would have probably watched her episode hosting Doreya Sharaf El Din, in which the latter was offered, live on air, to revive her amazing TV show on Dream TV …
I can’t describe how much I was excited about this, mostly because this woman seriously had generations raised on watching her TV show among other limited programs at that time when the week was divided into days identified by certain programs that one used to wait for and anticipate the flow of info she used to provide before the movie…
Cinema Club was never about a movie showed on TV, but rather it was about a history of a movie, and info that you enjoy listening to as much as you enjoy watching the movie itself… I’m just glad it’s back in show!
Back to the movie itself ba2a… well… what can I say…
A full coverage of Egypt’s history from 1897 to the late 1990s… From Ismail Pasha, till Mubarak… At times you will see same angels of screening… but different people… different scenes… The amazing thing about it, is that it’s not only about scenes… it’s also about the amount of info given throughout the movie… in all aspects of our history…
Amazing and rare scenes from the late years of the 19th century; a 1898 scenes of “Al Bosat Al Moqaddas” caravan, Qasr El Nil bridge, Soliman Pasha Square, Opera House, Azbakeya Garden, Attaba Square, Sayeda Zaynab Square, Mohamed Ali square and Mahatet el Raml in Alexandria, AL Qanater, the island of Zamalek…
Pyramids and Sphinx, Saqqara, A boat trip in the Nile, tourists at Meet Raheena village; where the famous Ramses status was laid on the ground, before putting it in Ramses square 60 years after….
Kum Ombo, the first Israeli colony in Egypt, where the Jews bought its land for 20 pilasters per Fadden…
Abdeen square after 25 years from its construction during Abbas Hilmy II reign, Parade of Abbas Hilmy II…
Moving to some outstanding scenes during the 20th century… Denshway, return of Saad Zaghloul from exile in 1923 and people’s celebrations… Mustafa AL Nahaas, and Alwafd… the reign of King Fouad in 1932… Arrival of 16 years old Farouk to Egypt in 1936 after his father’s death, and the people’s celebrations… Formal celebration in Abdeen square for Farouk…
Different scenes of Egypt during the 40s and the 50s… Groppi and downtown, Streets, Egypt’s railway station…Horse races, Cotton scenes…First Arab summit with King Farouk in 1946… Division of Palestine in 1948… Farewell of the Egyptian army heading to Palestine in 1948… Gaza people receiving the Egyptian army…War scenes in 1948… Israeli captives during the 1948 war…King Farouk in the front in Palestine during the cease fire phase…
King Abdallah of Jordon visit to Egypt visiting the injured in Cairo hospitals… Princesses wearing military cloths and visiting the injured with Farouk…
Fallujah siege scenes… Hedar Pasha in Fallujah with the army… Officer Nasser in the scenes… Fallujah martyrs names… Celebrations of Fallujah heroes…
1952 revolt and Farouk’s leave on Al Mahrousa…
Mohamed Nageeb speech and the oath by Abd el Hakeem Amer and the army… Gamal Abd el Nasser speech after he became the president…
Nile flood… High Dam building scenes…
The 1956 war…
Abd El Nasser during the Arab Republic… and visiting Al Golan heights…
The 1967 relapse… The War of Attrition… Nasser at the front…
Nasser death and funeral passing by Qasr El Nil bridge…
October war 1973 real scenes… not the poor ones we always see in movies… Sadat and the victorious troops… Reopening of the Suez Canal…
Mubarak rules… Getting Taba back… Toshka project… Al Salam Canal…
Princess Diana in Cairo…
A FULL coverage of Egypt’s recent history in 2 hours… amazing narrations in the background… heartfelt music played with every scene…
In short… A must see documentary movie! Don’t miss the replay tomorrow!
Blissful Night,
Rou…
07.09.09
On my reading habits…
Rou…
07.08.09
… now a somebody else’s dream…
Did you see “what women want” movie?
Well… yesterday I felt just the same as Helen Hunt in the movie… that somebody is talking my mind out! Somebody is stealing away my lifetime dream…
My dream is no longer mine… Somebody else took it from me… and turned it into reality… with almost the very same tiny details…
I’m really feeling down!
Rou…
07.05.09
نوستالجيا
من يقصد الكروم…؟
من يملأ السلال…؟
من يقطف الدوالي…؟!”
لكم أفتقد قراءة الخطابات المكتوبة على ورق… ملمسها و رائحتها… لكم أفتقد نشوة إنتظار الخطاب و فرحة إستقباله… أكره تلك الكائنات متبلدة الإحساس التي حولتنا إليها التكنولوجيا… لا أتحمل برامج الدردشة على وجه التحديد… أكره ذلك الإحساس بأني أبتسم لشاشة و أضحك لجماد وليس لبشر… أكثر ما أكرهه في هذه البرامج هذا الكم من الكلمات المختصرة الذي يستخدمه الناس… دائماً ما أتساءل كيف تتحول ضحكة صافية من القلب إلى ثلاثة حروف، “LOL”…
أتوقف عن كتابة الرد على إحدى الرسائل و أخرج إلى الشرفة في محاولة يائسة لإستنشاق هواء الليل المنعش… لا أحب شهور الصيف على الإطلاق… يضعاني الحر و الرطوبة في أسوأ حالاتي المزاجية… و لذلك أتحول في هذه الفترة من العام إلى مخلوق ليلي تواق إلى نسمات المساء الناعمة… أنظر إلى السماء الصافية المليئة بالنجوم بعيدة المنال بينما عيناي تفتش باستماتة عن بقايا غيوم قد تحمل لي معها وعد بليلة باردة… و لا أجد أي منها فأتنهد في سكون و أعود إلى الغرفة محتضنة طيفي…
“بعدنا…
هل تنزل النجوم…
تلهو على التلال…
في هدأة الليالي…؟!”
تسيطر علي الرغبة في السير على قدماي فلا أقاومها… أغادر المنزل لأتجول في الشوارع المجاورة لبيتي حاملة بين خطواتي الذكريات من شارع إلى آخر … نصف عمري تقريباً تحمل ذكرياته تلك الشوارع… بينما نصفها الآخر تحمله شوارع مصر الجديدة حيث يقبع “بيت العيلة” ذاك و “بيت العيلة” الآخر و منزلنا القديم… منذ بضعة أيام كنت أحادث أمي كيف أنه من الغريب أنني كنت مرتبطة نفسياً بمنزل جدتي أكثر من منزلنا القديم… لازلت أذكر ليالي الخميس بمنزلها حيث يتجمع الأبناء و الأحفاد… لازلت أذكر طعم “فطيرة السكر” أثناء لعب “أسطول” و “أتوبيس كومبليه” بالمساء… حتى الألعاب إختلفت هذه الأيام… إذا سألت طفل الآن عن لعبة “تيرو” سوف يسألك بمنتهى البراءة “دي في بلاي ستيشن 1 ولا 2…؟”…
“في سفحنا الريان…
يرف سحر الغصون…
وساحة الأظلال في سجوها طيب حنون…”
إستمريت بالتجول بين الشوارع الجانبية الضيقة لأرض الجولف حتى وصلت إلى شارع بعينه… و توقفت أمام ذلك المبنى الذي كان يمثل حدود الحياة بالنسبة إلي في يوم ما… مدرستي… جلست على الرصيف المقابل لها و بداخلي تدفقت الذكريات بصورة غير مسبوقة، فقط لتتحول في النهاية إلى إبتسامة واسعة تغطي نصف وجهي… عرجت على الحديقة المجاورة في طريق عودتي للمنزل وأنا أتذكر وجوه المدرسين و أسماؤهم… لا أنكر أبداً أن منهم من شكل بداخلي مبادئ أساسية لازلت أحملها بداخلي إلى لحظة كتابة هذه السطور… و أتساءل، أمن الممكن أن يتذكروني كما أذكرهم…؟
“أرضنا هنا وربعنا…
وحيث همنا وانتشينا…
سحرها لنا وحلمنا…
فإن رحلنا ومضينا…
بعدنا…”
أعود براحة نفس وسكون روح إلى أوراقي و كتبي و هاتفي المحمول و جهاز الكمبيوتر قبل أن يلفني سكن الليل وينقلني إلى عالم آخر من الأحلام و الذكريات… أغرق ثانية بين الخطابات و الكتابات و صوت فيروز الشجي حتى يشق الصباح عتمة الليل فأخرج إلى الشرفة… أنظر إلى المدينة الهادئة النائمة من حولي… أرتشف الشاى الأخضر بالنعناع… و أحلم بالحب والمستقبل… الأجمل… ربما…
مين عارف؟! مش يمكن؟!
صباحك أجمل يا مصر…
رحاب رجائي
في 5 يوليو 2009
07.02.09
Of Satisfaction…
A beautiful lady and a dear friend shared with me and other friends her story with cancer… I can’t start describing how her story made me feel… it brought tears into my eyes, and am not ashamed to say this out loud… and the real reason behind this actually, is not only because of the very touching experience she has encountered and allow me to say prevailed… but it’s more because she reminded me of how dissatisfied and ungrateful I am sometimes…
You see, one gets into the endless cycle of life without giving himself a second to stop and think, to love, and feel, only to wake up someday totally lost with a constant feeling of torn and depression, ones that lead you to questions regarding the purpose of your life…
It is this “satisfaction” or as she called it “El Reda” that makes one survives this life blissfully… A well-off guy might be the most miserable man ever, because money does not automatically bring inner contentment… it’s the satisfaction with the little things that really does… she mentioned that she was celebrating the return of her eyebrows, while a few days ago I was complaining that I took too much tan during my short vacation last week…
I quote her saying: “Healing is not an event, it is a journey!”
Very true indeed… healing is a journey, and not only the physical healing… soul healing is a journey too… it takes power to sit quietly and listen to your soul… and it takes work and effort to work it out till you eventually reach this kind of satisfaction and happiness…
Buddha says: “Everything that is born is subject to decay. Since there is no external savior it is up to each of you to find your own liberation”… I think she has chosen the right way to survive her crisis…
Dear Salwa, thank you for a more than just a positive vibe…
Stay safe,
Rou…
