Egyptian Windows

Ooof! Don’t you just love the terracotta against that amazing sky.

For my last post about my trip to Egypt, I bring you some Egyptian windows

In the background of the photo below you can see one of those abandoned building projects that punctuated street scenes everywhere we went

We went in search of an art gallery, but the only one we found was closed.

I was surprised to see so much English signage in Hurghada.

 

What windows you have found to share with us this month?

I’m looking forward to seeing them. Please leave a link in the Comments below.

Advertisements

In a Vase on Monday

Spring!

These lovely narcissi smell of spring. My daughter’s new home was once a Market Garden and the house sits amidst a field of these gorgeously uplifting bright blooms.

She is currently looking at how she might sell some of the flowers and/or the bulbs, so any hints and tips you might have would be gratefully received.

I have put them with cerinthe from my own garden, which seeded itself last year and survived the winter.

They sit in a metal jug which was made in Yugoslavia and bought for me by my Mum from a market stall. The crocheted pansy doily was made by my step-grandmother who I adored – she taught me many handicrafts including Hardanger embroidery. You can see the culmination of a wonderful Sew-Along over on Kathy’s blog – so pretty.

I am joining in with Rambling in the Garden’s ‘In a Vase on Monday’ meme.

Also joining Cee’s Flower of the Day.

Edit:

I just had to add this from my garden just now

Amelanchier against a blue sky – Sprinnnnggggggg!

Happy Mothers Day

My Mum and me on my wedding day, 30th. September, 1972.

Saturday Shells

 

On Tuesday I found these shell people at Greenway House, the holiday home of Agatha Christie – oh what a delight that place is – if you ever get a chance to visit GO!

These were in the Morning Room along with other vintage shell designs

The lighting is kept low, so it was not easy to get good photos.

Such exquisite pieces of shell art

Agatha Christie spent 8 weeks of the year in this house on the banks of the River Dart.

The garden is glorious, the camelias and magnolias stunning – I have more photos to share with you

lots more!

Click on any photo to see it full screen.

Linking with Cee’s Flower of the Day

 

Egypt: in search of shells

Of course I went beachcombing whilst in Egypt – I was hoping to find more material and inspiration for some Silly Saturdays, sadly there were very meagre pickings. I did find these few pieces of coral and small white shells

on the little beach near the villa

which I wandered along each morning (it was only warm and windless enough for me to swim there once). Most beaches are private, or have been snaffled by large hotels. We did make our way to a fairly newly built resort a few miles out of town, but shells – there were none.

The resort was a bit of a ghost town as tourism has been much reduced since the terror attacks as recently as 2017.

Abandoned dreams

and a fun piece of sculpture

on a lovely walkway.

And turning the camera dial to ‘Sketch’ mode

We sat and had a couple of drinks in the fading light and returned to the villa.

 

Walking through Hurghada

Hurghada and its surrounds are full of contrasts – massive riches and beauty live directly alongside desperate poverty, squalour and rubble.

One day we walked from our lovely enclosed villa complex with its pool that was much too cold to swim in, to the marina at the luxury Marriot Hotel.

One of the first things to notice is that there are so many buildings that are only half built. Something to do with the laws that means one has to build on land in order to own it, but then the building is left unfinished and can sit there like that for years.

Some buildings were being worked on and I was fascinated by the medieval looking scaffolding on which men were walking around carrying buckets of stuff with them, no harnesses or safety equipment at all.

I could not take a photo of the men as if you show any interest at all in anything you are at once pounced on for money or people trying to sell you something – there is no possibility for relaxed window-shopping here!On finished buildings some of the details are quite beautiful

Even the paving, although rickety and often dangerous has pretty elements of design

You had to keep your eyes to the ground as suddenly there could be a few inches of metal pipe sticking up through the pavement for no apparent reason.

Palm tree street lights looked fun!

and the occasional majestic statue.

 

 

Cat Café

The friends I was staying with in Hurghada, Egypt, run a diving business there, BlueOTwo. Any diver’s dream is to dive in the Red Sea and there are masses of diving companies there operating there. Some of the British women divers have made their home there. One such woman, Denise, now runs The Purrfect Cuppa Cat Cafe, which is a wonderfully welcoming meeting place for locals and English speaking others alike.

There are masses of cats everywhere in Hurghada and Denise takes them in, neuters and vaccinates them, makes sure they are healthy and gives them a place to call home.

There are cat toys, cat beds and little cat cubby holes inside and out where cats can feel happy and safe

Families come in to sit in the cosy corner and cuddle cats

Some of the cats find new homes this way.

There is also a crafting corner

where every Thursday and Sunday people gather to craft together, sometimes somebody teaches a class, other times people just work on their own project and chat. Some work is for sale with a percentage going to help with cat welfare.

My friend and I went along, as you know, crafting with a group of women is right up there in my top ten ways to spend quality time.

The cats like to join in, of course.

After crafting we all had a delicious lunch together.

A wonderful way to spend a few hours learning more about life in Egypt and swapping art and craft tips.