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The Orientalist - July 5th, 2004

About July 5th, 2004

Tarabeen 03:36 pm
Me and my friend Von sit on the beach, sometimes we have a waiter bring
us food, but mostly me and my friend Von sit on the beach. I am in
Tarabeen. Tarabeen makes Dahab seem like a filthy, sprawling suffocating
metropolis. In Dahab people talk slowly, in Tarabeen they do not talk at
all. Tarabeen is a Beduine village turned, 'how about chill out'. There
is a single road, with huts made from palm tress, sitting along the red
sea. Taking a swimming is like having a bath in warm tea. 3 miles away
is Saudi Arabia, Von swam a bit too far and got buzzed by a military
helicopter. Drugs are
popular in the area, but i cannot understand why because if the town got
any more mellow peoples limbs would start falling off. If things got any
slower, the Red Sea would freeze over. I will stop it that here.
What marks Tarrabeen is the language, the Egyptians for the most part
speak Hebrew, without hesitating every foreigner is greeted with Shalom.
Now before i lead my readers to think i have discovered some enclave of
Egyption/Isralie brotherhood, I should point out that the Hebrew is
explained by the fact that no European or Americans visit Tarrabean its
all tourist from Israel, which is less then an hour away. But still its
inspiring to here people switching back and forth between Hebrew and
Arabic, even if its just to order a smothy.
Meanwhile back on the Beach Von and myself picture ourselves in a Huge
Grant film set in the 19th century. We laze, when we get board we face a
new direction. When i tire of looking at Saudi Arabia i look at Jordan,
when i tire of hummos i order Taziki. I have a wealthy patron, her name
is the tattered Egyptian pound, and she treat me well. There is much to
do in Tarabeen, but mostly i sleep.

As for now, tonight i leave for Cairo where i will begin my desert trek
to various oasis'. The first will be the Bahariya Oasis, then the
Farafra Oasis, then the Dakhla Oasis then finally the Kharaga oasis. The
whole thing should take over a week. I have little idea of what the
Internet situation will be, so i won't be checking my email as much as i
used to, but i will do my best.
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