Islamic New Year

Delivered the two paintings to Soheir Osman at the Faculty of Applied Arts at Helwan University. Their International Festival is Monday, Dec. 21st, the Winter Solstice. She liked these paintings a lot. Met another artist,Dr. Mostafa Kamal. Will visit his new art school in 6 October city soon.

Yesterday, the 17th of December was noteworthy for being the Roman Saturnalia and the sunset start of the Islamic New Year. As far as the New Year here in Cairo, I was told by Ali (the IT guy at Fulbright) - he had come to work on my wireless - he said people eat meat. What? OK at iftar (the breaking of the fast at each Ramadan day or else the Eid - people eat meat especially the common people. Rich people eat meat a lot and Copts each pork. My sister Liz, does turkey AND ham on Christmas day and a rib roast on Christmas Eve if she can afford. I'll say, rib roast and beef tenderloin cost a lot. I'll be missing Peggy's awesome beef tenderloin with reduced port sauce and the scalloped potatoes with mushrooms.

"The Islamic New Year is a cultural event which Muslims observe on the first day of Muharram, the first month in the Islamic calendar. Many Muslims use the day to remember the significance of this month, and the Hijra, or migration, Islamic prophet Muhammad made it to the city now known as Medina. Recently, in many areas of Muslim population, people have begun exchanging cards and gifts on this day, though this is not commonly done. For Shia Muslims, Muharram is the month grief and sorrow because they mourn the death of Imam Hussain and his companions on the day of Ashura.

Ras as-Sana (Arabic: رأس السنة ) is the Islamic celebration of the new Hijri year. The term is similarly used in the Arabic language to mark the start of the new Gregorian year. The word literally means "Head of the year," and is cognate to the Hebrew term Rosh Hashanah. Since the Islamic lunar calendar year is 11 to 12 days shorter than the solar year, Muharram migrates throughout the seasons."

I made brownies today from a Betty Crocker mix -it was easier than homemade though we do have the ingredients to make Christmas cookies with brown suger, flour, eggs, spices, chocolate chips both milk and semi sweet and walnuts. I even found a molasses brown sugar so Dominique can try to make gingebreak cookies.

Today, I stayed at home and made some necklaces - well, as far as I could get without the necessary technique to finish them off. I spent all afternoon at the Khan el Khalili armed with my business cards for the Bedouin Shop to see Ahmed. I bought the most magnificent vintage Mosque lamp with colored glassw inserted so when the light shines through, it is gorgeous. I bought some beads and some more Bedouin stuff from Nasser brothers - he has a picture of himself with the Queen of Spain on the back wall. Tiny store. Had tea at the Pancake House and waited for traffice to die down around 7 pm.