Zayy

Zayy is a nice forest outside of Salt and makes for a good picnic spot on Saturdays. Don't bother going on Fridays, as it'll probably be crowded. In the spring, there is an arrangement of wildflowers in red, mauve and yellow. The only problem is the litter. One day, I'm going to become PM and lock up people who litter. It's really sick when you try to relax in the forest but can't avoid seeing the bottles and bags everywhere.

When asr time entered, we walked down to a nearby masjid to pray. The imam of the masjid spoke genuine Salti but told me he was originally from Mansoura. I inquired as to why he didn't sound Egyptian at all and he said he's been here for a long time. I also told him that I was surprised that the Ministry of Endowments would hire a foreigner to which he replied that they will in exchange for residence, but they don't pay foreigners wages. The masjid had been abandoned and he decided to revive it. He also pointed to the land in front of the masjid and said, "Besides, I eat as much fava beans as I want from the land." (There have to be two memories of every Egyptian child, even us Western expats: planting fava beans and having your pet rabbit butchered for use in mulukhiyya.) He politely and insistently invited us over for coffee to which I equally persistently (and hopefully politely) declined.