another day at the office...

what office? well no office, but here's a typical day more or less

I woke up early to catch a ride to El Biar with my neighbor, Mr. Sabri. We rode the elevator to the underground parking lot and he warmly greeted some other neighbors.

We headed towards the cars and a grey Mini caught my eye. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that this was his car and that we were going in it! This was really a shock because Mr. Sabri is quite tall and it was not the sort of car I expected to be riding in. It was wonderful and he loves it. His is a 2003 model and he said that he is ready to buy a new one.

This BMW-manufactured car gets great gas mileage and even though it is a compact car, is rather roomy enough for even folks taller than myself like Mr. Sabri.

He dropped me off and I immediately jumped into a rickety old bus headed for Bouzareah. The abrupt change felt a bit like instant time travel. This is my new routine for making it out there on time. I either get a ride or bus or taxi to El Biar and then hop a bus to Bouzareah. For some reason, this works very well, so I no longer look for a ride at the student bus stops. The student bus stops are just too crowded and then once you’re on the bus, it spends a lot of time at a standstill in traffic.

Again on the bus, I didn’t have enough change, but the fare collector let me slide. Though he did ask me for my mobile phone number. Once I got off the bus, I headed for the University and stopped at a patisserie for a big nice chocolate pastry and a glass of asiir mishmash (apricot juice). After that I headed for the English department. Professor Amran and another were the only ones there besides me. Amran smiles a lot and enjoys sharing complementary commentary about her country and other places she’s been. I have always admired meeting people who are proud of their country and explain why it is special. The good thing is she always shares this with me. She does have some good tips too. Today she said I should make it a habit to explore the “real” Algeria that still exists in the small coastal towns just outside of the city. In her opinion, the urban sprawl of Algiers has altered the way of life as it was in yesteryear.

The classes went rather well. I met the rest of the students and they seemed to enjoy the subject matter as best they could. I need to work more on the lessons and have more copies for them next time. Of course, I am the star “native” speaker of English, which is kind of fun. They seem to not have a high opinion of their proficiency, but I must say I think that for the most part they are very capable. The students are not all at the same levels. I suspect their experience of a multilingual reality coupled with their extensive knowledge of French plays a hand in their overall grasp of English as a foreign language.

I stopped in to the English Department and scored me a brand spanking new eraser. I also verified some logistical housekeeping info with the staff. At 12:30, I was to meet up with Nazim, an Algerian guy who was friends with last year’s English Language Fellow. He already has a Bachelors in Business Administration and now is in his 4th year of studying English. Nazim simply has a hospitable nature and offered to show me around some. His English is very good and he is embarking on a course in basic Turkish.

Nazim and I took off and went to have lunch at Pizzeria L’Artista. It was good and the conversation was interesting. Nazim is quite helpful and a nice host. He had his father’s car and offrered to show me around a bit. We went to see Madame Afrique. Madame Afrique is the nickname for Notre Dame d’Afrique a monumental church that sits atop one of the hills overlooking the bay of Algiers. Too bad the weather was rainy and there was nowhere to park. Nonetheless, it was nice to see exactly how the road is to get there.

At about 4pm we parked the car at Chemin Neuf (or is it Champs Manoevre)and hiked it towards La Grande Poste. On the way, Nazim gave me little cultural and historical tidbits. We stopped by the Instituto Cervantes and met some nice folks there. El Instituto Cervantes is a Spanish cultural and language learning center. They apparently have a network of them like Germany’s Goethe Institut and France’s Alliance Francaise. Ahora si se donde ir para charlar en castellano. As we are close to Iberia, there’s alot of lisping there. ;)

Univ. of Algiers…part Deux

(Photo: Bouzareah Campus of the University of Algiers)

Transportation to the Bouzareah campus has been challenging. Today, I missed the buses in the morning and waitied nearly an hour to go to Bouzareah, which made me tardy for my 8:30 class. Not a big deal considering that the teachers were on strike and many classes were as a result cancelled this first week.

The teachers were making what they called a “Protestation”, en francais, in favor of higher wages. I’m told the salary for a university teacher with a master’s or doctoral degree that has a full time schedule is approximately $400 per month. Even though Algeria is a developing country, prices are in general high, so that is the main reason for their request that salaries be raised.

As far as the conditions of the institution, they seem to be in line with what one finds at public universities in developing countries. Many are burdened with an enormous amount of students and demand for programs, but not equipped with sufficient infrastructure and wo/manpower to meet those needs. However, that cannot halt the learning and Algeria is making an effort to do the most with what it has at its disposal. The Bouzareah campus is aimed at those studying the Arts and Sciences. I understand there are somewhere between 12-15,000 students attending classes there, several thousand of which are in the English department.

This year I am teaching 4 courses for the University of Algiers : 1 general English course aimed at Translation and Interpretation Students at the Fac. Centrale’s Translation Department and 3 specialized courses to 1st year students at the English Department of the Bouzareah Campus. These 3 are Phonetics, Oral (Speaking and Listening), and Writing. The English Department offers a Licence, the equivalent of a B.A., a Maitrise, the M.A. and a Ph.D., so there is a lot going on. As last year, there will be a large number (50+) of students in the classes. These big numbers should provide me with an ample representative sample of Algeria’s university students.

The faculty members have been quite hospitable and helpful in providing me with assistance and orienting me for the courses I will teach. Most are multilingual- French, Arabic, English, and perhaps Tamazight, - and have done very impressive work in Algiers and/or abroad, i.e. England, France or the USA. I look forward to getting to know them and collaborating on projects.

I did make it to my second class for Mondays and 5 students showed up. Two were actually in the section for that particular class, but the others happened to be from different groups of different classes that I will teach. It was nice to finally meet some of the students and they were pleasantly surprised to have an American teacher there.
(Left: Main Building at the Fac. Centrale)
My other classes at the Fac. Centrale or Central Campus in downtown Algiers, will begin next week. There I will teach 3 hours a week to a group of 2nd year students in the Department of Translation. Khadija, a doctoral student there that works and teaches for the department as well, has helped orient me there. She helped me arrange my schedule and get set up for Arabic classes at the intensive language center at that campus. She also gave me a brief tour of the school. Interestingly enough, the Central Campus dates from 1909 and was the first university in Africa. Several prominent French philosophers studied there and one senses a distinguished aura of academic legacy as one walks among the stately buildings making up the campus. At a 9 or 10-story building behind the grand university library and beyond a botanical garden plaza, I will be teaching the students in a classroom that is on the top floor. Khadija likes that room because it is conveniently adjacent to a smaller linguistics library and for the majestic views over the campus below and the port beyond the rest of downtown. She also suggested it because the large number of stairs guarantees that only the very motivated students will make the effort to attend class.

(Right: Lecture hall in Main Bldg. of Fac. Centrale- not my classroom, btw)

Exploring Cherchell and Tipaza

(The Roman ruins of Tipaza)

On Friday, October 19, I made my first solo foray into the Algerian countryside.

Lonely Planet just published its first ever edition guidebook to Algeria in August of this year and I’m putting it to good use. The LP editors suggested some easy day trips to Tipaza and Cherchell, to visit some Roman ruins and take in the mountainous countryside along the Mediterranean Sea. Along the way one sees garden plots of butternut squash, grapes, cabbage, etc., and some are covered. I also saw cyclists, some female too, with all of the slick professional gear on.

(To see my photos click: Photos of Tipaza and Cherchell)

Reminiscent of the seaside terrain in Tunisia and Morocco, beautiful fertile green mountains and hills plane out to the coastal road and towns. Though the lay of the land is similar to its neighbors of the Maghreb, the French flavor of the Algerian towns is la difference. For example, the central mosque in Cherchell , Mosque Ar-Rahman, has a front that resembles the Pantheon with classic columns and roofing.

In addition to such interesting traces of the colonial past, there lies the added attraction of ancient treasures from the time of the Roman Empire when Cherchell was known as Caesarea. The Museum of Cherchell has some incredible marble sculptures, i.e. Cleopatras and Juba etc., and mosaics dating from well before J.C. Wandering around Cherchell, I came upon the remains of the ancient thermal baths, a Forum and a Roman theatre. While looking around, I spontaneously stopped to buy some pirate perfume oil (City by Armani) for 3 bucks. For lunch, I had a plate of 5 little rougets (red snappers), French fries, salad and a bottle of Orangina. ($3.50).

After Friday’s prayer, I caught a bus headed to Tipaza. According to Lonely Planet, Algerian writer Albert Camus wrote that Tipaza was inhabited by the gods in spring of the sun and silvered sea blue sky and flower-covered ruins. Obviously he really liked Tipaza and I can certainly see why, the setting is wonderful. Today, the ruins are still nestled in a hilly pine-tree area just before the deep azure waters of the Mediterranean. Among the ancient remains, one finds an ampitheatre that in the 4th-5th centuries was the scene of gladiator battles and other entertainment. The woods and hills of Tipaza also possess temples to ancient gods, a theatre, more baths, and the Great Christian Basilica which reputedly was the largest Christian structure in North Africa in the 4th Century. Due to strong winds I suppose, some of the trees along the seaside cliffs there have grown sideways so much that they have developed a huge conical form resembling the flared-out hairdo of the bride of Frankenstein. The trees are so big, you can actually walk under the hair!

Only one little snafu on this day trip: Because I was unawares and I had stopped to quench my thirst with a couple of Stella Artois’, I missed the last bus going back to Algiers at 6pm. I ended up having to pay $22 for a taxi ride home. Not a mortal wound, but next time I need to make sure I have time to get home. Basketball fans will be interested to know that in Tipaza there was an NBA Finals MVP sighting. Not in person, of course, but a Tony Parker rap video for a song called “Premier Love” came on the muted bar TV. I couldn’t hear it, because the volume was muted and a stereo played some hip Algerian music that the bartendress was singing along to.

Night fell and I slept on the taxi ride home.

The Bardo Museum and The Museum of Antiquities

So today I explored a couple of museums…The Bardo Museum has a collection of ancient artifacts found throughout Algeria. Tinhinan’s bones are there! The real ones according to my my friend Tinhinan (She was named after the queen of the Touaregs). Tinhinan has a great sense of humor. After I told her I went to the museum, she said, “Oh so you saw my bones!” Well, in addition to the Toureg queen's remains there are many ancient arrowheads, rock paintings, pottery, and sculptures, as well as an impressive display of jewelry.

I am boggled by the amount of variety of jewelry on display there. Some impressive pieces were produced by the Moors that came and settled in Algeria when they were expelled from Spain. The Bardo Museum’s grounds are quite impressive in their own right. According to the Lonely Planet guidebook, it was once a Tunisian prince’s palace. The architecture and the patio and plants remind me some of the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio.

Just before noon, the museums close for lunch, isn’t that a hoot? I went down to Rue Didouche Mourad to laminate my Boozareah Campus ID. Then I grabbed some stuffed chicken for lunch at the Roi du Poulet. After that I finally dared to enter a patisserie. There are so many of them all over town and I look in the windows and feel overwhelmed by the choices, but I wanted to continue the birthday celebration with some sweet creation. I had a chocolate cake that was pretty much ½ mousse. I devoured it by a lamppost oblivious to my surroundings. Delicieux!
After that, I continued wandering down the street. I stumbled upon Ferries d’Algerie. They have a boat that goes to Alicante in 10 hours once a week (Tuesdays). It costs $200 round trip. Hmmm...

Did some internet and then I went on to museum number 2 for today…the Museum of Antiquities and Islamic Art. The Antiquities in this case are a treasure of Greek, Punic and Roman artifacts found in the area over the years. There is also a considerable collection of impressive work from Turkey that was brought over during the reigns of the Deys here. The Islamic Art along with a Numismatic collection is housed in a separate building but on the same grounds. The Islamic Art consists of swords, decorative Turkish pistols, Moroccan pottery, traditional textiles and clothes. Something that stands out is the very long tiara or crown that the women wore/wear when getting married.

There really is too much at these places and I felt pleasantly overwhelmed by the amount of information and the craftsmanship I witnessed. I wish I could post some pictures of them, but they seem to have a policy of no photography whatsoever at all museums. I am lucky though that the museums are are so reasonably priced at 20 Algerian Dinars which is the equivalent of 30 cents. I shall have to revisit soon.

Birthday in Algiers

I decided to celebrate my birthday by taking a walk and rocking the Casbah! I walked down the steep stairs and caught a bus headed to Place des Martyrs from where I would walk into the Casbah. The Casbah is actually the oldest part of Algiers and is said to be on top of the ruins of Icosia…the original city that was established here by Hercules and his 20 men eons ago. Famous for intense combat scenes during the revolution that were brought to life in the cult classic film, The Battle of Algiers, it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. UNESCO= United Nations Education and Scientific and Cultural Organization. Although it has received this prestigious honor for its ancient architecture and historical legacy, it has a reputation for being dangerous and off limits to foreigners due to muggings. Tourists are advised to go during the day and even then only to certain parts. I decided to get lost in the Casbah. To avoid any problems, I left with little money, but I did take my new Canon digicam. I took some pictures, and did enjoy the walk through the cobblestone pedestrian alleys there, though it’s not as raucous or boisterous as walking through say, Old Sanaa in Yemen or the souks of Aleppo or Damascus in Syria. Nonetheless, there are parts that remind me of The Battle of Algiers there and there are some women with the white lacy handkerchief covering their face. I do intend to return there again to see more of it, and next time with a local in the know, because there is supposed to be some fascinating ancient houses and palaces.

I made my way up and around eventually to la Grande Poste…that magnificent Arabesque architectural delight. From there I decided it was time to try out some bars and have a drink or 3 in honor of my birthday! I went to a place called L’Andalous and had an Algerian beer…Albrau. It was not bad at all, though it’s served in an 8.5 fl. Oz bottle which makes one feel big! Then I tried some Algerian wine. When they serve a glass here, they do their best to fill it to the rim, btw! The crowd was all male and one guy sitting next to me was drinking Stella Artois, the Belgian beer, and reading up on the ponies. So there’s something else I gotta do here eventually, head to the track and place some bets. Algiers, as you can tell, is not what one expects from a reputedly “conservative” Muslim society.

Just to add a bit on that point…hardly any women here cover their face in Algiers. Quite a few wear scarves, but there is quite a variety in the way they are worn. Some wear them conservatively, in outfits that resemble Catholic nuns, while others wear bright colors or leopard skin prints with jeans and tennies or high heels. It’s refreshing to see such forms of personal expression. I often find myself pleasantly surprised or amused while taking notice of these styles on the streets. Then, there are just quite a few Algerian women that do not don any scarf and go about their business as any woman in America or Europe would which is nice too.

Most men dress as men in any big city. Very few wear traditional attire of any sort, though I hear that this changes in the interior of the country.

So after L’Andalousie, I decided to mosey on to another establishment that serves alcohol. The next place I went to, didn’t have a sign up, but it’s on the major street of Didouche Mourad, just a block away from la FAC Centrale. Inside, again, nothing but men. Some played dice, while others just sipped on Stella Artois. Che Guevara décor is quite popular here. In fact, there is a Rue Ernesto Guevara in downtown Algiers. When Algeria was starting out as a new independent nation, Cuba was one of, if not the first to recognize it and provide it with assistance. Cuban doctors came here and helped out for years. Fidel also gave sugar to the newly established independent nation of Algeria.

I tried to go out later, but was not so lucky…apparently to get into the nightclubs here, one must go with company and be dressed to the 9s and be ready to drop some do-re-mi. I went back home but not too dejected, since I was eager to strum my guitar before my doors open to the port of Algiers and a cold beer at my side.

1st visit to the University of Algiers

Oct. 17th…First day meeting the folks of The University of Algiers at the Bouzareah campus. The Director of the English Department, Dr. Bensamene is quite nice and she gave me an Algerian date for my birthday! She and her staff have considerable years of experience teaching English at the University and many of them have done research and studies in England and/or the USA.

I also met the Fulbright Scholar too, Dr. Elizabeth Bishop. She is an amazing person. She is a historian and has worked for over 10 years in Egypt, I think mostly at the American Univ. of Cairo. She’s also taught at UT Austin and is fluent in Arabic and Russian. On top of this, she is funny and supercool. We will get to collaborate perhaps on some kind of American cultural projects that we may help out with at the American Corner here in Algiers or at possibly some kind of panel discussion in Oran. (American Corners are partnerships between the Public Affairs sections of U.S. Embassies and host institutions. They provide access to current and reliable information about the U.S. via book collections, the Internet, and through local programming to the general public.)

The Bouzareah campus is pretty big, and the English department is quite big. How big is big? I heard there are anywhere from 12-15,000 students there. There are about 30 faculty members teaching English. Other foreign languages are studied there, French, Arabic, German, Portuguese, and Spanish. Years ago, when I visited Tangiers and Morocco, I remember thinking how wonderful it would be to work there somehow and be exposed to and utilize French and Arabic on a daily basis. Today, that is the situation I live in and it’s wonderful since I love languages. I am continuosly stimulated linguistically. Having studied French and having spent considerable time in Francophone lands, I do fine en francais. I’m a bit rusty for producing super high quality speech and a lethargic attitude at times creates a pronounced accent, but I expect in a short while to get that muscle in shape again. As for Arabic, well, the spoken variety here is very different. The basic classic tenets are the same, but at times different words are used. Also the Berber language and the French have influenced the Algerian Arabic that one hears. I will be taking a classical Arabic course at the FAC Centrale of the Univ. of Algiers. I’m excited about that as well.

At the Boozareah campus, we discussed the timetables for the upcoming semesters. I will be teaching 3 courses to 3 different groups for a total of 8 hours there per week. Writing for 4 hours, Oral Speaking for 2 hours, and Phonetics for 2 hours. The groups will either be 1st or 2nd year students and will number about 50-70 each, yielding approximately 200 total. I will teach Basic English to 2nd year students on other days at the Fac Central’s Translation Department for a total of 3 hours there. So I will have 11 contact hours for 4 different courses per semester. Obviously, I’ll be busy, but it should be interesting to cover such a variety of topics and situations.

H2O heater

The plumber came to fix the water heater and to replace a flush system for the toilet. The water heater system here is quite interesting. In America, I am used to a big water heater that goes in a closet somewhere and heats up water and keeps it heated in a reserve tank. Here, the device works differently. The pilot light remains on, unless turned off. When a hot water faucet is turned on, then the pilot sparks a big burner on and the water passes through small metal tubing where it will heat up. The temperature can be relatively warm or super hot, but that is knob-adjustable on the device. According to others who have used them, they are very efficient and last for years. They supposedly last longer than the reserve tank heaters I am used to seeing in America. Hmmm, I wonder if this is available in the US???

Home & Phone

Today, I took care of le bizness. That is real estate….it actually went rather smooth…with all things considered. The "Queen of the Touregs", Tinhinan, has gracefully aided me in my efforts to arrive, secure housing and tomorrow will introduce me to the University officials before I start teaching English. (Tinhinan is not actually royalty, but that is the origin of her name.)

This year I live on the 8th floor of a 12-story building, technically the 9th if you count the ground floor (rez de chausee). And I have a great view of the Mediterranean as it lies before the port of Algiers. While giving me a tour of my new place, the landlord’s representative (his brother), stated simply that I could leave the bay doors open before my bed and just be inspired as I look over the city below and beyond before la mer mediterranee. It’s true, and it feels quite nice to do so with the guitar. This furnished apartment comes at a price of 50,000 Algerian Dinars per month. That is approximately 730 dollars according to http://www.xe.com/ucc/full.php. Rentals here are paid in cash up front and include a 3 month deposit, so I literally handed over a bundle of dinars. There were also fees paid to a notary, insurance company and one months rent to the rental agency. :) As you can see it is a nice place and there is plenty of room, so couchsurfers are welcome.

I also bought a cheap Nokia model cell phone. My cousin Greg had given me his old Sony Ericsson, but the battery was a little batty and I opted for the no frills of just buying a local model. The actual chip only cost about $7 and the phone $40. So I’m all set, it’s prepaid and pay as you go, so no worries, no hassles, no debate and no interest. Lol

Anyways, email me if you’d like to give me a call and I’ll relate some random situation. ;) cheers Algiers!

It is Eid and my first day in Algiers

I got up lethargically as I am still suffering from jet lag …shades of last year in Sanaa…except this time I had nowhere to be and noone to see either! And because of Eid there’s another day of that tomorrow! Eid is a big 2 day feast celebrated with family after Ramadan ends.

I finished off some grapes and yogurt that were part of my supper from the previous evening. After showering, I played my new guitar some. I bought it just before coming and I’m glad I did because it sounds alot better than the cheap one I had planned on bringing. Originally priced @ $299, I paid for the new one cash and got a $90 discount on the Yamaha CX101020, thanks Alamo Music Center! As I say, I’m very happy with the purchase and look forward to having some good jam sessions here. One of the first songs I played last night was “Aicha” by the Algerian Raï artist: Cheb Khaled. I had to since I’m in his homeland. Felt good. The lyrics are in French and Algerian Arabic. If you don’t know this classic of Raï music, then find it and listen. Raï music, which often centers on love, hails from Oran, a western port city of Algeria that is supposed to have an ambiance influenced by a mixture of Spanish, French and Arab history there.

So back to today, yes..jammed out then headed out into Algiers. I stepped off to the right and found a little plaza with a charming fountain that was in a little state of disrepair, but like I say, charming. All the more charming, because folks were out…lots of children with toy guns, and young men hanging out. A man honey roasting peanuts and others selling small skewers of merguez (sausage) and liver with fat. Mmm yummy. Kids and others crowded around the grills waiting to get some. Yes, Ramadan is over and the feeling in the air is freedom..freedom to eat again on the street. Algiers struck me with it’s beauty…the architecture much of it with a French elegance a la Mediterannee. They described it as “la Blanche”, but I am pleased to see that a lot of the wrought iron that graces the balconies is a happy bleu! And people occasionally peep out of these balconies and say hi to friends on the street. It’s refreshing to see people living so in an urban environment.
Nearby, I saw a wonderful mosque here on Boulevard des Martyrs, wonderful because it has some colorful decorative tilework…very special. After that, I had to return to the hotel for lunch.

Last night, I was served a supper after the official “hours” which was just fruit, yogurt. The dates were delicious and that’s de rigueur since this is the land of the Deglet Nour dates. They are reputedly among the finest. Well, I didn’t want to miss lunch hours so I hurried back and made it there at 1:15 with time to spare. I was rewarded with a copious serving of couscous a l’algerienne! The couscous itself reminded me of good Moroccan couscous. The sauce was similar, tomato based, but not overly so like spaghetti sauce. They served me a nice chunk of goat meat on the side. The sauce came with garbanzos, squash, and carrots. It was hearty and delicious. I spiced it up with some “harissa” hot sauce too. Comme boisson there was PepsiMax. Gotta love it.

After that I chilled out in my room, with my guitar, took a nap and then went out again for a long walk to get to know la ville d’Alger. The layout and the architecture, the urban design, the French style, the parks, the people impressed me as a good city. I kept heading toward the water hoping to find a seaside promenade or other waterfront, but the front is pretty much a port. Nonetheless, it is impressive and there are several big ferries going to different parts of the Mediterranean,like Tunisia, Greece, Turkey, France and Spain. I made it all the way to Djemaa al Djedid, or the new mosque. Next to it was a little amusement park…part of the Eid festivities. I found a wind-up monkey that plays the drums and bought it for 100 Algerian Dinars. $1=70 Algerian Dinars.

Then I made my way back to the hotel. Along the way I walked through a tunnel that had an installation of projected art on the walls. All day long, I saw the Algerians. Some in religious garb, djelllabas, male gowns, some women scarved. Quite few covering the face too. Those that do, interestingly, have a little “handkerchief” looking thing that does so. Saw some interesting cinemas and a couple of places where I can continue my studies of Arabic. I’m excited to do so.

The city is hilly, so if I ever get a bicycle it is gonna be a serious workout. People all over have satellites. Pizza places abound. Espresso costs only 15 Dinars! Some very pretty ladies driving cars. Too. There are even female cops etc. The cultural attitudes of the Islamic world vary along longitudes.

How can I describe it? Well geographically Algeria is juxtapositioned betwixt Morocco and Tunisia, and it seems to be a mélange of the two, yet there is this air of or history of strife that is not common to its neighbors. Also, the French were here for 150 years before leaving in 1964. So their mark is well esconced here. At times one even finds imperial décor and not grotesquely done, but rather tastefully. And with the moderate climate, it mélanges well. So, those are merely first impressions, but I sense a bewildering complexity, as in my feeble attempts to decipher the mélange of francais, al arabiyya and Tamazight, the berber tongue. How fascinating to be where languages have and continue to intermingle! I liken it as follows…it’s to the ears what fusion cuisine is to the palate, yet perhaps alot more challenging to digest.

Alors maintenant...La Blanche

I finally made it to Algiers and I brought the rain….It is a great city from what I can tell. I feel the history, the modernity. The airport is new and impressive, but getting into town was not due to traffic and some flooding. The customs and immigration procedures went smooth, however they did keep my binoculars. I brought a small pair and apparently they are prohibited. They will actually keep them there for up to four months. I wasnt the only one either; A Chinese tourist actually had the same exact jumelles, as they are called en français. I am staying at a nice Arabo-Mauresque hotel for $85 a night…Dar Diaf.

Now I’m in my room watching a great show on democracy(the lack of) in Egypt. A great civic movement a group called Shayfeen. Practicing civic displays complaining of how the govt. negates their voice at the voting polls. They also unfortunately get beaten up when they try to peacefully demonstrate. Good TV program though.

So I’m now in Algiers, a city very much influenced by it's position on the northern coast of Africa. Most recently, the French were here and their lasting impression is still alive in the architecture and in the language. They nicknamed it La Blanche because of all the white buildings.

Here are some pictures for you: Algiers La Blanche

A LO LOCO!

Map and flag taken from: http://www.state.gov/cms_images/map_algeria.jpg

a lo loco, a lo loco, a lo loco se vive mejor!

damen und herren, mesdames et messieurs, señoras y señores, your intrepid loco is back on the road again. This time I'll be sending you updates from the fabled capital along the Barbary Coast: ALGIERS. I just arrived here Friday evening and everything is cool so far. I just wanted to set this up today, but I'll soon be back with details and digipixels of life here for the curious.