June 6, 2003
Cairo

Yesterday I went to an art store in Zamalek with Eric... art supplies here are EXPENSIVE !!! almost as much as they are at home ! The guy at the art store carried our stuff to the car, it was actually a lot of stuff, Eric got some things for a friend and I felt soooo uncomfortable about the guy carrying our stuff.. I don't like people waiting on me, at all... It's going to be hard enough to have a maid here. Eric said I have to have one unless I want to spend 3 hours a day cleaning because things get dirtier here much faster.

Went to the Khan el Khalili, the huuuge souk (bazaar) here. Big, loud, noisy, sometimes smelly, a bit intimidating. Bought some blank papyrus for some paintings there... there's soo much cheesy papyrus art around here, gotta do something non-cheesy with it. I would like to spend more time in the souk because I have a weakness for shiney, colorful objects but I hate the people always trying to get you to buy their junk ! I just want to be left alone to brouse uninterrupted !!!!!!

Last night we went to a party at a British diplomat's flat. It was FUCKING HUUUUUGE, right on the Nile with a 180 degree view of the river. Wish I'd brough my camera. I have never known any diplomats before. I'm not even really sure what they do besides sit around and talk about foreign affairs. Since I'm missing the brain cells required for effortless and graceful socializing, I spent much of the time drawing.