A day on the balcony

The sun is bathing my balcony in light, painting my face with a temporary drizzle of freckles. Down on the street a few men are drinking tea, chatting and looking at people passing by. They've been there for hours, just mumbling into the air in a language I still don't understand. After a little while, the rhythmic call of the midday prayer - dhuhr - fills the air with the chanting of "Allahu akbar", and suddenly the city is filled with echoes from various minarets. "God is great, God is great". Cairo is called the city of a thousand minarets, did you know that?

Today has just been a relaxing day on my balcony in Zamalek, my district in Cairo. The weather's wonderful, life is just pretty allright, and the fresh smell of sweet tea has been lingering since I woke up. Life's good.