The latest reason I love it here

Just when I thought the culture of delivery in this country couldn't get any better, I discover that even health care is made for our convenience.

I go to the clinic today to pick up a refill of my asthma medication (which, miraculously, I have all but given up since moving to Cairo) and tell the Doctor I've been feeling a little sluggish. She says, no problem, why don't we run a blood test to see if your iron is ok. Great. She writes out a referral and sends me to the receptionist to get the numbers of labs in our area.

Can I go to any lab, I ask?

The receptionist looks at me like: "Why is you foreigners so crazy?"

Turns out I just call a little 4 digit "hotline" and the clinic comes to your house, where a lovely (I like to assume) technician takes your blood. He/ she then returns to the lab and sends the results directly to my Doctor. When the receptionist tells me this, she leans in a little and says: "You might have to pay a delivery charge of 5LE (less than $1 US)" and looks at me apologetically, like she would waive the charge if she could. As if I am going to jump up with indignation and yell: "No way lady, I will not pay 80 cents for this service!" Uh, yeah.

I know what you are thinking: we are among a priviledged few who are lucky enough to have private insurance. It is true. But it is also true that all Egyptians have universal access to basic healthcare. There are many government hospitals and clinics all around the city and even the private hospitals perform a great number of pro bono cases. And (I'll have to make sure about this) blood test house calls are available to all who are referred to main labs.

Beat that, OHIP.

Dinner and a Movie

One of the things Yasir and I most like to do is go to the movies. It had been months since we had seen a film, so the other night we jumped in a cab and headed over to the Nile City Mall to catch a flick.

Cairo is filled with surprises. There are so many different worlds and my expectations of what I'll find around any given corner never cease to be challenged.

When we arrived at the cinema, I was surprised to see a brand new Starbucks selling lattes, machiatos and various snacks to take into your movie with you. And unlike the chaos of other things in Cairo, each film had it's own line up and ticket counter. The concession stand was a zoo -- thank God, I mean, I needed SOMETHING to remind me that we were still in Cairo....

We decided to see American Gangster (loved it) and the cinema reminded me of the Manulife VIP (which I've only be in thanks to Ameena and her Mom) -- small and modern, with gigantic, comfy seats. Tickets were cheap - 25LE (less than $5) and popcorn was a mere 6LE (about $1.25)

I recently heard that a new cinema has opened up in the City Stars Mall across town and get this: all the seats in the cinema are Lazy-boys! Each has it's own adjustable, reclining seat. And the pampering doesn't stop there: you can order food from the Intercontinental hotel and it will be delivered to your seat....

Delivery, by the way, is a big thing here. Groceries, fast food -- anything you want can and will be delivered to your door. I knew that Yasir was getting into this a little too much the other day when he called in a delivery of a pack of cigarettes and a diet coke....