SHIFTING SANDS

The Pillars of Hercules - Africa to Europe

I began my first Chemotherapy treatment this week, that combined with a daily menu of other drugs , has been quite a shock to body, little surprise then at the nausea for a few days.  Thankfully I am now recovering and went out to purchase a walking stick today, the fashionable hikers type of course.

Those of us that follow world news have been captivated this week by the pro-democracy scenes in Egypt and other countries of North Africa.  I only hope this really does lead to shifting sands in that part of the World, power to the people.

From an observers viewpoint, I am surprised that the Egyptian population has tolerated the Mubarak regime for so long, but perhaps they felt more secure than with the unknown.  The Muslim Brotherhood  (besides a slightly threatening name) seem to have some hold and influence to sustain peace and order, therefore offering a moment for planning and for  representatives of the people to emerge from the shadows of oppression.

I hope that one day most of the looted treasures are returned to Egypt.  As an ex-miner I was fascinated by the tombs in Luxor,  I think a tomb for example; that of Tutankhamun should be restocked and a parallel tomb sunk with connecting passages and glass walls at intervals to view the scene as it really looked.

I worked in a gold mine in Sudan in the area where the original Pharaonic Gold for the tombs was mined, On the subject of feeling spirituality there are few places to rival a walk through the Nubian Hills.  There are more ancient sites in Sudan than Egypt, Hieroglyphics appear all over the old travel routes on the walls of ancient gorges and wadis.