Heat On

Return from Aswan: Turned heat on in my apartment in Garden City, Cairo, upon my return from Aswan. Saw the pyramids out the plane window on the left; always an experience felt deeply. Hard to believe that less than a month ago it was so hot in the city. In Aswan, 589 miles to the south, it had started to be chilly in the morning. The southernmost Egyptian Temple just outside Aswan–Philae, is situated more or less at the Tropic of Cancer. The Tropic of Cancer is the circle of latitude on the earth that marks the most northerly position at which the sun may appear directly overhead at its zenith. This event occurs once per year at the time of the June solstice. Heat in Egypt: Politically, the temperature in Egypt has been rising as crowds, supporters and opponents of the president, form, pull back, and react to the maneuverings of President Morsi. Fortunately for me, although tensions near the presidential palace and in Tahrir Square are running high, most of Cairo is proceeding normally and with business as usual. Apartment Across from Me: In my building, there are two apartments on each floor. I had never seen anyone coming out of the other apartment on my floor. Now, I know why. With the weather cooler, the place is getting a complete overhaul. Supplies are coming up on the elevator; and a large pile of sand and a stack of ripped up flooring sit on the sidewalk immediately in front of the complex. I hear a lot of hammering during the day. The workers can be really noisy; sometimes I hear a crash–a construction item dropped. December 9: Fighter jets flying and roaring over the area today. Wonder why?