When it rains it pours

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[youtube=n10RIf49gdw]

...literally. It rained Saturday. In Cairo. In Cairo today it rained. It didn't sprinkle, drizzle or spit, it poured down rain and the whole city stopped. I was in my room having a lazy Saturday watching a movie on tv (Dead Ringers- trop strange) when I heard a noise outside. I glanced out my window and saw the water in pool looking like a helicopter was trying to land above it, you know, the way a helicopter blows and flattens grass or water in waves? At that moment the pool furniture was blown into the pool and people were scurrying to get inside. Then the rain started, pouring sideways rain, quickly making pools of dirty water everywhere as months of dirt was washed away. This lasted for about half an hour, with thunder and lightning as well. And now, because of thirty minutes of rain, the whole city shut down. It's like when it snows in Oregon. What would normally be a 20 minute trip was taking people a good two hours. We went out to get food and had to navigate our street crossings using skills learned from creek fording. At one point when we couldn't find a way around the stream that extended five feet out from the sidewalk, we walked across the bumpers of two parked cars. Normally I would have waded through, but you don't want to step in Cairo street water. All of it was an ominous dark brown, and much of it smelled like the septic tanks had backed up. My friend Kristen got off of the Metro (i.e. the Cairo subway) to find that outside of the station the water was up to the windshields on cars. People were swimming to cross the street. She finally got home because men were carrying women across on park benches. Sorry the sound sucks on the video- you could hear the rain before, but I think the compression warped it. I would recommend watching it without sound actually, it's a really terrible noise.

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Comments

[Kim Abel]

Wow!
Hi Lauren, This is amazing! I am sure enjoying hearing about your adventures from your Mom. She fixed a lovely birthday dinner for Beth and I last night and we had a great time together. Enjoy each minute of your time abroad....it will go quickly. Take care and keep safe.

[Rowan]

Hey Kim, thanks! Mom told me about that- she said that she had a really nice time with you guys. I hope you got the blueberry muffin recipe in time :) Take care!