Downhill slope...

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Saturday again, and a very quiet day around the Cathedral. It's literally the middle of the weekend here and there is almost nobody around.

But its Saturday of week 3, with really two more weeks to go! Wow.

So, for me, it was a day of preparation for tomorrow's Holy Communion and a chance to look over the readings for next week's sermon.

Everybody has their own way of doing this, and I like to sit with the readings for a couple of days and to see what percolates. 

So I took my diary over to Diwan again, that lovely coffee/bookshop. It's become my 'Costa' office abroad, and the friendly Barista guy, who calls me mister, almost knows my order off by heart! 

They make a mean lemon drizzle cake which, dare I say it, would stand up to Mother's Union scrutiny any day of the week!

I tend to chat to everyone over here, and have had some lovely comments in broken English, and even translated from Arabic, over the last few days, asking me to stay! 

I'm sure my Arch would be less than impressed!

As in most places now in the EU, including Ireland, there is a noticeable cultural divide, with many of the more 'menial' tasks being performed by immigrants from other parts of the African continent.

Egypt has always been a place of great immigration.

It's so important to chat to everyone and, as J often says, everyone is treated the same in her place, no matter what job or function they perform. Absolutely agree 100%.

Its noticeable too that the ex-pats tend to congregate together, as do the Sudanese, and the Egyptians, which makes perfect sense in many ways. 

I just wish there was a little more mixing.

Although, as Matthew will observe next week, 'the Harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few.' I guess my time is short here and there's only so much I can achieve!

It's quite hot here again this evening, touching 37c as the sun goes down, and the water fans are going full blast again.

I thought I'd order something light. So, I ordered chicken, and it's enormous! Almost like a sharing platter!

I have to admit defeat again!

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