EGYPT STUDY TOUR - IFEAT

The Bassioune site was in an idyllic setting of datepalms waving in the breeze with bitter orange treeslining the roadways and violets forming a carpet underthe palms. Delightful environment, well ordered andneat.We followed a very energetic and enthusiastic Dr ElsayedMachaly around the farm … at breakneck speedI might add, especially considering the fact that he hada serious limp and we 'younger ones' had a timeMachalico’s Bassioune Farm keeping up – visiting the fields, pickers, carnation andviolet leaf harvest and weigh-in before following theraw material making its way through the fully-operationalproduction facility coping with different products simultaneouslyand good exposure to the production of concretes.All in all, a well organised farm and impressive productionfacilities. Dr Magued Machaly's daughter, Ayat…meaning LittleMiracle…had co-ordinated another superb sit-down lunch,rounded off with the most outstanding dessert of mixed baklava.While the Tour promotional material spoke of heavy travelling, it Machalico’s Concretesgave no health warning about 'heavy eating' and gut-stretching weight acquisition. But we wereenjoying it and no one was complaining especially after ourthree kilometre speed walk before lunch!We literally 'zoomed' back to Cairo after a great visit toMachalico. It's worth mentioning that the OrganisingCommittee had sorted out Cairo's legendary trafficcongestion. All our trips were comfortable, quick and trafficAyat’s colour co-ordinated Baklava free due primarily to the organisation of escort vehicles,whose drivers made a point of clearing the way ahead for thebus with frequent blasts on the horn and siren. They seemed to enjoy it and we felt like a presidentialmotorcade. I can recommend it.All work and no play makes Jack dull, so still with the social programme we hit the Giza Plateau forthe Sound and Light Show and what turned out to be a highly memorable and thought-provokingevening. The history of Egypt, the Nile and its Pharaohs is indeed the history of civilization. Wewitnessed some breathtaking negotiating skills by Greg Dowles who managed to parlay up the price ofa glass pyramid from the curio sellers before we all headed back to Cairo for yet another memorablemeal in a downtown restaurant.…It's worth noting that a fairly high level of sustainable stamina is a definite requirement for suchtours, although the opportunities for 'partying' per se were rather self-regulated due to the earlydepartures and the long days – just in case you all think that it was all fun, fun and more fun. It wasserious stuff, I can assure you.Day Five and another long drive and a visit to A. Fakhry and Company located north of Tanta in theDelta. Your Chairman of the Tour Organising Committee, Hussein Fakhry, travelled in the bus with usand through a microphone – nice touch - provided an enlightened commentary and insight into Egypt,178