Monday, January 18, 2010

Redux or Reflux?

I just flew into Algiers this weekend, and boy are my arms tired! Ha! Landed in the drizzling rain, made it through security (the guard, seeing that I'm American, said, "uh, wel-come, in Algerie," in English will a big silly smile, which was nice of him), walked through the full-body screener, and got some dinars out of the ATM - a new ATM I might add, and this time it didn't seem like I got the last money in the place. After navigating my way through the shark-infested waters of the airport lobby ("you need a taxi? I change money. you need money? taxi? taxi? taxi?") I found the official taxi stand and got in a decrepit old Renault. We got on the road. I haggled about the price, asked about the weather, and then something popped on the roof of the car. We pulled over to find that his taxi sign had come undone. He cursed. I got out the duct tape. We fixed the sign. He became friendly.

















So I'm back at the Glycines. The internet finally works. I have a new phone ("sir, your account goes dormant after three months, and this SIM card hasn't been used in two years"), a new local ATM, and a new DVD store. Same Glycines menu, same little cell, same bottle shop, and same poisonous air. Not sure how to conclude this, so I'll take a line from Ralph Waldo Emerson, who famously said, "I think this is a good place to stop."

1 comment:

Jessica said...

I *LOVE* that you made use of the duct tape on day one. That so makes me regret all the pointing and laughing at you I did for packing it.