One of the nicest things about living in Alexandria is the relative ease of owning an 'exotic' pet - or, by extension, getting to babysit one for a few days. Pictured above is the probably-one-year-old tortoise Foul. His name is pronounced 'fool' and means Beans, after the traditional Egyptian dish of pureed fava beans, but the spelling has caused not only confusion on facebook but hilarity in a number of hotel buffets (Foul Puree at 10am, anyone?). Foul was rescued from a pet shop in the Downtown shopping district of Alexandria where, as is the norm, baby Libyan tortoises were piled on top of each other in full sun in one inadequate cage.
Since his purchase for just over ten English pounds by two classmates as the tortoise equivalent of a nervous wreck, Foul has quite literally come out of his shell and now yawns, cuddles and waddles around, looking for the most part content. He still has a slight problem with constipation in times of stress (being carried up Mount Sinai in a cardboard box may not have been the best idea) but is on the whole a thoroughly happy amphibian. The same can probably not be said for those he left behind.
Below: the epic voyage from laptop surface to 2012 diary - or possibly an attempt at some long-overdue pushups.
Re-homing Foul at the end of May has had due consideration (as bringing him to England would not only be a massive hassle but throw up serious custody issues) and he will most likely end up with one of our Egyptian friends here, or with the girls' irrepressible neighbours. That is, of course, if he hasn't been stepped on after this weekend.
Below: Foul waves at Vicky, then gets cosy on a collarbone. Bless.
