Tailor-made

A relaxed start to the morning after Undercovercairo's party last night. We got up at 9.30, had coffee and then both settled down to a few hours work. I started to work on my provisional grades for this current course in preparation for the assessor's visit on Tuesday. Bb was working on reviewing work presentations. 4pm was our self-enforced deadline and we had Ayman and his car booked for then. I was on a mission! Undercovercairo had recently bought some linen downtown and had had two tops made (copied) by a wee tailor in Zamelek that she was happy with. Armed with an area of 4 streets as an orientation, pics of the shop fronts (one we later learnt read 'company'!), a pic of the linen bolts in one shop and a pic of the two male shop assistants in the other shop, off we went! Success! With the help of Undercovercairo on the end of the phone we got there and I bought 2 metres of linen for each top from one place and 2 metres of cotton for each top from the other. Then to Zamelek and the tailor's. Another call to Undercovercairo to confirm that the tiny little place with two sewing machines, some shelves and a bare mattress bed in the corner was indeed the place, we negotiated the deal with no common language between us apart from smiles and a common need to get the job done! My four tops will be ready on Wednesday....I think, and thanks to the help of the carpenter who has a workshop on one side and the man who has a teeny laundry service on the other. The tailor here is going to charge us 80LE for each top, which is around 4 euros and the cost of the fabric makes a total cost of about 10 euros. Not bad value at all for top quality Egyptian cotton and linen. And he's copying one of the tops I love and have paid far far more for in a shop here!