It's not so easy...

...taking photographs in the street these days what with the repressive decrees being passed by strong man Sisi, and Dd's big camera curfew which extends for 24 hours each day. But I thought you would like to see where I buy my bananas, even if it's a snatched shot with the iPad!

I'm in the way back from getting said machine and Dd's equivalent hooked up to 3G for the duration...it will save a lot of frustration when we are out and about but more importantly will allow me to connect my laptop to the provider's wifi hotspot in our local cafe! There's method in my madness!

There is, unfortunately, plenty of madness in the methods of the government to control its people here. The latest today is a new law allowing people to be taken before military courts if they in any way threaten or damage a facility or institution vital to the state like a government building or railway station. So, a little bit of graffiti on the buffers at Platform 8 1/2 will see you, in effect, court martialed...and even if you didn't touch anything they'll make it all up anyway, and no one will ever say 'boo' to the panel of generals 'goose' on your behalf. You'll simply be off to prison like the other 41,000 souls picked up during the last year or so.

Don't ask too closely why, but did you know that Egypt has an organisation, privately run, specialising in helping rehabilitate ex-prisoners from the effects of torture?