So I had almost finished my walk around the exhibition and was about to leave when something colourful caught my attention, I told my friend we have to go and take our last pictures there. The colourful something was a bright pharaonic painting on a building. As I got closer I saw the grdener sitting close by wearing flip-flops, a head scarf and her hands in the soil probably digging a hole for more flowers. I greeted her and wanted to share a few friendly words and then ask her permission to take a photo in her garden. To my surprise she then told me she is the author of these paintings. I then asked her if I can get a photo with the artist herself. She looked at her muddy hands and told me: "Let me just freshen up for the photo". And she dissapeared into the bulding.She came out wearing a fancy hat and shiny heeled shoes and bright lipstick! What a lady this gardener was! I complimented her dress and she hit me with another bomb: "Oh, I got it from Karen Miller"! I mean, really, Karen Miller!? (for those of you who don't know what Im talking about, Karen Miller is an upscale women's dress shop originating from London, but has opened it's first shop here in Cairo and is very expensive, but so classy).
We then had a chat and she briefly told me her life story. She used to dance ballet until she became 17. Then she worked as a fligh-attendant for Saudi Airlines. She broke her leg during an emergency on board and then switched to gardening. She bought a big piece of farm land about 100 km from Cairo, but also runs a small flower-garden in the heart of Cairo, next to the Nile. She spoke beautiful english and had high-class body-language.
She really stood out from every gardener around her. Most of them were men in jeans or galabeia's (arabic robe) and did not speak english. And there she was, next to her pharaonic doors with her hands in the soil wearing a Karen Miller dress.
Now you understand what I mean by expext the unexpected? :)
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