El Andalous - Pictures

Il Gusto Beach

You know you must be getting settled when finally there’s nothing left to unpack.

For a long time, my pictures remained in the removal packaging, leaning up against the wall by my front door. I didn’t really want to put them up until I knew which additional furniture I would have and where.

Two of the items were mirrors still in the packaging from when I first moved to Switzerland, so after seven years I was rather curious to see what they would be. I hadn’t brought much over to Egypt (as advised by all), so anything that came across was definitely going to be used.

Unpacking them was a bit like Christmas as I found things I’d forgotten I had. The two mystery items turned out to be a huge mirror in a light wooden frame (now on my balcony) and a small circular mirror with cracked mirror pieces as decorative edging. I had a bit of a mirror phase many moons ago, so most of my “pictures” were in fact mirrors.

Putting them up would be another problem, though. I hate putting pictures up anyway. It seems such a simple task, but it’s a faff getting the hooks in the wall, making sure the hooks are strong enough, and then ensuring the pictures are straight. I’ve failed at each of those three tasks more than once in the past.

I searched for a long time over here for picture hooks, but they weren’t easy to find. First of all, they aren’t of the same shape as in the UK. They aren’t hooks as such, just an L-shape with one of the sides being a screw. The next problem was to locate hooks that were sufficiently strong. Here, I could only do my best; I was a bit sceptical that the biggest size I could find was really fit for purpose.

At this point, I took the easy option and asked the men here if they could put the pictures up for me. It was July, so it was hot, and although it’s not the most strenuous task, even the men were sweating as they worked. All I had to do was to follow them round and tell them where to put the pictures up.

It sounds really easy, doesn’t it? But somehow, it’s quite stressful having workers in your flat.

I was in inner turmoil about what tip I should give them. On top of that, I had the embarrassment of saying that I’d changed my mind as to where I wanted one of the pictures placed. I debated internally for ages over whether to say something, but in the end I decided this was my one and only chance to do this as I wasn’t doing it again nor was I ever going to do it myself. I watched and worried about the mirrors, because if they weren’t firmly in place, they’d break. The men did a good job, though, and asked me to turn on my fan in my bedroom to make sure that the mirrors were stable. I’m still scared to clean them, though, in case they fall down when I touch them. Oh, and the men provided stronger hooks for me. I have no idea where they got them from.

It took over two hours (I had nine or ten items), so really it isn’t such a small task. At the end of it all, the men did look rather frazzled. I did my usual clumsy attempt at giving them a tip, although one rushed out before I could do this, so I gave his to the other guy to give to him. 

This has resulted in a rather awkward situation as I think the guy genuinely didn’t want to accept the money. He mended my oven for me later and then gave me an invoice stating I’d already paid to the amount of the tip I’d given him before. I didn’t latch on to this, so promptly handed over the money at reception. It wasn’t until the guy at reception looked confused, jabbered away in Arabic, and the men started shaking their heads and laughing that I (believe I) realised what was happening. Anyway, the same guy (I think) came to mend my shower, so I just left that as it was. I’ve temporarily given up on giving tips in El Andalous as it’s causing me – and them – too much trauma.

The funny thing is, though, that I’d spent two hours just sitting there while I watched the men do all the work, but at the end of it, I felt utterly exhausted and in need of a reward for my achievement. I think that’s just how it is here – you complete the slightest task, even if only by (finally) getting someone else to do it for you, and it feels like you have just won an entire battle.