Bud Light and A1 Steak Sauce

Fourth of July in Cairo. I never really thought Independence Day this year would be terribly patriotic, after all there isn't really barbecue sauce in Egypt (actually their version of BBQ flavored chips is kabob... gross). However, today fulfilled my craving for Americana and then some. We all went to a house in Maadi called the American Club, and it was like stepping out of Cairo and into the American suburbs. The American Club had a pool and a playground, plus a buffet dinner, carnival games, an ice cream stand, and a DJ. As we got in line for dinner (hot dogs, burgers, ribs... the works), we saw that the table we passed was set with bottles of Bud Light and A1 Steak Sauce. We were really home. Of course with all the things we missed from America (freeze pops, pork, Tom Petty, grassy lawns), there were some stereotypes so American that they were nearly painful. Example: one of the guys sitting at a table near us had a poorly drawn tattoo of his son on his arm, which was very visible beneath his cut-off tee. Not only was his son's name (Tanner) tattooed underneath the picture, but Tanner was pictured sporting a mullet. Seriously, how redneck can you get? And what is this man doing in Cairo??

As much as we enjoyed the American aspects of the day - soaking up the sun and chlorinated water and eating far too much mayonnaise in our potato salad and cole slaw - there were a few typically Egyptian quirks about the place. For one, we had spotted a moon bounce when we came in and were all extremely excited. However, said moon bounce turned out just to be an inflatable exterior; inside was a popcorn machine and cotton candy maker... cool but not as bouncy and wonderful as what we'd hoped for. The lifeguard at the pool was also Egyptian and typically lacking in political correctness. At one point an Asian boy walked by us at the pool, and the lifeguard commented, "Samurai!" All in all, this Fourth of July was fantastically American (considering we were in Cairo), and I even got a cherry coke. If only there had been fireworks (apparently not legal in Cairo) and apple pie.