Crocodiles and Whales.

Here is another couple of articles written about me by Ida Stroberg from Sweden. Ida is a writer among other "things"...

There is a version in English and another in Swedish. While you may not be able to read a word in Swedish, you may nevertheless click on the article and see a different set of pictures. There are slight differences between the written text of the two articles and for those of you who just don't read Swedish but want to satisfy the Sherlock Holmes within (or are simply into spot the differences) there is google translate (translate.google.com)

in English:

http://www.menatidningen.se/meet-mina-wagih-wardakhan-a-man-with-a-soul-of-a-true-artist

in Swedish:

http://www.menatidningen.se/mot-mina-wagih-wardakhan-en-sann-konstnarssjal

Message in a bottle

Stella, Heineken, Cape Bay, Khayyam, and a bottle of Baileys

The most common wine I ever drank here in Egypt

I wanna make this so it can actually float on a bamboo base

Whats up doc?
That ain't all folks... come back later for more.

Further in the world of geodesic domes, one more 3v has been set up in Aswan. This one is 6m diameter, made with PVC hubs and has not been covered yet but will be soon. I made this one for Hadouta Masreya, now one year old, in Soheil Gharb. Where I setup the dome is not right next to the guesthouse but a short boat ride or camel ride away.

 As you may have noticed I usually work alone and get help from friends and people who are enthusiastic about geodomes. This time I had my own dad and uncle to help me with assembly.

perfect Pentagons in nature

perfect Pentagons on a Karkade flower (Hibiscus)

I originally was asked to make this dome in time for the Afrikan Yoga retreat by Pablo Imani (http://afrikanyoga.com) and indeed I arrived a couple of days earlier and set it up in time for the Journey of Ra retreat. We, however,  did not visit it once let alone held sessions in it. The dome is spacious, the most spacious of the three I have made myself though still dwarfed by the one in RockSea.

the finished dome

Right next to where we setup this dome is a another very large tree of the same kind the dome is setup next to (Acacia Nilotica) but even bigger with branches that run almost parallel to the ground covering a large area providing it with shade all day every day. 

countless objects hang from its branches and twigs

Beneath the tree and on the perimeter of its shade a man sits roasting coffee and making mixtures as travelers and guests sit on the comfy cushions and enjoy “gabana”. Gabana is a local coffee prepared in a round bottom clay flask by Nubians, nomads, and further south all the way to Ethiopia in much the same way. 

We drink in odd numbers so if you’ve had two go to three, or five or even seven if you really need to be buzzzzzing. Brewed with your choice of ginger, nutmeg, cardamom or any combination thereof.

your choice of add-ons

roasted beans

Meanwhile in Fekra, I arrived after the yoga retreat was over and Pablo had gone. The very next morning I marked windows and sun panels in the cover of the 3v 5m dome there (scroll down for earlier blog post about this) and took it straight to the tailor’s.

view through the window with one panel open
showing the two sun panels from the inside 

Mr. Tailorman, though welcoming as always, was anything but quick or efficient this time. We had tea and chatted and chatted and sat and looked and did nothing and then maybe two hours later he started machining. I spent a total of about 5 hours this time just standing about and rambling in between spurts of work, but getting to know each other better too.

the entrance from the inside

Eventually it was ready with one two-panel-zip-up-window and two sun panels.

more on goatsandflowers (instagram)

"True Nature" - Zamalek 11211

Article and photographs by Karina Al Piaro, Fondation Monde Perdu.

Published September 2014 in Zamalek 11211 Magazine.

https://www.facebook.com/z11211

www.fondationmondeperdu.com

click to enlarge. text may be readable with sufficient zoom.

Festival Geodesics at The Sinai

Tricky Trees was glad to make an appearance at the Cloud 9 and Earthdance festivals which took place in Sinai in Spetmeber 2014.

to start with, the cloud 9 team joined me at the workshop and together we made lighting towers, designed projection screens, made a 3-D logo, and a ziptie 3v geodesic dome.

digital projection in preparation for the plywood logo

Le Brothers Refaat working on the lighting towers

The Cloud 9 Festival was a 3 day musical celebration/presentation/initiation featuring Cairo's underground musicians, acoustic, electronic, and many shades in between.

Gamoly, Mans, and Mr. Zen walking the labyrinth of stage setup

the stage was tricky to set up at first, especially after a long over night drive, and having to unload it piece by piece from the jumbo pickup.

Majik showing victory

 ...with time, and some may say too many laughs, we put it together successfully and had ourselves a solid sturdy wooden stage.

next, it was time to setup the dome, and with this many people working on it, I wasn't sure whether it was gonna come up or gently dissipate into nothingness, passing by each of our individual consciences. 

work was completed diligently, with camraderie and humility. 

by nightfall, or just before, we had ourselves a 5 metre diameter geodesic dome.

Next we added the lights...

and tested it before the crowds arrive.




we received positive feedback and many comments expressing general approval and support about it, but people be as people are, we also got many "but you could've added this or that or the other thing". some of those got smiles in return, others experienced internalized anger as they were completely ignored. After all, only we know how much work and time we put into it, which is not to say improvements and expansions are not on the agenda...

after the festival was "officially over", that is to say after big awesome JBL sound system hit the road again, gone back to its store or wherever it was hired next, we took the dome to sea. exactly why or how is difficult (indeed impossible to me at this moment) to tell. . . but here are a few pictures to show the results and parts of the process.

 first we carried it into the water

                                                                 and held it, taking turns on the inside.

                                               

then we set it afloat by tying plastic bottles and 

pieces of polystyrene "foam" to its perimeter.

Now we could frolic about together on the inside.

Haleluya! 

.woman in dome.

last 7 pictures courtesy of Karina Al Piaro
www.fondationmondeperdu.com/

Next, after the Cloud 9 was over, and no rain sighted, reassuring us all of the mystical nature of the world, we rested in Maagana for a few days. snorkelling, kayaking, eating, drinking, resting, socializing, smoking, and dreaming were the highlights. and then, one day, after having discussed the countless options and destinations open to us we, for some yet unknown reason, decided to walk to the Blue Lagoon some 60 kilometres away. yes, walk... like good mr. Johnnie the infamous Walker. 

and so, a couple of days later, we put ourselves and our things together, packed the geodesic dome into three backpacks, and got a ride to the outskirts of Nuweiba city, past the port where we started our walk after midnight. Partly motivated by being welcome at Earthdance, a festival held in Dahab, we pressed on and on with supplies and i repeat, a geodesic dome on our backs.

five of us, four gentlemen and a lady... and one sleeping bag.

leaving the abandoned Abu Galum protectorate/national park visitor centre

Mans

Moi

Aicha

Rrrrefat

 Sherif


our favorite non-human companion

waking up wasn't always our favorite part of the day


the walk was arduous but we had plenty of time to rejuvenate and relax

During this hike, which I finally calculated to have been 40 km long, approximately, we got to see places that we had not seen before. it was my first time the cracks... a place difficult to describe....

walking on, we reached the blue lagoon past 2 in the morning on the third night. there we rested and rested and ate and ate... then on to the Abu Galum (I think it is pronounced Abu Gaa...loooom) main reef, only 4 km away, but we got a ride for this one.

Soon it was time go again, and, backpacks on backs, we head to the Earthdance festival at The Caves, a renowned diving site, where we setup the dome, helped with other volunteer jobs and enjoyed 2 days of live sets. I had the privilege to perform with Procession Towards the Unknown, pictures of which I will be sure to post once I have access to them. Here the Geodesic dome was turned into a chill-out space, covered with fluorescent lycra triangles, the organisers generously provided. we wished we brought our black lights along... next time. daily in the dome and throughout the night festival goers and volunteers came by to hang out, eat with us, socialize, and jam with guitars and percussions. My phone was well off by then so not many pictures at hand now... more to be posted later

for now, enjoy this short clip from a GoPro...