Working in the Wild with Watter AlBahry

Watter AlBahry

Getting up close and personal with wildlife is a dream for some, but for nature and wildlife photographer Watter AlBahry it is a day in the office. The co-founder of Wild Phoenix has been snapping extraordinary scenes from nature for over a decade and has built a career as a professional environmental researcher, ornithologist-birdwatcher and wildlife documentary photographer, working for prestigious publications like National Geographic and National Geographic Youth Magazine. AlBahry has also worked with organizations like BirdLife International and Like as Nature Conservation Egypt, NCE BirdLife Egypt, and the Hurghada Environmental Protection & Conservation Association (HEPCA).

AlBahry has covered a lot of ground in Egypt, working all over the country in locations like Saint Catherine in Sinai, Port Said, all across Egypt’s North Coast, from Sohag to Nubia, and Siwa. He has gathered valuable photography from 90% of Egypt’s nature protectorates.

“Each location has a special atmosphere and value. However, Aswan holds a special place in my heart because of the birds, people and the colors.”

“Nature photography is challenging due to rapidly changing conditions. Lighting, weather, temperatures, and landscapes can change within minutes. Photographers can sit for hours, up to 10 hours sometimes, waiting for that one action shot. Research and preparedness is key for a nature photographer, however sometimes the perfect shot happens as a matter of being in the right place at the right time like this sandstorm in Aswan.”

Watter AlBahry

“These shots of dolphins were taken at 6 am during a workshop with HEPCA on migration routes and how to interact with the animals. Later on, I was underwater with them photographing them and playing around with them – they’re like overgrown dogs, really! Very playful, and they were competing with each other for my attention.”

“Nature photography equals adventure and freedom – my office is my bag and nature which gives me a higher quality of life and sense of fulfillment. Within days, I can traverse a lot of land and see evolving landscapes across a stretch of coastline and come across different dialects, customs and traditions. The most rewarding part of the job is transferring the story and habitat of an animal into an image – for that moment, you are one with an animal in its territory and telling its story through its eyes.”

“The hardest part of the job is maintaining the physical readiness and safety measures of being a nature photographer. Often you have to hike up to 30 km, free dive 15 meters, sometimes you get lost in wilderness, or have to lay down in an environment where there are venomous creatures.”

“Photographing birds is challenging, I have to sit for quite some time and it involves quite a bit of time management. In winter, you’re sitting for hours as still as possible in the cold – frigid water can be especially troublesome. Photographing scorpions is also challenging, since I am afraid of them, so overcoming my personal fear to show their personality and movement can be scary.”

 

CONTACT INFORMATION

Facebook: Wild Phoenix  WatterAlBahryPhotography

Instagram: @watteralbahry @wildphoenix.w

Email: watter-albahry@hotmail.com

wildphoenix.w@gmail.com

Kids Rooms & Study Areas: 21 Picks for Redecorating

Back-to-school means back from holidays. But why not keep the fun mood for your kids with a quick makeover of their rooms? Here we go with a few hot items that would brighten their space, for study, chillout time or sweet slumber.

Have a seat
Passion for pink
Snuggle up and sweet dreams
Time to study
Light things up

Cover the walls

Contact Details:

Bon Bon
Tel: 0100 101 3303
Facebook: @bonbon.eg

Chinchilla
Tel: 0111 000 1937
Facebook: @chinchillahub

Designy Egypt
Tel: 0100 154 2758
Facebook: DesignyEgypt

Home Centre
Address: Mall of Egypt
Cairo Festival City
Tel: 02 26168190/1
Facebook/Instagram: @homecentrestores

Home Plus
Address: Entrance of Al Motamayez
District – 6th of October
Tel: 0106 643 3666
Facebook: @homepluseg

IKEA
Address: Cairo Festival City
Tel: 16576
Facebook: IKEAEgypt

Nillens
Address: 11 Hassan Sabry St – Zamalek
Tel: 02 27370211
Facebook: @nillens

Stickers New Creation
Tel: 0128 910 0063
Facebook: @stickersnewcreation

Zara Home
Address: Cairo Festival City
Mall of Arabia
Mall of Egypt
Tel: 0109 026 2463
Facebook: @zarahome

Posh Nosh’s Beetroot, Orange and Feta Salad

Healthy with a citrusy twist! Enjoy this healthy and nutritious salad courtesy of Posh Nosh, perfect on any dinner table year round.

Ingredients:

50 g rucola

130 g boiled beetroot, cubed

75 g feta cheese, cubed

35 g orange segments, cleaned

20 g tahina with turmeric

5 g rucola sprouts

20 g lemon vinaigrette

Preparation:

Gently toss the rucola and rucola sprouts with tahina and lemon vinaigrette, then add the feta and beetroot cubes and place on a serving dish. Arrange the orange segments on top and serve.

Yellow Moon’s Summer Shrimp Mango Cucumber Salad

 

Summer may be saying “see ya later!”, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still taste it at home! Check out this zesty refreshing salad courtesy of Yellow Moon, and enjoy the flavors of summer for the rest of the month.

 

Ingredients:
• 280 g (2 cups) fresh shrimp, peeled and de-veined
• 350 g (2 ½ cups) cucumber, julienned
• 100 g (1/3 cup) carrots, shredded
• 50 g (a little less than ½ cup) white onions, julienned
• 7 g (2 ¼ teaspoons) white vinegar
• 30 g (2 tablespoons) white sugar
• 7 g (2 ¼ teaspoons) minced garlic
• 150 g (1 to 1 ½ cup) mango, julienned
• 3 g (1/3 teaspoon) salt
• 2 g (½ teaspoon) orange zest
• 2 g (½ teaspoon) lemon zest
• 2 g (½ teaspoon) sesame seeds

Preparation:

In a bowl combine cucumber, carrots, onions and salt. Mix well and leave in fridge for 7 to 10 minutes maximum. Remove bowl from fridge and add sugar, garlic and vinegar and mix well until sugar dissolves. Add mango, orange zest and sesame seeds to mixing bowl. In a sauté pan, stir fry the shrimp with a dash of your favorite oil. Remove and let cool then place in salad mixing bowl with rest of ingredients. Mix well and enjoy.
* Please note that we have approximated the cup, teaspoon
and tablespoon measurements for those of you who do
not have measuring tools. If you have measuring tools then
please follow the gram measurements as they come directly
from the chef.

Rowing 101: How-To, Tips & Where to Go!

Gym veterans and newbies alike know the importance of a great warm up session to get the blood flow pumping and muscles warmed up, and everyone has their favorite way of doing it. Switch-up your warm up by going at it on the rowing machine or ‘rower’. It’s gaining a lot of popularity as a go-to method of achieving a full-body warm up or a fantastic lengthy cardio session.

Rowing is low-impact, easy on the joints, and can help your overall fitness in many ways, such as building and toning muscles, increasing and improving cardiovascular function and stamina, and promoting weight loss. It also offers greater resistance than cycling or spinning because the continuous pull and push motion of rowing provides resistance in not one, but two directions.

 

In terms of which muscle groups benefit from a session on the rowing machine, the answer is simple and short, all of them! Unlike the treadmill or elliptical, rowing works both your lower and upper body simultaneously. At the beginning of each stroke, you engage your back, quadriceps, hamstrings and calf muscles. As the stroke continues, your abdominals, triceps, chest muscles, shoulder muscles, and glutes kick in. As you finish the stroke, your biceps and obliques are working hard.

It is important to get the technique of rowing correct in order to avoid any injuries and gain the maximum potential from working out.

THE BASICS OF ROWING

The Catch: Sit on the rower and bend your knees, placing your feet in the hold. Extend your arms and grab the handle firmly. Straighten your back, ensure that you are not hunched over, and tighten your core abdominal muscles.

The Drive: Push with your legs, straightening them until they are completely straight, pulling the handle with your extended arms at the same time. Do not make the mistake of using your full-body force all at once during this step. You should be using your legs primarily, then your core, then your arms in succession — not all at once in a single full-body move.

The Finish: Once your legs are straightened out, use your core and hamstrings to lean back to a roughly 45-degree angle, keeping your spine straight. Bend your elbows in order to pull the handle inward until it touches just below your chest, then extend your arms while leaning your torso forward and begin to return to your starting position until your torso is tilted forward at the 45-degree angle. You should be engaging your arms, core, then legs when returning to start position.

TIPS & HACKS
  • Always check the resistance setting! A 2 or 3 is the ideal resistance for a beginner to start.
  • Remember to breathe! Inhale in the ‘catch’ position, exhale with the ‘drive’, and inhale again when you return to the finish.
  • Focus less on the speed and more on the power and on which muscles are being activated. Getting the technique and positioning right is what pays off.
  • Don’t pull with your arms! Keep your elbows straight as you push on the ‘drive’ with your legs.
  • A stronger core will make you a better rower. This will lend to a more efficient stroke and reduce the risk of injury and potential strain on your muscles. Planks and side planks help with strengthening the core.
ROW OUTDOORS

Although we are mainly attempting to ignite your love for the indoor rowing machine available at your gym, there are also some other options if you wish to pick up rowing as a full-blown sport. This is an excellent option for your children if you’d like to introduce them to a full-body sport, or even as a family activity in the milder form of kayaking.

The Egyptian Rowing Club

Facebook: Egyptian Rowing Club Official Page
Tel: 02 3748 9639

 

The Maadi Rowing Club

Facebook: @maadirowingclub
Tel: 0122 003 0120

Nile Dragons Academy

Facebook: @nile.dragon.boat.egypt
Tel: 0111 001 0117

 

Nile Kayak Club

Facebook: @NileKayakClub
Tel: 0101 001 3335

GYMS WITH ROWERS

Fibers Club

1 Zahraa Maadi St – Rihana Residence Maadi
Tel: 0101 222 2986
Facebook: Fibers Maadi

First Mall – Giza 35, Giza street – First Mall, Four Seasons
Tel: 0114 033 3390
Facebook: Fibers First Mall

Al Rehab City Rehab City, Gate 6
Tel: 0112 804 4440
Facebook: Fibers Al Rehab

Gold’s Gym Egypt

Midan El Mahata – Al Maadi
Tel: 02 23803601

Gold’s Gym Elite
Katameya Heights Golf & Tennis Resort New Cairo
Tel: 0100 215 2332/4

 

Hers Studios

Point 90 Mall New Cairo
Tel: 0100 097 8399
Facebook: HersStudios

 

Hers Women’s Fitness Centers 

Facebook: HersEGY

Twin Plaza Mall (previously Emerald Mall) First Settlement – New Cairo
Tel: 0106 506 3000

15 Ismail Mohamed – Jadda Towers Zamalek
Tel: 0102 802 8465

3 Kabool Street off Mostafa el Nahas St Nasr City
Tel: 0100 097 8431

15 Abdel Moneim Hafez St off El Nozha St Heliopolis
Tel: 0106 507 4700

 

Ignite Egypt

Facebook: IGNITE.eg

Instagram: @ignite.egypt

Point 90 Mall, New Cairo
Tel: 0100 097 8313

Lake House Club Road 90, Fifth Settlement
Tel: 0102 219 6661

15 Abd El-Moneim Hafez Almazah, Heliopolis
Tel: 0100 024 8998

Powerhouse Gym

Al Guezira Plaza – Tower 1 Sheikh Zayed
Tel: 0100 060 1590
Facebook: PowerhouseGymEgypt

Transformers Fitness Center

Building 73, Rd 104 Maadi
Tel: 0102 121 9000
Facebook: Transformers Fitness Center

Sanos’Avocado Almond Smoothie Recipe

Peel and blend! Tuck into this yummy smoothie, courtesy of Sanos. Mmmm … tastes like summer!

Ingredients:

1/2 medium ripe avocado, peeled and de-stoned

1/2 large glass of almond milk

3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons of honey

Preparation:

Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until well mixed and serve immediately.

 

 

In the Stars: Your September Horoscopes

By Maeri Frances

Back to school, back to work. So how are the planets easing the transition this September? After a period of retrograde for several planets it may feel as though you had been stuck in a state of ‘one step forward and two steps back’. It just means that maybe you needed to sort out your stuff before charging ahead, never a bad idea.

P.S. Don’t forget, your rising sign plays a big role, so check that out as well if you know it.

September Birthdays:

Salma Hayek (actress) and Keanu Reeves (actor) – 2nd September, Charlie Sheen (actor) – 3rd September, Beyonce Knowles (singer) – 4th September, Idris Elba (actor) – 6th September, Adam Sandler (actor) – 9th September, Colin Firth (actor) – 10th September, Jason Statham (actor) and Khaled El Nabawy (actor) – 12th September, Hisham Abbas (singer) – 13th September, Tom Hardy (actor) – 15th September, Sophia Loren (actress) – 20th September, Bruce Springsteen (musician) and Alex Proyas (screenwriter) – 23rd September, Will Smith (actor) – 25th September, Khaled Al Khamissi (writer) – 27th of September.

Happy Birthday, Virgo!

With your ruling planet Mercury forging ahead in Leo you could be feeling a sense of anticipation as the month starts. By the 6th, when Saturn also goes back into direct motion, and Mercury bounces into your birth sign, your path of action will become clearer. If you haven’t de-cluttered and refined important aspects of your lifestyle, then this is the time. The days between the 9th and 12th are key to setting things in action. Communicate and negotiate!

Aries

If anyone can get back into work mode with determination this month, it is Aries. Your natural drive and ambition is out there for all to see. Your eye is on the ball and you can make up for any opportunities lost over the long summer break. Your main risk lies in stepping on a few toes in your rush to grab any prize. Include others in your plans, you can be an inspiration in any team efforts. The Full Moon in Aries on the 25th can bring things to culmination.

Taurus

Your thoughts may be drifting more to pleasure, hobbies and romance than actually settling back into the daily grind. You can safely drift along until the 19th of the month, that’s when the tension steps up, especially for anyone born in the first few degrees of the Fixed signs. And yes, Taurus, you are one of them. There could be a few harsh words and loss of temper, so keep calm and aim for maintaining the peace at home and around the workplace.

Gemini

Let’s face it. You are not really in the mood for hours on the road or being tied to a desk this September. Your happiest moments this month will be spent close to home. Family and the domestic scene will claim most of your attention, so it is probably best to avoid making major commitments of your time for other matters. As the last week rolls around you should be in the mood for getting out and about and spending quality time on hobbies and sports.

Cancer

So much to do and so little time for you this month, Cancer. You may feel snowed under by phone calls, emails, errands and chores. By month’s end you will probably feel like staying home with the phone turned off and the computer tucked away. Make sure your efforts are recognized and appreciated, especially around the 25th. The period between the 9th and 12th is great for bonding with your kids, or getting romantic with your partner. By the 13th a key relationship should be feeling a lot more grounded.

Leo

It’s all about da money, money… It may be key to making or breaking your month. Whether it is for travel plans, or improving the house, you need to sort out your finances and prioritize. If your birthday falls in the first few days of Leo, you should tread with care on the 19th. Or, possibly, others should keep their distance. Your need to be seen in a good light is a big part of your character, and if anyone attempts to mar that around the 19th, your claws can come out!

Libra

The month leading up to your birthday is generally a good time to take stock and get yourself balanced and refreshed. If you can, try to slip away to catch a late summer break on an un-crowded beach or in a location you have always wanted to visit. Who needs throngs of people anyway? Finances still loom large, but relationship matters are not too bad. Pay attention to events on the 25th in this regard. You will feel generally more communicative after Mercury enters your sign on the 22nd.

Scorpio

Now that everyone’s back in town you need to get networking. There are deals to be made, and apart from that, hey, it would be good to catch up with friends and see how their summer panned out. With Venus in your sign from the 9th, your charm will be at an all time high, so work it, work it! Your rapport with Virgos is strong this month, they can support you in achieving your goals. The 11th and 12th are days when you can really call the shots and make a lot of progress.

Summer Stars: Special Days to Watch in August

By Maeri Frances

Have you been waiting all year for that magic month, when you can ease back and relax at the beach with friends and family? Then take a peek at the weather forecast to know how to navigate the days ahead … Don’t forget, your rising sign plays a big role, so check that out as well if you know it.

1st to 3rd August:

The main energy point is a rather tetchy square between high energy Mars and unpredictable Uranus. This will have the strongest impact on those born in the first couple of days of Taurus, Leo, Scorpion and Aquarius, but we all may need to keep our tempers in check. Bite your tongue, don’t push issues and keep calm…

4th to 6th August:

A lovely passage of the Moon through earthy Taurus will highlight the sensual side of life. Good food, the right music, a massage maybe. Time to indulge your hedonistic side. By the 6th there will be an increased mood for communication and activity.

7th to 8th August:

With the Moon in airy Gemini and Venus sliding gracefully into fellow air sign Libra, there will be a focus on social life, romantic relationships and partying. Not the ear-blasting music variety, more the sort where conversation holds sway, and singles may meet a new love interest.

9th to 10th of August:

This period starts on a nice upbeat note, with plenty of communication and goodwill, but by the 10th it may have all become a bit much and grouchiness could set. Pace yourself and don’t overdo things.

11th to 12th of August:

If you can avoid mental confusion and unclear communication on the 11th, you should find that the 12th runs more smoothly. A Leo New Moon on the 11th invites you to strut your stuff, so dress up and be ready to party.

13th to 14th of August:

The mood is more about meeting deadlines and getting down to business than sheer relaxation. Maybe just a bit of networking on the beach or around the pool? It all helps. The 14th is a good day for socializing.

15th to 17th of August:

There may be undercurrents swirling around that you cannot quite fathom, so don’t throw yourself into a situation without having a clear picture of what is really going on. It will be important on the 17th to maintain a positive attitude, that will help ease the way through any tense standoffs.

18th to 21st of August:

Just when you think that positive approach is paying off, whoops… here we go with another Mercury retrograde. The easy way out is to ignore unnecessary mental processes, or mechanical ones, and let your instincts and intuition pay a bigger part in your life for a few days.

22nd to 23rd of August:

The mood in general is pleasant and rather low key. Use the more relaxed vibe to catch up on some time to rest and gather energy for the last week of the month. Virgo and Capricorn will have an instinctive rapport, so try to spend time together.

24th to 25th of August:

Don’t feel snubbed if people seem a little reclusive or withdrawn, it isn’t you; it is just the reflective mood that sets in as everyone starts facing up to the fact that the working world is still there, waiting. All good things must come to an end, summer vacations included.

26th to 28th of August:

There are different ways to get what you want, and this period suggests that a subtle but honest approach will be a lot more productive that trying to strong arm your way. Any scheme that is less than transparent will be obvious, so keep things above board.

29th to 31st of August:

Yes, we know you are feeling a bit glum. How could a summer vacation have sped by so quickly? The planets are not offering much to boost your mood either; there is a winding down vibe in the air. Time to pack your bags, along with a bundle of great memories to treasure. The rush and disorganization of the early hours of the 31st make way for a more focused mood a bit later. Have a leisurely breakfast before you hit the road.

Why Research Skills Are Key to Your Children’s Future

By Heba Abou Shnief

Preparing our children for a knowledge and data driven world is no easy feat for parents. Today children are exposed to an explosion of information and data accessible through digital technologies and online tools.  In an increasingly connected global economy, where competition is fierce, the capacity to utilize information and data will be key drivers of success in our children’s future working lives.  According to Magued Osman, Former Minister of Communications and Information Technology and current CEO of the Egyptian Center for Public Opinion Research Baseera, “The value of data and information is much greater than it was 10 years ago.  You need only to look at the Fortune 500 list to see that data-driven firms and tech-based corporations are taking prominence. Even small businesses and entrepreneurs are increasingly relying on research and data analysis for better decision-making.” Evidently, the more successful businesses are those that invest in R&D (research and development).

Winning at sports through data analytics!

Modern sports teams, both amateur and professional, use research, data and data analytics not only to assess the performance of individual players on a team (or in single-player sports like tennis), but to assess opponents, opposing team configurations, potential matchups and, even more recently, to assess a live game in progress and make adjustments to team formations, defensive or offensive strategies and other factors to influence a game in progress.  This is very evident in professional sports, including football and Formula One racing, but also with student athletes in universities and colleges in everything from volleyball to basketball.  Many analysts who work in these contexts develop to take on substantial positions in the business world, using the same skills to establish ‘dashboards’ and other analytical tools in the commercial world.

Conventional education just isn’t enough!

In this environment, conventional education and learning approaches that emphasize memorization over analysis and critical thinking will not cut it.  Basic education and learning in the core subjects is indispensible, but for our children to thrive in a highly competitive labor market and contribute meaningfully to this digitally connected and data driven world they need to understand early on the value of data, research and analysis.

For this to happen, our children need to be independent learners and posses the analytical capacity to solve problems in an evidence-based manner. These are all applied skills that distinguish an informed and productive 21st century workforce.  Karim El Sadr, PepsiCo’s Head of Financial Planning and Analysis for the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council area), suggests that, “It is important to have data. But after all, data is ‘raw’.  Without the capability to analyze data, it will be of no benefit. Data-driven insights and research is core to our operations.  We often look for employees with strong analytical and research skills.”

Data delivers results

The need for research and analysis skills is not confined to the data-driven and tech based sector, as all professionals increasingly rely to varying degrees on research and analysis to operate.  Take the film and TV industry, as an example, for a script writer to develop a script for a movie based on true life events he/she needs to conduct background research through interviews, reading biographies and access data to properly reflect the events, context and personalities. Similarly, for a TV host to develop informed content for his/her program, they rely on a team of researchers and also conduct their own research.

Equipping kids with transferable skills

But how can we build the analytical and problem solving skills of our children in a manner that complements core subjects, such as science, mathematics, languages, and geography taught in school? One answer lies in bolstering the research capacity of our children. Research is an essential applied skill; one that not only advances the knowledge horizons of children to help them better understand the world they live in—but is also a proven way through which they can learn to independently find data, analyze it (even to assess its integrity) and then use it to solve a problem, capitalize on an opportunity or even challenge the data itself.

Research skills are a set of structured modes of inquiry, which means that they are transferable to any sector or domain of knowledge.  According to the International Labor Organization’s (ILO), Global Commission on the Future of Work, that convenes a global discussion among labor market specialists and experts on what skills are needed in the future workplace, future workers need to be equipped with a transferable skills set that can be applied across sectors and time. Furthermore, written communication is another critical skill cultivated through research.

Early start on research skills

Students need to be introduced to research at schools and as early as the preparatory stage, not simply at the secondary and university levels as is currently the widespread practice in Egypt. They need to be exposed early on to the concept of data and evidence based research. Your child already has an edge if he/she is enrolled in an educational system that emphasizes research in the curriculum and embeds it in the core subjects, like the International Baccalaureate, for instance. But also giving your child a boost through research training workshops, research internships and extra-curricular activities involving research projects are proven ways in which students can build their research skills. At home, assigning your child guided research tasks that involve gathering data and information from online and offline sources to answer a research question is a worthwhile activity that can help hone their research skills. Linking these research assignments to their hobbies or topics of interest can certainly serve to motivate your child. It is important that children learn to engage and appreciate research from early on, so that when they reach the university level it is not simply perceived as a means to fulfill course requirements and by the time they join the workforce they would already be adept at researching and using information.

No matter how long the journey from basic education to future employment might seem, by gradually and incrementally preparing our children we will give them a head start in what is a dynamic and radically changing data driven and connected world.

Heba Abou Shnief is a Senior Fellow at the City University of New York. Her work has focused on research design, execution and capacity building around development policy and philanthropy.