beyond the mountains

Well, Well, amigos, I haven’t had a single second to announce you the two-fold great news. Firstly I have been promoted to the rank of Editorial Coordinator! Can you imagine? A promotion! To celebrate this great news, the office has decided to send me to what the world counts as most opposite to Algeria… Kazakhstan. Most of you must have heard about this country through Ali G’s performance as Borat Sajdieyv, the funniest Kazakhstani reporter ever. (I guess there is only one…) I then left Algeria very rapidly, for a two-day transit via Brussels. In Brussels, needless to say, I just had the time to hug my family and friends, empty a couple of Jupiler with them, and swap my swimsuit against a warm polar jacket. Thursday morning, I was on a flight to London, where I enjoyed a hangover and my first briefing as Coordinator. London is a place I don’t know at all, and where a couple of my friends live. A new project means a new team! Two lovely ladies now surround me: Sabeena, our project dir...

Enough of Algiers’ traffic jams and Aurassi Hotel! We were given the opportunity to get out of there and finally look around, and we didn’t miss such a wonderful opportunity… First, we walked around the Casbah, which is the old town where the time seems to have stopped. Unfortunately, this labyrinth is collapsing. Since they have installed running water and pipes in most houses, the fragile cement is struggling against humidity.By chance, we asked our way to the owner of the highest house uphill with a beautiful view on the Casbah itself as well as Algiers’ impressive bay. He invited us kindly to visit his jewel. Little backyard, drying laundry and garden on the rooftop, it was just a perfect introduction to this special world in the heart of Algiers. The day after, we have been invited by friends of friends to join them for their visit of Tipaza. One of the oldest “modern” ruins in Africa, dating 12000 years B.C… There, Camus found inspiration to write “les Noces”, and 50 Years later...