h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hello Hapi!

You dont know me, I am not an ace, or any other member of the H2G2 team, but I am taking it on myself to on occasion go and say hello to existing H2G2 members. I am doing this as it is always nice to recieve a message out of the blue from someone, and for many of us after the initial flurry of messages it gets a bit quiet around here! In truth I pick at random from who is online, and then look around their space to see who they are. I saw your name and immediately had two thoughts.
1)We both use egyptian gods as names
2) Hapi = happy = person to talk to.

On reading further I seem to like the things you like and dislike the things you dislike - although I could add others to each of the lists . I would add and to the things I like. Icy roads and commuting to my dislikes.

Changing the subject completely -- How is Moscow at this time of year? It has been about 18 years since I was there but it was a great place even then -- although comparing a holiday in August to a workday in March is a bit unfair I know.

Anyway for warmth. Hope to speek to you again soon - always & in my space should you ever drop in.

Hath
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Hi Hathornefer,
You were correct: I did not know you. That is changing now, and that s (I think) one of the nice things of the H2G2 .. group? I noticed your name a few days ago (queen Hathor: godess of music, dance and all that?). Good thing: more Egyptian gods in the group.
(both of us may have missed a tiny point in chosing these names: Hapi is usually pictured as a sort of Hippo or as a huge fat man with breasts and covered with mud, Hathor was sometimes pictured as a woman with a cow's head.)
On the things I like: I hammerd the first things in that came to my mind. I certainly don't like cold weather.. It has been -20 (probably lower at night). That's cold. By now the wheather is slowly improving: -3..0 Now we come to another point: when it was really cold you wouldn't smell a lot.. Now, with everyone still wearing winter cloths and packed like that in a metro, it starts to smell... hardly noticable but.. a thick, sweaty, greasy smell....
If you've been to Moscow mid 80's you'd probably not recognise the place. The shops in the centre are western (also in price level) and everything is available (as far as legal). Restaurants are "everywhere", again western price level ... but.. Russian staff. That means no smile, no other language than Russian, and 10% tip (or else).

Hey.. good speaking to you.. Maybe we can have some more chats (try Camelot, the Great Outdoors Resort, ..

Hapi

I am quite happy with being associated with a cow... as long as it is an Egyptian one rather than an English one -- I too am looking forward to more Egyptian gods over here -- would be kind of cool.

I think I am glad Moscow has changed since I visited, as I visited in the bad old days - and swear I was 'followed' all over the place. Cabbage, powdered egg and surly staff – is all I can remember about restaurants when I was there. When I say restaurants I am talking in the hotel – like the only place there was any nightlife too – and even then I think the only drink was vodka! Yup – change is not always a bad thing. Perhaps I’ll get back out there one day – see if however smelly the service is if the Metro still runs like clockwork (London Underground bosses please take note)

Talk again soon.

Hath
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Ah Hathor, Have I stories to tell on Moscow.. Today (Sunday 23Feb) there was a demonstration on Revolution Square. It was a group of old dinosaurs with portraits of Stalin, shouting against Putin, Chubais, against foreigners, against changes and reform processes and several others. Mind you most of them were old age, pensioners.. they receive an equivalent of less than USD 100 per month, and that is not enough to eat. They have very good reasons to dislike the current system.

Right now there are "a lot" of very good restaurants. I myself prefer a Tibet restaurant (not expensive (meal USD 20..30), very good and very friendly).
I also found the traditional restaurants (mostly company cantines). They serve a meal for a few roubles (<<1 USD). Penalty for eating there comes usually that same night. I call this "revenge of the cabbage" : ,and, then .... And is stereo : from both sides. Full recovery usually after about one week.
Sessions like this do wonders for the characteristic Hapi fat..Loose more weight in one night than in a week gym.

The metro runs indeed like clockwork. Never wait longer than 3 minutes (late @ night)Rush hours (between 9 and 19) a train every minute. (Did I hear you mention London Underground? Is the fare also 10 pennies???).

It's good to be here for a while.. It'll be good to go back (or go elsewhere.. whatever).
Hej, talk soon,

Hapi
(Egyptian Gods Ruled (rule?))

I'm so glad to hear things all still the same on the Moscow underground - when I was there it was very cheap and very efficient. I think that there used to be 5 kopeks to go anywhere. Today it would cost me £6 a day for a return ticket into Central London on the service which is sporadic and possibly unsafe.

I was fairly young (17) and certainly impressionable when I was in Moscow but for some reason my parents didn't object to me going out after dinner one night to travel on the Metro by myself for a number of hours. I have never asked them their reasoning but as we had previously walked through Gorky park to the university and down to the Olympic Stadium and we were followed by one man - I suspect my parents considered that wherever I went I would not be alone.

If this is a correct interpritation of their motives they were correct. I was followed everywhere I went - strange as it may seem being out at 11.00 in a foreign city where I don't speak the language and being followed by a strange man I wasn't scared at all - even late at night the trains were busy and stations well staffed. (Nor was it the foolishness of youth - my family has always been hot on personal security.)

I think the demonstration in red square would be very impressive have seen first hand - there was a nothing like that when we were there. I have strong recollections of families or couples out on the streets and in the shops where the men were in Army (?)uniforms - they seem to be very proud of this. Does that still happen? or has the reduced oppression which allows valid protest against abysmal pensions also reduce the status of taking a stroll in your finest military uniform?

take care where you eat & always available in my space

Hath
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Well, Hathor.. As I said.. Moscow changed. Nowadays you may be followed, but then it is probably not an official but someone who needs money: your money.
As for safety: I probably would let my 16yr old daughter travel late at night through Moscow. The city centre is not crowded (compared to any other city w same size deserted!) but there's always police around and the metros are to the very last one busy.
Today's demonstration wasn't that impressive really..
What was really impressive was a small group (~10) old people waving red flags (Stalin portraits) and singing revolutionary songs on several strategic places (Zhukov's statue, 41-45 memorial, Lenin's tomb). They were very energetic, and made it very clear that in their opinion a guy like Stalin would get things straight&back to normal within a week or so. Waving CCCP (SSSR ) flags and trampling Russian Federation flags, they were getting mixed response from the public.
The flag incident almost caused a fight; on the other hand almost everyone sang along. I thought it would be wise not to act as a foreigner...

Hej, is fine but if you have .. I'll be there!!
(Well.. yes.. I know..BBC and all that.. when in Rome do.. yess.. but since I am not English there's no need for me to really like .. many foreigners are like that you know I go for , preferably black, and strong (feel the rush of caffein through the bloodstream.. feel as in "hammer"))

Hapi

of all sorts is always on the menu so drop in whenever you like
and I commend you on a wise choice in actions.

Hath
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Hey, more Ancient Egyptophiles! Hi Hathornefer. Hi Hapi. The blessings of Anpu and Pasht be upon both of you.

Mmmm...Hathornefer, beauty of Hathor or Hathor the beautiful. Hapi...one of the four sons of Horus, I'm assuming you're not a jar with a hippo-head stopper?

Can I tempt you guys to check out my entry on The Heliopolitan Ennead? Plenty of Egyptian gods there.

Rehu nefer. Beautiful if the being of Ra.

Obviously that should be 'Beautiful is the Being of Ra'

Thank you for the invitation Veers, I'll be Hapi to come around.
As far as Queen Hathor is concerned you are right..Godess of music, dance and related art forms. After discussing with her and reading her page on Hathor I did some elementary research on Hapi. Allow me to correct a few things first: Hapy was the son of Horus, many people confuse us.. 's no problem; we both got used to it and we take over regular duty when the other is on holidays..
Hapi is the god of the Nile and (I quote from www so you won't think I made it all up)
At a very early period Hapi absorbed the attributes of Nun, the primeval watery mass from which Ra, the Sun-god, emerged on the first day of the creation; and as a natural result he was held the father of all beings and things, which were believed to be the results of his handiwork and his offspring. When we consider the great importance which the Nile possessed for Egypt and her inhabitants it is easy to understand how the Nile-god Hapi held a unique position among the gods of the country, and how he came to be regarded as a being as great as, if not greater than Ra himself.
(end quote)
Again.. 's alright.. Ra and I get along fine.. I don't call him son (or sun) and he doesn't call me dad in public.

See you soon, best wishes, also from Nekhebet.
Hapi

I Hath already popped in too. Thanks for the invite I will pop back again soon I think.

Hath
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(I know that was a bad joke but I have been waiting two years to use it somewhere!)

I'm sorry.. I should have started the "be Hapi to" thing..

(are you really an Egyptian Godess??)

Yeah - your fault Hapi ... I had waited a long time to use that one though!

In answer to your question about me being an Egyptian Goddess - I have followers and worshipers and my people know me as an egyptian goddess - so by my reconnings that makes me an Egyptian Goddess. The fact I wasnt born in Egypt is only a minor detail.

Hath
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I'll gladly admit it's all my fault.. .. it usually is.. and I got used to it
In another thread we've learnt today that Thor and Odin are really Turkish so who cares if you're real Egyptian or not.. It's the followers and worshippers that really count!

I have come armed for a little party





Heres to followers and worshippers!

*Makes note in her diary that she must go on a quest to frozen north to check out a couple of birth certificates*

Hath
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I'll make it breakfast if you don't mind..
Followers & worshippers.. Wasn't that Terry Pratchett, Small Gods.. and The Last Hero..?
He explains clearly that the power of a god varies with the number of worshippers..
(example: Amger, Goddess of Squashed Animals. Who would have thought that better roads and faster cars would have led to that? But gods grew bigger when called upon at need, and as enough minds had cried out, "Oh god, what was that I hit?".... up goes Amger's rating)

Erm - youre right I believe. I think it also comes up in Diskworld Noir (PC game). I think you're in trouble when you are referencing cult books without even realising it!

Toast with your , sir?

Hath
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Ah yess please.. Referencing cult books is bound to happen when you refer to yourself as god/godess

Laughs almost uncontrollably Thanks for that reminder!

*Goes off in search of a bowl of cornflakes and a rather large mug of coffee*

Hath
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I didnt realise until last night how prolific you were at posting messages! I came accross a stats page which had you listed and thought -- I known that madman.

Hath
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