Serious security

Another bomb went off yesterday 9/21 outside Algiers and while no one was killed this terrorist attack was disturbing for two reasons. The targets were foreigners -- French and Spanish -- and they were with an escort of policemen. Al Quaeda has claimed responsibility.

We moved this weekend into a new building in a section of the city filled with embassies and considered secure enough that we can walk around even at night without getting a driver. There are shops and good restaurants nearby. To get into my apartment requires six keys of various shapes-- for the gate outside, for the building door, for the metal door padlocked outside the regular apartment door and then to the apartment itself. There are bars on the windows and locks on all the doors that open onto balconies. There are bars that fit across the building door and, for some reason, my kitchen door.

We are having trouble keeping all the keys straight and getting out in the morning takes five minutes. "Bother," Del exclaimed the other day as we were trying to go shopping, "If I were a terrorist I'd just wait on the corner for us to come out."

We laughed, but we know that security is not really funny.