I have arrived at home, safe and sound. I left the hotel in Cairo at 5AM Monday,Cairo time which means that I left at 9pm Sunday night and arrived in Houston at 10:36pm Monday, Houston time. I have the swollen feet and ankles to prove it.
My first stop off the plane was the bathroom and it was very nice to have toilet paper in any stall you choose which you didn't have to pay the beggar women who sit at the doors of the public restrooms and hand out little bits of toilet paper for money. I'll talk more on that later.
My adventures in Egypt have come to an end and I have many stories to tell. I will collect my thoughts, organize the almost 900 pictures I have taken, and get them out to you all as soon as I can. For now, however, I am ready for some sleep. Ed's boss advised him that the best thing to do on these long flights is to not sleep and then take a sleeping pill when you get home(since it is really 8AM on Tuesday for my body)to make certain you sleep and it should only take one day to recover. We will see how I do at work in the morning. Ed will be coming in at 2ish on Tuesday so we will see how he does too. He had not been feeling well when I left him in the hotel Monday morning.
Goodnight all! It is great to be back.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Almost over......
We have returned from Luxor. Karnak and the Valley of the kIngs is amazing. I think it was the only time on this trip that Ed has really been overwhelmed. The size of Karnak is not to be imagained. The detail of the construction and artwork, writing is beautiful.
The Tombs of the Kings are breathaking. No photos are allowed so I have to just try and tell you about these amazing works of art later.
Egypt Air was a fun experience. So many different nationalities in Luxor. Not many from the US. Most tourists in Eqypt are from Russia, then Italy, France, Germany and on our trip there were many Chinese and Japanese on tours.
I am going to the office with Ed today to walk around for my final few hours in Eqypt. I don't know what to say.....I will never return to this place but I feel connected now, because I have seen it. Ed is ready to return home, but I think you can guess how I feel.
We have seen belly dancers and beggars, folk dancers and funny barters in the shops.
We have seen the ruins of ancient societies and the progress of today's industry. What a place.
I will see you all soon.
The Tombs of the Kings are breathaking. No photos are allowed so I have to just try and tell you about these amazing works of art later.
Egypt Air was a fun experience. So many different nationalities in Luxor. Not many from the US. Most tourists in Eqypt are from Russia, then Italy, France, Germany and on our trip there were many Chinese and Japanese on tours.
I am going to the office with Ed today to walk around for my final few hours in Eqypt. I don't know what to say.....I will never return to this place but I feel connected now, because I have seen it. Ed is ready to return home, but I think you can guess how I feel.
We have seen belly dancers and beggars, folk dancers and funny barters in the shops.
We have seen the ruins of ancient societies and the progress of today's industry. What a place.
I will see you all soon.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Back again
After my visit to Coptic Cairo I went to the market that is so famous, Khan-Elkalilly.
Very similar to market places in asia, this market was so fun for me. I was happy to have my tour person with me (he kept telling me that he wasn't qualified as a guide so I told him he was my body guard which he thought was hilarious) because he was able to help guide me through the winding lanes and alleys into the part of the market for Egyptians. I could tell the difference immediately because no one came up to me and, in English would say...."Let me show my my shop, miss" or "I have most beautiful things for you". Instead they just looked at me and then looked at Boulos (that is my body guards name -pronounced Boo-lus) and left us alone. It must have been alittle strange for them because here and Egyptian cannot be with a foreigner except for certain reasons and they must have credentials if they are stopped by anyone from the military or the police. There are hundreds of tourist companies and so they are used to having their licenses checked but it was funny to have Abdul-Aal, the engineer Ed is working with, checked when we were in Cairo. He had to show his Shell ID and explain who we were.
At the market there are so many things. I especially loved the alley where the spices are sold. I can still remember the wonderful aroma of the huge colorful cloth bags of spices. The gold is beautiful and anyone who loves jewlery would be in heaven here. Many beautiful pieces.
After the market I asked to see a place I had read about called "The city of the Dead". When I asked about it Boulos was surprised. It is a large cemetery and the poor people who have no where else to live go there and construct homes and raise there families there. The population increase in Cairo is very high and it is mostly among the poor people. They have many children and then their small children have to leave school to work to help support the family so they never have a chance to get an education and then are never able to get out of poverty. It is the same in many countries of the world and a concern for the governments of those countries. In Egypt there is only a very small middle class. . . you are either rich or poor. As we drove through the narrow lanes inside the cemetery the people would look inside the car and see me and call out"Hello" or nod their heads and smile. They got a big kick out of me snaping pictures.
When I could, I would ask permission and everyone would say yes and then ask to see the photo in the camera.
I am going to stop using capital letters because of the difficulty on these Arabic keyboards.....it slows me down......
after leaving the city of the dead, we went to meet ed and abdul-aal at the shell building. abdul-aal wanted to take us to the pyramids for the night show called sound and light. the english version started at 6 30 at night and believe me it was very cold on the desert. the show was very good and i hope that i got a couple of good pictures of the pyramids lit at night......but i'm telling you all right now there is no picture that will be the same as being there. after the show he took us to a real egyptian resteraunt. it was a place that he had been going to for 40 years that used to be in the middle of agricultural fields, but is now surrounded by tall buildings. it was wonderful. they specialize in spit roasted chicken and they have an old style brick oven outside with about 5 women sitting on the ground making an egyptian bread that is much like pita bread but with a dusting of ground wheat on the outside. everything was so yummy.
in egypt, things don't get started until about 10 o'clock in the morning and then they go until after midnight. they eat a late breakfast, have lunch about 2pm and then eat dinner about 9-10 pm. So we have been having breakfast at the hotel at 8 or 9 am and then not eating until 8 or 9 at night......
my time is about up. maybe i will come later .
i am staying in today to do a little laundry and get ready for a dinner cruise tonight
Very similar to market places in asia, this market was so fun for me. I was happy to have my tour person with me (he kept telling me that he wasn't qualified as a guide so I told him he was my body guard which he thought was hilarious) because he was able to help guide me through the winding lanes and alleys into the part of the market for Egyptians. I could tell the difference immediately because no one came up to me and, in English would say...."Let me show my my shop, miss" or "I have most beautiful things for you". Instead they just looked at me and then looked at Boulos (that is my body guards name -pronounced Boo-lus) and left us alone. It must have been alittle strange for them because here and Egyptian cannot be with a foreigner except for certain reasons and they must have credentials if they are stopped by anyone from the military or the police. There are hundreds of tourist companies and so they are used to having their licenses checked but it was funny to have Abdul-Aal, the engineer Ed is working with, checked when we were in Cairo. He had to show his Shell ID and explain who we were.
At the market there are so many things. I especially loved the alley where the spices are sold. I can still remember the wonderful aroma of the huge colorful cloth bags of spices. The gold is beautiful and anyone who loves jewlery would be in heaven here. Many beautiful pieces.
After the market I asked to see a place I had read about called "The city of the Dead". When I asked about it Boulos was surprised. It is a large cemetery and the poor people who have no where else to live go there and construct homes and raise there families there. The population increase in Cairo is very high and it is mostly among the poor people. They have many children and then their small children have to leave school to work to help support the family so they never have a chance to get an education and then are never able to get out of poverty. It is the same in many countries of the world and a concern for the governments of those countries. In Egypt there is only a very small middle class. . . you are either rich or poor. As we drove through the narrow lanes inside the cemetery the people would look inside the car and see me and call out"Hello" or nod their heads and smile. They got a big kick out of me snaping pictures.
When I could, I would ask permission and everyone would say yes and then ask to see the photo in the camera.
I am going to stop using capital letters because of the difficulty on these Arabic keyboards.....it slows me down......
after leaving the city of the dead, we went to meet ed and abdul-aal at the shell building. abdul-aal wanted to take us to the pyramids for the night show called sound and light. the english version started at 6 30 at night and believe me it was very cold on the desert. the show was very good and i hope that i got a couple of good pictures of the pyramids lit at night......but i'm telling you all right now there is no picture that will be the same as being there. after the show he took us to a real egyptian resteraunt. it was a place that he had been going to for 40 years that used to be in the middle of agricultural fields, but is now surrounded by tall buildings. it was wonderful. they specialize in spit roasted chicken and they have an old style brick oven outside with about 5 women sitting on the ground making an egyptian bread that is much like pita bread but with a dusting of ground wheat on the outside. everything was so yummy.
in egypt, things don't get started until about 10 o'clock in the morning and then they go until after midnight. they eat a late breakfast, have lunch about 2pm and then eat dinner about 9-10 pm. So we have been having breakfast at the hotel at 8 or 9 am and then not eating until 8 or 9 at night......
my time is about up. maybe i will come later .
i am staying in today to do a little laundry and get ready for a dinner cruise tonight
Found a computer!
Ed was wrong....there is a business center in the hotel and here I am on the computer posting.
It is Thursday, February 14, 2008 - Happy Valentines Day everyone!
Valentines Day is big here. There are red hearts, cute cuddly stuffed animals and red flowers everywhere. I heard on the euro news this morning that the Saudi govenment has outlawed the sale of anything red for Valentines Day saying that it violates Islam, but Egypt actually has 2 Valentines Days.....this one and the 25th of November. When I asked why no one seemed to know so I just said I think it is because Egypt has a lot of love to share.....everyone thought that was funny but a good reason.
Yesterday I spent moving around to several of the places I had not seen. We hired a driver again for the day. When you hire a driver here, at least with this agency, it means you get the driver and another person. That is so that they can drop you off and the actual driver has to take the car somewhere else because there is never any parking. Then the other person stays with you and when you are ready they use their cell phone and call for the car to meet you. It is very convenient.
I went to The Citadel here in Cairo. This one was built in the 14th century to protect against invaders. It has a huge mosque called the alabaster mosque. It is amazingly beautiful. Then I toured the area called Old Cairo and saw the oldest mosque in Egypt right next to the oldest Christian churches and the oldest synagogue. Egyptians are proud that these three religions can live together amicably in their country. There is a very large Christian community but the most prominent religion is Islam. I love hearing the broadcasted Call to Prayer.
After the
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Hello again,
I just read the comments from Ashley and Letha.....
Sorry guys, as I explained I haven't been able to get to a computer....they don't really have access at the pyramids, and as for the pictures, we only have Ed's work computer and we can't load them on it. So pictures will come when I get home.....I have lots.
Camels........let me tell you about camels. I was tickled to be on the streets of Giza heading for the pyramids and see men on camels right there on the streets next to the cars and some little carts being pulled by donkeys. When you get the the road that is the entrance to the pyramid complex there are armed guards sitting on camels and horses....military men.....to protect the pyramids. Hilarious. When I mentioned this to one of Ed's Egyptian co-workers he laughed and said that he takes his kids to the pyramids to see the camels because they aren't anywhere else in Egypt. I don't know if that is true, but I have not noticed any camels anywhere else.
With our guide we did not ride one. When we asked the first time he said no we would not ride there because they charge too much to get down. You can get up on one for 5 Egyptian Pounds (about a dollar) but they won't let you down until you give them whatever they think they can get out of you. After that I fell and hurt my foot so we didn't mention it again because I was in pain and we had a lot left to do in the day. There really isn't enough time.
I just read the comments from Ashley and Letha.....
Sorry guys, as I explained I haven't been able to get to a computer....they don't really have access at the pyramids, and as for the pictures, we only have Ed's work computer and we can't load them on it. So pictures will come when I get home.....I have lots.
Camels........let me tell you about camels. I was tickled to be on the streets of Giza heading for the pyramids and see men on camels right there on the streets next to the cars and some little carts being pulled by donkeys. When you get the the road that is the entrance to the pyramid complex there are armed guards sitting on camels and horses....military men.....to protect the pyramids. Hilarious. When I mentioned this to one of Ed's Egyptian co-workers he laughed and said that he takes his kids to the pyramids to see the camels because they aren't anywhere else in Egypt. I don't know if that is true, but I have not noticed any camels anywhere else.
With our guide we did not ride one. When we asked the first time he said no we would not ride there because they charge too much to get down. You can get up on one for 5 Egyptian Pounds (about a dollar) but they won't let you down until you give them whatever they think they can get out of you. After that I fell and hurt my foot so we didn't mention it again because I was in pain and we had a lot left to do in the day. There really isn't enough time.
Here I am
Hopefully I can quickly figure out how to use this typewriter at the library in Alexandria. There are a lot more keys on the keyboard.
It is Tuesday and the first time I have been able to get online to post to the blog. The computer doesn't work at the hotel anymore so I haven't been able to do anything. It has been a magical, wonderful trip. I would never have believed I would be sending a message to family and friends from the New World Library in Alexandria while looking at the Med. Sea!!! How cool is this! Ed is working right now but I don't have much time here. It is an unbelievable library.....yes, Ash, better than the library at BYU.
My entire time has been spend doing so many amazing things....seeing all the things I have read about my whole life. The pyramids are amazing and just about anywhere else I have gone we have do drive on streets where you see the pyramids on the horizon. I asked our guide if he thought that the people who live across the street from the Sphinx understood the great history the looked at every morning. He said no....it is just a thing that tourist come to see.
The Cairo museum yesterday was also amazing. It is very large with so many things in it, from very small pieces of stone or gems to colossal statuary. Most of the things are not labeled, except with a number, because they are not known. But those things that we do know about.....like Tut are absolutely fabulous.
It is so surreal for me to realize what I am seeing. Ed walked through the museum on Saturday before I arrived because he knew that I would want more time. I spent only six hours and I didn't get to all of the rooms before I had to leave. Perhaps I will return again on Thursday.
We have had a driver and a guide everywhere we went, but most of the tourist places have people who speak very good English, at least well enough to get by. I am on my own for the first time now, Ed and Abdul-Aal had to go to the port here so they just dropped me at the library, and I think they were a little worried but I am having a great time.
I hope all is well with everyone. I wish you were all here to enjoy these wonderful people and their unique country.
It is Tuesday and the first time I have been able to get online to post to the blog. The computer doesn't work at the hotel anymore so I haven't been able to do anything. It has been a magical, wonderful trip. I would never have believed I would be sending a message to family and friends from the New World Library in Alexandria while looking at the Med. Sea!!! How cool is this! Ed is working right now but I don't have much time here. It is an unbelievable library.....yes, Ash, better than the library at BYU.
My entire time has been spend doing so many amazing things....seeing all the things I have read about my whole life. The pyramids are amazing and just about anywhere else I have gone we have do drive on streets where you see the pyramids on the horizon. I asked our guide if he thought that the people who live across the street from the Sphinx understood the great history the looked at every morning. He said no....it is just a thing that tourist come to see.
The Cairo museum yesterday was also amazing. It is very large with so many things in it, from very small pieces of stone or gems to colossal statuary. Most of the things are not labeled, except with a number, because they are not known. But those things that we do know about.....like Tut are absolutely fabulous.
It is so surreal for me to realize what I am seeing. Ed walked through the museum on Saturday before I arrived because he knew that I would want more time. I spent only six hours and I didn't get to all of the rooms before I had to leave. Perhaps I will return again on Thursday.
We have had a driver and a guide everywhere we went, but most of the tourist places have people who speak very good English, at least well enough to get by. I am on my own for the first time now, Ed and Abdul-Aal had to go to the port here so they just dropped me at the library, and I think they were a little worried but I am having a great time.
I hope all is well with everyone. I wish you were all here to enjoy these wonderful people and their unique country.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Getting Ready for Egypt
The day has arrived for me to close up the bags and get on the plane.
I am now very excited and I want to share my exciting trip with everyone! I hope you will enjoy visiting Egypt with me!
I am now very excited and I want to share my exciting trip with everyone! I hope you will enjoy visiting Egypt with me!
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