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