Waking up in Aswan

Arriving in Aswan

Around 7am the train steward, Tamer, woke me up to ask about breakfast. I had actually slept well and aside form the smoking I really enjoyed the train ride. Sometime after arriving in Cairo I began to feel ill - head cold, throat pain and chest congestion sort of thing. The incessant smoking only exacerbated the throat pain. I made it a point to drink a lot of bottled water on the train and feeling a bit better. I was looking forward to checking in at the hotel and getting a shower in. I could still feel the sand from the Giza pyramids in my ears.

 

Aswan train station

Checking In

After a short drive we arrived at the Iberotel Aswan. The hotel lobby was very nice. It was around 9am, so the room wasn't ready. After about 30 minutes they had the room ready. I didn't mind waiting since the lobby had WiFi and I wanted to update my blog. The guide that picked me up said he would return in 90 minutes to allow me to relax and shower. The schedule included visiting High Dam and Pilae Island followed by a return trip to Pilae Island for a light and sound show at night.  Since I hadn't yet gotten the room yet I told him 2 hours would be fine. I wanted to shower and unwind a bit. Recalling the exhausting earlier day I knew I needed some time to relax.

The hotel is broken up into two parts: the main building and suites along the pool. Immediately behind the pool is the Nile, making for a very nice view. To my surprise, I'd get one of the one bedroom suites  next to the pool. Based on the previous day's non stop activities, my initial thought was that the nice room was a waste.

 

Model of hotel complex

View from Balcony

High Dam

High Dam was build in the 1950s to control flooding around the Nile River and generate electricity. It's the 2nd largest dam in the world, even bigger than Hoover Dam in Nevada. We went to the observation area which was rather boring. You literally are on top of the dam and have no grasp of the magnitude of the structure. The politics behind the dam are rather interesting, but the construction of the bridge was largely sponsored by the former Soviet Union. The Egyptians would bill a monument titled "Lotus Flower" (in my hand below) to symbolize the Arab-Soviet friendship created as a result of the dam.

 

Me holding the Lotus Flower, Generators outside the dam

Philae Island

After spending about an hour over at High Dam he made our way to Philae Island. We would board a powered Egyptian Felucca to ferry over.

 

Felucca's at the doc to Philae

After about a leisurely 15 minute fairy ride we were at the island. The island was incredible! What's even more incredible is the fact that all structures were moved to this island in the 1960s. The United Nations created a project to move the temple after it was determined the temple would be flooded after construction of the High Dam was complete. Everything was moved and recreated exactly as it was on the original island. After about an hour and a half on the island we head back to the hotel. In a couple of hours I would return for a light and sound show on the island.

 

Arriving at the island

 

Me, outside the temple

 

Amazing columns  with detailed inscriptions

 

Approaching the temple

 

Me, behind several entryways

 

 

View from island

 

Philae Island Light and Sound Show

If I had to do it over again, the way to experience the island is at night. The light and sound show was pretty cool. A well done narration in English tells the story of the symbols throughout the temple. I figured food would be available on the island, as it was during the day, but my guide said everyone would be closed. He suggested stopping for quick food at...McDonald's. I saw a KFC and suggested we go there, but he advised otherwise. "Not all of the Colonel's 11 herbs and spices have made it over to Egypt", he jokes. Who am I to turn down the golden arches. After a quick stop we were off to the island.


The Island at Night

 

It was the night of a full moon!

 

The light show was fun, albeit a little cheesy

 

It was very cool being on the island at night

Returning Home

I got back home around 9:30pm. The next morning I was due up at 2:45 and scheduled to leave at 3:30 to tour the Abu Simbel temples recommended by Osama. The temples are around 180 miles south of Aswan, only about 40 miles north of Egypt's southern neighbor Sudan. The drive was expected to take about 3-4 hours.

Pyramids, Sphinx, and Cattle

Waking Up

Having not slept well, I was running a little late when the call from reception came in that Osama was downstairs. Osama was a bit early, but he was patient with me as I brought down my luggage. I was to check out of Giza today and would spend the night in a sleeper car en route to Ashwan. Ashwan is about a 14 hour train ride away from Cairo. Osama was a true gentleman, insisting I have breakfast before we start. We went to the hotel buffet which was not very appetizing. I got some cereal, milk, a croissant, and juice. After about 5 minutes I was ready to roll. The driver would remain with us the entire day – so my bags would be kept in the trunk of the car.

 

Osama and me

 

Streets of Giza and Cairo

Giza Pyramids

Our first stop would be the Giza Pyramids. The day would begin with a Camel Ride and than, if I wanted, I could pay the entry fee to enter two of the pyramids. Knowing I might not ever return and not knowing what I was in for, I opted to enter both.

Camel Ride

Much like the Mayan ruins in Mexico, the pyramids in Egypt are surrounded by aggressive merchants. Osama had a camel already worked out and the man who took me around the area was extremely courteous. Around the time we got to the Pyramids we encountered a wind and sandstorm. It was nothing sort of ridiculous. Sand was everywhere. I was lucky I remembered my sunglasses, because they kept the sand out of my eyes. The day before I left I impulse purchased this case to protect my SLR camera -  am I ever glad I did. The camel handler was remarkably friendly and spoke perfect English. He asked to take some pictures using my camera – and he ended up being very good with it. Not knowing how the tipping system worked, I offered him a 10 Euro bill when we were away from Osama. He politely asked me to give it to him around Osama. He didn’t want any trouble, he tells me. I asked if Osama got a cut and he said no, he just wanted Osama to know I tipped him. Fair enough. The camel’s name was Pepsi and was owned by his father. We chat for a while and he has me do every tourist pose you can imagine.  The camel handler was absolutely awesome.

 

Pepsi, me, and the camel handler

 

Grabbing the top of the pyramid

Entering the Pyramids

 

Looking up into the Pyramid from inside

We would start with the biggest of the pyramids. Guides are not allowed in the Pyramids so tourists have to go it alone.  If you are the least bit claustrophobic the pyramids are not for you. Climbing on my knees I could hardly make it up ramp/makeshift stairway.  Surrounding you is limestone, so if you hit your head it’s bound to leave a mark.  Traffic goes in and out through the same entrance – a design chosen thousands of years ago by the designer. One Pyramid would have two entrances, but that was off limits. After about 10 minutes of climbing I made my way to the chamber where the pharaoh was found mummified. I was neat. I’d see a group of tourists posing for pictures taken by an Egyptian. One of the kids looked high school aged and was wearing an Abercrombie shirt so I imagined he was from the states.  Pictures were off limits in the tombs, but staff is only on the outside of the Pyramid so no one really knows what’s going on inside.  I was about to ask the kid if he could take my photo and the Egyptian got aggressive saying he would do it.  I knew I was bated at this point. The man took so poor pictures of me and using my iPhone and I gave him 5 euros – the smallest amount of money I had. D’oh. I realize now entering both pyramids was overkill. But I didn't want to have regrets.

 

Measuring up the pyramids

Sphinx

Next we would head to the Sphinx. The sphinx is actually a man attached to a Lion’s body, Osama would tell me. I gotta give Osama credit. He’s 30, has done this tour hundreds of times since he was in his teens, and still has enthusiasm in everything he does. I could hear the excitement and energy in his voice as he explained the story behind all the ruins. Much like the Camel handler, Osama suggests I pose with his Pyramids and relics in all sorts of tourist like ways. 

 

Dressing up the Sphinx

Papyrus & Perfume Shop

Part of the tour involved stopping by a Papyrus and Perfume shop.

The perfume shop was first. They sit you down and bring out a bunch of scents for you to sample. You’re told the French take the essential oils from Egypt, mix a small amount with alcohol and sell them as designer fragrances. Before bringing out the scents, they insist you have a drink. I’m told this is traditional Egyptian hospitality. After a tasty bottle of Pepsi, I start the scent smelling. All were pretty good and would make nice gifts for family back home. I inquire about shipping and am floored. The shop wanted $70 USD to ship a box back home.  I didn’t want to waste the salespersons time, so I let him know I couldn’t purchase anything. “Why don’t you carry it on back home”. Well, for one the bottles are in excess of 100ml, so carry on is not an option. But most importantly, I’m not going back home after Egypt. Surprisingly, the staff is amazingly cool. No big deal I’m told.

We arrived at the Papyrus shop next. Osama warned me that most Papyrus sold is actually fake and made in China. He tells me real papyrus will hold color and writing forever. The demonstration at the shop is pretty neat. A man cuts up a Papyrus leaf and flattens it creating one fo the strands of a  Papyrus paper.  We chat for a bit and I walk around to see what they are selling. I take interest in a Papyrus notebook. I’ve got a brother who loves to write and a nephew who loves to draw.  The cost though was $60 USD. Factoring in shipping costs, it would be well over $100 a notebook. Sorry guys , no Papyrus for you.

Egyptian Museum of Antiquities

 

Me in front of Museum

Next stop was the Egyptian museum in Cairo, home of thousands of artifacts. Osama tells me Photos are not allowed inside and that I’d have to check my camera. I was a bit nervous but he insists it’s okay. I get a check slip and in we go. Guides are allowed throughout most of the museum, but some exhibits they are not allowed to enter. Osama tells me that’s basically for crowd control. Large groups would try to monopolize displays resulting in fights. Most of the time though Osama was right by my side – which was great because he knew everything about the exhibits. The museum has so much on display. Inside you can see the contents of the Pyramids. I don't think I've ever seen so much gold in my life. Even outside the museum is incredible. There are tons of artifacts just scattered outside the museum. Parts of tombs, ca

OKhan El Khalili Bazaars

 

Bustling streets of El Khalili Bazaars

 

Meat market at the Bazaar

 

Painter outside the Bazaars

 

I think this is Sharm (beef)

Outside the museum, feeding the man-lion. Osama really liked to have fun with the camera!

After a couple of hours in the Museum Osama suggested he had to the Felucca sailing ride up the Nile I opted for.  At this point I was exhausted and wanted food – Osama suggests we can move the Felluca ride to the end of the trip. We grab some food at a restaurant. I have beef not different than what I would get as a kid in a Gyro. I offer to buy for Osama and he insists no. I insist, because I don’t want to eat alone. He fights a bit, but in the end I win. For about $8 USD we both get the meet, a drink, and French fries. The fries were my idea and were tasty. We take 2 seats of an already occupied table and chat a bit. The market had an upstairs, but people sat wherever they choose. Osama was born in Saudia Arabia, Riyadh specifically, although his mother and father are originally Egyptian. He’s close to my age at 30 and is married with a 4 year old daughter. He tells me he is glad his dad brought everyone back to Egypt. I tell him I expected the restaurant to be divided – families in one area, single men in another. He laughs, he tells me nothing like that exists in Egypt. Egypt is the most moderate of the Arab nations in the region he says.  We chat more and he tells me people do whatever they want in Egypt. We continue chatting as we walk through he markets.  We talk about what the Egyptian schools, his wants for his daughter and family, his goals, etc.  After a couple of hours of chatting and walking around he return to the car to head to the train station. I was completely exhausted, but Osama was not the least bit tired. When people come to Chicago and ask me what to do I like to setup an itinerary of my favorite things for them to do. This is essentially what Osama had done for me. He appeared to enjoy every single minute of each phase. I mention how exhausted I was and he tells me he wanted me to see it all – he’d have it no other way. I now am aware of how much I can exhaust others J

All Aboard!

 

As we wait for the train we continue to talk. At this point the SIM card in my phone was still not working. Osama sends off the driver to the retail store to activate the card – apparently non Egyptians can not do so. We continue to chat and activate the phone before boarding the train. I’m not able to select a service plan, but it’s pre-paid and the most they do is throttle your data speeds…so I’m happy.

 

Hallway in the sleeper car

The seat drops down to create a bed, the panel above the seat also drops down to create an addition bunk style bed. The sleeper was rather comfortable if not for the constant smoking of nearby passengers.

Overnight Train

 

Sleeper Car

I was excited about the overnight train. Although I desperately wanted to shower, I wanted to rest even more. Since I paid a single supplement for the tour everything was private – so I had my own sleeper car. The sleeper car was pretty nice. What wasn’t nice was the constant smoking by the surrounding cars. My throat started to really bother me in Cairo and the night surrounded by constant smoking was not helping. Each train car has about 9 sleeper cars with a door that closes and locks. A servant is assigned to each car and our car would be served by a man named Tamer. Tamer is the personification of class. He brought me dinner and breakfast and checked in front time to time. Had it not been for the incessant smoking, the sleeper car would have been absolutely perfect.

As empty as possible...

Waking Up

I got in late, probably around 2am the night before. The rental car had to be back by 2-3pm and my flight left at 6:30pm. I wanted to explore some of the archeological ruins in Paths and, since I had to pass by Limassal en route to the airport in Larnaca, I wanted to say goodbye to my Theo Vasso and Aunt Sophia. It was going to be a busy day that I wanted to start around 6am...but would figured 8-9am would be good enough.

Checking Out

The hotel I had stayed in was actually a full one bedroom apartment with balcony. Not a bad deal at $26 or even the $33 I paid. I could hear the water breaking from my bed, something my mother loves, even with the doors and windows closed. It wouldn't be until morning that I'd realize I was right on the beach.

Photos of the hotel/apartment

Rental Car Crisis

I was ready to go - checked out and in the car. I turned the key and the car wouldn't start! The car struggled to start a couple of mornings before, but I thought nothing of it. Cold starts appeared to be a problem with the car but it did, eventually, start. I called the rental car agency and they said they could be there between 30 minutes an an hour. Ugh. Figuring I had nothing to loose and mostly out of frustration, I figured I'd run the battery dead by trying to start the car. After a few minutes it started! Whew. I called back the rental car company and told them not to bother coming. On the way to Pathos I was. 

Discovering Pathos

Themi had suggested I visit Tombs of the Kings so that would be the first and possibly only stop. The site was impressive. There were tons of underground ruins you could walk through and many were well preserved. One reminded me of the Flintstone's house.

 

Me outside one of the tombs

 

Flintstone's house?

 

Columns 

Finding Vasso

I knew based on the first visit to my Theo Vasso that navigating Greek roads can be very difficult. Even with a GPS it took me several attempts to find Themi's house. Finding Vasso the first time was nothing short of a miracle. In almost any mapping software you can use (Skobbler, Google Maps, Apple Maps), only some street names appear in English. Sure Greek words are based on a different alphabet set - but so are Hebrew words and the Israeli's do a fine job of putting both on each sign. Anyhow, finding his house again would be the most frustrating experience I have had on this trip. It's almost like the Cypriots are doing everything they can to confuse everyone who doesn't understand Greek. Like keeping signs in Greek will stop the British from taking over again. Oh, and streets dead end of no reason...like a maze, the government blocks streets off for reasons not known, and street names can literally change for long streets. I had nailed down a street near the house, and spent almost 20 minutes looking for it on foot. I finally gave in and asked for help at a shop. A very kind woman mentioned she knew the street and it was two blocks away. 2 hours later I was at Vasso's. I tried telling him when I came in that I could only stay for a minute but I'm not sure he understood. Thia Sophia kept telling me she was making lunch and I tried to explain I had to catch a plane. "When does your flight leave" she asks. "Three and a half hours you have, that's more than enough time". If only that was true. Anyhow, I chatted briefly with my Theo Vasso about the financial crisis in Cyprus and was on my way.

Returning the Car

  

I figured the worst was over with the rental car. I was wrong. I rented the car from a company called Europcar. I booked the car through a booking service and got a decent daily rate - or so I thought. This company pulled the biggest scam on me to date! First, part of the rental agreement, which you don't know about until after you pay, is that you must prepay for a full tank of fuel. They literally tell you to return the car 'as empty as possible'. How the heck can you do that? Is that a challenge, because it sure sounds like one to me.  As I pull into the rental area I notice at least 5 employees in Europcar 'green' attire. Excellent I think, this will go quick. Wrong again! These 5 employees flee the scene when they see me. I look on foot and am puzzled, where are they? Is there a kiosk I don't see? I ask an attendant at another row for advice, he says I'll be looking a long time because they're never outside. So I go into the outside office for Europcar a few hundred yards away. It's locked, closed! In to the airport I go. The same two employees who were there when I checked the car out were working again. And there was a long line. After reaching the counter I am told that the staff outside has to fuel the cars because they have a queue of customers that have reservations later in the day. Here's a novel idea, why not request customers return the car full? Or, if you want to run your silly little scam, why not hire more people? I cannot put in writing how much I despise Europcar.

 

The only time in my life I have been happy to see the gas light on!

 

Returned she is! No Damage!

Catching the Flight 

I got to the airport right at 2 hours before the flight. To my surprise I couldn't even yet check in because the EgyptAir counter had yet to be manned. No big deal, I'd wander the airport. After checking in for the flight I cleared security in no time. They didn't even notice the water in my bottle. So much for security. With two hours to kill I got some overpriced lunch, called home, and booked my exit ticket from Egypt on to my next location...Dubai. After spending some time updating the blog, I'd hop the flight and arrive at Cairo!

 

Arriving in Cairo 

 

Outside Cairo Airport

Arriving in Egypt

Cairo is under 400 miles away from Cyprus, so it was a relatively short flight. I was surprised by how low we were flying. I could make out objects on the ground and estimated from my own flying experience to be not greater than 8,000 feet or so above ground level. Interestingly, EgyptAir also never made an announcement to prepare for landing or shut down electrical devices - we just abruptly landed. While in Cyprus I had confirmed that my tour company would be picking me up. I was dubious because at this point I had paid them nothing - not even a deposit. After arriving at airport I had to get a Visa proceed to customs. Three banks right outside the passport control area sell Visas for $14 or $15 bucks, no markup. I imagine they get their break by doing currency exchange. My bags came swiftly and a man was holding a sign saying "Mr. Christopher Raymond" by the exit. Close enough and on we were! This man was named Osama and, as I’d later find out, he was my tour guide…not my driver. Everywhere I went there was a tour guide and a separate driver. I wonder if that’s policy to help with the employment situation. I wanted to pickup a SIM card at the airport and he said we could do it in the AM. I pushed a little and he was fine with doing it now. He suggested we take care of it once we get to the hotel which was fine with me. 

After hopping in another Kia, we left Cairo for the town of Giza. Cairo is a huge city, with a population of about 25 million people. Osama tells me the boundaries of Cairo are not well defined. Cairo has a tremendous unemployment problem – unemployment sits around 50 percent. Buildings are everywhere but in various forms of disarray. Some are finished, most are half built and abandoned. People can build whatever and whenever they want Osama tells me – which means planning is an afterthought. The driving was everything it was cracked up to be – insane. While there are lane markers printed on the road, they’re  only taken as suggestions. If you’re lucky, an inch separates you for the car next to you. And drivers change lanes every minute or less communicating with the horn and bright lights in a language I didn’t understand. I didn’t see a single accident, so it must work to some degree. Vans with 20 people crammed in are not uncommon. Pickup trucks with about 25 children crammed in the back bed are everywhere.

Arriving at the Hotel

 

 

Exterior of hotel and Lobby

 

Bellman, showing me the room

When we got to the hotel, we reviewed the 'add on' excursion/tours per my request and the driver ran off to get me a SIM card. After about 45 minutes of chatting the driver returns and hands Osama the SIM card including a 10 Egyptian pound credit. Osama hands it to me, saying it's a gift from Emo Tours, the company I booked through,...free of charge. Nothing is free in life that much I know, so I'm wondering what kind of scam is going on. In any case, the ATM outside is broken and I can't get money to pay him. Osama doesn't seem to mind and simply says we can take care of it the next day or whenever. We get the SIM card in the phone and he says he'll be back to meet me at 8am the next morning. It's something like 10pm and I'm ready for bed only to discover I'm out of contact lens solution. While I wear daily disposables, I'm trying to conserve pairs since I only packed about 65 days worth due to space constraints. I’d need to swing by the drugstore next door – no big deal.

Giza

My first night would be spent in Giza, next to the Pyramids. The hotel reminded me of one of the hotels downtown Vegas - on Freemont Street. Thinking back to the 60s, it was probably one swanky place. While still nice for present day, everything seemed dated. After Osama left I realized I was out of contact lens solution and made my way to the drug store next door. I recognized most of the brands of products sold and was surprised by how cheap everything was. I picked up brand name full travel size (100ml) bottles of suntan lotion, saline solution (120ml) with case, and face wash for under $14 US. I walked down the block a bit both ways and went back to the hotel – for the first time in my travels I wasn’t feeling adventurous enough to walk around alone. I didn’t feel unsafe, I just didn’t feel comfortable.  I returned to the hotel, updated my blog and tried to sleep.

Famagusta

Getting Lunch

Since we were out fairly late the night before, we'd begin the day late be heading over to the local fish store. We had stopped by the day before,  but the owner told us to return as he was expecting fresh stuff the next day.

 

Getting lunch

Touring the Island

Throughout the afternoon we'd hike around to various locations. Churches are everywhere. On top of one hill was a church that held maybe 30 people at most. The facility was gorgeous. There are dozens of churches, just like this tiny one, throughout the island.

 

 Up the hill!

 

Greek Orthodox Church

Famagusta

 

Border of Famagusta

After some driving and hiking around the island, Themi drove us to a lookout point over to the beach city of Famagusta. We went to a lookout point because that’s the closest anyone of any nationality can to the city. The city was abandoned nearly overnight in 1974 after the Turkish invasion. The invasion occurred throughout the island. Themi told me that when he was a child, his father woke up the family the morning of the invasion after seeing paratroppers falling from the sky. He rounded up the family and drove them all to the mud house in Klirou. When they would return to the their home in Nikosia they would discover serious damage to their home.

 

Buildings below the ocean are deserted

Independent Cyprus has a visitors center were one can watch a short movie and view the Famagusta skyline. The movie has a propaganda feel to it, encouraging all viewers to push the UN to enforce certain passed resolutions that would return Famagusta land to its Cypriot owners. In any case, looking at the skyline along the beach is just eerie. The town appears much like downtown Las Vegas, with a string of midrise hotels. There are even some incomplete midrise hotels with construction cranes still frozen in place since 1974. It’s crazy to look at the skyline and know the entire town is a ghost town. It’s even more crazy to think people are waiting to go back home to this area. From what I understand, many of the business owners have moved to Limassol – which has probably picked up most of the Famagusta traffic.

More Hiking

Shortly after visiting the Famagusta visitor center, we’d go back to the house and pick up Maria. From there we’d do more hiking around the waterfront. We’d later head over to some friends we had done dinner with earlier and have some birthday cake.

 

Where we're going, we don't need roads!

 

Themi's family and me

 

Paintball target practice

 

Themi and Maria's lovely family!

 

Saying goodbye is hard :(

 

Later we’d return home for dinner. Maria heated up some of the pasta/cheese goodness her mom made later in the week for me! What a treat

Off to Paphos!

I had expected to leave much earlier for Paphos, but ended up hanging around Themi and his family until around 10pm. I wasn’t sure how to say thank you – I just know every time I did say it Themi got irritated. In any case, saying goodbye was extremely difficult. I felt like I was moving away from a best friend. The truth is, the time I spent with Themi and family as the best time I had on the island. In hindsight, had I not caught up with them I probably would have ended up being frustrated by Cyprus and god-awful transportation system. The highways work fine, but everything else lacks planning. Knowing it's off season for Paphos I didn't feel the need to book a room before leaving.  So, upon arriving at Paphos about 2 hours later I stopped at a McDonalds for free WiFi and tried to book a room via Kayak. The price was sweet, only $26 for an oceanfront room! Problem - since it was midnight Kayak wouldn't let me book for the night. D'oh! Off to the hotel I was, only to have to pay 26 euros instead...about $33 US. D'oh, D'oh, D'oh!