Anna Meesh Mop Suit!!

Waking Up 

I woke up around 8am, the train had made one of the planned stops before reaching Cairo. I slept well on the train – the ride was very comfortable. I was expecting to take the train to the Cairo station per my printed itinerary. Shortly after I woke up my phone rang – it was Osama. He was asking where the train was. While I was out of data, Google Maps had cached Egypt and I could tell him. The train was running a little late. About 45 minutes and 15 minutes before we reached Giza the steward knocked on my door giving me a heads up. I didn’t see him much throughout the trip, but he was extremely friendly. I had told him I was to exit at Cairo which was the stop after Giza. The steward was confused by this, but said it was okay. When the train makes a stop, everything stops – electricity and all. And it stops for something like 15 minutes. About an hour before reaching Giza the air conditioning cut out, so the cabin was fairly warm. When we reached Cairo everyone left the train. About a minute before the train started to move, Osama boarded and was yelling at me to exit. The steward helped me exit with my things while the train was moving slowly. I asked Osama why the itinerary said the train would stop at Cairo and not Giza – he said I should have looked at my ticket. He said both Giza and Cairo are technically called Cairo Train Station. I couldn’t find it, so I ran with what was on the itinerary. I managed to exit where I was expected to, so all was good. Giza and Cairo are actually not far from one another. Giza is on the west side of the Nile, Cairo on the east.

Checking In

 

Back to the Gawharet Al Ahram

 

Not a bad room for $26!

After leaving the station we boarded the car. There was some traffic, so it took about half an hour to get to the hotel. The original tour was 8 days, I extended an extra day to allow time to explore Alexandria, so I booked an extra night at the hotel on my own. I did this because the tour company’s rate was around $70/night whereas the Kayak rate was only $26. This was the same hotel I spent the first night at, so I was familiar with the area. It was a very early check in, but after about a 10 minute wait the room was ready. This time around the room was much nicer. I had a single queen bed and the room was very spacious. I had mentioned to Osama that today was the most holy day of the year and that I had wanted to attend service. I think he understood this to mean I simply wanted to go to a Christian church. Since I had spent the night on the church I had wanted to shower before continuing. Osama waited for me in the lobby and after about 30 minutes we left for Cairo.

Touring


Anna Meesh Mop Suit!!!

We were scheduled to tour some of the sites the family hid out during this time. Traffic was intense, so along the way Osama worked on my Arabic. He had some fun teaching me some slang phrases. As someone cuts us off, I ask Osama how to yell I am angry at someone. I was used to Cairo driving by now. I wasn’t comfortable putting any part of my body out of the car, not even an elbow. 6 lanes of traffic squeeze into a 3-lane road. Inches separate each car. “Anna meesh mop suit”, Osama tells me. But, he says, I have to point and say it in a very emotional voice. When I repeat, the driver begins laughing hysterically. I ask why and Osama mentions its slang, but my pronunciation was very close. “People don’t expect it out of you”, he says. I’d repeat the phrase a half dozen times to aggressive merchants who were trying to overcharge me – their reaction would be priceless.

Old Cairo

I don’t think the tour company knew my religion, so I don’t think the timing was coincidental. Today was Easter and we were scheduled to tour the Christian sites throughout Old Cairo, including Coptic Cairo. Shortly after the birth of Christ, the holy family fled to Egypt to avoid persecution in Israel.
What a way to celebrate Easter Sunday! The churches we would tour included the Church of Abu-Sergah, Church of Saint Barbara, and The Hanging Church. We would also an old Jewish Synagogue called the Ben Ezra Synagogue

Church of Abu-Sergah

This church is said to have been built upon one of the final sites the holy family rested at while coming into Egypt. While you can't go beneath the church, you can look into the very area where the Holy Family is believed to have hid out.

 

In Church of Abu-Sergah

The Hanging Church

The Hanging Church is one of the oldest Churches in Egypt. The Church was built above the gatehouse of the Babylon Fortress.

 

Outside the Babylon Fortres

 

Outside the entrance to The Hanging Church

 

Mosaic outside Hanging Church

 

Mosaic outside Hanging Church

Bed Ezra Synagogue

No photos were allowed in the Synagogue. The facility was originally built as a church and sold to because the Coptic Christians could not pay the tax. Several manuscripts were found in the temple around the 19th century. This is also the site  Moses was said to be found abandoned as a baby. Unfortunately, after touring a few churches my SLR died. I hadn’t charged it for the entire trip, but the battery reported a charge greater than 25 percent. At least I still had my iPhone.

Saqqara 

The first stop we would make would be to Saqqara, an ancient burial ground for the ancient Egyptian capital city of Memphis. The burial ground consists of several pyramids consisting of several steps. These pyramids were in poor condition, some looked not much different than a pile of rock. 

 

Playing with fire am I? 

Lying down in the tomb inside a pyramid!

Back to Hotel

After finishing up the tours we had returned to the hotel. Osama mentioned he would pick me up sometime later for the Cairo by Night segment. Before arriving at the hotel I had reminded Osama about church. He had reached out to some of his Christian friends, but all were Orthodox. Orthodox follow a different calendar for Easter which is, more times than not, different than traditional Christian Easter. He made a couple of calls for information and we agreed returning to the hotel to research via Internet would be the most practical solution. I had done some limited searching via my iPhone, but the apps I had were mostly useless. They provided names of churches, but not times of services. Once I had a WiFi connection I could more easily call churches to check on service times and to confirm they were indeed Catholic. I had told Osama I could make arrangements myself at the hotel, but he insisted on escorting me to the church. I had asked him if the tour company could substitute the Cairo by Night segment for transit to the Church. After a number of phone calls to his Christian friends and the tour office, he told me there would be no fee for the transit and they would simply wait for me. Although they were Muslim, they understand the necessity of worship and would not take anything in exchange. We would do the tour of Cairo by Night after the service. I had expected the service to take around 90 minutes and maybe an hour of transit. I didn’t feel right consuming almost three hours of his and the driver’s time, but he insisted.  When we arrived at the hotel I searched a bit more. I started calling the 7 or 8 churches asking specifically if they were Catholic and not orthodox since I had wanted to attend Easter service. I reached one that was said to have a service at 7pm – it was now 6:30pm. The person who answered the phone spoke English, so everything appeared to be falling into place.

Cairo by Night

All Saints Church

We had to the church shortly after my last call. After about 30 minutes of driving we were in the approximate area. The driver appeared confused, but Google Maps saved the day and Osama and I found the church on foot. There was an unarmed guard/attendant outside a courtyard that served as an entryway to a Church property. Osama asked this man how long the service would be – he told me he would wait for me at 90 minutes later at that spot. He told me not to worry if the service went over – he would wait. What looked to be a Church was not – it was simply a building. I followed some singing and was lead to a basement where children were singing hymns. The first floor was an auditorium – it looked just like a gym. I could make out where basketball hoops might have been. There were no pews, just chairs. Beneath what appeared to be a stage was what appeared to be a priest who was talking in a foreign language. There was a project and screen with a slideshow. The service went on, but since it was in a foreign language I couldn’t make heads for tails. A Korean couple came a few minutes after me and sat right in front of me – they had an infant child. Given there were no pews and only a few candles, I had begun to wonder if the service was catholic. After about 75 minutes the collection basket came around. Envelopes were handed out and I inserted my donation into the envelope. It was only than the priest would speak English. “Put your gift in the basket and take the envelope”, he said. Simple enough. The Korean’s in front of me were equally confused. Shortly after the collection basket, the handshaking phase occurred, than communion. Communion was a bit different than I am used to – they literally used bread. Only a subset of folks went forward. Everyone receiving communion move to a praying alter at the front of the Church. When mass ended I spoke briefly to the Korean couple. They spoke broken English and the male informed me they had been attending this parish for about a month. They had attended a different parish before that for a short period of time. From what I could make out they were living in Cairo.

 

Church in an Auditorium

 

No English

Cairo at Night 

True to his word Osama was waiting for me at the entrance of the courtyard. We departed shortly thereafter for downtown Cairo. When we crossed the Nile we got out of the car. For about 20 minutes Osama and I chatted as we took in the skyline. The Skyline was spectacular, but the poor air quality created a deep haze. I was disappointed I didn’t have my camera – but it was good to talk with Osama. I suggested we I treat Osama and the driver for some good American food. After some insisting we head over to the Cairo Hard Rock Café. After reaching the hotel, we learned it was closed after the revolution. When the hotel went dry the Hard Rock moved out and never reopened. My iPhone was dead, but I did have my iPad. I always kept my MacBook Air and iPad in my daypack at all times. Although I became confident Egypt was a stable country the more I was there, I figured it didn’t hurt to bring my valuables with me. The MacBook Air and iPad were only a couple of pounds and we were constantly in and out of the car – so I didn’t always wear it. The driver never left the car, so it was relatively safe. Plus, if something happened I could always jet away. Everything back at the hotel was easily replaceable – it was just clothing. My passport, cash stash, credit cards, MacBook, iPad and camera were always with me just in case I had to make a quick exit. Anyhow, we stopped at the Four Seasons to try to mooch WiFi but were foiled by the fact WiFi is not free there. D’oh. I talk to the concierge, learn about the closure of the Hard Rock Café following the revolution, and discuss options with Osama.

 

iPad photo of the view off the Nile

Dinner

“Let’s get Egyptian food”, Osama suggests. “There’s a nice place over by my house”. After about 40 minutes we were there. En route I ask if we can swing by Taher Square – the location of the protests during the revolution. “I didn’t check the news and I don’t want to take any chance. It’s probably safe, but I don’t’ want to chance it” , Osama says. Shortly after we arrive at the restaurant. The restaurant was nice, tablecloths and all. It was a local type of place – I was the only American for miles. We ordered some family style portions of grilled chicken and a couple of other dishes. I insist we all have fries. The driver didn’t speak much English but was enjoying our time together. From time to time Osama would translate.

 

Me, Osama, and Mahmood

Back at the hotel

It was a little after midnight when we got back to the hotel. I asked Osama what time we would begin and he says early, six in the morning. Tomorrow we were touring Alexandria and the drive would be around 3 hours, so we had to be up early. Before going to bed I do some laundry and the sink basin literally drops from the counter almost to the floor. A couple of support rods stop it from crushing my toes. I carefully finish the laundry, hanging it out to dry. It would be an early morning so I had to get some rest.

Where's all the Gasoline, Petrol!

The price of automobile fuel in Egypt is fixed. Much like in the US, there are various types of fuel with differing octane ratings. Compared to the world market, the price of automobile fuel is very low. Some grades are as low as 1 Egyptian pound per liter – putting the cost per gallon well under $1 USD. I imagine Egypt can afford this because as a country they refine and export the product. However, since the revolution the country has been under severe fuel shortages. It’s not uncommon for cars and buses to line up at least three hours before a station is scheduled to take delivery of fuel. A black market has also emerged – I’m told fuel sold on the black market is about 3 times as expensive as normal. It’s unclear to me if the government has simply decided to export more of the fuel they have or if production is a problem. In any case, the shortage is just one of the many things Morsi will have to work through.

Luxor and Karnak

Waking Up in Luxor
 

I’m still fighting off a head cold and chest congestion, so I slept late. Check out was at noon and pickup wasn’t scheduled until 3:30pm. The hotel would hold my bags until I was ready to leave for the night train at 9:45pm. I was welcome to utilize hotel facilities which included the pool, wireless internet, and a decent lobby.  I woke up around 11am, showered, and packed. I was ready to leave the hotel room ten minutes past noon – right when they called to remind that checkout was at noon. 

Killing Time

I had a few hours to kill before being picked up, so I checked my bags and walked up and down the street of the hotel. I stopped by a shop next to the hotel to get some stamps for postcards and explored the town. I got a quick bite to eat at KFC (I know, I know) and head back to the hotel to update my blog. I looked around a while for a power outlet when the man at reception directed me to the couch next to the front desk. The customer service at this place was pretty remarkable. I stayed for a single night. For that, they let me check in very early and use the facilities well past sunset the next day. 

 

Tours

I was scheduled to tour the East Bank of the Nile in the town of Luxor. This consisted of the Luxor Temple and Karnak Temple. The basic itinerary had today as a free day, but leaving Luxor without touring Luxor Temple seemed like blasphemy – and it was only $65.

Mr. Abdul was at the lobby right on time. I was further in the back of the lobby and started looking for him right when he was scheduled to arrive at 3:30pm. He had arrived without the driver and said he would be there shortly. When the driver arrived, he asked how I was feeling. He could tell I wasn’t much better and insisted we stop by a pharmacy. Like the day before, we stopped by a pharmacy and picked up some medicated cough drops. He referred to the man behind the counter as a ‘doctor’ who offered product and dosage advice. We also stopped to get water. This man can work a deal for me. I’ve gotten in the habit of asking the guides to pick up essentials for me since the merchants will sell to them at a much lower price. He asked me for 5 Egyptian pounds  and returned with a 1.5 liter bottle of Dasani water and 2 Egyptian pounds in change. Talk about honesty. 

 

Me & Mr. Abdul

Karnak Temples

Karnak Temple is composed of several different sections: The Avenue of the Sphinxes, Unfinished Pylon, and The Hypostyle Hall.Karnak Temples are some of the most important and most well preserved temples in Egypt. Almost every king from the 30 dynasties contributed in some way to this temple. These temples are nothing short of amazing. The most impressive part is the 134 enormous columns that make The Hypostyle Hall. Some of the pieces of the temple that have been protected from the elements still retain their original colors. I must have spent at least an hour just walking through the enormous columns – it’s really something you have to see in person.

 

Outside Karnak

 

In front of one of the huge columns. 

Check out the inscriptions on the column!

 

Me and more columns!

 

Wide Columns

 

Original colors

 

Sphinx outside the entrance

Luxor Temple 

The Luxor Temple is situated between the Nile and the town, so it falls nicely into view if you eat at any of the restaurants surrounding it. Luxor temple is famous because of it’s creator, Ramsey the Great. He appears with his wife at the entrance. About a thousand years later Alexander the Great added on to the temple. At one time there was a 2 mile path of Sphinxes connecting the Luxor

 

Man under sign I do not know

 

Outside Luxor

Sphinx used to connect Luxor Temple to Karnack Temple

Distance between the two temples was 2 miles!

 

Between Ramesses and Nefertari

Outside Luxor

Killing even more time…

Temples to the Karnack Temples. Of the two, the Karnack Temple was much more impressive to me. I returned back to the hotel with about 3 hours to kill before scheduled pickup for the night train. I spent some time updating my blog than head out for dinner.

Finding Dinner

As I walked down the cross street near the hotel I came across a quaint restaurant called Casablanca. The menu was outside next to the sign so I took a look – it had traditional Egyptian food that sounded good to me. I ordered garlic bread, kebob, fries, and a Coke. When the Coke arrived I reached for my water bottle and noticed it was missing. My water bottle was gone! I figured I'd eventually forget something somewhere on this trip, so I just accepted I left it at the hotel or in the car. This water bottle was a vacuum insulated water bottle with a built in carbon filter, so it wasn't just an ordinary water filter. I will note the water bottle works extremely well. The same driver was to return so maybe I'd find it in the car, or back at the hotel. Back to dinner. The garlic bread came out first and had more spices than I had anticipated – in the end it was tasty. The kebob was beef and also was tasty. The bill was right at 70 Egyptian pounds. As I was the only one in the restaurant, I had made small talk with the waiter. He spoke broken English and appeared to run the place. The menu out front said all prices include tax and service (tip), although the man said differently when I asked if service was included. Before Mr. Abdul left, I recalled him telling me the car would arrive at 9:15pm to take me to the train. The itinerary the Luxor manager gave me when I arrived said 9:45pm. Needless to say, I was a little confused. Since there wasn't much to do in the area, I head back to the hotel and updated my blog. When I first got to the hotel I did a quick search for my water bottle finding nothing. Something in me suggested I walk to the counter and at least see if anyone found anything. The front desk clerk was gone, but my bottle was there! Yippee!

 

Casablanca Restaurant

 

Garlic Bread

Kebob

Leaving for the train 

Around 9:45 a man, who looked very much like my friend Dean Dang, came looking for me. I assumed he was the driver, instead he escorted me to the car and later to the train. Figuring I'd want water for the train, I asked if he could purchase some from a vendor. I could see him point at me when he made the purchase, but he got me a 1.5 liter bottle for 5 Egyptian pounds. Not bad.

All Aboard

The train left around 10pm was was fairly uneventful. Since I was leaving from Luxor, the train ride was a couple of hours shorter than the original train ride to Aswan.  I had wanted to make my way to the club car for a while, as it offered WiFi for something like $1 USD. However, I couldn't find the steward to ask which way it the club car was. I did make a limited effort to find it myself and wandered down a couple of cars. After traversing a couple of cars I figured it'd be best just to return and get some rest. The sleeper compartments adjacent to me did not appear to have smokers this time! Score!

 

One of the trains that passed by at Luxor station before my train arrived

From all over the world

Recap To Date:

 

Where I've been so far (red), what's next (blue)

I loaded up iPhoto to download photos from my iPhone and saw the above map of places I've taken photos so far on this trip.

Country Count visited: 5 - Germany (layover, but left airport), Israel, Palestine, Cyprus, and Egypt.
Currencies: 3 - Shekel, Euro,  Egyptian Pound

Note - make sure you send me your address so I can send you a postcard!!!! If you're reading my blog I want you to have a postcard.

Waking Up

I was due up at 4am and scheduled to meet the driver at 4:30 to be transported to the train station. The train ride  to Luxor was expected to take 3 hours. This wasn't a sleeper train, but it was 'first class'. The driver was supposed to walk me in to the station and escort me to my seat. Finding the car and seat is not easy if you're unfamiliar with the trains. He didn't, he just scooted off after dropping me off at the station. I guess good help is hard to find.

 

Egyptian First Class

The seats were rather roomy. Unfortunately, my seat at the front of the car was occupied so I took an unoccupied seat in the middle. All my bags were next to me and I took the window seat. All was fine for a little over two hours when a man grunted some words and started moving my stuff. Since there were other seats I thought he would go away if I ignored him, but he was persistent. The conductor has already voided my ticket so I thought I was okay where I was. A man in the seat in front of us asked for my ticket and pointed out my seat was in the front. I apologized to both, collected my stuff, and head for my seat. I had been in my own bubble for the entire train ride, so maybe being moved was a good thing. If it's one thing I've learned from past international travels, it's that you have to treat every unexpected twist as an adventure. 

 

My real seat...disgusting and broken 

Moving up the far, I found that not only was my seat broken (see picture above) but it was occupied. I ask if I have the right seat and am surprised to hear the person in the adjacent seat spoke perfect English with a British accent. His name is Abdul. After some moving around, I take the seat next to Abdul. Abdul is a few years younger than me and heading to Egypt with his family. I compliment his English and he teaches English at a private school in Aswan. "It better be good", he jokes. He asks me where I've been in Egypt, why I'm traveling alone, my thoughts about the country, etc. But, being more interested in his thoughts, I return the questions. "The country is a mess" he tells me, "Everyone is looking for work". His thoughts are very much congruent with the others I've spoken to. As we chat, he tells me Cairo is not safe and that I should be very careful there. I ask about Aswan and he tells me there are dangerous places there, too. I ask about the market and he laughs - those parts are entirely safe. Hearing this random strangers thoughts reiterated what I already heard from others. After a short while Abdul's uncle introduces himself. He tells me he has good friends in New Jersey. He offers me half his sandwich and a juice box. He insists I take the juice box - which is a sealed mango fruit flavored. It was an incredibly tiny gesture, but I think it says so very much. Here's a man who has next to nothing and he's offering me breakfast. He chat for a bit and he returns to his seat behind us. Abdul and I chat a bit more as we reach Luxor. He tells me this is where I need to get off. I tell Abdul I'd like him to take his family to dinner on me and try to give him 200 Egyptian pounds ($30 USD). He refuses. "Egyptian people do not take handouts", he tells me. I insist it's not a handout. I ask him if he knows what karma is. "Of course", he says. I tell him that I would have loved to take his family to dinner myself but my schedule is tight. I think it would be neat for them to have a nice dinner out and that I could use the good karma. He smiles and throws the 200 back at me. In the end I got him to take the money. Abdul is one cool dude. 

Arriving at the Station

As I arrived at the Luxor station, a man with a sign that said "Mr. Christopher Raymond" greeted me. He asked how the train ride was and I tell him fine. "Off to the hotel", he says. He explains he's the Luxor area manager and the guide will come at 1pm to pick me up.

 

Outside Luxor Station

Arriving at the Hotel

The Lotus Hotel looked pretty nice from the outside. The inside lobby was nice and had WiFi, although it wasn't free. Roughly $10 US a day is what they wanted or around $1.50 an hour was the asking rate. The fee entitled you to the wireless key which changed every 12 hours or so. The staff was very friendly and the early check in was fairly simple. It was around 9-10am, but early check in was no problem at this hotel.

 

Outside of hotel

 

Nile in the background

 

2 twin beds...I don't think any rooms offer double beds

 

Small balcony with the poorest view in the hotel- first world problem

Searching for Breakfast

Since it was a Friday, most of the surrounding shops were closed. An occasional souvenir shop was open, but that was it. There was a KFC on the street, but that too was closed. Google maps told me a McDonalds was near so that would have to do. As I walked down the street numerous cab or horse carriage drivers offered me a ride. Eventually I took one up on it. We did the negotiating game eventually settling on 10 Egyptian pounds each way (around $1.50). He wouldn’t take any money when he dropped me off, he said he’d wait and I would pay the entire amount when I was done. In case you were curious, the Egyptian McDonalds menu is a little different than it is in the states. Not surprisingly, pork isn’t an option here. So sausage is chicken sausage. I opted for 4 hotcakes, which cost right around 12 Egyptian Pounds (under $2) and orange juice since I was still nursing a cold. When I returned from McDonalds he tried to upsell me every way imaginable. First it was a tour of the town, than he wanted to take me to on the tours I already had lined up. For 40 Egyptian pounds ($6) he offered to cart me around town for an hour or so showing me around. Since I wasn’t tired a carriage around the hotel area seemed like a good idea. After some confusion around where my hotel was, we eventually get there. I had marked the location in Google Maps so I was able to help navigate back. More or less, everything in town is on the Nile River so navigating isn’t very difficult. When we arrive back at the hotel I give the driver 50 Egyptian pounds even though we had agreed on 40 Egyptian pounds. He starts arguing with me that he deserves more. Since we were at the hotel, I got out of the carriage and thanked him for his time ignoring his demands. I guess that’s the way to handle them because I saw him later in the day and he pretended to be my best friend while offering to cart me around again.

Touring

My guide today was named Abdul and he showed up at the hotel at 1pm as promised. Abdul speaks 4 languages and his also a museum examiner. Abdul was extremely friendly and down to earth. He's not afraid to speak what's on his mind. We went over the itinerary. We’d begin with the Valley of the Kings, than Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, and finally The Collosi of Memnon. Camera’s are not allowed anywhere within the Valley of the Kings tour.

Valley of the Kings

After a short trolley ride, we were at the exhibit and walking around the tombs of pharos past. The basic ticket allowed entrance into three different tombs. Entering King Tut’s tomb was an extra ticket – but Abdul didn’t really offer or suggest it. “It’s a small tomb not much different than what you’ll see”, he said. The valley is full of tombs for dozens of past pharos. Some tombs were discovered as recently as 7 years ago. I couldn’t help but think of the game “Tomb Raider” as I went through the tombs.

 

Outside the Valley of the Kings

Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut

The Temple of Hatshepsut was simply amazing. The temple is absolutely enormous. The inside is full of inscribed walls with very rich color and detail. It’s incredible that the color has survived all these years. Abdul insists it’s original and not a restoration.

 

The temple

Me with the temple in the backround

The Collosi of Memnon

While the Collosi of Memnon has very tall statues, it’s rather small compared to the temples. Abdul spent about 20 minutes explaining the background. The two statues are of pharaoh Amenhotep III. There are also two smaller statues symbolizing the pharaoh’s mother and wife.

 

Me in front of the Collosi 

Dinner @ KFC

After getting back to the hotel, I loaded up my MacBook to look for places to eat. While in the lobby I bumped into a tour group consisting of people from all over the world. One of the group members, Art, asked if he could borrow some hand sanitizer, as does one of his friends. The tour group was dividing at this point so many were saying goodbye. Part of the group was leaving for a dive trip to the Red Sea in the Sinai Peninsula. Art’s friend is one of them and I tell him he’s brave. “Why” he asks. I didn’t want to scare him, but that’s the region of Egypt that is lawless – it’s the part of Egypt that is outside continental Africa. He suggests they are traveling with a convoy, as they did to Abu Simbel. I didn’t see a single military convoy in Abu Simbel, but I wasn’t about to say anything. Eventually, everyone in the group disappears.

I decided walking around would be the best way to find a place to eat. In the end, I gave in and ended up at KFC. I felt like a complete idiot – here I was in Egypt and for breakfast I had McDonalds and Dinner would be at KFC. In any case, I had the chicken strips and the KFC was tasty. I bumped into two Asian girls there who go to Kellog in Chicago. Crazy, the only people I’ve met from Chicago on the entire trip was at KFC.

Back to the Hotel

After dinner at KFC I went back to the hotel lobby to update my blog. Art appeared a short time later with one of his friends and we chatted a bit. A few of his friends joined up. After a short while we go outside to sit along the Nile River and talk. We all appeared roughly the same age, but were from all over the world. Art was a Canadian who was born and raised in Brazil, James was from Australia but lived in Berlin (Germany), Brent was from New York, a girl was from South Africa, and one guy was from New Zealand. The topic of conversation began with Egypt and slowly went into politics. I joked that I was just in Cyprus and that they are not very fond of the Germans (where James had lived). We went on to discuss the effectiveness of the EU for a couple of hours. It was enlightening talking to all these people from different parts of the world. It was around midnight when he decided to call it a night.

Sunset

Tomorrow

Tomorrow would be a late day. I was to check out at noon, but the driver would pick me up at 3:30pm. I was welcome to use the common area of the lobby or walk around outside. The hotel would hold my bags in storage as long as I wanted.

The 11 hour drive

Up Early

The wakeup call was scheduled today for 2:45am. I was to check out, have breakfast, prior to meeting the driver outside the hotel at 3:30am. Unlike in Israel, the drivers here have no problem waiting a few minutes for me. Today I would be running 7 minutes late - not too bad given I'm still not well physically. I'm still battling a head cold with chest congestion and have lost my voice almost completely. I can whisper though. To my surprise I would be greeted by Mr. George who did the tours with me the day before - I had thought I would be meeting a guide at the temples.

On the road

At $100, this excursion was the priciest so far. I know this is Africa, but it surprises me that $100 would go that far even here. This tour involves a 3-4 hour drive each way. I have a private driver, a decent air conditioned full sized car, a driver, an educated tour guide for the entire day...all for $100?

Tourism is down...way down

Talking informally with the various tour guides I've had, I'm beginning to feel just how difficult it is for them here in Egypt. With all the travel alerts and warnings, tourism in Egypt is down. Way down. Mr. George told me that in the low season (summer) he would normally work around 8 days a month. During the high season (winter) he would work around 30 days a month. It's still high season here and he has worked 7 days in the past 30 days. I.e., it's high season and it's slower than than low season. Tourism is Egypt's number 3 industry. Only income from the Suez Canal and Oil/Gas exports surpass tourism - so a lot of people are impacted. One thing I've noticed is that the poor of Egypt are not beggars. Sure you occasionally get grabbed by the arm as you walk through bazaars, but that's only because the merchant desperately needs to make a sale. They want to sell you or provide a service to you in exchange for money - they are not asking for a handout. To date, a single person at the train station with Osama was the only time I experienced a beggar asking for a handout.

You say you want a revolution?

It's been a little over 2 years since the revolution here in Egypt. To date I've had 3 different guides. Since all tours are private and several I've gotten to know each guide pretty well. Surprisingly, two have been Christian, or Copts as they are called here, and one has been Muslim. Since we're together almost the entire day, normal conversation about family and children comes up and naturally will segway to something deeper. All guides have talked quite comfortably about Egyptian politics. Nothing appeared off limits, even Mubarak (former leader of Egypt), Morsi (current leader of Egypt), or the Mulsim Brotherhood (political party of Morsi) were topics of conversation. More than one guide would tell me that prior to the revolution, talking like we were would not be possible. All have felt strongly that other governments, primarily Iran and Saudi Arabia, are interfering and want the revolution to be seen as a failure. They insist those countries would be threatened should the revolution be a success. For 200 Egyptian pounds, roughly $30 USD, they can pay a homeless man to make lots trouble. They also insist the media is corrupt and is overly critical of Morsi. “They blame everyone on him, even things he can not control”. All believe Morsi has a good heart and that he cares very much about the Egyptian people – but most agree he is not effective and will not be elected again. There is also consensus that the former leader Mubarak was corrupt and embezzled countless amounts of money for his family. One suggested Morsi was only elected because there was such a strong divide amongst other candidates – Arrow’s impossibly theorem at work.  I asked more than one, rather bluntly, if creating an Islamic state in Egypt is the master plan of the brotherhood. “They’d (Muslim Brotherhood) like that”, I am told, “but even they know they Egyptian people would not tolerate that”. “Egypt is the most moderate nation of all the Arab world” I hear repeatedly. I was surprised by lack of contrast in opinion on Morsi and the Brotherhood between Christians and Muslims alike.

Protests along the way

I had expected to sleep during the 3-4 hour drive to the temple. After about 20 minutes of driving I noticed we had stopped. I went back to sleep briefly and realized the car was stopped as was traffic around us. It was around 4:15am, we had left about 45 minutes earlier. I ask Mr. George why and he says there is a checkpoint further down and one of the drivers is arguing with the police over a fine. “He was going too fast, he says”.  Apparently we are on an entry to a main road to the temples and there is a safety checkpoints prior to entry. We are surrounded by tour buses, many filled with people from the west. There’s a huge line of buses both in front and back of us. At this point almost all cars are stopped and many tourists are sitting outside their bus. It’s not much different than when traffic is completely stopped on a highway in the states. Since I wasn’t feeling well I was fine staying in the car. The car was off and I was in a desert, but it was still chilly since the sun had not risen yet. I get out of the car and talk a bit to Mr. George. I ask Mr. George if I can take a picture – sure he says, but don’t get too close.  I can see cars lined up for at least a quarter to half mile, so I know I’m very distant from the action. I snap a pic and ask again what’s going on.  I ask again what’s going on. This time Mr. George is a bit more honest. “There are protests against the government because they do not feel enough is being done to help tourism.” I ask if this has happened before and he tells me no. I would find out later that’s likely not the truth. It’s not uncommon for that road to be blocked by protestors. The protests are non violent and a means of getting the government’s attention – free speech and a consequence of the revolution I’m left to believe. About 30 minutes later traffic starts moving again. In the end it would take about 5 hours to get to the temples, but since I slept most of the way it was not a big deal. In my opinion, non-violent protests are a good thing. Protests indicate the presence of a free people. That state department safety bulletins suggest protests can become violent in a flash - advice I take very seriously. But those same bulletins suggest the areas I am in, or will be traveling to,  over the next few days remain calm. 

 

Lines of buses as we wait an hour to proceed at a checkpoint

Arriving at Abu Simbel

 

Walkway to the temple

We got to the temples around 9am. Mr. George gave me an overview and walked over with me to the temples. As was the case at certain exhibits in the Egyptian Museum, guides are not allowed in the temples. They do all instruction outside and let the groups go in solo. There isn’t much to see inside the temples, but looking at them from the outside and going in them was an amazing experience. There are two different entries and touring them took about an hour. Mr. George tells me he’ll wait for me at the small snack shop setup up the hill from the temple. He offered to take my picture in front of the temples, but I was out of it and didn’t respond as I would have liked. After touring the temples I now realized what he had asked and did want a picture. Walking back and forth to the coffee shop was grueling, but I was determined to have photo. After about an hour and a half we head back. Mr. George says the next stop is the Nubian Museum. I was pretty certain I had opted not for that excursion and replaced it with the Abu Simbel tour. He insists otherwise. I check my itinerary and realize he is incorrect. I would have been up for the museum, but I wasn’t feeling well and knew I needed rest. After a couple of phone calls Mr. George says everything is okay. Although I’m normally dubious, I don’t think the tour company was trying to upsell me…I think this was an honest miscommunication. I was excited to have the opportunity to rest and relax back at the resort. The hotel pool area was very nice and the temperature was in the 90s – great for a dip in the pool if I was feeling better after my anticipated nap.

 

Me in front of the Large Temple

 

Me in front of the Small Temple

 

Mr. George

Back at the Hotel

We got back to the hotel around 1pm. The first thing I wanted to do was take a nap. After about an hour I woke up feeling a bit better and head for the pool. Even though it was 90 the water was cold. Very, very cold. After resetting my Kindle I noticed 3g worked – I picked up a book on my next destination, Dubai, and did some reading. After about 45 minutes I made it into the pool, and than resumed reading. 

 

Back at the hotel

 

The Sahara at it's finest

Getting Dinner...or not

 

It was around 6pm when I left the pool and I was starting to get hungry. I left the hotel and was approached by a man asking if I wanted a ride – he was extremely friendly. I said no and kept walking. He was very persistent. “10 pounds” he says. “I’ll take you to market. You need to go to market, you will like it”. After confirming the 10 pounds he was asking for were indeed Egyptian and not British (thanks, Ryan) we were on our way. I’d be riding in an open horse carriage the mile or so ride for under $1.50 US. The driver’s name is Abdul and we chat for a while. He gives me his cell number and asks that I call him when I am finished. He asks for 10 pounds, I give him 15 or 20. I felt wrong paying him even that. When I did get him the money he asked about the horse, “feed my horse” he says. I smile, tell him I gave him more than he asked for.  He smiles graciously and thanks me – “call me when you’re done” he says.  I ask him how much a good price for a Coke is and he tells me 10 pounds. He offers to get it for me but I say no. He directs me to the supermarket. There I am charged 4 pounds (60 cents) for a 500ml bottle of coke. What a country.

 

Mr Abdul and his horse 

Detouring to the Market

By the time we got to market the sun had already set. What remained of sunlight was now gone. The market was incredible. Street after street of merchants selling just about anything – spices, food, pots, pans…anything. Since I hadn’t eaten, I picked up some popcorn from a vendor. 5 pounds he says (75 cents). Robbery I think, but I pay it anyway. The bag was tiny and I’m pretty sure 1 pound was the prevailing price – the popcorn was worth every cent. After walking around the market for a couple of hours I walk around the waterfront. I walk by and enter a restaurant with a view of the Nile. The host is very friendly. “Where you from”, he asks. I tell him Chicago. He looks at me and says with a smile “Really…it’s very dangerous there I hear”. I respond back saying with a laugh “I hear the same about Egypt”. He laughs, laughs and says – “so true, my friend”.  After more reading I head to the only restaurant I can find, a McDonald’s on the Nile. The McDonalds here is packed with locals and very popular. After finishing my meal I try to call Abdul but the call does not go through. No worries, the street is lined with horse carriages and the hotel isn’t far. I approach a driver and ask how much – 20 pounds he says. I walk away and he chases me. “What” he says. I look coldly at him and tell him he’s ripping me off. I had fully intended to give him 20 pounds, if not more, but did not want to be conned. I continue to walk away and he apologizes profusely. “Okay, 10 pounds, I’m so sorry. Business is terrible and I’m doing what I can to get by.” I ride back to the hotel just as I came,  in a horse and carriage. I pay him with a 50 pound note and he tries to short change me 5 pounds, saying it’s for the horse. I call him out on it, but in the end let him have it. I told him I had planned on tipping him even more but I’m not sure he believes me. When I returned to the hotel, I hear a disappointed man say yelling "Mr. Chris, why did you not call".  Right across the way was Mr. Abdul. I show him my phone and tell him I tried - he proceeds to ask for "5 pounds for the house". I bid him goodnight. I had a change of heart though. I thought about how much I enjoyed the market and how I would have missed it had it not been for him. After updating my blog I went out to look for him but could not find him. And so it goes...

Coffee and juice restaurant on the Nile...very nice. 

 

McDonald's on the Nile

 

View of the Nile from McDonald's

Tomorrow

Tonight was my last night in Aswan and I really liked it here. The main street along the Nile is very busy. The people are extremely friendly and the city is much cleaner than Cairo. The hotel I’m at is like one of the grand Mexican resorts, huge and a world of its own. That said, aside from the few hours of sitting by the pool, I’ve spent little time at the resort. Although I’ve been sick most of the time at Aswan, I’ve really enjoyed it here.  I’d wake up tomorrow at 4am to catch a train to Luxor – the train ride is about 3 hours. 4am sounds pretty easy given I had to be up at 2:45am today!