Jan 5, 1045pm (in Cairo)
First... last night was a real adventure... we got in Egyptian taxis for the first time and ended up separate from the group with no cells phones and a vague idea of where we were... So it was also my 1st time crossing the st. in Egypt... I thought I was going to die... because of the lack of organization on the road... you just have to believe the cars will stop for you!!!
We were going to go to the Jazz Club of Egypt but they wouldnt let the whole group in due to age so we ended up in the Greek Club which was boring and for old ppl... we tried the Egyptian Wine and then went to get Hookah and tea (wow)... we ended up out til 2am.
Today we went to 2 Muslim mosques and leanred of the history and many stories behind the religion... I forgot and wore no socks so when we took off our shoes I was walking on Marble barefoot... and trust me it is NOT hot in Egypt... the marble was freezing. But it was a great experience.
We ended our day with a trip down the Nile on a Felucca... we were freezing but it was a great experience!!!
More tomorrow... about the Pyramids... Egyptian pounds arent plentiful!!
Pyramids
Monday, January 5, 2009
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Coptic Christians and Garbage District
(9:38pm in Cairo)
So today started off very sad... I woke to some orange juice which later caused me dismay... My stomach didn't like it and told it to get out... ON THE BUS. We have a driver for our entire trip and his precious soul cleaned it with no anger or disgust...
Then we went to learn about the Coptic Christians here in Egypt... their Christmas is on January 6th!!! (A second Christmas!!!) We went to Old Cairo and learned of the Saints and priests of the Christians. Here, 85% of the people are Muslim while the rest are believed to be Coptic Christian... they have been exiled and alienated here in Egypt. The architecture and stories of the Saints were beautiful but the most interesting and disturbing info. came there after...
We learned of the Garbage District they are the poorest of the poor...so, to survive, they collect the trash from Cairo before the Corporations do (who either way get paid for picking up trash through taxes) and take it to their community to reuse things for food, clothes, to make shelter and to sell to make a living. It was heart renching... no human should have to live the way these people do... it is a populated community of 60,000 people and the streets and homes are bombarded with garbage (like a junk yard)... Men women and children of all ages shapes and sizes live here. The children, no matter their age wander all around Cairo begging for money or selling things they or their parents made for food and money. A child at 10 looks aged in the face but malnourished in their body...because of all the struggle they combat... they age very quickly.
The most ironic of the experience was the fact that we went through the community to reach one of the most beautiful churches I have ever seen... you go through gates and it glows with nature in sunshine from the gloom and pain of the Garbage District...
The church was amazing... but it was just... very... painful and heartbreaking... I havent had the time to officially reflect on my feelings... but I know that if my spirit feels violated just walking through some parts of Baltimore... I can't imagine the feeling of an true imprisoned spirit.
I forgot to mention yesterday how disturbed I was about the fact that there are no child labor laws enforced... and children and adults alike are thrown into prisons and treated the same... much for the sake of corrupt officers!!! They torture children... some have died with no justice... and the hospital system is not obligated to serve you... "what's in it for them?".
---remember 50% of the pop. are extremely poor in Egypt...
We ended our night at another 5 star restuarant... which seems necessary, so we don't get sick... there were women out side baking the most beautiful bread in the world... they interacted with us... I felt like I was... home... amongst family...
It makes me wonder why when we speak of "international relations" or "egypt" I never get the truth of the matter.
Money means time... I'm out
So today started off very sad... I woke to some orange juice which later caused me dismay... My stomach didn't like it and told it to get out... ON THE BUS. We have a driver for our entire trip and his precious soul cleaned it with no anger or disgust...
Then we went to learn about the Coptic Christians here in Egypt... their Christmas is on January 6th!!! (A second Christmas!!!) We went to Old Cairo and learned of the Saints and priests of the Christians. Here, 85% of the people are Muslim while the rest are believed to be Coptic Christian... they have been exiled and alienated here in Egypt. The architecture and stories of the Saints were beautiful but the most interesting and disturbing info. came there after...
We learned of the Garbage District they are the poorest of the poor...so, to survive, they collect the trash from Cairo before the Corporations do (who either way get paid for picking up trash through taxes) and take it to their community to reuse things for food, clothes, to make shelter and to sell to make a living. It was heart renching... no human should have to live the way these people do... it is a populated community of 60,000 people and the streets and homes are bombarded with garbage (like a junk yard)... Men women and children of all ages shapes and sizes live here. The children, no matter their age wander all around Cairo begging for money or selling things they or their parents made for food and money. A child at 10 looks aged in the face but malnourished in their body...because of all the struggle they combat... they age very quickly.
The most ironic of the experience was the fact that we went through the community to reach one of the most beautiful churches I have ever seen... you go through gates and it glows with nature in sunshine from the gloom and pain of the Garbage District...
The church was amazing... but it was just... very... painful and heartbreaking... I havent had the time to officially reflect on my feelings... but I know that if my spirit feels violated just walking through some parts of Baltimore... I can't imagine the feeling of an true imprisoned spirit.
I forgot to mention yesterday how disturbed I was about the fact that there are no child labor laws enforced... and children and adults alike are thrown into prisons and treated the same... much for the sake of corrupt officers!!! They torture children... some have died with no justice... and the hospital system is not obligated to serve you... "what's in it for them?".
---remember 50% of the pop. are extremely poor in Egypt...
We ended our night at another 5 star restuarant... which seems necessary, so we don't get sick... there were women out side baking the most beautiful bread in the world... they interacted with us... I felt like I was... home... amongst family...
It makes me wonder why when we speak of "international relations" or "egypt" I never get the truth of the matter.
Money means time... I'm out
Saturday, January 3, 2009
First Step into Cairo...
(WARNING: Blogs may seem unorganized... they are... I pay for the time on the computer!!!)
(Jan. 3, 2009 11:04pm in Cairo)
Plane ride= long but not 18 hrs... only 10!!! It was safe!
Cramped but completely worth it.
Cairo is sooo different. The moment I got off the plane I saw sand and two palm trees. Random Right?!!! Cairo is almost chaotic but an amazing mix of people and society. There are no traffic lights, so in the city there is rush hour every minute! I saw at leat 2 ppl and 2 cars get run into on the way tomy hotel.
The hotel is five star... They don't even let you carry your bags to your room. O, and we found 2 channels in English (generally everything in the city is in both Arabic and English)but that was hard to find...
O and I cannot forget this... THEY HAVE STRAWBERRY JUICE... it's either like tropical with pieces of strawberry in it, or a smoothie and it is thee GREATEST! I WAS DELIGHTED TO FIND THAT IT IS STRAWBERRY SEASON IN EGYPT!!! Oh yeah!!!
The exchange rate is 5.5 to every dollar so it's pretty amazing to see the prices... I have to remember where I am. My team is absolutely eclectic... everyone is different but we mesh extremely well together.
One of the books were are (supposed) to be reading is called Midaq Alley by Naguib Mahfouz and we actually went to the very place the book's setting was TODAY. It was so surreal, made me more motivated to actually finish reading the book!
We also went to this five star restaurant... though I was very very limited due to my allergy to onions. One of my team meates tried PIGEON!! I, on the other hand, had chicken and french fries "specially made"... it was good... but American.
The last stop we made was to see a Sufi dance... (look it up I can't explain it now I pay by the minute on the PC) but just know that it was an amazing set of Egyptian men in dress like clothing spinning doing tricks so fast it made me dizzy. I was fascinated to find that that is how they worship God... through DANCE!
Considering the traffic, everywhere we go takes like 5 times longer (I think) than it would without the traffic. But, the lack of traffic lights seems to work pretty well... I think there's some sort of language with the way you honk your horn.
I have only been here for one day and I already feel like I have been here for 4... this is going to be an amazing experience....but, I have Jet lag... so... that is all for now, I am going asleep!
Much love...and you can send me emails too!!!
(Jan. 3, 2009 11:04pm in Cairo)
Plane ride= long but not 18 hrs... only 10!!! It was safe!
Cramped but completely worth it.
Cairo is sooo different. The moment I got off the plane I saw sand and two palm trees. Random Right?!!! Cairo is almost chaotic but an amazing mix of people and society. There are no traffic lights, so in the city there is rush hour every minute! I saw at leat 2 ppl and 2 cars get run into on the way tomy hotel.
The hotel is five star... They don't even let you carry your bags to your room. O, and we found 2 channels in English (generally everything in the city is in both Arabic and English)but that was hard to find...
O and I cannot forget this... THEY HAVE STRAWBERRY JUICE... it's either like tropical with pieces of strawberry in it, or a smoothie and it is thee GREATEST! I WAS DELIGHTED TO FIND THAT IT IS STRAWBERRY SEASON IN EGYPT!!! Oh yeah!!!
The exchange rate is 5.5 to every dollar so it's pretty amazing to see the prices... I have to remember where I am. My team is absolutely eclectic... everyone is different but we mesh extremely well together.
One of the books were are (supposed) to be reading is called Midaq Alley by Naguib Mahfouz and we actually went to the very place the book's setting was TODAY. It was so surreal, made me more motivated to actually finish reading the book!
We also went to this five star restaurant... though I was very very limited due to my allergy to onions. One of my team meates tried PIGEON!! I, on the other hand, had chicken and french fries "specially made"... it was good... but American.
The last stop we made was to see a Sufi dance... (look it up I can't explain it now I pay by the minute on the PC) but just know that it was an amazing set of Egyptian men in dress like clothing spinning doing tricks so fast it made me dizzy. I was fascinated to find that that is how they worship God... through DANCE!
Considering the traffic, everywhere we go takes like 5 times longer (I think) than it would without the traffic. But, the lack of traffic lights seems to work pretty well... I think there's some sort of language with the way you honk your horn.
I have only been here for one day and I already feel like I have been here for 4... this is going to be an amazing experience....but, I have Jet lag... so... that is all for now, I am going asleep!
Much love...and you can send me emails too!!!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Itinerary: Egypt: A Literary Journey
January 2: Travel day (from U.S. to Egypt)
CAIRO—Flamenco Hotel
2 El Gezira El Wosta Street
Zamalek
20-22-73508-15/16/18
Day 1: Arrive to Egypt @ 10 am and settle in to hotel
(Jan. 3) Lunch @ Naguib Mahfouz Café
Deewan Bookstore
Khen el-Khalili
Naguib Mahfouz Walking Tour
Dinner @ Al-Fishawi Café
Day 2: “Coptic Cairo” in the Old City on a Sunday
(Jan. 4) Mari Guirguis
Abu Sarja
Hanging Church
Babylon Fort
Ben Ezra Synagogue
Walk through garbage district to Muqattam Mountain/Saint Simeon’s Monastery
Day 3: “Muslim Cairo”
(Jan. 5) Al-Azhar Mosque
Al-Maaz
Ibn Toulo
Citadel
Sufi Dancing (evening)
Day 4: Pyramids and Sphinx
(Jan. 6) Lunch @ The Greek Restaurant
Free afternoon and night (Christmas Eve)
Day 5: Free morning and noon (Christmas Day)
(Jan. 7) Egyptian Museum
Dinner @ Filfila Restaurant
Evening train to Luxor
LUXOR—Nefertiti Hotel
El Sahabi Street
20-95-2372386
Day 6: Lunch @ Amoon (“Cafeteria”)
(Jan. 8) East Bank
-Karnak
-Luxor Museum
-Luxor Temple
-Sound and Light Show
Day 7: Service day in Sohag (15 hours/student)
(Jan. 9) Visit Qus in the evening
Day 8: Service day in Sohag
(Jan. 10) Visit Qus/Nekada monasteries in the evening
Day 9: West Bank
(Jan. 11) -Valley of the Kings and Queens
-Hatshepsut Temple
Dinner @ Jazz Café
Day 10: Aswan day trip (stops at Edfu and Kom Ombo?)
(Jan. 12) -Unfinished Obelisk
-High Dam??
-Nubian Museum and Market
-Nubian village (accessible by felucca)
-Group Meal @ Sunset Restaurant
-Philae Temple (accessible by felucca)
-Sound and Light Show @ Philae
Day 11: Free morning and afternoon
(Jan. 13) 5-7:30 pm: Felucca to Banana Island
Group Meal @ Jazz Café
HURGHADA—hotel still being firmed up
Day 12: Travel to Hurghada (overnight?)
(Jan. 14) Rest and Recuperation (journaling and contemplation)
Explore night scene
Day 13: Rest and Recuperation (journaling and contemplation)
(Jan. 15) Free evening
SINAI—St. Catherine’s Tourist Village (1st night) and St. Catherine’s Guesthouse (2nd night)
Wadi El Raha El-Milga
St. Catherine St. Catherine
20-62-470-221or 20-
20-62-470-456
Day 14: Travel by ferry/plane to Sinai @ 8 or 9 am, bus to St. Catherine’s
(Jan. 16) See St. Catherine’s Monastery and other key sites
Rest and Recuperation (journaling and contemplation)
Day 15: Climb Mount Sinai at @ 3 am
(Jan. 17) Rest and Recuperation (journaling and contemplation)
DAHAB—Pearl of the South
El Mashraba
Dahab, South Sinai
20-104-031590
Day 16: Travel to Dahab @ 1 pm
(Jan. 18) Rest and Recuperation (journaling and contemplation)
Day 17: Rest and Recuperation (journaling and contemplation)
(Jan. 19) Desert Safari with Bedouins (dinner with Bedouins?)
Day 18: Rest and Recuperation (journaling and contemplation)
(Jan. 20) Travel to Cairo overnight
CAIRO—Flamenco Hotel
address above
Day 19: Shopping @ Khen el-Khalili Market
(Jan. 21) Debrief and Group Meal
Group activity
Day 20: Travel day (from Egypt to U.S. flight @ noon)
(Jan. 22)
Monday, December 22, 2008
Test
I am testing my Blog to make sure everyone can respond to the things I write since I know I will not always have access to a telephone...
TESTING TESTING 123
TESTING TESTING 123
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