Home at last

It's been a few days since I have updated, and now I am back at home in Pennsylvania for a few days before heading to China next Thursday. Just wanted to write a bit about my last days in Cairo...

The Nile at sunset

The day before Marissa left we toured Coptic Cairo, a Christian area filled with many churches and even a synagogue. Coptic Christians represent a very small percentage of the population in Cairo, but it is still very significant that they exist. It is so interesting to tour this area of the city as it presents a completely different culture and history than the one so easily found everywhere else. The Hanging Church and the synagogue are definitely highlights in the area.

Outside of the Hanging Church

That night we took a felucca boat ride (most similar to a sailboat) down the Nile with a group of friends. It is one of the best activities to do in Cairo because you get a full view of the city while floating down the famous river.

Felucca on the Nile

It is also a sunset activity- there's just nothing like seeing the sun set behind the buildings with its reflection on the water!

The group on the felucca

Marissa and I parted ways on the 14th, she continued on to Morocco and I stayed in Cairo for a few days before returning back home on the 17th. During those last few days I visited with friends, took some time to finally relax, and managed to do one of my favorite things from home: go to concerts! I was lucky enough to see two in a row- the first was Yehia Khalil, an Egyptian Jazz performer at Al Sawy Cultural Wheel Center. The second was a group called Black Theama, more Egyptian reggae/jazz at Al Azhar Park. Even though I didn't know the music and couldn't understand the lyrics, they were still great concerts and I really enjoyed the music. It's an interesting experience doing something that would be normal in your everyday life (and something you even enjoy), and then doing the same thing in another country and culture- the difference you notice is really eye-opening.

Overall it was an amazing trip- long, exhausting, life-changing, educational, challenging, and of course FUN! I really learned to love the Middle East even more than I did before, and I appreciate the region and the culture for what it has shown and taught me. It is a not an easy place to live in, or even to travel in for some, but I love it.

Now I have just a few days at home and then I am off to China for 3 weeks starting next Thursday, July 29th. More tales to come from that adventure, of course!

Back in Cairo

Out last week in Egypt we spent back in Cairo because the was still so much more for us to see and do. The day after we got back was the World Cup final, so that was the focus of the day. One of my friends, Omar, invited all of us to his lovely house out in 6th of October City to spend the afternoon there and watch the game at night. We were treated to an amazing Egyptian feast by his mother and later got to watch the match outside in their backyard in a seating area with a big TV waiting for us. We were all ready with our jerseys for good luck, and apparently it worked because SPAIN WON! We were dedicated fans the whole way through!

The next few days we visited some more places throughout the city. On Monday we focused on Islamic Cairo. This area, one of my favorites, has three of the most interesting places in Cairo- The Citadel, Azhar Park, and Khan al Khalily. A bit southwest of the center, it is easy to fit all three in one day. In the morning we entered the Citadel complex. Located on a hill that overlooks the city, the Nile, and on a clear day all the way to the pyramids, it is a huge complex. Once entering the main outer walls there are a few places to see, such as the Military Museum, but major attraction is the Muhammed Ali Mosque. Built in the Turkish style, it looks very similar to the Blue Mosque in Istanbul both inside and outside (but without the beautiful blue tiling.) It is beautiful to look at the detail inside all over the walls and ceiling. Outside there is a great viewpoint where you can look out on to the city, and sometimes even the pyramids peek through if you are lucky.

After we headed down the road to Khan al Khalily, or more commonly known to tourists who can't pronounce the difficult arabic word as the market/bazaar. This is the place to buy souvenirs/gifts/anything you can imagine from Egypt. It is a maze of streets lined with small shops where men are waiting to sell you their scarves, pyramids, jewelry, bags, papyrus- it goes on forever. Luckily we were able to hold off the sellers and get a few things we wanted (though we had to go back the next day to get the rest!)

In the evening we went to my favorite place in Cairo: Al Azhar Park. Close to the Citadel, thus offering the same view, it is one of the only green areas in Cairo. It was once a huge pile of garbage until the Aga Khan Trust (a private development company) decided to give the funds to make it a public park. There are so many beautiful plants, trees, and fountains as well as lookout points to watch the sun set over the city.

Alexandria

The view of the sea from the Citadel

To take advantage of the weekend when some of our friends had off of work, the day we got back from Sharm we also headed to Alexandria. Commonly known just as Alex, it is a beautiful city north of Cairo on the Mediterranean cost. Historically it was a city of much prestige, and now many interesting artifacts and ruins still remain. Today Alex is mainly a coastal city popular for Egyptians to take a vacation to during the summer. Many Egyptians also might have an apartment in Cairo and one in Alex as well as a way to get away from the craziness of Cairo on the weekends.

It reminds me of many cities along the Mediterranean, as it has a long Corniche (avenue along the sea), nice beaches, blue water, and everywhere you can small the sea and feel the salty air. We left very late Thursday night in order to spend Friday and Saturday in the city before returning Saturday night. Luckily, a friend offered to host all of is in his family's apartment for the weekend, so we had a big sleepover and were treated with such amazing hospitality that we felt right at home.

On Friday we visited the most important sites: the Alexandria Library and the Citadel. The Library is a highlight for most tourists and one of my favorite places to visit. Now a huge modern building in the center of Alex along the sea, it is historically famous for once holding all of the ancient knowledge of the world (mathematics, language, history, etc.) and being a home to many scholars. It is not expensive to enter and they even offer free tours. The building is amazing to look at (from inside and out) because each detail was carefully planed in its construction. There are normal collections but special exhibits as well- this time we got to see one on Anwar Sadat (the third president of Egypt). It had a really neat collection of his personal items and information on his life and assassination.

In front of the Library

After a meal of fuul and falafel at the infamous Mohammed Ahmed restaurant, where even the Queen of Spain ate, we went to the Citadel at the end of the Corniche to watch the sunset. It is possible to enter the old fortress, but most people just go to the outside area on the sea to sit, hang out, and in the evening see the setting sun. In Egypt people seem to enjoy sitting outside in really scenic areas (along the Nile on a bridge, in parks, along the sea). Smart sellers create makeshift cafés by putting out plastic chairs and tables and offering drinks and a place to sit. It has always been a funny sight to me to see families sitting on the bridge in Cairo when a million cars are passing by honking and screaming.

The Citadel

The next day we spent on the complete opposite of the city in the Montazah. A friend once compared this area to the Villa Borghese in Rome, Italy and in a way it is- it is in a closed off area where inside are gardens, private beaches, hotels, and King Farouk's old palace, It's such a a nice area and really worth visiting, just even to walk around for the afternoon. We stayed until the sunset but unfortunately had to return to Cairo so everyone could go to work the next day and so we could watch Spain in the World Cup final!!

Sharm el Sheikh

For three days we had planned to stay in Sharm el Sheikh and take a vacation from our trip to go to the beach and relax. Sharm is located just a few hours southeast from the Mt. Sinai on the Red Sea. It is famous among Russians, Italians, and Brits and you find them staying all over the area. They all come because the Red Sea has some of the nicest beaches and bluest water in the world. It is absolutely stunning! It is a perfect place to go snorkeling or diving, as there are a million different type of fish in the water and coral reefs all around. Also, it is extremely different than most other parts of Egypt and much more secular- there are clubs, places serving alcohol, and people dressed provocatively! Hence, European tourists love it as it does not have the cultural restrictions that other places in Egypt tend to have.

The dock at the hotel's beach

It was nice to be able to stay in one place for a few days and just relax from traveling. We went to the beach, laid by the lovely pool, and did a lot of sleeping! And of course, we went snorkeling. Our hotel's beach was a bit hard to swim at, but it was really best for snorkeling and water activities. Guests only had to walk out to the dock and jump into the water with a mask and right away you can see an amazing array of fish and coral reefs down below. We took one day in itself just to be in the sea. There were so many fish of every color combination possible- big, small, scary, cute, and one even with every color of the rainbow!

Ready to watch Spain in the semi-final!

At night we ventured into Naama Bay, just a few minutes down the main road, where there are a ton of bars, cafés, and restaurants (many American!). One night we went to the old souk (market) for a change, but it was just another tourists trip filled with souvenir shops and a few places to eat. Overall it was a wonderful couple of days on the Sinai Peninsula, and we really

enjoyed our time on the sea.

The view from our balcony

On July 8th we got back on a bus to Cairo, changed our bags, and got back in the car late at night to drive north to Alexandria to spend the next 2 days! The traveling never stops!

Mount Sinai

On Sunday morning (4th of July!), after almost missing our bus trying to find a parking space near the bus station, Marissa, myself, and two of my Egyptian friends set off to the Sinai Peninsula. We had planned the trip for about 5 days. There is a lot to see and do in Sinai, but I would say two of the most popular places are Saint Catherine City and Sharm el Sheikh. The first is the city where tourists begin the climb to the top of Mt. Sinai and also the location of the Monastery of Saint Catherine. The mountain is thought to be the Biblical place where Moses received the 10 Commandments from God, and now is a type of holy pilgrimage site as well as just a beautiful place to climb and see the sunrise. Sharm is a resort area on the Red Sea, famous for its amazing coral reefs and places to snorkel and dive.

It was a long 8 hour bus ride, but luckily some of us were able to sleep along the way which definitely made it seem faster. We had decided to go the tourist route and climb the mountain at night in order to see the sunrise at 6am. The bus takes a interesting route and first goes east to the Suez Canal, then drives south along the western coast of Sinai until finally heading east into the mountains. We finally reached Saint Catherine around 7:30pm and found a deserted town with hardly any people or signs of civilization. Luckily there was a koshary restaurant which saved us from starvation! It's pretty much the best meal you can eat before climbing up a mountain, as it gives you all the energy you need from all its carbohydrates.

Passed out at one of our many rest stops

After eating we headed to the entrance point about 2km away. There is a fun point when the street lights end and everything goes dark except for the light of the stars and moon- it is a beautiful sight. Never have I seen so many stars! Unfortunately the entrance opens at midnight and we had 2 hours to wait so we slept until we could leave.

Group photo!

It takes quite a while to walk up the mountain, so we left plenty of time to get ourselves to the summit before sunrise. It is required to have a guide with you, and it was good that we did because with only two flashlights and rocks everywhere he was able to lead the way for us better than we could ourselves. The road up, though better than the second path of 3,000 stairs, is not easy and even harder when it's 2am and you haven't slept. Yet, we managed our way and stopped to rest when we had to. It doesn't take long to realize how high up you are and that the view around you is amazing. After about 3 hours we made it to the point where the path ends and the 750 stair climb starts to the summit. Honestly, this part is not fun at all- the stairs are actually made from slabs of rock and can be very slippery and difficult to walk on with no light. Also, it's pretty tough on your legs! We did eventually make it, and rested a while before finally climbing the last 5 minutes to the very top at dawn around 5am.

It's a breathtaking sight when the sun just starts to peek through and the sky gets brighter, lighting up the entire area and you can finally see the entire area around you. The sun itself rises pretty quickly, and then the heat starts immediately- a sign to start going back down. Our guide convinced us that this time we should go the other path because it is quicker and less crowded. Though I was wary of the 3,000 stairs part, we listened to him anyway (and of course it was quicker, but not easy on our legs.) The area was beautiful and we got to see a different side of the mountain this time. After about 2 hours we made it down, and were pretty much ready to collapse.

We quickly toured St. Catherine's Monastery- unfortunately my excitement to see the infamous burning bush was quickly squashed when I saw and realized that it looks just like any other bush. Hopefully the rumors are true. We then found a minibus to take us 3 hours east to Sharm el Sheikh to our lovely Sheraton resort on the beach where we would be spending the next 3 days relaxing!

First days in Cairo

This will now be my fourth time in Egypt and by this point when I come it's like returning back home to somewhere very familiar. It's crowded, noisy, dusty, and I love it. It is exciting to be here with someone who never has before because I get to see her impressions and hear her opinion of Egypt! On our first night we arrived too late to do anything but check in at our hostel, so the next morning we started out at a great welcome to the country: The Egyptian Museum.

Front of the Egyptian Museum

It's good that they are soon to open a new, modern building because the current museum leaves a lot to be desired. The two most exciting exhibits are quite astounding (King Tut and Mummy rooms), but the rest is not well organized, displayed, or labeled. There are hundreds of artifacts just sitting in various rooms but no one knows what they are because there is no name, date, or label. Nevertheless Egyptian history is fascinating and hieroglyphics and statues never fail to impress me.

After we treated Marissa to her first koshary experience (koshary is a very Egyptian food and my favorite thing to eat here! It is a mixture of all kinds of carbohydrates- pasta, rice, lentils, chickpeas, onions, and tomato sauce on top. Delicious for vegetarians!)

On the Nile

In the evening we toured the city some more- saw the Nile, Cairo Tower, and of course watched more of the World Cup! Later we got to meet up with some good friends who I only get to see once a year, if I am really lucky. We also got to eat fuul, another Egyptian specialty, which are fava beans mixed with a few vegetables and spices. A popular and now favorite place is in Garden City by the American Embassy. Just a cart in the street with some picnic chairs and tables, it has some of the best fuul in Cairo.

Our second day we dedicated to seeing the pyramids. Even though it was my second time there they never fail to amaze and impress. This time I was able to enter the second pyramid. To go inside you have to crawl down a long ramp with stairs, yet down a very small space (not good for claustrophobia!) After going down and up again you reach the tomb chamber. It is not very impressive to the eyes now because all was taken to the Museum, now all that remains is the sarcophagus of the pharaoh and the realization that you are in the complete middle of the pyramid. 100 meters up and you reach the top!

In the afternoon I got to see some more old friends and watch Argentina lose their chance at the World Cup. I also had to take another trip to the eye doctor, though this time was more successful. At least I'm getting to visit a doctor in every country that I go to. We watched more football at night, which luckily Spain one that time, and after we got ready for traveling to Mt. Sinai and Sharm el Sheikh the next day.

Cairo by night

Crossing to Jordan and Flight to Egypt

In order to move on to our next and last country, (Egypt), we had booked a flight from Amman instead of Tel Aviv to avoid the very expensive cost and hassle of tight security from the Tel Aviv airport. However, getting back to Amman was not an easy task either. The easiest way to cross back over to Jordan from Jerusalem is via the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge, yet this is always the busiest border crossing and most crowded. The process is not very clear online, but with the help of my friend John in Ramallah we were prepared for all of it. This is our story of how we crossed:

In the morning we got in a shared taxi that took us to the Israeli border for only 35 shekels (about $8). We had a pretty easy ride through the desert except that at the end where we had a strange experience: we got stopped at a security checkpoint and had to wait quite a while. After about 3o minutes the driver asked Marissa and I to get out of the car and go talk to the Israeli security guards to tell them that we had a flight to catch (so we could pass by faster). This only happened because we were obviously American tourists and they apparently would listen to us more than anyone. We were pretty hesitant to do this as no one from the other 10 buses was outside and it seemed a bit dangerous to get out! We finally did, but our American pleas didn't really get us anywhere (just as we thought!)

Next we arrived at the Israeli exit where we had to pay the hefty exit tax of 167.50 shekels and pass through passport control. (We got our passports stamped on a separate piece of paper in the beginning, which unfortunately they take away when you leave. It would have been a great souvenir.) Next we got on another bus to take us to Jordan for 5 JDs (about $8 again). Before crossing they took our passport, which had to have a Jordanian visa obtained beforehand, and later they stamped and returned them to us. Finally we had to take a taxi, which we thankfully shared, to the airport for our final stop. Our flight wasn't until 8:30pm so we had a few hours to wait, and we spent them sleeping and eating in a real restaurant! Overall it was a long day totaling about 5 hours to get from Jerusalem to Amman airport, but it was an interesting experience and hopefully cheaper overall than flying from Tel Aviv to Cairo.

We took a short flight and by 10pm were in Egypt where an old friend was graciously waiting to take us on our Cairo adventure.