WHY START WITH EGYPT??



So I'm going to plunge right in and talk about Egypt...FRUSTRATING, MADDENING, BEAUTIFUL, INSANE EGPYT! This place is fresh in my mind and the first place I lived outside of my hometown~Phoenix, Arizona. 

 Egypt and in particular, Cairo was more than just a tourist stop. It was my home and the place of my employment. I started and sadly did not maintain a blog of my teaching adventures. Here's a link for that effort. http://adventuresinteachingcairo.blogspot.sg/  

 Since this is NOT  blog on my teaching in Cairo, those interested can check out that blog. But in four years I saw enough of Cairo and Egypt so will include this time in my traveler's blog.  There was much that I saw and much I didn't...maybe, I will wander back to land of the sun and sand and see a few more things. Here's a list of what I did see: 
  • The Pyramids
  • The Great Sphynx 
  • The Pyramids of Saqqara
  • The Citadel
  • Islamic Cairo
  • Coptic Cairo
  • Khan El Khalil
  • The Nile Cruise from Luxor to Aswan
  • Alexandria
  • Sharm El Sheik 
  • Dahab
Much delicious food was eaten: koshari, mashi, shish tawook, any rice dish, lentil soups, foul,  dates, basbousa--a most insanely delicious honey cake, and much that I can't remember the name. I had indescribably delicious roasted chickens.  

As a woman alone in Cairo, there is a lot of particulars to pay attention to: 
  • Always dress modestly (and even this is no guarantee that you won't be harassed). Keep shoulders, cleavage and knees covered. It's not necessary to cover your hair. I usually wore dresses with leggings and a short wrap. Follow and respect the cultural expectations even if you disagree! 
  • Keep eye contact and hand shaking to a minimum, if at all. It's not common for strangers, especially men and women to shake hands.
  • Know your surroundings...don't go somewhere that looks sketchy.
  • Keep only as much cash as you need for the day. 
  • Stay in well lit and well trafficked areas. 
  • Personally, at this time I wouldn't go about Cairo alone. I would go with a trusted travel agent or with a companion. 
  • This might seem odd, but I took to wearing a wedding ring just to avoid unwanted conversations. 
  • Be prepared for a dirty, crowded, congested city. There is rubbish every where as well as feral cats and dogs. This was the saddest part for me. Egypt could be a truly great city but has much to do to literally and figuratively clean up it's act. 
I lived there for 4 years and had minimal problems, but the people in the area knew me and trusted me and I trusted them. 

With all that being said, most Egyptians are wonderfully kind and hospitable and are eager to talk with Westerners. 


NOW ON TO SOME PHOTOS
THESE ARE NOT GROUPED BY THEME OR BY THE BEST SHOTS...THESE ARE PERSONAL FAVORITES
NO COMMENT NECESSSARY

A FAVORITE SNACK...MINI PIZZAS

THESE BEAUTIFUL PRODUCE STALLS ARE EVERYWHERE

AN EGPTIAN FEAST

AT THE KHAN

A FELUCCA SAILOR


BEAUTIFUL GEOMETRICS ON A CHURCH IN COPTIC CAIRO

SAQQARA

SAQQARA

A CHURCH IN COPTIC CAIRO

A STREET IN OLD ISLAMIC CAIRO

NUBIAN WATCHMEN IN ASWAN

 AT LUXOR


THE CITADEL...AMAZING VIEW OF THE CITY FROM UP TOP

A VIEW ALONG THE NILE...FROM LUXOR TO ASWAN

FARMING NEAR SAQQARA

A FAVORITE PHOTO OF SOME BOYS IN ASWAN 

AT THE RAMSES TOMBS IN ASWAN...BREATHTAKING

GOD...HORUS??

COPTIC CHUCH IN CAIRO

AT SAQQARA


THESE PHOTOS ARE OF MY FAVORITE PLACE IN ALL OF EGYPT: DAHAB
A LOVELY AND WELCOME RESPITE FROM THE NOISY AND CROWDS OF CAIRO





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