Ok. So Egpyt.
Day one. Cairo:
We checked in to our hotel and our they sent one of the receptionists out with us to buy an egyptian sim card and direct us to the good shopping. Her name was Imam and she was amazingly helpful. We walked really far it seemed, but it was probably just how crowded everything was. The people walk BETWEEN cars! In the STREET! We nearly got hit a few times, even by motorcycles. You gotta be on your toes.
Then our hotel set us up to see the pyramids' light show, for free, from a rooftop near the pyramids. There are houses built right up to the edge. Its not like a giant desert. And many of the houses have horses, or camels, and such for tourists. Really interesting feel. So we watched the show, it was great, but kinda hard to hear. I'd recommend going. Then we wandered around the shopping near our hostel, bought cake and juice, went back and ate and went to bed. It was far more exhausting than it sounds.
Day 2. Cairo.
Went to see Coptic Cairo. We rode in the ladies only cars n the subway. Really cool. And the Coptic stuff is all these interconnected Churches and synagogues and maybe even a mosque all walled together. So yu enter and walk down streets and alleys to get one to another. It great. We saw where the Holy family stayed when they fled to Egypt to hide from Herold. Also, the hanging church, which was kinda suspended, hence the name. (You have to climb up stairs over air, and it used to be more back in the day.) Also, a synagogue that was really important somehow...
Then we did the Egyptian museum. I saw mummy eyelashes! So we did the extra mummy rooms, which were neat. Also, lots of old mummy stuff. But sadly the place is very disorganized and not labeled. Lets just say any American or British Museum curator cries thinking of it.
Then we took the train to Alexandria. (2 Hours) Anna's old arabic teacher Sara, a fullbright scholar, met us and took us around with her mom to show us Alex at night.
Day 3 Alexandria
Went to the library, which they call biblioteca. Which means library in Spanish. (And French and those other related languages I think) And I asked why it isn't called mecteba, which is arabic for library. And they said, "Because it so much more than a library! Its a research center, and conference center, and planetarium, and..."And none of them knew biblioteca meant library anyway.
But it was impressive. Its not the original, its about 200 M further inland, bc the old one is lost in the sea.
Also, we went to a juice bar to boreo shakes. Oreo and strange peanutbutter tasting nut shakes. Delicious.
That night we went and played arcade games and laser tag with Sara's cousin, fiance, and his friends. Good times.
Day 4 road trip
Pretty much drove. We went to the family farm to Eid. It was a long drive. And, like every thing in the middle east, We left at 9 am. So the car was packed by 10. We were at her aunt's house to pick up something by 10:45. We got on the road about 11:30. Made it to Cairo at 3. Dropped of someone. Headed to the Farm. Arrived as dusk fell, about 5:30. Just in time for everyone to break the fast. Then dinner, and chat time.
Late that night, I made banana bread for everyone. That was a mess. They dont have measuring cups in the Middle East. At all. So we started guestimating. And then the oven was a gas stove. So there was no way to guess temp. My bread was dark brown on top in 15 minutes. ( It should take an hour to cook.) So we covered it and turned the oven way down and let the residual heat solidify the inside.
It turned out ok. Not prefect. But as they don't have banana bread in the middle east either, no one knew it wasn't the most delicious banana bread ever! We passsed it arond to family, who were very skeptical, and some we even had to beg to try it. But most came back for seconds. :) Success, I'd say.
Ok, I'll tell more later. I have stuff to do. :)
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