Sunrise in the Sahara - Oct 5-7, 2012

Thanksgiving weekend for teachers and students at CISE is actually a 4 day break. October 6^th, known as Armed Forces Day, is a holiday here in Egypt and Oct 8^th is the Canadian thanksgiving. (CISE gets Military holidays, Muslim holidays and Canadian holidays)  Having 4 days in a row off, we decided to take Becca camping in the desert.  We booked our trip with Ali at Sonata Travel. We had 8 people and the cost was $170 US per person plus a tip for the driver (there and back $20 US) and a tip for our two guides ($50 US). Our grand total for the trip was $540.00 USD.

Osama (not bin Laden) picked us up in a van for 10 at exactly 7am on Friday morning.  We weren't exactly sure how long this journey was going to take but were told it could be between 4 and 6 hours.  I was slightly nervous when Osama was driving slowly past a few gas stations looking for gas and Friday happened to be a morning when all the gas stations in Cairo were dry.  This happens from time to time, but not to worry – Osama knew what to do.  We stopped at a truck stop 2 hours down the road where he found a big tanker truck selling gas. He sent us into the truck stop to use the “WC” if we needed to. Oh my …. the washroom was really awful. I mean REALLY AWFUL. There were three stalls – the first one just had a hole in the floor, the second one had a toilet that didn't flush and the third one had a hole in the floor and a cockroach crawling around it. No toilet paper, paper towel or napkins anywhere in sight. Not sure if this was our last opportunity to pee or not so Amanda and I held our breath and went for stall number 2. Outside, Osama was successful at getting some gas and we were off. About 5 minutes down the road he stopped again. This time it was his turn for a break – a sheesha break.  About an hour later Osama, who’s been driving like a regular Egyptian (in the middle of the road, passing everything in sight, going 100 – 140, you know, like a maniac) starts to slow down … and then pulls over. The check engine light has come on. The engine appears to be overheating. He put water in the radiator. The light went off and away we went again for another 10 minutes or so until the light came back on. We needed more water. We sit on the side of the road for only 2 minutes before a truck comes along and offers to help. They go speeding off and return about 15 minutes later with enough water to get us to our destination.

We met up with another group of 12 campers and arrived at the Old Oasis Hotel in Baharyia around 12:00 where we were fed a delicious lunch before heading out to the desert with our guides Ayman,  Moehe, Sammy “the boss” and two others in 4 wheel drive Toyota Land Cruiser jeeps.

Ayman and Moehe - our guides.

Ayman’s jeep dash had some fancy decorations. We've noticed this in taxis too. They decorate their dashboards with some sort of fur or animal hide. After looking at nothing but sand for 5 hours in the van, the green Baharyia Oasis was pretty neat.

Our first real desert stop – Black Mountain in the Black Desert section of the Sahara. We climbed to the top in sandals and without any safety equipment or instruction of any kind. We were joking about how this climb in Canada would probably require a safety waiver to be signed, a helmet and running shoes and we’d probably be attached to a rope.

 

Next we stopped at a little oasis with a natural spring water pool. We sat around the edge with our feet in the water. It felt very refreshing. We discovered that our guides like to have fun when they started splashing us and tried to push Becca into the pool. They don’t really speak English so it was nice to see a bit of their personalities here.

Back in the jeeps for a fairly long drive which took us from the black desert to the white desert.  

Our  first stop here, Crystal Mountain. At this point, the sun was getting pretty low in the sky.

Back in the jeeps for another 40 minute trek – this time mostly off road. Becca really liked the off road driving. We discovered the value of the “holy shit” handle. Mike was wondering why we kept going. Why not just stop and camp. The sun was setting and we were missing it. Then Ayman drove up a bank and stopped. This was what we saw:  

It was stunning. Totally worth missing the sun set for. This is where we were going to camp for the night. 

Our first night in the desert was so neat. Our guides set up the camp – a Bedouin camp. They park the jeeps in an L shape and put up a wall of material screens along the sides. The sand is covered with carpets and then a thin mat is put down for each camper. In the middle is a table about 6 inches off the ground. Becca and I are ok to sit cross legged but Mike has a hard time – he’s just not that flexible. If we ever go again, he needs a stool or beach chair or something. While supper was cooking Ayman taught us a card game to play. It was similar to pass the ace but with a king. (Note to self: along with the beach chair or stool, bring something to do while waiting. Cards or a book with a book light or maybe a Kobo. Something that you don’t mind getting sand in. Becca could have been drawing and I could have been writing notes for this blog.) The desert foxes could smell supper cooking and we noticed a few of them hanging around watching and waiting for their turn to eat. They were totally harmless. They just wanted food. Our supper was finally ready around 8:30pm. It was worth the wait. Chicken, rice, potatoes with tomato and zucchini and bread.  After supper the guides fed some of the left overs to the foxes. They grabbed their food and quickly scooted away. Their legs move so quickly, it’s funny to watch. A camp fire was started. The guides brought a drum and sang traditional Bedouin songs which included making up words for their own songs – there was a drinking song and a song about Canadians at the Canadian school and a crazy song about potatoes and chocolate. Sammy, the head guide, likes to dance around the fire – he has got the moves too. It was pretty funny.
During the campfire I was drawing in the sand and Ayman came and sat down beside me and started to draw with me but it was kinda awkward because he didn't speak much English. But when we were drawing he wrote his name then he asked me how to spell "loves" so I wrote it for him then he told me to write my name so I did and it said "Ayman loves Becca". I erased it and started to draw again hahaha. He is 19 and I think he had a wedding ring on. Some people called him my boyfriend. It was a good thing he was cute! haha (he's cuter without the scarf on his head) - Becca 
By 10pm we were ready for bed. Ayman tossed us down some super heavy wool blankets and turned off the light.

The most amazing part of the entire trip – lying on the sand looking up at a black sky filled with stars. At 10pm, the moon was not yet out but the stars were. It was fantastic. We quickly fell asleep but not for long. The sand was so hard and uncomfortable that parts of my body would go numb. Mike and I were awake most of the night. The moon was very bright in the sky and it was so peaceful. We laid there and talked and dozed. It got cold enough that we were thankful for the heavy wool blankets and even needed to put on a sweater. I was pretty excited to take photos of the sunrise – and I was awake anyway so I got up.

I haven’t mentioned the outhouse. There isn't one. The process – walk as far away from sight as you can, dig a hole in the sand and squat. It was a lot more pleasant than the truck stop, that’s for sure. 

After breakfast the camp was packed up and we were off to see some more sights in the white desert.

We saw a canyon and tree that flowers but mostly we were in awe at how the white desert resembles the moon. (at least what we imagine the moon to look like)
We stopped at a little desert oasis for lunch. It turned out to be a 5 hour stop. It was a long wait. This is another spot where something to do and something to sit on would have been nice.  The sand was so hot that shoes were necessary. We did explore a bit and found a cave. But mostly we just hung out and relaxed. Lunch was pasta and bread with cheese and cucumbers and tomatoes.
Finally at 4pm the sun was low enough to move along.

We stopped at a few more sites – the mushroom and the duck and the rabbit. The camping spot for this second night was a popular one. Every direction we looked, we could see another camp set up in the distance. The guides set up our camp and we took photos of the sunset. 

The second night went very similar to the first but no desert fox. (no photo, I was too lazy to get the camera the first night. I was ready the second night and the foxes were hiding) I guess there were enough camps around that they didn't need to come to ours. Having not slept very well the first night, I slept much better the second night. The ground felt a little softer.  Becca didn't sleep as well the second night – she developed a cold and was having a hard time breathing and couldn't get warm enough to fall into that deep sleep that I was able to find. (Note: pack fleece pants, a warm sweater and socks for bedtime in the desert.)

I was once again awake for the beautiful sunrise . . . as was Sammy who came to wake us up with a song and dance. Breakfast was early this second morning because we wanted to try sandboarding. We had to get to the dunes before it got too hot.

Becca was a natural at sandboarding. I tried but ended up on my face at the bottom of the hill. Going down on my bum was the safest for me. We started on a smaller dune to get the hang of it. We moved to a bigger section after a bit. The bigger dune was more of a challenge for Becca and she still managed to get to the bottom on her feet.  Because of all the sand flying around, the camera got put away and my little camera (which I bought for just such an occasion) had a dead battery. We only have a few photos but we had a lot of fun. In the end, we were covered in sand. By 10:30 it was too hot to keep playing and time to head back to the Old Oasis Hotel where we were going to have a shower before heading back home. 

Osama was there, waiting to take us home.

I’m very thankful this thanksgiving weekend to have been able to spend some time camping in the desert with Mike, Becca and a group of friends that have become family. There was nothing to do but relax and enjoy thanks to our guides who did all the work. We were spoiled and it was fantastic. If you ever get a chance to go - DO IT! (Remember to pack some ice in a cooler if you want something cold to drink) I’m also thankful that Osama managed to get us home without even a scratch on the van. 

Any Gary Larson fans out there?

 p.s. the photos in this blog are small but if you click on them, you can enlarge them. 

Horseback Riding at the Pyramids

 A few of our friends went horseback riding last Friday and made it sound so fantastic that when they invited us to join them this Friday we couldn't pass up the opportunity.

(This stable also offers camel rides - Bri, we'll take you for sure when you get here!)

Becca looks good on that horse doesn't she?!

This is Kate's horse - love those freckles

is this thing a standard or an automatic? ..... where are the brakes?....

The gang: Jillian, Geisuppe, Nicole, Kate, Mike, Chris, Becca, Sarah, Rachel and Jillian's husband (when I finally
learn his name, I will correct this caption. Sorry Jillian)

Seconds after her horse ride. Love that smile!

So it was like the first time I’ve been on a horse since my 8^th birthday! When the guy told me to come and get on this horse I was like ummm… it’s really high up… haha but it was easier than it looks! J a few people got on their horses then mine started walking and I kinda freaked out haha but then it was all good! I think my horsed liked being in front cuz for the first little bit we were first but then a few other people who knew what they were doing came and went in front of me which I thought was a good thing J when we got to the actually desert part it wasn’t as hot as I thought it was gunna be!  And we didn’t just walk the whole time! We trotted a lot then we were galloping and I liked that a lot better than trotting cuz it doesn’t hurt your butt as much! Rachel told me she was REALLY impressed by how well I was doing since I’ve never been on a horse in like 6 years and a few people asked me if I’d done it before cuz I guess I was pretty good at it! And I felt pretty proud of myself haha J . I really like it. I hope to do it a lot while I’m here! And get good! Then maybe when I get home I can start doing it J!!!  ... Becca

The Good: I didn't realize horseback riding was such an aerobic sport - yay for burning calories
The Bad: In some spots in the desert where you are out of the wind - there are flies on your face, even after applying Off
The Ugly: I understand why there are special boots and pants for riding now ... we're all very sore. ouch!

Khan el-Khalili

El Marg is the direction to get into the City

While Mike and Becca are at school, Pauline and I have been exploring with our friend Chris’ help.

On Sept. 18^th, temperatures soared to 38 degrees and we decided it was a good time to check out the Khan El-Khalili market in downtown Cairo.  

We started out with a walk down to road 9 to catch the Metro, Cairo’s subway system. You can purchase a one way ticket for 1 Egyptian pound. (aprox. 17 cents)  p.s. The metro isn’t air conditioned.  The train came on schedule. Each train has two cars designated for women only. We didn’t use these cars on this day because Chris wasn’t confident enough that we’d get off at the right stop … we agreed with him 100%.  On the way to the Sadat stop, the train was fairly full but not packed. We were able to sit together. Once at Sadat, we transferred to another train to go two stops to Attaba and got off.

We went from El Maadi to Sadat, then
transferred to another train. Sadat station is
directly below Tahir Square!

We emerged into a different world. Busy busy busy and it was still early, 11am! Most stores don’t even open until noon. We walked along a busy street where we passed vendor after vendor selling clothing, juice, bikes, hardware, appliances, rope, books …. And we hadn’t even reached the “khan” section yet.

Once at the Khan market, there were streets and side streets and alley ways all packed full of vendors selling their wares. We didn’t come with the intention of purchasing anything, just to look. I was trying to take some photos but found that some vendors do not want you to take photos. Some will let you for a price. Some didn’t notice because I’m fast with my SLR. It’s hard to even look at the goods because they want you to stop and look, touch, ask how much … they want to bargain or haggle with you over the price. It was recommended to us that we find out how much is a fair price for what we want to buy before trying to haggle with anyone. I saw some slippers that I’d like to purchase, but I have no idea how much they should be so I have a bit of homework to do before going back again.

Fresh squeezed Mango juice, a heart pillow with your name in Arabic, A man selling Juice - he
gives it to you in a bag with a straw, some material, Shisha pipes for sale and one of the streets
plugged full with vendors. 

By 12:30 I was dehydrated. (I was hot, very thirsty, had a headache and my hands were swollen) Chris found an wonderful air-conditioned restaurant for us to duck into and we quickly drank two 1.5 litre bottles of water between the three of us.  At the restaurant Chris ordered us a traditional Egyption lunch of babaghanoush, falafel and kofta served with pita bread.  I loved it! I don’t think it was because I was starving and dehydrated, I think I really liked it. I have ordered falafel since and enjoyed it just as much. However, I do blame the dehydration for the fact that I did not take a photo of the food. I promise to get one for you next time.

After lunch, we took a different route through the market alleys with the intent on touring a mosque nearby but the mosque has decided to start charging 100LE per person for a tour. We decided to just admire the architecture from the outside instead.

Minerates from a mosque, comforters, Pauline took a photo with me in it!, outdoor seating
at some of the restaurants, a busy corner.

Bags! another item I have to research the price of, the slippers I noticed (top left corner of the
second photo), Belly Dancing costumes (this one is for you, Amanda!), grain bags
filled with something, more outdoor seating, a magazine rack (all Arabic unlike in Maadi where
you can usually find at least one magazine in English) and fun magnetic Egyptian bottle openers!
(everyone should own one of these)

On the way back to the metro I was spotted by a young man who thought that he would help me get to the metro … for a tip of course. He stayed with me for only a couple of minutes before he was positive that I wasn’t interested. He moved on to Pauline next who rejected him as well. If I was there by myself, and lost, he would have been a huge help. But then again, people in North America will generally give you directions for free.

If I thought I was hot before, I had no idea what I was getting into getting back on that subway after 2:00 in the afternoon. It was PACKED. We waited for a second train to come … it was packed too but at least we could get in the door. We had to stand holding on the loops that hang down from the ceiling. Bodies were everywhere. Let me remind you that the subway is NOT air-conditioned and that the temperature outside was 38 degrees. I have never been so hot before in my life. (can you imagine the smell?) I wasn’t this hot at the pyramids. That was nothing compared to this. On the bright side, the trains were running smoothly and on time. We arrived back in Maadi and made a stop at the corner stand for more WATER.  When I got home, I collapsed on the couch and fell asleep. 

Lori Farrington, I thought of you while I was at the market … I was “overstimulated” for sure.

Golf

Last Thursday Mike went with 3 friends to a golf course. They only ended up playing 6 holes because it gets dark so early here. The good news is that there is golf here. Lots of options. Lots of price ranges.

Mike at the Dreamland Golf Course.

On Monday, Pauline and I went on a CSA (Community Service Association - for expats) free trip to the Katameya Golf Course with 9 other women for an introductory golf lesson. It was free, so why not!

We didn't actually get to see the golf course (they have 2; a 9 hole and an 18 hole "championship" course), we spent our time outside, in direct 36 degree sun, on the driving range. There was a pretty steady breeze so the heat wasn't too bad. We met Steven, the golf pro there, who spent almost 2 hours with us on the range and then we headed inside for coffee and a "chat".

The driving range at Katameya.
Steven said they dump a million gallons of water on the course each day. 

View of the club house from the driving range. 

The out door area where we had
coffee and a chat.

During our little chat (read that with a Scottish accent, Steven is Scottish) Steven gave us a package explaining memberships and fees at the club. To give you an idea of how expensive it is to be a member here - I had an escort to go to the washroom for 2 reasons 1) so I could find it and 2) so I didn't go wandering where I wasn't allowed. He also stressed the importance of lessons for any new golfer. Basically, you're not getting out on the course if you can't play. He told me that I would be in an intermediate group which would be 4 lessons. On the 4th lesson, we would get out on the course. It's very tempting, but I don't have a job to pay for these things so one free lesson for me will have to do.   

The pool. What a glorious beautiful inviting looking pool.
It is possible to swim here if you aren't a member - for a fee. 

Interesting and Unusual

Flowers are everywhere despite the sand and garbage. 

Villa on Road 84

I went for a walk with my camera around our little area of Maadi. There are many beautiful sights, like this flower and villa but I was more interested in capturing the unusual and interesting. 

All payphones are covered in sand and only take credit or calling cards.
This is a good one - it has a receiver.  The one on the corner by
Volume 1 (book/stationary store) doesn't have a receiver. 

Cotton Candy anyone? These boys were walking the streets selling candy after school.

This is a water station. Fill up your cup for free!
I'm afraid to fill up my cup at one of these.
Maybe someday if I'm desperate. 

This is a bank machine for the Arab Investment Bank.
Can only be used by their customers.
No cirrus sticker on this one.  

Notice the wild dog sleeping under the cart. These dogs are EVERYWHERE and they are always looking for food.

This is Nada. She read two children's books to us in Arabic and
then translated it for us.  She is 10 years old.  We learned "hi" and
colours but the only thing that stuck for me was "hi" -  Marhaban

The Maadi Public Library is a beautiful building with lots of books including an English section for adults and children. It has multiple computer labs, activity rooms and a cafe. Too bad everything on the activity board is in Arabic. A membership is 65LE which seems reasonable. Must supply your own photo for photo ID. They will let anyone come for a visit for 5LE.

This bench isn't going anywhere!

I feel safe walking around with my camera. Most of the time, the people like to pose. The kids LOVE to pose and then see their photo on the back of your camera right away. I want to print a few photos for the kids. There is a Kodak store close. I will put that on my to-do list. Photos of the kids will be a separate blog on it's own. I have so many already!

Mohammed's shoes. He takes care of our building.
Sometimes he wears shoes. We have a LOT of
photos of his adorable children.  

WE'RE SAFE

Several of our blog followers are wondering about the events in Egypt at the moment. As you know, an anti-Islamic movie was made by someone calling himself Sam Bacile (Im Becile?) and there have been several protests in Egypt and other Muslim countries. So far, all of the protests are taking place around Tahir Square in the heart of Cairo and we are a good distance from there. We have been warned to take extra precaution wherever we are but here in Maadi things are calm. I compare it to perhaps being in Oakville during the G8 protests two years ago in downtown Toronto. It's a relatively small group of rabble rousers doing what they do best while 99% of the country carries on with their lives. We went to our usual place for coffee this morning and the owner seemed to be going out of his way by saying, "You are welcome here." Of course most of the anger is directed towards Americans but we could certainly be mistaken for residents of that country. We appreciate your concern but at this point everything here is calm and peaceful.

The map below shows the Google driving directions from our street to Tahir Square. What ever it says, double it unless you're driving there at 6am when there isn't any traffic or triple it if you're driving there anytime after 6pm.

Arabic Number Lesson

On the day that we moved into our apartment, a friend taught Becca and I how to read numbers using licence plates. Becca picked it up really quickly. The next day, we were cleaning the floors and Becca was shaking the dry mop out the window to get rid of some of the dirt and the mop head fell off. It was a fancy new mop. I sent her down to find it. It took her a few minutes to figure out how to get to the side of the building and when she got back to the lobby, the lobby door had closed, locking her out of the building.
I was just about to go downstairs to find her when the phone on the wall rang. I picked it up and said hello ... and Becca was on the other end. "Mom, I'm locked out". I didn't know how to open the door from the phone so I went down to let her in and asked her how she buzzed our phone. She showed me the panel on the wall. It's written entirely in Arabic. She knew our flat number and found it on the list. Mike and I were very impressed. I might have panicked in the same situation, but she didn't. She's AWESOME!

more to come ....