Saqqara & The Great Pyramids

The Pyramids were so cool as was Saqqara and the first pyramid ever built. NO time to talk about it now as my flight from NY to NC was cancelled last night and its 6 am and I need to catch a shuttle back to the airport from my hotel. Its been a long trip and I'm so glad to be home.

Cairo

WEnt to The CAiro Museaum today. All the King Tut stuff is awesome. In a rush to try to get back across the street with my chaperone. Its a serious feat of strength to make it across.

Luxor - CArriage Ride

CAn't remember where I left off and i'm in a bit of a rush. Luxor was so great. Such a great vibe to the city.

In the evening we took a carriage ride throiught the old part of the city. Well, all over really. For an hour. Not like the cab rides in NYC. WE went round the Luxor Temple, then downtown, then through the market streets where people were selling meat, dresses, playing backgammon, smoking hookahs. Just a really great ride. Certainlyu a highlight if anyone gets to Luxor anyt ime soon.

Luxor Valley of the Kings

I love Luxor. Beautiful lush land on the banks of the Nile. Not what I expected. I could live here. Will have to write more about the ruins, etc. here but must go. Visiting Karnak Temple in 30 minutes.

Sailing to Safaga, Egypt

Whoa! Captain called us back to the ship early because passage across the Red Sea to Safaga was going to be rough. Boy was it ever. From 12:30 / 3:30 am I tossed and turned out of my bed. Seas were 10/12 feet and wind 55 mph. Rought night. We did not get sick, but many others did. At one time in the night I heard someone crying. The next morning I told Signa I thought I heard someone crying in the night and she said Was it me. So funny.

The bad seas delayed our arrival to Safaga by 4 hours, so we could not dock due to the continuing wind in the harbor. Finally at 12:30 they sent a pilot ship to us and we went to shore by 10 people at a time.

Duba ^ Tourak, Saudi Arabia

Wow was Saudi Arabia cool. Completely changed my view on women and them being under their galabeyas.

The country is one big desert. Goes on forever. All these Bedoiuns living out there in the sand, I just don't know how they do it.

We docked at the port in Dub and were escorted by piolice towards the city of Tarouk, the biggest city nearby and on the way to Mecca. There is nothing in between. Just Bedoiun camps for 2 hours. Rocks and sand. Trucks litter the highway where they have tipped over while crossing over a mountain pass. They are just left there, maybe as reminders for the other drivers to be careful. The roads, however, are very well maintained. Still people drive like lunatics, three in a row at times while passing and cross over into the oncoming lanes. Gasoline here is 20 cents a gallon and our guide is outraged as the people feel it should be free.

Upon reaching TArouk we have (I'm in Luxor right now and some Arabic people are arguing loudly next to mea nd its really hard to concentrate( a first stop at a city center where there are regular shops. We stayed about 30 minutes and I saw two women. Covered in black except for the eyes. There shops consist of mens clothing stores, perfume stores, drug stores, toy stores and that is it. There are no souveniuers to buy of any kind. There is nothing. Very strange. The people are so friendly though. They smile and greet you and welcome you. They are excited to talk with you and show you whatever they have, without harrassing you into buying something like a tourist market. They don't have anything like that so its quite nice to browse and be left alone.

Next we stopped at a shopping mall to use the bathroom. Apparently its the best bathroom in all of the city. Shopping mall is just like inside the states, except it only has shops that sell womens dresses and perfume. Thats it. All the stores look the same.

Next we are on to a flower factory. Saudi is known for its flowers and this region is known for its farm land. Literally, there is desert on every side of the road, and then there is a nice green farm land. I don't know where they get the soil, maybe the soil is okay with water, but they drill down 100 meters to get water for watering crops, another 300 meters to get water suitable for drinking. The country has plenty of money to spend on irrigation and therefore turns the desert area into farmland. They grow tomatoes, hay for the animals, and lots of beautiful flowers. The flower factory had several young women there working in their full galabeyas, and they were delighted to talk with us. They spoke good english and chatted every minute with us until we left.

Next stop, a Bedouin camp for lunch. The lunch is eaten on the floor with no utensils. Rice and lamb. Did I mention we are in the desert and its very sandy? And 90 degrees? And windy? And dusty? And I'm wearing a galabeya?

The BEdouins do not mix men and women, just like the rest of the Muslim culture. We were served only by the men and didn't see women until they brought us to another side of the camp where they showed us the women sitting in their tents weaving and milling corn for bread. The Bedoiun men did not go with us, but our men did. Funny how that works.

After lunch some of the men put on a demonstration of their skills and training of their ARabian horses. What a show. They raced eachother throught the dunes in front of us on these gorgous horses. Afterwards they showed us their stables. VEry impressive and they were so proud of their horses.

We were almost immediately called back to the ship and spent a long ride back home by bus through the desert. Nothing to see... I spent most of the ride drilling our Saudi guide for information about their life in S.A. He was very candid. English was not very good though so I'm sure I missed some of what he tried to explain.

My goal is to be able to learn how to make that shrill call that the arabs do before I leave the Middle EAst. Apparently not all arabs can do that. Its like learning how to whistle real loud with your fingers.

Taba & Dahab

Yesterday we left Sharm and arrived in Taba. Nice city. Kind of boring. Took a ride out to see Pharoah's Island (under contruction, not soo much fun as it was very hot), but then I got to stroll the beach afterwards and found some shells and such that made my day.

We sailed all afternoon for Nuweiba, where we are still docked now, and there was rough seas due to wind. Not too bad but many people took the sea sickness pills.

I am sitting now in an internet in cafe for an hour catching up on all the blogs I've missed for a wek or so. I like Dahab. Its smaller than Sharm, but runs along the sea with many shops and is more like a hippie city than an elaborate resort town. Need to get back out and shop.

Tonight we sail for Saudi Arabia. No one has been allowed into Saudi Arabia for 100 years so I can't even tell you how excited I am. Already tried on my Galabeya dress to cover up!

Will probably be several days till we are back in Egypt before I can write again.

St. Katahrines Monastery & Mt. Sinai

We traveled by bus this morning from Sharm to Mt. Sinai. 2.5 hours through serious desert. Nothing but craggy cliffs and sand as far as you can see. At any cross road there would be a police/security block and they would check us all out, then we could proceed. We also have an Egyptian police officer with us on the bus and a police escort (all are armed) whenever we leave the ship. They are very serious about terrorism, not just becuase we are Americans but for everyone.

St. Katharine's is nestled behind Mt. Sinai (you can't see the mountain from there) and is where the burning bush that spoke to MOses is spposed to be. FAirly uneventful.

After the monastary, we followed a trail behind it to mount some camels that will be taking us a third of the way up the hike to the summit of Mt. Sinai. What a blast. Can't go into detail about how they negotiated the camels with the local guys and what it was like riding 1/5 hours up the mountains on that thing. Worth the trip if I never made it to the summit. ONly 16 of us were willing to make the ascent to the summit. Only 1 did not make it all the way up.

Ater getting off the camels the hike is 750 steps to the summit where Moses was said to have received the ten commandments. THe way up is so steep withonly steps etched into the rocky cliffs a thousand years ago. My heart was beating so hard I had to stop often to rest.

At the top, there is a chapel as well as a mosque. Mt. Sinai is a sacred spot to all three religions (Christians, Jews and Muslims). The view is not exactly extraordinary, but spiritually it is astounding. All I could think was this is the place. Why not that crag over there? And how did he find this mountain top anyway?

Took 2 knee breaking hours to descend. And then another 2.5 hour ride through the desert home.

Sharm Al-Sheik

This afternoon we sailed by day to Sharm, passing thorough the Gulf of Aqaba where you could see JOrdan, Israel, Egypt and Saudi ARabia coastlines all surrounding the gulf. We passed through the straight of Tiran, which I stayed up late for and then went driectly to bed. Still tired from the Petra hike.

Sharm was a very busy place and too much ourists. We took a great boat out to do some amaing ssnorkeling. The water in the Red Sea is beautiful and caribbean like. This might have been the best snorkeling I have ever seen. And it was crowded so I thought it would be terrible but it wasn't.

Then we spent the afternoon wandering around the OLd City and Namba Bay of Sharm. Not my style. Its the weeknd though. FRidays are the Muslim Saturday and Saturdays are sort of like a half get back to work day. Very confusing.

Tonight we went to a Bedoiun camp for dinner. It was a 45 minute ride out in to the middle of the dessert where we sat under goat hair tents on big pillows and carpets eating grilled meat and such. Was very interesting, but not much to describe other than the remoteness and the Bedoiun men playing music and baking bread over an open fire, sort of like making crepes. Thin pita like bread.

Wadi Rum

Yesterday wearrived at out ship in the Port of Aqaba. Still in Jordan. We spent the night in our cabin (its awesome) and let in the morning for a jeep safari in Wadi Rum a desert through which Lawrence of Arabia spent some time. Realy beautiful and fun. SAnd and canyons everywhere.

The jeeps are open and just fly through the desert. No safety. Just hold on to the sides if you can. Also very hot beating sun.

The desert beauty is something you have to experience. I would like to take the kids here to WAdi Rum. They would love it. Camel treks and camping where you can stay at an oasis and take treks out every day to different spots. Just great. BEdouin camps will host you in the middle of sand dunes with tea or something. Very wild.

Petra

Hello Indiana Jones. Petra is amazing.

I had no idea it was so vast or so interesting.

THe hike in through all the canyons is astounding. I thought at every corner we would be coming out into the valley where the Treasurey was, but no. Its got to be atleast a mile opf canyons. When you do finally get a glimpse of the Treasury through a crack in the canyon exit, it takes your breath away. Undescribable.

The little valley there is packed with people and we are there at 7:30am. Got way more crowded in the afternoon. The Treasury facade which you see in my picuters is actually a facade for a burial chamber. There is a small room behind it, very disappointing. I thought there would be some great cavernous trail of rooms and pathways, but therte isn't. All of Petra is a burial site (memorials) for the Neabeatians. They never lived there. Later on the Romans came and built an amphitheater, etc. and did live/work there for a period.

My greatest moment was ahike to the top of the Sacrificial Peak. 750 steps to the top and overlooked the valley below and for miles around. (I see my pictures are sort of going backwards, sorry).

Signa rode up to the top by donkey (a death defying feat) but got off half way up because it was so scary, and sat with a Bedouin woman and had tea until I came back for her and helped her down. The walk back through the canyon to the bus took us forever. We were to meet at a certain time and if we weren't there, we would ned to catch a cab back to ur hotel. Well I left Signa behind so I could hurry ahead and tell them to wait, she was coming, but the canyons were never ending. Finally, I emerged at the top and saw our guide. He said everyone was here and wanted to wait for us, so they would wait. I went back to look for Signa and she was coming up the hill (its 85 degrees of hot beating desert sun, no breeze, up hill walk) with two Jordanian girls holding either arm helping her the last bit of the way. When I got to her to guide her back to the bus she said "I moved my ass as fast as its ever gone. And then I ran some." I'm still laughing.

Madaba, Mt. Nebo and Wadi Mujib

Today we left Amman and arrived in Petra. Along the way, we stopped at Madaba, an old church (now Greek Orthodox) where there is a mozaic map on the floor of the church of the entire Holy Land created during the 6th Century A.D. Very accurate and including some notable spots for the time. Many biblical refrences.



After Madaba, we went to Mount Nebo. This is the last spot where Moses came (he never actually reached the holy land) to stand on the mountain and see the Holy Land stretching out before him. You can see Jerusalem, Jericho, the Dead Sea, Bethlehem, the entire Dead Sea valley from this mountain top. Moses died here, but it is not known where he was buried. The view was incredible. The desert landscape and the mountains and the Dead Sea just make for an unmatched panorama anywhere in the world.



After Mount Nebo, we drove for about 3 hours to arrive in Petra, where I am writing from now. Along the way we stopped at Wadi Mujib which is a mountain top with again, incredible views of the desert stretching out in every direction. And the roads snaking and winding through the distance in every direction. Its so vast and desolate. I can't imagine how the current Bedouins and biblical people survived here. There is nothing.



This hotel (The HOtel Amara) is pretty seedy. The whole town of Petra seems pretty seedy, but we are all excited to see the site tomorrow. Its the first time for many of us, so we all voted to leave the hotel at 7:15am to get in some extra time there. I can see the rocks and cliffs of Petra from the balcony of my hotel. We watched the sun set over it this evening.



One of the things I most enjoy when I'm traveling is the common place things in foreign countries that are so foreign to us. For example, the call to prayer for the Muslims in the evening and in the morning feels otherworldly. Its so beautiful and enchanting, you can't help but feel like you are in a movie or some adventure novel. And the driving. There are great paved roads onthe highways, but for the most part, there are no lanes marked and everyone just bobs and weaves along the roads, including in the city, to get where they are going without breaking. The road may have space for two lanes, but the cars and trucks make three lanes, but they are not orderly and defined, they just present themself as needed.

Home Hosted Visit - Jordan

Great time for dinner last night. We were invited to a Jordanian families' home for dinner. A msingle mother (she is seperated for a loooong time) and her 2 daughters. Mom is in full scarf, etc. and daughters are just like our 20 year old girls, jeans and boots and cute tops, nose rings, etc. Very charming.

They all spoke perfect English so we could talk about anything and they were delighted to share their views on politics and their Moslem culture. They love Americans and also feel that terrorists are an ultimate evil. They have had terrorism in their own country against their own people too, so they know how that feels. They also belive very strongly in their Moslem religion, although the young people do not practice so much like the older generation does, but return to that as they have families and get older. Very much like us.

We had "Upside Down" dinner. Rice and chicken cooked in big stew pot, then turned upside down on the platter to make a big cake like presentation. Very delicious. And the hummus everywhere is fantastic.

Still in Jordan and today we will be going to Madaba and eventually Petra.

Jerash & Ajlun Fort

Today we went to the city of Jerash. Along the way for all of you in my book club, we passed the Jacob River where Jacob was supposed to have fought the devil along the river bank as noted in the bible and discussed in the book The Red Tent. Was filled with Moslem tourists. Pretty cool.

Jerash was amazing. Like Ephesus. The best restored and preserved ruins in Jordan and just about anywhere I have been, which says a lot. While we were there, there were many Middle School Jordanian girls on a field trip. Had the best time dancing with them and conversing. They all say hello and want to meet you and take your picture. Very flirty even though they are all covered in head scarves. I love this country. Everyone is so friendly and kind.

The Ajlun Fort was not too exciting but a steep climb up about 100 steps. And very cold there. Jerash was sweltering (sunburnt) and Ajlun (30 minutes away) was freezing cold.

Tonight we go to a home hosted dinner at a Jordanian families. Hope at some point I can post pictures...

Amman, Jordan

What a great day. First, I slept like a rock. Room is huge. Like a suite. Great large marble bathroom.

This morning we toured the Citadel. Ruins overlooking the city of Amman. so many ruins, temples, amphitheaters, blah, blah, blah. But the greatest thing was the Archeological museum they have there. All kind sof stuff dating back to 3000BC. The first known sculpture of hunman beings is in there. Along with one of the Dead Sea Scrolls. ALl kinds of interesting stuff and the museum doesn't even have air conditioning or huimidity controls. Just a small unassuming little cinder block building. Very impressive.

Next we took a short city tour. Most fun I have had during the whole trip.
Will finish later. Time running out...

Getting back to yesterday... City tour was justwalking around downtown Amman. We stopped at a falaffel place (the oldest in Amman) where the guy still makes the fallafel with a special antique tool that balls up the mixture before it gets fried by hand. Then we tasted raw green almonds that you eat with the shells and all (they are kind of hairy and taste like green beans) place reminded me of Chinatown sort of. Then we stopped at a roasted peanut guy. Then to the oldest Turkish coffee house in Amman. Sits above the main street and King Hussein used to come here with his family before he died to enjoy the coffee and be with the people. We also smoked apricot flavored tobacco out of the big hookahs. I did actually taste it, first time smoking in a very very very long time. Great fun.

Now on to the Dead SEa again, 1300 feet below sea level. What a different experience than the last. Beautiful resort with lovely sandy beaches. Water here is very oily, you can feel the minerals. And you literally float like a cork. Its so hard to put your feet down and impossible to swim. You could read a newspaper on your back. No one drowns here if they float out too deep, because you just float. But they die of salt inhalation. You can't even get it in an eye or a cut. Ouch. They do not have the mud here like in Israel, so they get it from another area and you can pay 3 JOrdanian Dinars (about $4.50)for a young guy to slather it all over you then bake in the sun for 20 minutes, then jump in and rinse it off. Of course I did it. My fellow travels said I should have asked those guys to pay me 3 Dinars to rub me down! Its impossible to get off but makes the skin feel really good. Took forever to get off and still had it on my neck, etc. when I got home.

Took a shower and washed my hair back at the hotel and when I tried to plug my hair dryer in with the converter it gave me a HUGE electric shock and blew my converter, etc. across the room. Really scary. Thought Iwas going to die, but I as fine. Now I'm afraid to use the hair dryer and had to ask our Egyptian guide to plug it in for me while I stood across the room in my rubber flip flops.

Arriving Jordan

Leaving Tel Aviv, the flight security check in people ask me if I have received any gifts from anyone in Israel. I said know. Then they said, because it could be a bomb! Yikes. I thought of the very nice Druse man and his plate he gave me. Of course, it wasn't a bomb, but I told them about it and they checked me all out and the plate, etc. and it was fine. But I thought, I would be such the perfect fool for that type of thing. The security in Israel is so intense. I didn't realize how tense it is until I am in Jordan and they are so laid back and the tension is gone.

Cesarea & Haifa

Today we took a nice drive along the Mediterraneancoast up to Cesarea. Great ruins of an old city and palace built by King Herod. It was pretty cool. A huge restored amphitheater and palace out over the water, an unbelievable port and huge light house, hippodrome for chariot races and a temple for Ceasar. Also a fabulous aqueduct ran from the mountains to this site for fresh water. Many parts still standing along the beach (impressive) and into the landscape as we drove towards Haifa. The aqueduct we visited was on the beach, so I quickly ran and dipped my feet in the Mediterranean. We won't be back here as we'll be in the Red Sea, so had to do it! found some beach glass which I would like to think is old Roman Glass, which I can't describe here now.



Now we are on our way to a Druse village for lunch.

Had a great lunch of grilled Chicken Hearts on a skewer for lunch. go figure. I could barely eat them all. Then a little shopping. The Druse people are a moslem minority throughout the Middle East. They keep to themselves and have sort of a secret culture. This Druse man invited me in to his shop where I bought a table runner his daughter hand wove on a loom. Then he gave me a thank you gift of a ceramic plate with Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth on it. Very touristy, but very sweet.

We drove in to Haifa and went to see a Bahai (sp?) temple gardens that were unbelievable. No time to explain their beliefs, but worth looking into any of their temple sites in the states if they exist.

That evening we spent our last night in Tel AViv. Signa and I didn't even go out for dinner, just ate our leftover lunches and then walked along the boardwalk again anmd got Gelato.

Tel Aviv & Jaffe

After leaving the Holocaust Museum we headed toward Tel Aviv & the old city of Jaffe. Had lunch at Dr. Shukshuka's. Very interesting. He had an article in food & wine. Great egg dish and hummus.

Old city of Jaffe was a port city leading to Jerusalem. There is a Jaffe gate in Jerusalem that is one of the only entrances to the old walled fortress. Prophecies were made about invaders who entered that gate, that they would conquer Jerusalem so they made a new bigger gate right next to it.

For dinner this night we are wandering down along the water front to find a seafood place. Tel AViv is 100 this year so they have many celebrations. One is going on a long wthe board walk with a band like the Jonas Bothers. After out dinner of grilled sea bass and many vegetables, we wandered back down there to listen to the music. Not very good.

Yad Vashem & Via Delorosa

Today we went to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum. I couldn't even get through it. Way too emotional. Because I missed the first day of the trip, our guide took a cab with me to the old city of Jerusalem while everyone else went into the museum.

Went to the westernwall and walked the Via Delorosa, where Jesus walked dragging the cross onthe way to his crucifixion. Will finish later....

Ok, so I had some spelling errors and lots ofi nternet problems since last writing.

I will probably have to come back to this and edit.

Mt. of Olives, Masada, Dead Sea, Bethlehem

I'm so disappointed I can't upload photos as today was incredible. Because I missed my flight I missed the city tour of Jerusalem yesterday. So the rest of my group got to go to the Mt. of Olives yesterday and this morning our guide said she would make a pitstop there for me on our way to Masada & the Dead Sea. The Mt. of Olives is on a hill overlooking Jerusalem on the other hill and the valley in between. It is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen. Because we were in a hurry, I got the short explanation and pointing out of the sites where Jesus had the last supper, where he was betrayed, the place where he ascended, and the Dome of the Rock (where Mohammad is to have ascended). So much going on in this place, its too much to even grasp all at one time.

Upon leaving the Mt. of Olives we made our way to the Dead Sea and Masada. There is literally a line drawn between the Israeli side and the Palestinian side. The West Bank is a saftey zone in between for the Israeli's to access the Dead Sea safely. There are many security checkpoints and lots of areas where the wall separating the two "sides" runs clearly along the highway. Much like how Berlin was, traveling from the West through East Germany to get to Berlin. Leaving Jerusalem, there is basically nothing but desert all the way to the Dead Sea, and then for miles along the northern part of the Dead Sea is still nothing but desert. There are a few Kibutz along the way, but really nothing but isolation. Along this northern portion is where the Dead Sea scrolls were found in some caves we passed.

Masada is a palace fortress that King Herod built back in 35 B.C. It sits in this desert region and is completely inaccessible from all sides, just by being atop a cliff in the middle of the desert and then King Herod built walls on top of that to protect his palace. Historians do not believe he ever actually stayed there, but had it built and stocked with supplies for 1000 men indefinitely if/when he decided to seek refuge there from warring invaders. Lots of history there too from the Romans overtaking the fortress and the Zealots also having their time there. Like all of this region, history just piles itself on top of itself in many layers. Very hard to keep up with as I am overwhelmed by all the information and working on about 4 hours sleep in 2 days.

After leaving Masada, we went to the Dead Sea for lunch and a quick swim. No one else was going swimming except me and another fellow Jerry. I thought we would be "bobbing like corks" in a lovely sandy, warm, salty sea. Oh no. Besides the entire "beach" being black dead sea mud you sank in up to your knees at times, it was Palestinian school boys day. There were probably 200 young Palestinian boys at this beach and 2 women. One was about 75 years old, 200 pounds and wearing a large black moo moo bathing suit covered in mud. The other woman was wearing a small brown bikini. Me. There were men/boys lined up along along the beach and the railing just waiting to watch me walk down to the beach. It was so awful. Jerry and his wife (Kathy) encouraged me to go slipping and sliding through the mud into the water while Kathy took pictures and laughed. We literally floated on top of the water for a few minutes trying to figure out if we would ever get the mud off of our legs. Of course, novelty that we were, we were surrounded by a group of Palestinian boys speaking perfect English telling us how to float and to swim out further and put mud on our bodies. Was hilarious. Getting out was even more hilarious. Showering off in front of all these gawking boys was even worse. Boys and girls don't even go to the same school, let alone be at the beach together. My entire travel group (16 people) teased me that 200 boys were going home to write in their journal about getting to see a woman in a bikini at the Dead Sea. And I know you all know how desperate these boys must be to appreciate me in a bikini! Can't wait to see what the Dead Sea swim in Jordan is going to be like. Can't even imagine...

After the Dead Sea we all opted to take an unplanned side trip to Bethlehem which is a Palestinian city. Our guide, Ilana, is an Israeli citizen and not allowed to enter the Palestinian authority. She arranged for someone (a Palestinian) to walk across the border, greet us and walk us over the border crossing to a bus to take us into Bethlehem to the Church of the nativity where the cave/manger where Jesus was born. What an experience. The crossing was through a big wall with gun towers (again much like Berlin). We are not allowed to take pictures. Coming out the other side we are in Palestine. This side of the wall is covered with grafitti talking about how walls do not create peace and other political slogans.

Right away you can feel the difference of the two cities. Feels much more chaotic and mostly men around as opposed to the bustling contemporary feel Jerusalem has. We went right to the church of the nativity. Someone is waiting for the computer, so I will be very quick here. There is a star marking the place where Jesus was born in a cave beneath this church. Also next to it is the manger where he was laid after being born. It was quite surreal and packed with tourists of all kinds and nationalities. Very interesting. We sort of walked through the streets after this and hit a tourist shop, then back through the wall to Israel and Jerusalem. Quite a moving experience I would like to talk more about later.

Now I am off to bed to catch up on some sleep. Tomorrow we tour more of Jerusalem and then to Tel Aviv for 2 days.