Monday, February 2, 2009

Walk like an Egyptian

Egypt was incredible. Every hour was a new adventure, one after another. Where I might usually create a lifelong memory once a month, in Egypt it's every hour. Hence on the time specturm of memories, a week in Egypt was a lifetime. Here is just a glimpse:








The marketplace in Egypt is called a “Bazaar.” Which pretty much sums it up. Everything there is bartered; from the taxi driver on the way there, to the ice cream bar on the way out. Before long, I felt like an expert barterer—but in reality I probably got ripped off. I was with four girls and every merchant yelled out as we passed by. Whether it was yelling out the price of a scarf (which lowers drastically as you walk away) or a flirtatious “compliment” (‘Hey Casanova! I give you seven camels for one of your four wives!’). It was fun at first, then annoying, then frustrating—they all compete for our attention and often followed us down for blocks trying to convince us or get very close to the girls. It really was a bizarre experience where every emotion is felt one after the other.




















We took little boats down the Nile. They say that Egypt is the gift of the Nile. Kind of like Jeffrey is the gift of Farmington.



Moses must have entered Luxor Temple, a holy place for the Pharoah and his priests. Having walked through an enormous stone building where there were several columns this big, Moses knew that man can accomplish some incredible feats. Yet after speaking with God, he said, “Now, for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed."












We hiked up Mount Sinai at 2:00 a.m. On top, snuggled up with the others, I thought about how Moses trucked up this mountain 8 times. The air was frigid, but the sunrise was spectacular. Someone once said that a sunset is God's signature at the end of a miraculous day. If so, then what's a sunrise? Maybe he's testing out which ink color to use for his signature.















I don't know what I am doing to this pyramid but all the other tourists were doing it. I remember learning about the pyramids in elementary school. I have wanted to see them since.


At the Hard Rock Cafe in Cairo, the servers played We Will Rock You, and YMCA to kick off the dance party. It would be the fourth dance party that trip.


My camel's name was Obama.



We took a camel ride through a small village. Does anybody know what noice a camel makes?

5 comments:

  1. Love the pics. Keep them coming so I can pretend I'm there with you.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You have a way with words Jeffe. Love the sunrise comment and your sense of humility has always been an endearing quality (Egypt/Nile, Jeffery/Farmington). I'm so glad your doing a blog. I really enjoy reading it and reliving many of my own sweet Jerusalem memories. I'm glad your soaking it all in. Life was meant to really live it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. A sunrise is God's hope for the day.

    I loved the Sinai hike even though I hadn't eaten for a long time- I think the only thing I had eaten in the last 24 hours was a hard boiled egg and some powdery hot chocolate. I couldn't stand the couscous (and it was everywhere)- even now when I think of it, I want to hurl. I remember singing during the sunrise- and there is something so special about desert colors.
    I"m glad you had the privilege of riding a camel. They're such beautiful, docile and pleasant creatures.. They love us humans don't they.

    Your picture of the bazaar is perfect- complete with the eery dresses floating high in the sky and wall to wall .... stuff. What's the guy/girl ratio there?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jeff, this is a test. This is only a test.
    OXO MOm

    ReplyDelete
  5. It worked mom, keep them coming. Maybe someday you can learn to send a text, too.

    ReplyDelete