Called Home

I was called home.

My mother is dying and I was summoned home by her doctor. She is in frail health but stable at the moment.

A series of health problems that taken separately would not be life threatening, ganged up on a frail 89 year old woman and created a precariously life-threatening situation. She went into a steep decline in late May-early June and the doctor felt I needed to be home with her. So I left a girlfriend who was visiting to tie up loose ends for me and flew home immediately to be with my mother.

She was overjoyed to see me. She cried and said she was afraid she would never see me again.

I am so glad school afforded me the opportunity to be with my mother during this time. My brothers also came in, one from Missouri and the other from Japan. They were able to spend more than a week with Mom. All of us had many good conversations as Mom rallied a bit and was able to participate. We all are ever so thankful for that time together--all of us and Mom.

My brothers have departed now and Mom 's health seems to have stabilized somewhat. She is still in precarious condition and death is imminent. For the time being, though, she is still with us in a beautiful hospice facility. I visit with her, play cards, read the paper and am with her as she completes this circle of life.

I have enjoyed doing this blog, but am no longer in Cairo so will make no further postings. I know your thoughts and prayers are with us now as we deal with these emotional issues.

Thank you all for your dedication to my blog. I wish you all well.

Caravanseri / Tentmaker Alley

One of the oldest areas of Islamic Cairo is along an alley affectionately referred to as The Tentmakers. This short alley is in an old caravanseri that dates back to the time when Cairo was a walled city.

At night the gates of Cairo closed to maintain security. As a merchant traveling across the desert with your trade goods, predicting arrival was difficult and you often arrived at night after the gates to the city closed. You went to this caravanseri. It was an inn of sorts. You unloaded your camel, had it fed and stabled in the stall at ground level. Then you climbed the steep narrow stairs at the end of the inn and proceeded to a small sleeping cell located over the stable. In the morning you proceeded into Cairo once the gates opened for the day.

Caravanseris were located all along the old trade routes, about a days journey apart and functioned much as a motel does today. It offered overnight accomodations for both man and beast of burden. Today this alley is know as the area of the tentmakers of Cairo. The old stable areas are now converted into stalls offering all sorts of canvas work, embroidery work , applique work , as well as other textile work like large flags, buntings and banners.......AND tents. The old sleeping areas are now workrooms for the various tentmakers atliers.

You can buy any shape, size and configuration of tent you desire. My daughter bought a small tent for her children to use indoors as a playhouse. She also bought two small wee tents to hold the stuffed camel toys she took home to her children. The tents are colorful and a wonderful memento of a trip to the tentmaker alley.

It is a fun place to visit, especially if you want a tent.

Egyptian Tourist Police

Tourism is big business here in Egypt. It accounts for a substantial portion of their GNP. Consequently they take the safety of tourists very seriously--Very Seriously. You see evidence of Police everywhere. And a special branch of the police, dubbed Tourist Police are at all major tourist sites as well as around the downtown areas of major cities, like Alexandria, Luxor and Asswan.

If you are a tourist and have any problems at all, you can go to one of these policemen and they will get help for you. If they do not speak English, there is another officer close-by who does.

Tourists often have trouble with the taxis overcharging and just the threat of the Tourist Police usually resolves the problem. Some tourists feel terribly hastled while shopping in various souks. The Tourist Police tame the vendors when they see that tourists are being troubled.

Here is one at the Pyraminds aboard his trusty camel. They usually wear blue serge in the winter, and change to white cotton when the country goes on Daylight Savings at the end of April.

This poor fellow thought it was cold outside. It was all of about 61 degrees, but you couldn't tell from looking at him. Some have shotguns and some have automatic rifles. All Tourist Police wear an armband announcing them as TOURIST POLICE different from the regular police who guard churches, banks, and other important buildings, along with traffic control among other duties.

This fellow is in his summer whites at the Fort Quimby in Alexandria. This fort is built on the ruins of the old lighthouse at Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and heavily touristed. Many of these fellows also carry sidearms as well.

They are omnipresent and I must admit that, as a tourist, I did feel safe. They usually shy away from cameras--taking pictures of police is not generally allowed. But for some baksheesh (tip) you can usually get the photo, if you are quick about it.

House Guests

For the last three weeks friends from Boyne City, John and Sue McCahan, have been visiting. They took a Nile Cruise from Luxor to Asswan and a side trip to Abu Simbel. Monday my daughter arrived, with a family friend, Rick, in the wee hours of the morning, for a week visit during her spring school break. Later in the day my cousin, Catherine and her husband arrived for the week. Now I have a housefull of friends and family. What fun! John and Sue are leaving soon to continue their travels for another three weeks in Turkey. Liz and Rick, Catherine and Bill will be here in Cairo for the week, with, hopefully, a side trip to Luxor and the Valley of the Kings.

This is my daughter standing along the Nile on the Corniche in downtown Cairo.

Here is Rick with John McCahan in baseball cap standing behind. No pictures of my cousin and her husband yet. Today they were off to discover the Egyptian museum.

Sadat Memorial

In Cairo there is a memorial to the late President Anwar Sadat who was assinated in 1981, by Islamist extremeists who were upset with him for signing a peace treaty with Israel for which he won the Nobel Peace Prize. The peace treaty with Israel was very unpoular in the Arab world, and caused considerable controversy. This is the memorial as it appears from the street.

Sadat is buried at the tomb of the unknown in Cairo across the street from the viewing stands where he was assinated. It is a very special memorial here in Cairo.

I have been by this site at all hours of the day and night and there is always someone here.

This is the viewing platform where Sadat was standing when assinated. The security would not let me go up onto the stand to have my picture taken. This was as far as I could go.

This gives you a better view of the viewing stand across the street from the memorial. It is a very quiet and solemn place. I had to hand in my passport to be allowed to visit the memorial. The Egyptians are very concerned that someone might desscrate this memorial and by handing in my passport I could be traced.

It was an interesting place to visit.

Dahab

Dahab is a delightful Egyptian resort town on the Gulf of Aqaba, that, along with Sharm el Sheik, is renoun for its coral reefs and dive centers. It is preferrable to Sharm-el-Sheik for snorkelers because the coral reefs are accessible from shore, making snorkeling much easier. However it is not as upscale as Sharm. Dive centers abound here and in Sharm that will take the intrepid farther offshore and to deeper and more splendid coral. Sharm is only 60 kilometers away, and busses run regularily between the two towns.

The Gulf of Aqaba and the Gulf of Suez, are the two bodies of water off the Red Sea that frame the Sinai Peninsula. From your beach lounge chair you can look across the gulf and see Saudi Arabia. At this point the Gulf of Aqaba is not very wide.

Most hotels are along the shoreline, so Dahab spreads out along the Gulf , but only a few blocks inland. The mountains come close to the sea here and one of the activities available is to rent an open, 4-wheel- dune buggy and go for an excursion into the canyons nearby. There is a well known blue hole here in Dahab that is a must see on everyone's snorkel/dive list. This picture may not give you much of an impression, but when you are in the water, snorkeling over the hole, it is very impressive. You can see the difference in color in the picture. The darker blue is the hole.

This hole is heavily dived because of its close proximity and easy access from shore. Th best time to snorkel/dive here is in the early morning before the hords of dive tourists arrive. I came here about 9:00 a.m. There were a few others, but by noon it was chock-a-block with swimmers andI had to be careful because not everyone is as good a swimmer as I. They did not look where they were going and ran into people. So I left just after the crowds ascended transported from the various resorts.

A blue hole, as I understand it, is a more or less circular area with steep sheer sides that could extend down hundreds of feet. The coral growing/ clinging to the sides and the fish and other acquatic life is spectacular to see. It is much like diving--in my case snorkeling--in an open acquarium. I only swam over the top of the hole, but I could see divers below me and their bubbles would ascend.

I didn't have an underwater camera so I borrowed these pictures from the internet to show you how impressive the coral and fish are. This is just like what I saw as I snorkeled around the blue hole and another area called Eel gardens. Yes, I did see some eels.

The entire area is showing signs of stress on the coral reefs. I think Egypt is in the process of trying to do something to protect these reefs, but is moving slowly. To this end just offshore from Sharm there is an underwater national park recently established. The dive community is very concerned about the abuses to the coral by some tourist groups and is attempting to self-regulate so as to protect their livelihood.

This entire coast is world famous for its diving and attracts millions of tourists. All that activity has to take a toll on the environment. Never the less, it was a wonderful way to spend a long weekend and I am glad I found the place. Next time I plan to stay longer--whenever that might be??!

Back writing

Hello there,
I have not been writing lately. Quite frankly, I have been lazy and just not done this blog as should have. So now I am back at it and will post right away. So sorry to all who follow me for the delay.

Soccer Champs--a celebration extraordinaire

CELEBRATION

Here are soccer fans Larry Nilsson, left, and my husband, Jack, on the right. They are watching the first play-off soccer match between Algeria and Egypt, for the African Cup of Nations Championship.

Fans painted these two and got them in the spirit of the game. Egypt played Algeria this game. Algeria and Egypt enjoy a heated rivalry, often resulting in one or the other's embassador being recalled. To say that spirits ran high would be an understatement!

Fans were in rare form. They brought their own noise makers and high spirits.

Egypt scored! (Can you tell??) They won!! On to the African Cup of Nations championship game against Ghana!!!

EGYPT WINS THE AFRICAN CUP OF NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP!!!! The streets were packed with fans celebrating .

Fans improvised flares using aerosol cans of automotive starting fluid and lighters.

Television camers were there to record the festivities. There was singing in the streets, dancing in the intersections, lots of flag waving and general good fun as fans celebrated this phenomenal win. No one believed that Egypt could pull this off, yet all were hopeful. And when it finally came to pass, they were estatic.

Jack and I noticed that the crowds were very civil, even polite. There were no cars set on fire, no vandalism, no rowdy drunken brawls. People were out to celebrate Egypt's Championship. They were not out to destroy their city. For six hours the fans had a wonderful time. Yes, they left lots of litter in the streets, but that was all. And yes, there was noise all night long, so sleep came very late, or early, depending on your point of view. But Egypt had something to celebrate and celebrate they did! And so did we.

Ain Soukhna on the Gulf of Suez

Last weekend we went to Ain Soukhna, a resort area on the Gulf of Suez, which is part of the Red Sea. We stayed at the Palmera Resort, an older, but pleasant all inclusive resort. Friday was a beautiful, sunny, windless day. Jack captured this picture on our way to breakfast. Not a ripple on the swimming pool.

We sat on the beach along with all the other Egyptians at the resort for a little rest and relaxation. I began knitting a sweater, and Jack read. It was a very pleasant day. In the evening we went into a pavillion area after dinner to watch Egypt win a very important soccer match that was part of a play-off series for the African Cup of Nations.

Everybody was out enjoying the balmy, delightful weather. Kids were swimming as their parents watched.
But it was not to last.

During the night the weather changed from the balmy and beautiful, to stormy. The waves kicked up and built. The next day was dull and blustry. It was a 180 degree difference from the day before. There would be no lounging on the beach this day. The beach was underwater.

After the storm we walked down to the sea front to see what damage had been done by the high wind and waves. We found these. GRENADES! (or whatever they are called) Washed up on the shore.

At the height of the storm the water came well up the beach and did damage to the resort's beach area.

You can see how high the water came. This storm was the day after the full moon when the tides are at the highest for the month. Combine high tides with wind and you have the makings for damage to the seafront and beach erosion.

These pictures do not do justice to the amount of water coming up the beach or the height of the waves. We suspected that at the height of the storm the waves averaged about 5 feet as they came onto the shore, and the winds built to about 30-35 mph., gusting to, maybe, 40 mph. It was enough to move you backwards when you stood still.

It was a wild storm, that the locals said happens about once a year. It was fun to be there and see how churned up the sea can get. It reminded me of my summers on Lake Michigan when the waves crashed ashore like that and you went out afterwards beachcombing. No bombs, though.

Shisha Smoking

This is a hooka. It is a water pipe that is used for smoking shisha. Shisha smoking is a favorite pastime all over Cairo. There are shisha places everywhere. Many restaurants offer shisha for after-meal relaxing.

The tobacco is placed in a clay cup at the top of the pipe, then covered with aluminum foil punched with holes. Hot charcoal is placed on top of this -- just a few very hot pieces. When you draw on the pipe it lowers the pressure in the water chamber and the hot tobacco smoke is then cooled as it passes through the water, then through the long pipe to the mouthpiece. (You purchase a new mouthpiece each time--they are cheap.) The attendant comes around periodically to renew the hot charcoal.

There are many flavors of tobacco commonly used here. The one I smell the most often as I walk by, is the apple flavored, but there is mint, and watermelon, among others.

These men are enjoying shisha after their meal. You can see lots of shisha pipes if you look carefully.

Shisha pipes are for sale. Almost nobody smokes shisha at home when it is so easy and cheap to smoke in a shisha place. These pipes are not very hardy so they need replacing often. They are glass and they break. The tubes and pipes wear out.

One of the small charcoal fires going in a pan on the street getting ready for use in the shisha pipe.

An attendant bringing around the shisha to customers. You can see the few bits of charcoal in the top. See the little clay pot the tobacco goes in and the charcoal on top. This charcoal has cooled a bit, and needs renewing.

Shisha is not for men only. Women enjoy shisha as well. Often in restaurants you see couples smoking shisha, as well as groups of women smoking.

I haven't tried it yet. I quit smoking over 20 years ago and just can't bring myself to try this stuff. It isn't something that appeals to me. But millions of Cairenes love it.

Alexandria, Egypt

Jack and I took a three day road trip to Alexandria at the western edge of the delta. We took the train up and back. The trip takes about 2&1/2 hours from Cairo. Alexander-The-Great is credited with being the founder of Alexandria, Egypt.

The city is the second largest city on the African continent, with a population of about 7 million people. It sits along the Mediterranean coastline at the western edge of the Nile Delta, and is the summer playground of Cairenes escaping the heat of the city.

The new library is probably the most prominent landmark along the lengthy Corniche highway that runs next to the Mediterranean.

It was completed in 2000 with a capacity of over 8,000,000 volumes. It is a major research library, housing a super-computer that can handle most any research need. The library is proud of its ability to archive internet work as well digitizing some of the ancient Egyptian scrolls from the original library dating from before 74 BC.,and other major works of Egyptian antiquity, all available to anyone with an internet connection from anywhere in the world. It does all the other library stuff as well, like discussion groups, literary presentations and discussions, as well as movies and planetarium shows in the planetarium, to mention a few of things on the calendar.


The interior space is over 11 stories tall, but deceiving from the outside, as it is built into the side of a hill. There are solar shades that follow the sun and control the amount of sunlight coming into the building. There is exhibit space, a rare book museum, calligraphy exhibits, printing presses used in Egypt from early times, as well as the ordinary stacks for books and periodicals one usually finds in libraries. There are internet connections and headphones at all the study carrols, as well a viewing rooms for micofiches and digitized materials.

Besides being available to students it is quite a tourist attraction, with tours given in various foreign languages throughout the day.

The original library at Alexandria was the respoitory of all known scientific and literary work in the world at the time. It burned down around 74 BC. Only a few or the original scrolls were saved and they are now housed here.

This is an artistic rendering of the original Pharos lighthouse at Alexandria, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It was built in the 800's, destroyed in an earthquake in the early 1300's and never rebuilt. Historians are fairly certain of the looks and dimensions of the building because it was so well known at the time it was built. Drawings of it appeared in many deocuments that have survived.

Today on the site of the old Pharos lighthouse stands this fort, built out of most of the block from the lighthouse and standing in approximately the same location.

We stayed close to the water in a little pension on the 7th floor of an old building. Our room had a sea view, for which we paid extra, but the view was from between other tall buildings. Oh well. Live and learn. The place was what I would describe as cheap and cheerful. AND it came complete with breakfast. It served our needs quite nicely.

We had a great time discovering this city. The fresh air and sea breezes were a pleasant change from Cairo.

More about the Roman ruins in my next post.

Israel -- Golan Heights

We went on a four-wheel drive expedition up onto the Golan Heights. Until one of Israel's wars, the Golan Heights area was controled by Syria. There are no roads other than farm and four-wheel access roads, into the area. Much is rock-strewn and of not much use other than grazing, and even that is slim picking for the animals. We did see some wild pheasants and ibex, as well as cattle grazing. You can see the Land Cruiser mired down in the muddy road.

This is a broad view down from the hills. You can see remains of old Syrian army installations that were destroyed in the war when Israel recovered the Golan Heights.

There is a story about an Israeli spy in the confidence of the Syrians who convinced the Syrians to plant fast growing eucalyptus trees around the gun installations and armaments to provide shade for the poor Syrian soldiers who must be on duty in the harsh, hot and open Golan Heights. Of course it also provided targets for the Israeli Air Force as well. The spy was discovered and killed in the main square in Damascus and a book written about him called Our Man In Damascus . His exploits are legendary in Israel.

The area has not been entirely cleared so these signs appear all over. There are large tracts of fenced areas off limits to man and animal alike. Our Land Rover driver told us they lose a few animals to unexploded land mines every year.

Israel is now at Peace with Syria. The Golan Heights provided Israel with a more secure border, as well as a great four-wheeled experience for us tourists.

Israel -- Caesarea National Park

This little fellow is the mascot of the National Park System in Israel. He is an ibex, with a little bird on his shoulder. Ibex are native to this area and wander wild on the deserts. This little fellow greets you as you enter the National Park at Caesarea.

Caesarea is a huge archeological site, now a National Park and completely protected and partially restored. It was a large city from the Roman period, of particular interest to us because of its large harbor--large for the time--created by the Romans to service their troops stationed in this area of the empire.

The remnants of this harbor still remain to be seen today.

The city was a phenomenal find, because it was in remarkable shape after so many years buried in the sands of the Mediterranean, as well yielding immense amounts of information about the Roman occupation, life, and historical documentation of the military presence of the Romans in this part of the world.

It now is completely uncovered, somewhat restored and open to the public. People are free to wander the entire site, scramble around and even ride a chariott around the hipodrome--well they can imagine themselves doing it.

We spent several hours here wandering the ruins of store rooms, homes with beautiful mosaic floors, riding the chariott, and inspecting the harbor.