2009 May | Saben and Lin

Last price, I swear to you!

May 21, 2009 – Day 147 – Aswan, Egypt

”It’s 675 Egyptian Pounds but for you, my friend, I make it special price–650!” The ”it” in question was a thick red glass waterpipe with heavy silver hardware that disassembled into several billy clubs, er, pieces. It was a really great waterpipe but was way outside our price range.

Waterpipe shop

Multiple Personality Disorder

May 20, 2009 – Day 146 – Cairo, Egypt

Cairo has so many faces and personalities that it’s difficult to decide whether one likes it or doesn’t. Today we felt both. When spent our morning wandering through the Coptic Museum that houses some really amazing ancient pieces and the best part is that they are being cared for quite well! Unfortunately, these beautiful old things can’t be photographed so we have no way to share what we saw today.

Africa

I don’t like you today

May 19, 2009 – Day 145 – Cairo, Egypt

The Egyptian Museum in Cairo is known worldwide. It holds history of not just ancient Egypt but of the world. It’s the pride of Egypt and there is even a movement to ”give Egypt back its stuff,” that is, to return to Egypt all Egyptian artifacts that are currently housed in other museums and collections around the world. With these things in mind, we expected the Egyptian Museum to be fitting of such pride and grandness entitled to such an honor.

Hieroglyphics

Egyptian Hospitality and the Pyramids

2 comments

May 18, 2009 – Day 144 – Cairo, Egypt

En route to Giza on a stuffy, sweaty minibus, a man offered us both a Kleenex to wipe the sweat dripping from our faces. It was 105 degrees Fahrenheit and we were wilting in the miserable heat. Saben chatted with the man who, within a matter of 10 minutes, kindly invited us to visit his home before we went to the Pyramids. We gratefully declined since we were running an unfortunately tight schedule today but he would hear none of it. He took us to visit his home, a lovely beautiful and very large Egyptian home, and to meet his family, who were wonderful and endlessly hospitable.

Curls by fire

Market Day

May 17, 2009 – Day 143 – Cairo, Egypt

If you’ve ever heard of the Khan Khalili market in Cairo, you’re probably familiar with the downright ridiculous things the vendors will say just to make a sale, no matter how big or small. Perhaps the one that best sums up the day we spent at the famed market was, ”Hello! How can I take your money?”

Fanta!.... now in Arabic

Hello… Money Money!

3 comments

May 16, 2009 – Day 142 – Cairo, Egypt

A shout rang out, “Hello, Money Money!, Hello, Money Money!” In a flash a myriad of small hands had thrust out from the darkness and fastened themselves like barnacles to Sabens pants.

Us at the Airport

Greece Wrap-up

Well, we broke our only rule: don’t travel with expectations. We came to Greece expecting too much and now we couldn’t be happier to leave. It wasn’t all bad though. We saw the ruins of Athens and Delphi, we drove through the countryside of Tinos, stood in awe as the waves crashed over the marble beach and ate tons of fantastic food.

Greece

We’ll spare you the details

May 10-15, 2009 – Day 136-141 – Athens, Greece

The last several days have been wretchedly boring so we’ve combined them into a single still unexciting post to update you on our recent doings. We’ve included some random photos as well.

Wildflowers

Greece

Delightful Delphi

May 9, 2009 – Day 135 – Delphi, Greece

The most famous ruins of Delphi (the temple of Athena), are surprisingly free! Which would have been nice know before we paid the 3 Euro entrance free to get to the lesser ruins at the top of the hill.

Ruins of Delphi