Tuesday, September 4, 2007

The Pyramids!





So! The PYRAMIDS! It is a challenge to write this post, because I feel like there was so much going on that day. But I will try my very best! Let me just say first, it was fabulous to see the pyramids. In most of the pictures the biggest Pyramid, looks like the Great pyramid, but its actually the second one built in the area. The Pharaoh built the Pyramid on a higher plane to make his seem bigger than his fathers. So thanks dad, for all you've taught me, but I'm making my pyramid cooler than yours. The Pyramid on the far right is the newest, and smallest, but was also the closest so the difference isn't as drastic as it was in real life. Giza is about an hour outside Cairo. We took the AUC buses to it, and about 300 people went, so it was quite a large adventure. That was good and bad, at the same time. Good, because we had a guide on each bus that toured us around, but bad because we just got shuttled from site to site. We didn't really get to go close to the pyramids at all because they drove us past them to a place to take panoramic pictures. Either way it was amazing. Driving in on a highway, I could see them out the bus window, which is pretty bizarre considering Giza is a lot poorer than Cairo - and that's saying something. Anyway, the looming pyramids over a run down city is a pretty unusual view. After we saw the pyramids, we got in the buses again and drove over to the see the Sphinx. It is also by the oldest "block" building in the world. The Sphinx was a lot smaller than I thought it was. It looks big in the pictures, but they're very deceiving. After the Sphinx, we ate lunch and went to Saqqara, where the oldest step pyramid is. We got to spend more time at this one, and actually get close to it, so I was pretty pleased. Saqqara is much more secluded, so it really felt like we were hardcore out in the desert. Also, there are several small pyramids in the area. One is called the Titi Pyramid, and we got to go inside! It looks pretty shady on the outside, and the passageway in is pretty narrow and difficult to walk down in. Once inside, it's pretty great though. It is by far some of the most impressive stuff I've seen so far. I mean, imagining ancient Egyptians honouring the Pharoh there is pretty interesting. We didn't actually get to go down to the tomb, but the hieroglyphics on the wall were very impressive. So I've seen the Pyramids! The last standing of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World!

Sunday, September 2, 2007

The Red Sea



me at the red sea!
the pool by the resort (how fancy)

So AUC took us to the Red Sea this weekend, as a little off-campus orientation. We met at campus around 8, but didn't leave until 10 because that's just how we do things in Egypt. About 400 of us went, so it was quite a large caravan of tour buses, but we had security escort us (which caused a lot of delay). We got to the resort, called Ein El Sukhna, in the early afternoon and had some meetings to go to and such. After lunch, we were able to check into our rooms and then hit the beach! It was so great to get away from the dirty Cairo air and all the city noise. The beach was mainly populated by tourists, from all over the world really. A lot of Europeans vacation around the area I think. It really was very beautiful. And some Egyptian women really do wear the whole burka swimsuit thing. Didn't look that comfortable to me, but who am I to judge? So we mainly just relaxed the rest of the weekend. I'll say I wasn't looking forward to coming back to Cairo at all. The traffic and pollution were really starting to get to me. But I got off the bus around 9 on Saturday night and started making my way through the cars back to the apartment. I had to buy bottled water to drink, which means I have to cross the road in an exceptionally busy/dangerous place. It's usually pretty difficult, but this time a younger guy came up to me and asked me if I was crossing. When I said yes, he escorted me across the street, just holding his hand out to stop the cars. The best part is, once we were safely across he just turned around and left. And when I yelled thank you, he didn't even follow me! I don't know, after that I guess I just felt better about living in this city for the next 3 1/2 months. I knew I could do it, I just think I might enjoy it more now, pollution and all.