Saturday, May 31, 2008

Alexandria to Siwa Oasis, Egypt - I like milk with my fig newtons...


Founded by Alexander the Great back in the day (330 BC), Alexandria is Egypt's 2nd largest city with a population of 4 million people. To the left is the refreshing Mediterranean Sea.

Busy day on the seawall...

Spent alot of time watching life go by on the seawall. What is that!? A crucifix of cotton candy?! Mmmm...cotton candy...

Hip hop is not dead...It's alive and well in Alexandria...

Fisherman at sunset...

Guarding the bay is the Citadel of Qaitbay which was built from/upon the ruins of the Lighthouse of Alexandria... Yes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World...

Bibliotheca Alexandrina

The design of the library is said to imitate a rising sun. Other interpretations describe it as a discus impacting the ground (I think the LP says that). Regardless, the building is the definition of an anachronism.

Founder of Alex. He never lived to see the completion of the original library.

Nice, eh. The library is huge and practically empty. It relies heavily on donations to stock it's collection...there are some sources that say at the current funding rates, the library won't hit capacity for another 80 years...

Hucksters selling clothes at the local market...

Street scene. I found that Alexandrians were much more approachable than Cairenes...

Boy #1

Boys #1

Don't know why these dudes were pinching this old lady's face. Suffice to say, it looked like a gesture of affection...

Boy #3


Dude on the right smoking sheesa using a water pipe. Very popular activity amongst men...

Goats in the City...

Nice Pooh phone, dude... Did I mention Egyptians are crazy about the beautiful game?

Finally out of Cairo. Since the Red Pyramid, someone stole my F30 camera in Cairo - suitably and quite ironically in a Kushari eatery. I miss my F30.

On the last night in Cairo, a bunch of us staying at the Hostel went on a felluca ride on the Nile. Very relaxing. Cairo's kind of beautiful at night. We only rounded up a bunch of guys for the cruise. What's with that? Anyway, we loaded up on alcoholic beverages at the neighbourhood liquor store for the boat [Ed. Notes: Yes, there are such establishments in Islamic Egypt. For your own privacy and security they give out black opaque plastic bags]. I think the Norwegian got a wee bit enebriated by the end. [Ed. Notes: The Norwegian was an interesting fellow. I suspect he was in his 40s. Lived a longtime in Japan as a model. Fluent in Japanese. Now, he lived at the Dahab hotel and running an international consulting business that advises foreign governments on procuring contracts and negotiating fishing rights. He tried to hire me to act as a go between his company and the Canadian government... I'm not kidding.]

Leaving Cairo and the Dahab was difficult. I wasted a lot of time there and met a lot of interesting people while wasting away the time. I'm sure I'll be back.

At the Hostel I met Jason, a guy from Sheffield, UK. He was here on holidays and was going my way. So, we joined forces. He's of Jamaican descent. The locals think he's Egyptian and constantly approached him using Arabic. Should be fun. He might be able to get us the local price... Good things come to those that wait...

So, the next morning we took off to Alexandria on the train. "Alex" was an interesting town. It's like a mini Cairo (yet having a population of 4 million) but less hectic. I suppose the sea had a mellowing effect (eg. Vancouver, BC). The Mediterranean Sea was beautiful... First thing I noticed was the cool sea breeze. Nice contrast to the stiffling heat of Cairo.

The wasn't much to see in Alex. The Great Library of Alex burned down awhile ago (ok millenia ago) but I went to see it's ultra-modern, ultra-vogue replacement, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. It was huge but the shelves were for the most part empty, carrying 500,000 volumes out of a capacity of 8 million. Still though, the Egyptians seemed very proud of this place.

It took a long time to find, but we managed to see the famous Catacombs - actually kind of a ripoff. I wished they had left human skeletal remains lying about. What's a catacomb without human skeletons...? They had some bones displayed in a glass case... By looking at the teeth, they may have belonged to a ruminant of some sort though...

Alex wasn't really about tourist sites though. The action in town was found in the side streets with food stalls, merchants, and just the normal peeps going about their normal lives. We met a Korean guy outside the Catacombs. We told him the admission wasn't worth it. So, we joined him for an afternoon of people photography.


View Larger Map

Map marks the location of the Union Hotel. Very nice hotel... very clean soft beds (bedsheets were to die for). Each room has it's own balcony. [Ed. note: keep your balcony doors locked whenever you are sleeping or out taking in the sites]. Excellent location. Stone's throw away from the sea. TV in the dining room. Shared bathrooms or self contained rooms. All for a paltry 45 LE or $8 USD per night per single (shared bathroom). Treat yourself to a splurge today!!

**********

Left Alex after a couple of days for Siwa, an oasis town located on the western frontier of Egypt. The coastal highway to Marsa Matruh was pretty stark. All desert, only to be bounded to the north by the azure waters of the Mediterranean. The long stretches of bleakness were broken by the occasional huge, ugly, abandoned seaside resort beckoning to hordes of heat exhausted Cairenes on summer holidays.

After Marsa Matruh, the bus took a left and headed unabatedly towards the heart of the Sahara.

8.5 hours and we were relaxing in the middle of the Sahara under a stand of fig trees. Glorious.

Out of Canuckistan: A travel blog, May 31/07
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Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Cairo, Egypt - A funny thing happened on the way to Saqqara...

Still here in Cairo researching on the internet. I must move on tomorrow. Must advance the program.

Friday must have been the most interesting day in a while. I've always wanted to see the "Bonus" pyramids south of Giza: Step Pyramid of Zoser down in Saqqara, and the Pyramids of Dashur. So, I recruited Muhammed (Robert the German), Adie the Canadian, and Alex the Indonesian (whom I just met this morning) and together we set off.

Keeping in tradition of cheap/low budget travelers we skipped the taxi tour and took the Underground to Giza. From there, we took a minibus to the Saqqara turnoff. Snacking on ta'maayas for breakfast, just off the main highway, we could see the main pyramid in the distance. Walkable I thought, but it was a long way to the gates. The LP said 2 km. Yah, right.

Once there I tried my "student card" for the first time. Africans would try hence I should as well. The gatekeeper demanded an ISIC card. I struck out and had to pay an extortionate amount (50 L.E.) to get in.

When the capital of the Ancient Egypt was Memphis, this plateau served as it's necropolis or burial ground for it's Kings and other nobles. There are 16 pyramids on the necropolis with the Step Pyramid of Zoser being the most prominent.

Walking amongst the ruins...

The Step Pyramid was originally 63 m tall. It was built around c.2667-2648 BC. (l to r): Adie the Canadian, Alex the Indonesian.

Looks like the bus just rolled in.... Tip of the day: Bring water and some shades...

The Zoser pyramid is made of brick-sized stones, arranged into 6 step like platforms or mastabas.

Entrance to the Pyramid. The internal chambers and passageways were deemed unstable and off limits to tourists. Dang.

Tres Amigos. Like I said, bring water...lots of water. Maybe some sunscreen as well...

Getting to Dashur was another matter. If it wasn't for Alex (who is studying Arabic in Cairo) we would've been hooped from the start. The prevalence of English speakers out here in the sticks is nil. Just to get to the town of Dashur required 3 minibus transfers. We were stuck in town for a while because of the lack of public transport to the Red Pyramid site. That was until Alex managed to arrange a lift with the local police with 30 L.E. going to their retirement fund. From the gate we were lucky enough to grab another ride in the back of a truck.

I thought the Red Pyramid was excellent. It and the Bent Pyramid to the south were the first "true" pyramids (non-step) ever built (c. 2600 BC), preceding those built in Giza. Interesting facts: the Red Pyramid is 104 m tall (the Calgary Tower is 191 m tall), the base is 220 m, at the time of it's completion it was the tallest man-made structure in the world...

My favourite (how can you tell?) photo of all time taken by Alex the Indonesian. I think he has a future in the photography business. Moments after it was taken, these Egyptian cops threw me off the property. Happens to me all over the world... Seriously, you can see the "trail" that leads up the pyramid to the entrance (about halfway up and at about the 1 o'clock position relative to my head).

The sides of the Pyramid were constructed at an angle of 43 degrees. Go ahead and get yo protractor...

Another pic of the surface of the Red Pyramid...the Pyramid is made of a reddish granite stone hence the name. However, it's been thoroughly covered by the sand and dust of the surrounding desert over the centuries...

Muhammad the German

The entrance to the Red Pyramid. Looking north, I could barely make out the alignment of the Giza and Saqqara pyramids in the distant horizon. If you click on the photo above you'll be able to see the tiny camel at ground level.

Upwards look at the entrance.

From the entrance, we followed a 200 ft. narrow shaft down to 3 chambers at the heart of the pyramid: 2 antechambers and the burial chamber. I'd suggest, if you were to make the same climb, to follow a rigorous exercise regiment with the legendary thigh-master, because your lactic acid engorged legs will be begging for mercy by the time you get down to the first chamber (see above). That's unless you are shorter than 3 feet in height of course.

After the walking through the 2 antechambers, the burial chamber is accessed with these stairs.

Each of the three chambers featured elaborate corbelled ceilings. Beauty, eh? The workmanship of the early Egyptian pyramid builders was superb.

The burial chamber.

The pyramid wasn't always red. In fact, it was originally encased in white limestone. Much of the limestone was eventually hauled off to build mosques and such in Cairo; however, remnants of that limestone can still be found at the base of the pyramid.

The famous Bent Pyramid (left) stood in ominous isolation kilometres away. Strange pyramid to say the least. The lower half of the pyramid was steeper than the upper half (early pyramid designers encountered, in their architectural experiment, structural instability with the steeper bottom and had to cut down the angle of the top half).

We should have walked over to the Bent Pyramid but it was just too hot outside. Everyone was wilting under the desert sun. We decided hoof it back to the main gates...


View Larger Map
Map shows the location of the Red Pyramid...

Darshur's isolation and lack of convenient access ensured lack of tourists (which was good) but meant a slow trip home to Cairo. No methodology in getting back. At one point Alex befriended a roadside cop who in turn flagged down a ride for us. I asked Alex how he performs all these little logistical miracles.

He said, "Just smile and tell them how beautiful Egypt and its people are..."

That night we went out for Thai cuisine. The pad thai bore not resemblance to the real thing but the meal was delicious nonetheless. For all he had done for us that day, I thought I'd pick up the tab for Alex but he beat me to the bill... He picked up the bill for the entire table. At the end of the day he put us on an A/C bus for Midan Tahrir (closest stop to the Hostel).

He shook our hands and said, "See you in Heaven...".

That was the last we saw of him...

Out of Canuckistan: A travel blog, May 27/07
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Thursday, May 22, 2008

Cairo, Egypt - Welcome Back Bubba


Luxor, Egypt, circa 1994.


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Map points to the Dahab Hostel. Excellent location (see Egyptian Museum). Clean rooms. Shared bathrooms. Common seating area opened to the heavens. Top floor. No A/C but fans available. Something like 35 L.E. per double per night.

Managed to buy a book today at the huge second hand book market at Midan Ataba. There must have been a million or so books on sale. Books covered a wide range of topics from engineering to medicine to rare antique literary works but somehow I picked out of the bunch a trashy page turner written by Ken Follett called White Out. I was really after Pillars of the Earth but I'll try this one.

I met a cool Japanese girl, Mimi, at the Dahab Hostel, the place where I'm staying. She's a buyer of belly dancing attire (to stock a store back in Tokyo) and makes annual trip to Cairo (THE hotbed of belly dancing in the Middle East). Anyway, she had the hippest business cards (everything translated into Arabic) that she got down in the Ataba area. I had to get my own. They should be ready by tomorrow.

My time in Cairo has been great. It's so energizing to be in a really really big city. I've eaten alot, trying to get rid of a calorie deficit. So, I've been eating crazy things like double chocolate cake (did I mention Egyptians have a incredible sweet teeth), and massive half barbeque chicken dinners.

I've met an incredible group of travelers/wasters at the Dahab. The Hostel is located just off Midan Talaat Harb on the top floor of a building. There's a common central sitting area where we spend most of the day wasting away. Some notable wasters were Richard and Sally the Aussies, Muhammed the German, Mimi, and Dennis the Dutchman(semi-retired grad student whose been at the Dahab for months now) and the Norwegian.

As for the rest of the trip, I will go to Alexandria and Siwa and think about it. The AUC (America University at Cairo) was well stocked with LP guides but was missing the critical Pakistan guide. I might have to make due. Otherwise, they had the LP for Central Asia albeit dated. I met a Korean girl headed to Bangkok on Egyptair for $340 USD. Now that's a deal...

Out of Canuckistan: A travel blog, May 22/07
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Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Aswan to Cairo, Egypt - Nubian Museum and Philae...


The actual island of Philae is under water (in the lake formed between the Low and High Aswan Dam. The temples (dominated by the Temple of Isis) of Philae were moved block by block (like the temples at Abu Simbel) 500 metres to a new island where they stand as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Kiosk of Trajan...note the exquisite Roman columns...

Column found in the Vestibule of Nectanebos at the entrance to site...

The Western Colonnade leading to the Temple of Isis...

Matt in front of the First Pylon of the Temple of Isis. Interesting to see a dark water stain at the bottom of the pylon marking undoubtedly numerous floods through the centuries...

Obligatory battle scene showing the victorious Pharoah (probably one of the Ptolemy's). Hilarious how he's got the enemies by the hair! Interesting how his image was chiseled and destroyed. Seems like this is commonplace when a ruler is usurped....or when another religion moves in...

Egyptian gods. I think that might be Isis on the left, then Horus (falcon-headed son of Isis), and an unknown goddess. so much for my knowledge of Egyptian mythology...

Inner sanctuary of the Birth House or mammisi found in western pillar of the first pylon. Structures like these were built to glorify the divine births of gods (in this case, the birth of Isis and related gods).

Reliefs in the birth house.

Another interesting birth house relief is that of Isis with baby Horus sitting on her lap.

Backside of the First Pylon, showing the funerary barque (boat that is used to carry the deceased to the underworld) of Isis...

The Second Pylon of the Temple of Isis.

Closer look at the giant reliefs on the Second Pylon...

The Hypostyle Hall in the Inner sanctuary of the Temple of Isis...

I found several of these carved into the existing reliefs. Run, run, the Christians are coming...

It's all Greek to me, eh... I found all sorts of graffiti on the wall of the Temple. No respect I'm telling you...

Caretaker Dude in the Hypostyle Hall...


View Larger Map
Aerial view of the Philae Temple Complex...


My souvenir ticket stub. 40 L.E.? That's a lot of money!!

Hmmm...went to the Nubian Museum on Day 1. That was really good. I was looking for more materials showing contemporary pre-High Dam history. But all in all, the displays were excellent (pretty comprehensive) and really informative.

Yesterday, Matt and I caught the water taxi out to the new Philae island to check out the Temple of Isis. That was fantastic. I just loved the reliefs. The birth house with it's offering table was brilliant.

Second class ticket from Aswan to Cairo costs 47 L.E. ($US 8.26). Not a bad deal at all...

I'm on the train for Cairo now. Said goodbye to Matt (he's going to take a felucca ride down to Luxor and do the Valley of the Kings).

I've had Africa withdrawal symptoms the last few days, especially coming from places like Ethiopia and Sudan. Instead of being surrounded by flocks of tourists in Egypt, it was a good feeling knowing that I were pretty much alone in Ethiopia and Sudan. The only foreigner around. The train ride in Sudan is still fresh in my mind (memories of the infamous logistics, the great people). Now I find myself in an air conditioned second class train, sitting in my own reclining seat. How weird is that?

Egypt marks the end of the African segment of the trip but as I was discussing with Matt yesterday, Africa proper, ended once we crossed into Ethiopia. The culture changed. The peoples' demeanor changed particularly in Egypt. People are much more serious here. Hardly anyone smiles. All business.

I'm skipping Luxor (with some regret). I don't think I can handle the touts. I'm moving onto Cairo. Alexandria. Then Siwa thereafter.

I'm thinking of going home soon. If I end this in June it will be 7 months on the road. That's a long time. Personally, until the DRC is safe, I might not be back this way for a long whil. The "stans" may be the next logical choice. On this trip? I dunno. One critical factor is information. Hopefully I can find some answers in Cairo...

Out of Canuckistan: A travel blog, May 20/07
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