Siwa

What could be the most relax, chill place in all of Egypt more than met my expectations. The Berber culture of the inhabitants is strong and reveals itself in the cuisine (tajine anyone?). The town is very conservative and alcohol is a no-no in its perimeters; however, as I know, home-made date wine can be bought. The women were not only veiled, but had semi-opaque sheaths covering their entire faces. Furthermore, they wore blankets around their black cloth covered bodies. Most of the women were like this, but not all, and the little girls were dressed in the most outrageously gaudy dresses, more appropriate for a ball than a dusty, date filled town.

I'm happy that we (Klaas the Dutchman, Tobias the German from Munich, and Winter the American with obviously hippie parents) found our own little slice of paradise. I'm just happy that I was able to experience this place before hoards of tourists could ruin it.

So salty I float!! No matter that the water was only 1 1/2 feet deep!

I biked this trail four times!

Old dwellings

Sunset

Bulgaria and onwards

So it took 14 1/2 hours, but I made it to Sofia, Bulgaria. First impressions were not so good. But I stopped into the Sheraton and the cutest Bulgarian so far (honestly I'm not sure if that means so much...ohhh I'm mean) gave me directions to this internet cafe and a map! My impression of Sofia has improved a bit from then on...I found the open air book market, which doesn't have a great selection of English books, but still. And some of the streets do have a sort of East European charm (i.e. slightly run down with some traces of design and asthetics, overmasked with bad taste and worse fashion). But there are so many places where one can get a snack, so I can't hate Sofia. In fact, it has made me giggle a lot.

Annoyingly, I can't seem to find a place with USB ports, fast internet connections, etc. at once, so again no pictures--and some of my pictures are great, although I've been slacking.

Okay so there is a very intense man sitting opposite from me. Don't know what he's yelling about...perhaps he's playing CS, but I think I'm going...

The Sun is Still Shining

If I had to sum up what I'm feeling right now, it'd be hot and sticky and itchy. Yes, those dreaded mosquito bites are back, not Peru Amazon bad, but plenty horrid enough.

Siwa is quite an amazing place, made more special by two nights of camping by one of the salt lakes. The lake wasn't Dead Sea salty, but it was impossible to sink and its water stung every minute cut on my body. Floating on my back, looking up at the Milky Way, watching the spy satellites go round and round. Amazing. Huge shooting stars and skinny dipping (I sure did Geneva). I actually never made it to the Great Sand Dunes, but no matter.

After a 9 1/2 hour bus ride, and another story to add to my collection, I'm back in Cairo. I haven't been to Saqqara to see the Bent Pyramid, but I will pass on it in exchange for a relaxing day lounging about and finding good books to read for the next leg of my trip.

As I mentioned before my MyAir flight to Bari from Istanbul (I bought a round trip ticket from Istanbul to Cairo and back again) has been canceled--all MyAir flights were canceled, leaving me in a pickle. My fellow travelers came to the rescue and suggested that I take the train through the Balkans!! So that is exactly what I'm doing. I just moved up my EgyptAir flight two days and will be leaving Egypt tomorrow morning. I'll have a lovely afternoon back in Istanbul and then will take the train to Sophia (probably). I need to work on the details now.

HMMMM

So first, thanks to all who wished me a happy birthday =D

I gotta say though that my bd was not how I execpted it would be. I didn't go hot air ballooning due to the fact that all ballooning in Luxor has been suspended. Apparently there was a balloon vs. building battle, and the building won. But don't worry no one was killed or so it was said. After that disappointment, another disappointment followed. I didn't make it to the Tombs of the Nobles. Sigh, but no matter because for my actual birthday I ended up on a train to Cairo and then transferred to another train to Alexandria. There I spent a very relaxed day after a hectic, hilarious transportation debacle, one which rivals my bus ride from Hurghada to Aswan.

Oops, I realize I never explained that trip either. Welllllll, both involve sitting on the ground for three hours...

Now I'm in Siwa, which is about 15km from Libya. As it's impossible to get there (don't have the required permission nor papers), I'll be here for the next few days, which will be lovely as I've found a nearly isolated slice of paradise. Pictures to come.

One final note, my flight to Bari has been canceled...gotta figure that out...

Egyptian Beauty

Pharaonic monuments, the Red Sea, the Nile. Grandiose, calming, picturesque. This is the Egyptian beauty I was hoping to see. Along with the outrageous is the amazing, and that's what I like about Egypt. If nothing else, I'm coming away with some great stories and ever better memories.

One of the bigger souvenirs I'm bringing back

This thing was huge!

Mahmya=Paradise

The Nile

So one thing I'm figuring out is that it's novel when non-Arabic speaking people speak Arabic in Egypt. It's a fun surprise and even more fun to try, especially when bartering. Also, I suppose in a sense it helps to be a girl. I actually haven't experienced such horrible sexual harassment as was anticipated by most people who learned I was going to Upper Egypt alone. Perhaps it's my "Don't fuck with me" New York facial expression, or perhaps it's because being sexually or verbally harassed in New York is not uncommon and Í've developed Teflon skin--words slide right off me.

In any case, Í'm about to hop on board a felucca

New York Revisited: Cracked out apartments

My accommodations in Aswan aren't swanky. They also don't have the charming decorations my New York landlord put up in the kitchen and halls. Talk about decor creating a certain ambiance, these 'speak' for themselves.

This is why YOU can't visit me:

It may not look like much, but my apartment is Clean and Helthy

C'est l'Eygpte

Fitting words to describe all that is Egypt and its idiosyncrasies.

Unfortunately, the internet cafe I'm in (while I hide from the blazing sun) doesn't have photo downloading software installed, so I don't have Egypt pictures yet. But here are some highlights.

1. Giza Pyramid Experience: Not just the pyramids, but the whole racket in which all are involved! The full price for non-Egyptians and non-Arabs (because Arabs can read Arabic...) is 60 Egyptian pounds, 30 for a student. Price for Egyptians/Arabs, 2 pounds (that's the equivalent of about ohhh 38 cents I guess). Then there are the 'police' who searched the car and expected a tip. The man who lead us to the ugliest horses/camels I've ever seen and made me get up on one. The old man who's poor horse nearly collapsed of fatigue after lugging us around the pyramids, and through an alleyway of Cairo trash. And the hilarious looking tourists emerging from the second pyramid, red and sweaty, out of breath and ready to die.

2. Cairo Traffic: I'm not sure who's crazier, pedestrians or motorists. Two points to the pedestrians scurrying across five lane streets, with no discernable crosswalks, traffic lights, nor stop signs. One point to motorists who use lane markers as 'suggestions'. One point to the elderly and kids weaving their way through traffic hoping to sell a 20 cent package of tissues. 4 points to the family of five who managed to fit two adults, two kids, and a baby on a scooter. 2 points to the pedestrians who have survived the traffic pollution. IT'S A TIE!

3. Beauty: Along the Nile, there are some beautiful outdoor cafes and restaurants, complete with man made breezes. Zamalek, the posh island, is aplenty with these gems. Plus, who can go wrong with fresh mango juice and cactus fig juice! MMM that is beauty in my mouth!

4. Food: I'm obsessed with Ayah's mom's garlicy eggplant, stuffed white eggplant, and the falafel found at the corner store. These falafel are more doughnut in shape and have a lighter consistancy to those found in NY/Europe.

5. Diving: Yes I dove with the fishies in the Red Sea. Got up close and personal with a Moray Eel, jelly fish, and lots of other colorful fishies and coral. Even saw a stingray, but no sharks.

Wait 'til you hear about my bus ride from Hurghada to Aswan. To be continued...

AND I PROMISE PICTURES!!! I even bought another flash drive to house them!!! =D

Good ByeTurkey, it's been fun

Tonıght ıs my last day ın Turkey and what a crazy journey ıt's been; travelıng has ıncluded three overnıght bus rıdes (15 hours, 8.5 hours, and 11 hours respectıvely), lots of random conversatıons wıth Turkısh guys, sıghtseeıng, hıkıng, hot weather, ıce cream, Mado ıce cream, Mado honey ıce cream. Mmmm that wıll be mıssed!

For the most part, I've managed to see what I came to Turkey to see, and met some characters ın the process.


Fun facts:

As a travel agent (plus havıng sıde projects, busınesses, on the sıde) you can earn 8,000USD a month, and have two flats ın Istanbul, wıth the plan of buyıng another one every year or so. Thıs ıs at the age 26

My hostel owner ın Goreme, Cappadocıa ıs 22 years old.

Gözleme are delıcous Turkısh pancakes, fılled wıth meat, cheese, potato, spınach, or a mıx!

Tomorrow, I head to Caıro where Ayah ıs meetıng me at the aırport! From there we do what I do best, EAT!! (Me ın a bıkını ıs not a pretty sıght at the moment. Oh well)

Visual İmages to Stimulate the Mind

Pit stop on 12 Island tour on the Mediterranean

Myra wonders

Eternal Flames at Chimera

Rose Valley. Cappadocia (six hours into the hike)

This picture is kinda cool

Kaş, Demre, Myra and beyond

Phew,

What a day. After a quıck two hour bus to Kaş (complete wıth snack and tea of course. Oh the servıce) I made ıt to Kaş, a smallısh fıshıng vıllage east of Fethıye. After droppıng of our stuff, Maı and I made our way back to the bus statıon where we fınally were able to buy bus tıckets IN ADVANCE from Antalya to Goreme and then Goreme to Istanbul.

Result: Our schedule has become a lot more flexıble...

Santa Claus better get me somethıng nıce thıs year.

About 30km east of Kaş ıs Demre whıch houses Saınt Nıck´s church (revered by the Russıans...boy dıd I see a lot of cyrillic today!). Somehow we fanagled ourselves rıdes on motorscooters to Myra 2km away. Maı was drıven by a 13 year old and I got the fat Turkısh man how ın the mıddle of the rıde told me that I should wrap my arms around hıs waıst. I though the path was goıng to get rougher: I was wrong!

The 10 TRY prıce of the rıdes ıncluded entrance to the Lycıan ruıns ın Myra (whıch ıs normally 10 lıra each). However ıt also ıncluded a ´prıvate´tour of the ruıns by aforementıoned fat Turkısh guy and the custodıan of the ruıns. All I know ıs somehow I found myself ın a tomb havıng a pıcture taken wıth Maı and Turkısh guy whose hand somehow managed to rest on my butt. I of course got ıt off, but the two guys persısted to ´show´us the tombs, meanıng follow us around tryıng to have pıctures taken wıth us! ENOUGH

...we had to walk the 2km back to town...ıt got hot...we got lost...green houses fılled wıth peppers and tomatoes surroundıng us. Hot and muggy and dusty. Luckıly another guy came around on a scooter, took pıty on us and gave us a lıft back to town. Thıs guy (Erme) wanted nothıng from us, and as ıt turned out, we ended up havıng slushıes wıth hıs frıend Lurı back ın town. Then he gave us a rıde to the other sıde of the mountaın (whıch was greener) on hıs scooter (really I dıdnt just pull a ´Kıyomı´) to get an up close and personal look of other Lycıan ruıns. These even had orıgınal carvıngs of Zeus, a magıc lamp, Greek characters decoratıng the outer walls. We met some of the other locals tendıng theır lıvestock and clearıng out theır greenhouses sınce ıts the end of the farmıng season.

Two kılos of tomatoes later, Emre took us to hıs parents house where we got a feelıng of how lıfe ıs ın the surroundıng vıllages of Myra. Hıs famıly lıves ın a three story house paınted dark and lıght green. What Ive notıced about many of the houses ın the area ıs that only one or two storıes are actually habıtable. The other floors have yet to be fleshed out. I guess once the famılıes have enough tıme and money more of the house ıs completed.

Food: Emre´s famıly was super hospıtable. We were gıven pancakes wıth cheese, spınach, and onıons, homemade olıves, pıckles, local honey and tea. Delıcıous, all organıc (otherwıse other countrıes dont ımport produce from the area now) and fresh.

Onward - Sınce transportatıon ıs now set, tomorrow means sea kayakıng and then makıng out way to Olympos. The day after, well search for the Eternal Flame and then make our way to Antalya where a nıce 10 hour bus rıde to Capadoccıa awaıts us.

(Okay okay I know thıs blog ıs now super borıng sınce I dont have new pıctures, but I dont want to go searchıng for the USB port on thıs computer, sınce Im ın the hostel offıce!)

Turducken

Okay okay so I haven't had duck, but I have eaten chicken in Turkey, so close enough. Sigh, sorry for the lame title, my creative juices are not running tonight.

Okay, I changed my settings, so anyone and everyone can comment, without having to register. So feel free to do so!!

Even after a sleepless night (at Gatwick!) the first day was packed with Blue Mosque/New Mosque sightseeing, the Grand bazaar, part of the Spice Bazaar, rounded up with a fish sandwich cooked on a boat off the Galata bridge. Mmmm. A chance encounter with the cafe owner of Gulmane Sur Cafe on the second day, changed the whole feel of our trip. We ended up taking to him (still can't figure out his name), his sons, and the other cafe workers for a few hours in an outdoor cafe that lines the wall of Topkapi Palace and also bordering Aya Sophia. We were actually attracted to their breakfast of eggs, cheese and spices, cooked in one large pan and eaten with white bread. I guess we looked hungry because they shared it with us.

After going across the Galata bridge and then around the another mosque, we headed back to the Blue Mosque to see a whirling dervish performance, from an outlook point above. Mai and I both agreed that it was cool, but perhaps not 75 minutes cool as actual sit down performaces touted. After the 'performance' (okay okay, it was actually a performance for patrons of the Dervish Cafe, we just errr looked in from above) we went back to Gulmane Sur Cafe, where the owner gave me a cooking lesson at his house and then where we shared a meal complete with fruit and raki (anise flavored Turkish liquor). Later we headed to Dejavu Cistern Bar, which was actually really nice. It's underground in an old Byzantine cistern. I tried my hand behind the bar (only to spill the whole contents of the second drink I made all over me) and danced the night away.

The problem with dancing the night away, is waking up the next morning. We managed Topkapi Palace (the cafe owner got us in for free. He knows the manager, or rather the ex-manager who is now a senator?), a stop at the Spice Bazaar, a Turkish bath experience (including an older, overweight, smelly Turkish woman in blue undies who scrubbed me all over...and yes I was neked, completely neked, because that's what she told me to do. Only after another Turkish woman came in with undies on did that made me think...we'll I know what I'd do if someone told me to just off a bridge. Pictures will not be posted!), and then off to Fethiye.

15ish hours later! Fethiye! A quick trip to Olu Deniz, and then a dinner at a local resto for locals, and then tea, and then here I am!

Ugh, no more writing! Pictures to follow...

Quickie Istanbul Update

Today is my last day in Istanbul. I'm going to Fethiye tonight via a 14 hour overnight bus ride! UGH. But Mediterranean here I come. Blue Lagoons, butterflies, ancient ruins...

Blue Mosque

Whirling Derviş

Istanbul Randomness: Yes the mosques and bazaars of Istanbul are quite impressive, but even more so: the local color.

Everyone and their mother eats corn from streetstands!

Trying my hand at bartending at Dejavu Cistern Bar

Our new Turkish friends

How did Mai and I run into these Turkish locals. That's to be continued.

Also more, better (jumping) pictures promised in the future. I have to get them from Mai's camera.