Even after 7 months, and despite the fact that I see it every day, I still can't help but smile each time I see the Nile glittering in the sun.
Yesterday, it was even so clear that we could see the pyramids, all three, in detail, from the Ring Road by the Citadel.
Caroline and I were so excited we were squealing - and to think they are always RIGHT THERE.
All photographs were taken by, and are copyright of, the blogger.
29 March 2009
19 March 2009
What I'm Reading
Being that I'm an English Teacher, I figure it's been a while since I did a post about what's been good on the bookshelf. Fortunately, I've had time to catch-up on reading since Christmas and here's what I have:
Current: The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak: I've only just begun this novel, but it is an interesting portrait of East-meets-West.
Anil's Ghost by Michael Ondaatje: This was a creepy novel about government corruption during the civil war in Sri Lanka. Eastern ideas vs Western Ideas in a woman returning to her homeland after living in America. A mixture of themes of homecoming, mystery, suspense, and tragedy. Very good, interesting read - though a bit sad for my vacation reading.
Married to a Bedouin by Marguerite van Geldermalsen: a non-fiction auto-biographical account of a Kiwi woman who marries into the Bedouin of Petra in Jordan. Really fascinating and something I could definitely relate to as a Western woman trying to find her way in a new land with a new language and different culture.
Stalking the Wild Dik-Dik by Marie Javins: A single girl takes off alone on a round-the-world over-land journey. This book is the autobiographical account of her trip overland from South Africa to Cairo. Very interesting, a new and different perspective on places I will never go and inspiration to travel to Zanzibar sometime soon.
That's it - any recommendations for what to read next?
Current: The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak: I've only just begun this novel, but it is an interesting portrait of East-meets-West.
Anil's Ghost by Michael Ondaatje: This was a creepy novel about government corruption during the civil war in Sri Lanka. Eastern ideas vs Western Ideas in a woman returning to her homeland after living in America. A mixture of themes of homecoming, mystery, suspense, and tragedy. Very good, interesting read - though a bit sad for my vacation reading.
Married to a Bedouin by Marguerite van Geldermalsen: a non-fiction auto-biographical account of a Kiwi woman who marries into the Bedouin of Petra in Jordan. Really fascinating and something I could definitely relate to as a Western woman trying to find her way in a new land with a new language and different culture.
Stalking the Wild Dik-Dik by Marie Javins: A single girl takes off alone on a round-the-world over-land journey. This book is the autobiographical account of her trip overland from South Africa to Cairo. Very interesting, a new and different perspective on places I will never go and inspiration to travel to Zanzibar sometime soon.
That's it - any recommendations for what to read next?
13 March 2009
Cyprus
So, last week I went to Cyprus - the Greek side - for a little R&R with my friend/ co-worker/ choir director, Dan.
Being that it was not tourist season, the streets were nearly empty, and peace and quiet rained down on us from the heavens. Rain also rained down on us from the heavens on the last day, but that's ok, because rain is a novelty for us - being that it has only rained here in Cairo twice properly since August. Watching the gathering storm clouds approach from the Mediterranean while we sat on a high-hilltop in Paphos and ate an amazing lunch (pork and sweet potatoes for me, kebab pita for Dan) was exhilarating.
Overally, Cyprus is lovely, but what makes it so wonderful is the hospitality of the people ... and the food.
Exhibit A: Moussaka, perfect, fresh ingredients, melt-in-your-mouth sauce; at an outdoor cafe situated next to the medieval castle, on our first night
The trip did end up being a bit more expensive than we had anticipated, mainly because we've gotten so used to paying $1 USD for cab fare Cairo; not $10 USD for the same distance in Cyprus. Also, I had to eat mega-delicious, enormous, sit-down, event-style meals twice a day to be sure I enjoyed as much Cypriot cuisine as possible. There was Moussaka, Lamb with Green Beans and Potatoes (just like mom's ham-stringbeans-potatoes that I miss so much), pork and sweet potatoes, seafood risotto, seafood spaghetti, grilled haloumi, a mixed-mezze in Lemesos during which plates of food kept coming for nearly an hour, and fresh salads with little more than a sprinkling of olive oil and pepper for dressing.
I walked about 5 - 7 miles a day according to the map, usually walking at least 3 miles before lunch by myself, exploring the island and the sites. I went to the Tombs of the Kings at 8 am just after they opened and was the only person exploring for the first hour I was there. As it is an enormous site of natural caves and wild flowers that end at the sea, it was a beautiful, haunting, peaceful bit of exploring I'm guessing few people get to enjoy in such isolation. We went to the Paphos Archaelogical Site and saw ancient mosaics, the Medieval Castle / Byzantine Church / Turkish Prison in Lemesos, gardens, beaches, and churches. It was a good bit of exploring, my only wish is that I had gotten up into the mountains and villages away from the more touristy areas.
Overall, though, it was the recharge I needed.
Next week: Istanbul!
Being that it was not tourist season, the streets were nearly empty, and peace and quiet rained down on us from the heavens. Rain also rained down on us from the heavens on the last day, but that's ok, because rain is a novelty for us - being that it has only rained here in Cairo twice properly since August. Watching the gathering storm clouds approach from the Mediterranean while we sat on a high-hilltop in Paphos and ate an amazing lunch (pork and sweet potatoes for me, kebab pita for Dan) was exhilarating.
Overally, Cyprus is lovely, but what makes it so wonderful is the hospitality of the people ... and the food.
Exhibit A: Moussaka, perfect, fresh ingredients, melt-in-your-mouth sauce; at an outdoor cafe situated next to the medieval castle, on our first night
The trip did end up being a bit more expensive than we had anticipated, mainly because we've gotten so used to paying $1 USD for cab fare Cairo; not $10 USD for the same distance in Cyprus. Also, I had to eat mega-delicious, enormous, sit-down, event-style meals twice a day to be sure I enjoyed as much Cypriot cuisine as possible. There was Moussaka, Lamb with Green Beans and Potatoes (just like mom's ham-stringbeans-potatoes that I miss so much), pork and sweet potatoes, seafood risotto, seafood spaghetti, grilled haloumi, a mixed-mezze in Lemesos during which plates of food kept coming for nearly an hour, and fresh salads with little more than a sprinkling of olive oil and pepper for dressing.
I walked about 5 - 7 miles a day according to the map, usually walking at least 3 miles before lunch by myself, exploring the island and the sites. I went to the Tombs of the Kings at 8 am just after they opened and was the only person exploring for the first hour I was there. As it is an enormous site of natural caves and wild flowers that end at the sea, it was a beautiful, haunting, peaceful bit of exploring I'm guessing few people get to enjoy in such isolation. We went to the Paphos Archaelogical Site and saw ancient mosaics, the Medieval Castle / Byzantine Church / Turkish Prison in Lemesos, gardens, beaches, and churches. It was a good bit of exploring, my only wish is that I had gotten up into the mountains and villages away from the more touristy areas.
Overall, though, it was the recharge I needed.
Next week: Istanbul!
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