Novotel Airport Cairo

... she goes,sometimes she doesn't.

We have no idea what we're going to do all day tomorrow, I guess just relax, walk around Cairo, check out a few streets we have yet to walk down? And hopefully find a place to cash some of our travellers cheques!! our train leaves at 8pm, so we have a full day of doing nothing. Maybe we'll take another 3 hours nap! hahah.....the sun really drains you!

We're losing track of days here, I dont mind :} I ...

... oh so worth it!
The sphinx was next..we explored the mummification room near it, the sphinx itself and the causeway leading from the the mummification area to the pyramid. They egyptians are pretty adamant that the pyramids are not the work of slaves, but of paid workers, with a tomb near the sphinx for the workers that died. It was getting pretty hot by this time and it was good to get on the bus in the air con. It was around 40 degrees ...

... Sphinx & the Valley Temple - visit the Step Pyramid of Saqqara (King Zoser's Pyramid) - it is the oldest stone structure, then transfer to visit Memphis, the ancient capital of Lower Egypt since its inception until about 2200 BC and it was the administrative center for along the ancient history- Back to hotel. Overnight in Cairo.

Day 3: Egyptian Museum - Citadel of Salah El-Din - the Alabaster mosque

Breakfast at hotel- Enjoy an ...

... traditional Egyptian sailboat) from Aswan to Luxor
~While on our sailing trip, cooling off after lunch on our accompanying support boat (which housed our toilets and kitchen/dining area) by taking a dip in the Nile
~At lunch while cruising the Nile, observing our support boat's crew negotiating and "test driving" for a donkey for their village (successfully, for $100 US-apparently a very good deal) and then bringing it ...

Well, our week in Egypt is now over and so is our tour. It was a very busy week with many many early mornings.

On our second day in Cairo we visited the pyramids at Giza and the Cairo Museum. Since I'm assuming this will be a very long entry all I can say is "wow!". Cynthia and I went into Khafre's pyramid as well so I was mistaken Mom - I did touch a pyramid! Afterwards we stopped at the Sphinx and a papyrus school.

We then took the overnight train to Aswan ...

... milion hour boat ride, getting beer for reasonable prices (i.e. not at a Western hotel) in a Muslim country is not the easiest task.

As a non-drinker when I was underage, I never really experienced the somewhat pathetic task of "finding alcohol" when it is not readily accessible. But my experience in Aswan was just too funny.

Jessica nominated me to talk to the locals, whcih I like doing. She picked out a guy hanging out by his car and asked me to ...

... found out that if you couldn't drop everything and pray that moment, you had until the next call to prayer to get it done. Convenient, huh?

We went downstairs to the breakfast buffet, and wow, what a spread! Speaking after the fact, I would say that the food at this hotel was the best we had during the entire trip. To accommodate everyone, there were foods from all over the world -- Japanese sushi, middle eastern fare ...

... she is so cool, I just love Maureen for holding nothing back , and living up every experience that comes her way! We both loved being on those camels, and had our pictures taken with the Pyramids in the background, and if you ever get a chance to do that, its worth every penny! And it only cost us, $ 5.... Next it was on to see the Sphinx, which was also alot bigger than imagined, and full of people trying to sell you gold Pyramids on necklaces ...

... you need to have a good shower after leaving ;-)

We wrapped up our last night wandering around crazy Kahn el Khalili. Fishawi's coffeehouse was like a crowded oasis amid the chaos of the market. Luckily our new Saudi friends, in town on military leave, were willing to share their table. We enjoyed sheesha and tea before heading to the most amazing Egyptian meal at Abu el-Sid in Zamalek. The restaurant is amazing with the coolest lamps I've ever seen. Egypt ...