In View of the PYRAMIDS!!
From Ancient Initiates Tour in Giza, Egypt on Mar 06 '08
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Luckily the plane ride here was not an adventure in the least, but the adventures have been pretty non-stop since we arrived!!
We were met in Cairo by a lovely eager young (first time) travel assistant named Sabbre (spelling phoenetically) - meaning 'patience' in Arabic. [see photo!]Perhaps I think he was so wonderful only because he was our first encounter with Egyptian hospitality, because truly, everyone here is INCREDIBLY helpful. From the hotel (and pool bar) staff, through to a stranger on the street - you will get nothing but help from everyone. For instance, crossing the street in Egypt is nothing short of taking your life in your own hands!! The driving here is pure chaos (though I'm sure to an Egyptian it has perfect order...) - lanes are painted on the roads, but really are viewed as irrelevant, and cars do NOT slow down (let alone stop!) for pedestrians, or, well, ANYTHING really. So, this morning we were headed out for a hike down the street to our group leader's favourite shop and she basically said - you're on your own crossing the street! Then headed straight out for it herself. I was left on the other side feeling rather lost (though I wasn't alone) and began working my courage up to cross the street one car-bumper-coming-at-me at a time, alternating with squeezing in between cars waiting for the next car-width break in traffic. Luckily, one of the street-police came to our rescue and actually walked out and stopped ALL lanes of traffic for us to cross!! Then he proceeded to follow us all the way down the street to the next corner, just in case we needed further assistance!! I have never been so glad of help in my life. :) Assistance is gladly given, yet the service here is so non-intrusive that you actually have to signal a staff member over anytime you want anything.
I was held hostage by a cleaning lady...
Our first day here was spent entirely by the pool, and except for a swim and a few trips to the washroom, we literally did not move from our chaise lounges ALL DAY. We were served lunch there, I had three naps on that lounge, and the best part is, all we had to do was look to our right and THERE WERE THE PYRAMIDS!! [see photo!] To see these right from the hotel pooldeck was not something I was expecting to be sure. Amazing experience!!
Because of the nature of the people here, I feel COMPLETELY safe everywhere - not even at risk of pickpocketing. At one point at the pool, all five of our group [see photo of Arrival Group!] were passed out at the same time, for over 2 hours! Yet in that time, no one was the least bit concerned about the cameras, cash, or other belongings we had with us at poolside. We have been told that if an Egyptian wants something of yours, they will ask for it, and I believe it!!
Speaking of asking for things, they're not exactly shy about asking for tips either! In the airport, I was held hostage by a cleaning lady in the bathroom who literally stood in front of the door until she was given money. Good thing I was expecting that and went in armed with some Euro change I didn't want to carry around anyway.... Also, being clearly a tourist and white, the men assume things about us that aren't exactly true just because we show more of our bodies than Egyptian women. So, that results in lots of eye-roving, cat-calling, horn-honking and generally forward behaviour. In fact, if you're not careful (and I'm learning to be... quickly!!) you will even be subtly but nonetheless inappropriately groped. Ah, the joy of assumptions borne of culture differences....
Staying within the walls of the hotels it's easy to forget we're actually visiting a 3rd world country. Yet step outside for a bit of shopping, and it's obvious. Donkey- and horse-carts driving down the roads along with vehicular traffic, people growing vegetable crops in the narrow strip of bare earth between the canal and the road, and people herding cattle outside a fancy tourist-restaurant are only three examples I came across today. [See Photos!]
My neice Cali will be glad to know that I took "PCP" so seriously that upon my very first view of the pyramids I attempted a picture! [See Photo!] I say attempted because if you can find the pyramid in that picture, I'll be very impressed... yet to the naked eye they were there plain as day - honest!
The official tour starts on Tuesday, so I will have lots more to tell then. Tomorrow I think we'll hang by the pool again... ahhhhh, vacations!!!
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