sunny with a chance of bluebirds

Dahab

Posted by Emily | Posted on 24-01-2011

Category : Family, Scott & Diane's Visit, Travel & Sightseeing, Travel within Egypt, Welcome in Egypt

While Brandon’s parents were in town, we decided to visit Dahab on the Red Sea. The snorkeling there is absolutely amazing and it is apparently deemed a little safer than Sharm El Sheikh (where there have been some recent shark attacks). If you haven’t been to Dahab, it’s beautiful! Looking across the Red Sea, you can see Saudi Arabia, and behind you, the stunning landscape of the Sinai Peninsula. It’s really gorgeous.

I love all the restaurants and cafes lining the coast. It’s definitely a relaxing place to hang out.

Photo by Scott Canfield

The first day we were there, we did some snorkeling in the bay where we saw all kinds of colorful fish and corals. The next day, we walked out to an area called the Island.

Photo by Scott Canfield

It was absolutely amazing. I wish I had an underwater camera because describing all the colorful sea life simply can’t convey how awesome it really was. We saw all kinds of colorful triggerfish, parrotfish, cornetfish, pufferfish, and dozens of other types of fish I can’t even name. We even saw a school of barracudas! It was such a neat experience!

We also had a great time relaxing, reading, and playing cribbage (my new favorite game!). By late afternoon, however, it was clear that a storm was blowing in.

Photo by Scott Canfield

There was an incredible storm that night, complete with spectacular thunder and lightning, hail, and of course power and water outages.

Photo by Scott Canfield

The next morning the sea was totally calm with virtually no wind, and the tide was very low.

Photo by Scott Canfield

There were hundreds of hermit crabs and creepy crawly starfish along with cats and dogs rummaging around the low tide for something to eat.

Photo by Scott Canfield

That afternoon we had to drive back to the airport in Sharm El Sheikh to catch our return flight home. We were happy to hear that the roads were clear after the huge storm. But as we made the trip back, we realized that most of one of the roads was completely covered in mud and rocks, which meant we shared a two-lane road with oncoming traffic at top speed. It was a little bit scary, especially when we came to areas with mud, rocks, and debris blocking the road. And with the sun going down, I was honestly a little worried, but we made it!

Khan Al Khalili

Posted by Emily | Posted on 23-01-2011

Category : Family, Scott & Diane's Visit, Sightseeing in Cairo, Travel & Sightseeing, Welcome in Egypt

Photo by Scott Canfield

After taking in the ancient Egyptian sights in Cairo, we visited the Khan Al Khalili. I really like walking along the streets lined with medieval buildings, ornate Islamic architecture, and vendors selling everything from spices and scarves to t-shirts and jewelry.

I think the architecture is my favorite part, and Scott took some really nice photos.

Photo by Scott Canfield

I feel like I see something new every time I’m there.

Photo by Scott Canfield

This “Gift Shop” was new… or at least we had never seen it before. They had a lot of really beautiful, high-quality ceramics, furniture, and other crafts. I’m definitely going to have to remember this place!

Photo by Scott Canfield

There is certainly no shortage of cats in Cairo. This one was ready for us to take him home, but we had to decline. Sorry little guy.

Photo by Scott Canfield

The rain started again while we were out, and the shopkeepers hurried to cover everything with plastic.

Photo by Scott Canfield

Fortunately for everyone, it didn’t last long, and we resumed browsing and shopping for souvenirs.

Photo by Scott Canfield

It’s always fun to visit the Khan, even though it can get be a totally overwhelming experience with so many sights, sounds, and smells.

But the adventure didn’t end until we’d successfully crossed approximately six lanes of traffic to catch a taxi home.

Photo by Scott Canfield

I think the look on my face says it all. Haha. But we made it!

Rain in Cairo

Posted by Emily | Posted on 23-01-2011

Category : My Life in Cairo, Oh, Egypt, Scott & Diane's Visit, Welcome in Egypt

In addition to bringing all kinds of great stuff from the States, Brandon’s parents were kind enough to bring along some lovely Oregon weather! We had lots of cloudy days, fog, and yes, even rain!

It was almost like being back in Oregon! I love Egypt, but it was a nice weather vacation. I’ll take gray skies and rain wherever I can get ’em.

Photo by Scott Canfield

Look at the weird look of confusion on my face.

Photo by Scott Canfield

Yep, it was the real deal. And it didn’t just stop after a few minutes. It rained all afternoon and then off and on for a few more days! It was wonderful!

Photo by Scott Canfield

Memphis and Saqqara

Posted by Emily | Posted on 23-01-2011

Category : Family, Scott & Diane's Visit, Sightseeing in Cairo, Travel & Sightseeing, Welcome in Egypt

The morning we drove to Saqqara was quite foggy. With visibility low, our driver suggested we visit Memphis since the sun might come out a little later in the day. Brandon and I had never visited Memphis, and after consulting our handy Lonely Planet Egypt book, we were kind of surprised we hadn’t! Apparently Memphis was the capital of Egypt for most of the Pharaonic period and was full of gardens, palaces, and temples. Sadly, there is little left of Memphis, but there is a nice open-air museum and some beautiful statues.

Photo by Scott Canfield

The site itself was beautiful, with leafy trees, palm trees, and all kinds of greenery… a nice change from the usual desert landscape.

I think my favorite part was seeing this Sphinx.

Photo by Scott Canfield

He may not be as large as his Giza cousin, but his charming face and headdress make a world of difference.

Photo by Scott Canfield

On our way out of the archeological site, we realized we had almost missed the most spectacular colossus in Memphis!

Photo by Brandon Canfield

This colossal statue of Ramses II was incredibly well-preserved. Look at all of that detail!

Photo by Brandon Canfield

We were certainly glad that our driver had recommended a visit to Memphis, and by the time we left, the fog was beginning to lift and the sun was shining.

We headed to Saqqara where we visited my all time favorite museum in Egypt, the Imhotep Museum.

It’s a great museum, and I love how it points out things like “the oldest stone ceiling” and “the oldest stone frieze.” It’s pretty amazing to consider that we were looking at some of the oldest stone architecture in the history of mankind.

After leaving the museum, we entered the Saqqara complex, which is entered through a hypostyle hall.

Photo by Scott Canfield

The step pyramid must be under restoration. It always seems to have scaffolding on it and different areas are off-limits. It looks like they have been clearing away the sand that had piled up on the steps and are covering it with new bricks. I feel incredibly presumptuous even pretending to know what is going on, haha.

Photo by Scott Canfield

Photograph by Brandon Canfield

Photo by Scott Canfield

From Saqqara you can see several other early pyramids including the “bent pyramid” and the “red pyramid” (above). And looking through the Cairo haze in the other direction, we could even see a glimpse of the Giza pyramids (below). It’s quite a view.

Photo by Scott Canfield

We had a lot of fun walking around the tombs and looking at the beautifully carved reliefs. We then walked along the causeway back toward the entrance and headed home.

Photo by Scott Canfield

Visiting the Pyramids with Brandon’s Parents

Posted by Emily | Posted on 22-01-2011

Category : Family, Scott & Diane's Visit

The past two weeks have just flown by! Brandon’s parents have been visiting and we had tons of fun sightseeing and spending time together. Brandon’s dad, Scott, is a phenomenal photographer, so nearly all of the photos I’ll be posting from their visit were taken by him. So thanks, Scott for letting me share some of your incredible photos.

First up on the sightseeing itinerary were the pyramids at Giza. Even though this marked my sixth visit to this wonder of the world, it is amazing to me how each visit is always guaranteed to be an awesome experience.

Photo by Diane Canfield

Photo by Scott Canfield

I thought it was amazing to see these zoomed in shots of the top of the Great Pyramid. Makes you wonder how it would have looked 4,000 years ago when it was still fully intact.

Photo by Scott Canfield

We had a great time walking around and taking in the sights.

Photo by Scott Canfield

Even though it has been pretty hazy lately, the views were great and it made for some beautiful photos.

Photo by Scott Canfield

We noticed something going on off in the distance. Normally there are tourists riding horses or camels in the desert around the pyramids, but it looked like they were filming a movie or something out there this time. I’m very curious to find out what it was.

Photo by Scott Canfield

Fortunately, however, we had our own entertainment…

Photo by Scott Canfield

We also visited the Cheops Solar Boat Museum.

Photo by Scott Canfield

It always amazes me to see how well preserved these things are!

Photo by Scott Canfield

Here’s Brandon and Diane examining some incredibly preserved grass thatch from the boat. I’m in the background… a little preoccupied by my much too large mandatory museum footwear.

You have to wear these special canvas booties over your shoes to enter the museum. The reason for this is beyond me, but when in Egypt…

Photo by Brandon Canfield

Photo by Scott Canfield

After visiting the museum, we headed back to the Great Pyramid, and Brandon, Scott, and Diane ventured inside!

Then we set out to find a nice camel for the famous camel photo.

This one turned out to be quite the photogenic camel. He really knew how to pose!

We then headed toward the Sphinx.

Photo by Scott Canfield

Since it was getting late, and we were all pretty hungry, we decided to check out the Pizza Hut across from the Sphinx. It is nothing short of mind blowing that this is in fact the object of the Sphinx’s eternal gaze, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it.

Photo by Scott Canfield

Photo by Scott Canfield

I wonder what the Pharoah’s would think of Giza today. I think they would at least be proud that it is still a source of wonder and mystery so many thousands of years later… and the Pyramids have certainly proven themselves to be a feat of architectural engineering that far surpass anything else today. It seems almost certain that in 3,000 more years, the Pizza Hut will be dust and the Pyramids will probably look just about as good as new.

and last but not least…

Posted by Emily | Posted on 12-06-2010

Category : Family, Mom and Dad's Visit, My Life in Cairo

the Pyramids!

On Wednesday we finally made it to the pyramids of Giza. We decided to try to get there as early as possible since it has been so hot. When we arrived around 8am, the park was virtually empty except for three Weddles, a few camels, and a lot of guys getting ready to sell souvenirs.

from ancient to medieval in Cairo

Posted by Emily | Posted on 10-06-2010

Category : Current Favorites, Family, Mom and Dad's Visit, My Life in Cairo

On Tuesday we started our day with a cab ride to Tahrir to see the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities.

We spent a few hours enjoying the Tutahnkamun exhibit, Akhenaten collection, and other ancient art and artifacts of Egypt.

We then took a taxi to the Citadel.

The views of the city were stunning.

weddles in luxor

Posted by Emily | Posted on 06-06-2010

Category : Current Favorites, Family, Mom and Dad's Visit, Ryan's Visit, Travel & Sightseeing

This past week has been a whirlwind! After seeing some sights around Cairo with Ryan, my parents arrived and we left for Luxor. We arrived in Luxor around midday and decided to check out Luxor Temple in the afternoon sunlight. It was incredible. The city of Luxor creeps right up to the edges of these ancient sites, making the experience very surreal.

Ryan in Cairo!

Posted by Emily | Posted on 31-05-2010

Category : Family, My Life in Cairo, Ryan's Visit, Sightseeing in Cairo

Ryan arrived in Cairo on Saturday, and by Sunday morning we were at the pyramids! It has been about 48 hours since he landed and we have already been to Giza, Saqqara, and the Red Pyramid.

We decided to ride horses out in the desert in Giza to enjoy the view of the three main pyramids from afar. I forgot we would have to ride through garbage alley to get to the desert, but we managed. And hey, it appeared that we must have just missed the carnival.

My horse, which happened to be named “George Michael,” was a wiley one. For some reason I always seem to get put on wiley horses! He spent most of the time ignoring my attempt at direction and instead opted to careen into Ryan’s horse whenever possible. Apologies to Ryan and his horse on behalf of George Michael.

Anyhow… here’s Ryan on his horse with Cairo in the background.

Unfinished Obelisk

Posted by emily | Posted on 19-04-2010

Category : Current Favorites, Family, Robin & Grandma's Visit, Travel & Sightseeing, Travel within Egypt

Once we got to Aswan and after a crazy taxi experience that entailed some serious driver rivalry, keys stolen from the ignition, a chase involving a tire iron, and a group of tourists, ahem, us, quietly unloading our luggage and finding another cab… (yeah, I know, OH EGYPT!)

Anyhow once we got to Aswan, we decided to pay a visit to the unfinished obelisk. Let’s take a magical visit to antiquity together, shall we?

Now I know everyone experiences frustration and disappointment in life. But please try to imagine you are working in the scorching hot desert thousands of years ago with no promise of an air conditioned home awaiting you after a hard day’s labor quarrying stone with ancient tools and no SPF. Think about it. You’ve just chipped and chiseled away at the granite bedrock for who knows how long. The giant obelisk is coming along nicely, you at least have the satisfaction of knowing it is going to be the largest obelisk ever, hooray for human endeavor! And then what’s that? A crack? Surely not. And just like that, all of your hard work has to be completely abandoned.

Ugh, heartbreaking.

But at least it still attracts interest and awe thousands of years later.

Yikes.

Take a look at these chisel marks. I can’t even imagine how you’d quarry, hoist, and haul something like that.

Amazing.

Pyramids to get us started

Posted by emily | Posted on 19-04-2010

Category : Family, My Life in Cairo, Robin & Grandma's Visit, Sightseeing in Cairo, Travel & Sightseeing

I thought I would get started catching up on posting some photos from Robin and Betty’s visit in Egypt. While they were here, we saw the pyramids in Giza, five temples, four tombs, a whole lot of Nile, one giant museum, did some serious haggling at the Khan Al Kalili, had a few extraordinarily eventful taxi rides, and even made two apple pies. Delightful, yes! Busy, indeed! So I will do my best to get caught up soon… Here we go…

Ah, the pyramids. Has man made anything in recent history that will be visited by millions of tourists in 4,000 years? Anything anyone is going to marvel at? The pyramids are incredible. If you can look past the hecklers and discarded chipsy bags and imagine what it would have been like to stumble across this place after nothing but a flat sea of desert, it is truly awe-inspiring. Truly amazing.

Here are a few photos from our excursion…

Portland to Cairo and back to Portland

Posted by emily | Posted on 19-04-2010

Category : Family, My Life in Cairo, Robin & Grandma's Visit

We had such a great time with Robin and Betty! Here we are before the final wild taxi-ride to the airport. Wild in that it required a total of four vehicles, one water bottle of gasoline, a good dose of confusion, and a lot of swerving and speeding. In a way, a fitting departure that left us all thankful we’d left a little early for the airport. Despite the misadventures, I think we all had a wonderful time!!

welcome in egypt

Posted by emily | Posted on 31-03-2010

Category : Family, My Life in Cairo, Robin & Grandma's Visit, Sightseeing in Cairo

Robin and Grandma are visiting us in Cairo! A trip to the pyramids is on the agenda for tomorrow, but here are a few photos from the past two days:

Here’s Robin, Betty, and Brandon at a fruit stand in Maadi. We picked up some grapefruits, local bananas, and melons before heading out to dinner.

This afternoon we did a little shopping around the neighborhood and then went to Al-Azhar Park to see the Cairo skyline at sunset. The sun almost beat us down. Here is a cow on the freeway. Just in case you needed to see that.

Alexandria

Posted by emily | Posted on 06-01-2010

Category : Current Favorites, Meredith's Visit, Travel & Sightseeing, Travel within Egypt

Back in the day when Meredith was visiting, the three of us decided to get out of Cairo and visit Alexandria on the Mediterranean Sea. We stayed at the Sofitel right on the Corniche (the street that follows the coastline), and enjoyed the semi-fresh sea air and semi-break from Cairo life. Here is our hotel. It was relatively old and had lots of charm. I take that back. It had lots of charm, but there is nothing “relatively old” in this whole region that isn’t about 5,000 years old. Nevermind.

alex_sofitel

Here is the view from our hotel.

alex_night_coast alex_day_coast

Love that landscaping. Love it. I love when cities go the extra mile. Thanks, Alexandria. Plus, look how tidy everything looks! I was loving it!!

Saqqara and the Red Pyramid

Posted by emily | Posted on 06-01-2010

Category : Meredith's Visit, Travel & Sightseeing, Travel within Egypt

When Meredith was visiting we took a day trip to Saqqara and the Red Pyramid. Here are some shots from the car.

saqqara car ride_small

egg truck_small

Yep, that’s a truck full of eggs.

After driving through agricultural areas and more small towns lining a canal, and going through vast, dense forests of date palms, the lush greenery abruptly ended and all of a sudden we were in the desert.

step pyramid at saqqara_small

The step pyramid at Saqqara is the oldest stone pyramid in the world. Meredith and I really enjoyed the tremendously informative museum at the site. It pointed out interesting details that I might not have even considered, such as the oldest stone frieze known to man and the oldest stone ceiling. It was incredible and I enjoyed being able to see things like pottery and jewelry on site, rather than seeing everything from everywhere all together at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. It was also a great refresher on some of the basic iconography.

Here are some photos from our visit…

Catching Up…

Posted by emily | Posted on 04-01-2010

Category : Meredith's Visit, My Life in Cairo, Oh, Egypt, Sightseeing in Cairo

As you may have noticed, I am trying to catch up. I have about two million pictures I want to post, so I am just going to do it. They may be out of order, fair warning.

So here are a few from around Maadi. This is one of my favorites.

tree

Khan Al Khalili

Posted by emily | Posted on 05-11-2009

Category : Meredith's Visit, My Life in Cairo, Sightseeing in Cairo, Travel & Sightseeing

The Khan was amazing! Built in the 14th century, there was plenty of amazing architecture, interesting carved buildings, and huge old doors. Emily snapped a few photos on her cell phone after it got dark. It was stunning!

dome

E-I-E-I-O

Posted by emily | Posted on 05-11-2009

Category : Family, Meredith's Visit, My Life in Cairo, Oh, Egypt

Where do I even begin? We were in the mood for a good old-fashioned family game night and thought we would see what we could round up. We found a “De Lux [sic]” version of Scrabble which I think we can all agree lived up to its name… DEEEEEEEE-lux. Check it out…

delux scrabble

Dahab

Khan Al Khalili

Rain in Cairo

Memphis and Saqqara

Visiting the Pyramids with Brandon’s Parents

and last but not least…

from ancient to medieval in Cairo

weddles in luxor

Ryan in Cairo!

Unfinished Obelisk

Pyramids to get us started

Portland to Cairo and back to Portland

welcome in egypt

Alexandria

Saqqara and the Red Pyramid

Catching Up…

Khan Al Khalili

E-I-E-I-O

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