Standing Before the Remains of the Gods

Waking up at 8 AM this morning I never thought that my day would incite both emotional extremes: near ecstasy and unnerving fear. I had planned last night to tour the pyramid complex in Giza with a friend who also had not gone before. Both of us became excited at the thought of visiting a site so ancient and epic in scale; it's what happens when you pair up two humanities majors for an adventure. Brenden, my friend who was to accompany me, however, was forced to wait in an Egyptian government office for the visa he needed for our upcoming break next week, and therefore, unable to go with me to the pyramids. Knowing that I had been looking forward to going, Brenden was kind enough to guide me through the Cairo metro station and set me on the train to Giza.

While I have ridden in the Philadelphia subway on numerous occasions, nothing quite compares to the Cairo metro system. On a whole I would say that it is cleaner than its American counterparts; however, it lacks the extensive air conditioning equipment found back in the States. After taking the train for about 15 minutes I arrived at Giza Station, roughly a 15 minute taxi ride from the pyramids. As is the case elsewhere in the city, especially at bastions of Western culture like the malls, taxi drivers wait for potential clients right outside the station, darting forward at the sight of any non-Egyptian looking person. The driver that drove me to Giza was extremely nice and chatty for a Cairene (resident of Cairo) taxi driver. Using the limited Arabic I knew, we chatted about my travels around Egypt and the city, as well as the hardships of fasting during Ramadan. Side note: I've been fasting on-and-off throughout September, which this year is the Muslim Holy Month of Ramadan, as a way to reinvigorate my senses, specifically taste. He was also nice enough or business savvy enough to drop me off right by a stable, which are a dime a dozen by the pyramids. Horseback and camel riding are one of the main sources of income for the residents of Giza, and many of them are excellent horsemen, even young children handle Arabian stallions with ease. I was welcomed into the home of the stable's owner, a middle-aged Egyptian man; I unfortunately do not recall his name. Regardless, we talked for almost 20 minutes before turning to the reason I had come to Giza: to see the pyramids. As it seems to be the case with any tourist spot, Egyptians attempt to talk you into buying the most expensive item and are very persistent, but if you are stalwart in demanding exactly what you want, you will eventually triumph. With this in mind, I listened to the gentleman's offers for touring the pyramid complex and I had to ask for the simplest package several times before he ended it with a reoccurring phrase, "As you wish." It is the clear indicator that you have won the deal haha. For 200 Egyptian pounds, roughly $40 American, I was provided with a camel (named Banana), a guide who rode with me, and an entry pass to the plateau. My guide, named Abdullah, like his boss, was extremely personable and catered the trip to my desires. Seeing that Banana would move at a very slow pace, we spent a good portion of the trek talking in both Arabic and English about our families, plans for the coming Eid (religious holiday), and his affinity for the European tourists that frequented the pyramids.

Having never been on a camel before, it was a little unsettling at first. Unlike any other moving object I've been in a camel rocks side-to-side as it walks forwards, occassionally trotting. With both the guide and I riding together on a single camel, we moved a little quicker when Abdullah would spur Banana. I can see now why it took so long for desert caravans to arrive at their destinations and the camel was not widely used as a war animal. Despite its drawbacks, the camel is pretty mild in tempermant and not skiddish like a horse, which made my trek more enjoyable. Riding for nearly two hours, I was able to walk up to the 3 main pyramids on the plateau and take pictures of the area. Thanks to Abdullah's help, I have a number of pictures to show.


As for the part about unnerving fear, since I had left the dorm this morning without much forethought aside from grabbing my camera and the Gazette for pictures, I forgot to withdraw more money. Having paid for my transportation and the site seeing, I was left with 10 pounds by the time to leave. Ontop of this predicament, there were no ATM's in sight. Attempting to relate this problem to my guide in the best Arabic I could muster, we walked for nearly a mile without any luck. I could not think of a worse situation to be in, then be stuck a good 30 minutes from the dorms and without the money to pay for a cab ride home. Luckily, by what I consider divine intervention, my guide negogiated with a cab driver to get me to an ATM and then I'd pay the driver. The first ATM we came to had run out of money to dispense; dread crept over my face at this point. I felt myself grow clamy and had the urge to throw up despite not having had anything to eat since the morning. Al-hamdulliah (Thanks be to God) the next ATM was working and allowed me to withdraw money. Needless to say, I was very relieved to tell the driver to take me back to the dorms and I showed my appreciation for his patience by giving him an extra 15 pounds.

In retropsect, today was among the most eventful days that I have experienced since arriving in Cairo. While I wanted to break down and cower at several points, I continued to tell myself that I would make it home somehow, even if it required a little stress haha.

Ma'salaama for now,
Andrew

Travel Hymn

Here is a sampling of some of my photos, which I will try to intersperse with blog posts. Many of these pictures carry with them extensive stories, and so does everything I seem to become involved with here in Cairo. For the sake of brevity I will try to be succinct in recounting the back-stories to each of these pictures.

Beginning at the top left, this picture is of the inner courtyard of the Zamalek dormitories where I live in an apartment with 4 other students. Unlike the dorms at Ursinus, the Zamalek dorms are a converted youth hostel with a large cafeteria area inside and a lobby similar to any hotel. Additionally, there is the courtyard, which is shown in the picture, where students can sit out and study while getting some air and sun. I personally don't generally sit out here just because my computer's battery doesn't last very long and there's no plugs in sight haha.

Next is a picture I took while riding in a bus to one of the night events during orientation back when I first arrived in Cairo. It was almost surreal seeing the pyramids in the distance, growing in granduer as the bus got closer to Giza. I remember thinking I must be dreaming since I was within a few miles of something so epic and ancient.

The following two pictures are from my weekend spent in the Sinai town of Dahab, located about 2 hours south of the Egyptian-Israeli border on the Red Sea coast. About the size of Strathmere, the town is a lively tourist vacation spot, notable for its prestine waters, exotic sealife, diving, and kite boarding. Most of the town is situated directly on the coast and is connected by a long promenade that stretches for 5 miles, almost like the Ocean City boardwalk. Along the promenade you can find numerous hostels, restaurants, and shops selling anything from drinks to diving equipment. My friends and I stayed in a place called the Neptune Motel; it cost only $15 per person for a two night stay in a triple room. The staff was awesome and incredibly helpful - they even booked day-trips and our bus tickets for the return trip to Cairo. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to do much besides sit on the beach and go swimming since I was sick with some type of stomach infection during my stay. I'm hoping to go back at some point later this semester and bring antibiotics just in case this time!

Finally, the last picture is from my trip to Alexandria during the week right before classes began at the beginning of this month. As part of the itinerary the group visited a bunch of sights around the city, one being the Roman theater complex. Dating back to the age of Caesar, the theater was situated among a busy neighborhood with its own market and insulae, the Roman equivalent of the duplex. Where I'm standing in my picture is atop the seats of the theater, roughly 25 feet above the ground. It blewn my mind to think that I was standing in the same spot as a Roman citizen thousands of years ago.

Ma'salaama for now,
Andrew

<-- Taken at my hotel roommate's house following the Iftar celebration dinner his family hosted. I've never eaten so much in my life, especially lamb and eggplant.

Immersion and Its Consequences

Not that I wish to be overly dramatic or deviate much from my usual cheerful tone exerted in my previous posts, but I feel moved by recent experiences to relate some interesting observations about my immersion into Egyptian culture. Foremost, I wish to emphasize that what I am about to write is purely my opinion and is not intended to act as an authority on Egyptian culture; I only speak from what I have observed first hand and the thoughts they have stirred. With that being said a number of insights into the nature of Egyptian society have presented themselves through my day-to-day interactions with other American and Egyptian students, as well as individuals I have encountered while traveling, getting meals, etc. One of the most apparent characteristics of Egyptian society is that it is very much a two-tiered system, much like any other militarized pseudo-democracy, such as Russia or various South American nations. While coming here I had been aware that Egypt was definitely more authoritarian than the United States, I was not savvy to what extent that meant and how it would affect my life as a student in Cairo. The military definitively controls the nation's populace through a distinct presence, namely by doing things such as flooding the population with military propaganda in the form of the 6th of October Victory bridge and memorial. To be brief, these monuments attest to the government's desire to paint a different picture of the nation's near destruction at the hands of Israel in their war over control of the Suez by claiming the Egyptians could have marched on Tel Aviv had the US not intervened and called for a cease fire. I was floored when an RA told my friends and I that exact version of the Egyptian-Israeli conflict - I held my tongue and just shook my head internally. Then again, every country does things like this in some fashion; unfortunately, the old saying to the effect of "the victor gets to write history" holds true everywhere. Getting back to my main point about the two-tiered structure of Egyptian society, this became very apparent through my experiences on campus and exploring the city. For example, the Egyptian students I attend the university with are among the wealthiest in the country and oh, does it show! Despite being used to this with attending Ursinus (I'm looking your way, Main Line), my shock was not lessened when I walked on campus the first day. I've never seen so many Louis Vouton bags, pairs of Gucci shoes, or designer jeans in a single place until the first day of classes last Sunday. Not that I do not enjoy luxury items (mom and dad can attest to my affinity for JCrew) but it felt like you had to flaunt them to be accepted among the Egyptian student population. I also noticed that unless engaged by you, many Egyptian students will not make any attempt at conversation or introduction. This may have several causes, which I have not fully perceived just yet, but it seems like Egyptians have become very conservative in their social interactions. From this I'd like to move onto another observation: the blatant biases found throughout Egyptian culture. One that I experience daily is rooted in the fact that I am a white, male foreigner - a target for being charged more for a cab ride around the city, food from small vendors, and merchants at markets. Fortunately, I always have the option of declining whatever is being offered to me since there's always a dozen more options available. Much of what I am experiencing in Cairo conjures up thoughts of what it must've been like to be an African-American living in the South during the pre-Civil Rights' movement era. Additionally, the girls I have befriended here have been subjected to sexual harrassment, ranging from cat calls to groping on the streets. What is more appalling is that Egyptian women are also the victims of this treatment and many remain silent about it! While I understand the social reprocutions for speaking out about this for women, it does not excuse the government's apathetic stance in policing the crime.

Enough ranting for now; I need to get some sleep before classes tomorrow.

Ma'salaama for now,
Andrew