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.