I have been home for one week and it is taking some getting used to. First off, it is quite cool almost cold. Although for spring here it is considered warmer than usual. Secondly, no one brings me my meals, cleans my house, or does my laundry regularly. Oh, and no bouquets of flowers brought to me by young men with beautiful smiles. What's a gal to do? Get on with the tasks at hand like preparing my income tax return and sorting out other issues that awaited my return.
Meanwhile a little about my last evening and day in Egypt.
I elected to have a twelve and a half hour layover in Cairo between flights. This was a good thing. My car, driver, and guide met me on my arrival from Luxor and we went directly to the Museum. I knew that I had to select only a few displays to see because the museum is huge and all that walking and standing was not possible. I chose the treasures of Tutankhamun and the mummy room. I do not have any photos because I chose not. I wanted to truly feel the experience and not just take photos.
I was tired after the museum so we drove around and I saw what I could from the car. The guide was great at explaining everything and stopping at areas of interest such as the City of the Dead, Islamic Cairo, and a sidewalk cafe for a coffee.
While driving by Sisi's palace we saw maybe one hundred police/soldiers with guns and many many cars. All were outside the gates. When I questioned my guide he said there was a special meeting taking place. It was already dark, so it was probably about 7 pm.
I was quite annoyed at the guide at one point because he was on his cell phone for about ten minutes. In addition, he told me that we would not be going to Coptic Cairo and the hanging church (which is the Coptic pope's home church). He gave what I thought was a lame excuse for not going. I had only stated I wanted to go to three places, the museum, Islamic and Coptic Cairo.
I was taken back to the airport a little earlier than planned, but it wasn't until I was on the plane that I found out the news. As soon as we board the steward offers a selection of newspapers and of course I always take the English language one. There in huge headlines was Egypt under a three month state of emergency. I was shocked and could not continue reading but instead asked the man next to me what had happened and he told me about the bombings in the two Coptic churches that very day.
It began to dawn on me that the reason my guide was on the phone, the special meeting at the palace, and the real reason I was not taken to the Hanging Church was about the bombings. I was shocked, but thankful to be on the plane. That was not one of the churches where the bombings were, but people had been warned to stay away from all Coptic churches for fear of more bombs.
The night before, my final night on the West Bank we spent a few hours at Blue Sky having a drink and watching the lights come in Luxor and savouring the view of the reflections in the Nile.
Some photos.
Meanwhile a little about my last evening and day in Egypt.
I elected to have a twelve and a half hour layover in Cairo between flights. This was a good thing. My car, driver, and guide met me on my arrival from Luxor and we went directly to the Museum. I knew that I had to select only a few displays to see because the museum is huge and all that walking and standing was not possible. I chose the treasures of Tutankhamun and the mummy room. I do not have any photos because I chose not. I wanted to truly feel the experience and not just take photos.
I was tired after the museum so we drove around and I saw what I could from the car. The guide was great at explaining everything and stopping at areas of interest such as the City of the Dead, Islamic Cairo, and a sidewalk cafe for a coffee.
While driving by Sisi's palace we saw maybe one hundred police/soldiers with guns and many many cars. All were outside the gates. When I questioned my guide he said there was a special meeting taking place. It was already dark, so it was probably about 7 pm.
I was quite annoyed at the guide at one point because he was on his cell phone for about ten minutes. In addition, he told me that we would not be going to Coptic Cairo and the hanging church (which is the Coptic pope's home church). He gave what I thought was a lame excuse for not going. I had only stated I wanted to go to three places, the museum, Islamic and Coptic Cairo.
I was taken back to the airport a little earlier than planned, but it wasn't until I was on the plane that I found out the news. As soon as we board the steward offers a selection of newspapers and of course I always take the English language one. There in huge headlines was Egypt under a three month state of emergency. I was shocked and could not continue reading but instead asked the man next to me what had happened and he told me about the bombings in the two Coptic churches that very day.
It began to dawn on me that the reason my guide was on the phone, the special meeting at the palace, and the real reason I was not taken to the Hanging Church was about the bombings. I was shocked, but thankful to be on the plane. That was not one of the churches where the bombings were, but people had been warned to stay away from all Coptic churches for fear of more bombs.
The night before, my final night on the West Bank we spent a few hours at Blue Sky having a drink and watching the lights come in Luxor and savouring the view of the reflections in the Nile.
Some photos.
