Into the City... at last

Well All, we finally made it into the city last night. After another day at school (it is literally an American School, IB school, with the same feel as if back in Mpls public schools. Doesn't feel alien until one looks out the window and sees Egypt staring back at you!) a few felt like going on a Felucca ride in the evening. (A sailboat that is as common in Egypt as canoes are in Minnesota) So, Donna and I decided Yes! A few people were nervous about venturing into the city when so much unrest has been going on but we trusted teachers who live there now and have been here for four years. Anyway on our trip in we passed the Pyramids which was very exciting but my friend Wael (who is Egyptian but ironically just flew here from Brooklyn Center Minnesota where he has been living the last six years!) said it was nothing compared to standing right next to the Pyramids. We were excited nevertheless. We then all met up at a TGI Friday on the waterfront. (Can't get away from the bloody restaurant!) We rented our Felucca and off we went for a lovely two hour Felucca ride on the Nile. The boat has a central table in the middle and then has seating around it. Holds maybe ten,twelve people. It was as advertised. Beautiful late afternoon early evening. Wine, appetizers, and good conversation.  Pictures below. Later after going to an expat club (the ACE club) we headed home. What a crazy mess on the highway. Literally bumper to bumper the whole way and I pity the poor soul who got a flat out there in that mass of humanity, his car on the side with seven people sitting on the hood. Somehow we made it back a minute or two before the curfew.

 I had a funny interaction with my PE partner yesterday that went like this:
Tibor- I am so old....
Me- Me too
Tibor- But I am 56 years old
Me- Me too
Tibor- But I was born early in the year... February
Me- Me too
Tibor- But I was born early in the month
Me- Me too
Tibor- February 6th
Me- Me too!
After a few NO WAY NO WAY NO WAY and after a look at my ID verified it, he said "Crazy but w



ell I was born early in the morning.
Me- Me too
Tibor- I was born around 5:30
Me- I was born at 4:30......
Tibor- NO!  You are the oldest! Terrible.
Me-  Oh Oh, wait a minute.... I was born in Minnesota and you were born in Yugoslavia....
Tibor- YES!!!!! I am the eldest!

Crazy yet true encounter. We will be teaching together this year the grades 1-5 students. Could not be true yet is! I then pointed out that perhaps we were twins separated at birth but he has hair and I am bald.... He looked at me and said------ "Implants"

So today another day of mass protests... we'll see where this all leads. Uncomfortable but we still feel very safe. Because of the unrest we will be starting in two weeks. Therefore we joined a group that is going scuba diving in the Red Sea next week in Dahab. Donna and I will be trained to scuba dive. Hard to believe but hopefully true. We leave Wednesday night for Dahab on the Sinai coast.




Our first view of Pyramids






TGI Fridays

Shore bird

                                                          Felucca on the Nile

                                                     Feluccas lined up near shore.

                                      Matthew, Sue, Adam, Stephanie, Linda, Donna, Wael

                                                          Our sailor Ahmed with me and my Salty Dog shirt
                                   from Tom Sewall's Backus Minnesota Restaurant to the Nile in Egypt

Donna having a great time

                                                Ferry carrying piles of locals

                                                       Father and son fishing

                                                                   Nile Sunset