Toilet

Living outside of the US, you have to get comfortable with saying the word "toilet". Out loud. In public. Why is it that we whisper this word? The rest of the world has no issues using the word toilet in polite company.

Here's a good game for you all in the US to play. Over the next few days, try using these phrases:

"Excuse me, where is the toilet?"
"S/He's in the toilet."
"Do you have a public toilet?"
"I'll be right there, I just need to stop at the toilet."

The only rule: You cannot drop or lower your voice when saying the word toilet. It must be said at the same volume and tone as the rest of the sentence.

Piglet's In My Office

Lyra was excited to share some of her art with me this morning. She's been working on some water colors with Grammy.

Lyra: Here you can take this. I thought you'd like it because it has red in it. See? See the red. Mama, tear out this page.
Me: Oh, thank you. Yes, I see the red.
Lyra: Mama, tear out this page.
Me: Please let me eat my breakfast and then I'll tear out the page.
Lyra: Mama, tear out this page.
Me: I will, Lyra. After I eat my breakfast.
Lyra: You can take it to your office and hang it on the wall. People will ask you where got it and you can tell them that I made it for you. When you tell them will you call me?
Me: Sure, I'll call you.
Lyra: You can call me and tell me how much they liked it.
Me: I will call you and you can talk to them.

On the way up the elevator into the office the guy sharing the car with me also had a picture. His was of Bob the Builder - but no red in his.

Two Martini Yoga

About 3 or 4 times a week, I get up to go to yoga before work. It is a newly discovered passion of mine. I'm currently working on a move where I pull on my big toe and try to touch my ear with my heel (while seated on the floor in case anyone wants to try). Also, I've set myself the goal that 2008 is the year I'll be able to touch my head with my feet (by bending backward). Really. No, really.

One of the things I like about yoga is that some of the moves just make me laugh. I mean, when your instructor tells you to stand up, put your right heel on your left hip bone, lean over to grab your left foot, and then swing your right hand around your back and grab your right big toe - well who wouldn't laugh.

This morning while trying to touch my head with my feet I was feeling the effect of last night's two martinis (small martinis - not the big *ss Elsa's martini). Not the way you're thinking. I actually found myself getting much closer to this than I ever have before. I'll post a picture when I finally make it.

Grammy and Grumpy are Here!

When they pulled up in the car, Lyra ran out and jumped into Grammy's arms.

Lyra: Did you miss me?
Grammy: Of course.
Lyra (to Grumpy): Do I look bigger to you?
Grumpy: You not only look bigger, you are bigger.
Lyra: Did you know I'm five now? I've grown.

Today at breakfast she said, "I wish I didn't have to go to school." (me, too - go to work that is)

When they left Minneapolis, it was -1F (-18C) and they arrived to temps near 70F (20C). For us it feels cool, but to them it is bliss!

Snow in the Desert

I heard that there was snow in Baghdad a little while ago. It was the least violent day they had in a long time. Everyone was out playing in the snow! Maybe PeaceAction should change their slogan to "Make snow, not war."

These photos were taken in the Saudi desert.

A Sad Day

One of the young men who works for me lost his son yesterday. The baby was 13 months old (the same age as when we adopted Lyra). He had been born with severe brain damage and had struggled through many operations and treatments his whole life. In the past week, his condition had worsened and it was clear that he wouldn't live for long.


Upon hearing the news, many of the people from the office rushed to the hospital to visit the parents and provide their support. On the way to the hospital, I related to co-workers that the US practice would be to leave the family for a few days to deal with their grief. The response was, in India (the family was Indian) we have a saying, "For a birth, you have plenty of time to visit, but for a death you must go right away." So, we went to the hospital and waited as many friends, family, and co-workers arrived at the hospital to mourn with the family. The grief of the family was obvious and great - but the Muslim faith doesn't permit great wailing, screaming, falling down, and making a show. Instead, grief is displayed much as we would express it: comforting each other, crying together, and sitting quietly to let the family know we are there with them.

Because of his family's faith (Islam), the funeral was held the same day. Arrangements were made with the police to issue the death certificate and a grave was arranged in an Islamic cemetary here in Dubai. Graves in the cemetary are situated so that the dead can be buried facing Mecca. As soon as the death certificate was issued, the body was prepared for burial and the group moved to the cemetary. The women weren't allowed in and had to wait at the gates for the burial.

Typically, Muslims are not buried in a coffin (if allowed by local laws). Instead, they are laid upon a stretcher and covered with a shroud. This is true even of the Kings and Sheikhs to symbolize that we all come from the earth and return to the earth no matter our position or greatness on earth.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_funeral

http://islam.about.com/cs/elderly/a/funerals.htm

Good-bye Taxis!

You have ruined my day for the last time, you makin' me wait; not goin' to Mirdif; takin' the wrong direction; not finding my house; not havin' change; speedin' like maniac drivers. I'm glad to be rid of you and in my sweet, lovely Mazda 6.

And now, at 6pm (a totally decent hour), I'm off for home.

What A Week!!

This is a week that will not soon be forgotten.

First we started with the traffic chaos on Sunday as security authorities practiced for Shrub's motorcade. Then at 4pm, the next day, was declared a holiday. All major roads through the city were closed on Monday. It was an eerie feeling to see the city so quiet. Then the rains started. As folks returned to work Tuesday, they were challenged to find a route not blocked by road flooding.

It rained and rained and rained. For a week straight, we've had rain showers. But the past 2 days were full on rain - a real soaker! As I've said in previous posts, there are no drainage systems here (or at least not many). So, when the rain falls, there's no where for it to go. It would be an insult to call these things puddles. Ponds isn't even the right word. Maybe small lakes is more appropriate. Traffic was nearly at a standstill in the city. Cars were floating in their underground parking structures. A major interstate that crosses the UAE was closed in both directions due to a small lake that had formed across all 12 lanes. I walked into work wearing my sandals so that I could wade through the 4-inch pool that had formed right outside our sliding glass doors. The lovely granite steps and entries into buildings are a real accident hazard when they get wet. One small misstep and whooosh - you're on your bum (hopefully not a cracked head).

So, after Tuesday's chaos, the schools were declared closed for the rest of the week (Wednesday and Thursday). Lyra's been home with the neighbor kids having a ball. It's like snow days! Just need some hot cocoa and a sledding accident to feel like home.

Now, the rain has stopped and workers are starting to clear the flooding. This tanker truck is vacuuming the water to take it away. I'm sure they just dump it straight into the gulf. I can't imagine that they actually treat all this water. As the water drains away, the roads are left looking like dry creekbeds. They're covered with sand, pebbles, sticks and leaves. Last night, I almost missed the turn into our neighborhood because I couldn't distinguish the road from the empty sandlot next to it.

The sun has come out, and we're cold! Highs in the sixties and lows down near 40. We have no heat in the house. But, just like back in Milwaukee, we have one of the sunniest houses in the neighborhood. All day long, our house is exposed to the sun. So, we're getting some warmth now that the sun is out. But the evenings sure are cool.

Alien Invasion?

No, just a visit from the US president.




I hear the theme song from Twilight Zone. Doo-dee-doo-da, doo-dee-doo-da.

Kathie said...
Don't get it ... security purpose or? Were people told to keep off the streets?
Yes, about 7 major streets through town were completely shut for Bush's visit. Cars and pedestrians were forbidden from even being on these streets. As a result, a holiday was declared and people were advised to stay home - which is what I did. This major road, Sheikh Zayed Road, is 12 lanes of traffic on most days. One of my collegues who was here from Europe was staying in a hotel on SZR and he took these pictures. For me, seeing the chaos of this road every day outside my office, this photo is the most eerie sight - like everyone was lifted and taken by aliens.

It's Raining, It's Pouring

Well, not exactly pouring. But it is raining. REAL rain that collects in puddles and everything! Up until this week, any rain we have seen was enough to create a few rain spots on the windows of the car, but that was about it. But this week, real rain.

For the past week, it has been grey, cloudy, blustery, and rainy off and on. I LOVE IT! Yesterday, I needed my umbrella for the first time. After years of living in London, I got in the habit of tucking an umbrella in my purse. So, now I always have an umbrella with me - can't tell you how many times that has come in handy. I was the only person on the street who actually had an umbrella. Everyone else was dodging from shelter to shelter trying to stay dry - and not being too successful at it either.

This week, the weather prediction is for 40% chance of rain today and tomorrow with blustery winds. Then, on Wednesday a 100% chance of rain. We've heard over an inch of rain will fall. There are no storm drains here. So, even the slightest rain can create some pretty good sized puddles in the street. Already there are intersections and low spots on the road that have become filled with rain puddles. I can only imagine the scene when an inch of rain falls.

By Thursday, it will all be over and we'll be back to our regularly scheduled program - bright and sunny.

Shrub* Comes to Town

Today, without any warning or explanation, the Dubai Road Authority has closed or blockade access routes onto and off of the most traveled road in the city. This is not a new thing for them. Every once in a while, they take it upon themselves to barricade a road or exit. Nothing like posting a flash-board stating, "Starting Dec 19, this exit will be closed." Nope, no such thing like that happens here. A couple months ago, they blocked every exit on a road leading through the city and forced every commuter to drive to the neighboring emirate (Sharjah) before they could turn around and find their way back home. For you Milwaukeeans, it would be sort of like getting on I-94 to head to Racine, only to have all exits blocked until you got to Illinois to turn around and come back. Someone posted in the letters section of the newspaper that when they called to complain the operator said, "What's wrong with Sharjah? Sharjah's nice."

Every decade or so, a city has a day where some event (snow, traffic pile up, Presidential convoy) ties up the traffic to a point where the stories reach mythical proportions. The tales will be retold as urban legend for years to come. In Dubai, today's closing of roads and routes through the city will be added to the tales of traffic horror that are continually retold in this city. Creating a driving space for Shrub's convoy has traffic looking like the dog's breakfast. To add to the chaos, it is raining. Oooh, traffic is a horrible mess.

I'm looking out my window at traffic on the main artery through town, Sheikh Zayed Road. Traffic has been at a near standstill since 7:30 this morning. Years from now, whenever someone has a particularly bad day in traffic, anyone who was caught in this mess will pipe in, "I remember the day Shrub came to town, I was at the World Trade center, just 1/2 kilometer from work, and 2 hours later I finally got into the parking lot."

Two guys from our office were communting in together. After being already 1 1/2 hours late, one of them had his bladder calling - a call he could no longer ignore. They were about 1 mile from the office. He agreed with his ride mate that he'd get out to walk and find a building with a public restroom he could use. About 45 minutes later, he finally walked into the office - but his ride mate was still stuck in traffic and didn't get in for another 45 minutes.

Another guy fought through stop and go traffic for hours to make his way to the main intersection about 1/2 mile from our office. When he tried to exit for the office, the traffic police were blocking his way (too much of a log jam on the road and they weren't letting any more cars through). So, he was diverted onto another road and after traveling about 1 mile on that road the only direction he was allowed to turn (again by the traffic police) was in the direction right back to his house. So, after 4 hours, he was back home.

Actually, Bush's visit to Dubai isn't until tomorrow. So, we have all this fun to look forward to again tomorrow.

Updated: Since my original post, the city has actually declared that Monday will be a holiday. There are so many roads, bridges, and tunnels that will be closed - even more than today, that they feared the congestion would be too bad. Not even in his own country does a visit from Shrub warrant a holiday.

*Shrub was the name given to George W. Bush by Molly Ivins. Ever since, the nickname has stuck with me. I miss Molly Ivins. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molly_Ivins)

Mmmmmm, Bacon

At one time, Lyra was "vegetarian" but the type of vegetarian that ate bacon. If I were a vegetarian I'd be that type, too.

marnie said...
Ooh, bacon love. The food that makes every food taste better.

"Bippity, boppity, bacon! Now it's your favorite part of the meal."

Guess What?

Mamacita said...
Um....chicken butt?
Yep. Russell taught Lyra to say that. Now she thinks it's the funniest things. Little did he know how it would catch on. Other variations are: Rabbit butt; You're a nut; and I love you. We've had to council her not to tell that joke at school, that the teachers might not appreciate her saying 'butt'. I'm sure they've heard worse though.

Give me your tired, your poor . . .

Dubai's amazing expansion, growth, and development is built upon the backs of a silent underclass of labor. The men and women who come here on Labor visas aren't even counted in the official population of the country - even though many of them have been here for years. There are over 1 million people in the UAE filling the labor force. They come from the undereducated poor classes of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the Phillipines, and (recently) China. There is no minimum wage here, but the going rate for most of the labor force is about AED500/week (about US$130). These wages can sometimes be the equivalent of a year's wage in their home country. They are poor, speak no English (or Arabic for that matter), have no understanding or experiences of human rights, and leave their families for years at a time to send money home and provide a better life for those back home.

Laborers live in company provided housing. The labor camps look like huge campuses of apartment buildings that fill lots out on the edge of town. Usually, the water, toilets and living conditions in these housing are below standard. At Johnson Controls, we have tried very hard to find accommodation that has clean water and flushing toilets for our labor force in the factory. In order to find this type of accommodation, we have to pay twice the normal rent for the accommodation. Of course most companies couldn't care less and leave their laborers to use "honey pots" in the room and carry in water from outside. Most laborers will share 8-10 in a room (4 or 5 bunk beds).

Companies also provide transportation for the laborers to and from work each day. Mostly these are buses looking very much like a school bus or mini-bus. Up until recently, there was no regulation about the transportation and many laborers would be piled into the back of construction trucks and pick up trucks riding along the highway at 120 kph (about 70mph). A couple of years ago there was a horrendous accident with one of these trucks, killing many of the men. After that, companies were required to provide safer transportation. Seems like it takes the death of a few workers before the regulations will be changed to ensure safer conditions.

The typical work day for a construction laborer consists of a wake up and breakfast around 5am. By 6, the bus is loaded and on its way to the construction site. At around 7 or 7:30 the bus arrives at the work site and the men start their shift. There is a 1 hour break for lunch and they are usually done with their shift around 6pm. Then it's back on the bus for the 1 or 1 1/2 hour ride home. The work week is Saturday to Thursday. During July and August, employers are required to provide a 3-hour mid-day break. This was implemented after several workers' deaths from heat exhaustion and dehydration. In the summer, after my 5 minute walk from the car park to the building, I'm already heaving with sweat. I see these guys digging up concrete, wheeling barrows full of construction rubble, running jack hammers, pouring hot asphalt - and it's unimaginable that they will work in the sunshine all day, every day, week after week without collapsing in a heap.

Given the educational levels of these workers, it is extremely easy for them to be taken advantage of. Many employers will "hold" their passport - essentially meaning that they are slaves to the company. Many employers work them 7 days/week - even though Friday is a required day off. Many will "hold" their wages for them. It is very difficult for them to advocate for themselves. However, recently there were labor strikes at some sites. About 3,000 men were blockading one of the main highways, throwing rocks and stones, and setting fire to some equipment. It made headlines outside of the UAE (some of you sent me the news links). As a result, there have been some discussions about a minimum wage. But honestly, nothing is going to happen unless it becomes a trade issue for the UAE with other countries. The UAE is quick to respond to anything that threatens their ability to negotiate a Free Trade Agreement with the USA. This includes US pressure to improve working conditions and human rights conditions here.

Each morning, on my way to work, I will pass several of the labor buses full of the men heading off to construction sites. The men all sit quietly either staring blankly out the window or cradling their head for a last-minute grasp at sleep. They are off to start another long day helping to build the miracle of Dubai.

Rollercoaster in a Dishdash

Russell, Lyra, and I went to the Global Village last night. Lots of sections devoted to selling things from different countries (mostly centered on Middle and Far East countries). In addition, there was a midway section. As we walked from our cars, we were eyeing up the rides to determine which ones looked good. A "Crazy Mouse" rollercoaster won my vote.

Standing in front of us was a gaggle of teenage girls all dressed in abayas and shaylas. These girls had shaylas and abayas dripping with Swarovski crystals, beads, and embroidery. It was fun to watch them as a couple of them had boyfriends who kept coming up to them, holding their hands, whispering in their ear, and then going back to hang out with their friends. These boyfriends were dressed in Armani jeans and t-shirts. But most of the Arab boys had come in their dishdash. The number one safety rule when riding the rollercoaster with your abaya or dishdash is to tuck in your head covering. I'd be afraid some portion of my robe or head covering would come flying out, get grabbed by a part of the ride and pull me out of the car.

This wasn't Lyra's first "big" rollercoaster. She was tall enough to ride one of the adult rollercoasters when we went to the Dells last September. This one was a pretty thrilling ride. Lyra road grasping the handle in front and behind. Russell and I were laughing and screaming - it felt good to ride a rollercoaster! I was laughing so hard I got a headache. When we got off, Lyra said, "I'm never going on that again." But she later changed her mind and decided that it was exciting and a little bit scary - but worth another ride. We'll probably be back to Global Village before it closes for the season (March 1) and I'm sure we'll all be back in line for the "Crazy Mouse" - this time Russell can sit in front.

Photos from Egypt (and Christmas)

Mamacita said...
Wow, you guys rode camels in Egypt. And you stood in front of the pyramis. Has that sunk in? Its amazing! That's on my list!
Definitely - it is hard to comprehend the Pyramids and their size. To think of the millions and millions of people over 5,000 years who have looked on the Pyramids with awe.

As for camels - we have them in Dubai and have had several opportunites to ride them. Come visit - Sugarlips will be sure to get a camel riding opportunity.

Hello Five

Today, Lyra turned five (a much anticipated day). To me, saying she's five feels so much older than four.

I went into her bedroom to wake her up and say "Happy Birthday" before I left for work. She said to me, "Now it's time for me to be five."

"What will you do now that you're five?" I asked.

"I don't know . . . . maybe still play on the playground, but more roughly."

I can't wait to see her surprise when she gets her new bike. A yellow one with stabilisers (training wheels). Cool!

It's Winter

Really - in Ras al Kaimah (an Emirate north of here) it was 1C (that's 34F).

Here, not so cold. But it is raining. Has rained (sprinkled really) off and on for the past couple of days. That coupled with cool blustry winds coming off the gulf makes for some cool days (around 10C or 50s in the mornings). I know, I know - for many of you these sound like mighty pleasant days. Believe me. I'm NOT complaining!

Funny to see folks bundled in parkas, snow boots, wool sweaters, and scarfs. I will admit that I did use my shawl today (I like to keep my neck warm). But a parka?

Winter is the rainy season - last year they were flooded with seven days of hard rain. Most neighborhoods have no storm sewers, so lots of rain causes lots of problems. Also, it's a good time to discover that the builders didn't caulk your windows. Rain lashing against the side of the house has a tendency to flood into the living room (or so I've been told). Russell's pretty certain many of our windows aren't caulked - seems to sense a breeze coming through on a breezy day. Guess we may soon find out.

Kathie said...
Yes it's Winter here too, or wait is it April? On Jan. 7th we had a rare storm, January tornadoes in southeast WI, 30 homes destroyed Kenosha Co., tree's uprooted, some damage at the IL/WI border. The last time a tornado touched down in WI in Jan. was Jan. 24, 1967. In my area of the city we had rain and thunder, but you could see the dark southeast sky. We smashed a old record high by 16 degrees, it was 63 degrees on Monday. Its never been above 60 in WI in Jan. until this week.The tornado has been catorgorized as an F3 packing winds of 140-150 mph.The snow is all gone, it looks like Jan. here
Russell and I saw news reports about the tornados when we were surfing the net a couple nights ago. We had pulled up some of the traffic cams to see how much snow was left and saw that it has all melted. Looked pretty brown and dreary.

Call Me On the Line, Any Anytime

We have home phone and internet service. Yeah!

Best time to call is between 10pm and noon (US Central Time). So, if you want a late night conversation or wake up on a Saturday with nothing to do, give us a jingle.

011 971 4 288 0891

Now that we have internet service, we'll be working on getting long distance internet service, like Skype, set up. The telephone provider here, Etisalat, has blocked access to Skype but we hear there are ways around it. With a little research, we should soon be able to make cheap calls home.

amygirl said...
What email addresses should we use to reach you and Russ at home?
Just use the same email accounts. We do have some email account blah_blah_blah@etisalat.ae, but you'll be lucky if we check that account every 2 years or so.

It's Dusty

This is the dustiest place!

Within about 2 days, the patio furniture collections a film of dust that must be wiped off before sitting down or else you run the risk of a dusty bum when you stand up again. When I take the laundry out to the patio to hang it out, if I even brush up against the wall or patio tiles, I have to rewash the item (speaking of which I have a sheet in the laundry that is in for its second wash). In the corners of the patio and in the pool shower, little dust or sand dunes have accumulated. When we first moved in, we'd spend some time each weekend trying to was down the patio. Either we've gotten used to it or become lazy - well probably a bit of both - but that has become more and more rare.

Even the floors in the house get dusty. Sanjay, our house cleaner, has been home in Sri Lanka for the month of December. One weekend, Lyra and I went through the house with mops and brooms. Now we're waiting for Sanjay to come back. The floors need as brooming (as Lyra would say), but I can't get motivated to do it. Our front door has decorative squares carved in the wood and each of the squares needs to be dusted. That will be on Sanjay's list, too.

You can't leave your car for long or else it gets covered in a coating of dust. There's a Saab 93 convertible parked near my office with the roof down. It has been there, untouched, for several months. It is so coated with dust that you might not even know what color the upholstery really is. Honestly, I don't know why it hasn't been ticketed and towed. I don't think the owner is coming back. Many people who leave the country just abandon their cars (and pets, apartments, furniture, etc).

You can be fined by the municipality for having a dusty car. Many people arrange for car washing service every day (or they have their live in maid/houseboy wash the car every day). Russell sprays our car down with a hose every week or so. That seems to get most of the dust off.

The thing I don't understand is that the Arabs walk around with floor length white (for men) and black (for women) clothes and you NEVER once see any dust on the hem. How do they do that?

Living life in Centigrade

When we were in the UK, we started to understand and relate to temps in Centigrade. So, when coming here, I was pretty sure we'd get used to it here, too. Turns out, for me, it has been easier to get used to Centigrade here than back in the UK. The only reason I can figure out is because the temps here rarely relate to those we have back home.

For example, on the news it says it will be 40 C (that's about 105F). We don't really have 105F back home - at least only very very rarely. But here, 40C is a daily occurance once we get to June. To me the only time I've regularly experienced something that hot has been here; where its reported as 35 or 40 or 45 or (god forbid) 50. And so my experiences of the heat are directly correlated to temps in Centigrade. When I hear that it will be 35, I know that is bearable and 40 is hot and, well, 50 is scorching (95F, 105F, and 122F respectively).

Once the temps get down lower to what I'm used to, like today's high of 25C. Then for some reason its easier for me to relate to 77F than it is to 25C. At these temps, I'm constantly converting back and forth in my head to understand what the temperature "really" is. Tonight, it will get down to 17C. Hmmmm (quickly converting to 64F - multiply times 2 and add 30) - oh, that's quite cool I'd better bring a wrap or jacket.

Santa Is a Magical Fellow

Don't know how long Santa will make it around our house. Lyra asks too many probing questions. "How does he get all those toys in his bag?" "How does he get the bag up the chimney?" My standard response; "He's a magical fellow."

Yesterday, when reading a book that mentioned the Tooth Fairy collects teeth from older children and then gives them to new babies when they get teeth Lyra said, "That's not right. Babies have to grow their own teeth. How would the tooth fairy put a tooth onto their gum?" I had to agree that she was right. Really, how could I argue with that? But instead of stating that there is no Tooth Fairy, she has instead determined that this book is "lying". Strong words for a nearly-5 year old.

Happy New Year

We had a quiet evening at home. The neighbors were over for a drink, but left around 10:30. Russell & I dozed on the couch watching a movie. We must work on the babysitter situation.

We're looking forward to the new year and hoping to see many of you soon.

Egypt

We have returned from our trip to Egypt. Overall impressions; Cairo is chaotic and dirty, the Egyptian people are very warm, Southern Egypt is picturesque, and the Pharaoh antiquities are unbelievable.

Day 1 - Alexandria
We left for Egypt to arrive in Alexandria, a city on the Mediterranean about 3 hours north of Cairo. After some confusion with our tour guides about the airport that we had flown in to we finally were met and began our tours. They expected we were at the International airport and instead we had flown into one of the smaller airports in the city. The Al Nozha airport in Alexandria must be one of the first airports ever built. The terminal has one arrival area and one departure area. It looks like a building from the 20s. Our first day was spent touring some of the sights in Alexandria, mostly from the Greek-Roman period. We went to a Roman catacomb which was discovered by a horse that accidentally had his foot fall through the roof of the underground building. We arrived the day before the start of the Muslim festival Eid al Adha (Festival of the Sacrifice). This festival observes the time that Abraham was asked by God to sacrifice his son Isaac (or Ibrahim was asked to sacrifice Ishmael in Arabic) and at the last minute he was told to sacrifice a lamb instead. The festival includes families sacrificing an animal (lamb, goat, cow, or camel) in remembrance. The animal is divided into thirds; one third for family and friends, one third for the poor, and one third to keep for the feasting. As we drove through Alexandria and then into Cairo, we saw many sheep and cows in the back of trucks or tied outside of homes waiting for the sacrifice and festival the next day.

Day 2 - Cairo

The must-see sights of Cairo are the Great Pyramids, the Sphinx, and the museum of antiquities. Our hotel was in the Giza area, within sight of the Pyramids (however, our recommendation would be to stay closer to the center of town, there is not much to do in that neighborhood). We were up early to see the Pyramids and Sphinx and then to go to the museum. The Pyramids are truly an amazing sight – their size is massive. It’s hard to imagine that they have been there for 5,000 years. We took a small camel ride around them, which was one of the highlights of the trip for Lyra. The Museum of Antiquities that is in downtown Cairo houses the treasures from Tutankhamun and many of the royal mummies that have survived. We were truly impressed by the collection that was discovered in Tut’s tomb. The solid gold mask that was on his mummy was on display along with the 3 gold caskets that he was placed in. Each casket is slightly larger than the rest – kind of like Russian Dolls. As we drove through the city, the sheep, goats and cows were now gone, replaced with piles of leather pelts outside of the butcher shops. Later that night we went to the sound and light show at the Pyramids. The whole show was like an over dramatized Cecil B. DeMille movie. At one time, the Sphinx was speaking in King James English stating, “Thou art the Pharaoh, and thine people shall worship you as God.” Add to that the fact that it was FREEZING!! The giggle factor was perhaps worth 15 minutes, but 45 minutes was too much.

Day 3 – Cairo
A free day on our itinerary. We had to check out of the hotel and decided to spend the day at the zoo; something for Lyra. What a mistake. First, it was a holiday (the second day of Eid al Adha) and the zoo was overflowing with families. Second, we were overwhelmed by over friendly Cairenes who were following us through the zoo. Third, the animals – although not in horrible conditions – were hardly impressive. And fourth, it rained. So, after only about 1 hour, we went back to our driver who was waiting for us and went back to the hotel to wait for our ride to the train station. Since we had already checked out, this translated to a couple of hours at the hotel bar and an extended playtime at the hotel playground. Lyra met a very nice Egyptian family with 3 boys, one of whom asked us, “Did you kill a sheep?” Ummm, no. At about 6pm we went to wait for our overnight train ride to Aswan (near the southern border with Sudan). We had tea and waited on the cold platform (who knew Egypt would be this cold!) Our train wasn’t luxurious, but clean and well cared for. Kind of what I would expect on an Amtrak sleeper train. We had 2 adjoining cabins – each with an upper and lower bunk. Having 2 cabins was a real bonus! We had imagined that Lyra would be sleeping with one of us. Note: Food on train is horrendous – bring something or eat beforehand. Not even the worst airline food would compete with how truly awful the food was.

Day 4 – Aswan
We wake up while the train is still heading south to Aswan. Outside our window are scenes of farmland and small villages along the floodplains of the Nile. We have a relaxing morning while we look out the windows and get ready for the transfer to our Nile Cruise ship. When we get on board our boat, we meet two other families traveling with the same tour company that we used. One is a newlywed couple on their honeymoon, and the other is a family with at 2 ½ year old girl who soon becomes Lyra’s companion for the cruise. The next set of days will be spent touring the sights of the Nile Valley with them. After settling on the boat, we head out to tour the Aswan Dam sites. The Hoover dam near Las Vegas is much more impressive. I was expecting the dam to be built in a dramatic gorge, but instead it is very long and its height is not as dramatic as the Hoover dam. When the dam was built, the lake that formed behind it stretches all the way in The Sudan and has displaced over 800,000 Nubians (an African people who had lived along the southern part of the Nile). Our guide, told us that 1,000 Nubians were displaced – hmmm, his statistics are a bit off. That evening we also head to an island where Philae Temple, dedicated to Isis, has been relocated (it was under the flood waters created by the dam). The setting sun over the desert to the west, the blue skies, palm trees on the island and lovely Nile river make this a scene to remember.

Day 5 – Aswan/Kom Ombo
We have a free morning. Russell is feeling a little under the weather (Ramses Revenge), so Lyra and I head out with the other family (the one with a 2 ½ year old) to view a few sights along the southern Nile. First, we take a traditional Nile sailboat (felucca) to a Botanical Gardens that was built in the late 1800s – Russell would have enjoyed the variety of trees and plants. Then we carry further upstream to a village where the displaced Nubians have re-established a village. If we were there to buy souvenirs, this would be the place to get them. The best prices of anything we saw were here. After a leisurely trip back down river to our ship, we board for the first sailing to Kom Ombo. Kom Ombo Temple was dedicated to the gods Horus (the Falcon) and Sobek (the Crocodile) who were brothers. The story of these two brothers is very much a Cain & Abel story. After our tour of the temple, it’s back to the boat for a late night cruise to Edfu.

Day 6 - Edfu and sailing
We have an early morning wake up to head over to the temple in Edfu. This is another temple dedicated to Horus – the God of Protection. Our guide had arranged for us to take a horse-drawn carriage ride from the boat to the temple. Our frosty morning ride through the town was another highlight for Lyra – she is horse crazy these days. A highlight for us was the massive carvings of the falcon god, Horus guarding the entrance doors to the temple. After a whirlwind rush through the temple and carriage ride back to the ship, we set sail for Luxor. As we would soon realize, the rush was because we were in a “race” with other ships to set sail first for Luxor. There is a lock & dam at Esna and only 2 ships heading for Luxor are allowed through at a time. It takes at least 30 minutes (probably more) for each 2 ships to take their turn. As we sailed toward the lock, I counted about 10 ships ahead of us and about 8 ships behind. We reached Esna at about noon and docked to wait our turn. We were initially told that our ship would sail at about 4pm. We decided a little walk about in Esna would be nice and our guide took us out to see the town. Not much to see, but a nice set of tourist shops where we were able to try our hand at bartering and Russell picked up an aluminum drum. We returned to the ship for the 4pm sailing, which never materialized. Sometime in the middle of the night, I felt the gentle bump of our boat docking in Luxor.

Day 7 – Luxor
This is a city to spend more time in. We had an early morning start to see the sights of Luxor. The “big draw” there is the Valley of the Kings where most of the tombs for many Pharoahs are (including where King Tutankhamun’s tomb was found). We were able to go into 3 of the tombs – unbelievable the work that was done and survives nearly 3000 years later. We also visited the temple to Queen Hapshetsut (the only female Pharaoh). And the most impressive temple of our tour was Medinat Habu – a temple to Ramses III. This is a temple highly recommended by our guide, but not on our original itinerary – and well worth the trip! The walls and columns were the most well preserved of anything we saw. Why this temple isn’t on more itineraries is a mystery – I think that no one knows about it, so the tour companies don’t offer it in their packages. We sacrificed going into the Valley of the Queens, but it was worth the side trip. After lunch, we toured Karnak temple, dedicated to the head Egyptian god, Amun. The size and scale of the temple is hard to take in. Since this was such an important god, each Pharaoh would try to outdo his predecessors by adding to the temple, resulting in a massive monument. Our guide told us this was his favorite temple – not hard to figure out why. From there it was rush, rush, rush to Luxor Temple for a quick 30 minute tour before we had to catch our ride to Hurghada on the Red Sea.

Day 8 – Hurghada (Christmas Day)
Another place to come back to! Sun, sand, snorkeling, sea – wait, isn’t this what we have back home in Dubai? Anyway, we stayed at a beautiful resort in Hurghada for Christmas Day. We had a relaxing day on the beach with a late afternoon sail on a glass bottom boat to the coral reefs for snorkeling. Really it was a bit too nippy to really want to go snorkeling, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity – and it was the best coral reef I’ve seen. The water was cool, but not so cool that you couldn’t get used to it. But after about 20 minutes, I’d had enough. What was really cold was the sail back to the resort in our cold wet bathing suits (we weren’t thinking and hadn’t brought warm jackets). Really, who would have thought that Egypt would be this cold! I yearned for the warmth and sun of Dubai. Our trip to Hurghada was too short and we were instantly thinking of when we could come back to enjoy it more.

Day 9 – Cairo
If we had known, we would have tried to arrange for more time in Hurghada and less time in Cairo. Usually we like city breaks, but Cairo is a city we didn’t figure out. I think it had more to do with the area we stayed in – Giza. If we had been able to get out and walk the city, we may have found it more interesting. But, nevertheless, we were back in Cairo really just waiting for the trip home the next day. Turns out we had a nice leisurely day at the poolside (trying to get a little warmth from the sun) and again at the hotel playground with Lyra. Our guide tried to interest us in a sunset dinner cruise on the Nile, but by then we’d had enough of cheesy touristy stuff, so opted instead for an early night.

Day 10 – travel home

Well, looking back we would have like more time in Luxor and Hurghada. The trip, had lots of quiet days built in and wasn’t the complete whirlwind that I was thinking it might have been. On the other hand, it sometimes seemed like we were rushing from one place to the next, just to get there and wait. But I guess that is what happens when you try to cover so much of a place in such a short period of time. As with every trip that we’ve made, we leave thinking there is something we’d like to come back to see more of.