The National Museum Cairo

Today is my last full day in Cairo. I get up and I am discussing some things with another backpacker, who is a writer/journalist/photographer. He is here from Hungary. There appears to be a few misplaced people here.

I'm just one of many! It's good to have company.

I discuss going over to the museum and seeing if the army will let a lonely old tourist in to see the museum. I'm warned against it. The army is still surrounding the museum.

I just don't care. I go out get some breakfast and come back eat it and then set off to the museum. I am walking by and ....I see people in the court yard!

Yipee!

My heart starts to beat faster. I get to the end of the block and the military is posted there. They give me the sign to show them my passport. This is where they karate chop their forearm. I say sure. I pull out my passport. He asks why I am here. I tell him that I leave tomorrow so I want to see the museum before I go. He lets me in.

I'm so excited. Like a little kid. I am clapping my hands. I pay for my ticket and am stopped and told to check my camera. I'm upset, but I do it. Then while I'm in the museum as in other museums they say no pictures but everyone with a cell phone is taking pictures. I'm slightly upset by this. Oh, well. I am welcomed by many and asked my name. The arabs have trouble pronouncing my name. About as much trouble as I have pronouncing theirs.

I am checking things out and it's a mighty big museum. I am approached by a correspondent for Reuters. Now, some would say that Calgary still has a small town mentality. Well, here is a city of 20 million and somehow they make you feel like you are in Calgary.

She asks me where I'm from and why I came to Cairo. Now, I get to tell my story to another person. I tell her I'm so excited to be in the museum as I leave tomorrow. She says where are you going? I tell her Tunis. She stops and looks at me. So, of course, I have to tell her the whole story. She tells me that she was arrested and charged with high treason, during the revolution. I have a whole swath of stories to share when I get back. The people here have handled it with an amazing amount of aplomb. They have organized the militia and have civilians directing traffic on the street and it's hilarious but effective.

You see because the people turned on the police at the time of the revolution the police stations were all burned. Not to the ground, they are all made of cement. But there are no police here. Just traffic police, and they are sporatic at best or sleeping. Then there is the military and everyone seems to have someone in the military so the military wasn't going to shoot on their own families. On the day of celebration, they were outside having pictures taken with everyone. The people at the time time of the revolution came down to the front of their homes/businesses with machetes and clubs and stood outside and made sure there was no looting done. They stoically stood fast. They made sure there was not damage done, because they knew that they would have to replace it and since Mubarak left with all the money, where were they going to get the funds. You really have to hand it to the people here for the fortitude to see this through and the ability to organize themselves in a day to oversee the security of their city.

My friend Susan said that her father leaves something untouched - not looked at in every country so that he has an opportunity to revisit that country. Well, that is what I must do with Egypt. The people are lovely.

Cairo has an energy you just can't define. I do like it here. I don't think I could stay for a long time, but I certainly could stay longer. Since the revolution I'm told that the Egyptians are more proud, that they are taking care of cleaning the sidewalks and there is a pride of ownership here, that didn't exist before. I certainly hope that it can sustain them. They have some bumps in the road to weather, and if they weather it with the type of solidarity I've seen to date they should have no problem.

I do hope to return sometime to maybe dive the Red Sea from here and see the history in Thebes and Luxor.

Onward to Tunis....

Giza and the Freedom Celebration Feb 18, 2011

Today I was up...the mosques do that for you at 5 am. I went back to sleep and then read my book. I finally got out of bed and had my walk through shower. A walk through shower is this: When the shower is hot and just when you get all lathered up it turns cold...that makes me squeak and walk through...!

I go to the front desk and ask Ahmed about going to Giza. He advises me that I should be back at the hostel at about 2pm as the celebration may get out of hand. Actually he says that they are expecting pro Mubarak protesters and that could make things sticky. I say okay, I'll be back. He gives me his phone number just in case I need it

.
I walk down the street to the Metro get on and head to the Giza station. After warding off a couple of touts I get on the bus and sit beside two girls. One of the women is getting the money together for the driver and I hand over my money to her. She gives me my change. All of about 20 cents? This is all handed to the driver and then there is a bit of conversation. The man beside me says that the driver wants double the fare from me. I say no. I say I pay the same as everyone else. The girls agree with me.

It is weird, you are driving through this suburb and then all of a sudden there is the Cheops pyramid. It is surreal.

At the end of the bus ride, of course, I am treated to a tour guide getting on and trying to get me to visit his place and they take me in the back way. The back way is the stalls for the donkeys, horses and camels. I am not impressed. I get out and walk in the direction of the gates. 60 Egyptian pounds. Very reasonable.

Today, I decided to not say anything to the various touts. Saying Shukrah, or no thanks just fuels them. Not saying anything does seem to work. They must think I'm a mute. I keep my sunglasses on and so they can't see my eyes.

The Sphinx is smaller than I expected. It reminds me of the fish story...it was THIS BIG! But still an amazing piece of work for it's day. There is a tour group of about 50 Egyptian people and only about five foreigners. I hang a bit to see what the tour guide says about the Sphinx. The head of the Sphinx was a depiction of the king's head was for the great knowledge of the king, (it lost it's beard when it was shot off) and the body of the lion was to depict that the king was as strong as a lion.

Do you want to ride a horse lady? Ride a horse Lady? Ride a camel today for you 10 pounds? Somehow riding on a hot animal today doesn't seem to be cooler alternative to me. I walk around the site and visit the pyramids. Amazing. Not all the sites are open today. It only takes about 2 hours and the sun is hot so it is time for me to go.

I hope that the museum is open on Sunday. I hope, I hope.

I come back the way I came and the sisterhood is looking out for me again on the bus. It brings a smile to my face. I give a small child that was acting up my compass to play with...while I was getting to the next transfer spot. He looks at me in wonder and the mothers look at me and smiles....wonder what they are thinking?

I get back onto the Metro and off at Sadat Station which is where Tahrir Square is. The military are checking all people for identification and I'm asked to move over to where some women are checking women's ID. I pull out my passport and she opens it and I'm not sure she even knows what she is looking for. Oh, well, I'm in the square.

There are hundreds of thousands of people here. All peaceful. All welcoming. I have several welcome me to Egypt. Some want to talk to me. My arabic is limited at best so that doesn't work. I want to take some pictures. There is a flower box (no flowers) and a women extends her hand smiling down at me to help me up. They are painting the Egyptian flag on everyone's faces and they are selling Egyptian flags and bandanas. They are extremely organized. There is food and water for everyone. They are waving flags from the businesses and the houses around the square. Some men are climbing the monuments and waving flags. There is chanting and it is all peaceful. Amazing. It literally chokes me up. This is at 2pm.

The party goes on into the night. The fireworks come out and the people are dancing in the street and chanting. There comes a giant Egyptian flag being floated down the street on the backs of several Egyptians.

Signs saying "Support Freedom travel to Egypt".
Signs saying, "Please get our stolen money back."

All this was peaceful.

I am watching after dark from the rooftop of our hostel. I am just amazed at the number of people. Traffic winding it's way through the crowds and no one hurt. No fights. No alcohol. Nothing but celebration.
The largest party I've ever been to and it's extremely moving.

Music is playing and the sounds of gentle celebration continue. I'm lulled into sleep by the sounds of freedom for Egypt....

Cairo

FINALLY.

I have to say all the work to get here has been worth the trouble. I was working on weather to go via Nuweiba on the flipping midnight ferry...yeah, like I needed a few more boyfriends...
Then I just left it up to my angels to decide. Didn't a sandstorm come in via Aquaba and was I ever relieved that I didn't have to take the slow boat in and arrive in Egypt at 4 am. Instead the seas were pretty rough and so I was very pleased that I went diving the day before, as the visibility would have been toast.
So instead I went via Isreal.

I had gone to the Egyptian consulate in Aquaba and they said come back in 4 hours. I didn't want to and so they said well you can get a visa very easy at the border. Well, not exactly. That's the interesting thing in Africa. It's not ever what it seems.

I decide because of the bad seas to come through Isreal. Everything goes well until I get to the Egyptian side. You have not visa? No problem for a mere $50 US and $15 US we can make that happen. Huh? I get angry. Backsheesh? I am tired. So I got angry. You don't do this in Africa. So I went back to Eilat, Israel to try and sort it out the next day. Now, I have to say anything is possible in Israel - really. Here was a country that was an unexpected surprise. Everyone is matter of fact and very very helpful. Why it's the first time in probably over a month I have heard music from North America. Eilat is very very nice. What's not to like? If the seas hadn't been so rough I might have done some diving here too.
I am cooling my temper just fine here. I meet another Canadian girl at the hostel and it is unbelievable to me the amount of stuff she is carrying with her. She is 43 and brought her moose teddy bear. She starts to give things to me that I don't want. Yikes.

Next day to the Egyptian consulate. Only this time they say maybe you can get a visa on Sunday. I need to get to Cairo by Monday, because I'm flying to my next revoluted country Tunisia!!!

So I just give up and go back and pay the backsheesh at the border to the tourist agent who has to guarantee that I will leave Cairo.

I get across and walk 1 km to the bus station and wait until 1630 to catch the bus. I get on and there are only two other tourists on the bus. We are it. Three of us.

We come through at least 10 military checkpoints and at each one the soldiers are very polite look at your passport and sometimes ask a few questions. What's your name, etc.

In the meantime I meet Alex from Germany who came originally to make a film on the music industry. He is in is 50's. He's been here since Jan 4th.

The hostel that we are going to is right down the street from Tahrir Square. He showed me some pretty amazing photos that he took about the demonstrations and also how the police shot tear gas and didn't check the wind direction and got it right in their faces and they are running away!

Anyways Alex is showing me on the bus and there are only about 8 of us on the whole bus. We get to a checkpoint just before the Suez Canal. They ask everyone to get off the bus and take our stuff with us. I grab my backpack and throw it on the ground. (Guess you wouldn't do that with a camera, eh?) So we pull out our passports and the military singles us out and brings us into a station for questioning. They say welcome to Egypt. They ask me about where I came from and where was my latest point of entry. I tell them Taba. Alex sits beside me. They ask him to open his backpack and he does. They see his camera and ask him to turn it on. He only has three photos on it. For some reason they think we are together. So the one English speaking guy says to me if you had been here since 4 Jan would you only take four photos. I just looked at him. (He obviously didn't know me...I had my camera stolen the last time and decided not to replace it!) Then Alex said she isn't with me, we just met on the bus. The corporal is feeling pretty good. He asks what is in Alex's dry sack. Alex pulls out a hard drive. (I just looked down). Now Alex is starting to shake, so I move chairs, drawing some attention to me. They ask Alex what is on the hard drive, and he says some videos and stuff. They continue with the photo line of questioning and Alex says that there are more photos on the hard drive. They drop the conversation and turn to me.

I was expecting this. So they start to ask me not to be afraid. I'm not. I tell them my story of how I tried to get a visa. He says did you spend just 2 hours in Eilat? I said no. He says he though so. I gave him the whole meal deal. I was kinda liking that I was able to tell the whole flipping fiasco to someone. I then said would you like to see my onward ticket. Yes, he would. I pull out my e-ticket and show him. I show him that I made the reservation in November. I show him who I am flying out with and where and when. He says well I wanted to hear your story. He says why are you here. I say as a tourist, I want to see Giza. He says please don't be scared. I said I'm not. He said welcome to Egypt. ( I think they are wondering about either journalists or spys).

No more checkpoints and we get to Cairo before the curfew - 2230. We grab a taxi and head to the hostel. Now there are more cats in Cairo I think than people. At least at the hostel there is. Alex and I decide to push the curfew and we head out for something to eat and a beer. We head to a place that is recommended which is open 24 hours. We enjoy our Stella beers and then at about 1230 we head back to the hostel. They have civilians directing traffic on the streets and it is hilarious. The people are very welcoming and I don't feel threatened at all.

Today I've wandered around and everyone is either stunned that I'm here - as every tourist attraction is closed. Alternatively, they walk you everywhere and nowhere just to be seen with a tourist and get you to their store and try to sell you something.. There are only a handful of us here. Businesses haven't seen people in a month. I went to the Citadel today and the Islamic area of the city. I will have to get a tougher skin here, because everyone wants to help you and then walk you towards their shop. Several of the police stations have been burned - gutted. On my way back I try to get a local bus back and there is a guy with a minibus. He says he is in love with me....I just laugh and laugh. I get on a bus with a bunch of women and they squirrel me away on the bus and the one woman knows that I need to get off at a certain mosque so she watches me and makes sure I get off with her. Really, the sisterhood is alive and well!

I came back on the Metro and had some help there too. Egyptians love everyone. When I say I'm from Canada, they say Canadian Dry?

Tomorrow is the day of rest and I am going to attempt to get to Giza. There will be a big peaceful celebration tomorrow in Tahir square so I hope to be part of that party too.

I got off the Metro and headed here to write this so all of you will be updated and not worry. It is very safe where I am. While walking around Tahrir square they are selling flags and painting the Egyptian flag on kids faces. They are very peaceful. I think they are handling this exceptionally well.

I have made contact with one couple today in Tunis who will come to get me at the airport when I arrive in Tunis. That is truely nice.

Jordan - Aquaba

AQUABA
Nice sunny skies and a warm place to be .... finally!
I can't believe it. I can walk around without a jacket on. It's very pretty here. What is not to like the water by the sea?

I have a blister on my heel from touring Petra at lightening speed. I finally get to my hotel the Dwiek 1 and it's very nice, for 15 JOD. I get sat TV although I'm not terribly into the hustler channel! That's the only channel that has a universal language it seems! LOL.

Anyways, I settle in and the next day I go looking for some diving. I am up at 7 but the McDonalds doesn't even open until 10! Round and round I go. I go to the tourist information, but she can't seem to tell me whether the ferry goes to Egypt. Yes, tourism is definitely in its infancy here.

I finally fall on a diving place and walk in. I decide to do a wreck dive and the Japanese garden.

I will be diving with my dive master, Francios from France. It's pretty dead around here so I am the only person going.

I like that there is a British woman Liz and Francios here otherwise I'm not sure what the standard would be. It is a shore entry. I haven't done a shore entry for some time. I am in a full wet suit and the water seems very warm. Everyone on the beach watches. I'm getting used to the open mouthed stares. In we go. This ship was purposely sunk to create a reef. We go under the ship and its freaky...you have to understand the size and well, it's freaky to go under. Never mind the next side. I'm a little freaked by the sheer size. I do eventually get collected as we are checking things out.

Up we come and then rest for about a half hour when I get to talk to some Americans from Georgia and Texas who are here getting certified. They are working in Egypt. I get some info and decide that I will take the taxi/bus through Isreal into Egypt tomorrow.

Francois and I go down for our next dive... called the Japanese Gardens. We see a small manta ray, a couple of white eels and a hermit crab and lots of clams, and lots lots of red, blue corals. A big sea worm that looks like a fat snake...sort of....not moving. Really a different world down there. It was only me and Francios. I haven't done too much diving in the first place, but not too many of my dives have just been two people. At the end of the dive I find that I'm starting to get chilled.

Out we come and I'm looking forward to a hot shower and to get all the salt taste out of my mouth...yuck. I need some ....not some a lot of sugar right now!

Onward to Egypt tomorrow......

Jordan - Petra - and a bedouin...

Petra!
I got up so early to be able to get here. I JUST made the bus to Petra. I couldn't get a taxi. I almost had to lay down in the middle of the road. Now, you have to know that there are probably more taxi drivers than people in any city, as they make very good money so everyone wants to be one.

I was trying to sleep on the bus, but there were these two Korean men that wouldn't stop talking. There is no way that you will convince me that women talk too much. They talked non-stop from the time we left until we arrived. They were in the back of the bus and they carried on the whole time. What a difference to a bus in Turkey. The helpers on the buses there will tell you to settle down...including the small children. The buses there are the best by far.

I got into my place...the Saba'a Hotel. Not all the nice.
I decided to just not fool around looking for a better place as I was only planning to spend one night here. I then am instructed that it's just 15 minutes walk down the street to the gates. Off I go. I don't get 50 feet when a green pickup pulls across the street. Please I will take you to Petra for free! I refuse. He instists. I decide why not. I get into his truck and he takes me down. On the way he tells me he doesn't like arab girls....WHATEVER! I thank him and he talks about if I need some assistance just call him. His name is Mohammed. Boy toy.

I get out and start walking. There are no clear signs to where the ticket sales are so you wander around and there are touts everywhere. I just don't respond or say thank you. I finally find the ticket office and it's a whopping 50 JOD for one day 55 for two days. Holy cow! They joke that the Jordanian government is paying off the national debt with the money that is paid by the tourists. I say we up the rate to the tourists seeing our national parks. Holy cow.

I have a bit of a walk and there seems to be a lot of people there in tour groups.

I walk and take pictures and around the corner I come and there is the Treasury. Wow. It is pretty impressive. Most of you know that I can't stand crowds too much so I head up a walk walk way and there is a stairway. I find out that there is a cruise ship with 18 bus loads of people. Yikes. I head up the stairway to find some solitude. I keep going up and up and up. Its the mountain goat in me....anyways I get to the top and it's peaceful and cool. I take of my boots and socks and lean back and look up at the sky. Nice hike.

I notice a bedouin, he starts playing his flute. I just wait. I figure I'm a target. If I only knew....

He comes over and starts to talk to me. His English is quite good. He says there is a view of the
Treasury at the top just 10 minutes away and he will make me a bedouin tea. I say okay. Keeping in mind that the hospitality here is what it is. I put on my socks and boots and walk down and ten minutes away there is the fantastic view of the Treasury from up top.

Sorry I can't post pictures...the computer I'm on isn't up to that standard.

I then have tea (I have my turkish tea cup with me) and we chat a bit. He says that if I want we could go see the castle and then afterward he will make a bedouin dinner on the fire for me. I am honestly excited by the prospect. I figure that this would be a geniuine opportunity to spend get to know a bedouin.

There is no doubt that I am cautious but I thought what the heck. His name is Audi...yes like the german car. Ha. He has a donkey named Michael Jackson. We go to the castle through the back way and it is hot. We get to the castle where he phones his friend and he comes and picks us up. We are going to make dinner and watch the sunset. Yes there is a small spark of the unknown here and it's charming. He says that he is giving me a Arabic name. Saara...it means the stars.

We go into town where he picks a live chicken to be butchered, and some pototoes and tomatoes some spickes some tin foil an onion and some water. I should have clued in at that point....I mean bedouin's didn't have tin foil did they?

We go back and on the way back he buys a mickey of what I found out later to be ouzo. We start the fire and get the food on the fire and he starts to drink. His friend then comes to join in...I didn't know then, but after a little conversation it seems that this is a common thing. What was I thinking! So he drinks pretty much the mikey in about an hour and a half and after I have eaten I tell him that I want to go back to my hotel. He says he is hurt. I don't want to sleep under the stars...
That would be a big no.
I get up to leave and he follows me but then starts the begging. I want to be with you just to love you one night.
Not going to happen.
He continues, I continue.
I was somewhat concerned to get back but thank goodness the moon was out and it was easy to make your way. We finally get to the road. He says he will call his friend. I say don't bother I will walk back. I am concerned but not afraid. He then goes for the bubble burster...
I want you to pay me. I say what? He says I want you to pay me.... I say how much. He says 20 JOD!!! LOOOOOLLLL.
I say meet me tomorrow and I will pay you.

I get to the hotel and try to take a shower but there isn't enough pressure. I go to the room across the hall and take a shower and come into my room and go to bed.

At first I was really beating myself up for this, but I thought you know it was for the most part a really nice time. Certainly a time I won't forget.

The next day I went to Petra at 7 am and went to the Monastery. There was only about 4 other people there. I decide to walk the whole thing even though I am offered a donkey the whole way. I get on top and am the first one there. I take my photos and then get myself sorted to get back to the hotel for check out and onward to Aquaba.

I am to catch the 12 noon bus but that doesn't leave until 2:30. I am hamming it up with the bus driver because the bus isn't going so I say I will drive. I get into the driver's seat and he is enjoying it as much as me. I was hoping that I might meet others that want to go and we could get taxi. No go. Patience. Sometimes things don't go as you planned. Keep a good sense of humor.

Then as we are sitting there doesn't a green pick up pull into the station??? There is Mohammed with his broken heart looking for me. I just can't hide here can I?
Anyways....ontward to Aquaba

Jordan - Amman

I am now in Amman, Jordan.
I came over in a taxi from Damascus and bartered hard, actually - I didn't have to. I was approached outside the bus station by the taxi drivers and I refused. I then went into the bus station and I was approached again by a taxi driver who wanted to add to his taxi. He wanted 700, I said no, I was offered 500 outside the bus station. He agreed quickly. He showed me the passports of the people who were in the car. I knew that this taxi was leaving soon, and that suited me, but I wanted to make sure that the car was a suitable size for the number of people and I also wanted to make sure that there was a woman in the car, because she would look out for me. I couldn't be sure that a car full of men would. Fawta was in the car, so I agreed. I ensured that I was going to be taken to Abdalli Station in Amman, by the driver.
He said yes. I gave him my passport. They want to check your passport at the bus station. I got into the sweltering car and tried to talk to Fawta. Her English was suprisingly well. She was a teacher for 15 years and had just married her husband of 60 a year ago. He was a widower and needed a wife. She is 34.

Before we get to the Jordanian border the driver switches with his father. Or so he says. I ask if the father can speak English, because Fawta was leaving shortly after the border so I wanted to make sure that the instructions I gave to the other driver were going to be carried out. I haven't made my payment yet. Fawta asks and I find out that he doesn't understand. However she makes sure that he knows that I'm to be dropped at Abdalli station.

The border crossing from Damascus to Amman including the driving was 4 hours - the borders are frustrating. Fawta said that there was a problem with drugs coming over the border but yet no dogs or mirrors. Just get out of the car. Hand over your passport. Okay. Then back in. Get out and grab your bags out. Open your bags. Okay, get back in. This goes on back and forth for at least 6 times. First the one side, then on the other.

The driver then drops off Fawta and her husband. Shortly after he asks for money but he does it in very bad English and I say Abdalli station. I think we both understad each other perfectly. He drops his next passenger off. He is trying to get me to go with a taxi driver. I refuse. I need to get downtown to an exchange to exchange some money. Long story short he drops me at Abdalli bus station and I walk downtown, after being propositioned by a young man. Now that was fast! LOL. I guess they don't waste anytime in Jordan. You want a strong man to help you? I say no thank you!


I arrived at Jan and Bruce's place in Amman. Lovely couple from New Zealand who are here in Jordan, on missionary work. Or kind of missionaries. Jan teaches kids here at a private school. They are volunteers. Bruce has done some construction work in New Zealand that allowed him to have a few income properties and so they go to countries where she works as a teacher and they go all over the world to teach and stay. They have been to many countries.

Amman is still in state of renovation. There really isn't all that much to see here as everything seems to be under construction. The ampitheatre is under construction, the museum is under construction and so on. So not much to enjoy here. The weather is cold and raining...and Jordan needs the rain, but I was soaked to the skin yesterday. I had hoped to to to Petra today, but because Friday is the Saturday, and the official day of rest not likely to happen. I still might move onward. I am getting very itchy to get to Petra and hopefully warmer weather.

Very,very hospitable people here. I was invited into a place bakery where the young men who were Palestinian were making naan bread in a tandoori oven. I was instructed in the art of putting the dough on the pillow and spread out to the right consistency and then taking the pillow and smashing it up on the top of the clay oven to bake. After the requisite amount of time to take a pair of long tongs and take it off. The guys then had me eat the warm naan with some hummus and baba ghanoush. That went on for a while until an Egyptian guy started to sound off and I was no longer comfortable and the guys running the place were also uncomfortable. I left.

I have been offered by a man, his cell phone, to make a phone call to Jan, when I arrived. I have been welcomed to my second home, Jordan. Very, very nice people wherever you go.

Amman has just named their streets last year, so walking around with the new tourist maps are nothing but confusing to the people here and really no better for you... So if you go by the old arabic name you are sure to get to your destination sooner. That is if you can pronounce Arabic at all. Very difficult to speak it correctly. I don't have an ear for it yet, but then each country pronounces things just a little differently too!

I hope to move on to Petra tomorrow morning at the latest and spend at least two days and one night there and then move onward to Aquaba.

I will be in Egypt by the 14th or 15th and head down to Aswan and Luxor and then move back to Cairo for my flight on the 21st.

I am pushed for time to update my blog, and when I get to Egypt this might be sporatic at best.

I am looking for warmer weather. I have brought rain to Jordan, and for that they are grateful...what can I say?

Damascus - Palmyra

Damascus.
Getting off the train in Damascus at 6 am and the woman I was staying with wants to take me home. Do I look all that sorry looking? No.

I wander around for 4 hours in the day watching the sleepy city slowly awaken. There are many secret police. Or should I say not so secret. I think they are pretty obvious. I come to a place that I now know there was a planned demonstration. I didn't know at the time. There I am in my flaming backpack. Can't really hide, can I? Anyways I come around the corner and a woman in covered garb looks at me. Her mouth falls open. I just laugh out loud. She then laughs back at me. Really nice people.

They are really really hospitable here. I would really recommend Syria. While they are trying to make money from you, and you really do have to barter, they always ask where are you from. You tell them and they say Canada? Welcome to Syria! You learn to say "shookra" thank you. And they just leave you alone. I haven't had a real issue at all here.

The hotels are reasonable about 5$ a day and the food is also reasonable.

I loved Palmyra. It is very expensive compared to everywhere else, but what tourist trap isn't?

I found out at the hostel that you could do this on your own. They aren't doing planned trips. So I try to get together with a number of travellers wanting to do the same (how Canadian of me) and that doesn't really work out. I figure that if I leave at 6 am (yeah, I know I'm on a vacation)
(But really the Turks threw me off my usual time schedule. They would sleep in until 11 am and then stay up until 1 am).

I meet a guy named David from the US and he isn't scared to say he's American! I'm impressed! He seems to be on a bit of a pilgramage (who isn't) and he decides he will come with me. I like to figure things out and go on public transport and that certainly challenges people until they figure it out. So I have found out where we can go from our hostel by bus to the Pullman bus station. Where I then have to barter hard for a ticket. I don't like the price but I know that they are leaving at 7:30 and I figure that the bus will not be filled with people. So I tell David we should get a chai (tea) and wait until closer to the time. I figure they will want to fill the bus, and then it will be easier to barter. I'm right. I get there about 10 minutes before the so called cut off of 730 and it is much easier. They ask for our passports. We are carted off to a customs officer (huh?) who asks us where we are going and why. I tell him to Palmyra and as a tourist. No problem. Welcome to Syria!

Everyone welcomes you! I love it. It makes me smile.

Palmyra is an amazing city. This city is bigger than Ephesus, and incredibly preserved. The size is easily 3 times bigger. We see the temple of Bel and then walk and walk and walk. I am happy to say that all my hiking has kept me in shape to do this. We wander around the site with only a maybe 50 other people there. The sun comes out for us and the city virtually lights up. The colour is yellow, so in the harsh sun it must almost come alive. You can easily sit on the steps of the ampitheatre and imagine the theatre that took place here. It is really special to be able to take the time to imagine what it would be like. The grandeur. Because there are no crowds it is spectacular.

The Turkish and Syrian food hasn't helped me put on a few pounds...

I need for all of you to know that I will be leaving Damascus tomorrow morning and heading to Jordan. I will be going to Egypt. I have some news that things are very isolated. Now that the banks are open it makes sense for me continue on this journey. Please don't worry, everything is working out exactly as it is planned! I am very excited.

Welcome to Syria - Aleppo

I crossed the border much too late at night from Adana. I get to Antakya and arrive at about 1930 hrs. There is a guy on the bus and he asks me what nationality I am. I ask why. He say because he wants to know. I ask why. He says that he wants to know....I say Cdn. He says I will help you. If you were American I wouldn't help you. He is Palestinian and his girlfriend Syrian. Geesh!

We get on a bus to take us to the Old bus station to pick up a taxi to cross the border. It isn't an easy proposition because it is dark and the best of the best come out after dark. There is a big argument about who is going to get me. The Palestinian says that it might be better for me to get a hotel for the night and then consider going. I say I don't want to do that. The area looks way to dodgy for me and so I just want to get out of Dodge.

So after wandering around and the girlfriend getting so angry I thought she might come to blows with one of the taxi drivers, we strike a deal for me to get into a taxi with another two women to get to Aleppo.

It is a long border crossing and when I get to the border I'm supposed to have gotten my visa before...well, as the border guard says...this could be a problem. Well here we go. Upstairs he goes with my passport. I am expecting a long wait, but in 10 minutes he is back. He asks me if I want to transit visa (3 days) or longer. I say longer. Here have some Syrian tea. Don't mind if I do. I don't know how long I will have to stew in Syria before making a dash for Egypt. Well, I get a 14 day visa and as long as I have the US cash, it would seem that I am on my way. They try their English out on me...I have a brother in Montreal....LOL. Welcome to Syria.

The border is a bit intimidating. Get out of the car, open the trunk. The guard and the taxi driver have a big laugh. Get back in the car. Get out and in and out and in. It is kinda surreal. If I had the help of a good movie theme I think I could have been in a movie.

I don't like arriving late at night, and we arrived at 1030. The ladies in the car couldn't speak English but they asked me some questions that we both understood...married, single, how old, how many children....etc, etc. The one woman Fatimah takes me in her car after I get to the bus station in Aleppo and she has her husband buy me a shawarma ( I had no cash) and then drop me at a possible hotel. Very kind. She gives me her phone number and tells me to call her when I get a Sim card. Everyone is very connected.

So I am wandering around at 1030 at night looking for a suitable hotel that doesn't resemble a brothel and I poke my head into a Shesha bottle (?) seller named Abu. He says Welcome to Syria. Come in. I will make some tea. So I did. We talked for a while and then I just had to get on with looking for a place. The next place I went into was called the Tourist Hotel and it was very clean and I met Ahmed who was the night manager. I could have cared less how much the room cost (700 SL = $15) I just wanted to collapse. So I did.

I spent the next day getting hopelessly lost in the largely unsigned streets. I can't read arabic, and the maps are poorly marked as well. Most Syrian people can't read a map either. Even though many books tell you that the people speak good English...it's not so. But they are very friendly. You will hear all the time when you walk down the street. Welcome to Syria.

I saw the Citadel and then went to the museum. Most of the artifacts are in the museums. Very reasonable to see the sights and the museums 2-3 dollars.


I decide to take the overnight train from Aleppo to Damascus. It was a shaking, shuttering, stopping and starting nightmare. The sleeper was the most filthy place I've been in, in a long time. Yuk! Didn't sleep all night and woke up at 0600 to Damascus. Wandered around and I am sure I was almost the first person up. I finally found a hostel and hope to do Palmyra tomorrow.
Hope this finds you all well. On the road again...... :)
More later.....

Kayserı and Adana

İ leave Goreme and interestingly enough İ when İ get my ticket 3 of the guys decide to do the same. Little did İ know that there is a big school holiday for three weeks happening and most of the buses are booked. İ head down to the main booking place and go from one bus place to another and finally İ get a ticket for 1615 hrs. The other guys book for the same time.


Lovely town, but a bıt tourısty for me. Very nice people though. İ have a moment wıth Fetir where İ thank him for being so kind to me. Octavio is trying to get me to stay another nıght and go to the underground cıty. İ have seen similar in Australia.


Sorry folks but İ am taking my time and expect that by the end of my travels İ will have had my fill of all the mosques...İ mean how many mosques can you see? This is the same for the various ruins.

Ephesus was amazing though.

İ get to Kayseri and phone my contact Esmeray. She is just as excited as İ am to meet. She directs me to downtown and she will meet me at the Hilton...or right outside the Hilton. Ben gets on the same bus as İ do to the city center and İ explain maybe Esmeray can arrange something for him. Ben seems a little lost. There doesn't seem to be very much direction in his life.

Finally, İ meet a girlfriend in Turkey and not too soon. Us girls are usually very networked. Esmeray is excited to meet,and we get to the hotel and she has arranged for us to stay together. We cannot have Ben stay in the room so he has to arrange for another and because Esmeray has made some connections at the hotel he gets it for a very cheap prıce.

We go out and eat and then down to the train statıon to get a ticket for Ben. He cannot leave for Kars until the next day. We head in and İ have a nıce long hot shower and clean up. NICE.

Kayseri is cool...but not as cool as Calgary İ'm sure.

:)

Our breakfast is included as in most places. Esmeray has to work until about noon. Esmeray has a PHD ın Busıness Admin and women studıes. She is a feminist. So am İ. We have an amazıng amount of things in common.

Our tickets have been bought for Adana and not too soon, as it has been snowing all day. What the heck! İ keep trying to get ahead of the weather and for the most part İ've done a great job...not today!

We get ourselves together and we are waiting in the snow for the pick up bus. İ only now find out that when you buy your ticket from a certain bus company that they have shuttle buses to take you to the Otogar. Live and learn. Why do you learn this at the end of your tour in a country? Hmmmm?

We catch the 1615 to Adana and we are going some pretty slıppery conditıons and Esmeray is nervous. The whole bus stands up to look at a bad accident that another bus has had. İ tell her that that will not happen to us.

We arrive in Adana and it is 10 degrees warmer. Nice. But where is my sunshine? Maybe tomorrow. İ tell Esmeray that İ want to go to a Hammam and she says she will take me to one in Adana. Girls know the best places to go!!! We arrive and there is an engagement party going on upstairs. İt is great. Music so loud. Sounds Arabic. Esmeray decribes what is taking place. Apparently quite a negotiation.

İ have found that the Turks like to stay up until one or two in the morning and sleep until 11. This is screwing me up. Too funny.

The next day we have breakfast. Now on Sunday people pretty much chill because this is the only day off they have. Breakfast takes about 3 hours. No rush. Esmeray's mother is a sweet person. She lives with her brother. She is 58 and he is 66.

She kind of works Avon only wıth dowry items. Because women are expected to come with the curtains and linens to the matimonial home Esmeray's mother sells these items door to door and by word of mouth to would be brides.

We decide to go to meet Esmeray's boyfriend Alı, who is a professor at one of the private universities here in Adana. But before we do thıs we have to go to a beauty salon and get threaded. Have any of you had thıs done? İ have before but not in Turkey. They are very skilled here. After having that excruitating experience over. We meet Ali and he has his friend Feme come to meet us. The Spanısh inquisition is on. He is grilling me on how İ met Esmeray. İ just blow him off. They can be very intense here and İ'm not here for an inquisition. We have dinner and then we go to a place to experience real Turkish music. İ enjoy this.

The next day we have breakfast and head to a girl's sauna - hammam. This is where the ladies that don't work come for to chill and gossip and catch up. Nice life. We spend the day here. İ come home like jelly. İ've been steam cleaned and buffed and fluffed!!! There are many very nıce ladies here that know that İ'm a foreıgner and one even thinks that she knows me. She is a bus driver in town. Yup, İ have that familiar face here in Turkey where everyone thinks İ'm German. LOL.

Last night goes to rendevous with her boyfriend and leaves me at home with her mother and her brother. Esmeray's twin brother comes in and announces he is getting married tomorrow. Drama. İ go to bed.

Today İ leave to do some internet and Esmeray meets me at a cafe. She says let's go to a wedding. İ say huh? She tells me her brother is getting married and we can go to the wedding. So this is how İ got invited to a wedding in Turkey. İ was the honoured token Canadian taking pictures of their wedding. Too funny. Esmeray's family for the most part was not amused. This was not done in the proper way. LONG story. Obvıously too much information to go into detail here. I think maybe İ will find a ticket onward and head to Syria tomorrow.

Thanks for all your attentıon to what is going on in Egypt. Everyone is glued to their newspapers, TV and internet here. İ'm not impressed. How dare this change my plans!! İ may just chill in Syria and then head to Jordan, but if thing stabılize in Egypt İ will be heading there. İ do know that the president has been invited to leave by Friday. Let's hope things stabilize quickly after that. İ will need to see if İ can just get to Cairo aırport for my onward flight to Tunisia. Send out the positive thoughts folks!

;)

İ love to hear from you. İ am aware of what is goıng in Egypt but İ am also aware of how the media can control people. Fear is a very powerful tool. So don't fear for me.