Viva Egypt

Day by Day

Orlando A

I love national pride. I remember when we went to Memphis and saw the open air museum there. Talk about a very memorable place. However, what I remember the most is the guard at the back of the museum. He was guarding the museum and typically backsheesh is always welcome. So his attempt to gather backsheesh was with the comment, "America, number one." I am thinking to myself, what type of comment is this for a man in uniform, from Egypt. Seems to me Egypt should be number one if you are getting paid by the Egyptian government, and when I feel really uncomfortable with this, I know where the airport is. Not to say I ain't proud of America insofar as the things we have done as a people to make a great country, but every national should be proud of his or her own nationality, particularly in his own country. I am surely proud of our accomplishments as Africans in America, despite the negatives that have been present in our treatment in America.

So anyway, we were out today and I forgot that today Egypt was playing Algeria for a place in the world cup, and soccer is really big here. Soccer is like football and baseball combined. So this is like the Superbowl or something. Everyone had been talking about it all week. So we went out to grab a bite to eat. Unfortunately without a camera. So first stop is a restaurant right down the street from where we live. A, had recommended this restaurant from a few more, because it doesn't typically cater to tourists, it is more geared towards locals, the Egyptian House. So we went in and the cook, who didn't speak much English went out to gather the owner, who spoke a fair deal of English. He had been watching the game before we came in.

We order and look at the menu. The prices are a bit high. But I order anyway, hearing A, in my ear telling me that it is a good deal. So we order and leave while they prepare the food. On the way to find a cab a man sees us and speaks, "viva Egypt!" "Viva Egypt," I reply.

We hop in a taxi and head downtown to look at another restaurant we heard about via travel guides and such. It is a British establishment, the Jewel of the Nile. The owner hears us telling our cabbie to come back and rushes to speak with us. The Nubian waiter seats us and before we can begin to look at the menu the owner asks if we are going to eat in. I explain that we are going to look at the menu and maybe order a few things, but we were just curious. I see pigeon on the menu and see that it takes a day to prepare. I laugh, I have a score to settle. I tell her we are going to call ahead for stuffed pigeon in a day or so and head back out to look around and find a cab back to the Egyptian House.

We start walking down Television street and wind up in front of Omar's Supermarket, which is a souk that has food and such. A young boy is in front and asks for a small donation saying he will bless us for the donation. I don't have change, but tell him I will go get change in Omar's. He looks at us go in, down the aisle and comments, pointing to the register that change is over there. I tell him that I am going to buy something for change and to relax. Young upstart!

We buy some olive oil, and pringles. Once you pop... So, then we head back out and I hand him 1.50 Egyptian and he hands me a small baggie of incense. He has a small basket filled with coals and I hand Candice the incense. She pours some on the charcoal and he prays for her and incenses. It is aromatic. I place incense on the charcoal and he does the same for me. It is energizing, aromatic and sublime. I thank him and hand him back the incense. He refuses it, and tells us to keep it. As we walk away, he asks for a 5 Egyptian so that he can buy a falafel. Part of me is like, what, I just gave you 1.50 EGP, then the other part is like, 5 Egyptian is like 90 cents US. I look at him, at his dusty face and see that he probably is hungry. I hand him the change and he thanks me again and is about his way.

We walk down Television street and it is getting dark. Somehow we veer down a wrong way, although we never leave the huge street. We wind down a street with only locals present. They are celebrating with only Egyptian flags everywhere. The game is on every TV. Egypt scores and the crowds go wild. We are starting to wonder which turn took us the wrong way. There are shops with butchers and nuts. No English signs. No cabbies. Still, I know I am safe and there is joy in the air.

A few seconds later we make it back to Television street. Somehow we took a detour. Back on Television street which is a main street that is only teen years or so from being farmland the crowds are out and about. The red white and black Egyptian flag is everywhere. People are starting to go wild celebrating. We find a cab and head back to pick up our order from Egyptian House.

When we get back, I hand the cab driver 15 Egyptian, less than three US dollars, counting a nice tip and head in to pick up our food. The cook is in the front waiting for us. He hands me the order, which is for seven. He tells me the order is going to be reduced because he knows we are from in the neighborhood. The price of carry out for seven which included two different soups, flatbread, roasted chicken, Egyptian salad, hummus and rice would be 75 Egyptian which equals about 14 US dollars. I hand him 100 Egyptian and thank him for his hospitality.

Later we found Egypt had indeed beat Algeria and are headed to the world cup. Viva Egypt.

Egypt beats Algeria 2-0 in World Cup qualifier‎

Luxor Temple

Temples and Sites

by Orlando A

Yesterday we finally visited Luxor Temple. Luxor Temple is the most picturesque of temples I have seen thus far. Candice was in a mood, the kids were super energized, especially Jacob. The temple has been restored to a state where the layout and design of the grounds can be appreciated as if this were a modern structure. The position of and the energy emanating from the temple reminds me of Grant Park in Chicago which is not unlike Central Park in New York in many respects. Grant Park serves to pull people towards it, I remember going to work many days and seeing either the park or the festivals going on in the park and wishing I could be a part of the event or go hang out in the park. It is the same with Luxor. But none of that matters much when your lady is in a mood. So rather than trying to get to the bottom of all that, I decided it was time to see Luxor. Jacob decided it was time to play in every bit of temple dust he could touch, and later lick, and of course, roll around in.

A few weeks ago, when we arrived in the town of Luxor we saw the temple and our attention was drawn towards Luxor Temple because it was both huge and unlike any other structure in town besides Karnak. Karnak itself is walled off and separate and slightly to the north of town. Luxor on the other hand is easily seen and central to town. We drove by Luxor, many a time wondering when we would finally arrive, each time on the way to some mundane task. Buying food and juice, purchasing clothing, meeting someone or the other; always Luxor stood, drawing us to itself.

• Additional Photos (Picasa)

We arrived at a little after one o'clock in the afternoon. At this time of year that was the perfect time because the temple columns themselves serve to partially shade the complex landscape. In addition, the tourists arrived a bit later, as we were leaving, on our way back home. So anytime except the summertime I would recommend a visit probably right after the noon hour, and I have been told that all the temples deserve a visit at night to see the light shows. Since Egypt is so alive at night period, I would have to agree. During the day carry water or juice for refreshment, luckily we did. Our choice was orange schweppes and baraka water.

When we arrived we entered the gate which is now on the side away from the Nile and not on the Nile side. We entered the security gate and went in to purchase tickets. I would recommend having nearly exact change. The ticket agent looked completely non-apologetic when I handed her two one hundred pound Egyptian notes for five discounted tickets. The prices at discount were twenty five pounds each. Luckily, Corey had twenty five which she loaned me for her admission (about four US dollars). The ticket agent looked disappointed and issued our tickets, perhaps she wanted us to pay the full fee, best to carry exact change, a student card purchased in the states and small bills.

Upon entry you walk down a small walkway which leads you to the choice of the column of sphinx (which is the proper entry to the temple) or the temple itself. To the side of this entryway is a small building, said to be the Chapel of Serapis. A chapel is said to furthermore be a place of worship inside of a greater place of worship, often for private prayer as opposed to a larger cathedral or such. We chose to walk towards the Temple itself however, and later returned to the chapel.

The temple is enormous and has been added on time and time again. At one point, there was a Roman fort built around the temple, and there is a remaining mosque, the mosque of Abu al-Haggag, which can be visited. Abu Haggag is a local saint, probably Luxor's main saint or holy man. The mosque of Abu al-Haggag remains because it is said to be built on a holy spot, full of baraka, or divine blessing. I would agree. The site was once a Coptic church but was converted to a mosque during the twelfth century. Of course the Luxor Temple predates the building of both by over two thousand years. Amenhotep the third is said to have completed the temple at about 1400 BC. However, the spot does indeed have an energy about it which has attracted congregants of many faiths, and people of all nationalities.

Beneath the mosque lies Luxor, immediately before you arrive at anything else is the Obelisk ,the remaining one of two, the other has been removed to the Place de la Concorde in Paris. Following is the court of Ramses II who is said to have renovated the temple and completed more work on it after Amenhotep III. Statues of Ramses the II are abundant. The columns are said to show Ramses II making offerings to the gods. Following are courts and chambers said to be dedicated to Amen, Mut and Khonsu.

Amenhotep III is said to be the father of Akhenaton (Amenhotep IV), much of the work here shows his work and the decoration shows the return of Tutankhamun to the ways of old, following the reign of Akhenaton and the worship of Atun. Aparrantly, some stuff went down. In addition, with all this worship of Amen, nothing is left to pay homage to Amen-et, his predecessor and synchronous mate, but that is another story.

My plan was to visit and allow myself to be taken where my spirit would, take photos of the reliefs that were of most interest and try to make sense of them over time. We found a few at the end of Ramses court as well as in other places around the temple complex. Some I will include as photos for this article. By the time we got into Ramses court Candice was talking to me again and we managed to both marvel at the reliefs.

As we were crossing from the Court of Ramses into the Colonnade of Amenhotep, I was approached by a tour guide. He was a local and he told me his name was Moses. He tried unsuccessfully to operate as my tour guide. He asked where I was from and I said America, waiting for "yes, Obama." He asked me again, I said America. He looks intently and say where you really from. Then I look at him funny and said, you from Africa. I smiled and then I say oh yeah, "I am from Afrika," then added, "right here in Egypt." He look at me funny at first and then smiled back in agreement.

Moses asked me if I knew what his name meant. I did, but all I could mutter out was water. He agreed and added, son of the water. Later he told me he was actually an Egyptologist, although it seems that gets thrown around a bit here. However, I asked him if the Mo, Mu was was related to the Nu, Nuit, N - as in water and he seemed to understand and offered the beginnings of an explanation. So I asked for his number and figured he might be able to offer some additional info sometime in the future, after I figure out what I am interested in most studying.

From that point we went all the way to the back of the temple where the Shrine of Amun and the sanctuary of Amenhotep the III are. In the chambers leading to the sanctuary and shrine there are openings up to the sky and they are pretty massive. On the way out, in one of the dark openings there is a drop of what I think is water. I am like, damn, this is like a type of baptism, on the back of my shirt. I am like about to have this mystical experience in this little space of dark silence and I am like what is that, that fell on me. I am thinking of the waters of Amun, dripping down, only on the select. Corey is right behind me. I ask again, "what is that dripping," thinking I am speaking in my mind, Corey says, "there are pigeons up there."

Just a drop hit me and we had some paper towels. I look up, see them and start thinking. I am a quasi mostly vegetarian, but you do know that Egyptians eat pigeons over here. Pigeon soup, probably roasted too. Yeah. So that seems to be an invite to at least try one, I mean fair game for at least the experience. Teach them a lesson. Whatever the case, my shirt is still way cleaner than Jacob's who now has this film of grey temple dust covering every inch of his body.

So we return to the front of the temple and the Japanese are arriving. Japanese cat doing the power fist out in front of Ramses, well something like that. I'm like whoa.

Remember that small change I recommended? It is for the groundskeepers and such who will recommend certain spots for the wayward visitor to photo and experience. As recompense you should have backsheesh of a few Egyptian Pounds, one or two at least, which is the equivalent of about forty cents. They will even photo you or a group with much joy.

As we walk towards the entrance to the complex Candice looks at me and asks if I remember the columns that we had walked past and if I knew what they represented. She explained that they were the fourteen powers from ra which are bestowed to the king, priest, initiate, etcetera...leading to the perfected man. Later she explained it in context to the famous relief of Akhenaton with the sun shinning down on him...each hand representing the same respective idea. I guess that was another reason to keep your woman happy, revelations worthy of a king for free. Maybe Moses knew something about that too though, I will ask him next time, since I got his number.

We ended the tour by stopping to view a decapitated so called Serapis in his said chapel and the column of Sphinx which are still being excavated and will stretch for blocks. Serapis is worth a discussion all of his own, even if the said chapel is not. As excavation in town continues I will add photos and commentary. Until then.

Afterward:
Probably our most lasting thoughts after visiting are the relation of this temple to Anubis who is around quite a bit and his function as intermediary between our world and the next, guardian of the gate. In addition, after considering the function of Serapis at the entry to the temple, in a likewise function as the keeper of the way, gatekeeper of the underworld, as well as his synchronization with Osiris. Analyzing Serapis, Anubis, Amen, Mut and Amenet together should be very interesting indeed.

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West Bank

Temples and Sites

by Orlando A.

On Monday we went to the West Bank; Luxor and Karnak are on the East Bank of the Nile and the Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens are on the West Bank. We took a ferry across the Nile and a small boat back the to the East Bank, where we live, afterwards. You could also drive across, or take a cab, but this was our first time going across so we decided with our English neighbor, A, to take the ferry across. The ferry was pretty crowded, but not too crowded and everyone seemed to be in a good mood. Looking out at the Nile from the ferry was like a dream come true. There are also cruise ships which can meet varying budget requirements which run up and down the Nile. You can also rent a Felucca, a smaller sail boat, to bring you back up the Nile from Aswan, but that would take a few days to reach Luxor from Aswan.

When we arrived on the West Bank we were greated by the normal cadre of cab drivers and agents trying to sell cab rides. There should be no problem finding a cab on the West Bank, and since everything is a bit spread out, you will probably need one. We just did a quick drive around the area, with, A, showing us where the valley ticket office and so on. We passed by the Colossi of Memnon which tower from the desert.

A, also took us to a museum in Qurna, or Gurna dedicated to the local residents or Qurnawi, whose houses and whole villages have been largely removed and are now being displaced due to the government deciding that the area should be free from housing and the risks associated with the proliforation of antiquities due to the tunnels that could be created from said structures. In other words, there is said to be a history of people digging beneath their homes to tombs underneath to unearth artifacts. A, told us the story of going into one of the tunnels and having a bit of excitement. Still, it seems that something better could be done for the local residents, other than moving entire villages. However, it is an odd situation to say the least. The residents report that the new government constructed houses are not holding up very well, however, I did not see them. Newer is not always better though.

Afterwards we finished off at a local restaurant for lemon squash, which is lemonade that is blended and water for all. We walked to the Medinat Habu, and then caught a cab back down to the dock. We took a small boat home, which put us closer to the Nile but not close enough for crocodiles! While waiting a young guy saw the kufi I was wearing and asked if I was Muslim. I answered, "I am everything." He looked confused. He thought for a second and said, "it doesn't matter, we are all the same anyway." One God, One Love. People in general, even if they are selling stuff are genuinely happy to see you come down the street. I have had people just pleased out of their minds to see us, selling nothing. I send that love right back to them too.

Anyway, this guy was selling scarfs, which men wrap around there heads here as well. I declined, because I didn't have much money with me, and I had to get back home, but the young brother gave it to me anyway, as a gift. I was very grateful. My neighbor thought he had sold it to me at an overinflated price, sometimes people are just happy to see you. I will post a picture with me wearing it in a day or so. I will look for him, next time I go back and take a picture and actually buy something as well.

On the way back home from the ferry a funny thing happened. A, went out front to look for a cab, I was looking out at the street and saw someone looking over at Cory. This guy's grill looked like it had caked on tobacco from the time of Tutankhamen. So, I looked directly at him, and he is still smiling at Corey. So I am like, "what?" He busts out before I can even say anything, "How much for her?" Me and Candice look at each other and before we can decide whether to curse dude out or bust our laughing he adds, "One million camel!" I just look down and say, "Naw man." Before I can compose myself, he says, "two million camel!" Candice and I just look at each other and bust out laughing. The cab came a second later. We hopped in and headed back to our flat.

To Market

Day by Day
by Orlando A

Yesterday I went out with my landlady, J, and our neighbor, P, for a trip to the market. This was really nice because it allowed us to learn how to use the bus system here, besides the good company, of course. The bus costs 35 piastres. This is the equivalent of five US cents. However, the buses are really more like minivans that stop when they see passengers who wave and if they are full they drive on. They have a little stripe on them at the bottom, the yellow striped bus goes only into the edge of town, the blue striped bus goes all the way into Luxor proper.



We went to town and bought all the necessities: paper products, cleansers, tea, fruit and whatnot. Later, J, explained something very valuable to me. She said, in her wonderful proper English accent to her husband; "you know when I was standing next to Orlando in the store, I realized he was getting the correct prices on things automatically, like he was being taken as a native. They probably wouldn't realize he wasn't Egyptian (or somehow local) until he opens his mouth." So in essence, if I keep my mouth shut, I will be fine. Yeah.

So anyway, we also visited a magnificent western styled market in town, called Arkwrights. It had very reasonably priced cheeses, juices, crackers, sandwiches and other things travelers from the west would appreciate.

As I walked with the two girls from the UK and my wife I got to soak in the looks from the various local men wondering what the hell was going on here. That was kind of funny. We later sat down at a cafe for tea and coffee. I had Turkish that was perfect and Candice had anise tea, which is said to be good for the stomach.

Later, after we got back home, we hung out on the roof with the kids, we met another neighbor A., who is here for a few weeks from the UK. She was extremely pleasant and talked about her time here and politics at home. She explained that she had come here some fifteen years ago and had begun working with an orphanage and has been coming every few months since that time.

She explained how different the West Bank, where the valley of the Kings and Queens is situated, is from the East Bank where Karnak and Luxor are. She told us that not only do they speak different dialects, there are different living standards, with the West Bank being more rural and agrarian than the East Bank which is more cosmopolitan. She advised me that most expatriates hang out on the other side.

She explained that there was a history of the government moving people from ancestral homes and so on over there. However, it also seems that some of those ancestral homes would be built over sites where tunnels would extend so that locals could gather and later export antiquities. So I have been told and read.

Anyway, I plan on getting over to that side next week and look forward to it. However, for now I am taking it easy and plan to walk over to Karnak in the next day or so. I plan on getting over there early packing a nice lunch and making a day of it. Expect wonderful pictures. Meanwhile I will be munching away on the large delicious mangoes and fresh dates I got from the market.

Anna Masari

Day by Day - Anna Masari (Day 9)
By Candice A.

Relative time in Egypt is still weird to me. We landed only nine days ago, but it seems like at least three weeks. I have trouble keeping up with what day it is because the rhythm is so different here. Back in America, you can sense what day it is because to me, each day has a ‘feeling’, if you know what I mean. Although at times it may be a Monday, and because it’s a holiday, you will think, “it feels like Sunday today”. So as of yet, no day has a particular energy to it for me. I wonder how long I will have to be here before I regain that ‘seventh’ sense.

Little by little I’m getting accustomed to walking in the street, as no one who lives here walks on the sidewalk, whenever there is one available to walk on. The curbs are so high that you have to give a big hop up and down each time a new block arises, which is kind of fun to me. But since you are immediately tagged as a foreigner if you walk on the sidewalk, I will stick to the street – especially since I’m not terrified of getting mowed down by a car whizzing by like I was in Cairo.

Today we had to run a few errands: pay a visit to the rental office concerning our new flat rental, visit the bank, and check out another flat owned by a clerk that works for the hotel we stayed in upon arriving here. Why were we going to check out another apartment when we just rented a perfectly good one a day earlier? Because when we told ‘Ayman’ that we were checking out to move to our new flat, he was horrified by what we told him we were paying and insisted that we should have spoken to him first because he had a place that was more than half less than what our rent was. To refresh, we currently pay 2800le (about $508us). He was offering his flat to us for 1000le, you can do the math and figure out how much that is in US dollars. Basically, it was an offer we couldn’t refuse.

So we hail a taxi to take us to the Mummification Museum, which is where we’d arranged to meet Ayman because we would have had trouble finding his place on our own, as there is not the ‘address’ system here that we are familiar with in America. ‘Mr. Fish’, the taxi owner we’d made acquaintance with on the previous day, didn’t make his way to President Mubarak Garden Park (where we were waiting in front of) because as we found out later that evening, he thought we were in front of Susanna Mubarak Garden (the first lady) – which was down the road aways. I will share more about Mr. Fish in Day 9, part II.

Being the green newbies that we are here, of course the current driver tried to charge us four times the price that he should have for the ride. “Forty pounds”, he insisted. (During a chat with our landlady later on, we discovered that we should wait until we get out of the cab, pass through the window to the driver the ten pounds he is owed for a local trip, then walk away). As he approaches, Ayman sees this fruitless negotiation taking place, gets in taxi and chats up the driver to take us to his flat.

After a few minutes we arrive to a very local part of Luxor and head up a lot of stairs. The place is mediocre, but workable for the rate – even with our other rental taken into consideration. We agree to meet the next day to finalize plans. We direct the seemingly unreasonable driver, who has been waiting downstairs for us all this time, back to where we live. As we pull into the street, he recognizes it and asks us in disbelief if we really live here, because his cousin owns the whole area. We say we do, his facial expression conveys a combination of surprised, happy and ashamed – gives us a bit of a better fare (though still more than local price), and drives off.

Walking back from a short toilet paper and snack run that night, we stop in the local market around the corner from our flat. We’d been in this store two or three times already, but tonight there is an older man there with the younger guys who we hadn’t seen before. We nod, give our hellos and start to look for what we need when the man ask us if we need help and where are we from. We say Chicago, and he gives Orlando the ‘soul brother’ three part handshake. We laugh and wonder aloud where he learned this from and he tells us that he lived in America for 22 years. Then he pulls a New York drivers license. Brooklyn baby! Soon we learn that this man’s name is Ali, and that he is Nubian. But wait, not only is he Nubian, but he was an apprentice under Dr. Yosef Ben-Jochannon aka Dr. Ben! And, he knows Dr. Leonard Jeffries and Ashra Kwesi.

For those that aren’t familiar, these men are some of the most revered scholars concerning Egyptian history and anthropology and are responsible for bringing the wealth of the information on the ancient culture back to the Americas and spreading it among our generation. After chatting about 30 more minutes, it feels like we are all old friends, and he welcomes us as family and offers his home and whatever else we may need. Notwithstanding all of the hassles and frustrations that we may have gone through since arriving in Egypt, this was one of the connections that we were hoping to experience while we were here. And it only took nine days to happen.