Things that I learned in Egypt:
1) Language is special:
- Egyptologist= Egyptian tour guide.
- Ten plus infant= equals 11 but they will never say 11.
- "No Hastle" means that I will hastel you just as much as the next person.
2) Maybe the advice that we received about how to cross the street in Egypt is not the wisest (just close your eyes and run). better to keep your eyes open but take a valium first and get some momentum going.
(worth checking out the video on facebook- very Blair Witch).
3) "Why would that be weird?" is not limited to Israel!
- Why would it be weird that the representative from the tour company that we hired for the Cairo part of the vacation would ask us if we had a visa for Egypt and then upon us saying no, pull one out of his shirt pocket and place it in our passports?
- Why would that be weird that at least at one intersection, apparently only one-legged men with crutches were allowed to cross the street?
- Why would it be weird that if you want a cab, you negotiate over the price of the cab, and then, when you realize that the cab is blocked in by 2 rows of parked cars (prayer time in front of the oldest Mosque in Africa), the driver would respond "no problem" and proceed to roll said cars out of the way. (another facebook video to check out!)
- Why would it be weird that the breakfast on the sleeper train (to and from Luxor) would serve yellow cake, croissant, slice of white bread and a white dinner roll all individually wrapped on the tray?
- Why would it be weird that the way to obtain a driver’s license is through a bribe?
- Why would it be weird that the "City of the Dead", which is the old burial area with mosoleums and monuments which are centuries old are home to a bustling community of 2 million residents and that apparently they are getting internet next year (they already have cable TV)? (The families that own the cripts rent them out to others and you can see clotheslines, animals and bicycles strewn about.)
- Why would it be weird that in chess, the "queen" might have a beard and mustache?
4) If you are cute and if you tip, the police will encourage you to climb up about 15 feet on the Pyramids for a photo-op. Bashish=tip (in Arabic)
5) Harry Botter (no P sound in Arabic) does exist and can be purchased for 15 Egyptian Pounds (about 3 dollars) in a train station book store.
6) It is helpful to learn numbers and what they look like prior to going (made bargaining a lot easier)
7) If you wanted to buy a model of a wooden Egyptian Cat God or alabaster scarab paperweight and you forget or have not made up your mind at the first 15 people who approach you, don't worry, there will be at least 20 more.
8) The McDonald's in Luxor has a very nice bathroom! (and the sink is big enough to wash your hair in...)
9) Lighting Hannukah candles on a train is a special experience that should remain private. Sometimes the importance of publisizing the miracle is secondary to a feeling of security.
11) Hyrogliphics cover just about everything but there are still some pretty awesome colors and displays everywhere.
12) The Greeks graphitied over the hyrogliphics.
13) Apparently it is possible to balance a load of pitot on your head while riding your bike in a country with only "2" trafficlights that do anything other than blink yellow.
14) The Sinai, at least the majority that we saw was a vast wasteland of sand dunes, wild dogs, checkpoints, military escorts, and an occational hill or mountain.
15) In the middle of the Metro trains, are two cars designated for Women Only! Apparently, if a male tries to board, the women beat him with their purses- talk about a liberal society! Go femenism...
16) It was great to get back to Israel! (many more photos on Facebook)
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