European Christmas 2013

Desperate to get a more traditional feel to Christmas (yet unwilling to pony up for the flight to the US), we decided we would hit up Central Europe for a taste of cold weather and Christmas cheer.

Our visit to Budapest was amazing. Let’s skip past the drive where we waited for 45 min to get into the city then drove past our place and had to do a 30 min over and back across the Danube River to find it. Another 45 min to park the car and the good times could start. We rented an apartment perfectly located – city (Pest) center and just 50 feet from a tram line, meaning we never were outside too long for transport. We stayed at the Green Dream Apartment at a rate about ½ of the going cost of a smaller place. We could see the Buda Palace, Parliament, and the Danube River from the entrance, meaning running was amazing along the river and on the island. It also didn’t hurt to have a bakery in front and a Belgian beer place in the back.

Our first stop was the Terror House which shows video, audio, photographs, and artifacts from Nazi and post-war communist activity. Three stories of museum, complete with jails and execution stands in the basement, remind us all of the horrible actions committed by man this century. We were appalled, not only by the history but also our ignorance that these atrocities happened in the past 60 years and we had no idea they occurred.

Perhaps the key thing we wanted to do in Budapest was go ice skating in the park. Of course it mean crappy skates and terrible ice, but a chance to cruise the largest outdoor rink in Europe. The rink is situated in front of Vajdahunyad Castle, a building crafted in a combination of historical Hungary architecture into a single eclectic palace featuring styles from the Middle Ages to the 18th century: Romanesque, Gothic Renaissance, Baroque buildings. The crisp air of a European winter with the a castle as a backdrop while Christmas song play throughout the park, does it get any more festive than that? Amazing. For dinner, the four of us braved the cold and walked 2km to the Iguana Mexican restaurant. Why would someone go into a Mexican place in Hungary? Because all the people inside were Hungarians and they have amazing food! We sipped on beers and cocktails (the girls had hot chocolate) and we munched burritos, enchiladas, fried ice cream, and sopapillas.

The other main purpose of the venture to Budapest was to hit the Christmas market in Vörösmarty Square. Sparking lights and stalls of vendors provide ample views while munching on töki pompos (oven-baked dough), delicious kürtöskalács (a cone-shaped sweet hollow pastry), sipping hot mulled wine, and guzzling sour cherry beer. Holiday music was piped in overhead and it was everything we hoped for in a market.

Prague takes the cake as an amazing city. Unbelievable architecture, cobble-stone streets, art, music, parks. From the walk across the Charles Bridge to looking at the Astronomical Clock, Prague offers sights around every corner worth a photo. Our first day was spent at the Prague Castle, which was only a 5 min train ride away yet took 45 minutes (the castle is between two metro stops and we couldn’t figure out which was shorter for the kids so spent a lot of time going back and forth). Situated high on the hill, it overlooks all of Prague and is spectacularly huge. We did the “short tour” and saw many amazing rooms, churches, and chapels. The girls grabbed hot dogs from a street vender while we opted for a traditional lunch.

The night market, post-Christmas, did not disappoint! Live music in the square and sparkling lights on the gigantic tree set the mood. People wander shops, munching on kielbasa, potato dishes, cinnamon rolls, and sip grog, mulled wine, cider, and beer. Horse-drawn carriages transport people to and from the square and the smell of cinnamon mixes with pine for a truly Christmas feel.

We decided to skip on the absinthe as it is taboo and a tourist trap. Luckily, there was plenty of delicious beer. The Czechs have the market cornered on solid beer. I am a fan of Belgian and German brews, but these Czech brewskies are climbing quickly in my book. Lights, darks, wheat; they all rock. The highlight was the Prague Beer Museum.

Much of our time was spent in little visited Bratislava, Slovakia. Not much to look at, this quaint little city acts as a launching pad to many of the other destination. Less than a couple of house to Prague and Budapest and just 45 minutes to Vienna, this was an ideal location. Plus, just one mile from the house we stayed in was a gigantic park with hundreds of kilometers of trail. With a fireplace and a backyard, it was all we could have hoped for. Our days were spent running on the trails, playing at the playground, and popping over the boarder to Hungary to a beautiful local restaurant along the river. We sampled traditional goulash, wandered the grounds, and checked out the farm animals on site. Our evenings were spent at the local Christmas markets, or sitting in front of the fire and watching holiday movies.

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Oktoberfest 2013

This is the story of three Oktoberfests. Hang tight and watch the German unfold.

Part I: September, Pretoria.

Sarah, the girls and I all rolled up to Pretoria to the German school because a school is the most appropriate place to hold a beer festival, right? But like any good Oktoberfest, it wasn’t all about the beer. They had face painting, paintball, carnival rides, and snacks. The girls got nice face painting and hopped on some ponies. They found a girl dressed up in German flare and mistook her for Dorthy from the Wizard of Oz, demanding a photo. Soon we migrated to the large tent where music and food were plentiful. While the beer was just local microbrews, the food packed all the punch of a good festival. We ate and sampled the beer, finishing the evening with Taelyn conquering the mechanical bull.

Part II: September, Munich, Germany.

Sarah and I have longed to attend the true festival in Bavaria for years. Every year there has been an excuse not to go, but this year we pulled out all the stops and made it happen. Catching a red-eye to Paris, we hopped over to Munich from South Africa on a Friday night. Arriving at our hotel around 10:30 in the morning left us time to work our way to the Therenweisen, the large park that hosts Oktoberfest every year. But before I tell what we did, I will give you the guidebook overview of how it works, so that when I talk about our trip, I can segue seamlessly from event to event without having to provide the background context.

The Tents:

To say that the festival is a series of tents would be misleading. The 14 BIG tents and many more smaller tents are actually buildings. They are supported by large beams of wood and iron, and even walled in many places. With elaborate decorations both inside and out, these do not resemble anything you would camp in nor do they look like the circus big top. In fact, the structure actually comes closer to being a wonderfully decorated warehouse, holding between 6,000-10,000 people. Every table is essentially a picnic table with benches on either side – some long, some short. They are heavily packed together on the main floor of widely spaced in the boxes and balconies that exist in the large tents.

Built on permanent pavement foundations, these tents start going up about 3 months before the festival are in full swing for the 16 day event, and take about 1 more month to deconstruct. Huge amounts of space are required to store the materials for the tents the remainder of the year. It is estimated that a tent costs about 2 million Euros to operate while the net profits end up being about 2 million. Seats are mostly reserved on the balconies and boxes, meaning that someone must specifically write (and sometimes actually write a letter, not an internet submission) to the operators of the tents and “reserve” a seat. Tables are booked in two periods – from about 11-4 and from 5-close. During this time, you must commit to 10 chicken dishes and 20 liters of beer (paid in advance). That works out to about 2L and 1 chicken per person for a group of 10, though many tables are booked for less and the patrons gladly consume the excess. Sometime people book the same table every year. Other times people book a table for both sessions, staying all day with various friends joining and leaving throughout the time. However, reserved or unreserved, you must have a seat (even if you are standing on it) to be allowed to order a beer. So while many people walk into a tent to search for a seat or experience the atmosphere, none will be served unless they have a spot on a bench. Outside the tents are beer gardens. These are a continuation of the inside tables, though often without cover, no live music, and a much more touristy crowd.

The Drink:

Each tent serves only one kind of beer (ex., Paulaner, Augustiener, Hofbrau, Spaten, etc.) and that beer is a specially brewed Oktoberfest which is similar to a Helles (a light, drinkable brew) but runs at about 6% ABV. They say that the beer does not give hangovers though at the rate that some put them back, it would be hard not to think otherwise. About 7 million people visit Oktoberfest over the 16 days and about 7 million liters of beer are consumed on site, averaging out to about 1 per person. However, given that many people are there to enjoy the rides, see the sites, and do no choose to drink (i.e., many children or elderly people), a large compensations happens for those in the tents. Beer is served in thick, 1 liter glass steins (called a “mass”) which are very heavy, even without the liquid. The beer waitresses carry up to 10 of these at a time (the men 12) showing amazing strength. A glass of beer costs an outstanding 9.80 Euros, and with a 1-2 Euro tip for the maid, you best save up for a day of drinking in the tents.

In some tents, you will only find the beer as an option. In others, non-alcoholic versions are served, and some aficionados go one-for-one (one alcohol followed by one non-alcoholic) in order to pace themselves through the whole day and night. Since it is said you are not to ever drink alone, you are repeatedly hoisting your glass to respond to the ever present toast of “Prost!” while the band will play “Ein Prosit” about once every 10 min as well, keeping the beer going down at a steady rate. Those feeling a bit frisky will try the Raddler, a mix of beer and lemonade offered in some tents. Soda and water is also available for those not drinking or needing a break.

The Food:

When you spend all day in a tent, you eat, or you perish. While sausage is most associated with Oktoberfest, there are actually very few floating around. The sausage of choice is a nice, white, boiled link served in a beer stein of hot water. But far and away the hit of the show is the Hendle, the Bavarian roasted chicken. Served as half a chicken coated in butter and spices, this rotisserie delight is the talk of the tents. Melting in your mouth, it does not disappoint and when eaten, the rest of the table stares on while the lucky consumer devours it before their eyes. Many more are ordered after watching this spectacle. It is said that about 500,000 chickens are served up during Oktoberfest.

Tents are famous for their food as well as beer. Some offer fish on a stick, duck, and in one case, a fully roasted pig. Other food can also be found if you are lucky enough to score an English menu. This food can be found inside tents and out, in addition to fries, hamburgers, and other snacks at many of the stalls along the road. But in the tents, one should also not miss the large pretzels, or Brezel. The size of and NFL lineman’s head, this soft bread is excellent for soaking up the liquids consumed in abundance.

How it all went down:

Sarah and I took a train from our hotel to the festival. With each stop, more and more people got on the train wearing the traditional lederhosen and drindle costumes, until they were stuffing on the subway by the hundreds. The five stops before the grounds all had security lining people up and sorting them onto the train – German efficiency at its best. Finally we reached the end and piled out with the masses to the stairs and escalators (all going up) took us by the hundreds up to the surface. Make no mistake, when you stepped off the escalator, you were in Oktoberfest. Literally, the top of the escalator was in the park, and you were surrounded by Bavarian celebration. We worked our way down the crowded streets (yes, this is so big it has streets in a park) to the far end. Most people were eagerly waiting for the parade to come through. Not having a reserved seat, we elected to push to a tent and lock one down before the festivities truly started, about 1.5 hours in the future. Each tent has a big front entrance but most don’t use them, and soon we found the secret side entrance that allows people in.

Immediately we were facing 10,000 people, and every seat was filled. We walked up and down asiles, unsure on how to secure the coveted spot. People had us paranoid saying that we would never get in without a reservation, and if we did, we would have 1 hour lines. Well, Sarah cornered a waitress who took her up into the private boxes. When I tried to follow, security headed me off and it took some convincing charades to persuade them to let me by (no bracelet, no reserved seat). The waitress dropped us off at a table full of locals who had booked two tables for the whole day but weren’t using all the seats until later. So they let us take a spot. It turned out to be the best luck in the world.

Beer is not served until 12:00 noon on the first day once the mayor of Munich (in the next tent over) has tapped the ceremonial keg. So we had an hour to kill eating sausages (no chicken until noon either). A mighty cheer went up as the band entered the tent a paraded around the perimeter for about 15 minutes. They were followed by a procession of important-looking people, including the tent owner who was met with much applause. They carried a large flag and had an entourage of about 100 people. Just before 12, a person welcomed the crowd and started a countdown (in German) as if it was New Year’s Eve. When the clock struck 12, the place went wild and immediately, waitresses were carting handfuls of beer to eager tables. A yelp of anticipation came each time the waitress approached, only to be met with a moan when she stopped at a neighboring table. Around 45 minutes later, Sarah and I finally grasped the handles of our beers and took the first, delicious sips. Prost!

The band kicked up the Ompah music and toasts and good wishes were exchanged periodically. Every so often, a German resident would come sit next to us and chat for a while. They were all extremely nice and did their best to include us, even though we couldn’t understand their exchanges. The two we were closest with, Clause and Hans, gave us much info on the tent, including how they are owned, run, built, and stored. The “owner” of our table had been renting it for 17 years and invited many of the same people back each time. Pretzel would show up and shared as a generous person would buy them for the table. Later, the table owner came back with roses for all of the ladies, including Sarah. It was a great experience sitting with the locals for about 6 hours and learning so much. Overall, the tent was relatively mild for having 10,000 people in it. Songs were sung, and some of the typical bravado was done (I’ll get into that), but in comparison to other tents, it was much more of a local hangout, true to good music and good people.

We said our goodbyes just before 5pm (having been kicked out due to the tables turning over from the afternoon to evening session). So we headed out into the busy streets and ended up just one or two tents over at Spaten. There was a line and we figured we would have to wait. But little by little people were seeping in and within 5 min, Sarah and I were in a beer garden. The hostess showed us to a table of Canadians and Australians and we were welcomed. It soon became painstakingly apparent that we were the oldest ones there. A guy next to us was dubbed “Grandpa” as he was far older than the rest (at the age of 30) and most of them were 20 or 21. Within the hour a few were leaning on our backs, others passed out on the table. One guy was hanging all over a girl and they apparently “married” earlier that day – she was German and 16 – he was Canadian and 21, a lasting relationship no doubt. We called it good after a few hours there and stumbled to the carnival rides, always a great decision after a day of drinking. After spending far too many Euros and wandering around in a lame and pointless amusement house, we emerged, calling it a day.

After a few beers, getting home on the subway was a challenge. Justin opted to be passive and let Sarah guide the way. However, Sarah did not know the correct route so the Walkers bounced up and down the train tracks. It was not Justin’s proudest moment. But they made it home to retire.

The next morning dawned early. A quick breakfast, check-out, and back to the grounds for round 2! While sitting in the metro station not a single other person was there. Do you know how weird it is to be in a subway station alone? It was creepy.

Augustiner was Justin’s favorite beer place the last time we were in Munich so we went to this hall at about 8:30am. No one seemed to be there, which was odd. We met a guy wearing a Michigan sweatshirt (surprise, surprise, he didn’t actually go to Michigan, just like 98% of people who wear that gear) and invited him to join us. Justin wandered around the back of the building and found why we were only standing with a few people in front – hundreds had already joined a line at the side. We waited 10 minutes and burst into the hall just after 9am, grabbing a prime seat next to the beer. The next few hours we talked and listened to house music, munching on pretzels and toasting new comers to the table. Some girls from Brazil sat next to us, and when they left, a group of crazy men from Italy scooted in. While we couldn’t understand much, we gathered that they were friends and one of them played professional soccer in Italy. Chicken for lunch and around 2pm we said our goodbyes, eager to see the rest of the fair before leaving for the airport.

We walked the midway, buying cookies for the girls, and went down to the Hippodrom, the hopping party tent at the end of the strip. It was a packed, wild, madhouse. This is where later that week Usain Bolt and Samuel L. Jackson were spotted, as are most celebrities that frequent the fair. Overwhelmed by the intensity, we rolled on to Hofbrauhouse, one of the biggest and most touristy. We were not disappointed. In stark contrast to the tranquil environment of the tents filled by locals, this one had most people standing on the tables, beer flying through the air, glasses smashing onto the floor (and each other) and people getting tossed out). I think the only German’s in there were the ones serving beer. We asked if we could slide in with some Australians and ended up standing with them (as the benches and tables were covered in beer). Sarah was a bit over the all-day drinking and soon we called it a day, needing to make our way to the airport for our return flight. It is a miracle we made it, and after alternating naps in the airport, boarded our plane back to Johannesburg, rounding out the 20 hour plane trip for the 36 hours of all-out Oktoberfest fun. And in truth, I wouldn’t have done it any other way!

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Part III: October, Johannesburg, South Africa

In an anticlimactic event, we rolled into the annual Bierfest at Montecasino. Give other competing events, we went on a Sunday afternoon. The beer, though brewed in a German style, is actually South African, and the food is terrible, unless you like polony, stale pretzels, and hardened cheese. The music alternates between traditional music and modern covers, but the toast is said no less than 500 times. While we have had some fun there in the past, I realize as I write this up that it in no way deserves the space of the true Oktoberfest. I am always on the lookout for fun events like this, but I don’t recommend going if you have managed to hit up Munich in September the same year.

Italy

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When in Rome…be ready to walk, stand in lines, and eat.

After being gone all weekend at the Comrades Marathon, Justin and Sarah flew in early Monday morning to Joburg to finish packing and winterizing the house before heading out in the afternoon to the airport. We flew 11 hours to Zurich with a quick layover (and $5 bottles of water!) before hoping a quick flight to Rome. Interestingly, we have a stamp for Zurich, which we never visited, but not one for Italy, which we did, as you get a visa for your first point in the EU and no others. From Rome it was a bus to Rome Termini and a train to our stop, slugging two kids and luggage the whole way.

Our 1st apartment was a solid find just 1 block from the Colosseum and Forum. From here we easily caught the metro or buses to all sites. A quaint place in a cute neighborhood, it had a dishwasher, washing machine, wifi, and all the space we needed. They even left us wine, bread, cookies, and other food! We immediately set out to Open Baldini, a burger joint with over 40 beers on tap. While the Belgian brews were delicious and the food tasty, the service was poor. When we got the bill we decided that sit-down meals might not be a daily occurrence when in Rome. On to the Pantheon and a free trip around the huge interior dome which includes the Tomb of Raphael. We then pushed on to Piazza Novona where three amazing fountains were seen. But not to be missed was the gigantic Trevi Fountain, which it is said it you throw a coin into you are certain to return. The girls enjoyed their first gelato while Justin battled with food poisoning and spent most of the night refunding lunch.

Day two required a trip to Vatican City. After a botched attempt to use the buses and trains, a pricey cab ride got us to St. Peter’s Square in time to see the Pope. He makes an appearance every Wednesday when he is in Rome for an address in the square. We stood with thousands as his motorcade paraded the area, then we headed in by guided tour to the Vatican Museums. This is Rome’s most popular attraction that sees nearly 20,000 visitors per day. Filled with more art than you could imagine owned by such a small city-state, they say if you spent 20 seconds looking at each item it would take you 5 years. Luckily, we were most interested in the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. No pictures are allowed but it is a spectacular site. Luckily we had a guide who explained a lot about it first so we knew what to look at because it is dark, hard to see, and extremely crowded. You cannot talk. After exiting the chapel, we hooked in to St. Peter’s Basilica. The sheer size of this building was enough to humble Christian and non alike.

Not to abuse the location of our lodging, we started day 3 at the Colosseum. While much destroyed and rebuilt over time, it is still quite a sight to behold, and all the better when you arrive early in the morning and not only beat the crowds, but don’t have flocks of tourists in your pictures. The girls were fascinated by the fact that animals used to be housed there and haunted that they were forced to fight. We meandered across the street into the grounds of the Roman Forum (a ticket into one gets you entrance into the other). From here we saw many remains of the ancient seat of government, including the treasury, the steps where orators would preach, and the senate steps. Most notably, the temple dedicated to Julius Caesar on the site he was cremated.

After a rest, a quick train ride took us to the very busy Spanish Steps. While nice to look at, be prepared to be in the mix with a couple thousand of your not-so-closest friends, Italians and Roman’s alike. Keats is said to have died in his apartment overlooking the plaza. We decided a nice way to cap off the Spanish Steps in the upscale shopping district with a horse drawn carriage ride. After inquiring, we laughed and walked (€150 = $200 for only a trip to city center, who does this???). Ultimately we walked all the way back to the apartment, using gelato (and the Irish pub) as a motivation to make it. The girls are troopers.

Day 4 and a side trip. All girls and luggage hauled to Rome termini and the mess of trying to figure out how to find trains that don’t have platforms or the correct city on them (note: this was our train, not all trains!). We made it and took the short, beautiful ride to Tuscany and the city of Florence. Narrow, twisting, one-way cobblestone streets made for a pricey and difficult cab ride, compounded by the hordes of tourists. It was like these were walking malls/streets, yet a car would still come down them. We soon learned the lay of the land and ventured past the Duomo, an immaculate church spanning many city blocks, and on to the Accademia Gallery, the home of the great David statute. A hefty entrance fee and hour’s wait later, we stood at the base of the enormous carving, awed by its size (no pun intended). Everything else in the museum just wasn’t as cool. More gelato and a rest took us to a rainy afternoon and a walk past the Uffizi Galary and onto the medieval Ponte Vecchio bridge.

All was not perfect. Expect a cover charge here (we paid €2 per person) and service was not included in some places. It significantly upped the meal price. And while our hotel was solid and in a good location, mosquitoes kept any sleep from happening. We were up early and heading for the train station, this time on the walk. The train to Pisa was only 1 hour and we arrived, hopped the bus, and arrived at the leaning tower. The tower was pretty cool to see, listing as it does to the side. However, the tourist trap that it is was a turn off as more people were selling stupid shirts, crap items, and peddling watches and sunglasses here than in all of Rome together. We took the obligatory pictures and headed for lunch.

The return trip was hectic starting with a 2K walk back to the train station. It had started to get hot and the kids tired, and we took longer than needed to make it. A 1 hour train and a near miss of our connection in Florence as Justin had to grab the left luggage and Sarah took the girls to McDonalds for the bathroom. Another 1:30 train ride and back to Rome and a 10 min walk to the apartment. However, when we arrived at the address, nothing had the name of the confirmation on it. We waited, asked for help, and even talked to people coming out of the building – no one had heard of the name. Finally a woman we asked earlier came back and said, “That’s my apartment.” Oh. Ok. So in we went. Smaller and with none of the amenities of the last place, it was a bit of a letdown for a more expensive place, but close to Termini so transport wasn’t an issue.

Pasta and Pizza’ed out, we made our own dinner to cap day 5. Day 6 dawned with an early run in Villa Borghese park. Lined with many sculpture gardens, the girls enjoyed a playground and a turtle and duck-filled lake while the adults ran. Then it was off for an afternoon of travel. When you have had your fill of pasta in Italy, where is the best place for meatballs in Rome? Ikea. We followed this with German brews and pretzels at a Bavarian place before heading to the trendy neighborhood of Trastavere. After several hours of failure in getting there, we stumbled in destroyed from the walking. Yet we were met with a great beer join in Ma Che Siete Venuti a Fa where world yummy beers are poured. After some street shopping in the maze of markets and avenues, we sat for organic pizza and Italian craftbrews at the Bir and Fud.

Day 7 was no shorter. Again a run, then off. We failed in our destination (a metro then train ride out to a town, long walk only to fine the site closed on Mondays). So we hustled back and made our way 30K out of Rome to Frascati. This cobblestone -filled town is famous for its fresh white wine so we enjoyed a carafe of it on the piazza with some antipasti and some Belgian beers. Done spending money and eating the same dishes, we hit the store to make dinner again. The last day we spend returning to Ostia Antiqua, a 4th century BC Roman city. The ruins were extravagant and vast. We ended with an Irish pub, pizzas on the street, and of course, gelato which we had at the oldest, largest, and cheapest (and best) parlor in the city at Giovanni Fassi just around the corner from our place.

Final impressions – Rome has much to offer and isn’t entirely difficult to get around to the major sites. Beware shortcuts and off the beaten path as roads twist and turn and are unmarked. The size of many of the buildings – especially when taking into account when they were built – make for some great sights, not to mention the history. The roads are a cobblestone mess, an artisan driveway that needed to be redone long ago. Its streets like ashtrays, full of butts and stinking of smoke from the every Roman citizen puffing away at all moments of the day. It is a dichotomy of old and new, 2000 year old views by horse-drawn carriages yet the drivers are on cell phones and charge $200. Florence is very small in comparison and a nice getaway, but lacks the grandiose appeal of Rome. Pisa is a must for the iconic tower but is otherwise forgettable and out of the way.

Egypt

Click on the links for more info on the sites and the hotel names for pics of the hotels we stayed in.

Of course they changed our flight from 2pm to 10pm. Of course they never told us. Of course the flight was late. But when we finally arrived in Cairo at 7am and made our way to the hotel (Movenpick Pyramids), it was worth it. Our lodging was near the base of them making for a great launching to a long day of traveling. But after breakfast and a nap, we hit the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities which houses some of the most significant artifacts in history. Nestled next to the government building burned in the revolution, 7 items are still missing from the looting that day. But what remains are 185,000 items that date back almost 5,000 years. We saw the famous pharaoh statutes and all of the King Tut masks and burial items. Despite being an insignificant leader in the history of Egypt, King Tut is perhaps best known since his tomb was the only one to ever be discovered in tacked. His wealth took up an entire floor of the museum so one can only extrapolate the treasures that once accompanied the great kings of Egypt. We paid a bit extra to go into the mummy exhibit and saw numerous corpses preserved with teeth, skin, and hair from thousands of years ago. It was a haunting and sobering experience.

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Is there anything more iconic at Egypt than the Pyramids of Giza? Towering into the sky, these crumbling relics mark one of the Wonders of the Ancient World (the Great Pyramid is the only surviving item of the original seven) and are every bit as exciting in person when seen. Millions of blocks cut in exact measurements, weighing between 3 and 12 tons each, all carted from 1,000km away, and done 4,000 years ago – amazing. The Great Pyramid is taller (though it sits lower) than the rest, and its corners are at near exact measurements to the 4 directions of the compass. It took 20 years to make all to bury one man. As we bounced around the pyramids and the Sphinx on the backs of camels it was hard not to imagine the absolute impressiveness of these sites.

Later that day we went to Dahsur to see more pyramids, this time into the bowls of one which is entered by traveling down a long, steep, passage to the bottom of the structure. The distance to the tomb put into perspective the sheer mass of the object built for just one little room.  Near it was the bent pyramid, one that they built incorrectly and adjusted halfway up.  We also saw the oldest pyramid in existence and the detailed hieroglyphics of a time when only a handful of civilizations existed on earth.

There are three big tourist items here: carpets, perfumes, and papyrus. We had a chance to visit all today in one of those stop and learn sessions where they really just want you to buy something afterward. But it was a really cool experience. The perfumes were nice, but the papyrus making was cool. Any paper that has been around for thousands of years sparks an interest, so we bought a nice painting of the pyramids and then an Egyptian calendar with the girl’s names written in hieroglyphics along the sides with their birthdays in Arabic underneath. The winner of coolest art goes to the carpet making people, though. Hand-woven intricate designs can take up to two months per meter, and some of the rugs take years to make! Three hundred knots per inch…it was fascinating. However, at about $500-20,000 US a rug, we took a pass!

With a few hours to kill before taking the overnight train to Aswan, we went to our guide’s home. He introduced us to his daughter and we joined him for dinner. It was a great fare of breads, veggies, tuna, meat, and cheese – all laid out on the floor. It was really a cool experience and great conversation about education, politics, and travel. Sleeping on a train sounds really cool – it isn’t. This thing rocked and rattled all night long while the overpowering smell of cigarette smoke drifted in constantly. Everyone in Egypt smokes, which makes for rough train rides and other encounters where there is no escape. The toilet floor is lined with piss and the waste just flows out a tube onto the tracks below. Dinner and breakfast never came, but we arrived in Aswan which was the primary concern albeit two hours late.

Our first day in Aswan was awesome! We boarded a small boat past the great sand cliffs housing ancient tombs and modern religious buildings. Far upstream was the Nubian village. We disembarked to the home of a Nubian couple who treated us to a meal on their sand floor. We also got to hold a crocodile – apparently there is one in most homes in the village. We moved to the Nubian school where we sat for a lesson on Arabic and Nubian language, wrote our names, and learned phrases. After returning to the hotel (Movenpick Aswan) we hit the pool and had room service in our 5-star accommodations. All-in-all not a bad day to say the least.

The rest of our time in Aswan was a visit to the High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk. The sheer size of these structures was again impressive. We took a boat ride out to the Greek-Roman Philae Temples (285 B.C.) where more recently piece by piece they were moved from another island when the dam caused most structures to go underwater. Then we ended up with a 5-course lunch on the boat (M/S Amarco I). This is a nice cruise ship with luxurious rooms, several bars, and a pool.

An early morning departure sailed us a few hours to Kom Ombo. This temple was spectacular. The construction was such that the length of the temple was built like a megaphone so that when the people were outside and the high priest was inside, his voice amplified out. Since they could not see him and could only see the statue of the God, they thought it was the God speaking. We got back on board and sailed a bit longer to Edfu where we disembarked to horse drawn carriages. The temple at Edfu was equally spectacular, though the experienced was soured by overly aggressive people trying to touch the kids or sell things. This was the only instance so far on the trip where we have felt hassled. After hearing how bad it could be here, we have been impressed with the lack of aggression (save Edfu).

The boat landed late at night in Luxor, though we would still stay on the boat one more day. We headed to the West Bank of the Nile to The Valley of the Kings. This is where many of the great kings of Egypt were interred. We visited 3 of the 62 known tombs, Ramses III, IV, and XI. All had amazing color and detail on the walls. Our next stop was the temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Al-Deir Al-Bahari. Massive in size, much of it was destroyed or defaced, leaving a slightly sour taste to what otherwise could have been a great site. Our last stop was the Colossi of Memnon, two great statues just lining the road that until six years ago, had unknown meaning, until a temple was unearthed nearby. Amazing that temples from 2,000 years ago are still being discovered in these busy cities.

Our last day in Luxor was spent visiting the Karnak and Luxor Temples where priests used to ferry offerings to the gods between the two. Once again, Karnak proved to be an impressive colossus of a site. Much of it was destroyed and it still spanned many blocks. This used to be the capital of Thebes and its more than 100 pillars and two tall, complete obelisks were the best sites so far. We headed back to Luxor on the Nile and found it not nearly as impressive. By the way, it looks nothing like the Luxor in Las Vegas – why they chose that name for the casino I have no idea. We passed Christmas Eve in the hotel  (Sonesta St. George) after a bad lunch that left me with cramps.

Our Christmas Day started with loud Mosque praying on a loudspeaker at 5:00am. We stumbled to a wonderful breakfast in our hotel and then boarded our van to the sprawling, unfinished Red Sea side city of Hurghada. Again we stayed in the Movenpick and again we were pleased. The pool was large and the beach was wide with turquoise waters all around. Sarah took in a massage.

Our final full day was a return flight to Cairo and then a visit to some other sites. We visited the Citadel of Saladin and the Alabaster mosque, the former from medieval times and the latter from the 1800s though it was very large and we learned a little about Islam. Then we went to Coptic Cairo and visited the Church of Abu Serga where the Holy Family is believed to have rested during their travels in Egypt. Nothing but a single pillar remains from the original church but we did glimpse the resurrected crypt below the church where the family rested. Just outside the church we stopped in the home of the mother of our guide’s friends and she fed us bread and tea and gave the girls’ necklaces. Perhaps most like home was the City of the Dead, a sprawling village of 200,000 people who have built homes on top of the tombs of people. The government has tried to relocate them but they continue to exist there due to the proximity to downtown. We finished with a walk through the Khan El Khalili Market, one of the biggest and most amazing markets I have seen. Though I didn’t care to buy anything, the large number of vendors and items down every street was a site to behold.

Put up in the Le Passage hotel by the airport for dinner and a rest before the 2:30am departure. In sum, I have to say we were quite pleased with Cairo, found it relatively safe, and the people no pushier than anywhere else in Africa. It is a highly recommended trip.

Now that is a lot of sites