Field trips!

Dear readers,

As promised, here are some brief descriptions of several cool (short) trips we've taken on this program -- with photos!

1. Sidi Khayr

Three of the girls in the program are friends with a Georgetown student who lives in Alexandria, who invited all of us (except the guys) to her family's beach house for the day. Sidi Khayr is essentially a resort-y suburb of Alexandria where you can only live if your family has a family connection to the military -- or to the previous regime. Sample comment from the girl hosting us: "The guy who lives in that house runs a really big juice company. He used to send us free juice all the time, but he hasn't for a while. He might be in jail now." So, needless to say, going there was an enlightening experience because of stories like that.

And I haven't even mentioned the beach yet!

This photo was taken right as we were about to break fast with our Georgetown friend, at a beachfront restaurant, in our swimsuits. Look how pretty that beach is. Look at that sunset! 

After we ate there, we had dessert, provided to us generously by our friend's family:

What you're looking at there is an assortment of Egypt's finest: pastries with honey, and dates, and more honey. I had never had baklava with dates before, and it was one of the more beautiful experiences of my life. If only I could find somewhere that sells those in America!

To summarize, though: Especially after going on the "fishing" excursion that I blogged about earlier, I felt like, when I visited this beach suburb, I was seeing "how the other half lives". It's wonderful to have seen so many walks of life during my time here; as isolated as this program group may seem, I know that we've seen "the real Egypt", and that's the most important thing.

2. The Gardens at Montaza

The other kids and I knew that it's one of those places that you have to visit, if you come to Alexandria -- though I for one didn't know what to expect. When several of us visited on one weekend morning (early, to avoid the heat), what I got was LOTS of date palms and old buildings:

Pretty on the outside, but gutted and dirty and full of trash on the inside. All the buildings there were like that, including the saddest gazebo I've ever seen (which I did not photograph).

An exception to that rule: the palace at Montaza, in the middle of the gardens:

 

Which I presume is pretty on the inside, too, or else it wouldn't have been so well-guarded. (I took this picture through a fence.)

The path through the gardens led to the ocean, and the view was really lovely:

The gardens and coast were peaceful and quiet and almost entirely empty, which was a nice change from the insanity of everyday life. I was so glad I went!

3. Mansheya market

A market about 20 minutes walk from our hotel that specializes in products for women: fabric, spices, silver jewelry, and women's clothes. I've been there three times, and never been bored. It is so full of beautiful colors and people-watching and Ramadan decorations:

Crucial factor: it is much more civilized (in my opinion) than markets like Khan al-Khalili, where there is never a moment when someone isn't yelling at you. At Mansheya, most shop owners remain in their shops, instead at sitting outside and trying to get you to come in. (Also, most prices are fixed at Mansheya, which is a welcome change for those of us who hate haggling!)

I bought spices/herbs there, that I hope will get through airport security okay: chamomile, cinnamon sticks, lime leaves, cumin, turmeric. I also got some gifts for friends/family. (My lips are sealed, guys! You'll have to wait until I get back.)

4. Egyptian Market

No, really, that's its actual name, literally translated from the Arabic (as-Souq al-Masry). So many vegetables! So many live animals in cages! So many hooves hanging from meat hooks!! It was awesome, and honestly it exceeded my expectations. If I lived in Egypt, I would love to do all my food shopping there. A feast for the eyes!!

 

There wasn't a single boring moment when I was there. I loved everything about it.

I especially love this street cat that I made friends with:

He kept getting up on his hind legs, putting his front paws on my legs, and trying to play with my camera. It's no wonder that he was probably the healthiest street cat I've seen in Egypt; the cuter you are, the more people will feed you. Survival skill!

(And no, Mom, I didn't pet him. I am free of street cat diseases!)

That's about it for now! My last day of class was today, and I only have a couple of days left in Egypt. If cool things in need of documentation occur between now and then, expect an awesome post on the subject. Otherwise, my next post may be a reflection on the entire experience -- written during one of my two four-hour layovers to keep from falling asleep and prolonging my jet lag.

Thanks for reading,

Beth C-C