Krista in Cairo

A little worried about my first blogging experience. The same rules of spelling and grammer apply to my blog that Yode has previously outline. Also, this key board seems to only have a "c" 50% of the time, so bear with me.

On the plane from London to Cairo, I realized that I had a number of preconcieved notions about Egypt. My fellow pasengers were mostly British, there were no scary men or woman in burquas as I was lead to believe. Breezing through custums, Yode and I met up with enough exitement to be noted by many around us. We talked non stop as she filled me in on Egypt.. not really that scary, very safe and very cheap. Arriving at the hotel Dairn and Yode seemed ok with me joining thier holiday. Dumping my stuff, I took my first walk down the Cairo Streets. Things flew at me quickly.. the heat, the busy streets, strangely dressed women (well they didn't fly at me. .. you know what I mean .. first blog entry, give me a break). 5 Mintues into this walk a man walked up to Yode and I and tryed to grabour breasts. I guess my t-shirt and capris did suggest I was a bit east. I saw it coming and ducked behind Yode. He only got her ..poor guy. Only one day into my vacation and I already learbed something about myself .. I would not be good in a war situation. "Hey are those bullets, don't mind if I duck behind you do you?".

Besidesthe intial culture shock the sites and sounds of Cairo won me over. We spent the time wandering, getting a flavour of the streets.. and I mean flavour .. man can Yode and Dairn eat! Ancient sites and modern Islam, loud calls to prayer, quite mosques, bustling market squares, sheeshas and coffee shops, no alocohol and heat .. everything came at me fast, including the cars. I could have been the jet lag too.

Most of the time I blindly followed the pattern and rythym of Yode and Dairn, who thought nothing of the hear and the sand blowing in thier faces. Apparently they had just been in some sort of desert?

The first day included a trip to the Pyramids. Although the Pyramids were pretty much what you would think, the architecture was mind blowing. They were constructed over 4000 years ago and they are still completly straight. I can't even get my pragoda staight (I use "I" liberally .. thanks again Jeff and Steve)

Then on to the Egyptians Musuem.. mummies! First thought "wow that Ramses was short" second thought "air conditioning!". Crocodile mumies and Pharoahs, you could touh something made 4000 years ago. Well you could , but the "no touch" sign seemed to suggest otherwise. However someone has also arved thier name into the statues so ..I thought I quick feel would be ok.

This is where I began to notice the iron clad security that we were to find all over Egypt. Every loation has sensors, but Egyptians are a trusting lot. The one time Yode was "busted" with her jack knife, they told her "no carving." She promised. I guess there was no reason to mistrust her, she does have blonde hair. Dairn suggested that we hire ourselves out as mercenaries, we would have a 100% success rate.

Canadians seem well recieved. Apparently Egyptians were a huge fan a a drink that has bee off the market here for a while called "Canada Dry". We are often greeted with "Canada Dry, Never Die". We have picked it up now, just saying that we are from Canada Dry. Apparently very funny.

Cairo was my first expereince in a completely Muslim country. The hissing and the marraige offers were at first off putting. Hats off to Dairn to taking this "problem" and turning it into an oppurtunity. Chants of "lucky man, two wifes" were responded to by Dairn with, "how many camels ". I guess someone had to pay for his vacation. We think he was joking ... right ? Dairn?