The rest of Egypt!!!!!!

With Updated Photos at http://community.webshots.com/user/chadgriggs

So it has taken me way too long to do my review of Egypt, but work lately has really been crazy, but productive. The project has now come to a completion well almost, and we got word from the office that this is the most successful project in Jordan for the company. So that makes all of the work pay off. Which means that we will be finishing up and flying out in a couple of days back to the corporate office in Belgium. It is pretty exciting because we have a lay over in Vienna which I have never been too, or Belgium so I am going to mark out two more countries on my list. Anyways back to Egypt well specifically Cairo another place that I had never been too until now.

So when I left off I had just begun talking about Cairo, the next day Hamdi (the company driver) picked us up at the hotel and we made our way to the pyramids. It was a good 15 minutes of driving so we got to see our first experiences of Cairo during the day along the way. The city itself is very modern with high-rise buildings and hotels with of course lots of people everywhere. The country of Egypt is not really that big and has 70 million people of that 20 million people live in Cairo so that should give you an idea of how big it is both in size and how many people actually live there. But once you start getting towards the outskirts you start getting to see again the old way of life mixing with the big city. Such as the goats and sheep herds on the sides of the streets (later Hamdi told us that they bring them in to be sold, they don’t actually like live there as they do in Jordan) as well as the donkeys pulling home made flat bed trailers. That they use to carry vegetables or people usually large groups of kids which Hamdi calls the “cheap taxis”. You see as well the men with smalls boxes or carts full of fresh vegetables usually carrots or radishes this time of year, as well as coffee and other drinks or nuts.

And then you are driving along the highway seeing all of this going on and out of no where you are struck with the site of the pyramids a site that I don’t think that I will ever forget. They are absolutely amazing truly, so much so that you just aren’t even close to them yet but you have to pull over and take pictures and get out and look at them. There are a total of 9 in Gaza which is really right on the outskirts of the city. Three extremely large ones (one two three in size from largest to smallest) then three smaller on each side with the Sphinx in the middle.

Once you get in the small town next to the pyramids you see camels and horses everywhere going from place to place waiting on the tourists to come. Of course Hamdi took us to his buddies office who he said would give us the best deal and tour of the pyramids. Although later I don’t think that I got as good of a deal as we thought that we were getting at the time but still ok. Amanda decided that she again wanted to get the camel and I decided that as sore as I was after riding the camel the last time in Petra that a horse would be much more appropriate. It is pretty cool because you just start riding for what seems like miles which it probably was deep into the heart of the dessert. But as we had been told we came at the best time of the year, and it was right because the weather couldn’t have been more perfect!!!

This is when we got the first taste of what is the Egyptian bribe which is funny because we had been told that included in our price was all of the admission fees. But it was obvious the admission fees ended up being a smaller bribe to the to gate (or small one bob wire fence) attendant. When we finally got to one of the top of the sand hills we stopped and just took in all that there was too see. These amazingly tall structures that had been built an unbelievably long time ago with sand in the background as far as the eyes can see. We came up to the smallest of the three large pyramids and you begin to notice the fact that the pyramids are actually made out of huge stone blocks about the size of a small car. And it is actually done in “decks” and not flat on the sides. It was fun because we started climbing on the side of it and got about three levels up and decided that, that was about as high as we would go.

We then made our way to the middle pyramid which was actually the one that had King Tuts tomb inside. Our guide introduced us to one of the tourists police that said that he would take us inside. But is was funny these police mode of transportation, they were extremely tall camels!!!! When we got to the other side of the pyramid where the entrance was you are struck with the extremely long line of all of the tourists waiting to get inside of the pyramid to go see the tomb. The tour guide blatantly bribed the police officer, but it was actually a pretty good one because he walked us right to the front of the line and let us straight in. It is a downward set of wooden stairs, but you are struck with the expressions on the faces and sweat of the tourists coming out. The looked very tired and unhappy. It is an extremely long way to the center of the tomb that slopes down at first then back up where you have to duck half way down, breath in the lack of oxygen and sweat and very little light. Once you finally get to the center, to the King Tuts tomb where the huge casket is that has been raided so many times. You are surprised how little is actually in there, but at the size of the room itself it is huge. Built in a square shape with perfectly symmetrical walls and very tall ceilings. But it doesn’t take too long, because of the heat, sweat and smell that you get quit enough and are ready to duck down and make the long journey back out of the pyramid.

The next thing that we see is the Sphinx which in picture is as well known as the pyramids themselves. The cat like looking pyramid, that sits in the center of the pyramids. It in itself is very impressive thinking of how they constructed it so many years ago, but you are struck at how small it is. Really it is big, but about a tenth of the size of the actual pyramids. Even still when I am writing this you can’t begin to imagine what it was like or how they were able to build the pyramids or where the giant stones came from. Because looking out into the dessert there is nothing, but sand. All it could have been was sheer man power and a lot of it to force the stones one by one up as high as they are.

Hamdi then took us into downtown to enjoy the city and have some lunch. I got to say I felt a little like I was back in Myanmar with AJ because of what I had to eat. Among other things of course, but the restaurants specialty was Pigeon yes I know what your thinking. But when in Rome, it actually tasted a lot like chicken surprise surprise! That night Hamdi said that he would get his family and take us out to one of the most popular local restaurants. His family was great a lovely wife, and three boys who all are speaking very good English.

The next day we had the driver take us back downtown to the Egyptian museum which is the most famous. Which is where they have collected all of the thousands of artifacts from all around the country. Unbelievable priceless things, including everything that was in King Tuts tomb. And believe we it was a lot!!! It was amazing seeing all of the things that they had put in there, and the design of the different things. Such as a tall gold bed that was for them when they died that was made out of gold with different types of animal shapes making up the rails. Of course we had dinner on the Nile River and enjoyed the great view of the city and all of the different boats for the tourists to ride on with tons of different colored changing lights really lighting up that river.

The next day Hamdi took us to the original set of pyramids that you can see from the Gaza ones. But these were the original ones that are said to be about 300 years earlier. It was interesting seeing them about 5 or so. Some that were half way up. Some that were rounded, and incomplete. But it was obvious because you could see that it was the learning curve. Because it took them a while to be able to figure out the dynamics and angles to be able to make them as tall as they wanted. Overall they weren’t very impressive but definitely put things into perspective seeing the different issues that they had to deal with to be able to make them as high as they wanted them to be.

This day one of the team members from the company that is on project in Egypt came back from southern Egypt with his girlfriend. They wanted to go back to the pyramids to see the sunset which was suppose to be pretty amazing. I had tried to go the night before out next to the Nile to watch it but the sun goes down here very early. So we were sure that we had left enough time to see it, but sure enough it was 5 and the sun had already gone down by the time we were making our way out on the camels out into the dessert. By the time that we got to the original look out on top of the sand hill that we stopped before it was pretty dark but you could still see the pyramids in the horizon. Which were in a way being lit up by the night lights of the city of Cairo. Which in a way it was pretty cool to think of the old city that existed here at the pyramids soo many years ago and then the modern city of Cairo just next door in the background. We lined the camels up on the hill and took night photos with the pyramids in the back ground. Which are some of the coolest photos I have ever seen. Although I can’t post them right now because they are still on Amandas camera. After we got back into Cairo Leo (the team member here in Egypt) and his girlfriend took us out to this really cool restaurant on Zamalak. Which is the island in middle of the Nile River where our hotel is, it was soo cool being right where the Nile splits into two in the city.

After doing a little work, the next night was time for Hamdi to come pick us up to take us to dinner. He had invited us back to his house in Cairo to have dinner with his family. He told us that his wife had been cooking all day long and it was soo true. The kids starting bringing out plate after plate after plate. In total there were probably at least 15 different types of food: like 3 types of chicken, 2 soups, salads, etc etc. Then time for the traditional tea which has to be done after any meal in the Middle East. Then she brought out a tray of different kinds of desserts that she had made. Then fresh squeezed orange and carrot juices!!!! It was fun sitting and talking about family life and watching the kids play, almost in a way like being at home but not even close without yall!!!

All in all Cairo is wonderful, the kids in the city can get kind of annoying constantly wanting to talk and touch you but it comes with looking so different. And the Pyramids well lets just say a once in a life time thing. Very similar to the Dead Sea, I know my report doesn’t do them justice to begin with but I hope to come back and see them again some day.

I am looking forward to getting to go to Italy and then onto Belgium. And then to who knows hopefully I will get to find out where my next project will be in a week or so but we will see. All my best!!!!

Chad

Vacation in Egypt!!!

After our plane got stranded in the runway for over an hour due to technical problems we were finally on our way to Cairo. It was pretty interesting because yesterday was the last day of the fast for Ramadan. And our flight was actually suppose to take off at 5:20pm and land in Cairo about an hour later. Which if everything would have gone as planned the "breaking of the fast which happens around 6:15 local time would have been just right. But anyways due to the delay, when it was time to "break the fast" we were just in the process to take off. Once we finally did reach a reasonable level the flight attendants were doing everything they could to push the cart up the slop because we had not yet leveled off to be able to start serving poeple there food. It was interesting seeing people scarf down the food (which actually was pretty teribile considering how much Royal Jordanian brags about their food and service) and also seeing some of the people on board breaking open bottles of liqour that they had bought in the airport duty free (because they also had not had a drink for over a month because of the fast for Ramadan).

Once we arrived at the airport our companies Driver was there to pick us up and take us to the hotel. The airport is huge and extremely nice. It was amazing seeing all of the huge roads and green lush plants lining the road. Its then that we started to see some of the work of the 2 billion USD the US gives Egypt every year in Aid. Such as the huge military acadimies and as well the Presidents Palace and his sons palace right down the street. The city is rather large with over 20 million people in Cairo alone and a total of 70 million throughout the country. As you can imagine how far the city spreads out until finally we come to a bridge that breaks over the Nile river. It is really cool looking out and thinking of the history of this one body of water. Our hotel is acutally on an island ( I forget the name) that is actually in middle of the Nile River. IT is a really cool area which actually reminds me a lot of New Orleans with huge mansions, with huge gates, and lots of trees making shade and covering the sun.

It is interesting trying to pin point the culture but up to this time I have not been able to, it is not Middle Eastern "Although obvious parts of it, it is like the Dish Dashes" But then again it is not European - So it leaves it to be a whole unique culture of its own. Which I guess on top of all of the rich history is one thing that has been atacting people here for years. Well I better run I will continue to update as time allows.
Chad

4 Months - A long time? What do you think?

Four months, how long does that seem to you? To me I wouldn’t say a life time but pretty close. That’s how long as of today since I have left my family friends, the states, started my “career” and grown along the way. I know on this blog I say this a lot, maybe its just me, maybe it is just how amazing God is, and how he shows himself in so many different ways every day, but I am continue to be amazed that it has now been four months, the longest that ….well………I have been away from any and all of you and it!!!! It really is scary in a way when you think of it!!!! But at the same time empowering to think I can, I can make it out there, but it is the love and support from my friends and family that keeps me strong! And I have grown so much as a person, in so many different ways. I mean as far as in my job I have achieved things that I didn’t think I could have during my training months ago. They talked about the high learning curve of this job and you really don’t quit grasp exactly what that means. I mean they say you would be surprised at the steep learning curve. And once you experienced it you really have, I mean even I was a little self conscious getting in front of the class in college and presenting whatever it was. But now because of my job I could get up in front of an audience naked and sing while doing back flips and really don’t think it would slow make me think twice, well maybe the naked thing I am usually in a suit.

But then again I can’t think of another job when every single meeting of every day your in front of the Chief Executive Officer of a multi million or some cases billion dollar company. I mean today I was sitting with His Excellency Dr. Omar of the Social Security Corporation who is in charge of a portfolio of 5 to 6 Billion Dollars. I don’t want to say “that’s impressive” but lets just say that’s substantial. But with all of your Harvard, MIT, PhDs CEOs etc at the end of the day they are all just people. And truly if you treat them as just people, and keep them level headed with all due respect as anyone else in this world, I have found you gain there respect much faster.

Sorry I went rambling for a minute. Anyways we are at the end of the project, enshalah (Arabic for Lord willing) and had a great week. Yesterday we had 3 meetings and signed three contracts, let’s just say the office was pretty empressed. It was nice to get a note from the Senior director of the company noting the accomplishment so that is always nice.

We had dinner at one of our client’s houses tonight which was really nice. As usual it is always a show especially I think when they have foreign guests for dinner. I can’t describe the amount of food that was served especially if you are an out of town guest. But this closest thing I can think of is going to your mom and saying hey Mom!!! I have some clients coming over for dinner. Ok Chad, I will cook. So Mom (if she was Arabic and in Jordan) would then proceed to go into the kitchen and then spend the entire day preparing every recipe in her recipe book. And come on you know your moms recipe book. It is like 50 pages, falling apart because it is soo old and has been passed down from generation to generation or atleast it looks that way. That is what this is like I mean there were like over 50 dishes cooked, and of course your expected to try a little of everything, I mean come on they cooked each of them for you, so who cares how sick you may feel later on.

And what is so funny, we got this before Ramadan started with this many dishes. Well now Ramadan has started and the Muslims choose to fast during the day. So it is even a bigger more important meal at night. So there are special Ramadan dishes ( Oh come on you know the special Christmas dished your grandma makes) So you can add on the special Ramadan Drink, salad, appetizer, entrée, desert etc. on top of the original 50 course traditional dinner and you have easily got at least like 75 dishes that as the guest you must try.

Long story short, you thought your uncle could put away the pumpkin pie and turkey! You haven’t seen anything till you had a Ramadan Arabic Dinner!!! Well I guess that’s all for now. I think that we are going to head down to the Dead Sea Kempenski Hotel tomorrow to enjoy the day off by the pool and who can forget about the servie. I’ll be thinking of you when the Thai girl is working those nots out in my back while having a strawberry daiquiri looking out at the dead Sea!!! Just kidding, well not really LOL! All my best!!! And lets pray for another great four months!!!

Enshalah,

Chad