I made a Picasa page to put my photos. I'll still put up choice pictures on the blog but if you'd like to see more, go to:
http://picasaweb.google.com/freedman.benjamin
There is also a link on the right side of the blob.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Cairo, Luxor
I just got into Budapest after an amazing 5 day journey through Egypt. The first 3 days were in Cairo and the last two in Luxor (south of Cairo down the Nile). I just lived every 5th grader's dream: hieroglphs, tombs, tutankamen's mask, mummies, and temples. The history of Egyptian civilization is really too much to grasp as a tourist, especially when standing in a tomb that was created 4000 years ago. The Egyptian ruins were spectacular: colorful paintings, gold leafings, detailed hieroglyphs, etc. It took all of my strength to remember what I learned in elementary school about ancient Egypt though I remember more than expected. Ramses III (or was it the II?) was in fact mummified arms-up and tutankamen's mask is as elegant and beautiful as the pictures show. The pyramids are towering, though it is rather annoying because there are so many locals trying to see trinkets and tzotchkies. We were asked to be in pictures with young Egyptian students and everywhere we went little kids would stare and say hello.
Cairo itself is an absolute mess. It is loud, dust-filled, and always moving. If I didn't know any better, I'd think that Cairo, not NY, is the city that never sleeps. Cairenes have no concept of street lights--they might as well not exist. Crossing the street is terrifying. Cars/Cabs honk CONSTANTLY. It is loud and crowded and yet, there is a definite system to the madness. 18 million people seem to work it out OK.
Luxor was a beautiful area: we saw tombs, temples (Hatchepsut's, Karnak, Luxor), huge statues (Collossus of Memnon), and countless rows of hieroglyphs. It was nice because there werent many tourists as it is the start of the low season. Luxor itself (the town) is a small, dust-filled 3rd world town. Cars drive next to bikes and horses down main street on unpaved roads. It could've been Baghdad or Islamabad. Calls to prayer were frequent and often layered on top of one another. Robes were the standard dress for men and women alike. Most western feminists would've have trouble with Luxor. The women don't get sunburn though.
Egypt is centered around Cairo. My friend Jim, who we stayed with, kept talking about the amount of US assistance given to Egypt and the importance America to the Egyptian government (for better or worse). It is a fascinating system of bribery, diplomacy and "democracy." Egpyt seems to live in the shadow of the pyramids and the ancient culture. This doesn't seem to be changing either given the lack of modern culture.
The highlight was probably the first night. We rode horses in the middle of the night in the desert while overlooking the pyramids (lit up by spotlights). It was an amazing sight and, to my surprise, riding horses is kinda fun. Many more experiences took place, though I'm off to eat dinner Budapest. More later.
Cairo itself is an absolute mess. It is loud, dust-filled, and always moving. If I didn't know any better, I'd think that Cairo, not NY, is the city that never sleeps. Cairenes have no concept of street lights--they might as well not exist. Crossing the street is terrifying. Cars/Cabs honk CONSTANTLY. It is loud and crowded and yet, there is a definite system to the madness. 18 million people seem to work it out OK.
Luxor was a beautiful area: we saw tombs, temples (Hatchepsut's, Karnak, Luxor), huge statues (Collossus of Memnon), and countless rows of hieroglyphs. It was nice because there werent many tourists as it is the start of the low season. Luxor itself (the town) is a small, dust-filled 3rd world town. Cars drive next to bikes and horses down main street on unpaved roads. It could've been Baghdad or Islamabad. Calls to prayer were frequent and often layered on top of one another. Robes were the standard dress for men and women alike. Most western feminists would've have trouble with Luxor. The women don't get sunburn though.
Egypt is centered around Cairo. My friend Jim, who we stayed with, kept talking about the amount of US assistance given to Egypt and the importance America to the Egyptian government (for better or worse). It is a fascinating system of bribery, diplomacy and "democracy." Egpyt seems to live in the shadow of the pyramids and the ancient culture. This doesn't seem to be changing either given the lack of modern culture.
The highlight was probably the first night. We rode horses in the middle of the night in the desert while overlooking the pyramids (lit up by spotlights). It was an amazing sight and, to my surprise, riding horses is kinda fun. Many more experiences took place, though I'm off to eat dinner Budapest. More later.
Monday, April 7, 2008
28. Family vacation
Since we've last spoken, my family came for a 10 day journey across Israel. We had an awesome adventure together as we traveled from north to south and everywhere in between. We started in Tel Aviv, then went to Eilat (southern-most city in Israel) and Petra (Jordan). Following a quick flight back to Tel Aviv, we went north to the Golan Heights (mountains in the north), looked into Syria and Lebanon, got mystical in Tzfat (the mystical Jewish city), went to TIberias (to the burial site of celebrated Rabbis), and the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee). As it was Easter, there were several Christian pilgrims at our Kibbutz at the Kinneret (because that's where Jesus did his walking). We floated in the Dead Sea, slathered up with mud, and climbed Masada (King Herod's fortress and place of last stand by Jewish zealots). We saw the site where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found by a bedouin shepherd.
That's all before Jerusalem. In Jerusalem, we did lots of walking around the new and old cities, went to the Kotel (Wailing Wall), the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Dome of the Rock and al-Aksa Mosque. We enjoyed the Jewish quarter in the old city and did a tunnel tour below the Kotel. We visited Yad Vashem (Holocaust memorial), the Herzl Military Cemetary, and the Ben Yehuda Street Shuk (market). We went to the Israel Museum to see a great exhibit on stolen art from WWII, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and a reconstruction of Jerusalem from around the year 70. We visited the Great Synagogue (an enormous synagogue) on Friday night. After Jerusalem, we went to Tel Aviv. Once here, we went to Tel Aviv Museum of Art (a great modern art museum) and the Diaspora Museum (about the Jewish diaspora). After 10 days, we finally earned some time to sit on the beach and watch the sunset and walk around some of the cool areas of Tel Aviv.
I'll try to put up pictures though it might be a while because I'm off to Cairo on Wednesday for spring break. After Cairo, I'm headed to Central/Eastern Europe before coming back to Israel for a week for more traveling.
I'm also in the middle of "midterms." I've forgotten how to write a paper and can't concentrate. I've come a far way from Bowdoin.
That's all before Jerusalem. In Jerusalem, we did lots of walking around the new and old cities, went to the Kotel (Wailing Wall), the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Dome of the Rock and al-Aksa Mosque. We enjoyed the Jewish quarter in the old city and did a tunnel tour below the Kotel. We visited Yad Vashem (Holocaust memorial), the Herzl Military Cemetary, and the Ben Yehuda Street Shuk (market). We went to the Israel Museum to see a great exhibit on stolen art from WWII, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and a reconstruction of Jerusalem from around the year 70. We visited the Great Synagogue (an enormous synagogue) on Friday night. After Jerusalem, we went to Tel Aviv. Once here, we went to Tel Aviv Museum of Art (a great modern art museum) and the Diaspora Museum (about the Jewish diaspora). After 10 days, we finally earned some time to sit on the beach and watch the sunset and walk around some of the cool areas of Tel Aviv.
I'll try to put up pictures though it might be a while because I'm off to Cairo on Wednesday for spring break. After Cairo, I'm headed to Central/Eastern Europe before coming back to Israel for a week for more traveling.
I'm also in the middle of "midterms." I've forgotten how to write a paper and can't concentrate. I've come a far way from Bowdoin.
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