Egypt

We have just left Egypt and arrived in Jordan after 2 wonderful weeks. We learned so much from our fantastic guide Fawsey (rhymes with lousy) and from observing this country. Some impressions: Cairo - huge, teeming with people and cars, dirty with garbage and smog, a mix of old and new, minarets everywhere, the call to prayer 5 times a day, BMWs and donkey carts on the same freeways, safe (except to drive in), friendly, international; the Nile - lifeblood of Egypt for thousands of years, farmers working their fields as they have for hundreds of years, fishermen, garbage floating by, at the water's edge can be deserts or fields or caves or cities, pump stations, cattle, water buffalo, peaceful.

We were struck by the security measures that the Egyptian government has taken to make tourists feel safe. Our hotel had a gate where every vehicle entering was stopped and inspected by a guard and a dog. Once we disembarked from the bus, to enter the hotel we had to go through a security station with an x ray machine for bags and a walk through for people. Our bus was accompanied everywhere by someone from the "tourist police", always armed. Our cruise ship was guarded by the tourist police also with armed guards stationed at the stairs to the gangplank. You may recall that some tourists were killed in 1997 at the pyramids and since then these measures have been in force. There was also a peacefulness to Egypt that we did not feel in Israel; a kind of harmony that was missing before.

Egypt is about 88% Muslim and 12% Christian. The Coptic Christian church is very interesting; they broke away from Roman and the Eastern Orthodox church early on. St. Mark is honored as their founder. Much is made of Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus' flight to Egypt right after His birth and we visited the church where the Holy family is supposed to have been sheltered (St. Sergus' church in Cairo). As with the Russian Orthodox church and others, the Coptic church has its saints and relics, many of which we saw. We took an interesting tour one morning called Spiritual Cairo. It took us to 2 Coptic churches, a synagogue and a mosque. Fawsey did a great job of presenting each site. At the Mohammed Aly mosque, we went inside and he explained the basics of Islam to us. As a Moslem man, he was able to answer questions clearly and dispel our various misconceptions. The Moslems and Jews have so much in common in their faiths! Too bad that the political situation hasn't been resolved among these people who are so alike in so many ways.

We saw many temples, tombs and museums. Our favorites would have to include Giza (the pyramids and sphinx), the Valley of the Kings and Abu Simbel. Each site seemed to be more impressive than the last; the carving and painting were consistently precise and beautiful and thousands of years old! Thank goodness the sand often buried and thus preserved these amazing structures. Luxor was a great first stop on our cruise portion of the trip. The museum was relatively small but had some great treasures in it, one of which was the original plan for construction of a pyramid! The temple ruins were jaw dropping, especially at sunset when we were there. Karnack was another impressive sight. We went first on an optional tour which included a sound and light show and a walk through the softly lit columns at night as well as a half hour carriage ride back to the boat. We went in two person horse buggies and went through the back streets of Luxor where the townspeople live. It was a lively scene, with markets open and people out and about. A day later, we went through the ruins with our guide and he pointed out the things we could not see at night at this great temple built in honor of Amun Ra. At Sakara, we saw the oldest pyramid, built 4700 years ago by a brilliant man named Imhotep who was an architect, physician and scientist.

I loved Egypt! I still speak little Arabic and so I'm glad we were with a tour. We experienced a culture so different than our own but also very inviting. I would recommend visiting Egypt to anyone willing to step out of their comfort zone a bit. It is a rich and rewarding experience! And lying in the sun next to the pool on the upper deck in 80 + degree temperatures in November isn't bad either!

Photos: Mohammed Aly mosque, Cairo; school kids on a field trip, traditional Nile boat called a felucca, Jon and Fawsey, Ramses II statue outside temple at Abu Simbel.

Photos from Israel

These photos were taken during our five days in Israel! The first is the view from our car as we drove north through the West Bank - the desert has been reclaimed in many areas but the hills remain; the second is Jerusalem from a distance and the golden Dome of the Rock which for Moslems is the third holiest shrine after Mecca and Medina; next is our pita bread and coke lunch in the Old Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem; and the last is of the two symbols of modern day Israel.

Israel

Greetings from the land of the Pharaohs, Egypt! Since I last posted a message, we have spent five days in Israel on the "pre trip" to the Grand Circle Travel tour "Ancient Egypt and the Nile River". We have just started the basic tour, having arrived in Cairo last Monday. It has been interesting to be in the Middle East and to see for ourselves the history and current situations in which these nations find themselves.

Israel is a nation that bustles with energy. Jerusalem in particular is full of building projects, modern shops, and lots of traffic! It also has a mix of cultures with the city divided into four quarters - the Jewish, Armenian, Christian and Muslim. Because we had an Israeli guide, we did not go into the Muslim quarter. The national government has strict rules about where it's citizens can go and not go within it's borders. When we went to Bethlehem, which is in a Palestinian territory, we had to leave our guide on one side of the border, travel with our Muslim driver over the border and then pick up an Arab guide. We also could not visit Jericho which is in a Palestinian territory. Jerusalem has it's historical core also, with winding, narrow streets, closely packed shops and vendors anxious to get one's attention. We saw several museums (Dead Sea Scrolls, models of Jerusalem in Christ's time etc), Israel's holocaust museum, many Biblical sites (Garden of Gethsemane, Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the Palm Sunday route) as well as the Wailing Wall, the Dome of the Rock (only from a distance) and the Tower of David.

Outside Jerusalem, we visited Nazareth, Capernaum, the Dead Sea and the Jordan River, and Bethlehem. We walked in the river and floated in the sea! We also went to Bet Shean, a famous Roman ruin and spent a good half day there. We ate lots of good food, including pitas with falafel and dates and lamb. Our hotel was kosher which was interesting and fun. No milk at dinner and no meat for breakfast, and of course no pork at all!

We discovered that (no surprise!) the whole Israeli/Palestinian situation is more complicated that our media would have us believe. We had a wonderful discussion with a young Israeli man who was our guide to Bet Shean. The six of us who had hired him for the day asked him question after question during the entire drive to and from Jerusalem. He was very articulate and his English was very good because he had come to Israel from England as a teenager. He made the case for his country very well with clear logic and also much passion. Most of the Israelis we met had many Arab/Muslim friends and so feel animosity only for the Arab leaders, fanatics, and political processes involved. All want peace but not at any price. Not if it means Israel doesn't exist.

We felt safe during our time in Israel. Maybe that was because the security at the borders was so tight. There were two check points from the West Bank into Jerusalem and the whole West Bank border is patrolled and has high tech devices monitoring every intrusion. But the fact remains that at any time, violence could break out.

I will post a new message in the next few days as we enjoy our time in Egypt!

Bavaria

Southern Germany is Bavaria. It is a land of Alps, castles, rich history, and beer. We loved the small town of Fussen! Out our hotel window we could see high mountain peaks with snow - more each day! The town thrives on tourism. Most come to see the two castles just outside the town, the newer one being the one that Walt Disney used as a model for his Disneyland castle. Both were very interesting! The nearby town of Oberammergau is famous for it's paintings on the sides of buildings and for woodworking. It was a nice day trip for us. I also had my second hair cut and color in Europe, which turned out fine! Much easier to arrange in Fussen than in our last stop, Munich. I just had to walk across the square! Before we came to Munich, we stopped overnight in Dachau. First we visited the site of the concentration camp which has been preserved much differently that Auschwitz. It was interesting to see how the Germans portrayed it. Few of the actual facilities remain but their museum was filled with more photos, propaganda and news stories of the time. We found it to be honest and very interesting. Munich is a big city and we were glad (me especially!) that we turned in our car out near the airport and came to our hotel by taxi. At more than a million people, there's lots of traffic and one needs to know the way around! We've enjoyed the Marienplatz, or central square, and the outdoor market on Saturday. We also went to the Munich city museum but were disappointed in their treatment of events surrounding World War II. The Nazi party considered Munich it's birthplace and perhaps there is more to be dealt with here, even today. Tomorrow we leave for Israel and the pre trip portion of our Grand Circle Egypt trip! We are very excited to see the Holy Land and then to see the Nile and all the wonderful sites of Egypt. More from there as I find internet connections! Photos: the view from the window in the older castle near Fussen, building exterior in Oberammergau, the "new" castle which Ludwig dedicated to Richard Wagner.

Three Countries in One Day!

I write this entry on our last night in Salzburg, Austria. We left Prague last Friday and drove across the western part of the Czech Republic, into Germany and then turned south, ending up in Salzburg by about 4:30 pm. Happily, leaving Prague was MUCH easier than entering it due in large part to excellent directions given by the hotel staff. Driving through central Europe is beautiful at this time of year and we had a delightful drive. Salzburg is a much smaller city and we had good directions to our hotel so we only had a tiny bit of trouble finding the correct street for this hotel. We've enjoyed our stay here. The first morning we decided to take the S.O.M. tour that Rick Steves' describes as "cheezy but fun". The mini van and it's driver/guide took 7 of us tourists to many of the locations used to film "The Sound of Music" in 1964. At one point, we had a lengthy drive between stops and she put on the sound track for us to sing along. We also saw the lakes district just outside the city and stopped for coffee and apple strudel, which was delicious! Jon and I went to a concert inside the Salzburg cathedral that afternoon. It featured the immense organ and a wonderful soprano. We've had three delicious dinners here, one Austrian, one Indian (east), and tonight Japanese. We just couldn't handle more schnitzel and sauerkraut! Today we went to the Mozart residence which was quite interesting. He is the city's favorite son and is featured in all the concerts, souvenirs and public areas, via names and statues. His story is tragic in some ways - he died young and poor and was buried in a mass grave. But what an incredible talent!

Tomorrow we leave for Fussen, a small town in Germany on the German/Swiss border. It is a good base for exploring the southern end of Bavaria. We plan to drive on scenic roads to get there and it should be lovely! I am including some photos that I hope you all will enjoy! They are: one of the many churches on the Old Town square in Krakow with the flower stalls in front, the train tracks that brought people to Birkenau death camp, the beautiful Czech countryside, and Jon and I at the lake at the Von Trapp family mansion in Salzburg.

Krakow and the Czech Republic

Well, Krakow was wonderful! A delightful city, full of life, good food, history and tradition. We stayed in the Old Town which was fine once we found our hotel amid one way and blocked streets; a kind policeman who spoke no English even lowered a blockade so that we could drive the rest of the way up the street to reach our hotel. I think he wanted to get us off the road! Thank goodness we had written down the name of the hotel so he could read that and figure out what we were trying to do. The next day we decided to drive a short distance out of Old Town to Oskar Schindler's factory. It is the same building that he actually worked in and where the movie ("Schindler's List") was partially filmed. It is being renovated a bit and made into a museum honoring him and others like him in one part and also a modern art museum in a second building. There is an interesting and informative display about the ceramics plant itself and how he came to be working there and then about how he saved the lives of so many Jews. It finishes by describing how he's been honored. The feeling that we had there was the same that we have been experiencing lately on our journey. To actually be standing where people lived and died, were murdered or managed to survive is humbling and awesome, in the true sense of the word. From the factory, we went to the Jewish Quarter of Krakow. We wandered the streets a bit and visited a synagogue that is being renovated. We had a delicious lunch too but all the time were surrounded by that sense of history. Most of the Jews in Poland were sent to Auschwitz and very few survived. The next day, Monday, we went to the death camp itself. We went with a tour, which in hindsight we regretted. We got transportation there and back and the service of a museum guide (Auschwitz and Birkenau are both called museums now) but we wished we could have stayed longer and seen the film. The museum guides are very knowledgeable and calmly tell the story of the camp as they take you in and out of buildings. There is no need to exaggerate what happened there. Again, we knew the history, had been to other Holocaust museums (like in D.C.) and we'd seen films about the Holocaust but to be there and walk into the buildings, hear the numbers, see the faces (the first to be sent there were Poles and many were photographed - later that stopped), and see the other artifacts

is very different and indescribable. Thankfully, the Polish government took over the area covered by the camps (there were 3 in the vicinity) in 1947 and preserved everything that the Nazis had left standing. Some paperwork survived the attempt to destroy the evidence and the brick buildings at Auschwitz I and some of the wooden ones at Birkenau also survived. As the groups of tourists moved about, there was very little talking and no one was smiling. It is a somber place. There is a 17 minute film made the Ukrainian forces that liberated the camp and it is shown in English several times a day. We did not get to see it with the tour so we decided that on our drive out of Krakow the next day we would stop to see it. We did and are thankful that it was made although it was not easy to watch. Much of the film shows those who were found alive and how the doctors who came with the liberators tried to save as many people as possible. In that way, it was a good final memory to take with us.

We would recommend Krakow as a place to visit on a vacation! We would definitely like to go back ourselves. It is the first place, other than Paris, about which we have that feeling. The Old Town is a great place to stay; fly in and take a taxi from the airport! They are very proud of the Polish Pope and have named the airport after him! We left feeling that there was a lot more to do and see in the city!

We are now in Prague, which is a BIG city with over 1 million people. We followed our usual pattern of getting lost trying to find our hotel and this time in the midst of rush hour traffic in the dark. Imagine yourself on I-5, missing your exit and getting off as soon as you can but having no idea where you are or where the place you are trying to reach is. Thank goodness for cell phones! We eventually made it and today we spent the day in the areas known as the Castle Quarter and the Little Quarter. We also walked over the Charles Bridge. After the Communists left in 1989, Prague was the first city in what was called Eastern Europe to really westernize and "get on the map". We enjoyed the gorgeous, amazing churches of all architectural styles, the picturesque buildings, the 800 hundred year old statues, and in the Old Town Square, the Astronomical Clock which we watched strike 5 o'clock. Last night we went to a restaurant that was just 2 blocks away and prepares excellent food! There was an American expat who is co-owner and executive chef! Since it was kind of a slow night, he came out and talked with us for a bit. He's from Philadelphia and soon baseball and the World Series came up. We had no trouble being on the same side there! Tomorrow we'll see more of Old Town and the Jewish Quarter and then visit Wenceslas Square and some of New Town. The day after, we're off to Salzburg, Austria! I'm happy because it has only 150,000 people - no more driving in big cities!

Reflections

There are some general conclusions that we have come to over the last two months while we have been in Europe. In that time we have been in 5 countries, Norway, Finland, France, Germany and Poland. We have met many people, stayed in many hotels and guesthouses, eaten in many restaurants, and driven on many roads. So far, we can say that the Europeans have better: toilets, showers, windows in their homes/hotels, and highways systems (signs, road surfaces). They LOVE 60s and 70s rock and roll. We have had dinner every night to The Beatles, The Stones, Neil Young, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, etc. etc.!!! (sometimes we quietly sing along or just laugh). They also are more relaxed and considerate in their actions. Many times total strangers have stopped what they were doing to help us, sometimes for extended periods of time. We have heard little horn honking, yelling and have not seen rude gestures or expressions of anger as they make way for each other on the streets and without fail they have treated lost Americans with patience. We have seen virtually no litter. We have seen graffiti but almost no vandalism. In France we saw a very multicultural population, although they are struggling with discrimination as we do in America, according to our friend, Laurence. Each country has had more people of color than we expected and many more ethnic restaurants from around the world (Japanese food is the latest thing in Paris, for example). We have been able to find English speakers of various ability everywhere, although we've noticed that the younger folks are more willing to attempt our language much like our younger folks are better with the language of the internet. Kids are kids too. Low slung pants, tatoos, piercings, wild dyed hair, Ipods and cell phones are all universal, as is an ice cream face on a 5 year old, an 8 year old with a soccer ball and the ability of a newborn to stop shoppers in the stores. It is, indeed, a small world after all.

We have met some new friends along the way. Among them, in no particular order, are Laurence and her girls Anouk and Clara (our Parisian apartment neighbors), Edo (our Introduction to Berlin tour guide from the Nederlands), Inga (a college student from Warsaw who has already spent time in NYC at Columbia and who told us how to cope with the central train station), Dieter and his family (our newly found relatives in Gernsheim, Germany), Jim (our expat Minnesotan who was our Third Reich tour guide in Berlin), Isabella (our fantastic, friendly waitress in Warsaw), the two Martas at the Victor hotel in Warsaw (who worked so hard to translate our driving directions for us), the young American female student who helped us with the train to Versailles, the French man/Korean woman couple we enjoyed talking to on our way to Chartres, and Roy (the young Israeli college student on the Berlin tour with us).

We have felt safe, welcome and appreciated by everyone we have met (except for one or two surly hotel front desk folks). We have learned SO much about history, art, culture and people, and about ourselves and each other. Although we have had tense moments (mostly while driving), we have had many more moments of awe and inspiration. It is what we expected of this trip and yet it is so much richer and deeper. We anticipate these emotions continuing as we visit other countries and meet other people. What a wonderful beginning we've had!

We hope you've enjoyed reading our blog so far and thanks for your patience when I get a bit long winded! Happy Halloween and All Saints Day to you all!