...never having been on a cruise before, i didn't know what to expect but it was a pleasant surprise....Miss Regency is not a grandiose ship but certainly more than adequate!!...we had a room with 3 single beds and not much else other than a tv that had NO english channels but we weren't in the room long enough to watch tv anyway....
the first day entailed having a tour around aswan seeing ramsees the great's temple and then we boarded the boat....i immediately found the sundeck and pool area while briana and christina found the bed...the pool was 'dinky' but at least cool to bring down the body temperature from the extremely HOT egyptian sun....i'm lovin' it!!!...
...at lunch, we were seated with a single mom and her 17 year old son from virginia beach....really nice people and we got along great!!!...
....meals on the boat were buffet style....not my favourite and not exactly stellar food....most of the people on the ship were german with a few nationalities thrown in for good measure....canadian, american, swedes, austrians, iranians, etc....
...second day on the ship we were in luxor and it found me having a massage....probably the BEST relaxation massage ihave EVER had.....seventh heaven!!!...then back to the sundeck and catching rays...in the evening there was a galabraya (sp?) party with egyptian and western dancing....lot of FUN!!!!
....next day found me again having a massage and lying by the pool...while christina and briana saw yet another few temples and tombs....not for me but they seemed to enjoy them....even though our guide for the last few days was not as good as we had earlier in the trip...
...in the evening i had a personal tour around luxor which was great...visiting an egyptian restaurant, and 2 coffee shops....big thing around these parts!!!
...this morning we left the ship and toured the karnak and luxor temples....karnak is the largest of all the temples and i really liked it....it was the temple of columns....really neat complete with hieroglyphics (not a new thing...all of the temples and tombs have hieroglyphics...khalid who was our tour manager from cairo showed up as a surprise to see us on ourlastday....he travelled 12 hours one way on the train to see us....thanks khalid...what a super guy....he has become our friend..
...after the temples, we were picked up and taken to our day room....briana and christina went out for lunch with khalid and khalid (no not twins or even brothers...just a common name in egypt!!) and i had lunch and another tour with a guide from the ship....
...we will stay in our hotel until 12:30 a.m. and then go to the airport at 2 a.m. to fly out at 3:40 a.m. for kuwait...
....another great trip has come to an end!!!...stay tuned for more adventures...
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Ramsees the Great Temple
...3 a.m. pick up this morning to catch a 5 a.m. flight from cairo to aswan....then another flight to abu simbel...said good bye to yousef and khaled (may see khaled at the end of the trip)....in abu simbel, we went to the temple of ramsees the great...huge stone structure with a facade of the various pharoahs and gods from his era...inside and out, the temple was etched with hieroglyphics....amazing structure and carving...we were watching a video in the airport that indicated that the whole structure was moved, if you can believe it, from the original location to the current one because of flooding by the nile river in the original location....UNBELIEVABLE feat to move this monument!!!....being on the site was also our first siting of the nile river....beautiful!!!...took quite a few pictures....we were very tired puppies by the end of the tour...
...on returning to aswan, we were met with our new travel agent hakim who escorted us to our hotel for the evening....isis island hotel...and, you guessed it, it was on an island so we took a small ferry to get there....nice hotel...2 pools, fitness facilities, 3 restaurants, etc....briana and christina were zonked so they went to sleep and i went to the pool to catch some rays....
...no sleep for me though...it was quite hot and after soaking up some rays for a short while, i took a leisurely swim in the cool waters of the palm pool...upon returning to my lounger, i was joined by a young south african man and we engaged in a very interesting conversation...he has been working in amsterdam in the banking industry...very engaging young man!!...that is one of the great things about travelling...you meet a lot of wonderful people!!...
...after the sun had started to set, i returned to my room only to find briana still sleeping (after 3 hours) but eventually she opened her sleepy peepers, got ready and we had dinner at the italian restaurant on the hotel premises...not bad....canneloni for me, salad for briana and chicken dinner for christina...
...which brings me to sitting here writing for you....that's all for now...
...may be a break in communication for a few days because i am going to be on a cruise and not sure there will be internet access....stay tuned.
...on returning to aswan, we were met with our new travel agent hakim who escorted us to our hotel for the evening....isis island hotel...and, you guessed it, it was on an island so we took a small ferry to get there....nice hotel...2 pools, fitness facilities, 3 restaurants, etc....briana and christina were zonked so they went to sleep and i went to the pool to catch some rays....
...no sleep for me though...it was quite hot and after soaking up some rays for a short while, i took a leisurely swim in the cool waters of the palm pool...upon returning to my lounger, i was joined by a young south african man and we engaged in a very interesting conversation...he has been working in amsterdam in the banking industry...very engaging young man!!...that is one of the great things about travelling...you meet a lot of wonderful people!!...
...after the sun had started to set, i returned to my room only to find briana still sleeping (after 3 hours) but eventually she opened her sleepy peepers, got ready and we had dinner at the italian restaurant on the hotel premises...not bad....canneloni for me, salad for briana and chicken dinner for christina...
...which brings me to sitting here writing for you....that's all for now...
...may be a break in communication for a few days because i am going to be on a cruise and not sure there will be internet access....stay tuned.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Day in the sun!!
....ahhhhh!!!....it was amazing...no one around the pool but me and one other family....heavenly....basked like a lizard and then had a very intense massage at the hilton next door...briana and christina went to the museum in cairo, did some more shopping and on their return, briana and i hit some golf balls...two of the golf course caddies insisted on helping us and giving us some pointers even though we said no and of course, at the end they expected a tip....well i guess that's how it works...one of the golf course operators, nasr, took me on a ride around the course...very enjoyable...
...had dinner at the hotel and then briana and i went to an egyptian disco with khalid and mr. said the tour operator...very interesting to see the arabic/egyptian dancing....we tried too but there was too much hip action for me....LOL...back at the hotel about 10:30 as we have an early (3 a.m.) pickup to fly to aswan and abu simbel tomorrow...
...let the adventure continue....
...had dinner at the hotel and then briana and i went to an egyptian disco with khalid and mr. said the tour operator...very interesting to see the arabic/egyptian dancing....we tried too but there was too much hip action for me....LOL...back at the hotel about 10:30 as we have an early (3 a.m.) pickup to fly to aswan and abu simbel tomorrow...
...let the adventure continue....
Friday, March 21, 2008
The Pyramids, Sphinx, Sound & Light show, etc.
...after quite a good night's sleep, i went over to the hilton next door to check out the fitness facilities...not bad for a hotel's facilities....then i walked around part of the golf course on our hotel's property (the swiss pyramids golf resort)...will walk around the entire perimeter tomorrow...there was a japanese golf tournament happening today...briana and i may try our hand at golf tomorrow...
...at 10 a.m. khaled and yousef met us to begin our trek to the pyramids, sphinx, sound and light show etc....on the way we picked up our guide osama....and yes, we joked about his name....wondering if he was the elusive bin laden....lol....he claimed NOT...not much resemblance either....
...as we were approaching the pyramids....christina let out a squeal of delight...both she and briana are history buffs and were ecstatic on the first sighting...me, well you know me....they are big cement triangles against the azure blue sky in the middle of the desert....ok....all kidding aside they are pretty amazing and quite astonishing to know that they were made by over 100,000 people over a period of 20 years...no cement was used to hold them together...just water and sand...UNBELIEVABLE...we couldn't get into see the largest one cause it wasn't open until 1...prior to getting up close to them, osama gave us the history of how they were built, about the kings including king tut, cleopatra, nephratite, etc....briana and christina were spell bound...i was trying to pick the sand out of my contacts....it was REALLY windy up there...we did go into the middle sized pyramid (kind of like the 3 bears story....papa, mama and baby...sorry i digress!!)...actually briana and christina went all the way in...i backed out because the alleyway down into the bowels of the earth was about 2 ft. wide and you had to bend over to descend, then you reached what you thought was the end only to find there was another alleyway going up which you also had to bend down to ascend...i decided my knees were more important so i and another lady, who i didn't know, went back out where we could breathe...lack of oxygen down there...by the way, timmy....there IS a pizza hut near the pyramids...go figure...didn't eat there though....
...one of the highlights of the day was riding a camel complete with the arabic headdress on our heads....i guess to protect us from the sun....we got pictures of that fun adventure camel caravan...
...we of course took many pictures...one of which was suggested by osama and which i will post when i return to kuwait...it looks as if i am as tall as the largest pyramid and i am pointing down at it....optical illusion...FUN!!...
...after leaving the pyramid site, we went to do some shopping at a shop that made natural oil essences and blown glass perfume bottles, etc....we didn't buy anything there but went on to a store that gave a demonstration of papyrus which is the oldest paper in the world...he showed us the technique...very interesting...then we were left to wander around the shop and buy whatever we wanted....pictures of various egyptian scenes, pharoahs, cleopatra, etc. etc....each of us bought quite a lot but something very unique...
...after shopping we went for lunch...again a buffet...they LOVE buffets here....then went to a dingy little cafe where osama and yousef played a very frenetic game of dominoes while we had a drink...then it was back to the pyramid site for the sound and light show...the actual technical aspect of the show was pretty amazing but the history lesson was kind of lost on me....i have the attention span of a gnat when i am not interested....oh well the other 2 were engrossed so it wasn't entirely a lost cause!!! lol
...after the sound and light show, it was back to the hotel...where briana decided to hit the hay as she had a headache from cracking her head on the roof of the van getting into it earlier on in the day....sorry habipti...hope you feel better...
...tomorrow is my day to 'veg' and i am SO looking forward to it...
...that's all for now folks...later....
...at 10 a.m. khaled and yousef met us to begin our trek to the pyramids, sphinx, sound and light show etc....on the way we picked up our guide osama....and yes, we joked about his name....wondering if he was the elusive bin laden....lol....he claimed NOT...not much resemblance either....
...as we were approaching the pyramids....christina let out a squeal of delight...both she and briana are history buffs and were ecstatic on the first sighting...me, well you know me....they are big cement triangles against the azure blue sky in the middle of the desert....ok....all kidding aside they are pretty amazing and quite astonishing to know that they were made by over 100,000 people over a period of 20 years...no cement was used to hold them together...just water and sand...UNBELIEVABLE...we couldn't get into see the largest one cause it wasn't open until 1...prior to getting up close to them, osama gave us the history of how they were built, about the kings including king tut, cleopatra, nephratite, etc....briana and christina were spell bound...i was trying to pick the sand out of my contacts....it was REALLY windy up there...we did go into the middle sized pyramid (kind of like the 3 bears story....papa, mama and baby...sorry i digress!!)...actually briana and christina went all the way in...i backed out because the alleyway down into the bowels of the earth was about 2 ft. wide and you had to bend over to descend, then you reached what you thought was the end only to find there was another alleyway going up which you also had to bend down to ascend...i decided my knees were more important so i and another lady, who i didn't know, went back out where we could breathe...lack of oxygen down there...by the way, timmy....there IS a pizza hut near the pyramids...go figure...didn't eat there though....
...one of the highlights of the day was riding a camel complete with the arabic headdress on our heads....i guess to protect us from the sun....we got pictures of that fun adventure camel caravan...
...we of course took many pictures...one of which was suggested by osama and which i will post when i return to kuwait...it looks as if i am as tall as the largest pyramid and i am pointing down at it....optical illusion...FUN!!...
...after leaving the pyramid site, we went to do some shopping at a shop that made natural oil essences and blown glass perfume bottles, etc....we didn't buy anything there but went on to a store that gave a demonstration of papyrus which is the oldest paper in the world...he showed us the technique...very interesting...then we were left to wander around the shop and buy whatever we wanted....pictures of various egyptian scenes, pharoahs, cleopatra, etc. etc....each of us bought quite a lot but something very unique...
...after shopping we went for lunch...again a buffet...they LOVE buffets here....then went to a dingy little cafe where osama and yousef played a very frenetic game of dominoes while we had a drink...then it was back to the pyramid site for the sound and light show...the actual technical aspect of the show was pretty amazing but the history lesson was kind of lost on me....i have the attention span of a gnat when i am not interested....oh well the other 2 were engrossed so it wasn't entirely a lost cause!!! lol
...after the sound and light show, it was back to the hotel...where briana decided to hit the hay as she had a headache from cracking her head on the roof of the van getting into it earlier on in the day....sorry habipti...hope you feel better...
...tomorrow is my day to 'veg' and i am SO looking forward to it...
...that's all for now folks...later....
Thursday, March 20, 2008
I'm in Africa!!!!
...it just hit me as we (Briana, Christina and I) were flying from Kuwait to Egypt that we were going to Africa....I will have been to every continent except 2...Australia and Antarctica...pretty amazing!!!
....the flight was uneventful except for a rather quick full speed (it seemed) landing...but nothing untoward...after paying $15 USD for an entry visa and getting through customs, we were picked up by Khaled and Yousef who transported us to our hotel...Paradise Metropole Hotel in downtown Alexandria...rather tired and worn hotel but still with a certain regality about it....somewhat like the Banff Springs...
...we had some good laughs at the beginning and end of the flight especially when the rather large man sitting in front of Briana felt the need to fill the surrounding air with a stomach turning stench that sent the 3 of us into gales of laughter...we figured he may have thought the plane was going to crash since we were coming in so quickly...however that didn't happen but the horrific odour raeained with us until he finally got up and exited the plane...with a rather sheepish look on his face...I might add!!! :)
...this morning after a hearty breakfast, we met our tour guide Miss Wessam who escorted us throughout the day to various locations including the catacombs, modern library (I stayed outside and caught some rays!!), a garden by the Mediterranean Sea, lunch at an Egyptian restaurant, the citadel, etc....then Khaled met us again and we continued on to Cairo which was about a 3 hour drive...
...we will stay here for 3 days at the Swiss Inn Spa and Golf Resort...very nice...we had dinner at a great outdoor cafe belonging to the hotel where we were serenaded by the cacophonous sounds of frogs mating....interesting!!!...
...which brings me to where I am sitting right now updating my blog...can't believe it has been so long since my last entry....it's not because I am having so much fun that I forget to...it's just that trying to keep up with school takes a lot of time....i also was in england (thank you Michael) for a week at the end of february and here i am again in another continent....FANTASTIC!!!...it was great to see all my friends in england and to spend some time with Michael...i was the chauffeur since he broke his leg skiing at the beginning of february...
...well, enough for this installment...stay tuned!!
....the flight was uneventful except for a rather quick full speed (it seemed) landing...but nothing untoward...after paying $15 USD for an entry visa and getting through customs, we were picked up by Khaled and Yousef who transported us to our hotel...Paradise Metropole Hotel in downtown Alexandria...rather tired and worn hotel but still with a certain regality about it....somewhat like the Banff Springs...
...we had some good laughs at the beginning and end of the flight especially when the rather large man sitting in front of Briana felt the need to fill the surrounding air with a stomach turning stench that sent the 3 of us into gales of laughter...we figured he may have thought the plane was going to crash since we were coming in so quickly...however that didn't happen but the horrific odour raeained with us until he finally got up and exited the plane...with a rather sheepish look on his face...I might add!!! :)
...this morning after a hearty breakfast, we met our tour guide Miss Wessam who escorted us throughout the day to various locations including the catacombs, modern library (I stayed outside and caught some rays!!), a garden by the Mediterranean Sea, lunch at an Egyptian restaurant, the citadel, etc....then Khaled met us again and we continued on to Cairo which was about a 3 hour drive...
...we will stay here for 3 days at the Swiss Inn Spa and Golf Resort...very nice...we had dinner at a great outdoor cafe belonging to the hotel where we were serenaded by the cacophonous sounds of frogs mating....interesting!!!...
...which brings me to where I am sitting right now updating my blog...can't believe it has been so long since my last entry....it's not because I am having so much fun that I forget to...it's just that trying to keep up with school takes a lot of time....i also was in england (thank you Michael) for a week at the end of february and here i am again in another continent....FANTASTIC!!!...it was great to see all my friends in england and to spend some time with Michael...i was the chauffeur since he broke his leg skiing at the beginning of february...
...well, enough for this installment...stay tuned!!
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Been a while
...hard to believe my last post was january 1st and we're now on january 15...time does fly...
...back in the saddle again at school...somethings never change and that is true for school life...
...my birthday has come and gone very nicely here in kuwait....celebrated with several of my teacher colleagues including candace (who gave me a lovely handmade pair of earrings and some tealights), laurie, koula and diane...also briana took me out for dinner on my birthday as well as for a massage the day after...christina bought me some gorgeous red tulips and shared lunch with briana and me on thursday...2 of my classes threw me a party which i think was a ploy for them to have food in school but anyway...it's the thought that counts and larry had a gorgeous leopard print housecoat made for me....it is OH SO WARM....oh yah....it's FREEZING here now...no heat in our building or school...can you say ICICLES!!!brrrrrrr!!
...we are gearing up for exams in high school and there will be a lot of marking for me...what ever possessed me to take on grade 10 english...what a boatload of work!!!
...one brit is back, the other leaves on thursday for home for 2 weeks and larry left for atlanta tonight...safe travel guys...the circle of life continues to rotate here in kuwait...
...back to playing volleyball on sunday...played terribly and was slightly stiff the next day...i seem to have forgotten how to play since being away for the holidays...that's my excuse anyway!! :)
...well, that's all for now folks!!...take care and keep in touch....
...back in the saddle again at school...somethings never change and that is true for school life...
...my birthday has come and gone very nicely here in kuwait....celebrated with several of my teacher colleagues including candace (who gave me a lovely handmade pair of earrings and some tealights), laurie, koula and diane...also briana took me out for dinner on my birthday as well as for a massage the day after...christina bought me some gorgeous red tulips and shared lunch with briana and me on thursday...2 of my classes threw me a party which i think was a ploy for them to have food in school but anyway...it's the thought that counts and larry had a gorgeous leopard print housecoat made for me....it is OH SO WARM....oh yah....it's FREEZING here now...no heat in our building or school...can you say ICICLES!!!brrrrrrr!!
...we are gearing up for exams in high school and there will be a lot of marking for me...what ever possessed me to take on grade 10 english...what a boatload of work!!!
...one brit is back, the other leaves on thursday for home for 2 weeks and larry left for atlanta tonight...safe travel guys...the circle of life continues to rotate here in kuwait...
...back to playing volleyball on sunday...played terribly and was slightly stiff the next day...i seem to have forgotten how to play since being away for the holidays...that's my excuse anyway!! :)
...well, that's all for now folks!!...take care and keep in touch....
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
The Party is almost over!!! :(
...this time home has been 'just what the doctor ordered'...refreshing, revitalizing and renewing...thank God for friends and family...
...Christmas day was spent here in the morning with Shawna, Tim, Noah, Lindsay and Lamar...opening gifts and eating my signature 'ham strata'...YUMMY! even if i must say so myself...:)...then on to Niagara-on-the-Lake...with Nancy, Keith, Brit, Jordie, John and Veerla...great to visit and celebrate Christmas with them...FANTASTIC food as always Nance!!...(i had walked the 500 stairs near Shawna's place and had not slept much Christmas Eve so I was 'bagged' and did my usual of falling asleep...lol...somethings NEVER change!!)...played some cranium (amidst naps!!) and stayed overnight...
...the rest of the week is kind of a blur...but visited with as many friends as possible including sandy and doug, sasha...went to a housewarming party at laura's and saw judi, laura, and gaby...nancy, stew, jordie and jerry...
...christmas with the baers was on december 29 and it was a wonderful family celebration....noah was the centre of attention and he performed beautifully...liz (assisted by murray) put on an OUTSTANDING meal...those cooking classes are really helping Liz...ha, ha!!...great to see everyone and get caught up with the nieces and nephews...matt, jessie, andrew and kyle...overnight with liz for some (much needed) 'girl talk'...thanks diz!!...
...sunday, december 30 was the date for my 'open house party'....had an intimate gathering with 5 very wonderful, supportive friends...sash, susan, harry, janice and tanja....the rest of you are OFF my christmas list...tee, hee!!;...i know it's a very busy time of year and would have loved to have seen more...but i understand....:(...janice stayed over and we had lots of time to get caught up....thanks janice....had a blast as always....including our great walk...we'll tackle the stairs another time...:)
...december 31...jo-anne and i went to see...'p.s. i love you'...what a great movie...chick flick, YES...tearjerker...YES!!!...LOVED IT!!...funny, sad, poignant....what all good movies are made of...in my humble opinion, of course....time spent with jo_anne is always precious and too short....LOVE YOU!!...later had dinner with stacey and then we went dancing at the leander boat club...lots of fun...good dj with a good mix of music...skype call to wish larry a happy new year...bedtime.....zzzzzz...
...HAPPY NEW YEAR...january 1, 2008...where do the years go????...last 3 days before i wing my way east back to my life in kuwait...have to make the most of the last days so they are jam packed...breakfast with Shawna, Tim and Noah...visit with nancy...dinner with michael...chiro, doctor and dentist appointments...time with lindsay, anne, cheryl and then packing...
...it's been grand...but too short...such is life....
...stay posted...
...Christmas day was spent here in the morning with Shawna, Tim, Noah, Lindsay and Lamar...opening gifts and eating my signature 'ham strata'...YUMMY! even if i must say so myself...:)...then on to Niagara-on-the-Lake...with Nancy, Keith, Brit, Jordie, John and Veerla...great to visit and celebrate Christmas with them...FANTASTIC food as always Nance!!...(i had walked the 500 stairs near Shawna's place and had not slept much Christmas Eve so I was 'bagged' and did my usual of falling asleep...lol...somethings NEVER change!!)...played some cranium (amidst naps!!) and stayed overnight...
...the rest of the week is kind of a blur...but visited with as many friends as possible including sandy and doug, sasha...went to a housewarming party at laura's and saw judi, laura, and gaby...nancy, stew, jordie and jerry...
...christmas with the baers was on december 29 and it was a wonderful family celebration....noah was the centre of attention and he performed beautifully...liz (assisted by murray) put on an OUTSTANDING meal...those cooking classes are really helping Liz...ha, ha!!...great to see everyone and get caught up with the nieces and nephews...matt, jessie, andrew and kyle...overnight with liz for some (much needed) 'girl talk'...thanks diz!!...
...sunday, december 30 was the date for my 'open house party'....had an intimate gathering with 5 very wonderful, supportive friends...sash, susan, harry, janice and tanja....the rest of you are OFF my christmas list...tee, hee!!;...i know it's a very busy time of year and would have loved to have seen more...but i understand....:(...janice stayed over and we had lots of time to get caught up....thanks janice....had a blast as always....including our great walk...we'll tackle the stairs another time...:)
...december 31...jo-anne and i went to see...'p.s. i love you'...what a great movie...chick flick, YES...tearjerker...YES!!!...LOVED IT!!...funny, sad, poignant....what all good movies are made of...in my humble opinion, of course....time spent with jo_anne is always precious and too short....LOVE YOU!!...later had dinner with stacey and then we went dancing at the leander boat club...lots of fun...good dj with a good mix of music...skype call to wish larry a happy new year...bedtime.....zzzzzz...
...HAPPY NEW YEAR...january 1, 2008...where do the years go????...last 3 days before i wing my way east back to my life in kuwait...have to make the most of the last days so they are jam packed...breakfast with Shawna, Tim and Noah...visit with nancy...dinner with michael...chiro, doctor and dentist appointments...time with lindsay, anne, cheryl and then packing...
...it's been grand...but too short...such is life....
...stay posted...
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