2/27/06

   We got the train to Aswan at 12.30 AM. No beds but air conditioning and airplane chairs. Everything goes smooth. The goodbye eat the Sun Hotel is warm, and the streets are quiet compared to the day. Tischa sits next to the window. We hope to catch a glimpse of the pyramids as we pass by, but the night is dark, and soon Tischa falls asleep. I am used to stay asleep with one eye open, as Asia has always been an unsafe place for sleepy tourists. Every move and sound makes me look around, and check if Tischa is still asleep. The morning starts early as the sun rises at 6. I was hoping to see some of the country through the train windows, even while everything passes so fast, and it is impressive. From the landscapes to the farms, the camels, donkeys, groups of women in shawls, the river Nile and the many unfinished buildings. The heat starts to build up. I get into a conversation with a guy from the States, who is not afraid to tell the man who asks him where he is from, he is an American. The man says; 'Ah! Bush! Great!', but the American replies with disgust about Bush. I try to make a photograph, and the American tourist asks me if I made it. W get in conversation, and he is the nicest guy. Together with his girl he travels through the east while making a video about making fun objects with balloons. He is a clown!

Tischa, slowly waking up, gets a show from Ronnie, or Flower Clown. Not only she is ecstatic, but you should have seen the faces of the Egyptians on the train. One after the other change into kids, with balloon flowers and balloon guitars in their hands. The tricks he shows puzzle everybody. It is a feast and everybody is enjoying. We get into conversation and decide to take a hotel together. There is not a situation he is not making a show with his balloons, and while I am used to be at the middle of attention, I have to make place for this artist. The Egyptians are in aw, no matter how serious, they melt. Tischa is in heaven to travel with a clown on vacation.

We book for a trip to Abu Simbal. We have to wake up at 2.45 to get the private minibus to Abu Simbel. We can sleep in the minivan. Ronnie has bought 500 cards to send to all kids. We are going to put the address stickers, stamps etc on the cards in the bus. Ronnie does a lot for kids in trouble. He just visits orphanages and hospitals and gives free shows. The man is a saint. He got this trip for free from the orphanage director, and after today's show at the hotel we are included in the thankfulness of the people, and get our trip back to Luxor at a discount. Well... Some story. 

After settling we went for shopping in the little alleys. As friendly Cairo was, as aggressive the local shop keepers are. Although I found one store selling original artifacts from ancient Egypt, a Nubian guy with a very interesting air runs the shop, most shop owners are rude in getting you in their shop. One called me like a dog, ordering me to get in. Amazing. What a nerve! We get out to the main street and while tired, decide to take a chariot through the night of Aswan. Tisha in front holding the reins steering the chariot is glowing in the dark. She is so happy. The driver asks us where to go, as if we would know, and we send him into the city. The trip is great. We enjoy the freedom, the running horse, and stop by some shops. We return to the hotel and the driver starts to bug us for more money. He lies about the price we agreed, and we get into an argument, destroying a lot of the good feeling. Tischa is untouched by all this, and is slightly elevated gliding along. After some change at the bank we return to the hotel. Tisha up in bed, me into the local Internet shop for this days review.

First I remember a dream I had yesterday. A beautiful eagle flies in the sky, with its big wings spread wide. It turns in front of the sun, and the light radiates through its wings, and the sun shines through its chest. Its magnificence and majestic radiance is impressive. Beautiful.

Today we sleep well. Yesterday I fell asleep at the restaurant, and we needed our sleep a lot. We left for the children's school for mental disabled kids. Ronnie gave an act as Flower Clown. I got tears in my eyes. These kids were so happy with him! I made a lot of pictures. This is so beautiful. They are cheering and yelling and jumping around. He does this for free, so I take a lot of pictures for him. This I want to support.

Woke up early to go to The temple of ISIS at Philae. First the tour guide brings us to the dam. Great dam, people, but we want to see the temples. We leave as soon as we can. The mini-van brings us to a small harbor, where we end up in cue for security. The tickets are E-Pond 35. After security we are confronted with a load of boats, mostly reserved for only groups, and we have to negotiate for a price. I feel like in a fish net, ready to be pulled out of the water. We manage a boat for 5 pounds each person with some Spanish guys. The Island is beautiful. As is the temple. We laugh about the tour groups. A group is wearing life vests, as if the island might sink any minute. Suddenly this Spanish old man stands before me slapping his own face. he is angry with the guide because he doesn't know what he is saying. I tell him to go by himself. It is OK to act as an individual! be one! We love it and stroll on. Then I suddenly see the wings with the circle above a door. It is the symbol for ISIS, but now I recognize the dream I had in the symbol. The symbol is a rough picture of the eagle with the SUN in/through its heart. Suddenly I can see the meaning of this symbol. Wow.

We get up at 04.45. Tischa is still in a coma, but gets up and starts packing. No hassle. She loves this trip. She looks great with her backpack, and carries it with pride. Downstairs we pay our bill, just to find out the tour guide who brought us there took the E-pond 50 which I paid for my room. Everybody keeps trying (and sometimes succeeds) to rip us off. Sanna is coming with us. We decided to invite her to Luxor, since she has been so helpful to us. The train tickets show our seats are not together, and Sanna tells us not to worry. We'll sit together. In the train we find out it is completely empty except for 5 seats. No problem for us. The other day I bought a lot of cake and we can't finish it, so I go around. Lovely those pie's!

Luxor is 3 hours away, and time flies. Sanna takes us to the hotel where she used to stay with her husband. It's a nice place (Mustafa Hotel at LUXOR - T.V.ST.) and the price is good (P65) . We check in and have to wait one and a half hour for our passports to return. Sanna is not in a good mood. She is sad and sick. She doesn't say, but we notice. We go for some food next to the Luxor Temple. On a roof terrace we have a beautiful view over the premises . When we go for the entrance we decide not to go in because of it's high price. E85!. We go for Karnak. Guards everywhere and the entrance fee is E40. Inside we realize it's size. This place is huge! We stroll around taking pictures, letting us being absorbed by the atmosphere. Also Tischa loves this. We walk around for 5 hours and still haven't seen it all! I found this small temple at the other end of the premises, where I found two statues, standing in the dark inside the rooms. One scared me; a black granite woman with a lions face. I sensed power to destroy in her, and kept my distance. I took some nice pictures at 15 seconds shutter speed. Wow. Wish we had more time.

Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2006 18:24:41 +0200

Today I let Tischa sleep and knocked on Ronnie and Stacey's door to see if they were awake yet. Ronnie answered, and we left for the road. Just getting in a cab, not knowing where it would bring us, we got out at a mall. I learned some Arabic from Sanna. Last night we had great fun with it. I asked her to translate; I have hairy armpits (Ana shar batack Qbir), I have smelly feet (Ana ra eha woasha), and big nose (Manachira kebira). When the shop owners get too pushy to get us in, I tell them I have a big nose, hairy armpits or smelly feet. Laughter guaranteed. So the same this morning, we left some bewildered shop keepers behind, to get to the Luxor Temple. We didn't get in the other day because of the exorbitant pricing, but this time, with the two of us, we go in. I tell the woman at the counter we are students, and she asks us for our student passes. I tell her I forgot them at home, and she gives us student entry tickets and keeps 10 pond bakshees. Cool. Luxor is impressive, but what isn't in this ancient Egypt. The special part besides the many scratched faces are the roman influences. A door with an arc, a little brick stone temple, and some murals. I can feel the difference, as if the soldiers still march there.

We get back to the hotel, where breakfast awaits us. Sanna is taking care of us as if she were working in this hotel. We have to go, and I arrange for a taxi. Ronnie, Stacy and Sanna come along to the bus stop, from which we leave for Hurgada. Great goodbye! We had a good time together.  The bus trip takes 6 hours, and on the way Tischa has to take a leak on a fly friendly sitting toilet. She is brave and uses it. She is cool. Hurgada is what I thought it would be. Benidorm in Egypt. The hotel is clean, but the people seem to have less humor. While I kiss a small bald Egyptian head-waiter on his head (He is really small) the other waiters laugh. But the remarks about my nose miss target. Well... We go to sleep.