It's so nice having a grocery store close & a frig so we can have lunch & snacks in our room. Most mornings Rog goes to the breakfast room for coffee, cheese sandwich & yogurt with honey and brings me back boiled eggs, cheese, bread & yogurt. I chop the eggs & add mayo and tada...we enjoy egg salad sandwiches for lunch along with Pringles, fruit & a Coke Lite. Some days we make PB sandwiches...PB is expensive at $7 a jar. Since we're working here on campus all day...it's nice to be so close to lunch. We have cheese & cracker & yogurt for snacks. My supply of M & M's I brought from home keeps my sweet tooth happy.
We almost always go out for dinner. There's a huge selection of restaurants close by...cheap Egyptian street food to some elaborate places we probably will not go to. We usually share a meal for about $6 or less and that's enough. There's Lebanese, Syrian, Sudanese, Thai, Chinese, Mexican, Pizza Hut, McD, KFC and lots of just family owned no names. There's a Syrian place right on this campus which we've been too several times...service is slow & we've never gotten what we thought we'd ordered...but the owner loves us & he and all his workers touch their hearts & say thank you and shake our hands when we leave. It's hard to sneak by there as they stand at the door and invite us in. We have to say we're just going for a walk!
Desserts are expensive and usually only in coffee shops. We've indulged a few times. There's a bakery on the corner we turn on coming & going and often it has warm goodies cooling & calling our name when we walk by. Why not???
I've must say I've enjoyed the food here more than anywhere else we've traveled to...even without real Diet Coke. Probably won't be losing my normal 5-10 lbs this winter!!
Sent from my iPhone
Sunday, February 3, 2019
Update 29
We made it to the Pyramids!!! It is a sight to behold!!! They've certainly stood the test of time...4500+years and counting.
We'd met a guy at the Metro stop (our white skin says tourist loud & clear) who led us right to the carriage & horse stables where he set us up with a guide & ride (we're sure he got a cut) and in no time, our guide maneuvered us through the huge crowd of 99% Egyptians ...mostly by squeezing around the barriers & pushing and shoving, making a space for us.
The panoramic view you get as you enter is surreal. Massive. Iconic. Dusty. By carriage we passed the majority of the visitors and reached the base of the pyramid quickly. Then we climbed onto two kneeling camels who then rose up to about 7'. We rode around the base of a pyramid which once stood 146m high but has been lowered by the wind & rain by 9m and it's limestone finish all but gone. At one point, my camel refused to step over a chain, broke his lead rope & headed back to where we started. Luckily rather slowly. Many guides kept saying, "It's okay lady!" After about 200' of unleashed freedom...another guide slowly reached up & grabbed my camel's bridle. I kinda thought it was exciting!
Next we crawled down into the tunnel leading to the tomb inside the pyramid. It was totally dark so good thing our phone had a flashlight! The tunnel ended at the sarcophagus. Eerie . It was a heavy thought just thinking about the weight above you! We hiked around a bit then got back in the carriage to get to the sphinx that has stood guard in from for all these years. He still sits proudly and majestically in spite of some missing pieces.
These pyramids & the sphinx are the only one of the Seven Ancient Wonders that remains.
Sooo...you'd think after over 4000 years of being a tourist site, they'd have it set up perfectly. Far from it!!! The entrance gate was jammed & we were literally pushed through it. The area all around the pyramids was congested and chaotic. Horsing galloping, carts, camels & people going in every which direction. Poop everywhere. People climbing up on the pyramids and picnicking on fallen blocks. The tunnels into the pyramids completely dark with only a dirty fluorescent light lying on the ground by the sarcophagus.
All I can say is, it's a good thing those ancient Egyptians built mighty strong & durable pyramids cause we were thrilled to be able to see them!!
Sent from my iPhone
We'd met a guy at the Metro stop (our white skin says tourist loud & clear) who led us right to the carriage & horse stables where he set us up with a guide & ride (we're sure he got a cut) and in no time, our guide maneuvered us through the huge crowd of 99% Egyptians ...mostly by squeezing around the barriers & pushing and shoving, making a space for us.
The panoramic view you get as you enter is surreal. Massive. Iconic. Dusty. By carriage we passed the majority of the visitors and reached the base of the pyramid quickly. Then we climbed onto two kneeling camels who then rose up to about 7'. We rode around the base of a pyramid which once stood 146m high but has been lowered by the wind & rain by 9m and it's limestone finish all but gone. At one point, my camel refused to step over a chain, broke his lead rope & headed back to where we started. Luckily rather slowly. Many guides kept saying, "It's okay lady!" After about 200' of unleashed freedom...another guide slowly reached up & grabbed my camel's bridle. I kinda thought it was exciting!
Next we crawled down into the tunnel leading to the tomb inside the pyramid. It was totally dark so good thing our phone had a flashlight! The tunnel ended at the sarcophagus. Eerie . It was a heavy thought just thinking about the weight above you! We hiked around a bit then got back in the carriage to get to the sphinx that has stood guard in from for all these years. He still sits proudly and majestically in spite of some missing pieces.
These pyramids & the sphinx are the only one of the Seven Ancient Wonders that remains.
Sooo...you'd think after over 4000 years of being a tourist site, they'd have it set up perfectly. Far from it!!! The entrance gate was jammed & we were literally pushed through it. The area all around the pyramids was congested and chaotic. Horsing galloping, carts, camels & people going in every which direction. Poop everywhere. People climbing up on the pyramids and picnicking on fallen blocks. The tunnels into the pyramids completely dark with only a dirty fluorescent light lying on the ground by the sarcophagus.
All I can say is, it's a good thing those ancient Egyptians built mighty strong & durable pyramids cause we were thrilled to be able to see them!!
Sent from my iPhone
Update 28
I was out in search of a Coke Lite...my regular vendor was not open...and I not only found a Coke Lite but also ended up with US movies!! How?? Long story...
It all started when the clerk (who turned out to be the manager) of a nearby store spoke English to me. We chit chatted for a bit and then I asked him where he learned his English. He grinned & said, "Hollywood movies! I Love Hollywood movies!" I said we had not been able to find any movies in English on our tv and asked him what channel they were on. Again the big grin when he told me, "I download them. I have so many. If you want I'll download for you!" He told me to check to see of our tv had a USB port & if so, let him know. We did, so I did. Rog joined me. We asked our newest friend where to buy a flash drive. He said to follow him. We did. He left work & walked us to a shop. We took the flash drive back to his store, he pulled out his computer, showed us many movies to pick from. We picked out a few & while he downloaded them, insisted on treating Roger to a cup of Turkish coffee. In about 10 minutes, we had 10 movies. I think he was more excited than us!
We made a stop at the grocery store where I'd previously spied microwave popcorn which I came home, popped in the breakfast nook microwave...and BabbaBingBabbaBoom...
Movie & Popcorn Night!!
(The Bird Box)
Sent from my iPhone
It all started when the clerk (who turned out to be the manager) of a nearby store spoke English to me. We chit chatted for a bit and then I asked him where he learned his English. He grinned & said, "Hollywood movies! I Love Hollywood movies!" I said we had not been able to find any movies in English on our tv and asked him what channel they were on. Again the big grin when he told me, "I download them. I have so many. If you want I'll download for you!" He told me to check to see of our tv had a USB port & if so, let him know. We did, so I did. Rog joined me. We asked our newest friend where to buy a flash drive. He said to follow him. We did. He left work & walked us to a shop. We took the flash drive back to his store, he pulled out his computer, showed us many movies to pick from. We picked out a few & while he downloaded them, insisted on treating Roger to a cup of Turkish coffee. In about 10 minutes, we had 10 movies. I think he was more excited than us!
We made a stop at the grocery store where I'd previously spied microwave popcorn which I came home, popped in the breakfast nook microwave...and BabbaBingBabbaBoom...
Movie & Popcorn Night!!
(The Bird Box)
Sent from my iPhone
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