A weird thing is happening lately in Egypt. Every ruin, pyramid, and/or temple I visit doesn't seem real to me. I look at them and think to myself "They have these in Vegas." or "I've seen statues like this outside of P.F. Chang's.".
It's just not registering.
I'm having a hard time connecting my brain with my eyes. I find myself standing in the middle of the Sahara with a sun beating down on me like 2000 fists, and I'm lost. These ancient statues tower over me and I just stand there with my jaw on the floor. Drooling.
I stand 1 foot away from heiroglyphics that date back to 1200 BC and my brain goes "tilt. tilt. tilt.". I just can't grasp it all. It's almost impossible to understand it. We're talking about stuff thats 3000 years old. Older than Jesus. Older than Napoleon. Older than Lincoln. Older than Miley Cyrus.
I find myself constantly repeating "Take this all in. Focus. These are things you'll never see again." I try. I try to burn the images in my head, but I constantly find myself walking away thinking it was all a dream.
Maybe it's because we've seen so much already. Maybe it's because I never thought I'd actually see these things in my lifetime. Whatever the reason it's wierd. I just hope if I ever forget about this adventure one of you will remind me, 'Hey remember that time you drooled on the Sphynx's foot. That was pretty cool man.'
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Pyramids and sore feet.
After nearly a month in Egypt we finally made it to the Pyramids. I think the time actually worked in our favor. In that month we learned how to deal with touts and how to avoid being over charged as tourists for just about everything.
We arrived at the pyramids around 4 in the afternoon. We were told not to go any earlier or we might actually burst into flames. Shit is hot in Egypt. What we weren't told is that the Pyramids close at 6pm, so we had 2 hours to get our history on and quick.
Stopping for a pre-pyramid meal at the KFC located literally across the street from the entrance, we fueled up for our adventure and then headed out.
After haggling with a tout for nearly 30 minutes we finally reached a deal on two camels. Totally psyched to be riding camels through the desert we headed with the touts down a deserted alley. "we're certainly going to die" I thought. Where are we going? Why are the Pyramids behind us? Why are there heroin needles all over the street and how successfully will I be able to leap from this camel and drop kick this tout if things get a little hairy?
Luckily for the touts I didn't have to drop kick them. No shennanigans took place. They were merely leading us to an illegal entrance where we could bring our camles after paying the police a little baksheesh.
The pyramids were amazing. Especially when they appear right in front of you as you cross over desert hills. They're huge. They're impressive. They're everything you think they'd be. It was unreal. I couldn't believe I was there. I mean I literally never thought I'd see the Pyramids in my lifetime. They seemed so foreign. Almost as if they didn't exist. But here I was, riding on the back of a camel thought the desert. Heading right towards them.
If you haven't been, I suggest you go. Without sounding cheesey there really is something in the air there. You can feel the history. It's pretty damn cool. Oh yeah, and the Sphynx is ALOT smaller than I thought it would be. I blame my misconception of their size on the Never Ending Story. I always thought the sphynx was at least as big as the Oracle staues Atreau stumbled upon. I mean their boobs were bigger than he was. So naturally I imagined the Sphynx being roughly the same size. It wasn't. Much smaller than the pyramids, and much smaller than those statued boobs.
As the sun set and the moon rose, we gathered at the foot of the Sphynx for a laser light show. Maybe the cheesiest thing I've ever seen. I seriously found myself laughing throughout most of it. Amidst the cheesiness there was one point of interest. The narrator spoke about how long the sphynx has stood guard over the pyramids and the centuries, sunrises, sunsets, and rulers its seen. Pretty cool when you actually think about it.
Onto Moses and Burning Bushes!
Our next adventure, after diving in the Red Sea of course, was a hike up Mt Sinai at 2 in the morning. Why 2 in the morning? Because it be hot here, and well because Egyptians don't sleep. After a two hour bus ride from Dahab we jumped out of our van and laced up our hiking boots. Off we went into the pitch black night, to tackle 7,000 feet in the Egyptian night.
Stumbling past camels, camel shit, rocks, and touts we slowly made our way up hill. For two and a half hours. I'll just get this out of the way now, we completely underestimated this hike. Having conquered Machu Picchu and Fitz Roy we figured we could walk up Sinai backwards. But Macchu Picchu was a long time ago. Many beers ago. Many bags of McDonalds ago. Many gallons of coke. It was hard. We're really out of shape.
There were times we thought we wouldn't make it. Sabrina contemplated getting a camel. Then we got to the stairs. 700 of them. Up. At 4 in the morning. Who's idea was this again?
We made it within minutes of sunrise. Collapsing on a rock formation we awaited the sun rise. Here it was. Mount Sinai. Moses. 10 Commandments. The Lord our Father. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ... sorry I fell asleep. Literally.
The sunrise came and went. We were high up on the mountain. For a minute or two I took note of how cool it was to be somewhere with so much historical importance. I imagined God and Moses chatting. I thought about how old the mountain was. And then I fell asleep again.
After our catnap of oh 15 minutes it was time for the 2 hour hike down. Joy. While it was fun watching elderly Japanese tourists slip and fall down the mountain, the thing I remember most is feeling like my feet were bleeding. We made it down the mountain around 8 am. The sun already blisteringly hot. We found shelter under a fig tree and proceeded to fall asleep again. Are you sensing a pattern here.
All in all it was a great trip. Even though I may make it sound like it wasn't. Being in the middle of this history was humbling. Would I do the hike again? Probably not, but I'd defenitly wait at the bottom for people who did do the hike to finish and tell me all about it.
We arrived at the pyramids around 4 in the afternoon. We were told not to go any earlier or we might actually burst into flames. Shit is hot in Egypt. What we weren't told is that the Pyramids close at 6pm, so we had 2 hours to get our history on and quick.
Stopping for a pre-pyramid meal at the KFC located literally across the street from the entrance, we fueled up for our adventure and then headed out.
After haggling with a tout for nearly 30 minutes we finally reached a deal on two camels. Totally psyched to be riding camels through the desert we headed with the touts down a deserted alley. "we're certainly going to die" I thought. Where are we going? Why are the Pyramids behind us? Why are there heroin needles all over the street and how successfully will I be able to leap from this camel and drop kick this tout if things get a little hairy?
Luckily for the touts I didn't have to drop kick them. No shennanigans took place. They were merely leading us to an illegal entrance where we could bring our camles after paying the police a little baksheesh.
The pyramids were amazing. Especially when they appear right in front of you as you cross over desert hills. They're huge. They're impressive. They're everything you think they'd be. It was unreal. I couldn't believe I was there. I mean I literally never thought I'd see the Pyramids in my lifetime. They seemed so foreign. Almost as if they didn't exist. But here I was, riding on the back of a camel thought the desert. Heading right towards them.
If you haven't been, I suggest you go. Without sounding cheesey there really is something in the air there. You can feel the history. It's pretty damn cool. Oh yeah, and the Sphynx is ALOT smaller than I thought it would be. I blame my misconception of their size on the Never Ending Story. I always thought the sphynx was at least as big as the Oracle staues Atreau stumbled upon. I mean their boobs were bigger than he was. So naturally I imagined the Sphynx being roughly the same size. It wasn't. Much smaller than the pyramids, and much smaller than those statued boobs.
As the sun set and the moon rose, we gathered at the foot of the Sphynx for a laser light show. Maybe the cheesiest thing I've ever seen. I seriously found myself laughing throughout most of it. Amidst the cheesiness there was one point of interest. The narrator spoke about how long the sphynx has stood guard over the pyramids and the centuries, sunrises, sunsets, and rulers its seen. Pretty cool when you actually think about it.
Onto Moses and Burning Bushes!
Our next adventure, after diving in the Red Sea of course, was a hike up Mt Sinai at 2 in the morning. Why 2 in the morning? Because it be hot here, and well because Egyptians don't sleep. After a two hour bus ride from Dahab we jumped out of our van and laced up our hiking boots. Off we went into the pitch black night, to tackle 7,000 feet in the Egyptian night.
Stumbling past camels, camel shit, rocks, and touts we slowly made our way up hill. For two and a half hours. I'll just get this out of the way now, we completely underestimated this hike. Having conquered Machu Picchu and Fitz Roy we figured we could walk up Sinai backwards. But Macchu Picchu was a long time ago. Many beers ago. Many bags of McDonalds ago. Many gallons of coke. It was hard. We're really out of shape.
There were times we thought we wouldn't make it. Sabrina contemplated getting a camel. Then we got to the stairs. 700 of them. Up. At 4 in the morning. Who's idea was this again?
We made it within minutes of sunrise. Collapsing on a rock formation we awaited the sun rise. Here it was. Mount Sinai. Moses. 10 Commandments. The Lord our Father. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ... sorry I fell asleep. Literally.
The sunrise came and went. We were high up on the mountain. For a minute or two I took note of how cool it was to be somewhere with so much historical importance. I imagined God and Moses chatting. I thought about how old the mountain was. And then I fell asleep again.
After our catnap of oh 15 minutes it was time for the 2 hour hike down. Joy. While it was fun watching elderly Japanese tourists slip and fall down the mountain, the thing I remember most is feeling like my feet were bleeding. We made it down the mountain around 8 am. The sun already blisteringly hot. We found shelter under a fig tree and proceeded to fall asleep again. Are you sensing a pattern here.
All in all it was a great trip. Even though I may make it sound like it wasn't. Being in the middle of this history was humbling. Would I do the hike again? Probably not, but I'd defenitly wait at the bottom for people who did do the hike to finish and tell me all about it.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
I have no clue who I am anymore.
I'm over sheesha.
I'm over drinking. Seriously. I have like two beers and I;m like what's the point.
I have no idea who I am anymore, and I'm a little frightened.
Let's hope it's just a phase young kids go through.
I'm over drinking. Seriously. I have like two beers and I;m like what's the point.
I have no idea who I am anymore, and I'm a little frightened.
Let's hope it's just a phase young kids go through.
This place is dead anyway
Dahab Egypt. Land of sun, sheesa, and great diving. Also the land of absolutely no freaking tourists, anywhere, at all, close up shop by 9:30pm, that's all folks, have a nice night, no night life what so ever, see you in the morning for your dive.
I mean seriously, this place is a ghost town by 10pm.
Whats up with Egypt. When we were hanging with Sabrinas family they would have dinner at 4 in the morning. So we reset our clocks to their schedule. Now we're in Dahab where people go to be earlier than the Fiensteins in Boca Raton.
We just cant catch a break.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Stuff on my mind grapes
It's been a while since I posted and alots on my mind so instead of writing a bunch of entries I'll just jot down some stuff I'm thinking about.
- I wish I knew more about Islam, and the conflict between Israel and the rest of the Middle East. America has done me a great disservice by not educating me on the truth in regards to this matter.
- I hate flies. Like seriously want every fly in the world to die hate them. They suck and there are so many of them in the world. They buzz all up in your face. Land on your mouth...disgusting. Buzz in your ear. Land on your arm...you swat them, they fly away for a milisecond and then land in the same exact spot you swatted them. Fuckers.
- Sidenote: have you ever thought of where flies go at night? Think about it. Theyre all over the place during the day and then at night, BAM, not a one of them.
- Blue House Thai in Dahab is the best Thai food I've had outside of Chang Mai, Thailand. Go there. Now.
- I can't stand hearing other Americans talk. Seriously, when did every single American female start sounding like Heidi from the Hills. Like oh my God.
- I think I want to do this forever. I'm not even close to being done. There's so much to see. And when you realize how long you can live in other countries on the money you make in America, you too will pack your bags and head for the airport.
- Dahab Egypt might be the coolest place on Earth.
- People in America who don't like Obama are morons. Check out the speech he gave in support of Alexi Giannoulias.Brilliant.
http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2010/08/obama_shows_off_new_stump_spee.html
- In and Out needs to start selling Coconut Milkshakes.
- Inception was good not great.
- I still have not met my nephew Zach..and that's a pretty wierd feeling. Sorry little guy.
- I miss "experimenting" with medical marijuana.
- I'm not sure I have what it takes to have kids. I mean they cry alot. Alot alot. Do they do anything else?
- I really like Tahina and Egyptian bread.
- The Sphynx is alot smaller than I thought it would be.
- The Canes will go 11-1 this year losing a game they shouldn't.
- People will eventually learn the Spacenook is alot cooler than Facebook.
- I will never be able to write a commercial that's funnier than Brett Farves reality. Texting pics of yourslef masterbating WHILE WEARING CROCKS and nothing else to Jenn Sterger?? Really?
- I wish I knew more about Islam, and the conflict between Israel and the rest of the Middle East. America has done me a great disservice by not educating me on the truth in regards to this matter.
- I hate flies. Like seriously want every fly in the world to die hate them. They suck and there are so many of them in the world. They buzz all up in your face. Land on your mouth...disgusting. Buzz in your ear. Land on your arm...you swat them, they fly away for a milisecond and then land in the same exact spot you swatted them. Fuckers.
- Sidenote: have you ever thought of where flies go at night? Think about it. Theyre all over the place during the day and then at night, BAM, not a one of them.
- Blue House Thai in Dahab is the best Thai food I've had outside of Chang Mai, Thailand. Go there. Now.
- I can't stand hearing other Americans talk. Seriously, when did every single American female start sounding like Heidi from the Hills. Like oh my God.
- I think I want to do this forever. I'm not even close to being done. There's so much to see. And when you realize how long you can live in other countries on the money you make in America, you too will pack your bags and head for the airport.
- Dahab Egypt might be the coolest place on Earth.
- People in America who don't like Obama are morons. Check out the speech he gave in support of Alexi Giannoulias.Brilliant.
http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2010/08/obama_shows_off_new_stump_spee.html
- In and Out needs to start selling Coconut Milkshakes.
- Inception was good not great.
- I still have not met my nephew Zach..and that's a pretty wierd feeling. Sorry little guy.
- I miss "experimenting" with medical marijuana.
- I'm not sure I have what it takes to have kids. I mean they cry alot. Alot alot. Do they do anything else?
- I really like Tahina and Egyptian bread.
- The Sphynx is alot smaller than I thought it would be.
- The Canes will go 11-1 this year losing a game they shouldn't.
- People will eventually learn the Spacenook is alot cooler than Facebook.
- I will never be able to write a commercial that's funnier than Brett Farves reality. Texting pics of yourslef masterbating WHILE WEARING CROCKS and nothing else to Jenn Sterger?? Really?
Youre a lucky man, want a fish?
Sabrina is popluar here. Really popular. Poor girl can't walk ten feet without 20 shop owners stumbling over themselves to propose marriage to her. I can't tell if it's an incredible ego boost or just incredibly creepy.
Of all the lines tossed at her, here are our two favorites.
#1 For you I would kill my wife.
#2 You are fantastic. Worth 2000 camels.
Of all the lines tossed at her, here are our two favorites.
#1 For you I would kill my wife.
#2 You are fantastic. Worth 2000 camels.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Jack visits the Pyramids
He wanted me in this picture but i was on the sidelines puking from heat stroke.
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