Egypt

I don't even know where to begin in sharing about our trip to Egypt. Kelly and I were blessed to be able to go to Cairo and Luxor for six days with Kelly's sister, Kenna. Kelly's parents watched our bunch with our housekeeper's help. Thank you very much to Ken and Vera for doing this for us!! We haven't had time away like that ever in our married life. A night here and there, but never six days. I was of course shocked to have finished all my meals in peace without any crying child on my lap. For me it was a time to refresh, but I sure missed my "Bunch".



The first part of our trip we spent in Cairo. We of course saw all the major sights. Giza with all the pyramids and the Sphinx. Kenna was able to fulfill a dream of riding a camel at Giza. We all rode them and had a big laugh while the camel was getting up to standing and sitting back down for us to dismount. If you ever do it LEAN BACK or you could end up flying forward to land on your head.



We were able to see the light show in the evening at Giza. It was a great thing to see. Kelly was thrilled to see the light show that his Mother had attended some fifty years before. Kelly said he talked to an older Egyptian man and he was still mourning the loss of a mysterious tall redheaded American he let slip through his fingers decades ago. Imagine our surprise when he asked if we knew Vera Little. It is indeed a small world : ) I am only joking for my mother in law's sake.

At Mohammad Ali's temple in Cairo I had some friends who wanted a photo with a white woman wearing a veil. Thy were all so sweet and I got a photo of them. I tried to tell them they were beautiful which our tour guide translated into Arabic. One asked me my name and held my hand. I wish I could remember her name or pronounce it in Arabic. I have thought of them many times since leaving Egypt and how are lives are so different. It is so nice when people reach out in kindness even if we don't speak the same language.

After two nights in Cairo we went flew to Luxor a smaller city south of Cairo on the Nile River. This was my favorite spot! We were able to see many temples including Queen Hatshepsut's Motuary temple, The temple of Karnak and Luxor temple. I was amazed by the details in the hieroglyphics. The ancient Egyptians must have really had much patience to carve the beautifully deatailed hieroglyphics on all the surfaces. In some areas that have been protected from the elements over the years, you can see the rich colors they painted as well.

My favorite temple was Queen Hatshepsut's Mortuary Temple. It was built as a monument to her and her achievements for people to view after her death. Hatshepsut was the only Egyptian women to insert herself in a male dominated royal role. She campaigned after her husband died to become Pharaoh and she pulled it off. She was obviously a strong women and she ruled for 21 years. Kenna and I couldn't resist a strong pose near her temple.

The view from our hotel roof in Luxor was absolutely heavenly! We could see Hatshepsut's temple across the Nile. It was amazing to watch the cruise ships going up and down the Nile loaded with tourist and gourmet food. Inspired by the view I had to scour Luxor to find Agatha Christie's murder mystery, "Death on the Nile" to read. I have read it before. When I first read it I was a young women never thinking I would be vacationing in Upper Egypt. I was astounded by how much this area of Egypt was the same as Dame Christie painted in the novel. How fun to be living the beautiful aspects of an Agatha Christie mystery, minus the murder!

The kids did great while we were away. Grandma and Granddad survivied and they have eternal thanks!!! Kenna you are a great traveling buddy, we had a great time with you and we are already looking forward to our next trip together.