initial egypt update (with random pictures)

egypt is good. it is chilly in the early mornings and late evenings (i only brought two long sleeves shirts, no jackets). i leave for work in the dark and arrive home in the dark, sadly. the first morning here, i took this panoramic picture from my balcony. that's the nile river, and on the horizon, just above the left side of the island, you can see the the pyramids at saqqara. there, you can find the oldest step pyramid in the world, djoser. JUST out of site on the right side of the photo are the pyramids at giza. i may try to get out to see them tomorrow on my day off. i'll definitely try to get better pictures, if nothing else, from the pool deck where they are supposedly visible from.


i'm learning a bit of egyptian arabic, though it is difficult. they are no easy words. one syllable words in english are damn near sentences in arabic, usually with a reference to allah in there (just kidding about that last part). still, i can say good morning, how are you?, i'm fine, ok, yes, no, no problem, and what is your name? i was going to try to learn to read arabic until i found out that each letter is written differently depending on if it is at the beginning, middle, or end of the word, or if it is written alone. that is FOUR different variations per letter... funk dat! here is a nameplate i was given when i arrived. i looked it up, and that is the arabic transliteration of my name. pretty cool, and on the back are heiroglyphics, that i could only assume represent my name as well.

well, i have to get back to work, so the rest of this gets to be random pictures. enjoy (as usual, bigger versions are on click away)

this is TGIFriday's in arabic. there is one near the hotel right on the nile.

i was thinking about eating here, but i wasn't exactly sure how, plus there's a fully woolen sheep on the menuboard.

this reminds me of the movie, 'maximum overdrive'. it's a motorized flatbed. see the guy driving UNDERNEATH the flatbed? pretty cool.

here are the sand dunes in the sahara desert that i get to see from the highway on the way to work.

i figured that was just common decency, but if they have to write it in two languages, it must be too often of an occurrence around here.


well, that's me for now. more after the break...