Magic in Greece
We aren't finished with Greece, but I wanted to do a short entry about Athens. I will try to add to it after we've left Santorini, where we landed yesterday.
Athens was a relief compared to Cairo. You can drink the water. It was beautiful when we arrived on Saturday; if the weather had been artificially created by a perfect weather machine, it could not have been more ideal. Spotless blue sky. Warm air, with a cool breeze coming along every two minutes. The light humidity in the air was welcome after so much time in the desert-dry of Palestine.
Our taxi driver from the Athens airport to our hotel near the Acropolis was named Giorji. He was so cool he even did a magic trick for us. After de-planing, we'd withdrawn cash from the ATM. 200 Euros. The problem was, the machine gave us four 50 Euro bills. When we arrived, we wanted to give the taxi driver a tip, although our grand total on the meter was almost exactly 50 Euros. Charming handed over a 50, and we began whispering about the need for a tip and to check our bags for spare change. Well, sometime between handing the fifty Euro bill to Giorji and his hand receiving it, it turned into a ten! Amazing! He held it out for us, embarassed-looking. "This is a ten," he said, his expression that of an indulgent parent who has caught his child making a mistake on their homework.
Well, we knew we hadn't given him a ten. In fact, our whole problem of the moment was that we didn't have any small bills. We politely thanked him for his display of magic and left the car.
Just kidding. Shaken and distressed at his attempt to rip us off so convincingly, we got out of the car, cursing him under our breath and eager to put some distance between him and us. When we refused to give him more money, he said "are you sure?" and accepted our "ten," possibly cursing us under his breath. Later, we found out it should have been a flat rate of 35 Euros from the airport. He wasn't even supposed to use his meter.
I know you guys like to hear about the rather annoying things that happen to us when we travel, so I share that little moment.
That little moment, however, was overshadowed by a jubilant trip to the Acropolis. Visiting the Parthenon was another life dream for me. The density of life dreams being fulfilled on this trip is dizzying.
There were a ton of people at the Acropolis. The stream of people was like water constantly running over rocks in a river. But there were also lots of dogs. Happy, well-fed dogs. The Acropolis may be dog heaven; the marble keeps cool, even in the summer heat, creating sunny yet cool places for old dogs to sleep. The dogs were all sleeping, and they seemed happy to be part of the human pack. I thought of my family's dog Lando who just passed away as I was petting this guy (or girl, I didn't check):
The ladies of Athens are beautiful and vivacious. The extra bounce in their step may come from living in a place named after a goddess. It seems good for the men too. The atmosphere sure felt different to me than the West Bank, where it's so weird to be a woman. All the hang-ups people have there about seeing hair, cleavage... to cover, not to cover. All that angst was absent in Athens.
The photo quality on this trip so far as been less than what you are used to because Charming forgot a vital piece of his camera. After an Epic search, he finally found a place that sold the battery grip he needed right before we bounced out of Athens to Santorini. So you can look forward to some art-quality photos from his camera very soon. In the meantime... here's a sneak preview of Santorini from my pocket camera. See you later, I'm off to explore the island!
Pack With Style
Your Basic Wardrobe
You may also enjoy my Pinterest board, What to Pack to Travel the World.
Clothes
- Little Black Skirt
- Little Black Tank
Together, they create an LBD look
- Trench Coat - great for wearing with the above LBD look. The classic trench coat is not meant to handle rain, but if you can get one that doubles as a rain coat, all the better.
- Cream V-neck Tee
- Classic Button up shirt - white is the standard color, but you can also pick any solid neutral color that flatters you: think grey, tan, gold, cream, etc. Pick a color that looks nice with your trench coat, as the trench and the collared button-up are a classic combo.
- Medium or Dark rinse jeans that make you look and feel great. Keep embellishments and trendy details to minimum.
- Jacket - Probably in black. find one that emphasizes your waist and makes you feel amazing. Style can be lapel, tuxedo, double-breasted, mandarin collar, whatever style suits you. I have a light black jacket in thick cotton. I can roll up the sleeve a little for a warmer day.
- "Business in the front, Party every where else" top - this is a top that can look modest in the front for wearing with a jacket in conservative parts of the world. It doubles as a cute flattering top for going out without the jacket. Maybe a silky backless halter top, a tee with cut outs, or an embellished tank?
- Black cotton yoga pants - for lounging and sleeping in - and doing yoga after a long day of tourism.
- Soft tee for sleeping. PJ preferences vary widely, but bring something super soft and comfy that is reserved for bedtime.
- Soft, long sleeved, high neckline shirt. For wearing in the cold or conservative religious areas.
I recommend one of the following, depending on your destination:
- Long, comfy skirt that goes with everything. - better in conservative places.
- Day dress - a super comfy mini dress, probably in cotton, that is easy to throw on for shopping, hitting the beach, or touring on a hot day. Can be worn with heels and jewelry for a night out. Ideally, it goes with your jacket and your trench coat. This is better for destinations where it is acceptable for women to show their legs.
If you are a runner or like to exercise, add:
- Long pants for running (shorts are not frequently seen in many parts of the world)
- Sports bra
- Running shoes
- Quick drying tank or tee.
Accessories
- Scarf - in almost any color or pattern. It should look good next to your face. Since most of your clothes are neutral tones, almost any kind of scarf should go. I like a pretty big scarf for doubling as a swimsuit cover up.
- Swim suits - two. Interchangeable bikinis are my favorite.
- Jewelry - I like to bring inexpensive, colorful statement jewelry, plus a couple of special delicate things that add a little shimmer.
- Cap - keep your heat in your head on those cold nights. Consider a sunhat for desert and beach locations.
- Big sunglasses - big, dark sunglasses are a great for so many reasons. They protect your eyes, and the skin on your face from wrinkles and sun damage. They provide privacy from staring eyes in parts of the world where ladies that look like you are a rare sight.
- Optional for rainy locations: Umbrella or rain poncho.
Foundation Wear
- 1 black bra
- 1 skin-toned bra
- As many pairs of clean socks as you want. (This is a personal pet peeve of me and Prince Charming's we both like to have clean, dry socks to change into anytime. If your feet are happy, the rest of you is happy.)
- 1 black thong
- 1 skin toned thong
- 1 black underwear
- 1 skin-toned underwear
Get your underwear in in quick-drying material (hanky panky is the is the best brand - quick drying, long-lasting, and very comfortable). I recommend thongs because they dry even faster (overnight) and you can do a quick sink wash and have clean, dry knickers in the morning.
Shoes
1. One pair of calf high or knee high boots (for walking in cool weather). You should be able to wear them with a skirt, dress, or jeans. No heel for comfort (unless you are one of those rare people who can do everything in heels - in which case, go ahead!)
2. One pair of beach-appropriate sandals - I have a pair of gold flip flops that I feel comfortable walking around a city in, and also getting wet and sandy on the beach. A better option would probably be something that stays closer to my foot (to keep rocks and dirt further from my feet). Something like a gladiator sandal or Birkenstocks or Tivvas. However, I haven't been able to find anything that has met my aesthetic sensibilities as well as my gold flip flops.
3. One pair of going out shoes. You'll be able to go out at night to casual venues in any of your shoes (except your running shoes) but optionally, pack a special pair with a heel. Anything you want.
Options:
- Classic black heels
- Eye-catching Red heels
- Strappy gold heels
- Turqoise Peep-toes with a kitten-heel
- Espadrilles (a super summery option)
4. One pair of cute walking shoes. I saved the most challenging for last. My style-friendly pick would be a sturdy ballet flat. Make sure there is a good buffer between your soles and the hard, rocky street.
Other options:
- a classic sneaker, from Converse or Puma, for example.
- A flat, lace up ankle boot.
- Comfy leather sandals.
- Peep-toe flats (especially in a hot climate).
For versatility, this shoe should look good with a skirt, dress, and jeans. Your choice will depend on your body type and personal style.
I hope this helps you have fun with fashion while having a light bag.
Cairo and Giza: Crying Over Pyramids
So I intentionally dampened down my expectations on Saturday, preparing myself to be disappointed at the real thing. The flights from Tel-Aviv to Amman and from Amman to Cairo were a humbuggery of the normal indignitities and inconveniences with some beautiful desert views thrown in:
Pyramids
But as the plane descended at sunset into the Cairo airport, Charming nudged me. "The pyramids are out there somewhere." I pulled myself out of whatever daydream I was in, and searched out the window. It was all gold and dust. I looked and looked, blocking out the sun with the shade to get a better view of the ground.
Suddenly, there they were.
One big, and two small pyramids on the outskirts of the thick city.
I gasped. They are real. The sight of the pyramids from the air set up an emotional chain reaction that took me back to childhood and awakened a deep sense of awe and gratitude. Out of this happy well of emotion and exhaustion from the long day of travel, I began to sob. I turned to Prince Charming. "Why do I get to be here? I'm the luckiest. My whole life, I've dreamed of seeing the pyramids. I thought one day I would. I imagined it, but I never really, really, thought I would get to see the pyramids." I cried happy tears again, and nothing bothered me for the rest of the day. Almost.
We Raised Eyebrows
Until a little bump in the road. It wasn't exactly a rip off, but when we arrived at the Cairo airport, we first had to purchase visas for 15 USD each from the Bank of Cairo booth that comes before passport control. The Bank of Cairo there gave us an old fifty dollar bill as change. We raised our eyebrows as high as we could. We hadn't seen an old-style bill in the US like that in a long time. But the bank workers assured us the money was good. It would be accepted. It was good. It was good. They were a little too insistent.
Upon arrival at our hotel, we tried to pay for the taxi the hotel had sent to pick us up at the airport. They took USD, so Charming gave them the fifty dollar bill. They took it to the Bank of Cairo booth in the hotel which looked just like the booth at the airport. Ten minutes later, they found us in the lobby, returning the fifty dollar bill to us. They wouldn't take the bill. It was too old. I couldn't believe it. The bank of Cairo had stopped accepting the old bills. "It will work in your country, but it won't work in this country." So the dudes at the airport bank were unloading old currency on us that we couldn't use until we are back in the U.S. I've never heard of a bank giving out currency that it won't accept back the same day. I'm guessing this is an example of what happens in a country with weak or corrupt infrastructure.
A Welcoming Culture
A man named Peter, the store guard at Vodafone in Cairo says "You are most welcome. You are German?" "American," I tell him. "Ah, good. USA. Very Good!" He gives a wide, warm smile. Of all the palces we've visited in the Middle East, Cairo is where I've felt the most welcomed by residents who seems almost star-struck. Maybe that term is too strong.
Struck with profit-potential may be more accurate. We find that often, when money changes hands, a little bit extra is kept by the vendor. Especially taxi drivers. The consistency of this short-changing is striking. After only three days here we've learned to count change carefully and inspect restaurant bills line by line. Here's a receipt from a recent meal out with some of Charming's co-attendees at his work conference here:
What's a cover charge? Is that not the same as a entrance tax? In the U.S., those fees are usually charged upon entrance to a club, not at the end of the night. But this was a restaurant, not a club. Or, was it? What's the difference? The 12% service charge (tip) is fine, but the 10% sales tax seems kind of steep. Don't worry, the total is in Egyptian Pounds, not in USD.
The restaurant, Sequoia, was on the Nile, which glimmered and added magic to the otherwise hot and uncomfortable atmosphere.
Street Life
As I walk down the street, the smog is so thick I can taste the air -- it has a grainy texture as it goes in my mouth and down my throat. A particle went into my eye yesterday, partially blinding me for a few steps. It felt like ash from a charcoal grill.
Sidewalks are rare, often broken up with potholes and crowded with parked cars, scooters, and abandoned bags of soggy food. Most of the roads are four lanes, but people drive for miles right on top of the painted divider lines; traffic is therefore serpentine. The lack of sidewalks forces people to walk in the street, adding more chaos to the congestion. Yesterday I saw two cars parked in the middle of a the road for repairs, their hoods open like dead birds' beaks. I walk in a long skirt and long sleeves, despite the heat. I wear my thickest, ugliest shoes.
Cats so malnourished they never lose their kittenish looks roam the streets. The opposite has happened to the street children. Life begging all day on the hot street has made them lose their kittenish playfulness too soon. Nothing curious or sparkling appeared in the eyes of the little girl asking me to buy her new clothes on Sunday. Instead, I saw the same dull, hardened look I usually see in the grown men trying to hustle us into overpriced taxis. (Security advisors say not to give anything to children here, as they are sometimes part of a long con. It's hard to imagine what the con could be, and heartbreaking to see these kids.) Thinking of that girl, I'm reminded of Egypt's shameful superlative, that of all the countries in the Middle East, it has the lowest literacy rate for women.
On the few streets where there are continuous sidewalks, every few meters, cold, dirty water splashes down on me from the window air conditioner units stacked up for stories above on the dingy high rise apartment buildings. One of them on a nearby building fell down. What caught my eye was the man they sent up to investigate. We took photos from our hotel on the eighth floor:
Sights Yet to See
Due to the dubious nature of paying for anything and the exhausting nature of being a female walking alone (Charming is in a conference all day) on the street, I haven't yet seen the pyramids up close. They are far away from the city center. I haven't seen much of anything. When I do, if I have any good photos or sights to report, I'll be sure to update the "bright spots" section of this post below.
I have been doing some guidebook reading, and following suggestions not to make eye contact when walking on the street. Although it's not natural to me, since to me eye contact is a way to offer respect and friendliness, I've tried it here in Cairo, and it's been a helpful way to avoid harassment. Just as I was thinking that very thought yesterday, two men walked by me. One said looked at me and said "So cute." The other said "Milf." It's possible the second man was talking on his cell phones, and "Milf" is a word in Arabic. Very likely.
Bright Spots
As is often the case in the Middle East, the hospitality and kindness of the locals shine. Most people here in the city speak English and some French, which means I get called "Madame," and "Madmoiselle," which I find charming. The housekeeper who cleaned our hotel room yesterday chatted and laughed with me warmly and then said "All finished, Madame!" And left without pausing for a tip. In fact, all the service at our hotel, Safir, has been wonderful. This is a great hotel, and although it's expensive, the prices seem fair and no one has tried to rip us off . We've spent some nice times hunkered down in the cool hotel. There's a grand lobby that has beautiful flower arrangements and a piano lounge. There are also a lot of good shark shows on the TV.
I'd like to feel compassion and gratitude towards Egypt because their government situation is so delicate right now and their revolution was mostly peaceful. I'm glad that there isn't open battle taking place on the streets of Cairo. However, I can't deny that deep inside, I feel sad for this culture that peaked so long ago. I hope that democracy and the protection of human rights and civil liberties will be secured and will lead to Cairo's renewal.
*UPDATE*
Cairo got a lot better after a lovely evening of seeing the Pyramids at Giza and the Sphinx with a light show dramatizing some of the history of those structures. In real life, they are JUST AS AMAZING AND HUGE AS THEY SEEM TO BE IN PICTURES.
I also got to fulfill yet another life dream of riding a camel. Woot!
Tel Aviv with Exclamation Points!!!
Happy Dance!!!
Tel Aviv!!! After a run on the beach this weekend, I returned to the hotel and did a happy dance that Prince Charming was mocking/enjoying all day. I can't believe we waited this long, but the stars finally aligned, and we went to Tel Aviv twice in one week. This weekend to come we will leave for our long-awaited, full-length honeymoon(we previously had a "mini-moon.") But that didn't stop us from acting like this Tel Aviv trip was also our honeymoon. Charming booked our honeymoon, and got such great travel deals that with the leftovers we were able to splurge this weekend on a hotel in Tel Aviv that was less than one block from the beach, and even had a little view of the water:
Fack You in the Mooth
Hummus Loving Babes
Things I Said I Would Do
- A larger-than-Texas sesame bagel smeared with cream cheese and pesto and stuffed with tomatoes, olives, sweet corn, and a hard-boiled egg, then toasted in a panini press. Here it is.
- Sushi rolls topped with cold quail eggs and washed down with hot saki.
- Chewy french style bread ribbed with olives, topped with toasted pumpkin and sesame seeds, and spread with blue-veined cambazola.
- Foccacia and fresh penne pasta salad with bright green broccoli, vivid red tomatoes, and peppers the color of sunshine. It was topped by a snowpile of curly shredded parmesan and washed down with local white wine.
- The creamiest, richest tiramisu of my life.
- Passion fruit sorbet laced with the fruit's crunchy black seeds.
- Chocolate in bar and cake form.
Are you hungry yet? I am and I just finished eating a massive meal. I'm so thankful for good food. I think enjoying food is one of the reasons we are here on Earth, so go out or stay in and cook something AMAZING today!
Another thing I said I would do after the wedding - or rather, would not do, is cut my hair. Why do lots of women cut their hair after getting married? I didn’t want to be like everyone else. I love long hair, and I swore I'd leave it long because I like it that way. But once we got to the West Bank, it felt heavy in the humidity and heat. I was ready for a change. Transitions go together, maybe. The heat and my need for an outer change to reflect the big life changes happening led me to steadily cut my hair off bit by bit, culminating in this final chop I had done at a Tel Aviv salon:
Eggplants
Nine Ways to Skip (or Minimize) the Travel Adjustment Blues
1. Don't expect anything to be the way you expect it.
2. Don't start a new diet at the same time as moving.
3. Don't start a new medication before leaving.
4. Go easy on yourself.
5. Go easy on your travel buddy.
6. Go easy on everyone.
7. Rely on the kindness of strangers.
8. Establish a Routine.
9. Journal, Photograph, Blog, Email, and Skype.
Even though transitions can be more stressful when they come in batches - getting married and then moving immediately, for example - I don't regret our decision to start our marriage off in this way. This is priceless time together. It's incredible to be able to share each new challenge. It's exhilarating to be able to laugh off all the pressure we put on ourselves each day.
Thank you for allowing me to share my happy and challenging moments with you on this blog.
A Salty Birthday
Spa Club Dead Sea, Ein Bokek, Israel
We celebrated my birthday this weekend by floating in the Dead Sea and having relaxing, pampering, and unusual things done to our bodies.Charming scheduled a mud wrap, and I really tried hard not to sound creepy as I asked if it was okay if I... watched.
"No, " said the rather abrupt and brisk lass at the reception spa. She seemed very sure, until she changed her mind five seconds later. I grabbed some great photos of Charming getting wrapped up in a mud enchilada, but to protect his privacy I won't put them here.
Later, I got oil dribbled all over my forehead and massaged into my scalp during an Indian treatment called Shirodhara.
When we arrived on Friday afternoon, I got right into the Dead Sea; I really wanted to feel the famous floating sensation. Sure enough, I felt like a was wearing floaties on my limbs as they popped to the surface of the water.
It kind of hurts.It really hurts!
The water has only gotten more potent with salt and dissolved minerals as it has shrunk in recent years due to the Jordan River, its only supplier, being siphoned off gradually. When you get in, you feel it sting any parts of your body that might be a little raw or red. After 15 minutes, (for me) it started to tingle and burn everywhere. If you get in in your eye, or if you have a cut somewhere, you better run out of the water and rinse it out.There was a ramp to help beachgoers enter the water, but salt had crystallized all over it, making it sharp and dangerous.
The water looks like water, but it feels like warm oil, and beads up on your skin when you emerge. The warmth was strange, considering that it was very hot on the beach. The double heat meant that a long, pleasurable day sunning on the beach was out of the question. We spent most of out time in the hotel.The next day, we woke up at 5 am to catch the sun rise on my birthday. It was a great way to start another year of life on this crazy planet. Thanks to my wonderful prince charming for this shot:
The morning was two or three degrees cooler than midday. That was my last float in the Dead Sea.What did we do for the rest of Birthday Weekend? There was eating, of course. Breakfast at Spa Club Dead Sea:
Lessons With Mohammad
Cool Shey Tamaam
My husband = Zowji = زوجي No problem = Mish Moshkilay = مش مشكيلة Tea with mint with sugar = Shai bee nana bee sukar = شاي بي نانا بي سكر Everything is perfect = Cool shey tamaam = كل شي تمام
I feel like I'm REALLY close to being able to read Arabic. I'm able to sound out many words on street signs if I give myself plenty of time. Knowing what the words mean is a whole different ballgame. But I have a fun feeling of a whole new world opening up. It's like being five and learning to read all over again.
Taybeh Micro Brewery in Taybeh, Palestine
A Beer for Jesus
This weekend, Prince and I jumped in the car, which had newly fixed air conditioning. AC, my friends, can save the world, or at least save a hot summer drive in Palestine. The AC was good for our marriage, and we actually enjoyed the drive to the tiny village of Taybeh, getting lost only a few times.
We arrived and drove almost straight into the microbrewery. It is tiny. No one seemed to be around. We left and came back. It looked like a garage with the door open. Should we wander around alone, we wondered?
Prince Charming thought not. We weren't even sure we were in the right place.
"You're right. This is weird." I said.
Finally, out of curiosity we wandered in, and we saw someone we had missed before: the daughter of the owner of the microbrewery, Ms. Koury. I'm sorry I can't remember her first name. Her family established the brewery in 1994. She very kindly gave us a tour. It was wonderful to see a successful enterprise where the owners obviously cared a great deal about the pristine quality of the product. We didn't get the free taste of beer at the end of the ten minute tour that the brochures promise, but it was rather early in the day and we also forgot to ask about it. We left with a box of beer and a couple photos of the brewery:
Taybeh changed it's name from Ephraim (of biblical fame) to Taybeh when Sultan Saladin passed through in 1187 and thought the folks in the village were hospitable and generous. Apparently, that's what Taybeh means, although we also heard that it means "delicious" so maybe the people tasted good too.
Jesus stopped by this village for a rest before his crucifixion. It's too bad the Taybeh Micro Brewery wasn't around in his day; I think he would've enjoyed the beer quite a bit, especially considering the series of really bad days coming up for him. Today, Taybeh is the only "Christian Village" left in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, although there are many towns with Christians in them.
After our tour of the microbrewery, we endured 2.5 miles of spiritual and physical testing out in the desert outside of Taybeh on a lovely hike under the blazing noon sun. In the middle of our death march, we took refuge under a large olive tree. Much to our delight, the tree did not shrivel and die, but provided shade for our half hour rest and consumption of water, dates, peaches, and almonds.
We took the tree, and the spray-painted rock markers, to be a sign that we were on the right path, both spiritually and geographically, and continued a short ways to gaze at the dark mouths of caves in the hills surrounding Taybeh.
When we got back into the village, we found Peter's Place, a brand new restaurant that was "soft open," meaning that is was so new it hadn't had it's official grand opening yet. Ms. Koury recommended it, and we are so glad she did and that we climbed up the hill to the middle of the old part of the village to find such an oasis.
It was also so new that the menu had just a couple options: salad, seasoned bread, and/or hot meal:
Although the inside of the restaurant was cavelike, cool, and beautifully lit,
We decided to sit outside where the patio offered cool breezes and nice views. To finish up this post, I'll add this video which captures my general fatigue and joy at sitting down with a cold beer after a hike on a hot and dusty day.