Egypt in Bits and Pieces

Today was a travel day with little to report, so I take this opportunity to share bits and pieces of interest.

* This is a culture that respects women. Our guide told us a funny story about traffic accidents and the different way these are handled depending on gender. If a woman driver should, say, hit the car of a male driver, the man must respect the woman during the forthcoming exchange of information. He may not yell or scold the woman. Conversely, if a male driver impacts a woman driver, she lays him out in lavender! In the first instance above, the male driver can express his anger at any male passenger in the car ( say, the woman’s husband) but not in public. Any scolding happens between the two men in private only. This bias to woman also extends to traffic violations and ticket violations. It seems women get away with a lot here.

* Our guide, Tarek, is a gem. He holds a masters degree in Egyptology, speaks Japanese, English, arabic, and Polish fluently, has yet to be stumped by any question regardless of how bizarre. He is the renown go-between of Egyptian and Japanese engineers working on the monumental mapping of the pyramids which is sponsored by National Geographic He is involved on archaeological projects regularly here.

* Egypt from the air is a cluster of square light-colored buildings set into sand the color of khaki, which is the predominant color here.

* The typical taxi here consists of a motorbike which hauls a small open wagon seating 6-8 passengers, transporting schoolchildren to school and their parents to work. They have a robust train system as well.

* Five times a day loudspeakers blare out a call to prayer from the local mosque. It is an enchanting, haunting sound. As in every religion, not everybody follows the strict traditions of their religion.

* Men who have been educated must serve a year in the army. Those who are not educated must serve for 2 years, with their first year spent learning how to read and write.

* Sadly, there is an awful lot of open trash and litter here, especially in the rural areas.

* The food here is pretty normal, the gin terrible.

* Pleasant looking and docile wild dogs dot the rural landscapes and wander about all of the archaeological sites. Local people seem to feed them.

* Security here is tight. During each bus we ride, tour, or group gathering, security is present in the form of a nicely dressed man with a fully automatic weapon (Cesta is the brand name). Today our bus was stuck in traffic. When the tour guide saw a police car, he jumped from the bus and waved down the car. We got a police escort through the traffic jam ( because we are Americans, he said).

Tomorrow the pyramids!