Here are just a few Egypt pics. The first is at the Pyramids at Giza, which is next to Cairo.
The second is at a "perfume palace." They make perfume extracts there which are then shipped abroad, tampered with, and become all the perfumes and colognes that you know - Hugo, Boss, Calvin Klein etc.
The third is a pretty picture of the market in Cairo at night.

EGYPT: - posted by Danny

Here's something I wrote while I was in Egypt. We just returned from an amazing five day trip to Cairo and Alexandria.

"I left for Egypt with five other people on Thursday. We went through horrible complications and distributive negotiations with our travel agency in Israel. Eventually, we met our tour bus in Eilat at the Egypt border and jumped on our tour.

In two days we have gone to a handful of statues and monuments, ridden horses around the pyramids in Giza, seen the sphinx, goggled at the mummies in the Egyptian museum, and have even bought cologne extracts at a "perfume palace" (if there's anyone who knows perfumes it's the Arab people). Last night we were served like kings by five waiters like at a restaurant on the Nile - the meal was $22 for six people. What has impressed me most here is the friendliness and hospitality.

I was very nervous before coming here. In the city I expected to be uncomfortable and to be the recipient of dirty looks and remarks. I have feel like people stare and have a bit of contempt for me in every country I have travelled to. I have experienced completely the opposite here. People are completely friendly and constantly welcome us to Egypt. Last night on the street, four young men changed direction to come walk with us and talk for ten blocks. I expected a hidden agenda: maybe they would ask for money, or guide us into a friend's restaurant, or try to follow us all the way to our rooms. It was completely innocent. We just chatted and then parted ways. Perhaps it helps that we generally tell people we're from Canada, but perhaps not.

The best experience yet was in the enormous Arab outdoor market today. It is currently Ramadan and Muslims are fasting during daylight hours for this entire month. At about 5:30pm it was time to break the fast. In the market, the festive lights came on, people started carrying large trays of food that came out of nowhere, and tables and chairs were set up in the street. Rather than feeling alienated, I was completely welcomed. We talked to shop owners for 5 minutes and the next thing we knew we were in the back feasting with them. It was quite a remarkable experience.

The last detail I will add is that the coconut and mango juices are just as good as they sound, and cheaper than I can even handle."

One of these is with my roommate Yonatan after a big hike out of an incredible canyon. The other is down in the canyon...

SHOUT OUT TO HAL'S HEBREW CLASS.

I took Hebrew with Hal casually for about a year. It was once a week and I barely studied for the weekly class. Hal is an excellent, energetic teacher and his class has helped me tremendously here. This is why:

At the Hebrew University six week Ulpan (intensive Hebrew), level Aleph is divided between 1 and 18. Instead of starting at 1, I started at 7. The classes below us did not finish Aleph and will have to repeat Aleph at a higher number during the year. Our class, Aleph 7, just barely finished the book and as a result I will be moving to level Bet during the year. THANK YOU HAL!

Yom Kippur

On the evening before the evening of Yom Kippur I ended of walking to the Kotel with my Israeli roommate. We walked from downtown at just after midnight. I could not understand why on earth we would walk there at such an hour. It seemed odd that we were surrounded by numerous large groups also walking to the Kotel.

We arrived, and I understood why. The entire square, from the Wall backed up all the way to every exit and the stairs leading up to the exit in the back, was packed shoulder to shoulder with people. There were thousands upon thousands. Everybody faced the wall and followed the service lead by a PA system.

I was fascinated by the different demographics around different parts of the square. Up at the front were mostly Orthodox Jews. The further back, the more secular the people became. The twice a year Jew is not just an American phenomenon! As I walked up the stairs to exit I peered out onto the sea of bobbling kippot on peoples’ heads. It was quite a spectacle.

The event illustrated for me nicely why there is so much conflict over this little area in the Old City of Jerusalem. This is the month of Ramadan for Muslims. There are thousands of Muslims just on the other side of that wall, at the Dome of the Rock and Al Aksa Mosque praying as well. This little area has such great importance to so many people, except that half value it for one reason and half for another.

Today is Thursday and I am leaving in one hour for an excursion to Egypt with a group of six, including Jamie and Ben. We are going to see the pyramids and have quite an adventure along the way. The trip begins with a pleasant 15 hours bus ride through the desert. And yes – we will keep our heads up and travel very cautiously : )

Danny