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."