Luxor

I am sitting in an internet cafe in Luxor, Egypt. We got in yesterday at 3:30 in the morning, went to our hotel and slept til nine then went to look at Temples. The ruins here are pretty impressive. I took so many pictures yesterday.

Today we went to the Valley of Kings and the Valley of Queens. It was impressive as well.

It's amazing how much effort was put into honouring the dead and preparing the body for afterlife. I feel I need a course on Egptian history and mythology now.

The only thing wrong with this place is how much the men hassle. It's quite disgusting but I won't go into too much detail. Last night a man offered me chickens in exchange for Jenna, who he assumed is my daughter. That's right, I could have 20 chickens right now and Jenna could have an Egyptian husband. We have neither, life is good.

I will update soon, with some gorgeous pictures. This place is truly beautiful. Nile River, palm trees, grass, flowers, sugar cane.

Tonight we're on the train to Cairo and tomorrow night on a stupidly late flight into Tel Aviv. Cannot wait!!!

masaalam

happy love bus and other miscellaneous scenes

This Thursday, I took a friend guitar shopping. Then we met up with another friend to go for manicures and pedicures followed by lunch at our favourite salad bar. Yum. On the way back to the car, we saw this happy love bus in front of a store. I am not sure why it's there... Note that this is just up the street from where we saw the monkey in a dress in a car in the parking lot. Welcome to the weirdness that is Kuwait.



I am definitely enjoying the freedom of mobility with the car. It worked out really well to take over a lease from a friend. I got an adaptor for my i-pod shuffle today. It's certainly soothing to listen to good music while driving. Thank goodness because the radio here is pretty bad and lights last forever. It's very trying on my patience.

In other news, the weather is gorgeous and holding out on coolness. I love it! It gets pretty warm mid-day but very tolerable and quite cool in the mornings and evenings, though my blood has thinned. I find 13C cool enough for a jacket, or at least the classic bergundy velour bunny hug.

Finally, I will share with you a nice sunrise photo, taken a couple weeks ago from out my living room landing. So pretty...


Okay, time for bed. Take care out there!

Blowin in the Wind

We were listening to this song in guitar class and once again I fell in love with the lyrics and the interpreted meaning. It is so applicable in this society. How many times will a man turn his head and pretend that he just doesn't see? Bob Dylan, how did you know?

I am on a bit of an emotional roller coaster at the moment. I think Spring Break will save me. 6 more school days until my travelling companion and I go to Luxor (Egypt) then Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. We are so excited!!! Jenna and I always have crazy times together...remember Budapest? the Kuwait police station?... same friend. We have to be careful not to get our passports stamped with the forbidden land (Israel) or we will be denied re-entry to Kuwait. Though I wouldn't be so sad.

Went to a fun St. Patty's Day party at the home of some parents. Complete with green beverages and plenty of snacks. So great! Then I went home and slept like the dead for 6 hours straight. (8:30-2:30)

This week, my kitchen lights burnt out so I went down to the maintenance guys to get them replaced. But, they're OUT of lightbulbs. Sure, I could go buy more but it's the principle. I want my damn lights replaced when they burn out, not 3 days later. And I don't want to buy them. As of this morning, still no kitchen light. ARG!

I have been walking twice a week in the morning and that's good. I am trying to keep positive despite everything that stresses me out and makes me a little sad. Just going through one of those times where I wonder why I feel so restless and why I need to keep looking for something...when I don't know what that something is. Anyone?

Ultimately, I figured it out years ago but still feel like I haven't found it within myself. I just need a friend who loves me and a place where I fit in...I think I've got the friends. I am still working on that whole self acceptance business. That's the fitting in I need to do. It's hard, isn't it? When I think I have made a leap in the right direction, I find myself slipping backwards. There's something to be said for accepting we are works in progress, right?

I love my friends and family. Missing you dearly...

AH!

I am going through a phase wherein I am tired of everything!

Here is a condensed list of things currently annoying me:

1. Walking on broken sidewalks.
2. Having to walk on the street because there is no sidewalk or because there is a random pile of bricks or barbed wire in the middle of the sidewalk.
3. People honking horns while I am walking off the sidewalk.
4. Taxi drivers honking while I am walking because clearly anyone who's walking actually wants to be in a taxi.
5. Overly zealous coffeeshop baristas. You cannot even pass by a coffeeshop in the mall without a chorus of "hello ma'am, good afternoon ma'am" from at least 5 of these people, bless their hearts. If a woman and man go together, you are referred to as "ma'amsir". No kidding.
6. Being called ma'am. Or ma'amsir.
7. Having to wait eternity to get a bill in a restaurant. Or even to be asked if I want another coffee...
8. The disgusting stench of perfume and cologne unique to the Middle East- very difficult for anyone who is sensitive to the smell of alcohol based perfumes. Ew. If I never smell that again, I will be happy.
9. Drivers who weave in and out of lanes, especially without even looking. People signal and then expect they can just move in to a lane without looking. Or they signal and leave their blinker on for the rest of the trip, or they neither signal nor look before moving over. So dangerous.
10. Attention from men simply for being female. Once, a man actually drew the outline of my figure in the air while walking past me. This is the first time I have ever told someone to @%#$ off and meant it. The worst part of that is, he probably liked it.
11. Men adjusting themselves in public. This is more common that you would ever imagine. (Daily occurrence) Maybe I am a prude.

Things that cheer me up (in no particular order)
1. Yoga
2. Walks (two mornings a week from 4:30 til 5:30)
3. Playing any brass instrument
4. Listening to good music. Currently, my favourite song is Drifters by Ron Sexsmith on the Lightfoot Tribute album, Beautiful.
5. Laughing my head off at the many ridiculous things that happen here.
6. Folk music club
7. Doing nice things for other people (karma yoga).
8. Sweet text messages wishing me a day as beautiful as I am. Cheesy but sweet.
9. Teaching words like postpone, procrastinate and analytical.
10. My high school band class of mostly seniors. So clever and funny.

Well, off to take treats to friends. Random acts of kindness always make me feel better.

Pace!

Reporting from National and Liberations Days

Kuwait National and Liberation Day weekend: a time in which Kuwait celebrates her nationhood as established in the 1960s and liberation from Iraq in the early 1990's. In the weeks preceeding the events, Kuwaiti flags are posted everywhere from boulevards to buildings. Lights often decorate buildings in the formation of the Kuwaiti flag. Stores begin to carry an array of Kuwait pride items, such as hats and pins with the Kuwait flag on them. Also in stock is an abundance of aerosol cans full of foam.

Nobody can tell me how foaming began here, but so many people do it. Parents encourage their small children to spray foam on stopped or moving vehicles and pedestrians. It is absolute insanity. I saw a small boy, about 3 years old, hanging out the front passenger side window with a spray can. Traffic in the downtown area slows to a halt and a drive that is normally 20 minutes can take more than 2 hours. During daylight, there are few problems, but once the sun goes down, it is dangerous!

I did not get great pictures of the madness, but here is a tame indication...









And after this brilliant view, as my friend and I were walking from the grocery store to a coffee shop to meet up with another friend, we saw this in the back of some guy's vehicle... The animals are going to be sold at Friday Market.








As for me, life is good. Hopefully I will soon have a car of my own.

Please write, I'm a little lonely for correspondance and photos from home.