Heading south to...Upper Egypt?

As our time in Egypt comes to an end, there was still one last adventure to be had - take a Nile cruise to Upper Egypt! What a wonderful way to end a two year adventure here in North Africa.

Turns out, if we want to get to Upper Egypt from Cairo we actually head south!?! As it was, and continues to be, the Nile was the centre of life for the people of Ancient Egypt. This river, both the longest in Africa and the world, is also one of the few that flows north. This meant, it was far more difficult for people to travel south, heading "up" the river. This difficulty made the mountain ranges that lined the shores of the Nile in southern Egypt a perfect place for tombs and burial sites for phoroahs, being protected mostly by the difficulty of reaching this far south.

This has resulted in the incredible Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens, where many of the pharoahs were buried, including the famous Tomb of King Tut. A hot air balloon ride over these stunning valleys (with the Nile off in the distance) was a spectacular experience that got our adventure off to a great start.

Along with these tombs, of which experts believe they have only found a fraction of them all, the pharoahs built temples and shrines in honour of their various gods - and to prove to others just how devout and wealthy they were. These building projects have lasted some 4000 years and continue to impress.

The most awe-inspiring has to be Abu Simbel which was built by Ramses II to let the Nubians (enemies to the south) know that he and Egypt were in charge. What makes this all the more impressive is that in the 1970's, with the damming of the Nile to protect farm land from floods, this massive monument came under danger of being under water. With the help of UNESCO and some very patient and diligent stone workers, the entire monument was cut into pieces and moved up and back from the water's edge some 300 metres - and you'd never be able to tell if there wasn't video evidence.

What follows in an incredibly small sample of the 400 or so pictures taken - pictures I hope to share with you in the near future!

Photo Album

The Kenyan Safari - a dream come true!

WOW! Where has the time gone! I cannot believe it has been so long since I wrote in here! So much has happened in the time between posts that the only thing I can do is begin again. And what a beginning!
Over the holidays, which are a little longer when working in private schools, we got to fulfill our dream of going on safari. We chose a five day trip through Kenya where we visited three National Parks - Aberdare National Park, Lake Nakaru National Park, and the Masai Mara! All were sensational. It is an experience that will not soon be forgotten, and serves as a wonderful reminder of why we decided to make the difficult decision to leave Canada and teach elsewhere.
As you have likely heard before, pictures are worth a thousand words, and the link below should take to a few hundred pictures, so I will not waste too many words here.
Briefly though, in Aberdare National Park we stayed at a lodge called The Ark. This was built next to a watering hole where we got to see elephants and water buffalo, along with a few other small creatures, up close. We were literally five feet from the animals when in the blind at the base of the building. It was also where, as we were leaving, that we got to see the elusive leopard. A wonderful start indeed. Next it was to Lake Nakaru, which is known for its two million plus population of flamingoes. Unfortunately for us it was not the time of year to see the multitudes, but there were still a few hundred hanging about. There was however no shortage of animals, including a rather bold family group of baboons that under the watchful eye of the leader wandered arounder the vans and the people! Lastly we were off to the Masai Mara which is Kenya's side of the Serengeti. When the migration happens, it is either to the Masai Mara from the Serengeti, or vise versa. Again, our timing was not perfect, however as you will see there was no shortage of animals, and it only leaves us in further wonder of what a spectacle the migration must be!
So please, enjoy the photos, and have a wonderful New Year!

Kenya Safari https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151113002015405.780991.684235404&type=1&l=7411a23cd4

One of my goals will be to write here more often, so keep those comments coming!

Peace.

Canada's Turn

CANADA’S TURN TO BE HEARD

To whom it may concern,

The year 2011 has been an interesting year to say the least. It has been a year of extreme highs and lows, and now it is Canada’s turn to wade into this year of history. And fortunately for Canadians our place in what may prove to be a defining year for our planet does not require us to make much of a sacrifice. It requires us to vote. But how does our vote, a single mark on a page, place Canada at the forefront of this historical year, you ask? Because more than ever our vote means something greater than whom we elect. On Tuesday morning, newspapers around the world will have one or two lines about who is our new Prime Minister. More in-depth analysis may include the name of the governing party, but likely will end at that. That is unless, you vote. We all vote. Not 60% of us. 100% of us. If as many people vote as possibly can, THIS WILL MAKE NEWS AROUND THE WORLD. It will be the lead over who won and who didn’t even here in Canada. It will be news. And then those people, reading this news around the world will begin to ask why? Why, in this year, have Canadians decided that one of the most important things we can do on a Monday is vote.

And we will answer, “Because we can. Because thousands have died this year in hopes of achieving this right for themselves. Because the youth of so many countries have risen up against tyranny. And because we know this same youth is watching, on TV, on the internet, and we wanted them to know, we are watching too. We are watching them struggle and we are hoping and praying they will be victorious. We are voting so we can add our voice to the millions around the world that are asking for theirs to be heard, and we are telling them that we hear them, and we are honouring them by casting this vote.”

Please vote. Vote for whom ever you like. Vote because you don’t like something. Vote because in this year, 2011, we understand, Canada is a country others hope and dream about. Theirs is a good dream. Ours is a good reality. It may not be perfect, but it is all we have at this moment in time, and it is more than many will realise in their lifetime. But it is a good dream that is only getting better.

I began this letter to you with, “To whom it may concern,” and I firmly believe, this concerns us all. We are watching here in Cairo, and we are hoping the momentum of 2011 continues on Monday, May 2 with Canada taking its turn to have its say. Good luck.

Peace,

John Arthur Dinner
Grade 7 Teacher
Canadian International School of Egypt
Cairo, Egypt