This was an email that Kyle sent out to family on June 30th about his journey through Amsterdam and into Africa. We thought it might be of interest to you bloggers out there, too!
Cheers. Nate (B.).
Hey all! I hope all is going well at home! Nate was unable to bring his laptop due to his ancient plug catching fire the night before, which I hope wasn't a bad omen. We were able to get some pics up and Nate got a short blog up as well but it is tough and slow going with our Iphones. I am keeping a journal and think I may just reflect on what I wrote and blog when I get back, that way I can just experience what is going on now and relive it again later. I will try to send out little updates every so often, but to be honest, surviving without extravagent electronics is a luxury I know I will miss when I get back.
Our day in Amsterdam was quite full and we managed to do a lot without wearing ourselves out. We saw the Anne Frank house, Van Gogh museum (amazing, def a highlight), red light district, an other odds and ends. It was just amazing to walk through the cobblestone streets and along the peaceful canals filled with houseboats. Why is it the rest of the world has up beat when it comes to utilizing water and boats in a way rarely seen in the US? I have decided I need to live on a houseboat at some point in my life. Amsterdam has such a peaceful, leisurely pace. Everything was so bright, full of greenery and blue skies. In some ways, it reminded me of old Italian films, beautiful women in dresses riding just-vintage-enough-looking bicycles and men in slim, casual suits and amazingly dapper footwear. We went into a shoe shop and I almost died. We wandered for hours and had lunch at an open air cafe in the middle of a park.
Then it was back to the airport for our trip to a much different world. In hindsight, I don't think we could have picked two more drastically different locales for our first two stops. While jarring, it also allowed us to see the difference all the more clearly. Everything in Cairo is sunbleached and dusty. It seems as if your eyes are permanently blurry. However, it is beautiful and full of a frenetic, hyper-vigilent energy. Traffic is moving and honking nonstop at all hours, 10 lanes of traffic in 8 marked lanes outside our hotel.
Our balcony overlooks the National Egyptian Museum which we explored yesterday. It was so full of Relics, antiques, mummies and treasure that the sheer number seemed to diminish the infinite value and importance each object held. They are also stored open air with no need for climate control and little security, well, if you don't count the infinte military police with automatic weapons that are EVERYWHERE. I snuck a touch of some statues and carvings, although forbidden. It was surreal to touch an object that was created so long ago and had stood through time.
Today we had a private tour of Giza, Memphis and Sakkara. We rode a camel and horse in the desert (switched halfway) which was impossible to describe. At one point I was instructed by our 21 year old guide to stand on top on my horse's saddle for a picture. You can imagine my thoughts at I stood in flip flops on a saddle on a moving horse ontop of a rock-strewn dune in front of the ancient pyramids monitored by gun toting guards. We saw 10+ pyramids, 2 sphynx, tombs, etc. We then toured a papyrus shop and a perfumery. We then had lunch at a road side restaurant with a giant outdoor oven where our bread was baked fresh. We had chicken and lamb kaboobs, tahini, fresh goat cheese, potatoes, fried eggplant, pickled vegetables and cokes in glass bottles.
There is much more I want to write about but alas, for another time. Know we are safe and having an amazing experience and it is only day 3! We have two more days here in Cairo and then off to Mombassa Kenya. Hope you are all doing well! Kyle
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