Heading south to Upper Egypt

With our time winding down in Egypt we had one last item to check off our list - Upper Egypt. Done, and I am glad we saved it for last as it leaves a lasting impression of some of the reasons we chose to come to Egypt in the first place. A chance to travel. A chance to experience something unique. A chance to experience a history long learned about in books and on TV.

The last few months have been difficult and frustrating for us, and for Egyptians. After the great feelings of having lived through the Arab Spring and the January 25th Revolution and coming out the other side not only unscathed but hopeful for the future, the last few months in particular, have been met with frustration and dissatisfaction at the turn of events. The hopes and dreams WE had for the future of many nations and many people were summed up in the feelings WE had about the events of those days. The reality is there is a long way to go, and the road is much rockier than anyone wanted to admit.

The truth is WE knew it wasn't all it was cracked up to be, but we had remained hopeful and we were swept up in the words of the world who praised all that Egypt was, had been, and was going to be. But it is a long road, and traveling up the Nile to experience thousands of years of history was a helpful reminder. To hear the stories of pharoahs and gods as told by the walls of monuments some 4000 years old is a reminder of how far we've come, but also how long it took us to get here. Certainly the last 100 years, heck the last 10 years have seen technological advancement only thought possible in dreams. We now have indispensible things in our life than didn't exist five years ago, let along 4000. But our stories have remained the same. The stories on those walls told of love and love lost. Betrayal and revenge. War and peace.

It is a narrative that defined a culture 4000 years ago, and it is a narrative that continues to define this culture, and every culture. So much has changed in 4000 years, yet so much has remained the same. And it is on these walls that we can find our similarities so that we can remember what we share with those who are writing the story of today - a story that includes a growing democracy and an understanding that it isn't as simple as reading it in a book or watching it on TV. It requires thought and thoughtful action. Maybe that's why the pharoahs built things to last 4000 years and more.


Oh yeah, and the whole heading south to Upper Egypt. Turns out the Nile is not only the longest river in the world, but one of the few that flows north. Meaning to go "up" the Nile we have to head south!

And lastly, the size of some of these things? Crazy!? This is just a fraction of the some 400 photos we took - most of which look very similar, but all have a pretty unique story.

Photo Album

One Year Ago Today

A year ago today was a Tuesday. Little did we know.

A year ago today we enjoyed a day off, ignorant to what was in store. There were of course rumours of massive protests against the police, which at the time only seemed ironic, since the day we were getting off was supposed to be in honour of those very same police and security forces. January 25th was a holiday because it was Police Day.

We had certainly heard the stories of police brutality in our four and half months of living in Cairo, but had also heard that protests had occurred before and had failed to gain any real momentum. Most protesters, we were led to believe, were family and friends of those abused by the police and that the majority traded these abuses against “criminals” as a small price to pay for security. Who were we to argue? We had just come from Toronto, site of the most recent G20 protests, and many were still angry at the police response. It hadn’t on that Tuesday, seemed all that different.

This was different though. So different from that of the G20, and different from anything Egypt had experienced before. Unemployment was up, especially for the educated youth. Hosni Mubarak was ill. Or at least aging so quickly that talk of succession had been a hot topic for months. And the death of a blogger in November at the hands of the police seemed to get the twitter-sphere all aglow. These three conspired to increase frustration across all levels of society, including the normally passive elite, the traditional supporters of the regime.

With time on their hands, the loss of one of their own, and the growing awareness of the power of social media and all its possibilities , the protest movement had the momentum it had so long hoped for. Tens of thousands of people streamed into Tahrir Square on January 25, 2011; more than even the most optimistic had dreamed of, and certainly more than the authorities thought possible. As the numbers swelled throughout the day, the crowd grew angrier, louder, and bolder. Crowds chanted. Crowds surged. Crowds sang. Crowds wanted action. As is found in any crowd, patience is thin and the desire for immediate action strengthens. The desire to see action strengthens.

Soon the fervour of the crowd turned on the very people they were supposed to be honouring on this day, but who had become the lightning rod for anger and protest, the police. No one really had showed up to do any honouring. The feeling of invincibility common amongst crowds meshed with the feelings that this was their time, that this time would be different. And these feelings launched themselves at anyone and everyone that stood in the way of freedom and change. Rocks were hurled. Fights broke out. The police responded with water cannons and tear gas. Protesters were beaten – some to death. Police were stoned – some to death. It became a running battle between the immovable force of change and anger against the rock of authority. The police with weapons of control – tear gas, water cannons, and of course their batons. The people with their will, their numbers, and their convictions.

It is difficult to know exactly how many died on this day 365 days ago, for this battle went on for hours into the night and the days that followed. The battles and the resolve were unlike anything anyone in Egypt had seen before. It was too early to count numbers. It was also a Tuesday. Many, including us, still lived in ignorance as to what was actually happening, how many people were actually in the square. For us, it was still a welcomed day of rest, and tomorrow we were going back to work. Little did we know. Little did Egypt know. This was just the beginning. A beginning to a battle between freedom and security that is still being fought one year later.

One year later it is another holiday. But today is different, we think. Today is a celebration of what was started one year ago. Today is being marked with an end to decades long Emergency Law, enacted so long ago to give “security” forces the right to arrest and detain any they liked. It was long seen as one of the main tools of oppression. It was seen as one of the last remnants of the fallen regime. Today it ends.

Today is a Wednesday. Little do we know. Much do we hope.

The Kenyan Safari - a dream come true!

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 you 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