tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62822897527358854532024-03-19T06:49:23.375+04:00Making Wavesa webbie around the worldhamptonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10061224879884056156noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282289752735885453.post-29418403641645307312011-08-31T19:01:00.000+04:002011-09-12T04:02:25.468+04:00a whirlwind stirsAfter a month and a half of captivity in the UAE, I'm breaking out of this place. Starting September 4, you can follow my travels from the UAE to the UK where I'll stop in London and Southampton for business meetings. From London, I return to the UAE for a quick meeting about upgrading one of our vessels to DPS-2, and then I really escape to New York for a few days. New York is followed by Georgia, where I'll be packing for the great move out to Houston. My unloading time in H-Town is short lived because I'll be flying to Portland, ME in order to drive to the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath. Bath is followed by a long car ride to Newport for the Newport Boat Show. While in Rhode Island, I'll visit the Hinckley facility in Portsmouth to checkout the T-24R, <i>Haida</i>'s new tender. (Haven't heard of the T-24R, you say? That's because it, like <i>Haida</i>, is one of a kind.)<br />
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This job is definitely living up to the Chairman's "You're second office is an airplane" description. I can feel the winds picking up now. This job is definitely going to be a wild ride.hamptonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10061224879884056156noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282289752735885453.post-42180561524305731832011-07-17T19:39:00.000+04:002011-09-12T04:02:56.101+04:00making waves goes full timeJust as Aaron Sorkin returns to prime time with a show about cable TV news, <i>Making Waves </i>is going full time. For the last two years, I've been interning for an offshore logistics company in the heart of the Arabian Gulf. As of July, I'm now gainfully employed as the company's naval architect and marine engineer.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PV9M5ECa-20/S1M8BPk2aGI/AAAAAAAAAI8/tmvhakj0sAs/s1600/DSC_0163.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PV9M5ECa-20/S1M8BPk2aGI/AAAAAAAAAI8/tmvhakj0sAs/s400/DSC_0163.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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While this is pretty stellar for me, the whole affair is even more stellar (read: stellar-er) for you. As the boss said when I moved into my Houston office, "Houston is your home base, but your office is an airplane." I travel often. (In fact, in September I'll hit a new city every 2.5 days from September 3-20...) All of that traveling means great pictures and stories (can you say TCNs on a plane?) for you. I can't wait to share, so I hope that you're ready to go full time. <i>Making Waves </i>certainly is.hamptonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10061224879884056156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282289752735885453.post-9667176770755355152011-02-16T16:55:00.003+04:002011-09-11T20:55:29.443+04:00for all you boat peopleIn the spirit of the <a href="http://webbiewaves.blogspot.com/search/label/tour%20series">tour dubai series</a>, it's time for a few engineering escapades. Martin Oliver, the company's Middle East Manager, has been keen to ensure that Tophi and I have been taken to see some of the marine engineering feats undertaken in this fine country.<br /><br />Recently, Martin, Tophi, and I made way for the Dubai office of the American Bureau of Shipping. We met the office's Chief Engineer and Principal Surveyor-- two very nice gentlemen. They offered us additional contacts at other companies that would be willing to show us new offshore platform construction. After hearing about what's happening for ABS out here, we quickly moved on to the day's main attraction: Dubai Maritime City.<br /><br />Most developments in Dubai revolve around some central theme that makes each development "(theme) City." There's Festival City, Media City, Internet City, Ice City... er, that one was canceled..., and the list continues. Dubai Maritime City is a revolutionary concept. Combine the grit of sandblasting and dry docking with the glamor of cosmopolitan living, and you get an idea that makes dollar signs flash in front of Dubai World.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7xGOKmfiAZDI15Kvz4dtaIdgDO_IrRaSnpoL5HzoagrJMK6CdJF7rFdCr_LoZr6SLvJ0wbo3nZ_qtI2KYLpBSo7o9guG435o-is7bTDVr4AXfbmAVnQxwruMFE8duWIsz1aCXHIMm60/s1600/dmc_concept.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7xGOKmfiAZDI15Kvz4dtaIdgDO_IrRaSnpoL5HzoagrJMK6CdJF7rFdCr_LoZr6SLvJ0wbo3nZ_qtI2KYLpBSo7o9guG435o-is7bTDVr4AXfbmAVnQxwruMFE8duWIsz1aCXHIMm60/s400/dmc_concept.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Behold the conceptual rendering of Dubai Maritime City. The shipyard is conveniently upwind of the beautiful apartment towers.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">When ground broke several years ago, Dubai was riding a flash flood of growth. Two years ago the flood waters (aka economy) receded, and the municipality, through its multiple shell companies, was left holding the (empty) bag. Construction on the DMC's commercial and residential precincts slowed while Dubai World continued scraping away at the shipyard.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQNLjiV7ev3aB3KVIvAwC9DvnnYph8o6mnXT7CeBal8P9gwAkK1R8CLRdzYqtBrx8KkUlu3t4P9k2EMUdAKBg3pC9FU7PcS7oQSJxEy4BwfHM6n0p2JlPslnYz6pruToq7a-x0KcO6dE/s1600/dmc_construct.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQNLjiV7ev3aB3KVIvAwC9DvnnYph8o6mnXT7CeBal8P9gwAkK1R8CLRdzYqtBrx8KkUlu3t4P9k2EMUdAKBg3pC9FU7PcS7oQSJxEy4BwfHM6n0p2JlPslnYz6pruToq7a-x0KcO6dE/s400/dmc_construct.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Construction of the two Synchrolift tables is seen in the foreground.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">When we visited DMC, cameras were not allowed, so I don't have any present-day pictures. The Synchrolift tables are both operating, and we had the opportunity to see a 2780-tonne Saudi offshore diving support vessel undock. The yard has two Synchro-lift tables: one 6000-tonne and one 3000-tonne. The 6000-tonne lift can accommodate vessels 130 m long with a 35 m beam. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">At present, 49 vessels are berthed or docked at the DMC. The operations manager and dock master have a goal of serving 100 vessels on the same day.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7xGOKmfiAZDI15Kvz4dtaIdgDO_IrRaSnpoL5HzoagrJMK6CdJF7rFdCr_LoZr6SLvJ0wbo3nZ_qtI2KYLpBSo7o9guG435o-is7bTDVr4AXfbmAVnQxwruMFE8duWIsz1aCXHIMm60/s1600/dmc_concept.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihB1rRAEK735SMFteBI5ZMQ2QiQhvO1boWgDsFnqVOsBnQBC5ZiYQmWAL1GJ5M0j9ljq-m3DZqA9D2iPiXml52aOwTwkHaAXS3veLkn7zRnRasZvtCNJOdfO2-t3lOyNaZcnU_PxmBor4/s1600/dmc_aerial.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihB1rRAEK735SMFteBI5ZMQ2QiQhvO1boWgDsFnqVOsBnQBC5ZiYQmWAL1GJ5M0j9ljq-m3DZqA9D2iPiXml52aOwTwkHaAXS3veLkn7zRnRasZvtCNJOdfO2-t3lOyNaZcnU_PxmBor4/s400/dmc_aerial.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The DMC is conveniently located directly on the Gulf. Unlike its predecessor, ships need not time their arrivals and departures with the openings of the Dubai Creek floating bridge. This may be the best feature about the new facility.</i></div><br />Time will only tell if the Dubai Maritime City will live up to its lofty conceptual render. I do think that Synchrolift tables are a fascinating way to conduct a docking. There are definite space advantages to being able to lift a vessel, roll it to a dry berth, and continue docking other vessels. What does the greater maritime community think? (Shout out to WebbieNews readers!!)hamptonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10061224879884056156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282289752735885453.post-60832492070446016282011-02-09T18:30:00.003+04:002011-09-11T20:55:29.427+04:00all roads lead to abu dhabiI've had more opportunities during this trip to the UAE to <s>live life</s> drive in the fast lane. When Captain Scott had to leave for a few days, I was given the keys to one of the company cars so that Tophi and I could get to work each day. Those few days went by accident free, and now it appears that I can be trusted behind the wheel. Visitors don't normally drive when they come to the Emirates. Local drivers are notoriously aggressive, but I have had training during my years on Long Island. A recent survey asked UAE drivers (mostly men) what they thought about their driving abilities. Almost 25% of those surveyed admitted that they engage in "risky" driving behavior -- the other 75% lied.<br /><br />Recently, Tophi and I had the <i>pleasure </i>of taking the Sharjah Transport bus from Sharjah to Abu Dhabi. The trip takes about 2 hours and costs $15 round trip. As we crossed through the familiar portion of Dubai, there's a sign that reminds drivers that ALL roads lead to Abu Dhabi, so there isn't a need to be in a certain lane (read: stay in your own lane, you reckless driver, you.)<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAPC0LOXI7Flns7OsgeB9Tk1t0fA4ubxlCYNQqKpbXer6JYkWS2CkYvjK3SlK4cAvXJHJqU5jDeBOfziFxodTYhV91o91d7flnAvdrjyaSzg6YRrIR-Mp72lekS4rr6j3t8oUmoP2eLNw/s1600/abu+dhabi+bus+station.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAPC0LOXI7Flns7OsgeB9Tk1t0fA4ubxlCYNQqKpbXer6JYkWS2CkYvjK3SlK4cAvXJHJqU5jDeBOfziFxodTYhV91o91d7flnAvdrjyaSzg6YRrIR-Mp72lekS4rr6j3t8oUmoP2eLNw/s400/abu+dhabi+bus+station.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>We arrived at the Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station after a little over two hours of riding in a packed motor coach. Tophi tells me that the bus was better than he expected.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6CEyuRQN9Y0/TVKWY_TK0bI/AAAAAAAABl8/c9TrwgyhOuo/s1600/DSC_0932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6CEyuRQN9Y0/TVKWY_TK0bI/AAAAAAAABl8/c9TrwgyhOuo/s400/DSC_0932.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Abu Dhabi's Sheik Khalifa recently declared that the city be divided into zones and sectors to aid navigation. There are no longer street names; signs like the one shown here are oh so helpful.</i></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbxj5JYfzSKKJBDlV31C4yU61M0pQ4FyWYcbay-L1-0_fNtB-1o1PKMgKF8kbBCYcheBSx0kU-MDnVmWqyIX8kWajYeExfWtuBNWt2yPvrOtK-nGryY90QCVe0YPox4PNf_8EHBIuW1X3y/s1600/DSC_0925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbxj5JYfzSKKJBDlV31C4yU61M0pQ4FyWYcbay-L1-0_fNtB-1o1PKMgKF8kbBCYcheBSx0kU-MDnVmWqyIX8kWajYeExfWtuBNWt2yPvrOtK-nGryY90QCVe0YPox4PNf_8EHBIuW1X3y/s400/DSC_0925.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>We walked past an air quality monitoring station that read, "Breathe Easy. We are monitoring the air."</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbcP7tLcVzwfii_SkasEfOufM4zEm-6qVrKq_BH1cQC6lcUDRwpGiFXBVdJvth3mG-26frpbrMQR2eZT1XUAS6SEIgCaWz4vfq327IIYNRtKwzPedvajRdutR0VpbaZNocIMhiECBNY6dO/s1600/DSC_0928.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbcP7tLcVzwfii_SkasEfOufM4zEm-6qVrKq_BH1cQC6lcUDRwpGiFXBVdJvth3mG-26frpbrMQR2eZT1XUAS6SEIgCaWz4vfq327IIYNRtKwzPedvajRdutR0VpbaZNocIMhiECBNY6dO/s400/DSC_0928.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>I found the entrance gates to this park to be interesting. I think that they are tea kettles.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQSY3OkB6N2KnDx42CwutfNq8ZmFjtiKDo-B5nawzRPogffEuTPMsLgWOAL5sVTNM-8ydd-rgprhATYBNu1JloaqdchzeIzfYp-kJlYScJxSCCHbEpKy965SiHGrXshu0G45Lknt0PZc6/s1600/DSC_0952.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQSY3OkB6N2KnDx42CwutfNq8ZmFjtiKDo-B5nawzRPogffEuTPMsLgWOAL5sVTNM-8ydd-rgprhATYBNu1JloaqdchzeIzfYp-kJlYScJxSCCHbEpKy965SiHGrXshu0G45Lknt0PZc6/s400/DSC_0952.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Abu Dhabi has its own share of unfinished projects. The Abu Dhabi Swimming Beach Extension project used dredging machines to increase the beach area.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8CIk7v-OTBVkomcWYf4j90JJmthPsl8XpXhFkPOfPb-zVeOZ7xOgVaoo5a8DJ3YwNfb2COBXapWjv8DgHcejaA2zncRTPbdqqO-HQ30m6h8VXk1w40fmozPhaktpAkaIPJ4SetpZTrV1T/s1600/DSC_0955.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8CIk7v-OTBVkomcWYf4j90JJmthPsl8XpXhFkPOfPb-zVeOZ7xOgVaoo5a8DJ3YwNfb2COBXapWjv8DgHcejaA2zncRTPbdqqO-HQ30m6h8VXk1w40fmozPhaktpAkaIPJ4SetpZTrV1T/s400/DSC_0955.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></div><i>Abu Dhabi's Corniche Street Beach is divided into different areas: private, family, and public. You have to pay to use the private and family beaches. The paywalled beaches were pretty empty.</i><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG2R28ySub4Ixwg1HMiWpHVXuxFVQ6zV5-Ah4OIWhc-RyWKoJ3potOz97qzKIquK9u7-sCZfYTrFoIrw1TI_UzhnqcirXDpPbXuVUJ5rnbDSQhOc4iku0vGz6lpliYVlQsKj8iB7J-x72T/s1600/DSC_0967.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG2R28ySub4Ixwg1HMiWpHVXuxFVQ6zV5-Ah4OIWhc-RyWKoJ3potOz97qzKIquK9u7-sCZfYTrFoIrw1TI_UzhnqcirXDpPbXuVUJ5rnbDSQhOc4iku0vGz6lpliYVlQsKj8iB7J-x72T/s400/DSC_0967.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>We walked down to the Emirates Palace Hotel, but we didn't try to enter. There was a big event, and we would have looked quite out of place. The hotel was originally intended to be a sheik's palace, but he turned it down. I guess it wasn't big enough...</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzkErAJ2_7yhlbETxCCp2Y_ALECAYE5PvBG6Tn_u5F6aS8Iu476JEa6sP1tiW0GsP1rLel6kEef0OrTacPgZVa_-omjM4RcnLgWP1eZcnhBJafhgz6utJobxzZkmujDpZCifeNhd0o4GgZ/s1600/DSC_0964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzkErAJ2_7yhlbETxCCp2Y_ALECAYE5PvBG6Tn_u5F6aS8Iu476JEa6sP1tiW0GsP1rLel6kEef0OrTacPgZVa_-omjM4RcnLgWP1eZcnhBJafhgz6utJobxzZkmujDpZCifeNhd0o4GgZ/s400/DSC_0964.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Tophi thinks that this is the service entrance to the Emirates Palace.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRorNTRhVlYaiBPmtplrk5Kxc9VmIHndr_F2y1J9vMoGvFLRfeK9NDQZkcMs8cVtD6R4z9byNGyllovR1qGEjMK_1R1wdcy93aNk5Y8w8MfOltc2NhLmQurJRU5AC7xKNLWq6JCYjxNLSq/s1600/DSC_0961.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRorNTRhVlYaiBPmtplrk5Kxc9VmIHndr_F2y1J9vMoGvFLRfeK9NDQZkcMs8cVtD6R4z9byNGyllovR1qGEjMK_1R1wdcy93aNk5Y8w8MfOltc2NhLmQurJRU5AC7xKNLWq6JCYjxNLSq/s400/DSC_0961.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Abu Dhabi has its share of superlatives, too. This flagpole is the world's tallest, over 139 meters high.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Abu Dhabi was a refreshing change after seeing Ajman, Sharjah, and Dubai. The people in this emirate seem more active and must enjoy a higher quality of life. There are fewer unfinished projects, so Abu Dhabi doesn't have a skyline of construction cranes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div>hamptonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10061224879884056156noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282289752735885453.post-79189105927215023272011-01-31T21:08:00.005+04:002011-09-11T20:55:29.438+04:00sharjah after the stormThe winter months in the UAE bring relief from the 120°F summer. Winter is also the "rainy season." I say "rainy" because the average annual rainfall in the coastal region of the UAE is less than 5 inches. (A south Georgia thunderstorm laughs at the puny rain clouds of the Emirates.)<br /><br />With hardly any rain, there is little reason to invest in a proper drainage system. When it does precipitate, the rain amounts to a light drizzle. After several days of on again, off again drizzle, Mother Nature opened up on January 28.<br /><br />Tophi and I were just about to head out for a walk to neighboring emirate Ajman when the storm hit. The power was knocked out, and our hotel's restaurant was leaking badly around the doors and windows. We were trapped in the restaurant until things settled down. We watched outdoor furniture slide around as the sky turned a dark gray.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6sUQOh9gqsiwfXQxl6dlCm-eGG3268CU1yTRlwbnhsXBPSDjKHNNccRdrR4NBzxdwO-kQ_l7o_9J1hOiy7PWg3EhIxpQfNsXJioBLElbEnup7hQ3_4GOJpf0Jq05O5RGxHQVtVx5GmqYQ/s1600/DSC_0837.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6sUQOh9gqsiwfXQxl6dlCm-eGG3268CU1yTRlwbnhsXBPSDjKHNNccRdrR4NBzxdwO-kQ_l7o_9J1hOiy7PWg3EhIxpQfNsXJioBLElbEnup7hQ3_4GOJpf0Jq05O5RGxHQVtVx5GmqYQ/s400/DSC_0837.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>As we ventured out, the streets were flooding, and drivers didn't know quite what to do. All of the palm trees were deformed from the wind.</i></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Ty61NsqAvXGdeEVomjD_VcAdVFF4NZoTB6NxseozsTX30VusIYXjRpfqFlMB9MXma6wXryKeQ0VMNtpQsHLihzjdxcw65gDR6cWJu2hRWsIIKsNjxg_8VwOvzssqAJ1dYAJhOTCt_9PD/s1600/DSC_0850.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Ty61NsqAvXGdeEVomjD_VcAdVFF4NZoTB6NxseozsTX30VusIYXjRpfqFlMB9MXma6wXryKeQ0VMNtpQsHLihzjdxcw65gDR6cWJu2hRWsIIKsNjxg_8VwOvzssqAJ1dYAJhOTCt_9PD/s400/DSC_0850.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The remains of a beach fair got blown around. See that carousel? It was going around backwards like something from a Stephen King novel.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Z37x1GTaj5td9Hm93wrI5vyQw0bEXDD7ccePtcXsxbxsPkuWyFDCgtm6ZLMIHKaCJ-EKPj7jqcA_6eJB5S_rJz2O2CkMMjU0VUBrRh7IAnp78FNPfM2PBuiVVTlfYAbQbv9pd4B7RVpG/s1600/DSC_0860.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Z37x1GTaj5td9Hm93wrI5vyQw0bEXDD7ccePtcXsxbxsPkuWyFDCgtm6ZLMIHKaCJ-EKPj7jqcA_6eJB5S_rJz2O2CkMMjU0VUBrRh7IAnp78FNPfM2PBuiVVTlfYAbQbv9pd4B7RVpG/s400/DSC_0860.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Where's the palm tree?</i></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Sf7KDG3i9zcrUr2DSUVl-MaI5NaJ2WWBwatJqVh-fABGpnvfWDSR2MKg5f2N6S9YedMsEGZWqYE7kPOu4qS8YRaZ5RTbn1PS60-cROxhyphenhyphenjYavVikmFsLh4_hKCDxrHn9sGdTfXadLalw/s1600/DSC_0861.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Sf7KDG3i9zcrUr2DSUVl-MaI5NaJ2WWBwatJqVh-fABGpnvfWDSR2MKg5f2N6S9YedMsEGZWqYE7kPOu4qS8YRaZ5RTbn1PS60-cROxhyphenhyphenjYavVikmFsLh4_hKCDxrHn9sGdTfXadLalw/s400/DSC_0861.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Oh! What's it doing there?</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8wt-lvv0kh2jPiXRNNjslGKujUlrIZIKu5A-cMDKaj2wfiwVaX0NnBqhyphenhyphen4KFzwz3Wr0p99dS3IcZXxXWo75p11lqJiXhafkpsWQq5_37ZSH6ynSTTi_1RX7mpSraUh9Ix49mjQ00hQV59/s1600/DSC_0865.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8wt-lvv0kh2jPiXRNNjslGKujUlrIZIKu5A-cMDKaj2wfiwVaX0NnBqhyphenhyphen4KFzwz3Wr0p99dS3IcZXxXWo75p11lqJiXhafkpsWQq5_37ZSH6ynSTTi_1RX7mpSraUh9Ix49mjQ00hQV59/s400/DSC_0865.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The wind uprooted several of the palm trees that line the road.</i></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ZBSTEbjgIk9k_dUIKshjvGbBu7Md-M8d99ENGHxMDoo4vh6Twzku5nMod1vymP0bGP5xrG7DWFyGy9Hy8-Nzl9-ijDYX5_RqdA-p4WL9CbaYt3WZMr9pSf5fhl3l3sCMih_aZH5TyVKG/s1600/DSC_0853.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ZBSTEbjgIk9k_dUIKshjvGbBu7Md-M8d99ENGHxMDoo4vh6Twzku5nMod1vymP0bGP5xrG7DWFyGy9Hy8-Nzl9-ijDYX5_RqdA-p4WL9CbaYt3WZMr9pSf5fhl3l3sCMih_aZH5TyVKG/s400/DSC_0853.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Debris was blown onto the streets in many places.</i></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1LtmS_0T5osnK3cZC0bBhgbU45KDISZQwq5vJrFrYMIe5KCZUZgAF6mu3mTk0DiHDZ3U4Bh8whQCcXUM2BqK4tkPitOiw6iVLvcC4zUjjQBJCCN0doXA3bnNT5JwtjRm3RPkbuZ9P8WVx/s1600/DSC_0869.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1LtmS_0T5osnK3cZC0bBhgbU45KDISZQwq5vJrFrYMIe5KCZUZgAF6mu3mTk0DiHDZ3U4Bh8whQCcXUM2BqK4tkPitOiw6iVLvcC4zUjjQBJCCN0doXA3bnNT5JwtjRm3RPkbuZ9P8WVx/s400/DSC_0869.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>This flooded bus station was on the way to Ajman.</i></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqAikfZrjONo19P-YDcePo2l8lPoonUhAkULpgrmPBEk4KNq_CPoCTV-NSrjGGP5NRFGW4PSdg5tPGODMnaQ6Nj-FFkM8jqmeHzRXrq44bw3O2j_tdeSHo2dgP-PQXY9YIDJhoeZlLjl95/s1600/DSC_0895.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqAikfZrjONo19P-YDcePo2l8lPoonUhAkULpgrmPBEk4KNq_CPoCTV-NSrjGGP5NRFGW4PSdg5tPGODMnaQ6Nj-FFkM8jqmeHzRXrq44bw3O2j_tdeSHo2dgP-PQXY9YIDJhoeZlLjl95/s400/DSC_0895.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The sign reads "Apex Dewatering" in front of a construction site. The water is above the curb in this picture.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXOH165zfmpkBcxLkZ47L2e03W0pEb1EPKUEcGSNDUKFUCH_oxpBbgyH6V4fJ77OeIc-N-VAlmz2Y3hsZvxlHxs5npGE7OyZKtHUlAywNYTIRDYS66_iWwBLIO3nVyUl05EphMelm_edSj/s1600/DSC_0890.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXOH165zfmpkBcxLkZ47L2e03W0pEb1EPKUEcGSNDUKFUCH_oxpBbgyH6V4fJ77OeIc-N-VAlmz2Y3hsZvxlHxs5npGE7OyZKtHUlAywNYTIRDYS66_iWwBLIO3nVyUl05EphMelm_edSj/s400/DSC_0890.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The wind was pretty intense, and construction sites were easy targets for damage. The sad part is that many of these sites were abandoned anyway -- who knows when this will get cleaned up.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Just as the southern communities in the United States were not equipped to deal with this winter's storms, the UAE is unprepared for a deluge. Most of the streets don't have drainage systems because usually the water can evaporate quickly enough.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Met Office forecasts more storms are on their way. I'll keep you posted with more photos. There are more photos from our walk after the storm <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/hkdixon11/SharjahAfterTheStorm?feat=directlink">here</a>.</div>hamptonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10061224879884056156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282289752735885453.post-37952928729875921542011-01-25T18:33:00.003+04:002011-09-11T20:55:29.412+04:00tour dubai: part 3 - the dhow wharves and souks<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i>There are a few sites that I always take my visitors to see. This post is the third and final in a <a href="http://webbiewaves.blogspot.com/search/label/tour%20series">series</a> that covers those locations. And while my Nikon D5000 provides stunning images of the environs, you really have to see all of the glitz and sand to fully appreciate where we are. So come visit! (Or at least read the blog.)</i></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">It has been unusually wet here in Sharjah and Dubai for the last week. It has also been quite chilly, even during the day. I'm not sure what's going on with the weather, but it has put a damper on going places.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Our new hotel has also put a damper on going places. We're on the other side of Sharjah now, closer to Ajman, so it's more expensive to catch a cab to Dubai. This will be the final part of the <i>tour dubai series</i>; however, don't let me mislead you. The transportation is not discouraging more posts; the lack of variety in travel destinations is limiting new ventures. I can only write about walking around a mall so many times.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Onward! Today's tour is something that I find to be an eye opener. We often say how a country is built on the backs of this group or that. Dhow trading is the foundation of Dubai's economy, and it will probably return to being the only real thing going when the dust settles. There's such an immense contrast between the glamour of the shopping centers and hotels and Old Dubai.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5YKbcPuCK3vHWWeVute-2-k3CLkAePC14jgUNVg8k9sevY2eEwcvNeZLIawL7P7jXQlyv14vy01Ytc4HulaZx6dJAi7XqT36a3tr1du2kCIKdQMDMd4mLDSO_484GMz7BNeQUAqpAMmOd/s1600/DSC_0777.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5YKbcPuCK3vHWWeVute-2-k3CLkAePC14jgUNVg8k9sevY2eEwcvNeZLIawL7P7jXQlyv14vy01Ytc4HulaZx6dJAi7XqT36a3tr1du2kCIKdQMDMd4mLDSO_484GMz7BNeQUAqpAMmOd/s400/DSC_0777.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><i>To stretch out our travel time, we decided to walk from the old hotel to the Sharjah-Dubai border. We encountered this lot of cars leaving a mosque after the Friday service.</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFe3wnG_gPIZ_vjaOQAPe4gMyWp4vfqVuC9lSyaTK1vPX6dr5_il6G8juKY4QeKMTamG3LOvu3g8-MXR-6QuYC7QLqACyxQbcIYSWbx9WEnVEGEgoC1Qd7_ufXdJPCt-vhyHWpIv3bOJoX/s1600/DSC_0772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFe3wnG_gPIZ_vjaOQAPe4gMyWp4vfqVuC9lSyaTK1vPX6dr5_il6G8juKY4QeKMTamG3LOvu3g8-MXR-6QuYC7QLqACyxQbcIYSWbx9WEnVEGEgoC1Qd7_ufXdJPCt-vhyHWpIv3bOJoX/s400/DSC_0772.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Though not quite a dhow, this wreck is part of the litter in the Sharjah Lagoon. In the far distance, you can see the Sharjah Eye. (NB: London later copied this Ferris wheel.)</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFe33g5QWv_b-cgdDz5UQpYt4PNTosuazKvNBFzyDkBDhlr1TD5sQrRRNy6yJXGtzcnaYv319xpIDKJkxLFex7Gcu6G_o20SSq1GuryjS6qVoU-HMHl1oOKGuZVpRbxOvEnmVHXOk6ZBTJ/s1600/DSC_0789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFe33g5QWv_b-cgdDz5UQpYt4PNTosuazKvNBFzyDkBDhlr1TD5sQrRRNy6yJXGtzcnaYv319xpIDKJkxLFex7Gcu6G_o20SSq1GuryjS6qVoU-HMHl1oOKGuZVpRbxOvEnmVHXOk6ZBTJ/s400/DSC_0789.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The Dhow Wharf in Dubai is packed with boats waiting to pick up cargo. Most carry tires and appliances to countries around the gulf like Iran.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRjQOxJAiAXvcpyod8mRdseO5fpQLxwJztcnjSTJ4TuQmkfKqbXw1DiubIXP2o0WWS1BhczFOQ7r7TIIcQT9oApMIBctBTlu08pBP0171tbkRNIbGmn5nGKaD9Quq1hGWQl-3HFPehW1ea/s1600/DSC_0802.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRjQOxJAiAXvcpyod8mRdseO5fpQLxwJztcnjSTJ4TuQmkfKqbXw1DiubIXP2o0WWS1BhczFOQ7r7TIIcQT9oApMIBctBTlu08pBP0171tbkRNIbGmn5nGKaD9Quq1hGWQl-3HFPehW1ea/s400/DSC_0802.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><i>I don't think your hand is going to keep you from getting wet. Tophi and I wandered around an office tower with shops on the ground floor for over an hour waiting for the rain to stop.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrD7t53SG-dE2VTiV3uNUjXwePNzE2nTlIMroNUMUANFTfIpy05gqGaI9Vfg-Es4AiPylaIMtcU1sm7LR_1g9HPwZW_DFH8mtTTdJyJCAQex9H4aTcYlE6YSvBmObL8c6X_-zlnclvejE9/s1600/DSC_0793.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrD7t53SG-dE2VTiV3uNUjXwePNzE2nTlIMroNUMUANFTfIpy05gqGaI9Vfg-Es4AiPylaIMtcU1sm7LR_1g9HPwZW_DFH8mtTTdJyJCAQex9H4aTcYlE6YSvBmObL8c6X_-zlnclvejE9/s400/DSC_0793.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><i>This yacht takes "wooden" to a whole new level. </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi94JIAfeQ84Wr6h63XJ9hQy3tIUkeEgx65pH4hfak3rWp5Qh9mLx6f0KgDhgt4zZwU0UmaZ-XbLhL-WivmDrOzkXNaBDdQNb0j0PdzzPSIeGc1TatDV6-doovzkyeZeeamaQTbcWbGpiZ/s1600/DSC_0807.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi94JIAfeQ84Wr6h63XJ9hQy3tIUkeEgx65pH4hfak3rWp5Qh9mLx6f0KgDhgt4zZwU0UmaZ-XbLhL-WivmDrOzkXNaBDdQNb0j0PdzzPSIeGc1TatDV6-doovzkyeZeeamaQTbcWbGpiZ/s400/DSC_0807.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Dubai's Spice Souk</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIpX7rcyjG9CtMdoTh1ZhcQUuQDzG4xtfQ2SRORv4c5iu0mgTPGJ4vzm_Uv16v4yREE4rSx51RrrIg18npSLFHsVEo7dWQ0qj6A7mEXZqjDC91NaMpvgqdlDzzFDgtq0su9nNA8lN2OXF9/s1600/DSC_0813.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIpX7rcyjG9CtMdoTh1ZhcQUuQDzG4xtfQ2SRORv4c5iu0mgTPGJ4vzm_Uv16v4yREE4rSx51RrrIg18npSLFHsVEo7dWQ0qj6A7mEXZqjDC91NaMpvgqdlDzzFDgtq0su9nNA8lN2OXF9/s400/DSC_0813.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>It's always fun to play the "Name this Spice" game with the souk merchants. After a merchant offers you tea and dates, he tries to convince you that his saffron is the best. I convinced Tophi to play the game with one merchant in German to see if the merchant would follow. That crafty man carried the conversation with no problem.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well. That's that. No more to see here. Move along... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">No, I'll have more stories and photographs in the coming days. We're almost at the halfway point! In the meantime, check out the some of the <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/hkdixon11">pictures</a> that didn't make it to the blog.</div>hamptonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10061224879884056156noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282289752735885453.post-1434305213655977272011-01-25T08:40:00.003+04:002011-09-11T20:55:29.384+04:00posting delaysI realize that it's been over a week since I last updated you on <i><a href="http://webbiewaves.blogspot.com/search/label/haida">Haida</a></i> or showed you another stop on the <a href="http://webbiewaves.blogspot.com/search/label/tour%20series">tour dubai series</a>. Last week, the company moved Chris and me from the Al Seef Beach Hotel to another place farther away from the port that had lower rent. Since the move, I have had trouble connecting to the internet, along with a myriad of other "difficulties."<br /><br />I've got more stories to share, so stick around. In the meantime, you could always take a look back through the archives or browse the gallery of pictures on my <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/hkdixon11">Picasa album</a>.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjigQzOd6HMYhNYztQghDo2qBBtW3yAniIo088gYfUsLxwLTGtKLu0HsxPGv3ZycONREM0efV3vBX86bhXAi1EKajSSuiO9JZmATvtKzKW7c92MNtbL9Zsr0U8TpQ5mNumJpMQCXlVHbZrn/s1600/DSC_0172.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjigQzOd6HMYhNYztQghDo2qBBtW3yAniIo088gYfUsLxwLTGtKLu0HsxPGv3ZycONREM0efV3vBX86bhXAi1EKajSSuiO9JZmATvtKzKW7c92MNtbL9Zsr0U8TpQ5mNumJpMQCXlVHbZrn/s400/DSC_0172.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Scott has a new kite surfing board, but the wind here in Sharjah hasn't given time to play with it.</i></div>hamptonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10061224879884056156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282289752735885453.post-28414680774049243442011-01-16T15:00:00.005+04:002011-09-11T20:55:29.398+04:00sharjah desert parkAfter multiple trips to the UAE, I finally made it out to the Sharjah Desert Park home to Sharjah's Natural History Museum, Children Farm, and Arabia Wildlife Center. (I skipped the Children Farm... I don't want to know about that.)<br /><br />The Desert Park is a hefty drive out of Sharjah, so the distance has been cost prohibitive in the past. This weekend Scott is away, and George told us to take the car and see some of the sights. The car was useful for getting to part 2 of our tour dubai series, and we would not have made the journey out to the Desert Park without it.<br /><br />On to some pictures.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9z72OZqPhYuGu9TAQuqxxphAcgaqhuIyh2Nnm7schQzvW_Sn0ZBmz7fV241za1oTLAfzGQOI3GV9Yd3AmTuI5fORkGu5pNYBgK41HWSPzgZjhaH4ZsCQfDDk32Wz4KaG04Ko27Lw8CW1z/s1600/P1100176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9z72OZqPhYuGu9TAQuqxxphAcgaqhuIyh2Nnm7schQzvW_Sn0ZBmz7fV241za1oTLAfzGQOI3GV9Yd3AmTuI5fORkGu5pNYBgK41HWSPzgZjhaH4ZsCQfDDk32Wz4KaG04Ko27Lw8CW1z/s400/P1100176.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The less than full parking lot for the Sharjah Natural History and Botanical Garden.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCgoL4-NszpWChkKj23YiJPbGIsHDjEaRpghzx9locZr_KRI1zVCKmvrMuzUdxmlDqVFXKUh9nOGcnkGQ86G8LIhusDrrfKRQCBp6f-9r2zwEk_BrXbD21cvVciQWIR9uB1ZTxWv9Ebj7Q/s1600/DSC_0731.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCgoL4-NszpWChkKj23YiJPbGIsHDjEaRpghzx9locZr_KRI1zVCKmvrMuzUdxmlDqVFXKUh9nOGcnkGQ86G8LIhusDrrfKRQCBp6f-9r2zwEk_BrXbD21cvVciQWIR9uB1ZTxWv9Ebj7Q/s400/DSC_0731.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The first hall within the Natural History Museum is filled with marine life suspended from the ceiling. The hanging sharks and fish had the effect of lowering my expectations.</i></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4iPqdmFwf3cdz3okQIQYb4qa6Sn7d3D80bvGEBlWPWo-vYIWJsj82Io-7R3EZ1EQ6X7nEjsDhO4uO0a6jCXev8xDgkJaweeP5UheLnpftjs4f6pv_2M79wwXBYUN3liJwdvSVkxRYqXU/s1600/DSC_0735.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4iPqdmFwf3cdz3okQIQYb4qa6Sn7d3D80bvGEBlWPWo-vYIWJsj82Io-7R3EZ1EQ6X7nEjsDhO4uO0a6jCXev8xDgkJaweeP5UheLnpftjs4f6pv_2M79wwXBYUN3liJwdvSVkxRYqXU/s400/DSC_0735.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Oops! Someone forgot to write the English translation for this kiosk. </i></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdvPOkNJYXJ_8ycn26-ks3aOO4Gll7Dg5YTJsJZ2fRR8SmE9KpqtX303RRbTXowtavOLK-cGLTU5JUeS33Am1kT7D4niV5iKHuQ4OzDnKY0gWsMwCQuYZAOmxBaL5mQkO3EnovbqEOCIpP/s1600/DSC_0737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdvPOkNJYXJ_8ycn26-ks3aOO4Gll7Dg5YTJsJZ2fRR8SmE9KpqtX303RRbTXowtavOLK-cGLTU5JUeS33Am1kT7D4niV5iKHuQ4OzDnKY0gWsMwCQuYZAOmxBaL5mQkO3EnovbqEOCIpP/s400/DSC_0737.JPG" width="265" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Awwwwwwe. This model sand cat made me happy. It's not quite Squeak, but I want to find one of this elusive cats for Webb.</i></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_OCefwgyO6z5yoq5w757871OzCAJZDKuDyrCb62HTk7jp9CqUt8wKp-QH6XP-hf9i0VCp41TAjbml91OLnSeQJfocKFV6sJQZn6WGBJ9v_HRYRrDRAhHDamWgYO0RYxf_L3V848Q42JEH/s1600/DSC_0738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_OCefwgyO6z5yoq5w757871OzCAJZDKuDyrCb62HTk7jp9CqUt8wKp-QH6XP-hf9i0VCp41TAjbml91OLnSeQJfocKFV6sJQZn6WGBJ9v_HRYRrDRAhHDamWgYO0RYxf_L3V848Q42JEH/s400/DSC_0738.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Oh yeah? How about a little amoxicillin for those survivors?</i></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg64E0eiWrP1uRs2hqFMJbFszfRU2ZCsfB2VTt-aG0E19uytBOXt2kqo7f4bJlXdHjZvglAFMWBBS6P-vjssdeeAQAVcrXewRA2YIMwtvbx7rrB93sjKXsirl1EyBy_PHaSCdNEuaIUndpj/s1600/DSC_0739.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg64E0eiWrP1uRs2hqFMJbFszfRU2ZCsfB2VTt-aG0E19uytBOXt2kqo7f4bJlXdHjZvglAFMWBBS6P-vjssdeeAQAVcrXewRA2YIMwtvbx7rrB93sjKXsirl1EyBy_PHaSCdNEuaIUndpj/s400/DSC_0739.JPG" width="265" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The Camel -- the national animal of the UAE</i></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVVKYHHK-RUAcuTAAHyrbBQyTZJmJHFL-T8UYlo8sEEiHi2ywiSpQO8UdlbI1HY0vXgC4CUtio54vEYHs7aIiLTFEQ_D79kYy_vFZSJhZBO89fnQckr2pxDK6Am9qjKKmvZ3H4IhAGPZn7/s1600/DSC_0741.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVVKYHHK-RUAcuTAAHyrbBQyTZJmJHFL-T8UYlo8sEEiHi2ywiSpQO8UdlbI1HY0vXgC4CUtio54vEYHs7aIiLTFEQ_D79kYy_vFZSJhZBO89fnQckr2pxDK6Am9qjKKmvZ3H4IhAGPZn7/s400/DSC_0741.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Some people need help to tell the camel's mouth from its rear.</i></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mnVU8wWmrBEr7FTsJjJEQqI9MPntyDHQT4xaM-LCl7YhIJ-_bCc2GbKJiDdAU27nFvZpT2ip6kCH-XQK_v4IS7Jj3mfue3MFwJn2IS3Wmy8ffR9i9ejsxzH63L7fplUEbsN3NI1fYCUi/s1600/DSC_0744.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mnVU8wWmrBEr7FTsJjJEQqI9MPntyDHQT4xaM-LCl7YhIJ-_bCc2GbKJiDdAU27nFvZpT2ip6kCH-XQK_v4IS7Jj3mfue3MFwJn2IS3Wmy8ffR9i9ejsxzH63L7fplUEbsN3NI1fYCUi/s400/DSC_0744.JPG" width="265" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The museum even had 'splosions! of life!! in Arabic!!!</i></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXiPrJj3Y4HOz7NShgIZOKklFwZXM4X7xOy2daMAO5GLLMhdculMuabv1grJexWl9TJszrDruE1Knm8AIjc69L3rPqeRT3yy2mj2L2wBp2D01C7uQ9w5YrLqYw1TzrDU7Di-JgwKROmwNQ/s1600/DSC_0749.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXiPrJj3Y4HOz7NShgIZOKklFwZXM4X7xOy2daMAO5GLLMhdculMuabv1grJexWl9TJszrDruE1Knm8AIjc69L3rPqeRT3yy2mj2L2wBp2D01C7uQ9w5YrLqYw1TzrDU7Di-JgwKROmwNQ/s400/DSC_0749.JPG" width="265" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The dinosaurs were pretty neat. Every natural history museum should have at least one dinosaur.</i></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj448dsx9AXyDLIimO2Uw0LLBspl19p4X_UqIbFKHBZ-PUyH_RMGBOpwz4o_3RG82ztQwITs_7myuNxWBab3FuIa3DkrPL2xHA4AGit0DNyLkihUf51o4iIWRW3v5GOoYkCITpte01y4yHL/s1600/DSC_0752.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj448dsx9AXyDLIimO2Uw0LLBspl19p4X_UqIbFKHBZ-PUyH_RMGBOpwz4o_3RG82ztQwITs_7myuNxWBab3FuIa3DkrPL2xHA4AGit0DNyLkihUf51o4iIWRW3v5GOoYkCITpte01y4yHL/s400/DSC_0752.JPG" width="265" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The Botanical Garden side of the museum had several interactive exhibits. You could braid rope, play with a xylophone, smell different plants, and even find out the energy value of different compounds. Here, Tophi is seen enthusiastically playing the xylophone. In case you missed the connection, too, the xylophone is made of wood. Trees are a type of plant, obviously...</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After wandering through the Natural History Museum and skipping over the Children Farm (whawhawhattt?), we went to the Arabia Wildlife Center. Live animals are always pretty cool, but the Wildlife Center was not cool with photography. You can pretend to have seen countless exhibits on snakes, rodents, birds, and mammals. And if you thought the taxidermy sand cat was cute, then you really missed out on two live sand cats running around the Center.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What a great day to celebrate the natural environment that is so often tarnished by Emirati progress! I'll close with the Desert Park's recycling initiative.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6CEyuRQN9Y0/TTG1aWAK88I/AAAAAAAABNU/tf3Yu-V8dRQ/s1600/P1100186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6CEyuRQN9Y0/TTG1aWAK88I/AAAAAAAABNU/tf3Yu-V8dRQ/s400/P1100186.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The Sharjah Desert Park is leading the way for alternative sorting.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>hamptonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10061224879884056156noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282289752735885453.post-23386026682244137332011-01-15T18:57:00.004+04:002011-09-11T20:55:29.396+04:00tour dubai: part 2 - the mall of the emirates<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i>There are a few sites that I always take my visitors to see. This post is the second in a <a href="http://webbiewaves.blogspot.com/search/label/tour%20series">series</a> that covers those locations. And while my Nikon D5000 provides stunning images of the environs, you really have to see all of the glitz and sand to fully appreciate where we are. So come visit! (Or at least read the blog.)</i></span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i></i></span>Stop. Before you start making remarks that my tour destinations consists solely of malls, let's stop to consider what other tourist destinations Dubai has to offer? ... Can't think of any? Right. This emirate is based on a commitment to become a shopping mecca.<br /><br />Eh... word choice. I'll glaze over that by introducing you to the Mall of the Emirates.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHqPFktAXN75HWgbdKt9AtbkuVMDyRLsU7xoUMGk648SkvO_KRPzfLf-PR_j32yGPzxYmEQVomfRqNwP8-ASyoyFjS2Ev8lTk7VnpYhfD-yCDtelRWqj0jPGsQnZGx__RLGZpsg_NDAU/s1600/emirates_mall.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHqPFktAXN75HWgbdKt9AtbkuVMDyRLsU7xoUMGk648SkvO_KRPzfLf-PR_j32yGPzxYmEQVomfRqNwP8-ASyoyFjS2Ev8lTk7VnpYhfD-yCDtelRWqj0jPGsQnZGx__RLGZpsg_NDAU/s400/emirates_mall.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The Mall of the Emirates</i></div><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">While the Dubai Mall may tempt deep-pocketed travelers with superlatives like "world's largest mall," "world's largest acrylic viewing panel for an aquarium," "world's tallest fountain," "world's tallest building," and "world's largest candy shop," the slightly smaller, slightly older Mall of the Emirates doesn't bring shame to the royal family. The Mall of the Emirates boasts the Middle East's first indoor ski slope, <i>Ski Dubai, </i>and in typical fashion, the slope is the largest indoor ski slope in the world. (Take that, Dubai Mall!)</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgADFe8kDXpo4A4W20OKOi2xhzfYFhx9dUrvDFGToPnfLt10djDC_teIcXIMJjSlcqtPv-guT-_4dUccoUfbr8NBL-XHdIEotFHy30uKvZyB97uHoAenGnS38_De-5W4L09cvEK6v6XW7I/s1600/skidubai.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgADFe8kDXpo4A4W20OKOi2xhzfYFhx9dUrvDFGToPnfLt10djDC_teIcXIMJjSlcqtPv-guT-_4dUccoUfbr8NBL-XHdIEotFHy30uKvZyB97uHoAenGnS38_De-5W4L09cvEK6v6XW7I/s400/skidubai.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Get excited!</i></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Now, I didn't give much credit to <i>Ski Dubai</i> the first two trips out here. Sure, I've peered into the climate controlled frosty wonderland's windows from inside the mall on many occasions, but I haven't considered actually skiing. Be it the fact that <i>everyone </i>asks if I have ridden the slopes in Dubai or be it the fact that I had an accomplice, I can now claim that I have skied Dubai.</span><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_QlgzkbjVc5vAqaRErLIjioY4TIKLRD4nXOczpf-hZJNza1uPBUznAtwqviDKKkh5HNoBcdZsy8iwwEjRKvHeb5bnJMP_rqsE8_nIjC5TZNuBFf3ShE-p-gdd9zJv9LcNhZObYU1vOS3V/s1600/DSC_0712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_QlgzkbjVc5vAqaRErLIjioY4TIKLRD4nXOczpf-hZJNza1uPBUznAtwqviDKKkh5HNoBcdZsy8iwwEjRKvHeb5bnJMP_rqsE8_nIjC5TZNuBFf3ShE-p-gdd9zJv9LcNhZObYU1vOS3V/s400/DSC_0712.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i>For $41 your kids can romp around the Snow Park, featuring attractions like the one shown here. Based on this ride and the <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNnSgj2o4Rs9N1Gt3i3oYOgjn1385e2z588Dk3yVGc2NQLcH6zvwdU7wB3cVeckFYF-b6B3modZi7M6GzCAffp-CqdxWvX7W6pyNG4NVKWS2ZEh9XYihMSrL6ei-sIgv9AJrwPSqg4-Hd/s1600/DSC_0627.JPG">bubble experience</a> at the Dubai Mall, I'm beginning to doubt how these kids are raised.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6CEyuRQN9Y0/TTG1LWB50dI/AAAAAAAABMw/mrEXCmKfCwQ/s1600/P1090145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6CEyuRQN9Y0/TTG1LWB50dI/AAAAAAAABMw/mrEXCmKfCwQ/s400/P1090145.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The chair lift to the top of the 80-meter slope moves slowly, allowing Tophi to capture these pictures.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7xlLLQ81LqAmYWRfJI8EV8kprXEfDWHgiOsxeSsf20gOKfjHcUwFWreKrknyRzY-J3wEF2hHIA-j3fFRyqqrd1xHe1ZRJGnm4WXPZIr5IvhKR5yeR7Y7E0rbGBfb6DXYwCHOxgpRlxZo2/s1600/P1090149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7xlLLQ81LqAmYWRfJI8EV8kprXEfDWHgiOsxeSsf20gOKfjHcUwFWreKrknyRzY-J3wEF2hHIA-j3fFRyqqrd1xHe1ZRJGnm4WXPZIr5IvhKR5yeR7Y7E0rbGBfb6DXYwCHOxgpRlxZo2/s400/P1090149.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Ski Dubai and the Mall of the Emirates require the energy of 3500 barrels of oil each day for air conditioning and electricity. That averages to 1 barrel of oil for each daily visitor.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgePGV7Gqg6wtj-_DJPSYBboObRJ9OVCwBDHhoUUkxcTOwBmdIEFNQCdwuHo6BCEK8L9_SOblAIjXqfT6GU_i_hCTzd-GWuKStMdGn22PN9HgDvy5CEinmMg9D148ckT0nqjY2PgEkaQnkM/s1600/P1090156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgePGV7Gqg6wtj-_DJPSYBboObRJ9OVCwBDHhoUUkxcTOwBmdIEFNQCdwuHo6BCEK8L9_SOblAIjXqfT6GU_i_hCTzd-GWuKStMdGn22PN9HgDvy5CEinmMg9D148ckT0nqjY2PgEkaQnkM/s400/P1090156.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>So I'm not exactly graceful on skis.</i></div><br />Our two hours on the slope went by like two hours. It was entertaining, and I was able to practice my skiing. But. more. than. two. hours. would have been too. much. We hopped back in the car and glided towards the Burj Al Arab, the glitzy seven star hotel that didn't make the 7 Modern Architectural Wonders List.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX0BJO_qLv6inlPK4XOzk7u4ODRj-mbJVmWQyp7sSSD5RJYHgrWj_7E2Fwbap8JqniR7WlTRvH_kno6qhXRosWy9Ey79inCcNFGFg6EOML6iTJ8SSnH5fhJKoYBlSQJjaNDHXwFaCuHMV4/s1600/DSC_0729.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX0BJO_qLv6inlPK4XOzk7u4ODRj-mbJVmWQyp7sSSD5RJYHgrWj_7E2Fwbap8JqniR7WlTRvH_kno6qhXRosWy9Ey79inCcNFGFg6EOML6iTJ8SSnH5fhJKoYBlSQJjaNDHXwFaCuHMV4/s400/DSC_0729.JPG" width="265" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>That's not the Burj Al Arab -- that's the hotel Atlantis!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">One wrong turn later, I narrowly escaped the long road to Abu Dhabi by taking the slightly shorter road to the Palm Jumeirah. I conceded to defeat, stopped for some pictures, and headed back to Sharjah. The Burj Al Arab wasn't brightly lit that night anyway.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrkDzfiC30LwF7rv2drSRqnx6t3r-l8ovhTV4s8lOK414eDlJWmiYslqc2FxOzcBLScJPAfXKA0bZqOXCgwSPHvujhG5u4bZDER5wsy__y8T07YcjIErFZRrcgXUtU1hVL0A_fC-pxGfY/s1600/palm-jumeirah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrkDzfiC30LwF7rv2drSRqnx6t3r-l8ovhTV4s8lOK414eDlJWmiYslqc2FxOzcBLScJPAfXKA0bZqOXCgwSPHvujhG5u4bZDER5wsy__y8T07YcjIErFZRrcgXUtU1hVL0A_fC-pxGfY/s400/palm-jumeirah.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The Atlantis hotel is the top of this photo on the "crescent." How apropos for the Atlantis to be on the first bit of land that will likely descend into the Arabian Gulf. It's beautiful in the mean time.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>hamptonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10061224879884056156noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282289752735885453.post-65112948197480305232011-01-13T23:12:00.003+04:002011-09-11T20:55:29.435+04:00haida: now served with working enginesIt's been a while since <i>Haida </i>has stretched her sea legs -- 10+ years. While sea trials may still be in the (very) distant future, the engineers gave a preview this week of what's waiting to roar to life.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjElcQX3bAnfL3VHSbnHLMOC5RDhs1_G5JX5WkHlQpPsWrKHhsBuuT3ryvgD38LIqR-rsGc841LVZwn3zRK_f3quQ-82G8KkZqtn0gTlxnAVGMlsV1QbDNpHQ8UkXOxi8JS2CUCAt727x7x/s1600/DSC_0695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjElcQX3bAnfL3VHSbnHLMOC5RDhs1_G5JX5WkHlQpPsWrKHhsBuuT3ryvgD38LIqR-rsGc841LVZwn3zRK_f3quQ-82G8KkZqtn0gTlxnAVGMlsV1QbDNpHQ8UkXOxi8JS2CUCAt727x7x/s400/DSC_0695.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>M.Y. Haida has been moored in Port Khalid, Sharjah during an extensive overhaul and refit for the last several years.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Haida is powered by two Enterprise medium-speed diesel engines that produce about 1000 hp each. She's been reported to reach almost 19 knots, but sea trial data from 1947 report a speed of 16.7 knots at max engine RPM. Over the last year, the refit support team has been working to locate replacement head gaskets for the Enterprise engines. As you can imagine, it's not easy getting parts for an engine built in the early 1940s. After searching around the United States, the engineering team in Sharjah decided to fabricate the head gaskets. With a little (read: quite a bit) of love and care, the engineers put the Enterprise engines back online.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw7aO996pKUJTQRsp0P_6zoL2d7xWrqaME8W3P70xr9-DWLQaA-r-FIEILCtgNF7rqnXxW46ISePIMOXv_T9XSW7YBcwp5ePE-wopjJljHFvRy1_O4WY75Qcj6CsEc6xAyE9XVZ9CivY8j/s1600/DSC_0683.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw7aO996pKUJTQRsp0P_6zoL2d7xWrqaME8W3P70xr9-DWLQaA-r-FIEILCtgNF7rqnXxW46ISePIMOXv_T9XSW7YBcwp5ePE-wopjJljHFvRy1_O4WY75Qcj6CsEc6xAyE9XVZ9CivY8j/s400/DSC_0683.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The three-bladed, 65" propellers await the command of the reinstated air control system.</i></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHW1qkxHmDhnZuhvkPg_LAZ6a17pvDfxFb9e822tYXC4sk4Phk1S1GW-yY2ta_dPVh27DB7Y3Wm-sO2uduTpJEopDKalJ-SaDYNq8lxy0EVyIEQEV8qBM5KWzrb3CyKXNa_EHgk5mQ_yCt/s1600/DSC_0699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHW1qkxHmDhnZuhvkPg_LAZ6a17pvDfxFb9e822tYXC4sk4Phk1S1GW-yY2ta_dPVh27DB7Y3Wm-sO2uduTpJEopDKalJ-SaDYNq8lxy0EVyIEQEV8qBM5KWzrb3CyKXNa_EHgk5mQ_yCt/s400/DSC_0699.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Port astern, starboard ahead.</i></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEFgRMN5xPkENlunboAzb2SWK2fJzeNAzFnz_lUD1XkFO7NF37YYko5mvyHm0I4tlzSRqMFYqHWSfpns-2x_oA_90YmCF0dMg7VAhEAFLN3Tzq5GtuDdyqEaexKlAuTJu7rNHYuU5hs3pR/s1600/DSC_0704.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEFgRMN5xPkENlunboAzb2SWK2fJzeNAzFnz_lUD1XkFO7NF37YYko5mvyHm0I4tlzSRqMFYqHWSfpns-2x_oA_90YmCF0dMg7VAhEAFLN3Tzq5GtuDdyqEaexKlAuTJu7rNHYuU5hs3pR/s400/DSC_0704.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>This picture was taken while the port engine was going astern. In these early quayside tests, the engines are only going 150-200 RPM. </i></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU8PJYWKr23As5OJYwI4ZyC4KmP3Ijs3SZbBVEGwi-OIEW7iE02rlskajxuE99hflnSLqMXVANltVRb8V1XrX4cJpj-9QfzLVH6yIR1y-g-tYgJHt7MilVqRN8J7smiX4Qlwi3xN7N4mEc/s1600/DSC_0685.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU8PJYWKr23As5OJYwI4ZyC4KmP3Ijs3SZbBVEGwi-OIEW7iE02rlskajxuE99hflnSLqMXVANltVRb8V1XrX4cJpj-9QfzLVH6yIR1y-g-tYgJHt7MilVqRN8J7smiX4Qlwi3xN7N4mEc/s400/DSC_0685.JPG" width="265" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>This is the engine control station that has been temporarily installed as a bridge wing station. Control air signals from this stand travel down to the engine room.</i></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV-KGdh6IpcHlYNIMCH_UPbxhGoI2tEQas7WC_p2LEfWf4CNNW45JNmpDYhFwciiEh32oir76GcBCqPMSbnO-j7_w1QTdQzHzGi8fIWhm1_8d_amCkT0a106ZmbkHdta8IOV1oPmkKAtWQ/s1600/DSC_0686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV-KGdh6IpcHlYNIMCH_UPbxhGoI2tEQas7WC_p2LEfWf4CNNW45JNmpDYhFwciiEh32oir76GcBCqPMSbnO-j7_w1QTdQzHzGi8fIWhm1_8d_amCkT0a106ZmbkHdta8IOV1oPmkKAtWQ/s400/DSC_0686.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The Enterprise engines have been modified to accept the control air signal. This eliminates the need for a telegraph; however, the engines can still be controlled from the engine room.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">More quayside tests will be necessary before the engines will be ready to go to sea. In the mean time, work continues on restoring the interior and updating the vessel's systems. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitd4uo56S4etXhYUZFn8-pSwc_GfOavNzSUEiSmYspx06FTo2sV7znxUXbX-GtLQgb6Gv4Q9vYn6oJvY_30IVOZ2zqil0n0_NulMtXkMTHntWj0t1z8J3iqK_nBsuxNlMVGT-QR2C49fqw/s1600/DSC_0708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitd4uo56S4etXhYUZFn8-pSwc_GfOavNzSUEiSmYspx06FTo2sV7znxUXbX-GtLQgb6Gv4Q9vYn6oJvY_30IVOZ2zqil0n0_NulMtXkMTHntWj0t1z8J3iqK_nBsuxNlMVGT-QR2C49fqw/s400/DSC_0708.JPG" width="265" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>If you squint, you can make out the puffs of smoke coming from the funnel. Haida will celebrate her 64th birthday this year.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div>hamptonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10061224879884056156noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282289752735885453.post-14703236050933196282011-01-10T19:34:00.006+04:002011-09-11T20:55:29.386+04:00tour dubai: part 1 - the dubai mall<div style="text-align: justify;"><i>There are a few sites that I always take my visitors to see. This post is the first in a series that covers those locations. And while my Nikon D5000 provides stunning images of the environs, you really have to see all of the glitz and sand to fully appreciate where we are. So come visit! (Or at least read the blog.)</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Last Friday, Tophi and I worked until lunch time and finished the day around 3:00 pm. Scott suggested that we use the rest of the afternoon to go see The Dubai Mall and have dinner. I have been to Dubai's crown jewel at least five or six times. I have walked every square meter of its spacious 4 floors, watched numerous fountain shows, gazed up at the Burj Khalifa, and enjoyed fresh fro-yo at Red Mango; however, there is always something new to see.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you haven't hit the highlights of the "World's Greatest Tour," go back and see those <a href="http://webbiewaves.blogspot.com/2010/02/february-1-2010-worlds-greatest-post.html">here</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For now, we'll see the Dubai Mall from Tophi's eyes. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6CEyuRQN9Y0/TSsfrv7NVJI/AAAAAAAABJc/MFMVgLN_btM/s1600/DSC_0567.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6CEyuRQN9Y0/TSsfrv7NVJI/AAAAAAAABJc/MFMVgLN_btM/s400/DSC_0567.JPG" width="265" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>We took the Metro from Deira City Centre to the Dubai Mall stop. As you exit the aboveground Metro station, you can't help but notice this really tall building...</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4VfBLrwSE73bqgNDWBChBc-40SV_si3uM4r3HBzg0PxKNenaHULDqlN4T9Ir7ew6GePOG0Qhtk_Fo03PZ_M7hrEqN9Ai-I3n9kFMrdr-spMVy8EYqu3ZS5bwtjLcs89zmH6IzdEWq3Ad9/s1600/DSC_0659.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4VfBLrwSE73bqgNDWBChBc-40SV_si3uM4r3HBzg0PxKNenaHULDqlN4T9Ir7ew6GePOG0Qhtk_Fo03PZ_M7hrEqN9Ai-I3n9kFMrdr-spMVy8EYqu3ZS5bwtjLcs89zmH6IzdEWq3Ad9/s400/DSC_0659.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>With a name like "The Dubai Mall," it must be the world's greatest.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxrxGkvEJeICNox4OKvFjUQ1M71ZVfTFCv4VVpd6eo7pBR0u7y3GC7ou6rJNY2Uaklh9uYrq5qe_UsVkRzEbEu-4e0tCnpFED3hGbSC9FL-e_UEONIYQ84hWq2iS79IeCR9ANEUZp7robR/s1600/DSC_0582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxrxGkvEJeICNox4OKvFjUQ1M71ZVfTFCv4VVpd6eo7pBR0u7y3GC7ou6rJNY2Uaklh9uYrq5qe_UsVkRzEbEu-4e0tCnpFED3hGbSC9FL-e_UEONIYQ84hWq2iS79IeCR9ANEUZp7robR/s400/DSC_0582.JPG" width="265" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The Guinness Book of World Records awarded this plaque to the Dubai Mall Aquarium for having the largest acrylic viewing pane, but you already knew that from reading the plaque, right?</i></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6CEyuRQN9Y0/TSsZ5RT4HTI/AAAAAAAABIM/SMyoANupF3E/s1600/DSC_0587.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6CEyuRQN9Y0/TSsZ5RT4HTI/AAAAAAAABIM/SMyoANupF3E/s400/DSC_0587.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>This is Fashion Avenue's catwalk. It lights up with nifty colors and patterns that would induce a seizure for any model, but it entertains the locals!</i></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk2ZSFnpQpw_qQLYywn3D5fpOL2xR1Y3gsVq8sXIqD-WNmb4nkJYUWJcYKCzZkkY9YXG5F_x2HanMv9HQTqu6o82zqvwQOuJIpT46WyD55SerxUp3jZ9W11pcz20_hbFb3Bap1GuGos-7k/s1600/DSC_0599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk2ZSFnpQpw_qQLYywn3D5fpOL2xR1Y3gsVq8sXIqD-WNmb4nkJYUWJcYKCzZkkY9YXG5F_x2HanMv9HQTqu6o82zqvwQOuJIpT46WyD55SerxUp3jZ9W11pcz20_hbFb3Bap1GuGos-7k/s400/DSC_0599.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The Dubai Mall is training kids for the a better world. </i></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNnSgj2o4Rs9N1Gt3i3oYOgjn1385e2z588Dk3yVGc2NQLcH6zvwdU7wB3cVeckFYF-b6B3modZi7M6GzCAffp-CqdxWvX7W6pyNG4NVKWS2ZEh9XYihMSrL6ei-sIgv9AJrwPSqg4-Hd/s1600/DSC_0627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNnSgj2o4Rs9N1Gt3i3oYOgjn1385e2z588Dk3yVGc2NQLcH6zvwdU7wB3cVeckFYF-b6B3modZi7M6GzCAffp-CqdxWvX7W6pyNG4NVKWS2ZEh9XYihMSrL6ei-sIgv9AJrwPSqg4-Hd/s400/DSC_0627.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Here's an example of training kids for a better world. Let's fill a giant bubble with air, and tell the kid to roll around the lagoon. At least we know the kid won't keep his bubble beyond the rental period...</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU82eQJMabnU_ATDCB1gzSC9FsQYypkurBkNbMLCWRS8SSgD-tainybJPhsshFPPTB7T-ybMfef4tr4LL7LwDF60vgHGO6nyoFth_wPE7BQuPj644Lh2D9ly0aaTk-D9xIoAfbpyG8EZ9C/s1600/DSC_0646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU82eQJMabnU_ATDCB1gzSC9FsQYypkurBkNbMLCWRS8SSgD-tainybJPhsshFPPTB7T-ybMfef4tr4LL7LwDF60vgHGO6nyoFth_wPE7BQuPj644Lh2D9ly0aaTk-D9xIoAfbpyG8EZ9C/s400/DSC_0646.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>After exploring the mall for ages, we took to the streets. Here Tophi is inspecting an interesting ramp/stair thing. Those crafty Emirati!</i></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAUfjjKAUcPd-JSuDRYhGcMh9rN5PBsDybUaeiv9c9SRak5NORXlDOkkdDrsdVyDNcZjrCJww8Gx10yCxjV0DlJvWtEunQtu8nTN3PJ0xHjUyWDfNavyqIrB-3NqlK-Sov1k9ELoQ61epQ/s1600/DSC_0655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAUfjjKAUcPd-JSuDRYhGcMh9rN5PBsDybUaeiv9c9SRak5NORXlDOkkdDrsdVyDNcZjrCJww8Gx10yCxjV0DlJvWtEunQtu8nTN3PJ0xHjUyWDfNavyqIrB-3NqlK-Sov1k9ELoQ61epQ/s400/DSC_0655.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Abu Dhabi is host to a terrific collection of Islamic, classical, and modern art. The rejects are sent to Dubai.</i></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFPINdGHD1fF36n0eYB-JzluFpFxgeN7yZpL1zS3kq_HwtBcWxPWGQgAWu4OgAUWlfVIG9AfV3tPRuMD_Ykjg6HIa1nNt38TX6R0cL4V6C-4xqN3hF3UQG1MQJUslPKUUQfAsQ4JPhanQM/s1600/DSC_0669.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFPINdGHD1fF36n0eYB-JzluFpFxgeN7yZpL1zS3kq_HwtBcWxPWGQgAWu4OgAUWlfVIG9AfV3tPRuMD_Ykjg6HIa1nNt38TX6R0cL4V6C-4xqN3hF3UQG1MQJUslPKUUQfAsQ4JPhanQM/s400/DSC_0669.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>The Dubai Fountain by night. The Fountain is patterned after the Bellagio's, but this fountain can shoot almost 20% the height of the Burj Khalifa, some 500 ft.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimLPxDIuTY31zeDOwOzdZafWEe79SrVozM7VKATIbrUCd4RbFlpPwu5kbuiuevJANFTKnYvPiX-FeuxYe87MlHoqVvIqJ61QsVthShjXsqf7xkg_ztQUbeHF2hw0yIjR8dox59JMcFhtKk/s1600/DSC_0662.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimLPxDIuTY31zeDOwOzdZafWEe79SrVozM7VKATIbrUCd4RbFlpPwu5kbuiuevJANFTKnYvPiX-FeuxYe87MlHoqVvIqJ61QsVthShjXsqf7xkg_ztQUbeHF2hw0yIjR8dox59JMcFhtKk/s400/DSC_0662.JPG" width="265" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The Burj Khalifa by dusk. The building's towers all have strobe lights that twinkle like diamonds in the night sky.</i></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS8pc0fZGJKUh9n_pnNDTORHfHSrzuMtD_ODCmgF5OenoHNb9PJ-PXfyCFkCDn5EcNNlDN_9YZ7PO12M2KcfNB3SOsCUV8qyV823XVEi45vQQkLm0HDpHevmU8Eu7Z7B7_px0_UztcVvVj/s1600/DSC_0673.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS8pc0fZGJKUh9n_pnNDTORHfHSrzuMtD_ODCmgF5OenoHNb9PJ-PXfyCFkCDn5EcNNlDN_9YZ7PO12M2KcfNB3SOsCUV8qyV823XVEi45vQQkLm0HDpHevmU8Eu7Z7B7_px0_UztcVvVj/s400/DSC_0673.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The Ice Rink at Dubai Mall -- note the figure skating on the left with the white fedora. Yeah, he had some moves.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH3WMhwqxLJT03r3msTbMs0xoFeAA4m94OK5_UpHrnHHHlfOpb_JHDO5k1xIXMuQqRC2cX60Y2Dzw7jquo1JYhYUSdtDfL8k4VSJJ6qnuVpjzNVR0eHl7V2SzXi2puYS-P4Gd5SbbnA8oT/s1600/DSC_0675.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH3WMhwqxLJT03r3msTbMs0xoFeAA4m94OK5_UpHrnHHHlfOpb_JHDO5k1xIXMuQqRC2cX60Y2Dzw7jquo1JYhYUSdtDfL8k4VSJJ6qnuVpjzNVR0eHl7V2SzXi2puYS-P4Gd5SbbnA8oT/s400/DSC_0675.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>After we went back inside, we noticed this escalator had glass sides. Our tour ended with staring at the escalator for several geeky minutes. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">So that was our trip, we finished up with a light snack at Red Mango. We tried for four hours to walk around the mall to build up an appetite, but Scott's club sandwich from lunch was enough food for several days. As a result, we weren't hungry, but there's always room for fro-yo and fresh fruit.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On our next adventure, we'll journey to the Sharjah Natural History museum -- a trip that I've been trying to make each time I've lived out here. Never fear! <i>Ski Dubai</i> is also in our future. For more pictures from our trip to the Dubai Mall and my other travels in the Middle East, check out my <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/hkdixon11">Picasa web album</a>.</div><br />Oh, there's some really good symmetry with Tophi being here for my last winter work. It's not quite <i><a href="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-915388862589347155#">Adventures in Salisbury</a></i>, but leave a comment if you have travel suggestions for us.<br /><br />**<i>AinS</i> Bonus for Facebook users: click <a href="http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=21559870555">here</a>.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>hamptonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10061224879884056156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282289752735885453.post-50673291124165914782011-01-08T18:17:00.004+04:002011-09-11T20:55:29.424+04:00a lesson on public relationsWhile we're taking some time to get the internet stabilized at the hotel, I'd like to bring an epic fail in public relations to your attention. So, for a post, please excuse my departure from all things Dubai, Sharjah, and Haida, because we're going to talk about an entity that really needs a good PR consultant right about now. (Well, at least we're not diverting too far...)<br /><br />First, check out this article at CNET. <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-20026918-71.html?tag=mncol;title">"Apple support company sues customer for complaining"</a><br /><br />Ahhh, right. Good read? Eh, even if you didn't read it, the article's title gives you the idea. (Imagine that -- descriptive titles. Really, who runs these journalism schools these days?)<br /><br />So, this Greek man is being sued by an Apple authorized service provider (ASP). ASPs help fill in the gaps in Apple's coverage network so that customers remote from official Apple repair facilities can still get their Macs fixed. The man claims that the ASP cleaned the inside of his iMac, replaced the screen, and returned it to him; however, when he started it up, the screen was in worse shape. He informed the ASP, but they weren't interested in making another repair for free. After following the legal process, he took his story to the forums.<br /><br />And now he's being sued for referring to the ASP's work as "dodgy." Regardless of the quality of work this ASP performs, their intention to recoup damage expenses will result in self inflicted wounds far deeper. What was not a story is now playing in the national blog syndicates, and I imagine it will play in the mainstream media within the next week.<br /><br />So, good job, Systemgraph, you've earned an international reputation. Let's see what the reputation brings you.hamptonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10061224879884056156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282289752735885453.post-21867430117764322792011-01-05T22:37:00.004+04:002011-09-11T20:55:29.392+04:00christmas in dubaiI always look forward to seeing how other countries and cultures celebrate holidays. At the outset, you may not expect an Islamic state to observe Christmas, but we must remember that mainstream Christmas has been come less about any particular religious event and more about commercial prosperity.<br /><br />And nothing says <i>commercial prosperity </i>better than Dubai! (I mean owing* 116% of your GDP is totally prosperous, right? Right.) Arriving at Dubai's Terminal 3 really shouted "Welcome to a New Year" with its golden palm trees and three-story fountains and waterfalls. The baggage claim was tastefully decked out with the familiar, traditional Christmas tree. As I waited for my bags, I snapped this picture.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRscDDPrCB8UMGBR1l8mUgl9w9IYVO1VM5QUI97ogLMONaAcccPM0praVypNFFAlvHxy2eNcfFh_ehVeRaCe8g9zr9LHmSxTtV0cHNnEGwxSPmRbb506DUzszl0WxwFXpoQvkZfDlso2c/s1600/IMG_0165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRscDDPrCB8UMGBR1l8mUgl9w9IYVO1VM5QUI97ogLMONaAcccPM0praVypNFFAlvHxy2eNcfFh_ehVeRaCe8g9zr9LHmSxTtV0cHNnEGwxSPmRbb506DUzszl0WxwFXpoQvkZfDlso2c/s320/IMG_0165.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I'm telling you now: Flat screen TVs are replacing ornaments next Christmas. Dubai is <u>always</u> on the cutting edge.</i> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Even the hotel in Sharjah was in the Christmas spirit. We've been <i>Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree </i>and wishing everyone a <i>Very Merry Christmas</i> with blaring soundtracks in all of the public spaces. And I simply cannot get over the delightful use of garland in the dining room. Someone should get these people to write a decorating blog. (Because someone sitting in the 31548 simply does not have enough of those in her bookmarks.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZIDDKS-xEWFd8_nczZIlvh_6J5HaPpnkYooH-N18Qzx93N2gBJ6fbopVj8pnIEfoEKvciNXir8j23gmBN4oXhyphenhyphen1rHZZmoauZLWUhEbVqd9tD4w4oKlk9SQAR9zINUkYIhHJY251P6eJk/s1600/DSC_0564r1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZIDDKS-xEWFd8_nczZIlvh_6J5HaPpnkYooH-N18Qzx93N2gBJ6fbopVj8pnIEfoEKvciNXir8j23gmBN4oXhyphenhyphen1rHZZmoauZLWUhEbVqd9tD4w4oKlk9SQAR9zINUkYIhHJY251P6eJk/s400/DSC_0564r1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Whose money is on them keeping this up year round?</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Yes, Christmas spirit abounds in the UAE -- even 12 days <i>after</i> Christmas. With decorations, music, and cheer like this, there's no way the Emirates won't prosper this year.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPfOnZ4gc2P3vDgPFPn8QGDXnnAFWK4JJhMftuugNV5agpTqtOu1kWgwBWOtJQ9tDGIdfZu6ra6tr_AL3bM36jSWtr57JYNlnqGdPpug5RMTHUCnSv_I3ejp93C0ocG_lomqUUdBBurow/s1600/khalifa_nye2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPfOnZ4gc2P3vDgPFPn8QGDXnnAFWK4JJhMftuugNV5agpTqtOu1kWgwBWOtJQ9tDGIdfZu6ra6tr_AL3bM36jSWtr57JYNlnqGdPpug5RMTHUCnSv_I3ejp93C0ocG_lomqUUdBBurow/s1600/khalifa_nye2011.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Burj Khalifa rings in the New Year with a stunning three-minute display of fireworks. Gridlocked attendees abandoned their cars in order to get closer to the spectacle. The fireworks were also accompanied by 287 EMS calls in less than 6 hours. Apparently, people that couldn't score parking spaces couldn't handle walking from farther away.</i><br /><i><br /></i><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">*Morgan Stanley estimate from 2009</span></div></div>hamptonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10061224879884056156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282289752735885453.post-4581469773785258872010-12-23T08:55:00.003+04:002011-09-11T20:55:29.418+04:00let's do this againWipe the dust off your luggage! It's time to do this Winter Work thing one last time.<br /><div><br /></div><div>So, while I'm packing my bags to head back to Dubai, I should probably bring you up to speed...</div><div><br /></div><div>Last January, I flew out to the UAE to intern on a yacht restoration project, henceforth "The <i>Haida</i> Project." <i>Haida </i>was launched in 1947 by Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, USA. There's a short background on the project <a href="http://webbiewaves.blogspot.com/2010/01/january-13-2010-haida.html">here</a>. Shortly after my arrival, the vessel was towed from her berth in Port Khalid, Sharjah to Al Jadaf Shipyard in Dubai. We waited almost two weeks before the shipyard had room to lift <i>Haida</i>. The lift itself was quite an undertaking. Ten years had elapsed since <i>Haida</i>'s last docking, and shipyard and dry dock officials were concerned about the vessel settling onto the keel blocks squarely. There's an account of <i>Haida's </i>dry docking <a href="http://webbiewaves.blogspot.com/2010/01/january-28-2009-haida-rises.html">here</a>.<br /><br />After getting <i>Haida</i> out of the water, the shipyard went to work replacing steel plates that were worn from 63 years of cruising the Northern Pacific, Atlantic, and Mediterranean. The shipyard also fitted new stabilizing fins and installed underwater lights. The entire process lasted more than three months, but when they finished with a fresh coat of paint, <i>Haida</i> looked ready to cruise again.<br /><br />That ready-to-cruise look was merely on the exterior. When I returned in July, the cabin spaces were in the process of a face lift, nay, a deep cleansing, er... stripping. At her launch, <i>Haida</i> was a cutting edge yacht, outfitted with the latest technologies, many fresh from developments made in World War II. The present owner wants to restore <i>Haida</i> to that glory by outfitting her with advanced systems. In order to do that, it was necessary to cut out most of the joinery work on the interiors. My summer work included sizing air conditioning units, taking freeboard measurements, and an assortment of CAD projects. The summer in Sharjah also meant avoiding the outrageous 120° weather.<br /><br />Since the summer, the consortium of engineers, designers, and consultants have been working on several important projects including the addition of two watertight bulkheads, a new retractable, azimuthing stern thruster, and revised crew accommodation arrangements.<br /><br />Phew. A semester's worth of dust sure does cake up. So this January, I'll head back to <i>Haida</i> to keep working on the restoration. I'll be joined by one of my classmates, and together we will tackle planning the piping systems. It's like marine engineering class all over again.<br /><br />Well, you better dust off your luggage, too. Let's do this again.</div>hamptonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10061224879884056156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282289752735885453.post-10234939701532331802010-07-09T02:02:00.004+04:002011-09-11T20:55:29.376+04:00deja vuI am almost positive that I've been here before...<br /><br />The flight from Atlanta to Dubai was regrettably turbulent-free, and we arrived practically on time. I flew Delta this time around, so I didn't run into any flight attendants named <a href="http://webbiewaves.blogspot.com/2010/01/january-12-2010-guido.html">Guido</a>. From my recollection of the Emirates flight, I think that there were more Americans flying on Delta. It was particularly great to find that there were no screaming children stomping about the economy cabin on my Delta flight. Overall, I suppose I would fly Delta to Dubai again; although, I do miss my free Emirates Airline socks.<br /><br />After an excruciatingly long queue for Passport Control, I raced to collect my bag, narrowly saving it from the "return bag to behind the carousel's wall" monster. I scanned the crowd that lined the exit towards ground transportation. Which driver had been sent to pick me up? None of the faces looked familiar until a waving arm caught my attention: Abhi! My return to Dubai was starting much like my first trip. Only the hot, moist air stood between juxtaposing the two arrivals.<br /><br />I was greeted by Bijou the waiter by name as I walked into the hotel. Huzzah! The new management kept almost all of the staff from when I was last here. At the end of February, there were strong rumors of the new management cleaning house at the beginning of March. It will be good to see all of them again. I checked in and was surprised to find that I would be staying in my old room, too.<br /><br />The staff and room number may not have changed, but the room furnishings had! New furniture including two chairs and a side table sat to the side of the door. The TV was upgraded to a better flat screen, and I counted more English-speaking channels.<br /><br />I opened the door to the bathroom. Yikes. The vent fan was left off, so a mass of stale air had accumulated. The temperature outside wasn't that bad; it was just odd for it to be so warm in the middle of the night.<br /><br />George and his family arrive Friday, while Captain Scott is on holiday until Sunday. My first item of business is to get a <a href="http://webbiewaves.blogspot.com/2010/02/february-4-2010-haircut.html">haircut</a>. We'll see if the deja vu continues...hamptonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10061224879884056156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282289752735885453.post-37158666868278429812010-07-08T00:00:00.029+04:002011-09-11T20:55:29.411+04:00stick to the scriptOver the last 48 hours, I have often reminded myself to stick to the script. You see, readers, since returning from Pawleys Island, South Carolina after the Fourth of July, the schedule on on the First Coast has been chock-o-block. While the circumstances that led to what some may call a <i>hectic</i> schedule are a touchy subject with at least one reader, it will suffice to say that time on the First Coast was more limited than I had anticipated.<br /><br />But let's talk about what's been going on!<br /><br />The parentals and I made the annual trek up to Pawleys Island, South Carolina on Friday, July 2. Pawleys, for the Google Maps challenged <i>(though, do see below)</i> is about 90 minutes north of Charleston, SC. The tiny barrier island is generally calm and peaceful until the summer months when residents escape and rent their beach homes to visitors. Pawleys is great for relaxing on the beach, resting on the porch swing, or floating down the "crick." <i>(Creek, y'all.)</i><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Pawley's+Island,+SC&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Pawleys+Island,+Georgetown,+South+Carolina&ll=33.433232,-79.121432&spn=0.012535,0.018239&t=h&z=15&iwloc=A&output=embed" width="425"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=Pawley's+Island,+SC&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Pawleys+Island,+Georgetown,+South+Carolina&ll=33.433232,-79.121432&spn=0.012535,0.018239&t=h&z=15&iwloc=A" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">View Larger Map</a></small></div><br />The Johnson Family is gracious to host us each year at their beach home, even though the place is packed with family. When we get there we become honorary members of the family, make ourselves at home, and dine on all of Mrs. Johnson's great food. The Fourth of July on Pawleys Island is a scene right out of the Music Man <i>(mostly)</i>. The patriotism on Pawleys Island that weekend may have been the greatest concentration in the State of South Carolina. <i>(After all, the island is only 0.7 square miles.)</i><br /><i></i><br />We had a great time there <i>(even if our trip up cut my time at home a bit shorter).</i> The Griswolds returned to the compound late on Monday evening.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7TMri-X1xCtATIK7ZtsyVwcCN7Ll4ENZKuJv7JUuxJVgnhd7yPiXaPKrAdcxgLZ_YrRitKp525rdqYlZDytljmhD9mPGgP4epRBAGuerlbfv05fw75WNuyca4FO-AEL_TLU3ZOUtWa8c/s1600/DSC_4709.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7TMri-X1xCtATIK7ZtsyVwcCN7Ll4ENZKuJv7JUuxJVgnhd7yPiXaPKrAdcxgLZ_YrRitKp525rdqYlZDytljmhD9mPGgP4epRBAGuerlbfv05fw75WNuyca4FO-AEL_TLU3ZOUtWa8c/s400/DSC_4709.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Okay. It isn't quite Harold Hill, but this parade had America written all over it.</i></div><br />The combination of getting back late on Monday coupled with leaving early on Friday meant that I had my work cut out for me if I wanted to see all of the people that were on the list. <i>(There wasn't really a list... well, there wasn't a written list.)</i> Starting Monday night I started making plans to cram as many people into the next 36 hours as I could. This is when sticking to the script became really important. My days were planned down to the quarter-hour, and tiny deviations could cause more disruptions than a heat wave in the Northeast. <i>(Shout out to those readers who lost power over the last few days. The Hippie would want me to remind you of the benefits of home-installed solar panels.)</i><br /><br /><i></i>Tuesday was a busy day. I woke up around 7:30 am to make a 9:10 am dental appointment in Jacksonville. I promised Cindy at <a href="http://www.huckinsyacht.com/">Huckins Yacht Corporation</a> that I would stop by and update her on my work with <i>Haida </i>and the Webb semester. My time with Cindy was limited by an 11:45 am appointment at the Apple Store to drop off my PowerBook to send to Apple Depot for extended refurbishment. I kept eying my watch (<i>iPhone)</i> at the periodontist's office. They were running late by almost 30 minutes. Every minute that tic-tocked by meant less time to talk to Cindy.<br /><br />When I finished with the appointment, I raced over to Huckins. It was great to see the yard and some of the remodeled offices. Huckins is a fantastic family company. They do great work, and they're designers and craftsmen you can trust. (/shameless plug) <br /><br />Unfortunately, I started to deviate from the script... I arrived 15 minutes late to my Apple appointment. On arrival, the concierge told me that I probably would need to make a new appointment, but I explained the situation and the obvious time constraints. Success. I dropped off the PowerBook and continued back on schedule to my next destination: lunch with Mary Kraack. <br /><br />There was a small side trip on the way to see Mary. Back in May while I was down in Houston for the Offshore Technology Conference, my iPhone 3G became an unwilling participant in an experiment with gravity. One cracked screen later, I mustered every ounce of self control and vowed to hold out on repairing or replacing the phone in anticipation of the iPhone 4's imminent release. Tuesday was the scheduled delivery date of my replacement iPhone, and I was checking the delivery status habitually. I stopped by the house to check on arrival and waited there for Mary to call back about lunch. <br /><br />Mary got back with me around 3:00 pm, and we agreed to scrub the lunch plans so that I was able to keep my dinner plans with Kyle DuBose. In the meantime, the iPhone arrived, and I spent the next hour getting it setup. <i>(Ok. The phone was up and running within minutes, but I had to take time to tinker with all the new features. -- If you're an iPhone 4 owner, let me know so that we can use FaceTime on our next call.)</i> <br /><br />Dinner with Kyle went according to the script. We met at Osaka, had a leisurely hibachi dinner, and caught up on the last year's worth of living. <i>(Yup, it really had been that long.)</i><br /><br />I made a house call to spend time with Nana before heading to the CCHS Theatre to catch up with MK. She's operating a spotlight for <i>Cinderella <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">(Ash Girl), and she seems to be enjoying it. After rehearsal, Mary, Paul, and I were delighted to be joined by <a href="http://jeremygdouylliez.blogspot.com/">Jeremy Douylliez</a>, a recent graduate of Camden County High School and, basically, the coolest people in the theatre department. We talked about his new adventure at Piedmont College and life after Camden. Dinner with the Kraacks and Jeremy was refreshing, and I hope to be able to get the group together again.</span></i><br /><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></i><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_gSqBCqEpXZacXtrQ_8Soq_6iUzlitRcZ8W5rHEiOs1SY6j03MBnsRyvgkJnALq9VZenfIVzkr-fu1csG1D8HHarAKK4mjJISStVcvfljytGx3XboThMvVEyVZmK_-z68XK_HkkGlBRo/s1600/IMG_0107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_gSqBCqEpXZacXtrQ_8Soq_6iUzlitRcZ8W5rHEiOs1SY6j03MBnsRyvgkJnALq9VZenfIVzkr-fu1csG1D8HHarAKK4mjJISStVcvfljytGx3XboThMvVEyVZmK_-z68XK_HkkGlBRo/s320/IMG_0107.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Paul took this picture of Mary and I with the iPhone 4.</i></div><br />By this time, the script had run out -- 11:30 pm. I was tired, but a text message earlier in the day had alerted me that my 9:00 am Wednesday appointment with Troy was canceled. After some quick decision making, I decided to forgo a little sleep and go meet up with Troy. Three hours later, I was really tired, but the deviation was worth it!<br /><br />Wednesday morning started slowly because of the late night. I did some laundry, and prepped the iPod for my ensuing 16 hours of flying. I managed to grab a quick lunch with Brad before heading down to the airport. Silly rules about checking in 90 minutes for international flights really shouldn't exit. (Yes, they probably should.) My time on the First Coast ended as I passed through security and on towards the gate.<br /><br />My time at home was frenetic, and I think that this quick trip home really represented the epitome of my personality. When I look back over the last several days, there were so many great moments. The script didn't allow for not-so-great moments, and that's why I stuck to it.<br /><br />Next stop: Dubai.hamptonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10061224879884056156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282289752735885453.post-36016819633268882212010-07-02T07:59:00.009+04:002011-09-11T20:55:29.408+04:00victory in newport<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I pulled out of Newport, Rhode Island on a crisp Thursday morning after spending the last two days working with David Pedrick, a Webb alumnus from the Class of 1970 on the </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Haida</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> project. One of my tasks this summer is to move the watertight bulkhead arrangement project along so that ABS can approve construction drawings, and </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Haida</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> can be one step closer to satisfying the most stringent, modern rules and regulations. David and I spent time in February surveying </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Haida</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> to determine the least obtrusive locations to install additional watertight bulkheads. </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">For the non-naval architects in the readership, watertight bulkheads allow a vessel to be compartmentalized under the main deck to increase the survivability of the vessel in the event of a breach of the hull. Yes, it's the same concept that </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">almost</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> worked for the </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">RMS Titanic</span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">. For compartmentalization to work, the entire compartment has to be watertight. In other words, water should not be able to spill over the top of one bulkhead into the next compartment.</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> This past week we laid the proposed bulkheads over a general arrangement of the vessel to see how the bulkheads would affect crew and guest movement and piping and ducting runs. I will use these preliminary drawings in Sharjah to assess whether the proposed locations are the most convenient for ease of construction.</span></span></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The buzz word this week has been "iterative," as in <i>design is an iterative process</i>. Iteration works well on paper and computer screens. In AutoCAD, mere key strokes and mouse movements can reposition the bulkhead in seconds. When one starts to iterate a design that has already been built, complications arise, particularly in ship design. On a ship, yacht, or even your neighbor's small fishing boat, each system interacts with all of the other systems. A minor change to one component will likely require a change on several other components in other systems. Again, iteration or design changes work well on paper. System changes in the real world can require removing existing systems to gain access to change the design. Do that over and over again for, say, ten years, and you can see why a solid design plan can make the difference between a quick refit and a long overhaul.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Newport offered many new experiences to me beyond working in David's office. On Lynn's recommendation, I had lobster quesadillas at the Red Parrot on South Thames Street. I toured the Newport Shipyard and saw a great collection of 12-m America's Cup boats. David was a principal member of the design team for several of the boats; he had a story for each boat we encountered. (<i>The weather was overcast on the day that we looked at the 12-m boats; I'll take pictures when I return to Newport in early August.</i>)</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:16px;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf5rj9fO-recsRWMXFIccRrgJ5V06QDFjUrfcJB7Tk_sIYQBPuRODCjRcKMsAlAWVRMoyg37buMwCwmctkVEdDvyCdl_07KTcK2PoBdd1wl4wc0UcSuebGy6LPOh4BIvNV7FsuDq4s8Zc/s400/red-parrot-newport-ri-540x489.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489730322170760130" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 362px; " /></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The Red Parrot</span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Of course, that same crisp Thursday morning that I was trying to make way for New York to fly home, the BMW Oracle racing team landed in Newport as part of the victory tour. Although the impressive catamaran wasn't in attendance, the fruit of BMW Oracle's hard fight was – the America's Cup trophy. The stately, silver cup stood atop a carbon fiber pedestal -- a true juxtaposition of the old world tradition and modern technology. After meeting a formidable “who’s who” from the sailing community, I loaded up the Jeep and raced back to Glen Cove to catch the train for my flight home.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; font-family:Georgia, serif;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQA6s_6tiyOGEj7ZnCC8Td7KtnhHOhqOHhcMUX8mCwgtJoqnhvdmvxxK1YFwjQhDP5i3bmy-RwYZ16fkS4Qu0MKI6IkYYc3frhQki5d4ly-aHErMBiLDiQa40olGsoqI38vIsHAQfexss/s400/thecup.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490407037233642706" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 358px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The America's Cup</span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I’ll be home for five days before flying over to Dubai. Those five days will be my summer vacation, so I won’t be updating the blog during that time. Rest assured, we’ll have plenty to discuss once I get back to the Middle East. Enjoy the Fourth of July weekend!</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>hamptonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10061224879884056156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282289752735885453.post-47757382102054579532010-06-28T19:28:00.004+04:002011-09-11T20:55:29.419+04:00thesis adventure<div style="text-align: left;">What started as a simple day trip to Mystic, CT for the 19th Annual WoodenBoat Show metamorphosed into an epic three day adventure over land and sea to ports of call including Greenport, Orient Point, and Shelter Island, NY and East Lyme, New London, and Mystic, CT (plus some small towns on back roads between Mystic and New London). In May, the thesis team of Dixon, Lachtman, and Mouravieff (henceforth, Lidia, Andy, and Hampton) made plans to attend the WoodenBoat Show as a means of conducting parametric research for our senior thesis project. Lidia, Andy, and I are designing a solar-electric, wooden launch for our thesis. Our thesis will take the design from blank <s>paper</s> screen to construction-ready drawings. In order to do that, we need to know <s>something</s> everything about wooden boats. Because we all <s>are</s> aren't great wooden shipbuilders, there's a very large stack of books to read.</div><p>Each year, WoodenBoat magazine in association with the Mystic Seaport produce the <a href="http://www.thewoodenboatshow.com/">WoodenBoat Show</a>. The show is an excellent opportunity to see hundreds of wooden boats built by professionals, museums, families, and individuals. We thought it would be a great way to see, feel, smell, and hear about wooden boat building. (Don't worry there's great food in the adventure so as not to leave out our fifth sense.)</p><p>The day before the boat show, invitations to Seth Cooley's and Schuyler Needham's houses in East Lyme, CT and on Shelter Island, NY prompted our day trip to grow.</p><p>Thursday evening we chilled at Seth's house on the water in Connecticut. Seth took us out for a quick round of wake skating and wake boarding under a great sunset. After it grew too dark, we sat around Seth's patio while his dad grilled steaks and steamed lobsters. Dinner was fantastic, and it marked the beginning of a great weekend of food. (I told you we used all five senses.) Some other Webbies joined us for dinner, and it turned into a Webb party complete with a girl visiting from Scotland. The talking and games went late into the night until the thesis crew realized that we had to be up and out early in the morning.</p><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-lfiSuA2TyKRCBEaKiwBf_y0UdXI5t1Pfuh-dz1fXBdKQbFp89oDDVlbMN-JMMKNhKHvKDMTfybvXpvqnaVsXvbV2nBBoGfduI1IOdNCEm5H1MwzhD8ynke1GHN3pnyeQGoY7xQ8i2M/s400/DSC_4458.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489052796677742002" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span><p style="text-align: center;"><i>King Neptune with a creature from the deep</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>More pictures from the entire trip can be viewed <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/hkdixon11/WoodenBoatShowAndThesisAdventure#">here</a>.</i></p><br /><p>Getting to Mystic from East Lyme is a snap. I-95 provides a quick, 15-minute link between the two towns. That is, it provides a quick link if there isn't a fuel tanker that spills diesel fuel all over I-95 two exits before Mystic. The tanker accident effectively shut down the interstate, prompting us to "choose our own adventure" on the back roads to Mystic. Can you imagine a time without a dash-mounted GPS? Technology has improved our lives in so many ways -- the only problem being that it has improved ALL of our lives, including the other 10,000 cars trying to go north on I-95. The traffic planners that mapped out the road(s) to Mystic didn't plan on that kind of traffic volume. We crept along to Mystic as the day approached noon. Finally, we ditched the Jeep just west of the Mystic drawbridge and decided to walk the last 1.5 miles to Mystic Seaport.</p><p>Our walking adventure commenced directly after the "where can I park so that the Jeep is still here this afternoon?" adventure. I'm glad we walked -- we found a great deli/ice cream shop at the drawbridge, the Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream Shop.</p><p>The boat show proved to be quite a success. We talked to some folks, took a ride on a repowered electric launch from 1903, and learned a few things about boat building. I even had the opportunity to listen to a launch operator who spoke in stream of consciousness. A real (GHP) Commie treat!</p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAazU2WV6co9mcAId72BJbhHklPBt0nNqaJrvqlOXoYDn0Hp7IvOOa-oKKW3RgGooP2YMhEupeUUkx6Dy6fGvSuZn_DO-0aBQFLZNvpWySkupXCgjWlQU50dPARPBj-NIKEfdjQnmIl2M/s400/DSC_4584.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489725119786125474" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The 19th Annual WoodenBoat Show at Mystic Seaport</i></div><br /><p>We packed up for the New London-Orient Point Ferry to head back to Long Island. Schuyler invited us to Shelter Island to see the custom boat shop and meet another wooden boat designer who used to work at Sparkman and Stephens. Shelter Island was a nifty place, and I can understand why so many people vacation there in the summer.</p><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5-y2ExeR2a0CKG6AH9El4oAgGTIE96N3TqRtJxa5fvhp7bjorIwEUgiFT8rnLMfttSEgZSbeIM_O8g_wOs5tBe02UtzbaUt8QumedXOZpMCKNyLNzDLuA0ZTsrFPzR3q-q-c_4P7gdWk/s400/DSC_4603.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489052806645972674" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Shelter Island's Coecles Harbor Marina under moonlight</i></p><p><br /></p><p>Our thesis adventure drew to a close the next morning as we shoved off for Webb. Lidia and Andy had to get back early for family and travel obligations. I, on the other hand, had time to burn as I waited for the next leg of my summer travels to begin.</p><p><br /></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4BEoIgr73CodfoExnqWCUhsVLq6DG_SfK_9SCrqg4JXO02g6211WBG2-POJLsWMXfNLzp06Lo7_0IAskrNNzgZ0u_rAvvqKlo_Z4aX_PD3-J1iFTyxfGyyWASbq9ncD-darg1rWPZD4k/s400/DSC_4447.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489052816699239058" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span><p style="text-align: center;"><i>What do you see in the clouds reaching up to the Moon?</i></p><br /></div>hamptonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10061224879884056156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282289752735885453.post-32992968150621109362010-06-28T06:16:00.008+04:002011-09-11T20:55:29.402+04:00at it again<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>It has been a few months, admittedly. To those (<i>to one</i>)<i> </i>of you who have frantically wondered what happened since Day 4 in Egypt, I've got a quick summary in this post to bring you up to speed.<div><br /><div></div><div>After leaving Dubai at the end of February, classes resumed in full force. This semester marked the beginning of the Webb Trifecta: ship design, marine engineering design work, and thesis. Over the duration of sixteen weeks, our class completed conceptual designs for six different "small" ships, a preliminary design for a product carrier fire main, and researched and selected thesis topics. We also continued to take classes like hydrodynamics, ship structures, and American government. The end of the semester ended in its usual whirlwind.</div><div><br /></div><div>And now, I'm at it again. Most Webbies take the summer for themselves and turn down job offers. We all need a certain amount of decompression time after the "total emersion" curriculum. Be it an indicator of my mental health: my decompression starts with three days in Newport, continues with 5 days at home, jumps to the Middle East for 30 days, hops back to Newport for another 7 days, and ends with Leadership Week back at Webb on the 16th of August. Now, in words, that doesn't look too daunting, but don't forget that I have to travel to all of these places. It's a 4.5-hour drive from Webb to Newport (on a good day), and a 15-hour flight to Dubai. Did I mention that when I go "home" that I am actually only spending two days in Georgia and the rest in Charleston? Yes, my decompression is a little spastic.</div><div><br /></div><div>Why do it? Well, the <i>Haida</i> project is super cool, and I get to go back to Dubai for a month. (Regrettably, in the middle of the blazing summer...)</div><div><br /></div><div>So what do you have to look forward to seeing and reading this summer? I'm covering a smorgasbord of destinations Newport, Mystic, East Lyme, Glen Cove, Shelter Island, Jacksonville, Kingsland, Charleston, Pawley's Island, Dubai, Sharjah, and who knows where else I might land. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's game on, readers. There's a world out there for making waves, and I'm at it again.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgzwvha-zMUwaMzTLUUOacWrYAermsbISwAyD96qXb3GRq4fA06R1k2vnNganCFaBvTDOUgnJtnY2E3QJd7aNxcJasrZInhu2AaBkOE5-IzKQe0u2QfZlJPY3wbNcKe9qRkFXKaocUfyY/s400/DSC_3916.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Sunset at Webb Institute</i></div><div><br /></div></div>hamptonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10061224879884056156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282289752735885453.post-52265756517844533862010-02-27T20:00:00.004+04:002011-09-11T20:55:29.426+04:00Day 4: "i love egypt"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQdrTHxuPhiRh6paOVaawWku-arwc94Im7Pe80R5gZZsCmqmn6J4lpHqIzNHifHHp7JtU_hIkSvDZntaCiqWJQu3cSQ_Q7GmQlkW5CXgdau2kvtH-yPGG1DIYroKCW4Dl4R9EVX121FOk/s1600-h/egyptd4_15.jpg"></a><br />After two great days with the Briers and Mohammed, I didn't know what we would do on Thursday when the Far Horizons group was traveling to Luxor. Luckily, Mohammed had a friend that was also a tour guide. Mohammed set everything up for Mother and me and almost jumped off of the bus on Wednesday afternoon without telling us his friend's name. "I made it easy for you. His name is Mohammed -- <i>you're in Egypt, what did you expect?</i>"<br /><div><br /></div><div>Mohammed (Mohammed I's friend) and Mohammed's friend, Moudi, picked us up at our hotel on Thursday morning. Both Mohammeds (okay, honestly, this is turning into an Abbott and Costello routine) arranged a half day of touring Islamic, Coptic, and Old Cairo. As Mother and I set off for the Citadel, we had no idea how much we would see on our last day in Egypt.</div><div><br /></div><div>Our first stop was the Citadel to see the Mosque of Muhammad Ali sometimes referred to as the Alabaster Mosque.</div><div><br /></div><div><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwPHztQQJl-bDBnmOnnPk7Onf8ZxjNB_XCjgbJtje_3M0REX-rJ9bu1he-VjkvMtuhmuIeVzpWsf0S9D3KQRYjuNI3e_Bs1e_gmyM9QmU77V0llomsxCkP4ANOZjeDHysrJr8_FpJv32A/s1600-h/egyptd4_03.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwPHztQQJl-bDBnmOnnPk7Onf8ZxjNB_XCjgbJtje_3M0REX-rJ9bu1he-VjkvMtuhmuIeVzpWsf0S9D3KQRYjuNI3e_Bs1e_gmyM9QmU77V0llomsxCkP4ANOZjeDHysrJr8_FpJv32A/s400/egyptd4_03.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442932144451735394" /></a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i>This building has been the icon of the Cairo skyline since it was built in 1830. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div></div><div>Muhammad Ali was the self-proclaimed leader of Egypt during the nineteenth century. He built the mosque to honor himself and his accomplishments. Now, don't jump down Muhammad Ali's throat just yet. He's actually responsible for the birth of modern Egypt, a real reformer. Take his mosque for example. He built it at the Citadel on top of the ruins of Mamaluk palaces. The mosque became one of the most recognizable features of the Cairo skyline.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let's talk architecture. The mosque may be the most recognizable feature on the skyline, but it is the least Egyptian. The courtyard's colors and architecture are decidedly more European than Arabian. Muhammad Ali departed from traditional Ottoman styling because he intended to break away from Istanbul and build a bigger, more modern city.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRSnm07JwrHfVW77q7NoqQfmi0oTpZRrBo71n_G_B5CkdUebLYmlRA-dvnLT6haHs6TcYeTzUncImwLsVUwd-MGnwNWVAA0hzUEvCpyUbCrlzufNp-RVEfdsQ6W3P7SxkHJrWsbb5naE/s1600-h/egyptd4_02.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRSnm07JwrHfVW77q7NoqQfmi0oTpZRrBo71n_G_B5CkdUebLYmlRA-dvnLT6haHs6TcYeTzUncImwLsVUwd-MGnwNWVAA0hzUEvCpyUbCrlzufNp-RVEfdsQ6W3P7SxkHJrWsbb5naE/s400/egyptd4_02.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442932138874908130" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The interior courtyard of Muhammad Ali Mosque. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6QPF_yRQiobHYw4i0vAEwZPYjSq7mhqi-dkij0pVq0JJPi5JIajHRL5FpGIylM6HB3zqLX6QHdmgSqMtUOxq36r0k2Y852l1AnMFevHAAqn1QkPzplQrHEfoz6LUbZuFiyi-ov34s2HI/s1600-h/egyptd4_01.jpg"></a></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6QPF_yRQiobHYw4i0vAEwZPYjSq7mhqi-dkij0pVq0JJPi5JIajHRL5FpGIylM6HB3zqLX6QHdmgSqMtUOxq36r0k2Y852l1AnMFevHAAqn1QkPzplQrHEfoz6LUbZuFiyi-ov34s2HI/s1600-h/egyptd4_01.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6QPF_yRQiobHYw4i0vAEwZPYjSq7mhqi-dkij0pVq0JJPi5JIajHRL5FpGIylM6HB3zqLX6QHdmgSqMtUOxq36r0k2Y852l1AnMFevHAAqn1QkPzplQrHEfoz6LUbZuFiyi-ov34s2HI/s400/egyptd4_01.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442932137138627842" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>This clock tower was donated by France after Egypt gave Paris an obelisk from Luxor. Muhammad Ali got the short end of the stick-- the clock has never worked.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Our Mohammed took a page from Professor Brier, walking us out of the mosque and towards the Citadel gates. We had a full day still to come.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0m4MBDN4wUnzCGMyIt36-LuxNIjgZCVq15D3GkAxGXmjvaLIPNy66lSKK_NzBLuV3_f1AadQwb4F3E8bcRqqGMSnfHbm76K17g7ixHnhugV4_OzbO1jdt_vh83LI7Unmd4a2RyjYc7M/s1600-h/egyptd4_04.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0m4MBDN4wUnzCGMyIt36-LuxNIjgZCVq15D3GkAxGXmjvaLIPNy66lSKK_NzBLuV3_f1AadQwb4F3E8bcRqqGMSnfHbm76K17g7ixHnhugV4_OzbO1jdt_vh83LI7Unmd4a2RyjYc7M/s400/egyptd4_04.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442932148915287058" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Citadel has defended Cairo from its foreign enemies for hundreds of years.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><br /></div><div>We left the Citadel and drove a short distance to the Mosque of Ahmad ibn Tulun. This mosque is significant because the original structure was built with mudbricks just like the mastabas. The Mosque of Ahmad ibin Tulun is one of Egypt's oldest that is still standing, and it is a popular destination for tourists. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSk7ut3otcq7U_FqWxvZphRwncPX9MQZTRrFBkktGVkYRP7YrxSnSUCu17tUvj2dF_gLDLJ6fOp9gNd0aVU94uPUXyKklhXsjRf_ZTeJwcA7jp7hCl0oKjRlZmoKWyqqXEC_OWXctljuw/s1600-h/egyptd4_05.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSk7ut3otcq7U_FqWxvZphRwncPX9MQZTRrFBkktGVkYRP7YrxSnSUCu17tUvj2dF_gLDLJ6fOp9gNd0aVU94uPUXyKklhXsjRf_ZTeJwcA7jp7hCl0oKjRlZmoKWyqqXEC_OWXctljuw/s400/egyptd4_05.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442932154271735874" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The fountain of absolution from the Ibn Tulun mosque.</i></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVFeWYMVJf86FAxA7O2Iyv5sNTdQFP0ItdxZOsAX6ObjXasXIlVbtVUwVobY40ovJc0couNs8kh1puJHfapyy2AMa2PD14CyW-4dqt-uQOctoxCmXdYjA4nPw9c7NjYeO2Qqj3LGcI3E/s1600-h/egyptd4_06.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVFeWYMVJf86FAxA7O2Iyv5sNTdQFP0ItdxZOsAX6ObjXasXIlVbtVUwVobY40ovJc0couNs8kh1puJHfapyy2AMa2PD14CyW-4dqt-uQOctoxCmXdYjA4nPw9c7NjYeO2Qqj3LGcI3E/s400/egyptd4_06.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442932288979905954" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>A Cairo street view from the top of the original minaret from the Ibn Tulun mosque. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><br /></div><div>Mohammed and Moudi then drove us through the "back" way to Coptic Cairo. At one point we entered a three-way intersection, stopped, reversed, and parked. I wasn't quite sure what was going on because I could tell that we hadn't reached Coptic Cairo. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Falafel!" Mohammed had spotted a falafel shop as we were entering the intersection. He explained that falafel balls started in Egypt as a meat substitute for the Copts during Lent. Today falafels are a ubiquitous Middle Eastern street food. Mohammed order some of the fried fava bean balls, and we jumped back in the car for Coptic Cairo. As we drove, we snacked on the falafels. They were surprisingly light and quite tasty. I don't expect to find falafel that good on the streets of New York!</div><div><br /></div><div>Our first stop in Coptic Cairo... wait, who are those people? Is that Bob Brier's shopping group?? Yes, it is. We ran into the Briers, Mohammed I, and the Far Horizons gang as they were leaving Coptic Cairo. Judy gave me a heads up that I would want to take pictures. (Thanks, Judy!) </div><div><br /></div><div>Our first stop in Coptic Cairo was the Hanging Church, so called because it was built over an old Babylonian fortress. The church dates back to 690 AD and may have been the first church in Egypt to have been built in the Basilican style. In later times, travelers referred to it as the staircase church because of the 29 steps that lead up to the entrance. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqgKQNvwhPFiHlunCxu-ZnaQzbmgMiNPyEsVGmrp2Vse-E0h1S6VMaD0NNOy9dUOgmT-EEL9MKalR4BwIbA2t4DMF44caxjIWl3QiAXg2zdjUckR0_83P_bzlVp7feGgbHx1ftkri5Oxk/s1600-h/egyptd4_07.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqgKQNvwhPFiHlunCxu-ZnaQzbmgMiNPyEsVGmrp2Vse-E0h1S6VMaD0NNOy9dUOgmT-EEL9MKalR4BwIbA2t4DMF44caxjIWl3QiAXg2zdjUckR0_83P_bzlVp7feGgbHx1ftkri5Oxk/s400/egyptd4_07.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442932295720342498" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The remains of the Babylonian fort that became the foundation for the Hanging Church.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbtBdSDnJFs5WvrF0XNB0fiJrIaY0DeWTSUoQhNQMRxJ4gf80e-XIiIYTE0qNIqvhvubLp-O7vGPy8hWuhJDsS0oP6y6aWWW8q-xIN7-j2IPRsKf25Ah9bRlIYhkKGrfZt7XmXlC1a_Kk/s1600-h/egyptd4_08.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbtBdSDnJFs5WvrF0XNB0fiJrIaY0DeWTSUoQhNQMRxJ4gf80e-XIiIYTE0qNIqvhvubLp-O7vGPy8hWuhJDsS0oP6y6aWWW8q-xIN7-j2IPRsKf25Ah9bRlIYhkKGrfZt7XmXlC1a_Kk/s400/egyptd4_08.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442932304038081650" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Hanging Church was an important stop for the Holy Family on their trip through Egypt.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><br /></div><div>After the Hanging Church, we visited the Church of Saint George (10th century) and the Ben Ezra Synagogue (9th century). "We have more falafel to fry." (Ok... Mohammed didn't actually say that, <i>but I bet he thought it</i>.)</div><div><br /></div><div>We drove down to the Nile and had lunch on a (touristy) buffet barge. The lunch was so-so, but the view was spectacular. </div><div><br /></div><div>When Mohammed I arranged the tour, he told us that we would finish by 3:30pm. As we left the buffet barge, I glanced at my phone; it was already 2:00pm. Our next stop was the Bazar in Old Cairo, and I knew that stop would take a while because Mother wanted to buy spices for people back home. I shrugged, put my phone away, and got back to the action.</div><div><br /></div><div>Moudi was a great driver. We darted around the traffic with grace, not clumsily like the Cairo cab drivers. The traffic on the way out to the Bazar was starting to build, and I knew from the past three days that getting back to Giza in the afternoon can take forever.</div><div><br /></div><div>Moudi dropped us off at the entrance to Khan el-Khalili aka The Khan or just the Bazar. We walked ahead while Moudi parked the car. Mohammed pointed out the giant gates that allowed ancient Cairo to tightly control immigration and to defend itself. Moudi approached with two glasses of a green-ish liquid. A wide grin appeared on Mohammed's face. "Drink this. It's an Egyptian favorite." Mother took the first sip and immediately gagged. Mohammed and Moudi laughed, and I decided to try it for myself. As I slowly drank from the glass, Mohammed explained that it was sugarcane juice or kasab. Moudi finished his in record time while Mohammed answered Mother's question about the ingredient list. "Sugarcane... that's it." Mother and I both drank our full glass of sugarcane.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSlxNU4xl65PuOeSS5QiEbipH4zUZ-8t08eRnNoufHxdJgXBQc0z3dVa10U3I8bZQ1IYJqadyeF5nfth_JIdoAU4rjpp90GTyz2BHeAUlvLxxWOVBVt69etwfxe2lFe_H_AzVTfnM7o4g/s1600-h/egyptd4_09.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSlxNU4xl65PuOeSS5QiEbipH4zUZ-8t08eRnNoufHxdJgXBQc0z3dVa10U3I8bZQ1IYJqadyeF5nfth_JIdoAU4rjpp90GTyz2BHeAUlvLxxWOVBVt69etwfxe2lFe_H_AzVTfnM7o4g/s400/egyptd4_09.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442932306347967298" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Moudi delivers the super sweet kasab, a pure sugarcane juice.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><br /></div><div>We walked deeper into Old Cairo passing the House of as-Suhaymi. The house dates back to 1648, and it is a prime example of an affluent man's home in Ottoman Cairo. The rooms wrap around a central courtyard like a maze. Each room seems to be on a different level with stairs guiding you from place to place.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj09RMNtm92aZ8KW6NmaE6v71CD2RjphD5afKtXo6AgjM3C-nHuB2Z9uZDnMJh49rLD9TaILeSZWSR3RzpFSP-3opKKSkqRqLyW_jn2_jySUvynLMO7oLlniWEKSElnCTgg7ftJSJfrFiM/s1600-h/egyptd4_10.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj09RMNtm92aZ8KW6NmaE6v71CD2RjphD5afKtXo6AgjM3C-nHuB2Z9uZDnMJh49rLD9TaILeSZWSR3RzpFSP-3opKKSkqRqLyW_jn2_jySUvynLMO7oLlniWEKSElnCTgg7ftJSJfrFiM/s400/egyptd4_10.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442932311564086226" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The streets of the Khan are always filled with children running and playing games.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div> <p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcXPMQY5bKD3Y_nYWTJMrkn8C_Z0-aNG4MG538NanHsyx8Okkc_VZqVwaYQRKy7iXK757jIu0mwJ2rYH-oODOx1tk4gH2GdbA5mUjzbNo62axdclo6TCdlY8I-7f5PX-903a09qqUi6rQ/s1600-h/egyptd4_12.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcXPMQY5bKD3Y_nYWTJMrkn8C_Z0-aNG4MG538NanHsyx8Okkc_VZqVwaYQRKy7iXK757jIu0mwJ2rYH-oODOx1tk4gH2GdbA5mUjzbNo62axdclo6TCdlY8I-7f5PX-903a09qqUi6rQ/s400/egyptd4_12.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442932512029188018" /></a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i>A stained glass window inside the house of as-Suhaymi provided colorful light.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div> <p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjlQ_mn3ksqzHt_sSUKd1s0qQlKp8rCXAAaDZew-AYk6NM0Vn3yi_lbfHYNNazcEJbtl8uH_i9Cj797aanXv69NiNVKmXX6tLJXn5yXr2H0FsonmY6SsX03OfL0L8qBLp3RFsXzDTSKmA/s1600-h/egyptd4_11.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjlQ_mn3ksqzHt_sSUKd1s0qQlKp8rCXAAaDZew-AYk6NM0Vn3yi_lbfHYNNazcEJbtl8uH_i9Cj797aanXv69NiNVKmXX6tLJXn5yXr2H0FsonmY6SsX03OfL0L8qBLp3RFsXzDTSKmA/s400/egyptd4_11.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442932504362612370" /></a></p></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>One of the many courtyards</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Mother explored the market a bit, and then Mohammed guided us toward Fishawi's cafe in the heart of the bazar. The afternoon had definitely transformed from sightseeing to just hanging out with Mohammed and Moudi. We sat at the cafe watching the people bustle around the market and talking about life in general. I explained that I was visiting Cairo as a visa run while working in the UAE. As I talked more about the internship and Webb's winter work program, Mohammed and Moudi switched to Arabic for a moment. It turned out that Moudi was a industrial engineering student at Cairo University. His four year program also had internships or training periods. In contrast to the Webb (and American) system, Moudi had to pay his employers for the internship. Moudi told me that there is no charge for Egyptians to go to college. I explained that I was getting paid to work and live in Sharjah and that my college had a full-tuition scholarship for each student. "I love Egypt," he sarcastically declared. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW9tG54fxAa48hNe7fBzhZ_5cpVnRj2cU6DxMlkl3wHrabkj0dvdkNCZdlNlwZXohoaWccHG0zYKTaFnylKqglCcb0YIhKAohVXjs7ijhoh8yx_ud4PO5HJsZyAVEaj529_2P1c1gJAn0/s1600-h/egyptd4_13.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW9tG54fxAa48hNe7fBzhZ_5cpVnRj2cU6DxMlkl3wHrabkj0dvdkNCZdlNlwZXohoaWccHG0zYKTaFnylKqglCcb0YIhKAohVXjs7ijhoh8yx_ud4PO5HJsZyAVEaj529_2P1c1gJAn0/s400/egyptd4_13.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442932517388127058" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Mother contemplates her next purchase while sipping tea in Fishawi's cafe.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><br /></div><div>We finished our tea, and Mohammed proposed that we go to Downtown Cairo and then to a real spice shop in Giza near our hotel. We skipped the market's spice stores and walked back towards the car. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqVRGMc0_nfskEMsE-fegnPOQx1rN16rrfTl3kJk74gXVi-ssNEbN2p1zomGcpS2y291MuGO7Koz1vCXgyXdG1mXwe9zq3big_ToJp0ee4vJHf_1V0URVLWZXUlRmb_4VaKeHZNtxT0VY/s1600-h/egyptd4_14.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqVRGMc0_nfskEMsE-fegnPOQx1rN16rrfTl3kJk74gXVi-ssNEbN2p1zomGcpS2y291MuGO7Koz1vCXgyXdG1mXwe9zq3big_ToJp0ee4vJHf_1V0URVLWZXUlRmb_4VaKeHZNtxT0VY/s400/egyptd4_14.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442932522290844498" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Mother, Mohammed (black vest), and Moudi (brown jacket) explore the Bazar at Khan el-Khalili.</i></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQdrTHxuPhiRh6paOVaawWku-arwc94Im7Pe80R5gZZsCmqmn6J4lpHqIzNHifHHp7JtU_hIkSvDZntaCiqWJQu3cSQ_Q7GmQlkW5CXgdau2kvtH-yPGG1DIYroKCW4Dl4R9EVX121FOk/s1600-h/egyptd4_15.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQdrTHxuPhiRh6paOVaawWku-arwc94Im7Pe80R5gZZsCmqmn6J4lpHqIzNHifHHp7JtU_hIkSvDZntaCiqWJQu3cSQ_Q7GmQlkW5CXgdau2kvtH-yPGG1DIYroKCW4Dl4R9EVX121FOk/s400/egyptd4_15.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442932527432814434" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>As the sun started to sink on the horizon, we time traveled (through a tunnel!!) back to modern Cairo. This time traveling marked the end of the sightseeing and the beginning of what could only be called the "Walk Like an Egyptian Tour." I really enjoyed the local perspective of walking the streets and seeing what the afternoon rush is like for people living in the greater Cairo area. Downtown Cairo is as big and crowded as any Western city. The streets are lined with shop after shop, with like goods generally grouped together. Moudi negotiated the car into a tight parallel parking spot. Mohammed got out and directed us towards a bakery.</div><div><br /></div><div>Not just any bakery -- El Abd Bakery, Cairo's most well known and busiest. The aroma of fresh sweets and breads filled the air as we shoved our way into the crowded shop. We followed closely behind Mohammed as he searched for the perfect Egyptian pastry. He finally settled on some nuts and a "bird's nest" cake. </div><div><br /></div><div>Moudi parted the crowd so that we could easily exit the bakery tightly clutching our tasty goods, and then we walked around the streets. Mother found Egyptian cotton <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; ">towels <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">(I wonder if Egyptians covet Sea Island cotton like we covet Egyptian cotton?) <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; ">to take back to school. (Seriously. The people taking her college class are <i>so </i>lucky. They're getting bookmarks, postcards, food, and who knows what else.) I was impressed by the orderly chaos on the streets. Walking teaches Egyptians to be fearless. Pedestrians will walk anywhere and cross anywhere, particularly if there is an onslaught of cars approaching. The roads rarely have marked lanes, and local drivers -never- follow them if the roads are marked. </span></span></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div>After walking around a bit, we loaded up in the car. Cairo has these neat parking meters that are connected with a steel bar on the ground that "locks in" your car until you pay. This is a great concept to avoid people cheating the meter and cut down on enforcement costs. Of course... the system only works with the steel bar actually retracts when you feed it money. <i>Right</i>. With some finagling, the meter started working and the bar went back into the ground. We were off for our next adventure.</div><div><br /></div><div>Mohammed had promised to take Mother to a real spice store so that she could avoid paying the tourist price. We hopped out on a busy Giza intersection and ran to the spice store. Mohammed worked as interpreter for Mother and the Yemeni shopkeepers. I had never stopped to think that spice names weren't universal. As Mother looked around Mohammed sometimes had trouble translating the spices. We walked out with quarter kilos of cinnamon sticks, ground cinnamon, dried red chilies, and dukkah. Dukkah is an Egyptian meat spice that typically goes on chicken and similar meats. It can also be used for dipping breads with olive oil. </div><div><br /></div><div>With that final acquisition, we crawled back to the hotel in the evening Giza traffic. Our time in Egypt was nearly finished, and today had been the best day of the trip. Mohammed and Moudi were fantastic guides and very generous. What was supposed to be a half-day tour turned into a full day adventure! If you're traveling to Cairo, consider using Mohammed's company, <a href="http://www.egyptfuntours.com/">Egypt Fun Tours</a>. (Ok... yes, the name needs work, but the service is spectacular and reasonably priced.)</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivyBY42UNqLyK3vsfF4uxaguEumVc8Lynr4FwCFse5TQZPnTCR31zYBSvpPG2R90Q2MLMRPuaSTxrIjQCWEktafoWbyOfoBlnSa2zNB_t22xUorWBdaweQ3ZKyO_fO18SOHlnr24SJm1E/s1600-h/egyptd4_16.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 282px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivyBY42UNqLyK3vsfF4uxaguEumVc8Lynr4FwCFse5TQZPnTCR31zYBSvpPG2R90Q2MLMRPuaSTxrIjQCWEktafoWbyOfoBlnSa2zNB_t22xUorWBdaweQ3ZKyO_fO18SOHlnr24SJm1E/s400/egyptd4_16.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442932807776816994" /></a></div>hamptonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10061224879884056156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282289752735885453.post-6682365977751504932010-02-22T21:26:00.004+04:002011-09-11T20:55:29.436+04:00Day 3: "and behind this pyramid..."<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglUVg0GBQPPwLq8Xis3V4QBWyJURSQEFwzQ9rK4xfgKwX_9XEC4cIjxvgB74gLC5m-QAsQETKUfZFzWhjRZakuOeLYVHk9ZspYR1t8CXjO4PYykuoI3h0SNVFSI9Cotu0j_5V33W1xbjY/s1600-h/egyptd3_28.jpg"></a><br />Let's get this out in the open now: I misspelled the name of one of the largest and oldest necropoli on my Egyptology midterm. There. From this day forward, you can "wake me up in the middle of the night," ask me to spell Saqqara, and I will respond with S-A-Q-Q-A-R-A. Thank you. We can now go fry bigger fish.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Our second day with Professor Brier and Pat started a wee bit earlier to accomodate the long drive out to Memphis, the oldest capital of Upper and Lower Egypt. Memphis is in the valley near the Saqqara and Dashur plateaus. Almost everything that remains of the city has been damaged by thousands of years of mud and water. The high water table that allowed Memphis to thrive now jeopardizes the integrity of the artifacts. </div><div><br /></div><div>We visited the open air museum in Memphis to see the second largest sphinx and several Ramses colossi. The sun, still low on the horizon, provided excellent lighting for interesting pictures.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlLsSaIlQ89u3tBYzO3t8zn_ZDCbFGcPZZIT829cEBeSS2_GPMUGS5CwkuPxHeBqP0pgyu6lJNn-0WB8h_SzIP3ptilH_loUqp9BI3fMBw0wP_-EXsc6jyYCmGVVkthE7da-VCMcTbKqE/s1600-h/egyptd3_01.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlLsSaIlQ89u3tBYzO3t8zn_ZDCbFGcPZZIT829cEBeSS2_GPMUGS5CwkuPxHeBqP0pgyu6lJNn-0WB8h_SzIP3ptilH_loUqp9BI3fMBw0wP_-EXsc6jyYCmGVVkthE7da-VCMcTbKqE/s400/egyptd3_01.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441082187419935570" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Ramses the Great (Ramses II) may not have built a pyramid, but he certainly erected his likeness everywhere.</i></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTck4QHelPn90XIWQ4KzM505HvMM4VxNVf9U6k_uqOU4iBI7fFC4JvIInEusdku2Xag8xnxkF7W2PnYmreb3e9kS0UTpEjnFKXq6rL6yUSv9eQioZp_y7bI9oPdItj9nzMVIboZOh8CD0/s1600-h/egyptd3_03.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTck4QHelPn90XIWQ4KzM505HvMM4VxNVf9U6k_uqOU4iBI7fFC4JvIInEusdku2Xag8xnxkF7W2PnYmreb3e9kS0UTpEjnFKXq6rL6yUSv9eQioZp_y7bI9oPdItj9nzMVIboZOh8CD0/s400/egyptd3_03.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441082201169783714" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>This is the second largest sphinx known to Egyptologists. Extensive water damage has ruined the alabaster stone.</i></div><div><br /></div><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_fIsoRkbLjXn0n4xjOJnfEot9CHwhDnFqo5H3pBSnTIKmi5f915yCCiqcKcxgGWh0qc_4IFW_GRMlPLgH_mn87S1eoKRfu0VfGrQkivv6MCwNmrvxpBX1J7zds-h4T0weWrpXcD-6yA/s1600-h/egyptd3_02.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_fIsoRkbLjXn0n4xjOJnfEot9CHwhDnFqo5H3pBSnTIKmi5f915yCCiqcKcxgGWh0qc_4IFW_GRMlPLgH_mn87S1eoKRfu0VfGrQkivv6MCwNmrvxpBX1J7zds-h4T0weWrpXcD-6yA/s400/egyptd3_02.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441082192554529730" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Here's a yummy mummy question: What is the name of this Egyptian god?</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><br /></div><div>Calling all shoppers! Pat Remler, a fantastic art historian and Professor Brier's wife, guided the group to a roadside stand just outside of the museum. The Memphis-area has some of the best handicraft prices around Lower Egypt. Several people from the group, including my mother, purchased baskets. </div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiFkU8ZWmlhuUxUFfVwZIYNifS33wG-nr27UTwPsUdaVK5sG0Q7mi-ABbu3fYNf9yXqVvvVdsDUd_1uwkbIkuoUbPJUSGlsVGwE8wJhtjOhdJtss0JMQk_LZbCm_Zwcile_1HXkjtKK-Y/s1600-h/egyptd3_05.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiFkU8ZWmlhuUxUFfVwZIYNifS33wG-nr27UTwPsUdaVK5sG0Q7mi-ABbu3fYNf9yXqVvvVdsDUd_1uwkbIkuoUbPJUSGlsVGwE8wJhtjOhdJtss0JMQk_LZbCm_Zwcile_1HXkjtKK-Y/s400/egyptd3_05.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441082215913422866" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I kept my distance from the shoppers, but there were "great deals."</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitaSrRlsrontVI5OIvWajPMyM8eS_g3Q2uyve5Lju7khbDpDYap_b1IVBEouG4NtD_m88LxeibhTuHb7dYf61RL9JL-XTCppedjcqtb88EEpF1VoNakVVJ0YvwDA-eP9lz_ojsIgmvqNk/s1600-h/egyptd3_04.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitaSrRlsrontVI5OIvWajPMyM8eS_g3Q2uyve5Lju7khbDpDYap_b1IVBEouG4NtD_m88LxeibhTuHb7dYf61RL9JL-XTCppedjcqtb88EEpF1VoNakVVJ0YvwDA-eP9lz_ojsIgmvqNk/s400/egyptd3_04.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441082207738593442" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Professor Brier and I were both in grief over the number of baskets that seemed to be making their way home with us. "Guys, if you keep buying stuff you're going to ruin my reputation... 'Oh, there's Professor Brier's shopping group...' "</i></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The road between Memphis and Saqqara bisected several villages where the bus had to slow down. The villages were a nice change of pace from the chaos of Cairo and Giza. I was able to take several pictures as we drove along. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVj1pwO1d2pCjuifH_YVcsSQ_lp6kIDx_u6K4zEXsNxC8aPSfcPbd55lgoWpuIa87mHI0D9HuTaFnr4Qvv8szI4_Uj7bQPf9wqYBrn8w5XSpNDLYt6ABLBQu3bx7-8l3g8e95pYebJUcE/s1600-h/egyptd3_07.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVj1pwO1d2pCjuifH_YVcsSQ_lp6kIDx_u6K4zEXsNxC8aPSfcPbd55lgoWpuIa87mHI0D9HuTaFnr4Qvv8szI4_Uj7bQPf9wqYBrn8w5XSpNDLYt6ABLBQu3bx7-8l3g8e95pYebJUcE/s400/egyptd3_07.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441087942627244578" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Camels, while not native to Egypt, have become ubiquitous in the Egypt iconography.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZTuieBETvvnswfReP8zTMnT_VryKUcc0KqHalBGVz_Z7Rysj32CVKdGr2DGTOXc4oPHjWHtU8LSxKhEjDEJCebk7HPrt2KpUvLp43fq8LMLCr2RovLiPCUyZMNpF-quCSMjgl95PeSMA/s1600-h/egyptd3_06.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZTuieBETvvnswfReP8zTMnT_VryKUcc0KqHalBGVz_Z7Rysj32CVKdGr2DGTOXc4oPHjWHtU8LSxKhEjDEJCebk7HPrt2KpUvLp43fq8LMLCr2RovLiPCUyZMNpF-quCSMjgl95PeSMA/s400/egyptd3_06.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441087931907674354" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The greater Cairo area is home to more than 20 million people making it the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. It is the 2nd largest in the Islamic world, following Jakarta.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOP5v9iMVZtFnt12kwW4mcNJo-sU3HFWDnqLVam0656VS1eauHX-o53zaiJcrE4etCva3mIygnBvk_P-3QZrPWfN82bCQCnEXnXvQBaakwPns9GV6WuOuSw0vsS-sH4a46_eSXwQCybwE/s1600-h/egyptd3_09.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOP5v9iMVZtFnt12kwW4mcNJo-sU3HFWDnqLVam0656VS1eauHX-o53zaiJcrE4etCva3mIygnBvk_P-3QZrPWfN82bCQCnEXnXvQBaakwPns9GV6WuOuSw0vsS-sH4a46_eSXwQCybwE/s400/egyptd3_09.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441087952612291266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>These men are all awaiting carpool vans to commute into Cairo.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL4OPyKRK8SdGly8MJ95vSTWFYOhcOZZymlxP-Sb90LwhsZ4l4y5MD5AjlFpfPK9hiqEAOuPkRiAKWoue_RjHmzrKslZ-enzqLkk7VAbd_9U_ozV4bpgsKC8pqWEtZAeSVyMusONRJgEM/s1600-h/egyptd3_08.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL4OPyKRK8SdGly8MJ95vSTWFYOhcOZZymlxP-Sb90LwhsZ4l4y5MD5AjlFpfPK9hiqEAOuPkRiAKWoue_RjHmzrKslZ-enzqLkk7VAbd_9U_ozV4bpgsKC8pqWEtZAeSVyMusONRJgEM/s400/egyptd3_08.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441087945294530370" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I don't know what this says in Arabic, but the banner got my attention. Any translators following the blog?</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><br /></div><div>The bus picked up speed as Professor Brier reminded us that we had "bigger fish to fry."</div><div><br /></div><div>We quickly arrived at the Saqqara necropolis. While the Great Pyramids and the Giza Plateau are embedded in Egypt's iconography, the Saqqara necropolis is much larger and spans more dynasties. We picked up an inspector for a special entrance into the Tomb of Unas. </div><div><br /></div><div>We entered the causeway up to the Unas tomb. The pharoanic tombs usually had a causeway that joined the valley temple and mortuary temple. The Unas causeway is in surprisingly good condition.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3zn1Q3UlnxluV6q3CtebVR44pZj7cVVHzveyO8kIEwLA6FSZkG4K4sPa7yc-gADyKGUDWUFem6YObU86wBKMoCmHFLqJSgrMHX6AQiujPYOv4EgeI0MbIOMzfHAjYmywQaxs7blwRppk/s1600-h/egyptd3_22.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3zn1Q3UlnxluV6q3CtebVR44pZj7cVVHzveyO8kIEwLA6FSZkG4K4sPa7yc-gADyKGUDWUFem6YObU86wBKMoCmHFLqJSgrMHX6AQiujPYOv4EgeI0MbIOMzfHAjYmywQaxs7blwRppk/s400/egyptd3_22.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441108080768208802" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Professor Brier points out a boat ala Ben Fisher. This carving appeared on the walls lining the causeway to the Pyramid of Unas and depicts the transportation of tall columns.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPEgm3H84fun9PbqTV15bu24ShCb4Rzgs08mD2lgDcw1DUQmGu8I8QzJ368hJyxTWPDN5GQnd_NEJRdbAPXS4hOwopEZuAji8WxYmy2DbFlrXyGV9Xfrom-GLIdHY3_TGkRq2vaL2TtpI/s1600-h/egyptd3_10.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPEgm3H84fun9PbqTV15bu24ShCb4Rzgs08mD2lgDcw1DUQmGu8I8QzJ368hJyxTWPDN5GQnd_NEJRdbAPXS4hOwopEZuAji8WxYmy2DbFlrXyGV9Xfrom-GLIdHY3_TGkRq2vaL2TtpI/s400/egyptd3_10.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441087960985325074" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>These sand-filled holes are the remnants of an ancient Egyptian game that the priests used to pass the time.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOPWDPDCWZcoXYhv-DVMts1hHwuo7osq_ujNs5rYmym7NdOqqyC1BzdLCUoxEGkNDetulhvTfMi1l_4jJvc_3_optLflzh2uryajcTjoItJTyeQaWdP1cwgbrkmP4nuTwJZNuVV_Pa-W4/s1600-h/egyptd3_11.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOPWDPDCWZcoXYhv-DVMts1hHwuo7osq_ujNs5rYmym7NdOqqyC1BzdLCUoxEGkNDetulhvTfMi1l_4jJvc_3_optLflzh2uryajcTjoItJTyeQaWdP1cwgbrkmP4nuTwJZNuVV_Pa-W4/s400/egyptd3_11.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441089434468966546" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Michael, a Far Horizons tour member, reads out the hieroglyphs for the group. For an emergency room physician and software developer, he really knows his Egyptology.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><br /></div><div>The Tomb of Unas is one of those places that often is overlooked by travel guides and solo tourists. It sits in the shadow of Djoser's step pyramid concealed by several mastabas. Make no mistake. This tomb is very important for the history of Egypt and the world. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw6dS6aOGm_Vl4URTdhAqsB8n1lzI1IDcTlCC_e8mbJ8AeQDPz4It_LbUpI-UaBsL-oaY8C8d3AnBHWzprVsdGWxJG-cz3synFL57XTSIBlHn0riOU5hCyv7X957ApyFrCDgdoh-cQAeM/s1600-h/egyptd3_16.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw6dS6aOGm_Vl4URTdhAqsB8n1lzI1IDcTlCC_e8mbJ8AeQDPz4It_LbUpI-UaBsL-oaY8C8d3AnBHWzprVsdGWxJG-cz3synFL57XTSIBlHn0riOU5hCyv7X957ApyFrCDgdoh-cQAeM/s400/egyptd3_16.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441091096896697298" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Pyramid of Unas as seen today at the Saqqara necropolis. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><br /></div><div>Inside of this crumbling tomb, Professor Brier began to explain the evolution of the funeral ceremony. In the early dynasties, priests would cast spells over the body of the deceased to ensure its passage to the next life. As time progressed, the list of spells became longer and more complex. An innovation is preserved inside of Unas's tomb: the first known example of ancient religious texts. The walls of the burial chamber are carefully inscribed with the Pyramid Texts, the priests' spells to protect and guide Unas to the afterlife. </div><div><br /></div><div>Photography is not permitted inside of the tomb, but today was an exception. The lighting is very poor, but you can clearly see the blue paint that still remains inside of the heiroglyphs. Stop and think. These are the oldest religious writings in the world. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmT8WTbJf9OvEvAr1pw4iiOXXTzptRQwZTCv-WXZFL1ptBFaVaYHXCUv84hBsYYYknsAnd3BfBLqdSxEUZM8M8Z0FgBCQCFkckHazZLdlfxA25R26Ufj_mgGIOTMQ-vU0vPP1XV575Q2Q/s1600-h/egyptd3_12.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmT8WTbJf9OvEvAr1pw4iiOXXTzptRQwZTCv-WXZFL1ptBFaVaYHXCUv84hBsYYYknsAnd3BfBLqdSxEUZM8M8Z0FgBCQCFkckHazZLdlfxA25R26Ufj_mgGIOTMQ-vU0vPP1XV575Q2Q/s400/egyptd3_12.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441089445782065858" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Professor Brier points out one of the spells used to guide Unas west to the afterlife.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxxiLqhOHYB2s66kfgl8thNg54AWUmHHoPCZG8igFSWpVbiVASpid-8nuQXadzQt_-KXkZI12IYrgfrrvL6ZC1FbqQjYW2wAsGvIhagfEG1E0fSstnFp22vd0x40ef651abvwf4SW51A/s1600-h/egyptd3_13.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxxiLqhOHYB2s66kfgl8thNg54AWUmHHoPCZG8igFSWpVbiVASpid-8nuQXadzQt_-KXkZI12IYrgfrrvL6ZC1FbqQjYW2wAsGvIhagfEG1E0fSstnFp22vd0x40ef651abvwf4SW51A/s400/egyptd3_13.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441089451938755794" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The walls of the antechamber and burial room were completely covered with spells. Professor Brier believes that the pyramid was finished in a hurry because not all of the carvings have the same craftsmanship. </i></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>After hiding our cameras and exiting the tomb, we walked towards the Step Pyramid complex. Along the way we passed several Egyptian Cadillacs. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgSglg7izv-8_MU2xXLFwzpWz4qVenkEiF59GCZzrpKKOX8z0281ITmS_YwHKqNEy13qVMAVN0sKC_RCL0MfUIzkASEyK9U_xZkDtG3sMWyoXR15eGBLV_HP1c9YWFYb9cBWajnk2PXJw/s1600-h/egyptd3_15.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgSglg7izv-8_MU2xXLFwzpWz4qVenkEiF59GCZzrpKKOX8z0281ITmS_YwHKqNEy13qVMAVN0sKC_RCL0MfUIzkASEyK9U_xZkDtG3sMWyoXR15eGBLV_HP1c9YWFYb9cBWajnk2PXJw/s400/egyptd3_15.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441089474202755650" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Mohammed warned, "It may be free to ride the camel, but it's going to cost you to get off."</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><br /></div><div>We descended down to Djoser's Great Court. Imhotep, the Step Pyramid's architect, originally designed a mastaba for King Djoser of Dynasty 3. When the mastaba was finished, Djoser was still kicking. Imhotep decided to embellish the mastaba by adding a second level. He widened the existing mastaba and continued upwards. Again, Djoser was drinking the right Koolaid and still hadn't died. Imhotep added a third level. a fourth level. a fifth level. a sixth level. Each new level required the preceeding levels to be widened. The result is the world's first pyramid. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCFTH8yq8xcv1dqYlCQxXgiwz5Xv_jGyPC1k56cIG2XwWsqdlVDq0FEzzWBTMEgxtVLROf_ebnv3jxhvn_vz6_JjHE6OZVkvUhm-hNAEeckWKnlFIulEA3CCg-WECKMf7S0IWQhXuICLo/s1600-h/egyptd3_17.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCFTH8yq8xcv1dqYlCQxXgiwz5Xv_jGyPC1k56cIG2XwWsqdlVDq0FEzzWBTMEgxtVLROf_ebnv3jxhvn_vz6_JjHE6OZVkvUhm-hNAEeckWKnlFIulEA3CCg-WECKMf7S0IWQhXuICLo/s400/egyptd3_17.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441091105478340786" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>This is it. The pyramid evolution starts here.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><br /></div><div>Imhotep has claim to another world's first: stone construction. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibnvE4HnEwLdKhR8Aa6MwDOTXNwDBm-7TkQfvCdBl9_h3eYIZaYXXrTDTSvIQUJ6GG46ygWkwK6t8B9jYji6iEBIlfGwlafnaHBL3arP0_94xiuK5KYnNngqBkqDQOewSTAGaV2-SROW4/s1600-h/egyptd3_20.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibnvE4HnEwLdKhR8Aa6MwDOTXNwDBm-7TkQfvCdBl9_h3eYIZaYXXrTDTSvIQUJ6GG46ygWkwK6t8B9jYji6iEBIlfGwlafnaHBL3arP0_94xiuK5KYnNngqBkqDQOewSTAGaV2-SROW4/s400/egyptd3_20.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441091130585736338" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Notice the size and quality of the stones in contrast to the ones from the Giza Plateau. It's no wonder that the small, uneven stones caused structural problems for Imhotep.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><br /></div><div>As a result of building the world's first <i>(take heed, Dubai)</i>, the structure was not very sound. Cedar beams were used to keep the walls from collapsing, and Uncle Zahi is directing an extensive restoration and soil management plan in order to preserve the Step Pyramid.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXwSf7DtxdGrlbvnlyCIso5_c2UNdbIxC_itLlx3oSlIZpgxcfhtdeeoT31YQX856RCEznUL0xuLqD-LztqLA-AxEBUTqZN0MjYJ3Sz49KF4EQVM7kH9chwjiG3nuizSuOrPdbFRmUCpg/s1600-h/egyptd3_18.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXwSf7DtxdGrlbvnlyCIso5_c2UNdbIxC_itLlx3oSlIZpgxcfhtdeeoT31YQX856RCEznUL0xuLqD-LztqLA-AxEBUTqZN0MjYJ3Sz49KF4EQVM7kH9chwjiG3nuizSuOrPdbFRmUCpg/s400/egyptd3_18.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441091116198919842" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Uncle Zahi's restoration scaffolding obscured much of our view of the Step Pyramid.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-Ek-m_19AqWsGZ7WwXlH6_XA6wHqGLYa7Nnm4CCnAWx7OoLJDcb3r34eaaKhxO5Df_sZomma88PHmmwrBKLi0WR1qbcieuXL95ZDF8xzyMNG5ir6ftOnQPP8dCDAVtrb_vSQAIj7gR4/s1600-h/egyptd3_19.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-Ek-m_19AqWsGZ7WwXlH6_XA6wHqGLYa7Nnm4CCnAWx7OoLJDcb3r34eaaKhxO5Df_sZomma88PHmmwrBKLi0WR1qbcieuXL95ZDF8xzyMNG5ir6ftOnQPP8dCDAVtrb_vSQAIj7gR4/s400/egyptd3_19.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441091122837647794" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Hey! These guys are cheating. Shouldn't they have to restore the Step Pyramid using ancient techniques...</i></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>"We've only scratched the surface, boys and girls." </div><div><br /></div><div>We exited the Step Pyramid complex through the priests' hidden entrance, boarded the bus, and drove towards Dashur. From the Step Pyramid to the Great Pyramid there were less than 100 years. In fact, Egypt's pyramids can be placed on a 100-year timeline. Mind you, the pyramids are an Old Kingdom thing. Egyptian civilization did not evolve to pyramids over thousands of years. The pyramids are early in Egyptian history, and they came and went like a blip on the Egyptological timeline.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I wonder if we'll see another pyramid?"</div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, indeed! Dashur is home to the Bent and Red Pyramids of Snefru. While Snefru's son may have built the Great Pyramid, father still wins. During Snefru's reign not one but three pyramids were constructed for the pharoah. Whoa. Three pyramids? Snefru had terrible luck with his first two pyramids. His first pyramid in Meidum crumbled horrifically, leaving a tower-like mess. </div><div><br /></div><div>His second attempt, the Bent Pyramid, will soon be opened to the public, as a letter from Uncle Zahi in the Egyptair magazine stated. The Bent Pyramid was another failure for the Snefru construction company. Remember, these are early pyramids, and construction techniques were no where near perfect. As the pyramid rose, a corner settled and the entire structure began to implode. In order to finish it, the angle was decreased. "So, Pharoah, it's almost like we planned this neat architectural design..." The Bent Pyramid is one of Professor Brier's favorites.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVftj6E_RYh_ToSTUpbq2M8GLxiwQzT_NF5F7ZSJNGe4Yj-hL2DFwexitGKIpM28KCHnxkCztt3jsRLVqeMJPOIFvx3SL5CMQVjemBZdKxEzHiob90AK10Vtxqd9kYYJfg9gk5zw82734/s1600-h/egyptd3_21.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVftj6E_RYh_ToSTUpbq2M8GLxiwQzT_NF5F7ZSJNGe4Yj-hL2DFwexitGKIpM28KCHnxkCztt3jsRLVqeMJPOIFvx3SL5CMQVjemBZdKxEzHiob90AK10Vtxqd9kYYJfg9gk5zw82734/s400/egyptd3_21.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441091793351911378" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Bent Pyramd's settling corner can be seen in the lower right of the picture.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> </i></div><div><br /></div><div>"This way, boys and girls, I have a surprise for you."</div><div><br /></div><div>Behind the Bent Pyramid is a small, crude pyramid that doesn't seem to have a purpose. "It may have been a trial for the Great Pyramid. I've been inside of it, and it has a miniature grand gallery." Professor Brier's previous tour inside of the small unknown pyramid took place before Houdin's theory was announced, so he didn't pay attention to the details about the miniature gallery. Could it be that this often overlooked pyramid could unlock the secret of its greater cousin? The entry was locked, so we'll have to wait for another day. Besides, Professor Brier had one final pyramid treat before we returned to Zamalek.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhldJA6u6S7XPcio8icVbkjjOvk7whQAGJs3VzZhB8cW5X7Xt4cgaZqf9rHLVaKw-afJ-Z5wAdUwX8PCcmFswQ1eLVdhbu9Af58BHZw4XIRrEz7MRMSyzUxhSJ8P2lBQ7huR51xQJyGFUo/s1600-h/egyptd3_24.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhldJA6u6S7XPcio8icVbkjjOvk7whQAGJs3VzZhB8cW5X7Xt4cgaZqf9rHLVaKw-afJ-Z5wAdUwX8PCcmFswQ1eLVdhbu9Af58BHZw4XIRrEz7MRMSyzUxhSJ8P2lBQ7huR51xQJyGFUo/s400/egyptd3_24.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441108098654574866" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>This unknown pyramid might just be a stack of leftover stones from the Bent Pyramid, but the miniature grand gallery might be a clue.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><br /></div><div>Our final stop at Dashur was Snefru's final resting place, the successful Red Pyramid. So named because of the red hue the stone assumes under the Egyptian sun, this pyramid is one of the most difficult to enter. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifWaFBVXANfWXI0djelxsZ96GFDrwtYii4rdtLjDmVZcUh1PPGgT8W6YJDiSQGpQdBGG5TYR762FQ43dqeUL_twAjPHpp82BFqfAm9GctAOL78YOl9hxtnK_snQethTLxs36cuUChci8c/s1600-h/egyptd3_25.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifWaFBVXANfWXI0djelxsZ96GFDrwtYii4rdtLjDmVZcUh1PPGgT8W6YJDiSQGpQdBGG5TYR762FQ43dqeUL_twAjPHpp82BFqfAm9GctAOL78YOl9hxtnK_snQethTLxs36cuUChci8c/s400/egyptd3_25.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441108105591950898" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>With the day nearing to an end, no one turned down the opportunity to climb into another pyramid with Professor Brier.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggrrWx_s3x8CiFR7MDovP0XgAyRE2oVi8fT3cHOL1S-PlYaS3EImmLFZ0AcgB-wvmFQM3vnX0dhFIcwRouf603Mbsq1xNMrigkKLnx6f-jFdopFAAvPhyphenhyphenQvYrCUeDQ_2W0cK_-wSz-MlA/s1600-h/egyptd3_26.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggrrWx_s3x8CiFR7MDovP0XgAyRE2oVi8fT3cHOL1S-PlYaS3EImmLFZ0AcgB-wvmFQM3vnX0dhFIcwRouf603Mbsq1xNMrigkKLnx6f-jFdopFAAvPhyphenhyphenQvYrCUeDQ_2W0cK_-wSz-MlA/s400/egyptd3_26.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441108115633274258" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Mother carefully climbed the uneven stone stairs up to the entrance. The rest of the Far Horizons group can be seen behind her.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><br /></div><div>Once inside, you climb down 200 feet and then back up to enter an antechamber. From the antechamber you climb up a ladder to the burial chamber. At this point, you are inundated with the strong scent of ammonia. Even after many fumigations, the smell of bat guano clings tightly to the walls. Our pyramid treasure seekers began looking for stone patterns that suggested hidden rooms. No luck in the Red Pyramid... <i>or was there</i>? </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ht8QqoawVio7tlrD6aokWyRY16Jv_wVCAqd0zdpKX4fVQJGgpzH26Bwzs902yVQGJk0otS-skvxGKGdAAZwhPvuJNm6w2xSS7Itx3Bn9TojBnm4XX_wJMfhPlvjSw8Vg1VrbTcU_CX0/s1600-h/egyptd3_27.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ht8QqoawVio7tlrD6aokWyRY16Jv_wVCAqd0zdpKX4fVQJGgpzH26Bwzs902yVQGJk0otS-skvxGKGdAAZwhPvuJNm6w2xSS7Itx3Bn9TojBnm4XX_wJMfhPlvjSw8Vg1VrbTcU_CX0/s400/egyptd3_27.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441109453920347746" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Tomb robbers thought that there might be something under the sarcophagus and excavated below it. This picture gives you a great idea of the crude stones used to form the foundation.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglUVg0GBQPPwLq8Xis3V4QBWyJURSQEFwzQ9rK4xfgKwX_9XEC4cIjxvgB74gLC5m-QAsQETKUfZFzWhjRZakuOeLYVHk9ZspYR1t8CXjO4PYykuoI3h0SNVFSI9Cotu0j_5V33W1xbjY/s1600-h/egyptd3_28.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglUVg0GBQPPwLq8Xis3V4QBWyJURSQEFwzQ9rK4xfgKwX_9XEC4cIjxvgB74gLC5m-QAsQETKUfZFzWhjRZakuOeLYVHk9ZspYR1t8CXjO4PYykuoI3h0SNVFSI9Cotu0j_5V33W1xbjY/s400/egyptd3_28.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441109458526128994" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>All of this talk about secret rooms and different stone patterns had the Nancy Drews looking for hidden chambers. Even if we did find a room, I wouldn't tell you...</i></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Our time with the Briers and the Far Horizons group had come to a close. Professor Brier awarded a Yummy Mummy to one of the Far Horizons travelers on our way back to Zamalek. I really enjoyed touring with the Far Horizons group, and I hope they enjoyed the rest of their time with Professor Brier and Pat. Anyone can go to Egypt. Anyone can tour Egypt. Only the Briers can <i>show</i> you Egypt like you've never seen before. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtGs0L5mUjS2V4vOLEOeokDiF3oGcZ0X-5LjFkZieV9kDJMfYKexkH4IT9WAHutnxyrkARrGfyshLbutrGJPRtSRsP9HmmnQPbv5ETwa6Bf7aZ5XtKSNfpsatMmh92R2KIVSTGqHYcP4/s1600-h/egyptd3_23.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtGs0L5mUjS2V4vOLEOeokDiF3oGcZ0X-5LjFkZieV9kDJMfYKexkH4IT9WAHutnxyrkARrGfyshLbutrGJPRtSRsP9HmmnQPbv5ETwa6Bf7aZ5XtKSNfpsatMmh92R2KIVSTGqHYcP4/s400/egyptd3_23.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441108095068758370" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Professor Brier and his wife Pat have been leading tours through Egypt for Far Horizons for 30 years. They still find new and exciting things each time they make the trip.</i></div>hamptonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10061224879884056156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282289752735885453.post-23590612501156095502010-02-22T19:27:00.004+04:002011-09-11T20:55:29.397+04:00Day 2: i'm sailing away with khufu<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></i><div><i><div><div><div>(A warning for my dear classmate, Benjamin Fisher: This post will discuss a certain solar boat museum. There will even be pictures. Please take this opportunity to prepare yourself appropriately.)</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">What happens when you combine six new friends, two great guides, renowned Egyptologist Dr. Bob Brier, and art historian Patricia Remler? Two fantastic days exploring ancient Egypt! After venturing to the Egyptian Museum the previous day on our own, it was really nice to have not one but three real guides to show us around the Giza Plateau.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Mother and I met the Briers and Mohommed, the local tour guide, early Tuesday morning at the Marriott in Zamalek. We were soon introduced to the six other travelers touring with <a href="http://www.farhorizons.com/">Far Horizons</a>, a US-based tour company that specializes archeological and educational tours. Mother and I were very fortunate to tag along with the group during their time in Cairo. The Far Horizons group started their tour with us on Tuesday but continued on to Upper Egypt (southern Egypt) later in the week. Enough about Far Horizons. "We have bigger fish to fry."</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">We boarded our bus and trekked out to the necropolis. No combination of lectures, textbooks, and photographs could prepare one for seeing the Great Pyramid in person. I'm really hesistant to even try to describe it, because I cannot do justice to Khufu's (Cheops, if you must be Greek) great monument.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Cs8O3Zkn-piVfpOysRcUtKFT39evmknUz0DaI-gazNZ5IrMGk6BonFVNfqvLV7sWqJxarvNlUyYgc1mXiREFsKQMcEOpT_sPCvkAlR2cXDjLaX0eiruMdC0vY16dxWnGqXTaJKR5xvs/s1600-h/egyptd2_11.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Cs8O3Zkn-piVfpOysRcUtKFT39evmknUz0DaI-gazNZ5IrMGk6BonFVNfqvLV7sWqJxarvNlUyYgc1mXiREFsKQMcEOpT_sPCvkAlR2cXDjLaX0eiruMdC0vY16dxWnGqXTaJKR5xvs/s400/egyptd2_11.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441080152596048690" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Great Pyramid on the Giza Plateau</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Rather than bore you with facts that you could just as easily <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giza_Necropolis">Google</a>, I'll try to share some of the lesser known trivia that Professor Brier imparted on the group. (There may even be a Yummy Mummy question or two.)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Several years ago, Jean-Pierre Houdin, a French architect obsessed with unraveling the mystery of the Great Pyramid, emailed Professor Brier with a riveting new theory about how the ancient Egyptians built Khufu's final resting place. You may be aware of the existing theories: a long, single ramp built to the top, a ramp that wound around the sides, and use of minature cranes to lift the massive 3-ton blocks. These ideas can sound realistic at first, but we can say with some level of certainty that these concepts just would not work. Jean-Pierre has been inspired by his father to explore a new idea. He wagers that the Egyptians used an internal ramp that wound its way up through the pyramid. The ramp would have been integrated into the construction of each level. If the Great Pyramid was constructed with an internal ramp, it would still be there today.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Several pieces of circumstantial evidence support Houdin's theory. This picture shows a notch in the northeast corner of the pyramid where the white limestone casing stones have been removed. Professor Brier climbed to this notch with a cameraman during the filming of a National Geographic documentary on Houdin's theory. Professor Brier found a large room concealed behind the notch. Professor Brier is still awaiting permission from the Supreme Council of Antiquities to perform non-destructive infared imaging scans to the Great Pyramid to confirm Houdin's obession.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUir12rCGMJJOXTT9rww97K8IhgWsEuT3T-8v19aSUhPeArK-V0EAaxODJoT5Xwjl8PS1qxGiQ-22nHW12WfWFwlfE3uTOCvnQ_cHmuVEfMQSAVb5RaG0Ap5OtJ6j6KmI7f-AEJGR8Xtk/s1600-h/egyptd2_01.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUir12rCGMJJOXTT9rww97K8IhgWsEuT3T-8v19aSUhPeArK-V0EAaxODJoT5Xwjl8PS1qxGiQ-22nHW12WfWFwlfE3uTOCvnQ_cHmuVEfMQSAVb5RaG0Ap5OtJ6j6KmI7f-AEJGR8Xtk/s400/egyptd2_01.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441077584022585250" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The notch that gives Jean-Pierre fuel to keep theorizing.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">After walking around the base of the Great Pyramid, we continued to the Solar Boat Museum. We donned special shoe covers to keep dust out of the exhibit and followed Professor Brier into the gallery. Can you believe that the mooring lines are still intact? There's even a section of the reed-mat roof on display. The discovery of Khufu's boat was a happy accident, as is typically the case with archeological discoveries. Archeologists were excavating the base of the wall around the Great Pyramid and noted that the square-shaped wall jutted out at a point on the south side.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghp63XGZx3238W8JVukN1HWFxCYgw4_5SdaoE9Zvj5hZuNZw067E0D0LFxKpw8W6YX2SW9I9cYLNo1yLMaxnQuPrGjkZ_V_CR7THRDcxDgvptTm1-9rPfbxjkmCoQnoE9PurJiBFDjvFA/s1600-h/egyptd2_13.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghp63XGZx3238W8JVukN1HWFxCYgw4_5SdaoE9Zvj5hZuNZw067E0D0LFxKpw8W6YX2SW9I9cYLNo1yLMaxnQuPrGjkZ_V_CR7THRDcxDgvptTm1-9rPfbxjkmCoQnoE9PurJiBFDjvFA/s400/egyptd2_13.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441086521519219122" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Braided rope that was found in the pit with Khufu's boat.</i></div></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD9wTjV1FXTXvxqJnWxCONHn93ynoe-tP0iCqwCKPs8xT5Cne11IIxbQ5mOQGFy0wKrB3UXeumzfP8YmHwOPlcrdEL55AgvkzsyRIhvkzW5qU9MWPb99gjqdP5xnf_osm1CS-PFU5EMrk/s1600-h/egyptd2_12.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD9wTjV1FXTXvxqJnWxCONHn93ynoe-tP0iCqwCKPs8xT5Cne11IIxbQ5mOQGFy0wKrB3UXeumzfP8YmHwOPlcrdEL55AgvkzsyRIhvkzW5qU9MWPb99gjqdP5xnf_osm1CS-PFU5EMrk/s400/egyptd2_12.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441086514447892162" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">We aren't certain, but most Egyptologists believe that this reed mat was part of the roof covering.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">After years of careful restoration, Dr. Zahi Hawass (henceforth, Uncle Zahi) opened "Cheop's Boat Museum." The museum was built over the pit where the pieces of the boat were found. Interestingly, the museum's storeroom contains the "leftover" pieces from the pit. I don't know about you, but my LEGO days tell me that leftover pieces tend to mean that something isn't quite right. Regardless, the boat is displayed in a large sunlit gallery with three viewing tiers that wrap around the entire vessel.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ljPInVPpiwRKBAiHweIWDH8EqVrSykMnTCb5CnVbU7mDcryTLMZc0zX9pA49n02FMHMwCJMDZ41UqSSJPSkT_R8-SRWqBGv6LMrHhGshgkygbNZFCw5XJlzLObRmDUP4guVimAleIhY/s1600-h/egyptd2_14.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ljPInVPpiwRKBAiHweIWDH8EqVrSykMnTCb5CnVbU7mDcryTLMZc0zX9pA49n02FMHMwCJMDZ41UqSSJPSkT_R8-SRWqBGv6LMrHhGshgkygbNZFCw5XJlzLObRmDUP4guVimAleIhY/s400/egyptd2_14.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441086526184414946" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">The actual pit where the boat pieces were found.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">For more information about Khufu's solar boat, you can go here or contact Benjamin Fisher, Webb '11, who completed a term paper on the funerary barge. One more Webb connection: Professor Brier oversaw a thesis project's resistance test of a scale model back in 1995. The wooden oars that you see tied to the boat do not have enough surface area to provide adequate propulsion. Egyptologists (and naval architects) agree that the boat was probably ceremonial at best and possibly towed across the Nile when the pharoah died.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJMT-w5C9nvd5vZTKqeEheiClzGOBxQqr0yDFmdrO27BGOuw-QzBbmYWGIgFWGe1iN0IwoCHSu_HmvJSbZCTLvykPnBPatdon0PI6HYt99ld7WXRzdcuLY_gQYGnB4XITdbadBVq_WKko/s1600-h/egyptd2_04.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJMT-w5C9nvd5vZTKqeEheiClzGOBxQqr0yDFmdrO27BGOuw-QzBbmYWGIgFWGe1iN0IwoCHSu_HmvJSbZCTLvykPnBPatdon0PI6HYt99ld7WXRzdcuLY_gQYGnB4XITdbadBVq_WKko/s400/egyptd2_04.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441077605161374514" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Cheop's Solar Boat -- a ceremonial barge that ferried him to the afterlife.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6freVeZfCVmIcXeDlMM0WxGVWd7y-JXpUeymAnVOkeSwliQhPzMLk0bymnvtevO9YXca4hFpurCxivPTuAqPol2PnfDqM9Mz3wuOPEXclagl2TR1KZ9BXFXBkedASnqZsoNdqeErQc5M/s1600-h/egyptd2_03.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6freVeZfCVmIcXeDlMM0WxGVWd7y-JXpUeymAnVOkeSwliQhPzMLk0bymnvtevO9YXca4hFpurCxivPTuAqPol2PnfDqM9Mz3wuOPEXclagl2TR1KZ9BXFXBkedASnqZsoNdqeErQc5M/s400/egyptd2_03.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441077609876817746" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">These wooden battens are mooring spikes.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDHHXLeNMGexyIlWofBBP0Kk0ELSdNUe719slomJbYZkXy0CL6CS6J3I8zhMJGWvBsoV6ViNB-g43EhtQV0unHaR-0DqcEcUEyYWEWm27J3w2tONYyeAA8W2hll2aahJFXPH9pAVjw8_s/s1600-h/egyptd2_02.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDHHXLeNMGexyIlWofBBP0Kk0ELSdNUe719slomJbYZkXy0CL6CS6J3I8zhMJGWvBsoV6ViNB-g43EhtQV0unHaR-0DqcEcUEyYWEWm27J3w2tONYyeAA8W2hll2aahJFXPH9pAVjw8_s/s400/egyptd2_02.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441077594672341570" /></a></div><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">"We've got bigger fish to fry"</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Our next stop on the Plateau was the slightly shorter pyramid of Khufu's son, Khafre. This pyramid can be recognized by the limestone casing stones that remain, ever precariously, at the top of the pyramid. Most of the ancient monuments have had their casing stones "recycled" in slightly less ancient mosques and palaces.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXhhpeLvEeeBYbb7FMP3ITuI6uuPO_pDRTxenP7eq7P3vQbJ8ZgZpyyF6na_hb_BejGXs8eMpcSp6TZmLcFNG2dGS7fbxzq_l_Io0T7dPT78wEcQwMBOqJdgB6jfG8GxNSxnAMbC69hlY/s1600-h/egyptd2_07.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXhhpeLvEeeBYbb7FMP3ITuI6uuPO_pDRTxenP7eq7P3vQbJ8ZgZpyyF6na_hb_BejGXs8eMpcSp6TZmLcFNG2dGS7fbxzq_l_Io0T7dPT78wEcQwMBOqJdgB6jfG8GxNSxnAMbC69hlY/s400/egyptd2_07.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441079618205547554" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Khafre's pyramid has been robbed of almost all of its gleaming white limestone casing stones.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">One of the Far Horizons tour members asked if Egyptologists knew where any of the limestone quarries were located. Professor Brier responded by leading us toward Menkaure's pyramid. Just north of the base of the pyramid, there is a field with square stumps of limestone. This quarry produced the lesser quality limestone that when into building the interior of the pyramids. Ramses-era heiroglyphs identify the quarry's overseer and his successor.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivLVfeGR3NAtc8KGHSCYjhlZil-aamTKUlPUeXV0x5VduKCx8QTf0T3OnJtoJ1NEl8-e9UqsE6s0GpOgHURzlON64a1hbAZXuWrxeQ8tnUWRnIAlPZKMM8AxHr1jHmA8LT2XW-r-Dg-RI/s1600-h/egyptd2_05.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivLVfeGR3NAtc8KGHSCYjhlZil-aamTKUlPUeXV0x5VduKCx8QTf0T3OnJtoJ1NEl8-e9UqsE6s0GpOgHURzlON64a1hbAZXuWrxeQ8tnUWRnIAlPZKMM8AxHr1jHmA8LT2XW-r-Dg-RI/s400/egyptd2_05.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441077622379529650" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">This quarry produced low-grade filler limestone for the Giza Plateau.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhjo4kCoCAd87NeZMMl15ikjAwJPHZ3BFD0nfMCMVfBD3sQT2dCh-oE0Iw5ejWqf7z7mUiJpsLjcGRKnRBJU98Jf375Zz45emszw8K5PEQ8LATO8ZkJ0JeZyHoxfQWp9Qt2UPhQHWhJ_M/s1600-h/egyptd2_06.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhjo4kCoCAd87NeZMMl15ikjAwJPHZ3BFD0nfMCMVfBD3sQT2dCh-oE0Iw5ejWqf7z7mUiJpsLjcGRKnRBJU98Jf375Zz45emszw8K5PEQ8LATO8ZkJ0JeZyHoxfQWp9Qt2UPhQHWhJ_M/s400/egyptd2_06.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441079609828181154" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Professor Brier demonstrates how the Egyptian work gangs would have cut the limestone.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">We trekked to the stop of a bluff for a photo op.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMbS4mhX3ULqj-QpwUF5yU0-DIxKPINjUy96B15Bcapxw7w8K2D6XNe34p14qdUSpj0DrnuoqFIkN1Dh5qcDWgz-q4Psk5wCIRR80EHqZV18CntEHToz_D9zMn7ebnxR97BEeOa_HvoME/s1600-h/egyptd2_09.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMbS4mhX3ULqj-QpwUF5yU0-DIxKPINjUy96B15Bcapxw7w8K2D6XNe34p14qdUSpj0DrnuoqFIkN1Dh5qcDWgz-q4Psk5wCIRR80EHqZV18CntEHToz_D9zMn7ebnxR97BEeOa_HvoME/s400/egyptd2_09.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441079629790270274" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I don't usually go for staged pictures, but this one isn't too bad.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWe0EryghNX6rT_gX-xA-pXp3424Tw2ptXZH9r9LSS5fn1SKFh97Amh6cj7VpRODfg0_99oZP4lAFtVX1S353Y_Ey-DZaypbni8wmihN8iyzEwmJ5AH7IWGoKRnznid4c7rWzxz-eun2Y/s1600-h/egyptd2_08.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWe0EryghNX6rT_gX-xA-pXp3424Tw2ptXZH9r9LSS5fn1SKFh97Amh6cj7VpRODfg0_99oZP4lAFtVX1S353Y_Ey-DZaypbni8wmihN8iyzEwmJ5AH7IWGoKRnznid4c7rWzxz-eun2Y/s400/egyptd2_08.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441079628126490146" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Professor Brier denies any type of eureka moment when he discovered the hidden room in the notch. A Napoleonic "N" on a wall in the room denoted that he wasn't the first person there. The rest of the group was amazed by Professor Brier's nonchalant reaction.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">The day wasn't over yet! After a great lunch, we returned to the necropolis for a special tour inside of the Great Pyramid. The pyramid is open to the public; for 100 LE you can climb up, then down, then back up again to the Grand Gallery and the Burial Chamber. With Professor Brier at your side, you can also get the Inspector to open the Queen's Burial Chamber and clear out all of the other tourists. By now, you've already wiki'd the Great Pyramid, so you know that the Queen's Burial Chamber was the second chamber built for Khufu in case he died before the chamber at the top of the Grand Gallery was completed. Despite being called the "Queen's Burial Chamber," no one was ever placed in the chamber. (Actually, the very small pyramids of several queens can be found just a stone's throw from the Great Pyramid.)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">The experience we had inside of the Great Pyramid cannot be described. Photography was not allowed, so I can't even show you the amazing carvings, corbelling, and architecture.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">After crawling back out of the pyramid and returning to fresh air, we found that the Tourist Police had cleared the plateau. We were alone with the Great Pyramid. As we quietly walked back to the bus, I stared back at Khufu's monument as the sun set in the distance. For 20 years, a 3-ton stone was placed every five minutes by a work gang of 10 men. These men were at the heart of something truly wonderous, and I cannot help but think that I or anyone I know will ever be involved in something that can compare with the Great Pyramid.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWtx6l0HvDJXP-yE2Hi63Brn30QuUsZDM5RNit5bXULVqrbel8Mp4tPI6j7FV17gP4TduMlOWFft9cjGW1Uln7fukA7olxpcNjb6Gtdu1GlK2tTPUT_MWz62NoAgyEEqvLHhI8c6FMuwU/s1600-h/egyptd2_10.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWtx6l0HvDJXP-yE2Hi63Brn30QuUsZDM5RNit5bXULVqrbel8Mp4tPI6j7FV17gP4TduMlOWFft9cjGW1Uln7fukA7olxpcNjb6Gtdu1GlK2tTPUT_MWz62NoAgyEEqvLHhI8c6FMuwU/s400/egyptd2_10.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441079639328150338" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Man fears time, but Time fears the Sphinx.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></i></div>hamptonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10061224879884056156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282289752735885453.post-62530713450609775692010-02-16T20:36:00.003+04:002011-09-11T20:55:29.432+04:00Day 1: egyptian warehouse<div><br /></div><div>At 1:00am on Monday, Mother and I met the driver in the lobby to make the trek back to Dubai International. Surprisingly, there wasn't <i>any</i> traffic; we zipped to the airport in less than 15 minutes. After going through "security" and checking our luggage, we had a short <i>three hours</i> before our flight boarded. Mother explored Duty Free Dubai while I opted to search for free wireless internet.</div><div><br /></div><div>I remember very little of the flight to Cairo because I slept through most of it. I do remember being served breakfast, a small tray with a slightly runny omelet with vegetables, a cup of cut fruit, and (chicken?) sausages. The best items on the tray were two rolls. I enjoyed one with strawberry jam and the other with a cheese-like spread.</div><div><br /></div><div>Before entering passport control, we exchanged American dollars for Egyptian pounds. Although the dollar is weak, there are about 5.50 LE for $1.00. Passport control was a fun three-step experience. </div><div><br /></div><div>Step 1: Attempt to enter passport control</div><div>Result: Oops! Haven't purchased an entry visa. Return to exchange for visa.</div><div><br /></div><div>Step 2: Renter passport control with two visas</div><div>Result: "No, you cannot use one entry form for two people" even though the form has a line for 'accompanied by.'</div><div><br /></div><div>Step 3: Renter passport control with two visas and two entry forms</div><div>Result: Continue to Egypt</div><div><br /></div><div>Who's an international traveler? <i>Right.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>We picked up our baggage and the driver to take us to the airport. The driver came with an escort/guide. I'll call him "Escort," because he definitely was not a guide. At best, he was a salesman for the travel company that arranged the car.</div><div><br /></div><div>By 8:00am, we had settled in the hotel, and I was ready to explore Egypt. Our first stop was the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. This required the first of several Cairo cab calamities (CCC). (Ok.. you got me, I liked the alliteration and triplet. Not all of the experiences were calamities, but the ones that were made up for the others.) </div><div><br /></div><div>The Egyptian Museum was closed to photography. Now, don't believe the names given to places to be descriptions of said places. I would call the Egyptian Museum more of a "chronological warehouse of pharonic artifacts." Tomato. Tomato. (That doesn't work quite as well in print.) The museum is solid proof that you don't need flashy exhibits and special lighting to have a great museum. Highlights of the collection include the Narmer palette, a copy of the Rosetta stone, an extensive Amarna period collection, the non-traveling components of the Tutankhamen exhibit, and the Royal Mummies. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizTYjo9-TIhp7RCAFNo4QNi5pmS9DH00tLaTB1W-ipVMIxqiTQo5ecBtL2pgDmkCU_lafztUjOCM10jvVRqVdp0qoaRzOTSwmCyfwvxqMcbJE4ieHb-t_uYM3iiQLgoiCLzujsjQouou4/s1600-h/EM_facade.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 284px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizTYjo9-TIhp7RCAFNo4QNi5pmS9DH00tLaTB1W-ipVMIxqiTQo5ecBtL2pgDmkCU_lafztUjOCM10jvVRqVdp0qoaRzOTSwmCyfwvxqMcbJE4ieHb-t_uYM3iiQLgoiCLzujsjQouou4/s400/EM_facade.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438533863244616722" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div>The gardens at the Egyptian Museum are open to the public without charge and you CAN take pictures.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-R_cJVHtBNQsWwxonSDxDhzTmQ4murPzQVCAwgtnB9uDOinxEZOpO7N51gcOAafN9dJ6im3I5H1yDGMv6CT-bpWw4baTMe8ZtQ3zyVzTFA3QgizTZiPcm8w84K18ExPQyQRtJHh_68QM/s1600-h/EM_deities.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-R_cJVHtBNQsWwxonSDxDhzTmQ4murPzQVCAwgtnB9uDOinxEZOpO7N51gcOAafN9dJ6im3I5H1yDGMv6CT-bpWw4baTMe8ZtQ3zyVzTFA3QgizTZiPcm8w84K18ExPQyQRtJHh_68QM/s400/EM_deities.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438536629564190578" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjErB1JxN4qXmcXCVyeF4mCbv0rlk_aX4XxBMNSpiq-2eHzdxAzOb6pEE_GL9oWJtXgQE7hYky9lzrtdgQsyfb_1Xh7NNeNYQA-KT_fc3cIknFe48lhzuU-yg8JgumwtqgMYnN9drEQr3w/s1600-h/EM_obelisk.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjErB1JxN4qXmcXCVyeF4mCbv0rlk_aX4XxBMNSpiq-2eHzdxAzOb6pEE_GL9oWJtXgQE7hYky9lzrtdgQsyfb_1Xh7NNeNYQA-KT_fc3cIknFe48lhzuU-yg8JgumwtqgMYnN9drEQr3w/s400/EM_obelisk.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438536629737044978" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We spent most of Monday morning in the Egyptian warehouse. By 1:00pm, starvation had set, and I convinced Mother to walk (3 km) to Zamalek for pizza at Maison Thomas. The Maison Thomas has served pizza, salads, and hot sandwiches since 1929 in the heart of Cairo's posh Zamalek. For 60 LE, we enjoyed a large pie with gouda, mozzarella, goat, and bleu cheeses. This may have been the best dinner we had all week, and I highly recommend a trip to Maison Thomas if you ever find yourself in Cairo and Zamalek.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikRrhghnFP2hZoIjaFItf128dafrq8Pku0NZvN9WcYO01X2AiL9NwStMtewuxChKIsy5iml8ccjKRe4u8r8-h97qjsWX47D3znPFBGdQfGL5_b0tni7g2mCm4XhoWU7UTCjdt98R5qHKA/s1600-h/Maison_Thomas.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikRrhghnFP2hZoIjaFItf128dafrq8Pku0NZvN9WcYO01X2AiL9NwStMtewuxChKIsy5iml8ccjKRe4u8r8-h97qjsWX47D3znPFBGdQfGL5_b0tni7g2mCm4XhoWU7UTCjdt98R5qHKA/s400/Maison_Thomas.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438540835537815218" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Photograph of Maison Thomas from Google Images.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>After pizza and checking in on the Briers at the Cairo Marriott, we taxied back to Giza to the hotel. This was, in fact, a CCC. In Arabic, fifty is pronounced as khamseen. It's the <i>-seen</i> ending that caused trouble. Imagine the confusion at the end of our cab ride when I gave the cabbie <i>15 LE</i> instead of 50 LE. After a short discussion in front of the hotel, we ended up paying 35 LE.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Escort had arranged for us to see the Light and Sound Show out on the Giza Plateau. He picked us up early (his trademark, we would learn) and rushed us to the pyramids.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Light and Sound Show pictures weren't spectacular <i>(read: the Light and Sound Show wasn't spectacular)</i>, but I enjoyed this one.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP5IwLaAA3kfsBKUJOwgKI8xD8md3s6nMIsbucnkVY5ObG809yDNsrEMdhGMRwruQx7Sywn4PDFVPVHKtOdfpQd-5C32nbc2P1YNW7CNXHw6FI7etttK5r_O53AwDl592B_tmQLjudV-M/s1600-h/L&SS.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP5IwLaAA3kfsBKUJOwgKI8xD8md3s6nMIsbucnkVY5ObG809yDNsrEMdhGMRwruQx7Sywn4PDFVPVHKtOdfpQd-5C32nbc2P1YNW7CNXHw6FI7etttK5r_O53AwDl592B_tmQLjudV-M/s400/L&SS.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438541372349390370" /></a><br /></div><div>Our first day in Cairo had ended, but I knew the week was only going to get better. </div>hamptonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10061224879884056156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282289752735885453.post-81539739338850412462010-02-15T21:01:00.005+04:002011-09-11T20:55:29.440+04:00A Webbie in Egypt??Never fear! Mother and I did in fact make it back from Egypt. (Talk about killing the potential for a suspenseful post about the last week...)<div><br /></div><div>Since returning to the UAE, I have been swamped with catch up work in preparation for this week while David Pedrick of <a href="http://www.pedrickyacht.com/">Pedrick Yacht Designs</a> is on location for a naval architecture consult. </div><div><br /></div><div>I have amazing stories and even better pictures from my visa run to Cairo, but please be patient as the posting schedule could be quite slow. All of the Egypt posts will be tagged with "Egypt" so you can quickly find them. </div><div><br /></div><div>I would also encourage you to check the <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/hkdixon11/GizaPlateau#">Picasa gallery</a> for pictures from the trip. I'm uploading the full, unedited images for now, but I will work my way through the pictures to improve clarity and color.</div><div><br /></div><div>Alright! We both have a lot to do. So, start looking at pictures, and I'll keep writing about Egypt<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div>hamptonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10061224879884056156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282289752735885453.post-39805173882427138742010-02-10T08:03:00.005+04:002011-09-11T20:55:29.413+04:00live from gizaGreetings from Giza and the Greater Cairo Area! It's 6:05am here, and Mother and I are getting ready to go meet Professor Brier, his wife Dr. Pat Remler, and the rest of the Far Horizons tour group. <div><br /></div><div>Things are AMAZING here, and I cannot wait to share stories and pictures later this week.</div><div><br /></div><div>Signing off until Thursday.</div><div><br /></div><div>Cheers!</div>hamptonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10061224879884056156noreply@blogger.com0