Pops in Pharaoh Land
Here are some photos from my trip today with dad to Sakkara and Al Azhar park overlooking Cairo.
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Abu Craig Arrives
Early this morning — just after 3:30 — I heard a knock on the door. My father, breathless after walking up two flights of stairs with his bags (he got in the elevator that only goes to the 4th floor… I live on the sixth), had enlisted the aid of a Mcdonald’s delivery boy who …
Lebanon in Crisis
When I first learned I would be spending nine months in the Middle East, I was very keen to spend some time in Lebanon. I had long heard it is a beautiful country, and that its capital, Beirut, is cosmopolitan and pleasant, having rebounded in style after Lebanon’s 15-year civil war. But when war broke …
Mr. Ibrahim
Mr. Ibrahim rang my doorbell the day after I arrived in Cairo. He explained that he could get me beer. Or water. Or anything I needed in quantity. If I ever needed him, I should ring door 16. A few days later, before I could think of what I’d need, or figure out which floor …
Where Are You Looking?
The angle of the eyes is a barometer of attitude. When we’re positive, things are looking up. When we’re blue, we’re looking down. But looking down is a survival skill in Cairo. The sidewalks are not contiguous pathways, more like obstacle courses where a smooth section will have low hanging branches followed by a meter …
Luxor, Egypt
Here are some images from Luxor, the first stop in our tour of upper Egypt. We visited the temple of Medinat Habu the day before we boarded a boat for a cruise. Rafik, the tour guide for the cruise, took us to Karnak and Luxor Temples, the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings …
Christmas in Cairo
Did I mention I got a Christmas tree? Guess not. But here it is. Laura (sister) finally caught a flight today from Frankfurt to Cairo, so Mom and I went out to see the world’s oldest pyramid at Sakkara, about 20 miles from the heart of Cairo. Next stop Luxor, and a cruise on the …
Holidays in Egypt
My Mom arrived yesterday. Sister missed a connection in United Airline’s holiday snowstorm mayhem, so she’ll come from Frankfurt today. Heading to see the pyramids at Sakkara this morning. Will show you some photos later on. In the meantime, here are some shots of some Islamic sites in Cairo.
Documenting the Wadi Degla
One of the sections of the Adham Center course I’m teaching in documentary filmmaking has decided to do a film about a nature protectorate just outside the Cairo suburbs. The Wadi Degla (Wadi is Arabic for valley) is a 30km-long canyon that became a national park in 1999. It’s a haven for wildlife — there …
Docs, Docks and Ships of the Desert
I can finally report that I’ve begun the task that brought me here to Egypt. Two and a half weeks ago, I started teaching a five-week course in documentary filmmaking as part of the professional development program at the Adham Center for Electronic Journalism here at the American University. My students have a wide range …