Egyptian Reflections

Thoughts come and go through my head faster than wind whistling in the trees. If I were organized (I'm not) I'd carry a pad and pen to write down my gems as they occur (I don't). I've been thinking about what memories of Egypt endure and have had all kinds of things come to mind. Lets take a stab and see what emerges.

LUXOR

Security. The Brits are used to this, there's flak jackets and machine guns at Heathrow and Westminster Abby and sadly enough they've been accepted as necessary. They're likely a permanent feature. To this sheltered Canuck the sight of military and their accoutrements is unsettling and sad. They said the military presence was for our protection but it only made me feel unsafe. It's unlikely a youngster with a Kalishnakov is going to prevent another bomb going off but he can be part of an environment that causes people to feel fearful and suspicious.
When people live in fear the terrorists have won.King Tut and his wife

Other than living in fear and reducing the quality of life the ever present security efforts become inane as the people habituate to them. Every hotel from the seediest to the ritziest had metal detectors at their entrance. With so many people passing through them they were constantly beeping but no-one's paying attention anymore. Many were unplugged making them simultaneously useless and annoying in their presence. I'm going to have to write more about this later; I feel a rant coming on.Luxor again

The Sights. What do you say about the oldest buildings and artifacts on the planet? The pyramids and the technology/science it took to create them made me proud to be human. There was no electricity, no computers, no engines, nothing we rely on today for construction. And yet there they are. Five thousand years down the road and we're still marvelling at them.

The British Museum in Cairo where we saw King Tut's treasures

The Economy. A shambles. They've got the Nile, oil and gas, agriculture and 70 million pairs of hands and yet most live in poverty. The US alone provides 2 billion a year in aid but most of it falls into only a few hands. Unfortunately, people are used to being poor and aspire to little else. Perhaps it's the hot weather, perhaps it's culture but the work ethic and standards are low. It doesn't take a lot of money in your pocket to not throw your garbage on the ground and if you can get by with next to nothing, why work? Unemployment is around 25% but more than one person assured me it's because they don't really want to work.The Hossein Mosque, Cairo

The Environment. The water's undrinkable, the air's toxic and there's garbage, smell and flies everywhere. They've simply stopped caring.

The Weather. The landscape's dramatic for its lack of vegetation. It is the driest place I've ever been. Global warming hasn't been kind to a country that already had minimal rainfall. On the plus side, you're guaranteed good weather for your visit which, in addition to the sights, is why tourism is one fifth of the gross domestic product.

Losing Face

Religion and Culture. Religion is the culture here where between 80-90% of the population is Muslim. It affects and infects everything they do. The people are CONSTANTLY being immersed in its tenets, its sounds, its way of being. Men and women still aren't allowed to date and all marriages are arranged. The muezzin remind the people of who they are from thousands of minarets four times a day and no-one steps out of line but a few get zealous. It was extreme Muslims wanting even stronger control over the lives of the population that set off the last bombs. It's part of the education, the politics, everything here.

The People. Are lovely. They may be poor and poorly educated but they are the friendliest people I've come across in my travels. They were genuine in their offers of assistance and greetings and gave the impression they'd share their last bowl of rice with you. Smiles were plentiful and while they may not have all that we have in the West, they seem a lot happier.Karnak at sunset