Hello All,
I just finished my second (and last) trip to Cairo.
The trip got off to a pretty questionable start. I was cutting it close getting to the airport. I loaded my luggage and turned the key...nothing. The battery was dead. It was too late to call the rental car company so I just locked it up and took a cab.
Once at the airport, I had a second challenge to overcome. It turns out that the American Embassy in Bahrain would not process my paperwork for an Egyptian visa because I had less then 6 months remaining on my Bahrain visa. I was told this information just a few days before I was scheduled to leave and there was not enough time to get the extension and the Egyptian visa entered into my official US Government passport, which I am suppose to use when traveling on official US Gov business.
I could use my blue tourist passport but my red US Gov passport has my Bahrain visa in it which would be required to leave the country. We are not suppose to use two different passports when traveling and it would really piss off the embassy if they knew. So to get my ticket in Bahrain, I used my blue passport. To go through Bahrain customs, I used my red passport. To enter and leave Egypt, I used my blue passport. And...to enter Bahrain, I used my red passport.
I was a little worried the authorities at the airport would figure it out and at any minute, 2 Arabs in suits would come up behind me, grab me by both my arms, take to a windowless room somewhere, and proceed to slap me around until I confessed. Thankfully, this never happened.
A Major I work with was meeting me in Egypt for the conference but left the week prior to conduct a pre-deployment site survey. His wife lives here and she was flying on the same flight to spent the week in Cairo with him and he asked me to look after her while we were traveling.
This created the third challenge of the day as she evidently did not get a "culture brief" from her husband. Unfortunately, she was showing a little to much flesh for the region. Taking into account the Muslim culture and the internal strife of Egypt, wise travelers wear pants, long shirts, and long sleeves...loose, modest fitting clothing.
While waiting in line with her in order to go through customs, I couldn't help but notice that people around us were constantly pointing towards us and whispering amongst themselves. Thankfully, no one confronted us because of her manner of dress.
Here's a little travel tip for anyone headed out to this region...don't dress like a bum or prostitute.
The conference itself was uneventful and we continue to "kick the can down the road". The first time I was there was a lot more fun.
Had some free time at the end of the conference so me, my co-worker, and his wife headed out to the pyramids again. The tour company managed to arrange for the same tour guide and driver we had last time to take us out again. Our tour guide, a 32 yo, or so, Egyptian woman named Mera, told us that we were her first repeat customers. We were happy to find out that since our last visit in Oct, she had gotten married and was pregnant. This is probably a big relief for her family. In Muslim countries, a daughter who is not married by 30 becomes a big family crisis. So, that is a monkey off their back.
It was nice to see the pyramids again but they lost a little bit of that "wow" factor the second time around. There seemed to be fewer people there this time so it was easier to get pictures without people in them. I suspect tourism was down the week we were there as the day before we left was the 2 year anniversary of the revolution. If you are planning a trip to Egypt, you probably would not go that particular week.
We also went to a place called Khan el-Khalili. This is a well known market place that caters tourist located in the Islamic district of Cairo and dates back to 1392. There have been some attacks there over the years but it seemed like business as usual when we were there.
Mera told us that Tahrir Square which is also known as "Martyr Square" and is the location of all the protest you see on TV. Our guide told us that when security forces start chasing the protesters, the protesters often retreat to the Mosques surrounding Khan el-Khalili. If being chased by the police, you can make the journey from Tahrir Square to Khan el-Khalili in about 15 minutes. The Imam (religious leader) at each mosque would never allow police or soldier in the mosque and the police would never consider entering so it seems like a pretty good plan to hole up there.
As I mentioned, we left the day before the 2nd anniversary of the revolution. I saw on the news that 8 demonstrators were killed the following day. I hope that the most populated country in Africa can get this all sorted out soon.
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Happy New Year!
Hello All,
After a very busy December, I am back in Bahrain.
After my trip to UAE, I (re) packed my bags and headed by to the US for a Christmas break. Jodi did a FANTASTIC job decorating the house. It was like a winter wonderland (minus the snow).
There were a few things that need to be taken care of around the house but I actually got a lot of rest and relaxation on my R&R trip. The weather was a little spotty with a few days of low(er) temps and rain. There were a couple of things I could have done outside if the weather was a little better but I am sure they will be waiting for me when I get back, lol.
Sarah was in town for my first week back home and celebrated Christmas with us. Even though she is Jewish, she is down with any holiday that involves gifts! She and Chase had a great time catching up and playing together. Jodi and I are blessed to have such wonderful kids!
They both got some really nice gifts. I was excited that Sarah wanted a bow and arrow set for the holidays. I ordered a compound bow for her which included a few arrows. I was surprised at the quality of the bow for the reasonable amount I paid for it. Sarah did very well right out of the box. After a few sessions, she was hitting the target with every arrow. In fact, it is so cool, I was thinking about getting an adult sized bow myself! I hope she sticks with it. It was a lot of fun shooting with her.
What really surprised me was the fact that I didn't get sick while I was home. Seems like a pretty bad flu season. Chase and Jodi both had a touch of something which I was sure I was going to get. Reminds me of the Christmas when we were all really sick on Christmas day a few years ago.
So, I am back to work. It didn't take long to get caught up because nothing really happened while I was gone. The pace of activity slows to a crawl as most military types around the world take a lot of time off at the end of the year...well deserved time off.
I am off to Cairo again next week. Didn't think I would have to make this trip but there is no one else to cover it. I have already seen the pyramids so I will have to see what else Egypt has to offer
Until then,
Michael
After a very busy December, I am back in Bahrain.
After my trip to UAE, I (re) packed my bags and headed by to the US for a Christmas break. Jodi did a FANTASTIC job decorating the house. It was like a winter wonderland (minus the snow).
There were a few things that need to be taken care of around the house but I actually got a lot of rest and relaxation on my R&R trip. The weather was a little spotty with a few days of low(er) temps and rain. There were a couple of things I could have done outside if the weather was a little better but I am sure they will be waiting for me when I get back, lol.
Sarah was in town for my first week back home and celebrated Christmas with us. Even though she is Jewish, she is down with any holiday that involves gifts! She and Chase had a great time catching up and playing together. Jodi and I are blessed to have such wonderful kids!
They both got some really nice gifts. I was excited that Sarah wanted a bow and arrow set for the holidays. I ordered a compound bow for her which included a few arrows. I was surprised at the quality of the bow for the reasonable amount I paid for it. Sarah did very well right out of the box. After a few sessions, she was hitting the target with every arrow. In fact, it is so cool, I was thinking about getting an adult sized bow myself! I hope she sticks with it. It was a lot of fun shooting with her.
What really surprised me was the fact that I didn't get sick while I was home. Seems like a pretty bad flu season. Chase and Jodi both had a touch of something which I was sure I was going to get. Reminds me of the Christmas when we were all really sick on Christmas day a few years ago.
So, I am back to work. It didn't take long to get caught up because nothing really happened while I was gone. The pace of activity slows to a crawl as most military types around the world take a lot of time off at the end of the year...well deserved time off.
I am off to Cairo again next week. Didn't think I would have to make this trip but there is no one else to cover it. I have already seen the pyramids so I will have to see what else Egypt has to offer
Until then,
Michael
Friday, December 14, 2012
See the world's largest Persian carpet...check
See the world's largest chandelier...check.
Hello All,
Made some progress on my "things to see before I die" bucket list by seeing the world's largest Persian carpet and the world's largest chandelier. Of note, I check both boxes making only one stop...The Sheikh Zayed Mosque, better known as Grand Mosque of Abu Dhabi.
The rug weighs 75,000 lbs, took 1200 weavers almost 2 years to complete, has over 2.2 BILLION hand made knots, and reportedly cost $8.5 million. Size? 60,546 sq ft. This carpet is bigger then a football field which measures 57,600 sq ft (including end zones). Pretty impressive.
The claim of the world's largest chandelier could not be verified using the internet but...measures over 33 feet in diameter and 45 feet in height. It appears to be the "third largest chandelier" in the world. It too was impressive but "see the world's third largest chandelier" is not on my list.
Turns out that the world's largest chandelier is in Doha, Qatar and measures 41 feet wide and 19 feet tall. Don't have any trips to Doha on the calendar but people from the command go there on a fairly regular basis. I'll see if I can jump on one of those trips.
Abu Dhabi was pretty nice and much bigger then Muscat, Oman. It is a big modern looking city with lots of hussle and bustle. Abu Dhabi is the location of UAE's central government so there are lots of government agencies located in the city. They attract a fair number of tourist but I think Dubai has the edge with the vacation seeking types.
The hotel, The Beach Rotana, was very nice and one of two approved by the US embassy. It was also connected to a 3 story mall.
We met every day at the UAE Armed Forces Officers' Club. This is a bit misleading because the AFOC is really a very big hotel/conference center complete with gyms, pools, sports fields, pistol range and restaurants.
The best part of the day was lunch. The cafeteria, if you could call it that, was AWESOME! It featured an international buffet with soup, salad, and desert bar. Other stations featured Asian (including sushi), tradition Arab fare, Indian section, and a European section. All the food was delicious. I limited myself to small portions but when you sample 20 small portions, you end up pretty full. I couldn't stop because everything was so good. I tasted few things I never had before but stuck with the sushi, duck, lamb, and beef for the most part.
I have a funny story about locking myself out on the balcony of my room one morning. I'll save that for when I see you.
Until then,
Michael
Hello All,
Made some progress on my "things to see before I die" bucket list by seeing the world's largest Persian carpet and the world's largest chandelier. Of note, I check both boxes making only one stop...The Sheikh Zayed Mosque, better known as Grand Mosque of Abu Dhabi.
The rug weighs 75,000 lbs, took 1200 weavers almost 2 years to complete, has over 2.2 BILLION hand made knots, and reportedly cost $8.5 million. Size? 60,546 sq ft. This carpet is bigger then a football field which measures 57,600 sq ft (including end zones). Pretty impressive.
The claim of the world's largest chandelier could not be verified using the internet but...measures over 33 feet in diameter and 45 feet in height. It appears to be the "third largest chandelier" in the world. It too was impressive but "see the world's third largest chandelier" is not on my list.
Turns out that the world's largest chandelier is in Doha, Qatar and measures 41 feet wide and 19 feet tall. Don't have any trips to Doha on the calendar but people from the command go there on a fairly regular basis. I'll see if I can jump on one of those trips.
Abu Dhabi was pretty nice and much bigger then Muscat, Oman. It is a big modern looking city with lots of hussle and bustle. Abu Dhabi is the location of UAE's central government so there are lots of government agencies located in the city. They attract a fair number of tourist but I think Dubai has the edge with the vacation seeking types.
The hotel, The Beach Rotana, was very nice and one of two approved by the US embassy. It was also connected to a 3 story mall.
We met every day at the UAE Armed Forces Officers' Club. This is a bit misleading because the AFOC is really a very big hotel/conference center complete with gyms, pools, sports fields, pistol range and restaurants.
The best part of the day was lunch. The cafeteria, if you could call it that, was AWESOME! It featured an international buffet with soup, salad, and desert bar. Other stations featured Asian (including sushi), tradition Arab fare, Indian section, and a European section. All the food was delicious. I limited myself to small portions but when you sample 20 small portions, you end up pretty full. I couldn't stop because everything was so good. I tasted few things I never had before but stuck with the sushi, duck, lamb, and beef for the most part.
I have a funny story about locking myself out on the balcony of my room one morning. I'll save that for when I see you.
Until then,
Michael
Friday, December 7, 2012
1 trip down, 2 to go.
Hello All,
Returned from my trip to Muscat, Oman, a couple of days ago and now packing for a week long conference in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Muscat was great. It was THE cleanest city I have every visited. The place really sparkled...and I don't use the world "sparkled" often. It was a very modern looking city and seemed pretty moderate. It was very different then other cities I have visited in the Middle East. It is actually some place I would consider going to for a vacation.
Tomorrow, I am off to Abu Dhabi. I have never been there so I am interested to see what it is all about. It too is suppose to be very nice. I will update you when I get back.
Once I return from UAE, I will be in Bahrain for a few days and then flying across the pond to send a couple of weeks back in NC. I am really looking forward to being home for Christmas! I know Jodi has a "honey do" list waiting for me but I am not one to sit on a lounge chair reading so that is fine. She has worked long and hard decorating and I can't wait to see the place. The kids will have a great Christmas. We were all apart last year as I was in Djibouti.
That is about it from here. Today marks the day that the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor...71 years ago. Pls take a moment to remember the Americans that were killed that day during an unprovoked attack in HI at 12:55 EST.
Michael
Returned from my trip to Muscat, Oman, a couple of days ago and now packing for a week long conference in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Muscat was great. It was THE cleanest city I have every visited. The place really sparkled...and I don't use the world "sparkled" often. It was a very modern looking city and seemed pretty moderate. It was very different then other cities I have visited in the Middle East. It is actually some place I would consider going to for a vacation.
Tomorrow, I am off to Abu Dhabi. I have never been there so I am interested to see what it is all about. It too is suppose to be very nice. I will update you when I get back.
Once I return from UAE, I will be in Bahrain for a few days and then flying across the pond to send a couple of weeks back in NC. I am really looking forward to being home for Christmas! I know Jodi has a "honey do" list waiting for me but I am not one to sit on a lounge chair reading so that is fine. She has worked long and hard decorating and I can't wait to see the place. The kids will have a great Christmas. We were all apart last year as I was in Djibouti.
That is about it from here. Today marks the day that the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor...71 years ago. Pls take a moment to remember the Americans that were killed that day during an unprovoked attack in HI at 12:55 EST.
Michael
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Seven days.
Hello All,
Seven days. That is how many days I am projected to be in Bahrain during the month of December.
The month starts off with a trip to Muscat, the capital city of Oman, for a few days. I have never been there and those who have, say it is pretty nice.
I will be back in Bahrain for the weekend and then off to Abu Dhabi, UAE. Abu Dhabi and Dubai are said to be the crown jewels of the Middle East. Factoid...Dubai is home to the world's largest mall. It has over 1200 shops and 5.4 MILLION sqft of retail space. I am not going to Dubai so I will not get to see the world's largest mall. Too bad since it is on my "places to see before I die" list, much like "see the world's tallest steeple" which I did in 2009. Well, maybe some other trip will take me to Dubai.
Back to Bahrain after UAE. Do laundry. Leave for US for two weeks of R&R. It will be great to be home for Christmas. Jodi has been working harder then Santa's elves getting the house decorated and i know it will look great. Both kids will be with us for the week holiday festivities. It sure is a great time of year.
Three trips in December equals 2 new stamps in my passport. Not bad.
The travel doesn't stop in January as I will be off to Cairo again during the later part of the month. Since I have already been to the Great Pyramids of Giza, I will have to find other old stuff to see.
Not much to report here otherwise. Things are slowing down a bit as they always during during the period between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. This happens every year all over the Marine Corps and, I assume, will all the military's branches. Well, I guess that is ok. Everyone could use a breather.
Hope all is well in whatever part of the world you find yourselves.
Michael
Seven days. That is how many days I am projected to be in Bahrain during the month of December.
The month starts off with a trip to Muscat, the capital city of Oman, for a few days. I have never been there and those who have, say it is pretty nice.
I will be back in Bahrain for the weekend and then off to Abu Dhabi, UAE. Abu Dhabi and Dubai are said to be the crown jewels of the Middle East. Factoid...Dubai is home to the world's largest mall. It has over 1200 shops and 5.4 MILLION sqft of retail space. I am not going to Dubai so I will not get to see the world's largest mall. Too bad since it is on my "places to see before I die" list, much like "see the world's tallest steeple" which I did in 2009. Well, maybe some other trip will take me to Dubai.
Back to Bahrain after UAE. Do laundry. Leave for US for two weeks of R&R. It will be great to be home for Christmas. Jodi has been working harder then Santa's elves getting the house decorated and i know it will look great. Both kids will be with us for the week holiday festivities. It sure is a great time of year.
Three trips in December equals 2 new stamps in my passport. Not bad.
The travel doesn't stop in January as I will be off to Cairo again during the later part of the month. Since I have already been to the Great Pyramids of Giza, I will have to find other old stuff to see.
Not much to report here otherwise. Things are slowing down a bit as they always during during the period between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. This happens every year all over the Marine Corps and, I assume, will all the military's branches. Well, I guess that is ok. Everyone could use a breather.
Hope all is well in whatever part of the world you find yourselves.
Michael
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
It's official
x2.
Hello everyone,
Well it's official, x2.
First, Bahrain is the least interesting place I have every spent a significant amount of time in. The diving sucks and there is really nothing to see. I struggle to fill the two days a week I have off. I tend to batten down the hatches Wed-Sun and not venture out much. If I HAVE to, I will get out on Fri or Sat morning.
The problem with Wed-Sun is that we tend to get a lot of visitors from an adjacent country who treat where I live like a play ground. The people in question are arrogant with a "me first" attitude. Muslims from other place then where these people are from say the same thing; that they have a sense of entitlement and that they are better then Arabs from other countries. It will be tough to grind out another 5 mos here. I would never come back to the Middle East and don't like it here at all. I'll just stick to my routine which mostly includes work and a simple after hours life style.
The second thing that is official is that the box of "Cohiba" cigars I bought a couple of months ago are counterfeits. I had some reservations when I first saw them but a little research tells me that this box of cigars fails on all 15 indicators of authentic Cuban cigars. Lesson learned (again!), if it seems to good to be true in IS to good to be true.
Well, at least I know that the Cubans I bought in Egypt are the real deal.
Thanksgiving is coming up. I have an awful lot to be thankful for but will probably spend a quite day by myself in my flat. I will be thinking of you all!
Cheers,
Michael
Hello everyone,
Well it's official, x2.
First, Bahrain is the least interesting place I have every spent a significant amount of time in. The diving sucks and there is really nothing to see. I struggle to fill the two days a week I have off. I tend to batten down the hatches Wed-Sun and not venture out much. If I HAVE to, I will get out on Fri or Sat morning.
The problem with Wed-Sun is that we tend to get a lot of visitors from an adjacent country who treat where I live like a play ground. The people in question are arrogant with a "me first" attitude. Muslims from other place then where these people are from say the same thing; that they have a sense of entitlement and that they are better then Arabs from other countries. It will be tough to grind out another 5 mos here. I would never come back to the Middle East and don't like it here at all. I'll just stick to my routine which mostly includes work and a simple after hours life style.
The second thing that is official is that the box of "Cohiba" cigars I bought a couple of months ago are counterfeits. I had some reservations when I first saw them but a little research tells me that this box of cigars fails on all 15 indicators of authentic Cuban cigars. Lesson learned (again!), if it seems to good to be true in IS to good to be true.
Well, at least I know that the Cubans I bought in Egypt are the real deal.
Thanksgiving is coming up. I have an awful lot to be thankful for but will probably spend a quite day by myself in my flat. I will be thinking of you all!
Cheers,
Michael
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Happy 237th!
Hello All,
Time again for the annual trifecta.
Today, 10 Nov, is the birthday of my beloved United States Marine Corps. 237 years ago, the Marine Corps was founded and we promptly started recruiting at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia, PA. I think the signing bonus back then was a free beer.
Here in Bahrain, we had our traditional birthday celebration, the Marine Corps Ball. As far as MC balls go, it was decent. A little over priced as always but nice to get together with the gang on a social basis. I don't have my Dress Blues here so I wore the suit I had made a few months ago.
I think me and Uncle Ed are the only US Marines in the family. Be sure to tell him "happy birthday". He will probably pretend he doesn't know what you are talking about but he does and he will appreciate you mentioning it to him.
It is also Veterans' Day weekend. This is a time when we remember all the veterans out there who made sacrifices (some of them the ultimate sacrifice) so that the rest of society could live under the umbrella of freedom that comes with being an American citizen.
My family has a rich history of military service with members of every generation raising their right hand and swearing to protect and defend the constitution of the United States. I think everyone of us knows a veteran. This is the weekend to reach out to them and thank them for their service.
So, to all the vets out there... thank you for all that you have done. You can probably look back and remember so tough times. You made it through them and you made a difference.
And the third element of this trifecta week? My birthday. Hard to believe that I will be 47. My generation is now "our parents' age". Remember when you were a kid and you parents were 40? It seemed pretty old at the time. It doesn't feel that old now that I am in my 40s, lol! Time marches on.
Not much lined up for Nov. I will be going to Oman at the end of the month. I have never been there so it will be another new stamp in my passport.
That it for now. Have a great week.
Michael
Time again for the annual trifecta.
Today, 10 Nov, is the birthday of my beloved United States Marine Corps. 237 years ago, the Marine Corps was founded and we promptly started recruiting at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia, PA. I think the signing bonus back then was a free beer.
Here in Bahrain, we had our traditional birthday celebration, the Marine Corps Ball. As far as MC balls go, it was decent. A little over priced as always but nice to get together with the gang on a social basis. I don't have my Dress Blues here so I wore the suit I had made a few months ago.
I think me and Uncle Ed are the only US Marines in the family. Be sure to tell him "happy birthday". He will probably pretend he doesn't know what you are talking about but he does and he will appreciate you mentioning it to him.
It is also Veterans' Day weekend. This is a time when we remember all the veterans out there who made sacrifices (some of them the ultimate sacrifice) so that the rest of society could live under the umbrella of freedom that comes with being an American citizen.
My family has a rich history of military service with members of every generation raising their right hand and swearing to protect and defend the constitution of the United States. I think everyone of us knows a veteran. This is the weekend to reach out to them and thank them for their service.
So, to all the vets out there... thank you for all that you have done. You can probably look back and remember so tough times. You made it through them and you made a difference.
And the third element of this trifecta week? My birthday. Hard to believe that I will be 47. My generation is now "our parents' age". Remember when you were a kid and you parents were 40? It seemed pretty old at the time. It doesn't feel that old now that I am in my 40s, lol! Time marches on.
Not much lined up for Nov. I will be going to Oman at the end of the month. I have never been there so it will be another new stamp in my passport.
That it for now. Have a great week.
Michael
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