No internet, but plenty of pigeons

Somehow or another a cable got cut in the Mediterranean and destroyed internet access for the Middle East and Asia. I have been completely cut off from the United States for a couple of days now. I feel as if I am losing my roots, jk.

A lot has been going on since I last wrote, I have eaten a lot of free food (always a plus), I got talked into a perfume shop (and talked myself out), completed survival arabic, and eaten a pigeon. Big stuff.

I have been going to a lot of the orientation things, I hope to look into teaching English or some other volunteer club and checking out some different clubs including boxing, judo, and scouting.

The other day I was talked into a perfume shop by a fast talking man. He was persistent, very very persistent. Even to the point of pouring me a bottle of some nice smelling stuff that I didn't want. When I finally convinced him that I was not going to buy anything from him, he acted very hurt. Very good actor.

Another guy I met told me and one of my roommates how this guy came up to him in the streets and started talking to him. He then asked him to go get tea with him. During that time he said he was from Palestine and that his house had been bull-dozed by the Israelis and that his whole family had been in the house. He also said he was on his last dollar and if this guy could pay for his tea. The guy only had enough to pay for his so he left. He then turned around after a couple shops and saw the guy paying for his tea. Scary. Even scarier because it could very well have been reality. Scariest is that you can have a hard time telling.

I went on a couple trips in this past two days. I will have to upload pictures when I get a chance and the internet works better. But one place I went was to a big school sponsored party called Fakhfakhina. It was at the Manyal Palace. This palace is a palace, no joke. Big walled off area, manicured grass, huge banyan trees. and that was just the lawn. The palace itself was a huge building ornated carving and stone work everywhere. You will just have to see the pictures. The food was the best I have had since coming to Egypt-ful, shwarma, kushri, and a drink called sobiea (white coconut, milk, very sweet and very good for you). We did a slow walk around the gardens and then left.

Today I went to Old Cairo and Coptic Cairo. My favorite part of the city so far. It was old beautiful and quiet. I saw the first mosque in Egypt, the first church I think, among other things. We first stopped and looked at the cave where Jesus, Mary, and Joseph hid for a month when fleeing from Herod, then we went to the Ben Ezra Synagouge. It was an old one with very ornate decorations. After this we walked around coptic cairo street. It was about 15 ft lower than the rest of the ground and you walked through large channels until it opened up into a big area for the synagouge. Then we went to the Church of St. George. This gorgeous orthodox church which was just amazing to be in. Then we went to a mosque. It was the first mosque built in Egypt and it is called Amr Ibn Al-as Mosque. It was huge and quiet. I was in a much smaller mosque a couple days before but it was nothing compared to the granduer of this place. My pictures won't be able to convey words. The coolest thing about being at these places was the age and the history and that people lived there. They were able to reside in this place of incredible age and importance. While there I also talked with a couple kids selling wares in Arabic and English and watched kids on field trips near the sights play. Childhood exuberance is universal I think and incredibly joyful.

All this week I have had survival arabic class. Aside from being taught in impossible to find classrooms, it was fun. Our teacher was this really expressive, entertaining, engaging, and hardworking women. She helped us a lot develop the skills we would need to function day to day. I know my standard arabic background helped but this class was very very good. At the conclusion of today she took us around to different stores and had us talk to the shopkeepers and then we went and got dinner. We all got stuffed pigeons. They were whole pigeons stuffed with rice. Incredibly greasy and actually very good. For desert we got what is called omm ali. It is a hot sweet breadlike soupd with raisins. Our teacher said it wasn't made well but it was good none the less.

Classes start tomorrow but I only have one. I will write as I always do, but sorry this is short and choppy. I am frustrated with horns and this gorram interet. We should stick with paper and fire whoever cut that cable.