Last Day in Egypt

Today is our last day in Egypt. It's also my birthday (57, just like Heinz flavors). We're taking it easy. No museums or sight-seeing. We went walking around Zamalek Island a bit at lunch time, window shopping, and grabbed some grub at a local cafe. Window seats, great for people watching. We'll go out again for dinner later on. Now just sort of relaxing and vegetating at the hotel.

We have to re-pack our bags for international travel. A taxi will take us to the airport at midnight. Flight is not until 4:00 AM, but ride to airport could take anywhere from a half hour to two hours. You never know. Better be there early. So we will be home-bound in a few hours.

Home? What is home? It's been over a month and I am not sure what home is anymore. In my current state of mind, home consists of a few concepts, like my cappuccino machine and my bed, but beyond that it is totally abstract. I know I'll have to hit the ground running when I get there, as the demands of professional life are already infiltrating the back door of my consciousness. But not yet.

This adventure has been everything I had hoped for, and much more. Even with the down time caused by that dreaded infection in Luxor, what I have seen and experienced here more than fulfills the dreams I held for so long. As an artist, every fiber of my being has resonated to the deep vibrations of this land, its art and history, its rich & verdant fields, its beautiful people.

Egypt is nothing like what we are used to in America. But that's the whole point, stepping out of the sterilized, streamlined North American mindset. Notwithstanding the desperate and overly rude vendors at some of the archaeological sites, I have found the Egyptian People to be warm and welcoming, full of humor and quick to share a smile and a laugh. They are also proud and hopeful for the new direction their country is taking, despite the hardships of societal change.

I do wish them a bright future, one I hope to experience again.

Signing off.