WEEKLY WINNERS - Farouk palace Cairo

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When we visited Cairo, before going to the pyramides, we had a coffee in the Palace of the last King of Egypt, Farouk. It had been transformed into a hotel now.

The inside was breathtaking, all that gold and carved wood, mirrors and paintings....

The palace from outside

the garden with swimming pool

Famous guests who stayed in this hotel

VISIT TO CAIRO

Yesterday we went to Cairo, an appropriate date, it was Friday the 13 ! but everything went smooth and we had a wonderful time. We wanted to drive by bus to see the most of the Egyptian landscapes instead of taking a plane where you sit for half an hour and see nothing else but tourists. We were very lucky, as 4 other people desisted in the last minute. We had a new Van with 12 places, a guide and a driver all alone for us for only 125 € (a little more in $) !

As we are rather tired today, we left at 2 am and came back at 10 pm I just post some pictures and tell more about our trip later. (we made 1000 km in one day !)

We discover the pyramides and the sphinx

Chantal is the best example that even handicapped you can enjoy life very much ! We took a camel ride and here you see how she was sat on the camel ! My camel had the nice name of Michael Jackson. Fortunately it was very good and didn't dance like him. Moonwalk on a camel ? My poor bottom ! We admired the pyramides and Cairo from high above on our camels ! It was a wonderful feeling and I am sorry that we have no camel for sale and use in Waterloo ! It would be so nice to do my shopping and it could also mow the grass !



We also visited the biggest mosque in Cairo. For that we had to wear these green garden dwarf costumes. As I had a scarf I only had to wear the habit, but Chantel had it all and on top of it, they put her plastic bags on her shoes. She can't walk without the difference of her legs is too big.

You are only allowed to enter without shoes, which is understandable. They have beautiful carpets and tiles in there and they would get damaged with all these people. We laughed and laughed seeing each other and all the tourists were laughing when they saw themselves. The Egyptians laughed with us, it is very free and open there, some men were praying (or sleeping) on the carpet floor, some read a book, others walked around with their families.

We had a coffee just under the pyramides in a palace which belonged to the last King Faruk and had been transformed into a hotel and restaurant. I will show more pictures later. What a luxury and gold and gold!

More about Cairo tomorrow<

SHOW & TELL

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Being on holidays at the Red Sea in Egypt, I don't have to show much, but to tell a lot ! So far we haven't bought anything special, we just walked around and had a glance on what to buy for us and also for Christmas gifts.

We found little things, but of course I can't show them here. But for ourselves we bought these little cats. My friend Chantal is also a cat lover.

When we came back from the beach, we found this beautiful flower arrangement on the bed. Our room boy did it with the fresh towels he brought.

here is the entrance to our flat with a little patio and garden

watching people (of course, we are women)

the view from our patio

and along the little street to the beach

THURSDAY THIRTEEN - Egypt Holidays

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Our arrival in Hurghada (Egypt) in 13 points

1. Chantal and I went to Egypt on Sunday. I had asked for wheelchair assistance. (Chantal had polio when she was 3 years old and can't walk long distances) It worked in Brussels but in Hurghada apparently they first needed to built one until they can pick up people.

2. We were told to wait a moment. The moment became 20 min. Loosing patience, I stormed behind the counters, were 7 men were busy with lines and lines of incoming tourists to give out visas for 15 $ each.. Under the horrified eyes of the stuff I claimed again for a wheelchair.

3. Finally I was surrounded by 3 employees in uniform and two policemen to help me to get a wheelchair. They discussed and discussed and gesticulated, I thought it would be nice to make a little video now.

4. After 45 min, a breathless man ran through all the people pushing a wheelchair which dated from the first World War. Now we could go on.

5. The taxi driver agreed to the price of 5 € but suddenly wanted the double, otherwise he would call the police, that made me laugh because they are very afraid of police in general and I not at all. I told him it was an excellent idea there was just one, but he didn't stop and without any more discussion dropped us at the RIGHT hotel !

6. Never be in a hurry, our "time is money" doesn't exist, so it took at least 45 min to check in, because they always need big discussions between them with with flying hands, just like the Italians.

7. We got the same appartment as last year, but first didn't recognize it because they had recovered the furniture (was necessary) there was only one bed, we asked for a second.

8. When I touched a towel, the metalic towel holder broke out of the wall and dropped with a big noise on the tiles.

9. The cable of the kettle had nude wires hanging out of a rotten cable, which was probably more efficient then an electric chair. I didn't try, I had brought my own.

10. there was no toilet paper, which should be brought immediately and arrived 4 h later, fortunately we had tissus, and didn't have to use our hands

11. We got one bath towel for two persons, I asked for a second which also arrived when we had lost all hope

12. The next day our towels were folded into a heart with red Ibiscus flowers around, it layed on our beds

13. We are happy to be in a 4* hotel, the food is very good and the staff very friendly. You get everything what you want .... but you never know when.

Moral of the story, if it would have been perfect I had nothing to write about.

But the weather is warm, the sun is shining the sea is blue and warm and the palmtrees spent us shade. A paradise for two girls coming from a rainy, grey and cold Belgium.

Beach, appartment and camel !

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

View on holiday pleasure

MY WORLD - Red Sea Egypt

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Some of you know that I am on holidays at the Red Sea in Egypt, just like last year at the same time. We have wonderful sunshine and warm weather 30°C (83 F) good food, and a lot of fun. Only Internet is as slow as a snail on strike !

Here are some pictures of our hotel, the parc and the beach

restaurant entrance



Vegetable sculpture

I am sorry if I can't answer all comments, for the above mentioned Internet connection reason.

FUN MONDAY - A day

Mama Rehma's challenge is :

Your Day: please describe to us your typical weekday, from when you wake up until when you go to bed, what do you do to get you up and going, how do you wind down in the evening and what happens in your life in between those times. For some of us, the drama is in the mornings and evenings and for others, it is during the day.

*****

My days all year around are now the same, because I don't work anymore, I only realize that it is sunday because all shops are closed.

I could describe my normal days like a pearl necklace, they are all the same.

I wake up, do my yoga exercises under the watchful eyes of 2 to 4 cats, push on the button of the perculator, feed 5 hungry cats, evenutally pick up a dead mouse out of Rosie's food bowl, take my cup of coffee and sit down at my computer to read emails and check if the posts I had prepared the day before were published at the right time.

Around 10 it's telephone time, chatting and updating news with my friends, after that shower and getting dressed. With the help of usually 2 cats I make the beds. If there is some time left I go shopping then we have a little lunch usually in form of bread, cheese and Italian ham, while watching a little crime story we had recorded before.

Mr. G then retires with two cats for a nap. I am busy with my virtual life, and in real life, in summer a little garden work, in winter usually nothing. At 6 pm I shut down my computer for the day, prepare the evening meal, eat, watch TV and go to bed.

This sounds pretty boring, but of course I also go out photo hunting, have my painting course, meet my friends, visit expositions, and wherever there is something going on in a town I am there. Belgium is so small that you can do all in one day. You drive 250 km (155 miles) in all directions and you are in Germany, Holland, Luxembourg or France.

Householdwise I am very lazy. I put the washing machine on from time to time, no ironing anymore since Mr. G. is also home and I only buy things which don't need ironing. I also push the button of the dishwasher when it's full. For cleaning I have Janka once a week, who takes care of us as if we were two children.

And for the moment I am here in Egypt enjoying the sunshine ! Retirement is nice !

AWAY TO THE RED SEA (EGYPT) and WEEKLY WINNERS

When you are reading this I am sitting in the airplane to Hurghada in Egypt.

I was there the last three years always around the same time. It is a wonderful break to prepare myself for the winter. There is no rain there and it's always around 30°C (86F).

As last year, I'll take my Ordino with me, which means little Computer in Italian, and I will write my posts from there when I have enough of the beach.


And to escape this, these are my Weekly Winners :


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Stripteasing trees and dying leaves !
As you may notice, autumn is really not my cup of tea !