By Ruth Koehler

Special to the Dispatch

Taking a trip to Egypt has long been on my bucket list. Actually doing it seemed surreal even while realizing history was alive. We learned what real heat feels like when it is steady and strong with no shade trees around in the Sahara Desert. I didn’t realize how much I’d need my Sisu reserve to become one of the gang. My husband, Buzzer, and I left home excited and a little bit anxious.  After taking several trips together, we knew this one would be different.

We thought going down into the tombs would bring relief from the heat, but no.The heat was also trapped down there. We were told people often wait until the sun goes down before venturing out. One cannot imagine building the tombs where it was dark, lanterns weren’t available, and many ceilngs are very high. It’s assumed candles were used, which doesn’t make for bright lighting.  Also, the length of time it must have taken seems daunting.

One needs strong knees and legs to keep up with everyone. With hundreds of tourists forging ahead everywhere, there was little time to stop. We needed to keep moving to keep up with our tour group of 11. When we left Minnesota, we were four people, upon arriving in Toronto, we became 11, still a manageable group. The others were from Ohio, Louisiana, Philadelphia, and one from Blooming Prairie, Minnesota. Everyone was very friendly and we all became acquainted while traveling together. Again, walking in the heat took a lot of energy.  (This was not sauna heat, which we love.)

Parts of Dubai are very wealthy. Those who are natives (born Emirates) share in the wealth. Dubai didn’t become wealthy until the riches from oils came to be. One must be a native of Emirates to be a citizen. Immigrants can work in Dubai, have good jobs and a good education, which they must pay for. However, when they reach 60 years of age, they must go back to their original country. Natives of Emirates receive all the benefits of the oil rich land: high quality of life with free schooling, health care, employment (for those who wish to work).

All immigrants in Dubai must work. There is no graffiti, garbage in the streets, or homelessness. Since everyone works, all are busy. We noticed people in Dubai are smiling; I guess because they are happy. The natives have free education, health care, and they live in lovely homes. Male natives can be seen wearing pressed white robes and a white headdress.  Women wear pressed black robes with headdress. They both stand out amongst other men and women wearing long robes.

People in Dubai cannot own a gun. Only police and military can own guns, consequently there is very little crime.  If a person makes a mistake in their job or their life, they must fix it and have a couple of months to do so. Dubai is considered a dry country regarding alcohol, although one can order a beer or wine with a meal. Tourists are very well treated.

A highlight of our trip was meeting our grand niece, Sara, in Dubai. She met us at our hotel and we shared a pizza together.  She is 31 years of age, has lived in Dubai for three years, and loves it there. She works at University and helps new students get settled. She isn’t married but has a significant other from Pakistan, so her life could get interesting if they marry.  She is from White Bear Lake, Minnesota, and she said if she gets married, her parents will come to her wedding. It is such a long trip and they haven’t been to Dubai yet. She is a lovely girl with a good head on her shoulders.

While in Dubai we went to the Burj Kahlifa, the world’s tallest building. We walked through a seemingly endless mall, clean and beautiful, with workers constantly pushing dry mops to keep the floors shiny and pristine. This mall is the second largest in the world. We finally reached the elevators, ready for a short break. Riding up the elevator was so smooth, we weren’t aware we were going up 32 feet a second!  Upon reaching the 124th floor, we were amazed at the sights below.  Floor-to-celing glass walls walls provide breath-taking 360-degree views of the city, desert, and ocean sprawling beneath! Of course it was extremely hot up there also, so we didn’t linger too long around the glass walls, only for quick pictures. There were gift shops with AC everywhere to buy souvenirs; everyone darted in to cool off and maybe buy something. It’s not easy to leave with nothing  to show for it. We also learned another country (probably Saudia Arabia) is vying to build a higher building which will be the tallest in the world instead of Burj Kahlifia.  Competition exists amongst the brightest engineers.

We also found there are residential floors in the Burj Kahlifa. One can rent from one to four bedroom apartments, with cost of larger ones increasing.  Each apartment has access to parts of the building which we didn’t see. We felt fortunate just to get to the top and to visit some souvenir shops.  

Dubai was exciting to us  with what it has to offer, plus its strict rules make sense in our crazy world today.  

Cairo, Egypt was a different story. It is very rich in history, yet has many issues which are difficult to overcome. We flew to Cairo and were transported to a grand hotel, four star with beautiful pools and an elegant entrance. A wedding was to take place that evening, so we saw flowers everywhere from the stairway entrance to the upstairs, including along the halls, ceiling and everywhere we looked. From our third floor room balcony, we overlooked the pool area. In the morning we sat outside and it was so quiet and peaceful around the pools. We commented on how nice it was. The hotel staff thought we weren’t given the opportunity to eat due to the wedding venue so they presented a lovely treats tray in our room, which was much appreciated.

From our hotel, we were driven to various places in Cairo. We couldn’t believe the debris and garbage existing along the streets.  We learned there is a problem with the garbage as the people quit picking it up due to a disagreement with the government in the garbage plan, consequently the government picks up garbage only twice a month.  As we drove along the canal by town, there was refuse everywhere.  Also dogs everywhere, looking like they were starving.  Our guide said the people own them, but they obviously can’t feed them properly.  Cairo has a life expectancy of 71, Dubai’s is 82. In research, the heat is mentioned as part of the reason for Cairo’s being lower, as is the employment rate being lower in Cairo. Tourists provide a large portion of Cairo’s income. Very young people were out selling and begging, becoming proficient at an early age.  Having a soft heart and refusing their offers can become extremely difficult.

We visited several mosques. They display Muslim, Jewish, and Christian religions. They show respect for these religions even if their own is different. The mosques were very quiet, white, and immaculate. Fortunately, I had a lightweight white jacket with a hood and that sufficed for covering up my head and face.

Did I mention it was hot? Dubai was over 100 degrees, and Cairo was about five degrees cooler. And we kept moving. Our guide was used to the heat, and he moved quickly.  We needed to keep up or be lost.  As we went to different places, we often walked through huge malls which had A/C, only to emerge out into the heat again. I would say the heat was the only detriment to our trip.  I can walk quite a long ways if it’s cool, but these temperatures felt deadly.  Sometimes we actually needed to sit for a couple of minutes. Fortunately we were given water constantly. Our guide carried a long staff with a white flag which he displayed high so we wouldn’t lose him.

Next came steppe pyramids in Cairo; it’s still a mystery how they were built.  Different theories exist, although it’s not understood as they didn’t have the scientists of today.  However, it seems a lot of knowledge has been lost.  Many of the base stones were the size of a small car. Artisans and talented engineers of that time were the workers of the pyramids and tombs, not slaves as was originally thought.

We could have ridden camels, but at 100+ degrees temperature, Buzzer decided he’d just watch. A couple daredevils in our group did ride camels. We came close enough to find out they don’t smell nice, and that was sufficient.

We were driven to the ship in Aswan where we prepared for our evening dinner cruise alongside the town. It was very memorable and peaceful. This became one of the highlights of our trip as we all ate together in an intimate night atmosphere over water.  The lights were beautiful as we slowly sailed beside the city.  We also saw one of the world’s tallest ferris wheels lit up with changing colors.  Buzzer would have ridden it had it been available; myself, not included.

Many buildings had clothes drying outside of their apartments. There certainly is sun to dry things quickly and sanitize the items. Small carts were seen piled high with family belongings as they moved along to new quarters.  We did see kids walking to and from school with their universal backpacks. Traffic is fast and wild, yet we didn’t see accidents. People’s faces displayed sadness with very few smiles. The area is rich in history and tourism is very important.  There seemed to be frantic movement to live their lives.

The pyramids and tombs were amazing!  It was difficult to believe we were actually at the Valley of the Kings and where these discoveries took place.  Interestingly, the kings were buried below the mountains since it was thought burglars wouldn’t find them; but, of course thieves found them anyway to seek treasures. 

Climbing down into the tombs wasn’t for the weak of heart.  We had to crouch down as the opening wasn’t very tall, and we met other people coming out. The walls and ceiling are chock full of hieroglyphs. It isn’t known how this was accomplished since there was no light and some ceilings are  extremely high. So much wisdom has been lost regarding the pyramids, the tombs and the humongous columns.  It isn’t understood how the tall statues in Luxor were built and layer upon layer stacked to test the winds of time. Luxor was beautiful when lit at night. We stood amongst hundreds of others looking up at the stone structures, no one understanding their origin. Luxor was a highlight of our trip for sure.

We were taken to the airport and then flew to join the Nile River Cruise. This lasted three nights and four days.  Our stateroom was nice and had a bathtub which we’ve found mostly in older buildings and motels. Thus began our Nile River Cruise. The chefs were amazing as they made sure we always received delicious meals. We went through the line for every meal, and the variety was huge each time. Of course we tried new foods including different fruits, lots of salads, breads, plus all kinds of dessert choices if we had room for it.  Meats consisted mostly of chicken and fish, although there was some beef. Upon arrival we all met in the huge lounge and were greeted with hibiscus juice–––delicious.

One morning during the Nile River Cruise, we left at 5 am to be whisked in a van to a spot where horses and buggies were waiting. It was still dark, yet there were hundreds of people lined up.  Each buggy held 4 people led by the driver and one horse.  We clopped along for several blocks in the dark–––a very unique and delightful trip.  After we returned to the starting spot, we watched as the driver rewarded our horse with green hay.  We don’t know where it came from, but the horse loved the hay and I got a good picture. This was a high-light of our trip–––very special.

During one free morning, we went up to the top deck and enjoyed the scenery as we cruised along. Music was playing and we enjoyed relaxing while taking pictures and videos. This was a welcome break where we could relax and sit in the shade away from the extreme heat.

While in Dubai we visited the Jumerich Mosque, then took the water taxi across the creek to Old Dubai and the Spice Souk and Gold Souk where many tempting wares were seen. The majority of Dubai”s Emirates buildings were built in 20 years, once the oil’s riches flowed in.

Our guide explained Muslims must pray five times a day while facing Mecca. It is mandatory, with very few exceptions. They do a complete cleansing of the skin with water to remove dirt and dust.  Also, Muslims are expected to make one pilgrimage to Mecca during their lifetime, more if possible. Residents may practice their own religion if not Muslim, and people respect each other’s faith. Muslims can have up to four wives with rules within observed.  Respect is shown and each wife has an elaborate lifestyle.

The population of Emirates’ natives is relatively small, one million plus. Dubai has about four million people and is about half the size of Minnesota. The Sheikh is the boss and all rules are followed.  We drove by many lovely homes where natives live. The yachts the Sheikh owns are amazing in size and beauty.

We were shown how spices are used for healing ailments, several of which we experienced. There were various chocolates to sample from which we purchased a premium Dubai chocolate box to bring home.

The shop owners always wanted people to keep moving so others could sell their wares.  At one shop the owner yelled “Take your time–––hurry up” which I thought was quite humorous.

We visited the Oriental Carpet School where the children make beautiful carpets.  The youngest worker was 6 years old.  He spends two days each week weaving and the other days he goes to school. A few from our group bought carpets valued at $1,000 which were to be shipped to their home. We knew the carpets were well made and were a good purchase even at those prices. 

At the Steppe Pyramids in Sakkara we had lunch at a large restaurant near the pyramids. We tried some different foods, many were very tasty. We saw how papyrus paper is made and we purchased a Virgo wall hanging which glows in the dark. (We’ve since had the hanging framed and it hangs in our living room.)

We were often refreshed with hibiscus juice which was passed around our group. It always tasted delicious and refreshed us in the heat. On a Friday we flew to Aswan where we saw the High Dam which is 6.5 kilometers wide and is highly protected due to its vantage point with water all around. The High Dam is very important to Aswan since the Low Dam can no longer handle the job. National security needed to be strong.

We stopped at an Essential Oils place, tried out some great scents and also got a neck massage before ordering some combination oils to bring home.  We look forward to using them, especially with the sauna. Of course the workers knew we were all in need of neck massages after our exertion in the heat.

We went to a large temple and heard about the origin of the Temple of Philae on the island of Agika. The temple was dedicated to Isis, the sister/wife of Osiris.

One morning we set our alarm for 4:15, met in the lobby at 5:30 to visit Valley of the Kings, a highlight. We sailed gently toward Luxor where the horses and buggies were waiting.  They took us to West Bank and Valley of the Kings where 62 pharaohs have been discovered, then visited the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. After breakfast we visited the Karmak Temple (Temple of Temples). It’s the largest place of worship, built with giant pillars, larger than Notre Dame Cathedral. Next, off to the Temple of Luxor built by Amenhotep III and Ramses II for rituals and festivals.

On our last day, we flew to Frankfort where we found the airport to be clean and spacious. While sitting there we actually heard Finnish being spoken, so I had to say a few words to them. Turned out, they were on our flight from Frankfort to Minneapolis, 8 hours and 45 minutes.  We were constantly fed or given water, which we all needed. On this long flight, I watched two complete movies which helped to shorten the time. Hearing we’d land in an hour meant we were almost there. Our landing in Minneapolis went well and our luggage arrived without any problems.

Egypt, Dubai, and Cairo felt other worldly. Actually seeing places we’d only heard of or read about was so amazing. Also, having taught about Egypt to sixth graders, this really helped it come alive. (I wish I could have taken students along on a field trip there.) We will cherish our pictures and memories forever.

There’s nothing like arriving at home even after a wondrous trip!  And, what did we do upon reaching our house?  We turned on the sauna!