After work Friday, Lorena and I drove to Stellenbosch and stayed at a flat (apartment) that was attached to the house of a friend of Marinus'. It was very nice for $21/night. But it did hurt that that is about a day and a half's wages. In the morning I went for a swim in the owner's pool and saw a huge spider on the filter that looked like the one that I killed on the side of our house at the winery. Then I swam as fast as I could out of the pool.
Lorena and I took the cable car up Table Mountain and walked back down the nearly vertical mountain. The views were amazing. We walked from the West side of the mountain to the East side in 45 minutes and it was nearly flat. The walk 3000 feet down was steep and difficult, but fun. It seemed much better when we passed people walking up the mountain. It made the whole trip worthwhile.
Afterwards we went to the waterfront with all the other tourists. There is the mall in Cape Town, plenty of bars and restaurants, live music, and the port. I went to a brew pub and was very pleased to find good beer, although Scottish style. They were all sweet, but much better than anything else here. Dinner was a large platter of seafood. I got a good night's sleep after the hiking and beer.
Sunday morning we went to a beach South of Cape Town where the water is warmer, but it was so windy that it felt cold outside. Most people left the beach before noon. To kill time we went wine tasting at a couple fo places. Avontuur was very snooty: they took our name at the front gate and the woman behind the counter was rude. The wines were ok to pretty good. The next place was much better. The guy behind the bar knew his stuff, was very helpful and gave us generous pours. Try to pronounce this place: Blaauwklippen. The best part was they had Zinfandel! A white one, not pink, and red one, and a late harvest. The late harvest malbec tasted like chocolate. It is also the oldest winery in South Africa, over 300 years old.
On the way out of Stellenbosch, Marinus led us over a mountain pass with spectacular views and gorgeous mountains that I wanted to hike up. We saw babboons on the side of the road and wild ostriches.
Once back in the house at the winery, Lorena saw a woman with a child running away from a man. He was chasing her with a broken beer bottle and had blood all down his arm. We drove to the front of the winery to tell someone and saw a police car already here. It turned out that everyone was ok. The man got drunk all day and was jealous for some reason. We talked to Tina, the owner, and she was very nonchalant about the whole thing and said, "That's how they live," referring to the black people. Lorena and I shared our disgust for the racism here. I pointed out that it also about what class people are. The black people are kept in poverty, then white people blame it on the blacks. As an analogy I was thinking about how poor white people were treated in the US, such as the Irish when they first came over.
My posts will become less frequent now because we start harvesting on Tuesday, so I'll be busy and I won't be having much fun to write about.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
A slow week
On Monday, some wine shop owners stayed at the farm to buy wine. They all sucked. They were mostly Canadian, with one couple from the UK. The first thing one of them said to me when I told him I was from California is, "So you came here to make real wine, did you?" What a douche! I was unprepared for such a greeting and didn't think quickly enough to fire back something about Canada. All night at dinner they talked about themselves and how important they are. I could tell Marinus hated this part of his job. After dinner I saw him with his head in his hands and a defeated look on his face. After two hours of wine tasting he refilled our glasses and said, "we should all be in the same boat tomorrow." And that was my birthday. I did get to try some good wines though, and dinner was free.
During the week in the cellar, we cleaned tanks, filtered wine, and bottled for two days. Marinus asked if we needed more wine and gave us two bottles of port and a viognier.
During the week in the cellar, we cleaned tanks, filtered wine, and bottled for two days. Marinus asked if we needed more wine and gave us two bottles of port and a viognier.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
One week down, eleven to go
Most of my time at work has been spent doing menial tasks like chipping paint off the recieval bin and painting it again, putting boxes together, random cleaning, and killing time. But next week should be busy with filtering, labeling, and bottling. The cellar hand from Zimbabwe, Alfred, is very friendly but can be difficult to understand with his accent. He is 24-years-old, went to university in his home country, then came to South Africa when the situation with Mugabe was very bad in 2008. He's very curious about the US, but I had to tell him that not everybody is wealthy like on TV. His eyes went wide when I told him I made $15 an hour in California because he lives on 2000 rand ($280 per month). I tried to tell him the cost of living was a lot higher. But it still sounds good compared to the $1.75 per hour we are paid here. But to be fair, that is after accomodation, lunch at the bistro every day, and other supplies they buy for us. I think our lunch costs about as much as we make in a day. I try not to think about it, but it's difficult. It is still worth the experience even if I don't save any money.
For the weekend, there was a wedding and a party on the farm, so my roommate and I got moved to "the big house" for a couple of days. It belongs to the owners who are out of town at their beach house. This place is way too big for two people. The kitchens, dining room, and two living rooms are bigger than my parents' house, then there are the boedrooms, and the outdoor rose gardens and fruit trees. Also, the swimming pool is 30 seconds away.
On Saturday, Lorena and I took Michelle's (manager of the guest houses and weddings) '97 BMW brandy and wine tasting for the day. 11am was a bit early for brandy, but the wine was good and cheap. The most expensive bottle I saw on a list was $17. The river cruise was nice, but the weather was cold and windy, even with a little rain!
The winemaker, Marinus, invited us to the bistro here for Sunday brunch, and said we could go to his house a little early for drinks. It would be difficult to be a recovering alcoholic here.
For the weekend, there was a wedding and a party on the farm, so my roommate and I got moved to "the big house" for a couple of days. It belongs to the owners who are out of town at their beach house. This place is way too big for two people. The kitchens, dining room, and two living rooms are bigger than my parents' house, then there are the boedrooms, and the outdoor rose gardens and fruit trees. Also, the swimming pool is 30 seconds away.
On Saturday, Lorena and I took Michelle's (manager of the guest houses and weddings) '97 BMW brandy and wine tasting for the day. 11am was a bit early for brandy, but the wine was good and cheap. The most expensive bottle I saw on a list was $17. The river cruise was nice, but the weather was cold and windy, even with a little rain!
The winemaker, Marinus, invited us to the bistro here for Sunday brunch, and said we could go to his house a little early for drinks. It would be difficult to be a recovering alcoholic here.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Second day of work
We cleaned the press, scraped wax out of the open top, cement fermenters, then did a tasting of all of the wines we will be making. They have a cheap sparkling and a good sparkling, a few good white blends such as Chardonnay-Viognier, Chardonnay-Verdelho-Viognier, and some good reds: Shiraz-Cabernet, Pintoage, and Cabernet-Shiraz-Pinotage.
After the tasting the winemaker gave the other intern and me all of the bottles that we tasted out of. When we offered some to the cellar hand from Zimbabwe, the winemaker said he can´t give him wine because the other blacks will think it is unfair and steal. I´ve only been here a few days and the racism is extremely noticeable.
I went for a swim, and picked up drinking water at the bistro attached to the winery where my boss gave me a few beers because I told him I like beer. And now my roomate is cooking Spanish tortilla for dinner (I think we call it fritada), and I am drinking free wine. It has been a good day.
After the tasting the winemaker gave the other intern and me all of the bottles that we tasted out of. When we offered some to the cellar hand from Zimbabwe, the winemaker said he can´t give him wine because the other blacks will think it is unfair and steal. I´ve only been here a few days and the racism is extremely noticeable.
I went for a swim, and picked up drinking water at the bistro attached to the winery where my boss gave me a few beers because I told him I like beer. And now my roomate is cooking Spanish tortilla for dinner (I think we call it fritada), and I am drinking free wine. It has been a good day.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Life at the winery
I woke up refreshed, but missed the 13-mile ride into town. But we spent the afternoon drinking wine and eating brai (BBQ) with my boss´ family. Afterward, I walked down to a quiet spot on the Breede River. At night I could see a fire burning in the hills to the west. I heard from my boss´ wife that this place does very well with weddings. December is already booked out, and they´ve received calls about December 2012. So they will move us interns out of the big guest house the next two weekends to make extra room for the events. One thing that went against my intincts was that they put ice into their wine. They said it´s because it´s hot and they drink a lot, so they need to dilute it.
My first day of work was a bit awkward because I stood around and watched the Zimbabwean cellar hand do most of the hard work. But it takes some time to get used to a new winery. We were cleaning equipment until a water pipe broke and we lost pressure, so we found some floors to sweep. After work we caught a ride into town in the pickup with a total of 12 people on board.
My first day of work was a bit awkward because I stood around and watched the Zimbabwean cellar hand do most of the hard work. But it takes some time to get used to a new winery. We were cleaning equipment until a water pipe broke and we lost pressure, so we found some floors to sweep. After work we caught a ride into town in the pickup with a total of 12 people on board.
The long trip south
My journey started with a 7-hour bus ride to Cairo, which went surprisingly well despite the security checkpoint where everyone had to open their bags for the army. I met a guy from LA who just came from Israel, so the border police charged him $15 and gave him dirty looks because they hate Israel. I spent six hours in the airport, then got onto the plane only to have it delayed two hours. The worst part was that a lot of the Arabs on the plane stood up and yelled at the crew for the delay. I couldn´t believe they would be so rude. It was pointless to argue because they couldn´t do anything about it anyway. I talked to an Irish guy afterward and we shared our disbelief and agreed that that would not happend anywhere else. Well, maybe New York.
Once in Abu Dhabi at 11am, I booked a hotel room for the day so I could sleep until 6pm. Then I used their free Internet and killed four more hours. All the staff in the airport spoke very good English, and were much nicer than Egyptians. The flight to Johannesburg was 8 hours, but I just watched movies the whole time. From Johannesburg to Cape Town, most of the passengers got off the plane and no one else got on, so there was more than enough space. I enjoyed the view of South Africa for the 2-hour flight.
The woman at customs gave me a little trouble about the visa because I didn´t have a flight booked out of the country, but she gave up and just let me in anyway. My boss Marinus was waiting for me with the other intern, Lorena from Spain. She just finsihed her masters in wine making and was in Marlborough, New Zealand for the same harvest that I was. The drive out of Cape Town was gorgeous. The mountains are steep, made of a combination of granite, limestone, and sandstone, and still have some green on them. After we passed through a tunnel, I saw two babboons crossing the road, and wild ostriches. As we got closer to the winery, the landscape became more arid with sagebrush and small bushes. Robertson Valley gets about 10 inches of rain per year.
Marinus gave us an open invitation to his house, which is on the property and showed us to our rooms next to the cellar. That night was the blessing of the harvest, which was a fancy dinner and lots of wine. I fell asleep early because I had only got about 7 hours of sleep in the previous two days.
Once in Abu Dhabi at 11am, I booked a hotel room for the day so I could sleep until 6pm. Then I used their free Internet and killed four more hours. All the staff in the airport spoke very good English, and were much nicer than Egyptians. The flight to Johannesburg was 8 hours, but I just watched movies the whole time. From Johannesburg to Cape Town, most of the passengers got off the plane and no one else got on, so there was more than enough space. I enjoyed the view of South Africa for the 2-hour flight.
The woman at customs gave me a little trouble about the visa because I didn´t have a flight booked out of the country, but she gave up and just let me in anyway. My boss Marinus was waiting for me with the other intern, Lorena from Spain. She just finsihed her masters in wine making and was in Marlborough, New Zealand for the same harvest that I was. The drive out of Cape Town was gorgeous. The mountains are steep, made of a combination of granite, limestone, and sandstone, and still have some green on them. After we passed through a tunnel, I saw two babboons crossing the road, and wild ostriches. As we got closer to the winery, the landscape became more arid with sagebrush and small bushes. Robertson Valley gets about 10 inches of rain per year.
Marinus gave us an open invitation to his house, which is on the property and showed us to our rooms next to the cellar. That night was the blessing of the harvest, which was a fancy dinner and lots of wine. I fell asleep early because I had only got about 7 hours of sleep in the previous two days.
Relaxing in Sinai
Dahab was designed specifically for tourist, which is good because it is clean, but bad because the restaurants overcharge and take up all of the beach space. The food and service were good, but unless you are a diver, there´s not much to the town. The Sinai seems to be a popular destination for Europeans, as I could have used Euros in some places, and there were mroe pale people than locals.
I took a bus north to Basata camp, which is on the beach north of a town called Nuweiba, but the bus driver didn´t stop for me, so I had to take a taxi to backtrack a bit. I was fed up with the constant hassle, but luckily Basata was exactly what I wanted. They provided all food at the camp, which guests help themselves to and pay for at the end. The bakery was excellent, with fresh pita bread every morning, and pizzas at noon. I stayed in a hut on the beach about 50 feet from the water. I could see the mountains of Saudi Arabia across the Gulf of Aqaba. My hut didn´t have electricity or water, but the shared facilities were very clean. Several people I talked to were living at the camp or staying for about a month. There is a school for 12 children there, and I met a couple of Americans who teach English and other subjects. The kids speak Arabic, English and German, making me feel very stupid.
I alternated between swimming, reading my book on the beach, snorkeling, and eating. It was a good three days. The snorkeling was fantastic. The coral reef directly in front of the camp had all sorts of colorful fish that I can´t identify. I saw a squid, and only the lionfish were poisonous. Someone said a few days before I arrived, there was heavy rain that was the first in almost five years! That led to the mosquitoes that bit me all night through the mosquito net. I met a woman from Cairo who lived in California for six years, mostly living in the Bay Area working in IT. And a South African couple gave me their phone number because they live in Cape Town and offered that I could stay with them while I am there. They also invited me to walk up Mt Sinai to see the sunrise, but I fell asleep too early. They said it was amazing and I wish I had gone, but sleep was good too because my 48 hour journey to South Africa started the next day.
I took a bus north to Basata camp, which is on the beach north of a town called Nuweiba, but the bus driver didn´t stop for me, so I had to take a taxi to backtrack a bit. I was fed up with the constant hassle, but luckily Basata was exactly what I wanted. They provided all food at the camp, which guests help themselves to and pay for at the end. The bakery was excellent, with fresh pita bread every morning, and pizzas at noon. I stayed in a hut on the beach about 50 feet from the water. I could see the mountains of Saudi Arabia across the Gulf of Aqaba. My hut didn´t have electricity or water, but the shared facilities were very clean. Several people I talked to were living at the camp or staying for about a month. There is a school for 12 children there, and I met a couple of Americans who teach English and other subjects. The kids speak Arabic, English and German, making me feel very stupid.
I alternated between swimming, reading my book on the beach, snorkeling, and eating. It was a good three days. The snorkeling was fantastic. The coral reef directly in front of the camp had all sorts of colorful fish that I can´t identify. I saw a squid, and only the lionfish were poisonous. Someone said a few days before I arrived, there was heavy rain that was the first in almost five years! That led to the mosquitoes that bit me all night through the mosquito net. I met a woman from Cairo who lived in California for six years, mostly living in the Bay Area working in IT. And a South African couple gave me their phone number because they live in Cape Town and offered that I could stay with them while I am there. They also invited me to walk up Mt Sinai to see the sunrise, but I fell asleep too early. They said it was amazing and I wish I had gone, but sleep was good too because my 48 hour journey to South Africa started the next day.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Bus ride from Hell
I saw Karnak Temple in the morning, which wasn't as well-preserved as the others I'd seen, so I was a little disappointed. It was very spread out, but chunks of rock that had fallen down were spread across the ground. To be fair, I had high expectations and was pretty burned out on temples at that point.
I caught the 4:30pm bus to Dahab on the Sinai Peninsula, but no one told me to buy a ticket beforehand, so the driver kicked me off after two hours in a town I couldn't pronounce. I waited for a bus to Suez, which arrived at 5:30am, then waited until the 11am bus to Dahab, which arrived at 7pm. Luckily, I found helpful locals who told me what buses to take. The journey was quite slow because there were a lot of stops and security checkpoints, but I can't really complain about improved safety. One guy flipped all the way through my passport, and I couldn't help wondering if he was looking for a stamp from Israel because I've heard that they will hassle tourists if they have one. At least the roads East of the Nile are in good shape. Along the river, cars can rarely go over 50mph because of poor pavement, but it was a pretty smooth ride around the Red Sea.
I saw plenty of ships lined up in the Sea, as I'd expected. The mountains of Sinai are very dramatic because they erode in a jagged pattern. When I finally got to Dahab I was pleased to see I booked a good, clean hotel.
I caught the 4:30pm bus to Dahab on the Sinai Peninsula, but no one told me to buy a ticket beforehand, so the driver kicked me off after two hours in a town I couldn't pronounce. I waited for a bus to Suez, which arrived at 5:30am, then waited until the 11am bus to Dahab, which arrived at 7pm. Luckily, I found helpful locals who told me what buses to take. The journey was quite slow because there were a lot of stops and security checkpoints, but I can't really complain about improved safety. One guy flipped all the way through my passport, and I couldn't help wondering if he was looking for a stamp from Israel because I've heard that they will hassle tourists if they have one. At least the roads East of the Nile are in good shape. Along the river, cars can rarely go over 50mph because of poor pavement, but it was a pretty smooth ride around the Red Sea.
I saw plenty of ships lined up in the Sea, as I'd expected. The mountains of Sinai are very dramatic because they erode in a jagged pattern. When I finally got to Dahab I was pleased to see I booked a good, clean hotel.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Around Luxor
I got a slow, late start while my host woke up at 4am to take tourists hot-air ballooning. Riding to and from the camp on the back of his motorbike was great fun. I rented a bike for $5 for the day. It was in terrible shape, but it got the job done.
The sites on the West bank were crowded with tourists, but the scenery was fantastic. Medinat Habu temple was impressive and still had some color. Hatchepsut's Temple was beautiful from far away, but there wasn't much inside. I hiked up to the cliff above it for a view of the Valley of the Kings, and a long stretch of the Nile. I didn't go into the tombs in the Valley of the Kings because I heard they are empty, and I have seen other Egyptian tombs already. Seti Temple wasn't too impressive and I was getting a little bored of the same old temples. Riding the bike was a great choice. A lot of kids yelled "hello" to me as I passed them.
Thursday morning, I planned to go to the Temple of Karnak, but instead I spent all day in bed with food poisoning. In the evening I went to a doctor and had it taken care of. I felt much better on Friday.
The sites on the West bank were crowded with tourists, but the scenery was fantastic. Medinat Habu temple was impressive and still had some color. Hatchepsut's Temple was beautiful from far away, but there wasn't much inside. I hiked up to the cliff above it for a view of the Valley of the Kings, and a long stretch of the Nile. I didn't go into the tombs in the Valley of the Kings because I heard they are empty, and I have seen other Egyptian tombs already. Seti Temple wasn't too impressive and I was getting a little bored of the same old temples. Riding the bike was a great choice. A lot of kids yelled "hello" to me as I passed them.
Thursday morning, I planned to go to the Temple of Karnak, but instead I spent all day in bed with food poisoning. In the evening I went to a doctor and had it taken care of. I felt much better on Friday.
From Aswan to Luxor
At the last minute, I decided to ride in a van to Luxor instead of the train. It was worth it because we stopped at Kom Ombo and Edfu Temples along the way. I met a grad student from Delaware, and five languages were spoken in the can at some point: Arabic, English, French, Spanish, and German. As soon as a woman sat down next to me she started throwing up into a bag. Lovely. As we passed a truck full of sugar can, one the men riding in the back handed a cane to the grad student as we passed it.
Once in Luxor, I took the ferry to the West bank for one Egyptian pound (LE). The East bank was very crowded and busy, so I was happy to stay on the opposite side. My camp was 3/4 mile down a dirt road along the bank of the river. It was quiet, out of town, 500 feet from the Nile, and had great character. The host was very kind and helped me in every way possible. After he gave me a great dinner, we smoked sheeshe (Egyptian tobacco from a water pipe). Then he invited me to go with him and a friend to watch belly dancing. It was in a smoky nightclub with live music and beer. I enjoyed the eperience because most tourists would not get to see this part of the culture. The host's friend even offered a prostitute and hasheesh, both of which I declined.
Once in Luxor, I took the ferry to the West bank for one Egyptian pound (LE). The East bank was very crowded and busy, so I was happy to stay on the opposite side. My camp was 3/4 mile down a dirt road along the bank of the river. It was quiet, out of town, 500 feet from the Nile, and had great character. The host was very kind and helped me in every way possible. After he gave me a great dinner, we smoked sheeshe (Egyptian tobacco from a water pipe). Then he invited me to go with him and a friend to watch belly dancing. It was in a smoky nightclub with live music and beer. I enjoyed the eperience because most tourists would not get to see this part of the culture. The host's friend even offered a prostitute and hasheesh, both of which I declined.
Aswan
My second hotel was much nicer than the first, even though they were both run by the same company. The souq (market) out the front door had just about everything I needed. I bought a shirt, batteries, food, and an hour of Internet. In the morning, I went to Elephantine Island and the Botanical Gardens by boat. Then I met up with a Japanese guy to go see the Tombs of the Nobles. He told me that there was a terrorist attack in Alexandria the previous day, so I decided I wanted to go to the Red Sea instead to stay on a beach. I'd like to wear shorts and a t-shirt for a change because traditional Egyptian clothes are supposed to cover everything but the hands and head.
I was feeling sick from the local food, so I had to go to Mcdonald's because I trust them more. It may have been the best Mcdonald's I've ever been to because it was very clean, had good service, and overlooked the Nile.
The next day was a trip south to Abu Simbel, the Aswan High Dam, and Philae Island for the Temple of Isis. The bad news was that the bus left at 3:30am, the good news was that I saw one of the most beautiful sunrises I can remember. It had the full rainbow of colors, it might have something to do with all the sand in the air. There were 30 to 40 buses travelling in a convoy for safety. I found it difficult not to think about the recent bus crash on the same route. For the 3+ hour ride down, we got to wander through the temples for about 90 minutes, but it was incredible. The large carvings outside, the wall carvings, the hieroglyphs, pillars, and paintings inside were all great. I got plenty of photos, but of course there were a bunch of tourists in most of them. There was some color left on the inside, which made me think of how good they must have looked before the paint was gone. I could also see cracks in the outside from where UNESCO cut the whole monument apart to move it to its current location to avoid the rising water of Lake Nassar, which stretched farther than I could see from north to south.
The ride back was through hot, sandy desert. I decided not to pay US$4 to see the High Dam because someone told me it is just a dam. I met a guy named Marc, who went to Stellenbosch University in South Africa. He has lived in Korea with his girlfriend for the past four years and he was jealous that I would be in Robertson Valley soon. We walked around the Temple of Isis together, which was impressive. I enjoyed the 19th century graffiti, but many of the carvings of people were scratched out. I later learned that this was the work of the Christians, and later the Muslims because they were Pagan symbols. Marc was a very nice guy, and he took my email address and said I should contact him if I need any help in South Africa.
I ate at a restaurant suggested by my guide book and I had delicious grilled chicken with herbs, rice, and vegetables for less than US$9.
I ate dinner
I was feeling sick from the local food, so I had to go to Mcdonald's because I trust them more. It may have been the best Mcdonald's I've ever been to because it was very clean, had good service, and overlooked the Nile.
The next day was a trip south to Abu Simbel, the Aswan High Dam, and Philae Island for the Temple of Isis. The bad news was that the bus left at 3:30am, the good news was that I saw one of the most beautiful sunrises I can remember. It had the full rainbow of colors, it might have something to do with all the sand in the air. There were 30 to 40 buses travelling in a convoy for safety. I found it difficult not to think about the recent bus crash on the same route. For the 3+ hour ride down, we got to wander through the temples for about 90 minutes, but it was incredible. The large carvings outside, the wall carvings, the hieroglyphs, pillars, and paintings inside were all great. I got plenty of photos, but of course there were a bunch of tourists in most of them. There was some color left on the inside, which made me think of how good they must have looked before the paint was gone. I could also see cracks in the outside from where UNESCO cut the whole monument apart to move it to its current location to avoid the rising water of Lake Nassar, which stretched farther than I could see from north to south.
The ride back was through hot, sandy desert. I decided not to pay US$4 to see the High Dam because someone told me it is just a dam. I met a guy named Marc, who went to Stellenbosch University in South Africa. He has lived in Korea with his girlfriend for the past four years and he was jealous that I would be in Robertson Valley soon. We walked around the Temple of Isis together, which was impressive. I enjoyed the 19th century graffiti, but many of the carvings of people were scratched out. I later learned that this was the work of the Christians, and later the Muslims because they were Pagan symbols. Marc was a very nice guy, and he took my email address and said I should contact him if I need any help in South Africa.
I ate at a restaurant suggested by my guide book and I had delicious grilled chicken with herbs, rice, and vegetables for less than US$9.
I ate dinner
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Train to Aswan
My morning began by oversleeping 20 minutes, but I still made it to the train with 5 minutes to spare. It was very difficult to find someone to help me get on the correct train. Then I ended up in 2nd class instead of 1st. The seat was comfortable, but the people around me were very noisy. But at least it was only $22 for a 550-mile ride. Despite the poverty here, the vast majority of people seem to have cell phones and be almost as attached to them as Americans are. The lunch was terrible and I should have skipped it. The train arrived at Aswan two-and-a-half hours late.
The scenery was mostly lush green fields of crops and palm trees, with similar looking towns and cities every once in a while. Most of it looked just as dirty and run down as Cairo. The view got a little better when there were sandy hills in the background.
A taxi driver overcharged me for the short ride to my dirty hotel room, but I moved to a better one the next night.
The scenery was mostly lush green fields of crops and palm trees, with similar looking towns and cities every once in a while. Most of it looked just as dirty and run down as Cairo. The view got a little better when there were sandy hills in the background.
A taxi driver overcharged me for the short ride to my dirty hotel room, but I moved to a better one the next night.
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