Trossachs & Loch Lomond

After picking up my rental car from Enterprise, I navigated my way out of the city and headed to Stirling. I figured this would be a great place to pick up some groceries and have a break from driving. Always good to get orientated with backward driving! Ha ha.
I was actually quite comfortable behind the wheel. No problems with the roundabouts.
I parked up by Stirling castle and had a stretch. On my way up to the castle, there were a few sites. The Old Town Jail, the Church of the Holy Rude (which had a lovely cemetery with lots of large headstones) and Argyll's Lodging. This lodge was a mansion made into a 17th century townhouse to entertain royalty by William Alexander whom helped found Nova Scotia in Canada. On the shield above the entrance had a mermaid, Native American and a beaver. Yes, Canada has made it's mark! It was the first respresentation of the beaver on a coat of arms.
I walked to the castle and checked out the Robert the Bruce Statue (the national hero who won Scotland's freedom) and admired the view of the town and countryside. I could see the Wallace Monument up on a hill, but figured that and the castle will have to keep for another day. I was ready to get going and see some nature. I headed back into town and popped over to Tesco to get groceries, then was off.
I drove to Gartmore and got a pitch at Cobleland campsite. The people in the office were extremely friendly and helpful. They gave me their recommendations on what to see and gave me a free walking map. I decided to stay 2 nights and as I would be hiking alone, they were more than happy to check in on me every evening to make sure I made it back to camp safely. We exchanged mobile numbers so I could message them my location as I jumped from place to place. They were wonderful!
I tried to pick the highest ground along the river and set up my tent. From there, I walked around the area. Looked at a neat little country house with a medieval looking gate, tromped though the wooded area in behind it, called Butler's Walk, talked to some locals out walking their dog, and walked along the river near camp.
The next morning, I drove out to Aberfoyle where I went to David Marshall Lodge Visitor Centre. They have zip lining here, but I just wanted to hike around a little and see the waterfall. They had many posts along Waterfall Trail with facts about the flora and fauna around the forest. It was a nice start to the morning.
I then headed to Ben A'an. A nice easy forest walk up to the top. Once in the clearing of the summit, heather covered the craigs, leaving a warm purple covering over the rocks and soil. Ben A'an is one of the shorter hikes, being 461m, but I still had a great view of Loch Katrine. I was fortunate to have dry weather. Cloudy, of course... but dry. I met a nice lady on the way up and after we rested we hiked back down together. Near the car park is a lavish hotel where she was staying and offered me a cup of tea. Which I gladly accepted. She had what was more like a flat on the ground floor. A good thing as our boots were muddy and we could leave them outside her sliding glass door.
After a short visit, I drove to my next destination back in Aberfoyle. From the Milton car park, I did the 3kms Lochan Spling trail. A loop around a small lake. The moss here was very colourful. Not just green, but a rainbow of green, yellow, red and brown. It was really quite eye catching. Many different kinds of mushrooms as well with all the moisture. Even found a neat little caterpillar crossing the trail and pike fish in the lake jumping to catch bugs. I thought I spotted an osprey, but I had some cyclists come by and the bird flew off, so I wasn't sure. Ach well, maybe next time.
I did plan on heading back to camp after those 3 walks... but seeing how I was already here, I figured... Why not one more walk? So, I did a 6kms walk along Ghleannain Loch trail. The trail follows along Loch Ard before turning away and heading into forested area and a small lake called Lochan a' Ghleannain. Man, was I ever tired after that walk! What was I thinking...
After making some dinner and a much needed shower, I fell asleep pretty quickly. I woke during the night for a bathroom break (why is it that you always have to go while camping, but can sleep through the night fine when indoors?), and it was really raining down hard. I put on my sandals and hopped out of my tent. As soon as I was walking behind my tent, I stepped in a huge puddle. Ankle deep! I switched on my headlamp to take a look around. Was I ever glad I picked a higher level of gound for my tent! The whole grassy area from the back of my tent on was a small pond. The water actually went up under my tent a bit, but luckily was only about 2.5 cm deep. Well, looked like my tent was being put to the test on it's waterproof flooring. I just had to wait until the morning to see if I awoke wet and cold.
I could hear a lot of splashing around in front of my tent as well. I faced the river and I wondered if the local fresh water otters were playing around.
Fortunately, all my research for my camping gear paid off, and I was bone dry. I was very happy with my tent. No water inside. I was glad to pack up my stuff however. Another night of rainfall like that, and I would be swimming in my tent. The water level would just be too high and would meet the mesh lining.
Once all packed up, I went for another stroll but near the campsite. I took the Fairy Knowe trail following along the river. It was a nice flat trail, so relaxing. Good way to wake up. I then went up Doon Hill to see all the tributes people had left for the fairies. Some of the Scottish people believe in fairy culture. Believed that the fairies would take your loved ones who passed on to this hill, where their spirits would be set free with the fairies in the afterlife.
At the top on the hill, all kinds of trinkets and ribbons were tied to the trees with blessings, wishes or in remembrance of someone. A man had just finished his commune with the fairies, and he had a spare ribbon that he gave to me to tie to a tree. That was very kind of him. We talked a little, and then he left to give me my space for my remembrance offering. I picked the largest tree to tie my ribbon on. Thinking of my family's recent losses of grandpa and aunty Ann. I wished for their peace and happiness where ever they may be and that they'd be together.
I read some on the other ribbons as well. People wishing for a baby, for a loved one's health, a little girl wished for a dog, people wishing for help for starving children, true love and happiness, etc. It was touching.
I soon headed back to camp, said goodbye to the staff at reception, whom were so caring, and drove to Loch Lomond. Queen Elizabeth Forest Park has free camping restrictions. Due to it's close proximity to Glasgow, the park has a lot of people coming up for the weekends who trash the place. Leaving garbage and liqueur bottles lying around and cutting trees for wood burning. Some don't use proper fire pits and burn too much around wooded areas so a bylaw was passed that no wild camping was permitted in certain boundaries of the park. Shame that people behave that way. You come out to places like this to get away from the city... not to bring the chaos of what you see in a city to nature.
As a result, I went to the information office and booked one night at Sallochy. It was the cheapest place I could find at £5 a night.
Once I arrived, I picked a lakeside site and put up my tent. A few midges were about, but they didn't bother me too much. Only if I stayed still for too long, then they'd bite me. They're awfully tiny, but do leave a good bite. But again, after having the mango rash, I didn't find their bites very itchy at all.
I found the wooded area much prettier around this area than in the Trossachs. There were many hiking trails, including one following along the east side of the lake, but my throat was a bit sore and my body was very tired. I did a lot of walking the day before so I listened to my body and just rested. Enjoyed the peace and quiet, walked around the beach and went to bed early.
The next morning was lovely. The clouds cleared up and the sun came out. It was fairly windy, so clouds came and went quickly allowing the sun to shine. I was feeling more rested and looking forward to my hike up Conic Hill. I packed up, ate breakfast and drove back to the info centre to park. I popped into the centre to make sure I took the right direction to Conic Hill and asked the rangers if they could be my buddies. Always good to have someone know where you are when hiking alone. I told them I'd only be about 1-2 hours and they were happy to watch out for my return.

It wasn't a difficult walk, but it was very muddy, slippery and windy so I was careful. And what a sight to behold once at the top! A fantastic panoramic view of Loch Lomond and it's surrounding woodlands. I would have loved to have a picnic up there, but with that cool gusty wind so strong, it was best to have lunch elsewhere.
I popped back into the centre to chat up the rangers and let them know I was safe. One, named Dougie, was very friendly and we exchanged numbers. He said he'd like to keep up with me on my journey in Scotland and maybe at some point, he could meet me somewhere and go on a hike together. At the very least, I made a new friend, so I thought it was a great idea. I hopped back into my car and started my drive to Oban at the coast. I drove along the west side of Loch Lomond to Tarbet, where I had a stretch and ate lunch.
Then decided to go west to Inveraray. The view driving along the outskirts of Argyll Forest Park was gorgeous! I loved the green valley. I had to pull over in a rest stop to enjoy it. Just couldn't pass the view up. I had a feeling this was gong to happen a lot on my upcoming journey.
And indeed, I made another stop in Inveraray to look at Inveraray castle. Argyll is Clan Campbell domain, and the Duke of Argyll has had his seat here since the 17th century. I didn't go inside, but this Neo-Gothic building was stunning.

While passing through Loch Awe, I made a pit stop at St. Conan's Kirk. It's a church of Scotland and is situated on a craig above the loch surrounded by trees, ivy and flowers. It was very peaceful and I really like the designs carved into the stones on the outside.
I arrived into Oban soon after. I drove to Oban Caravan & Camping Park and booked a night there. I needed to do some laundry and figured this would be a good place to do it. The campsite was up on a hill beside the ocean shore. Lovely spot. I picked a spot for my tent that had part of the hill blocking the wind and pitched my tent. Seeing how it was time for dinner, I ate, charged my batteries up then went to bed early.
This morning, I hand washed all my laundry, hung it up in the car and am going to spend the day exploring this seaside town my grandmother was from.

Petersfield & Edinburgh

I was the first live-in carer my new client has had, as she was new to the agency. Numerous things to work out since no one really knew what she really needed. The town of Petersfield was small, but picturesque. My favourite spot was the lake. A walking trail circled around, then headed up behind to a wooded area and grassy fields. It was perfect for running. There was a children's playground and a small beach hut where one could hire a canoe or rowboat to putter around the lake. It cost £3 for 1 hour. Inexpensive and a great way to relax in the sunshine watching all the ducks, geese and swans.
I spent most of my break time walking around the lake, following some of the public right of way trails (these trails go all around the country, allowing people to walk through farmer's fields, around water channels, parks, etc. freely) and going on a few drives into other nearby villages with my client's neighbours, Sue and Allen. See, all the neighbours were elder woman and Allen took it upon himself to watch over all the old ladies. He was very social and we became friends quickly. When his wife had days off, she happily offered to take me to different places to get a change of scenery. Sue was a fountain of knowledge, knowing so much history of England. She was gifted with a photographic memory and remembered everything she has learned throughout her life. I was in awe of such genius. Both of them were also members of the National Trust, so she made great effort to learn the history of towns, rail lines, parks and heritage properties.
She drove me to the South Downs National Park trail (South Downs Way) which follows a chalk ridge all the way to the ocean. We went for a short walk up on the hill to enjoy the view overlooking the countryside.
Went to Alresford, which is a lovely Georgian town, to see the watercress farming. We walked along the river path to a beautiful house called the Fulling Mill and had tea at her favourite cafe. The steam train ran from here to Alton, delivering watercress to other locations. There was a Thomas the engine from the children books and TV show modelled outside the station. Brought back memories of when my brother was little, watching the show.
Another place we visited was the Grange at Northington. An estate formally owned by Henry Drummond (a wealthy banker) and now part of the English Heritage. It was once a country house that underwent a huge transformation in the 19th century to have more classical Greek design. The conservatory, over time, became a ballroom and now is a theatre built by the Opera house. They have opera evenings here outside in the summers.
Next was Winchester to see the castle. The castle is small with mostly just the Great Hall where you can see a round table dated from the 13th century, painted with King Arthur and the names of the legendary knights around it. It's displayed up high on the wall. There's also a small garden in the back to wander in. Winchester Cathedral is one of the longest in Europe and, as most of the cathedrals, had a spectacular decorative facade.
Then Bosham, a little coastal village known for it's sailing. The tide was out while we walked around the inlet, admiring some of the sailboats. We could really smell the seaweed. Also poked around in the Holy Trinity Church which still had architecture from the 800's. Had that basement smell to it. Old, musty and damp... I actually like that smell. Weird, I know.
Lastly Selborne, where we walked up a hill for a nice view. Continued on and roamed the 12th century St Mary's church grounds (where we saw a ton of bees, yikes!) and they showed me Gilbert White's Field Studies Centre. Unfortunately it was closed, but that didn't stop Sue from educating me. Gilbert White was a naturalist and ornithologist (bird specialist). He was recognized as one of the first ecologists and he made discoveries of the plants, animals and local birds. Such as bird migration. He used observation instead of specimens and was able to differentiate between similar looking birds by their song.
After 6 weeks with my client, I took a much needed break. Decided to take a month to travel up in Scotland. I hopped on the train and went to Edinburgh. I checked into the Caledonia Hostel just off one of the main streets. It was surprisingly quiet. I couldn't hear the traffic or people outside at all. Is it because Cairo was so active and noisy that now everything else is quiescent? Hmmm, I don't know.
I didn't arrive until the mid evening, so once I was all settled in my dorm room I popped out for a quick bite, then went to bed.
I spent the following morning exploring the city. The Edinburgh castle was calling me upon the hill overlooking the city, (known as Castle Rock,) so I decided to start there. I rented an audio guide for the castle and started my route around.
Upon entry passing through the gate and Argyll Tower, are military barracks and the governor's house, a tea room and the outer defences (the battery, with all the cannons). Up in the middle is St. Magraret's Chapel, the oldest building in Edinburgh dating to the 12th century. It was a small building with just one small room with stained glass windows. It's still used today for the occasional wedding. A small pet cemetery for the regimental mascot dogs was just off to the side of the chapel. I walked along the Half Moon Battery before going into the Royal Palace to see the royal apartments, read a bit of history and see the crown jewels.
Under the Half Moon Battery is David's Tower, (well, what's left of it). I was able to walk into some of the rooms to get an idea of what it would have been like looking through the 'windows' back then. Small area for so many people. It was also where the Scottish hid the crown jewels during WWII. To prevent them from falling into enemy hands they hid them below a medieval latrine closet. Good place I think. Not many people would look there!
Seeing how this castle isn't anyone's regular home, it wasn't as lavishly decorated as Windsor. But there were a few rooms I could walk around in that had spectacular engraved fireplaces, painted ceilings, paintings, armour and other decorations.
The crown jewels included the crown, sword of state and the sceptre. Also, the Stone of Scone (or more commonly known, the Stone of Destiny), of which the Scottish monarchs were all enthroned upon until the English King Edward I took it for himself to be built into his own throne. Queen Elizabeth II had returned the stone to Scotland in 1996 (after 700 yrs in Westminister Abbey) which will only now be removed for future coronations.
Walking into the Great Hall, I couldn't help but admire the original hammerbeam roof of timber. I think it's amazing how well preserved it was.
When I exited I came out in the Crown Square. There were more military museums, with more history and medals to be seen, but the weather became really windy so they closed off that half of the castle grounds. With the castle up on the hill, the winds were quite strong and there was risk of people loosing their balance and falling down steps, or over a railing if not careful, so I didn't mind. For me, I figured it wouldn't be too different than most military museums anyway.
Edinburgh Castle was constantly under siege during its time. The monarch of Edinburgh castle ruled the city and by extension, all of Scotland itself, so many of the battles focused here. King David I built the castle back in the early 1100's, whom was Saint Margaret of Scotland's son. Hence the name of the chapel.
Constant battles between the Scots and the English over the centuries took place. The castle had to be rebuilt a couple times over the years.
The first major one being in the late 13th century when Alexander III died without a successor, so Edward I seized and declared himself overlord of Scotland. The following years had the first and second wars of Scottish Independence.
Then in the 16th century, the English attempted to capture Mary, Queen of Scots, thus known as the Lang Siege.
In the 17th century, Oliver Cromwell executed Charles I and invaded Scotland. It fell into English hands and the Jacobite Risings resulted. Many attempts were made by the Jacobites to reclaim the throne for who they thought to be the rightful heir. But in the final attempt in 1745, lead by Bonnie Prince Charlie (Charles Edward Stuart), they were forced to retreat.
In the 18-19th centuries, the castle held military prisoners of many wars. Like the American Revolution, Seven Years War and the Napoleonic wars. A section of the castle had hammocks hanging, with clothing and crafts or artwork that the inmates worked on to make a living. That is, before they all broke out! The prisoners dug their way through a wall and used ropes to get down the cliff. Whoops! So, much for Fort Knox!
After exploring the castle, I walked down the High St, aka the Royal Mile. Many interesting shops, churches, eateries, performers, attractions and eventually, the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Along the way down high st, I decided to go through one of the attractions. The Real Mary King's Close. Think of it as underground alleys linking up to apartments, full of old stories of past lives and struggles, and never seeing the light of day. Sounds neat, yes?
I really enjoyed this tour. Our guide dresses and plays the role of one of the characters who once lived along Mary King's Close. He was witty, animated and full of information. He carried the only flashlight, so we all stayed close together wondering the passageways and staircases into the network of rooms. There were props within many of the rooms to help liven up the tales of people's everyday lives back in the 17th century. Stories of a butcher, a poet, a merchant, the daughter of Mary King, a maid and even the foul clenger (the poor chap who had to clean houses affected by the plague). Stories of murder, poverty, suffering of illness were prominent, but so were a few of love, family and community. At the end of the tour, we came out to the main close, where we each got our photo taken under red light. I could just imagine the sound of horses clapping down the cobble street, people talking and yelling "Gardez l'eau!" A warning,' beware of the water' as people from above windows dump the slop of their latrine pots onto the street below. Yuck! Definitely want to adhere that warning. That's actually believed where the origin of the word 'loo' came from.
Once I made it to the palace, the dark clouds had passed and the sun came out. So, I figured it would be a great opportunity to hike up Arthur's Seat. So I meandered up the path that went along the side of the hill. I had a lovely panoramic view of Edinburgh at the summit. I could see a string of mounds that were once volcanoes. One out in the sea, known as Bass Rock, used to be a prison. But, the sea birds have apparently claimed that for their own now.
It was extremely windy at the summit, so I didn't stay up there too long. Not many people up there at the time either. There was one lad, so I chatted with him a bit. Josh was from the USA, Mississippi  actually. It was the first time I talked to someone with such a thick southern drawl. We walked down the hill and stopped at the ruin of St. Anthony's chapel. He was great company, so we ended up spending the rest of the afternoon together. We roamed around Princes street (one on the main streets), went into the National Gallery of Scotland to see works by Edvard Munch, and watched a band play out in the square by the gallery. Lovely day. We said our goodbyes and I popped into the pub across from my hostel for a drink to watch some live musical entertainment before heading to bed.
The next day, I went up Calton Hill to see a couple monuments, booked my car hire for the rest of my time in Scotland, meandered through the cemetery and poked my head into the outdoor shops on Rose st. I still needed to figure out what route to travel Scotland, and after talking to a handsome man in Tiso, I decided to take his advice and go west then north. Back at the hostel, I made a couple friends and had a few drinks with them in the hostel bar, went out for some night city photography then headed to bed.
This morning, I head off to pick up my rental car and start my trip!

Salisbury, Stonehenge, Bath & London

After my placement, I had 1 week off before starting with my new client. I checked into The Oasis, a girl only hostel owned by the St. Christopher Inn chain. I had to go 3 mins down from my accommodation to the main hostel and reception to check in, but I didn't mind. It wasn't that far, and the staff were very friendly, helpful and accommodating. The Oasis was surprisingly quiet considering it was on a main street, a couple blocks from London Bridge Station. It was a great location, well kept, clean and had large storage lockers for all my things. I was happy there.
During the week, I did a bit of exploring. I booked a day tour with Golden Tours to see Salisbury, Stonehenge and Bath. It was a great price to see all three places and my guide was incredible. She had so much knowledge and passion for history. On the bus ride to Salisbury, she gave us a quick history lesson of all the monarchs in Britain. Even had poems and songs memorized that she shared with us. I loved her! Thought she was amazing and if I had her as a teacher when I was in school, I think I'd have been better for it. She had the gift to enthral you with whatever she was saying.
Our first stop was the Salisbury Cathedral. It was built in the 13th century and has the tallest spire (123 m/404 ft) in all of Britain. It's also where an original Magna Carta is displayed. There are only 4 surviving from 1215 and the one in Salisbury is the best preserved.
The Magna Carta , Latin for "Great Charter", is one of the most important documents in history. Think of it as the first document for Human Rights. It protects the rights of an individual.
We all know the children's story of Robin Hood and King John. Well, King John is the one who signed and sealed the Magna Carta back in 1215. The law before then, claimed the king all-powerful, and he was one who abused such privilege. He had heavy war taxes, disputes with the barons and bishops over his poor government and even had arguments with the Pope. Safe to say he wasn't winning many brownie points. After his defeat from the French, he was fearful of loosing the civil war, and that urged him to agree to the terms on the document. Doing so restored the balance between the king and his subjects. The King was no longer above the law.
63 clauses were written on the parchment but only 3 are law in England today. One is regarding the rights of the English Church, another of the liberties and customs of London towns and the last and most famous is quoted:

"No free man shall be seized or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions, or outlawed or exiled. Nor will we proceed with force against him except by the lawful judgement of his equals or by the law of the land. To no one will we sell, to no one deny or delay right or justice."

The constitutions of Commonwealth and other countries around the world are all based on the Magna Carta's basic principles. Great piece of history here.
There was a translated display as well so I could read all the clauses. The volunteer guide told of a few stories of people coming to visit the document and being struck with deep emotion. He said his most memorable was a girl from Africa, tears running down her cheeks at the sight of it. When he asked if she was alright, she replied "you don't know how much this means... to be free." It was a touching story.
After roaming in the cathedral, I popped into town during our lunch break to check out the shops and market. It was a busy town with a couple festivities.
Our next stop was Stonehenge. Estimated to be constructed around 3000-1600 BC, the ancient stone circle was enclosed out in the countryside in a field. A circular pathway around it allowed visitors to see it at every angle.
The initial earthworks of the bank and ditch was found with cremated human remains, but there's debate about whether it was ever used as a burial site. Also, the monument is aligned with midsummer sunrise and midwinter sunset. The purpose of it is still a mystery.
The blue stones had been brought from Whales, transported by water. The people would have used rollers and sledges over land to the waters edge and then placed on rafts. Then coasted down the rivers for 240 miles to the current location. A long way considering some of the stones are 4 tonnes. Also, the massive sarsen stones, forming the outer circle and lintels, were up to 50 tonnes, and those would have been dragged on land by 500 people using ropes and sledges. Talk about a labour intensive job!
Our final stop was the Roman Baths in Bath. The town was lovely. Full of terraced houses, a bridge over cascading waters, a large Abbey, many shops along cobbled streets, a square with a giant chess board to play with, street performers (even an opera singer) and of course, the Roman Baths museum. The entrance to the baths was gorgeous. The ceiling was dome shaped, with carved flowers and vines lite by chandeliers. Once on the terrace, Roman statues of leaders lined up along the railing overlooking the Great Bath. And the pool itself, I think the water is as old as the place. The water was green! So gross! At least it didn't smell. It is lined with lead, about 1.6 m deep with steps leading into it. The water is feed into this centrepiece from the Sacred Spring. The spring has a temperature of 46 degrees Celsius and has just over 1,000,000 litres of water coming up from the earth daily. As it has for thousands of years. Amazing how it keeps on going!
There was once a temple of worship, dated back to the late first century that had collapsed. All that remains is the iconic Gorgon's Head, which was the temple's pediment. The head has wings above the ears, snakes in the beard and a thick moustache. Oak leaves surrounded the head. On the bottom right is an owl, and on the left is a helmet with a dolphin on top. In the corners are Tritons (half man half fish whom are servants of Neptune, the water god). Amazing detail on what was there considering how old it was.
Along the halls, there were windows that I could look through to see the other bath areas like the spring, the sauna room and cold plunge pools. Also watched some projections of how the Roman people lived their lives around Bath.
They had displays of all sorts of jewelry, coins, gemstones, statues and curses (messages written on lead or pewter) that had been found on the premises, including in the water. Many of the people made offerings to the goddess by tossing coins into the spring.
The Roman drain and spring overflow still functions as it did back then as well. Talking the extra water all the way to the River Avon.
In the east and west baths, the original foundation is there to see how the underfloor heating worked. Stacks of piled pilae tiles were in rows that would allow the air to circulate through, heating the floor above and the walls. Was interesting to see.
Then, back on the tour bus to head back to London. Listening to poems, stories and history lessons all the while by our guide. It was a full, busy day, but amazing. Alot to take in.
I also did a free walking tour of London. I went to the monument, Wellington Arch, at Hyde Park Corner, for the meeting point. Couldn't believe how busy it was! I guess with the 2012 Olympics starting, many tourists were in town. Luckily, the volunteer guides were prepared and had enough of them to split us all up into 6 groups of  around 20. My guide was an actress. She had just finished her first film, so she was just starting out in her career. She had so much energy! Exuberance was her middle name! I was pleasantly surprised at how well she knew her history. The tour took 3 hours and we went from the Wellington Arch to Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Horse Guards, Parliament buildings, and ended at Westminster Abbey. I loved the story of the drunk who broke into the palace. Running around like crazy, setting so many security alarms off at once, the new guard thought it was a glitch in the system, so ignored it. He found the dog food and ate it, then let himself into the queen's room where he woke her. They had a cup of tea and talked. Of course, he was taken into custody, but the law at the time declared the palace grounds public, so he wasn't convicted. Only minor charges. Great story. My guide was really animated acting out the tale, we were all laughing.
I was impressed with the free tour. I didn't expect much, but I guess the volunteers to their best to make decent tips. I can tell you, she did well with our group!
The rest on my days were spent roaming around London. Was asked out to dinner by a nice bloke on the street. Thought, why not? So had a pleasant dinner with some company followed by a drink at a pub along the Thames.
Also made a friend at the dorm, Hayley from Wales. She took me out window shopping along Oxford street. Just for fun, we popped into Hamley's toy store. A store with 5 floors! It was amazing! As an adult I had a great time, no wonder all the children had squeals of delight! They had everything... and things I hadn't seen before. Like the magic felt pens. I've seen the ones that erase, but they had ones that changed colour over other colours. Really neat! Had Prince William and Kate dolls, her Majesty in lego and a milkshake stand. Couldn't resist!
We walked around Piccadilly Circus, (known for all the neon signs, video displays, shopping and entertainment areas) had a pizza slice for dinner then caught a movie. Another full day!
I watched the changing of the guard at the palace, watched the end of the olympic cyclers since they finished there and walked through Hyde Park. Had another day, meeting up with Ashley and Cass, my two friends I made from work training. All in all, I had a pretty good week off. Tomorrow, I leave for Petersfield in Hampshire, for my second client.

Farnborough & Windsor

I arrived in Farnborough just fine and my carer placement with my new client went very well. She was very nice and easy going. Couldn't have had a better first client. Over the next 2 1/2 months, I went to the gym during my breaks and went for walks around the town and in the parks. Not a very big place, and not a lot to do, but luckily I made a friend at the gym. Maxine moved to England from Algeria and we'd  meet up from time to time. He even planned a day for us to go to Windsor castle during one of my breaks. See the oldest and largest occupied castle. It's also where her majesty resides. Initially built in the 11th century, by William the Conqueror.
Maxine picked me up and we drove to Windsor, about a 30 mins drive from Farnborough. There was a long queue to the entrance, but I was impressed with how quickly it went. We both took audio guides for the visit to learn a little more about the castle. However, there we plaques at most of the listening stations and throughout the castle. So, you would be fine without one if you're not wanting anything to detailed. I have to admit, I zoned out on a lot of the history in the audio guides. Too much information for me at one time.
On our way from the entrance to the north terrace, we walked past the Round Tower. It had a lovely garden in front with a small pond and benches. The St. George's Chapel was closed when we arrived. Although, we enjoyed the sculptures on the outside of the decorative building.
Of course we had our picture taken beside one of the guards. They don't seem overly impressed with all the tourists photos though. Even in their stillness, I could see that. Poor fellows, guess it comes with the job.
We went inside the Queen Mary's Doll House. A gigantic dollhouse! Queen Mary, as a child, needed a ladder in order to play with it. It was a replica of an aristocratic home, complete with electricity, running water (yes, the miniature toilets flushed) and elevators. Yup, no detail was forgotten there. Barrels and bottles in the wine cellar, books in the library, framed photographs on the mantles and walls in the rooms. Anything you'd think there'd be in real life was there inside this modelled house. Very impressive work.
The State Apartments were next. It took a long time to go though all the rooms. We had to rush so I could see most of it during my short break. There were paintings, treasures, furniture, weaponry, armour, statues, engravings, huge intricately carved fireplaces, chandeliers, mosaics, tapestry, beautiful painted ceilings, wood carvings... and more. Many rooms had their own theme, and you could see the different tastes of art from all the numerous monarch's collection over the centuries. I believe 39 monarchs have lived at Windsor. There was a lot of red, gold and white coloured rooms. The sheer size of the rooms and halls were overwhelming in all their splendour. A breathtaking place to visit.
The Drawing Gallery changes different exhibitions. The one presently was of Queen Elizabeth II over the past 6 decades of her reign, portrayed by photographers and artists to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee. There were some very nice photos of her with a genuine smile. It was nice to see.
Windsor Castle is definitely worth a visit, and you get your money's worth.
Another event during my time in Farnborough was the airshow. It's the home of British aviation. Over the week before the international airshow, I could watch the pilots practise. And of course, hear it! My client's house was very close to the airstrip so all day long we'd see and hear the planes. They did amazing dangerous displays, had coloured smoke and huge airliners that swooped in the air at such a slow pace, I thought it was going to stall and fall on the house!
Another fun trip for me was to the Hearing Dog Society. My client was looking into one and it was really neat to learn how the hearing dogs were trained and how they worked with the hearing impaired. They were trained to all sorts of rings, alarms and household sounds. We had a couple demonstrations to see how they respond and interact with their companion. Incredible what dogs can do.
I have my last day today with my client and this afternoon I head back into London for a week break before heading to my next placement. Time to look up a new hostel!

London

I arrived at Heathrow airport late at night. My flight was a little delayed. I called Kiran as soon as I collected my luggage to let her know I made it and was going to catch the underground train (UG) to the station by her place in Plaistow. It was really easy to figure out the UG. Once I arrived, her husband Kam met me at the station as Kiran was still on her way home from work. 11 pm, and only just getting home. Poor girl was exhausted! We only chatted for a short time and decided to have a proper reunion the next day. They had a spare room for me so I blew up my air mattress and with blankets and a pillow, fell fast asleep.
I spent just over a week with them. They both were working, so during the day I'd get on my computer and apply for jobs. In the afternoons, I'd go out for a walk around Plaistow and walk to Stratford where the big shopping centre was. I needed some warmer clothes for the UK and something other than backpacking clothes since I'd be in the country for a year.
Many foreigners in the community. Mostly of Muslim religion, so lots of halal butcher shops, burka/sari stores and street markets. Very colourful and lively in the neighbourhood. The fabrics were beautiful!
Kam usually got back from work in the early afternoon so I'd come back from my walk then.
They also had an evening where they had a party. It was a lot of fun meeting their friends. They're all social, full of life and outgoing. We played a game called Mafia. Strange game, we all draw a piece of paper out of a bowl, saying whether you were a suicide bomber, town's person or the Mafia. Then one person is the town judge so they control the game. We all close our eyes and the mafia points to a person who then is dead. When we open our eyes, we all have to guess who the mafia person is. Once accused, you get the chance to defend yourself. Everyone votes on who you think is the mafia you're sentencing to death. If your right, you won. If wrong, you either killed an innocent towns person (game continues)  or a suicide bomber (who gets to take someone with them when they die. Best to pick who you think is the mafia so he/she doesn't win the game). It's tricky, and doesn't make a lot of sense, because there's no reason to pick anyone. You have to just guess,who you think it is. With your friends, you can read them and know if they're lying... things like that. I only just met everyone, so I found it difficult. But, it was fun.
I got an interview for a carer position to care for the disabled. It went very well and I got the job. Not bad for one week of job hunting. It was a live-in position, so I didn't have to worry about rent, food or commuting. No expenses. The catch was that because it was live-in, your always on the job. Work 7 days a week and only get 2-3 hours off a day. After a full 6-8 hr day, your on call. So it can be isolating and exhausting, depending on the clients needs.
I had a 5 day training course to do. Kiran and Kam had been so kind to open their home to me, I didn't want to overstay my welcome, so we said goodbye with plans to meet up again soon and I headed to Woolwich and stayed at the Antigallican Hotel for 3 nights before starting the training.
It was a really nice hotel. Great atmosphere and lots of character. There were 2 dorm rooms for 8 people. When I got to my room, there was only 1other person (the receptionist!). I pretty much had it all to myself. It also had a full kitchen upstairs in the lounge which is not easy to find in London. I was really happy with this place. It was one of the cheapest places too. What a find!
Over the weekend at the hotel, I walked down the main road to Greenwich to see the park, National Maritime Museum and Queen's House. I went into the Queen's House first. It was an art gallery of all the centuries of royalty. There were sculptures, paintings, portraits, furnishings and carvings. Some original, others replicas. The Classical style house was built initially for King James I's consort Anne of Denmark, back in 1616. But Anne died 3 years later. Then, 10 years later, King Charles I gave it to his wife Henrietta Maria so that became her home. The Tulip staircase was the first unsupported helical stairs built in England and it was stunning. I don't know much about art or architecture, but this house was really nice. Worth a gander!
I popped over into the rest of the Maritime museum and read about all the star charts, navigational tools over the eras, boats, reading the seas and maritime history (like captain James Cook).
Across from the museum was the Old Royal Naval College. It was very pretty and I could see why this location is used so often for movies.
After, I strolled up to the park (I took too long in the house and museum so the observatory was closing. Had to save for another day). They were using part of the park for the 2012 Olympics so the area right before the observatory was closed. Not a problem though, it's a big park. I was able to walk to the ponds and see the flowers.
The next day I went to the Tower of London. I walked across the Tower Bridge to get over the river Thames. What a pretty bridge. It had the Olympic rings decorated on it that were able to fold up when boats passed though the risen bridge.
The Tower was really neat. There were free tours with the Yeoman Warders (also known as Beefeaters) who actually live in the barracks on site. They told us about some of the history, like how it used to be a prison and some people were tortured. However, most of the executions occurred outside the tower up on Tower Hill. Graffiti can be seen up in Beauchamp Tower from the prisoners that were held there from 1532-1672. He spoke of the ghosts that have been witnessed around the tower. Like the story about the 2 young princes who disappeared, speculated to be murdered but the bodies never found. Also the menagerie where the exotic wild animals were kept, the chapel, the armoury, the crown jewels, Traitor's Gate and the Ravens. Superstition from the mid 1600's that if the ravens flew away, the tower and monarchy will fall. I noticed all the clipped wings on the ravens. Think that still counts then?
His stories were very captivating.
The crown jewels were spectacular. Crowns, rings, swords, sceptres, golden weaved robes, orbs and more. Couldn't believe the size of the diamond there. Wow! The sceptre was beautiful and my favourite crown was the Imperial State Crown. It wasn't all the glittering diamonds that attracted me (although impressive!), but all the colours of the gorgeous gems. Even had the large Black Prince's Ruby (size of a chicken egg), that was brought to England back in the 14th century, attached to it. That crown has a lot of history built into it. Many sapphires, pearls, diamonds and rubies to make 3,000 gems in all. Crazy that it's only decoration for the royal ceremonial coronation. It's just a showpiece otherwise.
Seeing the military and armoury side of things was interesting as well. There were tons of knight's armour with the swords and shields. Henry VIII's armour was pretty funny. He felt he was so blessed that he needed all this extra space down in front. Made me laugh. Also was a dragon statue that was made up entirely of weaponry. Now that was really creative.
After the weekend, I had to head up to Hatfield just north of London to start my week of training. The agency had a rooming house they'd let me stay in and would pick up the trainees from the house to the course and back. Worked out well. Even had free breakfast and lunch. Just had to arrange my own dinner. Perfect!
There were 5 of us and we all got on well. 2 of the girls, Ashley (from New Zealand) and Cass (from Australia) were just a little younger than me, so we got on quite well. After the end of the week, we all exchanged emails and phone numbers to keep in touch. The training itself was fine. Learned the basics of caring for people, the agencies policies and how to use hoists and transferring aids. We even had a driving test to make sure we were smooth drivers. Didn't want anyone driving people with brittle bones or little muscle control to swing around corners too fast or slam on  the breaks. I get that.
After the training, I just had to wait for a position to be arranged, so I headed over to my cousins to stay with them for a while Plumstead.
I hadn't met Elizabeth (Lucy), Rodger or Rebecca before, but it didn't matter. As soon as we saw each other, it was like we've been close family right from the beginning. I love my family! We're all so close and loving, I'm very lucky :)
When I got to their house, I had a room all to myself. The huge window overlooked the small green field out front. Very nice and lots of light. Beautiful home, especially the backyard. They have a nice long garden with a small pond.
My first night there, we were in the living room and heard a strange sound, then a horn going off. We poked our heads out the front door, and 3 doors down, at the end of the terrace, was a car on fire! Someone must have stolen it and set it on fire when they dropped it off. Lucy called the fire department, who arrived quite promptly. Wow! That was a sight to see. I could feel the heat of the warm glow on my face since we weren't far away. No one got hurt and the fire was controlled and out in no time. There was our little bit of excitement! That was a first for me.
Over the next few days, we went on a few walks. We watched an Olympic marathon trial. The elites ran in the beginning, then there were registered runners. And many runners in costumes. Dressed from roman soldiers, fairies, storm troopers clowns to even grand (and awkward) outfits like a rhino and the Eiffel tower. They also took me to their local pub and I met some of their friends (one who got his wallet stolen from a gang of kids on his way home from Lucy's house. Really the neighbourhood isn't that bad! Just a few unfortunate incidents that just happened to occur while I was there), and also went to a few tourist spots.
The first was Eltham Palace and Gardens. It was once King Henry VIII's childhood home, then bought by a wealthy family that filled it with 1930's deco art. I really enjoyed the wall mural made up of different kinds of coloured wood to create the image of trees, with multiple buildings and 2 large guards standing on either side of the door entrance. Also, the family had a pet lemur, so it was neat to see the primate's quarters and how it was a part of their family. The gardens and moat was nice as well.
The second was Cutty Sark. It had just been opened the day before by the queen. It was the fastest ship of it's time and imported tea from China to London and wool from Australia to Britain. It's one of 3 clipper ships left in the world still whole with the iron frame and wooden hull. It's now a museum ship in Greenwich. I learned a lot about tea. Didn't know that green tea is made by drying the leaves quickly and black tea by bruising the leaves and letting them ferment before drying. Funny to learn that people on board took up roller skating, bicycle riding and dog breeding aboard the ship. Kept things interesting on those voyages!
I checked out the Greenwich Observatory after the ship. It was filled with all kinds of clocks and was built right on the Prime Meridian. To think I could stand on both the East and West hemispheres at the same time.
Thirdly, my cousins took me to Waltham Abbey church. It was very old, built in the 7th century. Over the centuries, kings had made additions to the church. At least 5 times anyway. A mixture of different rock and patterns can be seen. From fishbone type patterns, to medieval stones. Most of the design is from the 12th century now. The grounds were quite large and had a stone wall all around the outside of the abbey, graveyard and gardens. It was very peaceful.
We stopped for lunch at a pub  in Chingford, and checked out the royal hunting lodge right beside. The Queen Elizabeth Hunting Lodge is surrounded by Epping forest where many dear, pheasants, rabbit and fox live. I only saw a Kestrel hovering in the sky when I was there though. The area was only hunted by the royals (as it is proclaimed a royal forest) and both Henry VIII and Elizabeth I are believed to have hunted here.
Inside the Tudor lodge were replicas of food  and kitchenware so tourists could have an idea of the food made in the kitchen. Old clothes for the kids to play dress up in were upstairs.
Lastly, we went for a drive to Whitstable where my cousins had a beach hut. On our drive there, we had a cyclist up ahead of us who lost control of his bike, going so fast up to a corner in town and he hit a curb, flew over the front of the bike going over a railing. We pulled over to check and see how he was doing. A bit shocky and a sore thigh, but he was ok. He had a friend with him so we kept them company until the ambulance arrived. We carried on to the beach after everything was sorted with him.
When we arrived, we had the beach all to ourselves. The beach was made up of pebbles and shells, just like home. We had a nice lunch, walked their dog Eric on the beach and strolled through the town and fishing harbour. We were lucky with the weather. Though the clouds were around, we had lots of sun.
Today I'm just relaxing as I'm off to Farnborough, Hampshire for my first work placement.

Dahab & Cairo

After my much needed nap, I met up with Jimmy and he walked me over to Aqua Divers down the road from Bishbishi Garden Village Hostel. I arranged for 2 dives the next day and then went into town to have a look around. I had a falafel wrap for dinner and with a full stomach, checked out all the shops. Nice thing about Dahab, the merchants are used to so many tourists that they don't pester you. They give you plenty of space and still keep their friendliness and warmth about them. It was perfect. If you needed them, they were beside you at a drop of a dime, otherwise they are either relaxed or trying to keep busy with small tasks not to scare you off.
I found some nice belly dance costumes made by a man and his wife. He also gave dance lessons. I tried on a few for fun and while in the change room, he insisted I practise my dancing to fully appreciate the outfit. It was a lot of fun. He would make a move and I had to copy. Good times.
Didn't take long before I was tuckered out and ready for bed.
I headed over to Aqua Divers first thing in the morning and met my dive master Milad. With all our gear loaded into the jeep, we headed to our first dive site, Moray Garden. There was a fair amount of wind so I picked sites not to be too affected by it. Didn't want to waste my air supply on exertion from swimming against currents! We had a lovely shore entry and there was no current. Perfect! The visibility was great and it wasn't long before I spotted my very first stonefish. Ended up seeing 2 of them! Very cool! They really do camouflage brilliantly and I can see why they're so dangerous. Also saw the usual tropical coloured fish (butterflyfish, danselfish, anemone fish, etc.) a masked pufferfish and whitespotted pufferfish, 2 common lionfish and a clearfin lionfish, shultz pipefish and various parrotfish (bicolour, steepheaded, bluebarrad, swarthy & rusty). The coral was nice as well. Not as impressive as the GBR, but not to be missed. The Red Sea has so much to offer. I'm looking forward to returning in the future to explore more of it.
My second dive site was Um El Sid and it was another shore entry. Slight to medium current here, so we made our decent as quickly as we could to get out of it. Glad my equalizing wasn't any problem that day. On our second dive, we saw all the same marine life as above plus long nose unicornfish, needlefish, a pyjama slug and a really special fish... a Red Sea Walkman! It's a type of scorpionfish that has claws on the fins so it walks along the bottom of the ocean floor. It was a bright red colour as well. Stunning creature! My dive master was thrilled to have seen him. It was his first one, diving in Dahab in 4 years. After 50 mins, I was getting cold so we surfaced. And whoa! That wind was cold! We changed as fast as we could and got back into the jeep so we could warm up.
I kind of wished I did rent an underwater camera to get pictures of the stonefish and red sea walkman, but I just wanted to enjoy the dive this time around.
Once back at the shop, I asked if I could borrow the wetsuit for the rest of the afternoon as I was wanting to snorkel down at the lighthouse. They said not a problem and I could return it the next day. No extra fee. Nice people. So, after a quick bite, it walked to the other end of town and jumped into the water. I knew right away I wouldn't be in there too long. I was chilled to the bone from being in the water all morning. And there was a lot of wind at this point (which is why I elected not to dive here) which made it difficult to snorkel and free dive. Mind you, I found free diving difficult as it was, due to the high salinity. Felt like I was wearing a life jacket!
Too bad there weren't rocks nearby to use to get down. Only coral beds. Just had to kick really hard. Many people wind surfing. Fun to watch them do jumps and flips out there. They sure got a lot of speed with that breeze!
After my snorkel, I dropped off the wetsuit back at the dive shop and went for a shower in my room. I had my dinner and Jimmy came to see how my day was. We talked for some time and then he decided to teach me how to play backgammon. It was a blast. He took it easy on me in the beginning, but I'm a fast learner so by the end of 90 mins, he was putting more effort in. We agreed to a rematch the next day, after my camel ride out to the Blue Hole for more snorkeling (that he talked me into). He spent all that time with me, so I thought it only fair to support him and take one of the daily outings.
I was so cold throughout the night, despite the 18 C temperature, and I wasn't feeling all that well in the morning. He postponed my plans till noon, gave me a herbal tea with something that tasted like ginger ( his mother used to give it to him when he was ill. He swore by it) and went back to bed. At least I was warming up. When I got up at 11:30, I felt so much better. I had to check out but they were kind enough to let me keep the room until I had to catch my ride back to Cairo in the evening. It was slow in tourism, so they could spare the space. Again, what wonderful people, I was very happy with the service.
Jimmy drove me out to the local Bedouin man with the camels. It was a nice 30 mins ride. Enough blankets to keep me comfortable, but I think another hour and I'd be sore. It is possible to get a rhythm while riding though.
Once at the Blue Hole, I went into one of the restaurants where my snorkel gear was supplied. Then in I went. Not too windy that day, but there was a decent current on the surface so I had to mind my body at all times to avoid floating into anything. Can be challenging when you want to stay in one spot to watch something, but I managed. Saw more of the same marine life, but no stonefish. Not deep enough. I thought I was lucky to see the puffer and lionfish as is was, being so close to the surface. It's supposed to be a great dive site. Maybe next time...
Once out of the water, I went to the restaurant to dry and change and the owner joined me for Bedouin tea (hmm, so good with that hint of mint) and conversation. He was a bit of a flirt. Though, most of the egyptian men are... lol.
My driver picked me up and took me back to the hostel. So many goats roaming the streets in Dahab. You'd think to see cats scrounging around... here, it's goats. Free to roam as they please. I asked, "don't the owners ever loose them and have trouble getting them back or worry about them being stolen?" He said they always find their way back home and owners know which ones are theirs. Plus, Dehab is a small Bedouin community, so most people know each other and will bring the goat back to the rightful person. Very seldom is there theft. Goats are very special to the people and cherished.
After my shower and dinner, Jimmy and I had another few rounds of Backgammon. One of which I actually won! I was so proud, didn't matter that he beat me 5 times before. I was finally getting strategic!
I had a private van, that a bunch of other tourists were on, to go back to Cairo in. The manager offered me a seat as there was one left and said it would be faster and more comfortable than the public bus. The bus would take 10 hours, the van... 8 hours. However, our 8 pm departure turned into 10 pm. So it would be a 4 am arrival. Luckily, Brothers hostel arranged everything so they knew to expect me. Plus, the owner Mo and I kept in touch by email so he knew when I'd be coming home and were I was.
What a long night that was! In theory, it would be faster then the public bus, but with the convoys... that would be a big fat no! It was extremely disappointing how long we'd have to wait for our convoy. We'd sit at the checkpoint for 20 mins to as long as an hour for the military to get in their vehicle for us to follow. They'd drive for about 15 mins then wave us on and they'd go back. I didn't understand the point of waiting all that time for a convoy that only stayed with us for 15 minutes! What a waste of time. Even had one time where we had to pull over to the side of the road, to wait for another military vehicle to come... in the middle of nowhere. The guards stood on the side of the road with their guns, smoking, talking and laughing, completely a ease. Never mind the flashing lights signalling "Look! Tourists here in the van! Come get us!" And the vast desert completely ignored on our other side. I mean, if the terrorists were going to ransom someone, we were sitting ducks, with a bloody beacon signifying who we were, with guards on the wrong side of the vehicle to protect us and not paying attention anyway. Easy pickin's. Of course, we didn't have any trouble, but I was regretting not taking the bus. Blending in with the locals is fine with me.
There were 2 Brazilian tourists and their guide kidnapped by a Bedouin tribe up by the Monastery earlier that day. So I understood the "security." The Sinai is not without it's problems. Luckily, those people were released  within 24 hours, unharmed and with an apology from the tribal leader. I imagine they had an interesting tale to tell their family.
We didn't arrive in Cairo until 7 am. I was bagged! I managed to sleep 2 hours, but with all the checkpoints, it made it difficult to sleep. At least I had a bed ready for me. I only said a brief hello to reception, retrieved my large backpack from them and they showed me my bed at that was it. Out like a light until the afternoon.
When I awoke, I wasn't interested in doing too much, so I went out to get some food across the street at Koshary (nice dish of pasta and rice with dehydrated onions and lentils on top, covered with a tomato sauce. Onion lemon juice on the side.). I loved this dish, and so incredibly inexpensive! I actually ate there and the falafel stand a lot. Then I hung out in the lounge at reception and chatted with other guests and the staff. Ehab, Mo, Mohammad, Kareem and Emam were all interested to know how my trip went and if I was happy with it.
The next day, I had a new dorm room friend come in named Kris. He was from the USA. We got along and talked for hours. We also went for a walk in town, accompanied by Mohammad from the hostel. We went over two different bridges over the Nile. Qasr Al Nil Bridge had nice statues of lions on either side. We admired the Cairo Tower, but decided against paying the fees to go up for a smoggy view of Cairo.
So much traffic. We had to cross the highway at one point and there isn't a cross walk. Just run! Lol, not exactly safe, but the only way to cross it. Mohammad was good about leading the way. Though, he had a tendency to walk at an angle. Wherever his eyes went, his feet would follow. Not the most agile guy...
When we got back to the hostel, Ehab took us to a nice restaurant that he liked to go to so we could try some good local food. We ordered camel and chicken, grilled eggplant, dolmades, tahini sauce and a vegetable mix dip for our pita. It was really nice. Both meats were really well seasoned. Great spot.
After that, we walked some of the streets nearby the hostel, getting a few toiletries either of us needed to restock on and came across a young man that carried 2 glasses on his belt and a large jug of juice that had decorative flowers at the top. Kris decided to brave it and try a glass. Of course, this glass is used by many people, never washed but rinsed out with the juice, so that already had us grossed out, but he was a trooper. At first sip his face scrunched right up, saying the juice tasted like something the flowers probably grew out of. Ha! Priceless. I tried a sip, nasty stuff! Couldn't believe Kris managed to down the whole glass. Especially knowing how many other peoples spit lined that glass. Brave soul! Three men watching us got a good laugh. Another drank as well, to show how it's not so bad. "Put hair on your body," he said.Well, at least we know not to try that again. I took him to a drink stand a few doors down from the hostel and bought him a sugar cane drink. Nice, natural, sweet pressed sugar cane. Helped to get the bad taste out of our mouths. It's really nice.
Once back at the hostel, I convinced him to join me the next day for a tour of Old Cairo so I didn't have to go alone. 2 others were going to join us as well. A really nice asian couple.
We shared some beers in the evening, watching a movie in the lounge and I also played some backgammon with Emam and Kareem. I was getting pretty good. Emam taught me 2 other versions of the game. Fun.
The next morning, Ehab was our guide for our tour. Our first stop was the Citadel of Salah Al-Din. This citadel is seen on all their currency. It was a magnificent building. We were permitted to go inside (taking our shoes off at the door) and there were glowing orb lights in circular patterns hanging from the ceiling and beautiful golden arabic writing in corners of dome archways. Breathtaking. Outside along the citadel was a great panoramic view of Cairo. So many satellite dishes! I still can't get over that!
We walked through the military museum on the grounds as well. Learning some of Egypt's history. Different uniforms through the era, statues of pharaohs, tanks, planes, etc. It was interesting seeing the models of old Persian war catapults.
After, we went to a few other old churches. We saw the Church of St. George and the Babylon Fortress. The Hanging Church (Coptic Orthodox church), which dates back in the 3rd century AD, being one of the oldest churches in Egypt and built over a Roman Fortress gatehouse. As well as the Ben Erza Synagogue built in the 9th century. Many Roman fortifications here. It was really neat.
After that, we stopped into Khan-El-Khalili Bazaar to wander the alleys and stop for falafel. We took our falafel to a tea shop to eat it and had some tea and Sheesha. Apple flavoured tobacco this time. I could taste the apple, though faintly. Then, we headed back to the hostel. Ending my last activity of my tour.
I spent the next couple weeks staying at Brothers hostel, updating my resume and looking for a job in England on the internet. In my spare time, I hung out with the staff. They made me feel as part of the family and we all shared meals together, watched movies, socialized, went shopping and more backgammon. I had such an amazing time with them.
I had a couple outings with other backpackers travelling through. Seeing different areas of town. I spent 2 days getting 2 new belly dance costumes as well. I ended up getting both at the same store, Mahoud abd el Ghaffar, on Gawfar El Qayid st in Khan-El Khalili. They had 4 floors of costumes and tons of accessories, wings, coin scarfs, veils and props. I was in heaven. All the fitting is arranged with them at no extra charge (costumes were 700 EGP each, ~ CAD$115) so my bras fit perfectly. I just picked it up the next day. And seeing how I just had to walk 5 mins from the hostel to Al Opra square, then catch a minivan taxi over the bridge to Khan El Khalili for 1 EGP, it was easy to do.
I also spent another day at the Cairo Egyptian Museum. The building is a rusty red colour and has a dome on the top. It's not a tall building compared to it's neighbours in the area, but the colour makes it stand out. It has a garden area around the outside with a few statues and monuments of the pharaohs. Once inside, there are two floors. It was actually a very big museum and took me 5 hours to go through. On the ground floor were numerous pillars, colossal and regular sized statues, an extensive papyrus collection, coins from historic trade, tables, granite slabs with hieroglyphics and granite statues and sarcophaguses. Upstairs were many wooden coffins (wooden shelves lining the walls with glass window casings for viewing, layering up to 4-5 coffins) and 2 different royal mummy halls.
I went into both and it was incredible to see how well preserved the bodies were. They even had their teeth visible. The royals had their arms crossed, were some of the nobility didn't. The bodies were enclosed in glass cases that controlled the humidity and temperature for preservation. It was very well kept. Even saw mummified animals in with one or two. Canopic jars containing organs from the dead were present as well. I found them so interesting. Four organs were removed, each one in a particular guardian jar. The intestine would go in the jar of the falcon, the liver in the human, the stomach in the jackal and the lungs would go in the baboon. The heart is left in the body, as the Egyptians believed you thought, felt and ruled with your heart (your soul) so the brain was discarded.
There was another display with mummified animals. A lot of Egyptians mummified animals that sybolized their deities so many goats, baboons, falcons, cats, dogs, a cow and crocodile were displayed. However, some people made fake mummies, placing just fur or feathers in a linen wrap. They way they could tell was by radiographs, to tell if thee were bones. All very interesting. I was amazed at the cow and crocodile mummies. Also, to think all those years ago, they still had animals in Egypt... before the land dried up or were sacrificed. The royals did a lot of trade as well, bringing larger beasts from East Africa into their kingdoms... like lions or hippos.
Also upstairs were thousands of artifacts from tombs. Little figurines (that represented servants for the deceased in the afterlife), jewelry, tools, papyrus scrolls, alabaster vases, shrines, carvings, magnificent gold beds and chests, the black Anubis statue of the jackal, and of course the famous artifacts of Tutankhamun. Such as the great golden mask that was found over the wrapped head of the young king, which weighs up to 11 kg (~ 24 lbs). and his beautiful golden sarcophagus. So much gold... lots of exquisite jewelry (ivory and gold bracelets, necklaces of beads, gold and gems) and many weapons. Astonishing up on this floor. So much to see and appreciate from both Ancient Egypt and Middle Kingdom dynasties. Shame no photography was allowed. But, understandable.
Now, I'm waiting to catch my flight to Heathrow in London, England where I'll then be staying with my new friends, Kiran and Kam. They're the lovely couple I met camping out in the desert here in Egypt and they have invited me to stay with them. I'm looking forward to seeing them again!