Sleeping by day, dancing on the Nile by night!

Today jetlag got the best of me and my waking hours and I remained in a deep sleep until 4:30ish Egyptian time. I am not a fan of sleeping the day away in a new place where there is SO much to be experienced, but I'm sure the sleep served me well because I woke up refreshed, revived, and ready to conquer once again! But, alas, my roomie had left for Old Town Cairo with the key to the bag where my mula was. Doh! By the way, the Egyptian currency is pounds and the exchange rate is 5 pounds to 1 dollar. Things are relatively inexpensive here. For example, a nice meal might cost you 15 pounds/3 dollars, a 2-3 star hotel may run you 45-60 pounds/$15-20, and a Pharaonic massage at the Four Seasons will run you $150. SO, I took the time while I was stuck in my hotel room with a view of the Pyramids to read my Bible and write in my journal. I've made it my goal to write in my journal every day. Today I found myself with a case of writer's cramp at the end of my journaling, as I had so much to spill from my mind and heart after one day. I'm afraid I'll have several journals and carpal tunnel at the end of this!

Once Martha returned, and after grabbing a snack from KFC (yes, The Colonel has made his way all the way to Egypt with his secret recipe), we were on our way with our new guide/translator/friend, Ram, to take a dinner cruise down the Nile. I was hoping for a canoe-like contraption with exotic men in white dresses fanning us with Palm leaves and feeding us grapes while rowing us along. Instead, the boat was more like a Carnival cruise ship complete with a ginormous dinner spread, strobe lights, and Arabic karaoke in which I sadly could not competently participate in. :( The dancing at the end of the night, however, I could master with flying colors. At the end of the show which included belly dancers, Egyptian fighting dancers, and a twirling midget, the crowd was invited in on the action. After a few moves here and there, I was chosen (by the wrapping of a white belt around my waste by the Egyptian fighter) to dance in the middle with one of the belly dancers....and if I might say so myself, I tore the Arabic dance floor up! Dancing is a universal language and is something that has connected people of all cultures throughout all time and it is a language I love to speak! I hope to speak lots more of it while here, but for now, "Salam Alashek" (goodbye).