and then Eqypt ....

This trip was both awe-inspiring (something you can't even get your head around) and disappointing ... A very different experience from the other side of the Mediterranean!  To stand in the tombs, to look at the pyramids and climb down into them, and to view the temples was mind-boggling - just unbelievable to see something that ancient and magnificent.

The disappointing part of the trip was the trash, the litter, the mass of humanity, the fact that the pyramids are in the middle of the biggest city in Egypt with millions of people; sort of took away from the magnificence.  Also, we had an armed guard on the bus with us at all time, along with a police car escort of two officers, so every time we stopped we would be protected.  We couldn't leave the hotel, or wander off to take pictures, or interact with the locals.  I understand it was for our safety, but it really took away from the experience of being in the country.  For instance, the afternoon we went to the "bizarre," they blocked off one street with guards and let us wander on that street; hardly the "experience" I was wanting.

Another difference in the tours was the openness of the Croatia tour guides regarding talking about the country and communist rule and the war and the problems they face verses the "canned" and misinformation we were given in Egypt.  Croatia was clean; people were open and friendly.

A funny note - although horn honking is illegal in Egypt, horns are constantly being honked as a way to let other drivers know you are there and what you are doing.  It is mass chaos in the streets and there are no traffic lights ... because no one would obey them anyway.

There are some 13,000 mosques in Cairo.

We were permitted to visit this one (women had to use a separate entrance).  It was quite beautiful.










Our first day in Cairo was a good one.  We could see the Great Pyramids of Giza from the hotel, so it increased our excitement.

When we visited the pyramids, we were actually allowed to climb on them. The Spinx, however, was fenced off and we didn't get very close, but it was still awesome to see.  And then we had a camel ride!

 The pyramids of Giza are perhaps the only true rival to the Great Sphinx when one thinks of ancient Egypt and its architecture.  The three largest pyramids located in the Valley of Giza consist of the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the Pyramid of Kafhre, and the Pyramid of Menkaura.  Each Pyramid is a tomb dedicated to a different king of Egypt.  We were permitted to climb down (you climb up the side and then down into the tomb - bent over at the waist - not an easy feat).  The chambers were interesting but no photos were allowed.

We also visited the Solar Boat Museum, but no pictures were allowed again.

The next day we visited Dahshur and the Pyramids of Zoser and Teti.  The step pyramid complex of King Djoser (Zoser) is considered the oldest stone structure on Earth, built more than 4700 years ago.

The original height of the Pyramid of Teti was 172 feet.  Inside it are some pyramid texts inscribed all around the walls of the burial chamber and the inner corridors.

We explored a mastaba tomb, a superstructure of a tomb that was built in the form of a huge bench above ground to house the funeral belongings of the deceased.  Then we visited the Imhotep Museum. The museum was opened in 2006, and displays finds from the site, in commemoration of the ancient Egyptian architect Imhotep.

The next day we visited the new Bibliotheca Alexandrina (the Great Library of Alexandria.

These are pigeon coups.  Pigeons are a delicacy in Egypt ..... no, I didn't try one.
What we did eat was hummus and pita bread at every meal; meat cooked on a little hibachi at the table (ground meat sausages, chicken, lamb); rice; green beans.  What we weren't given was lentils ... I expected them to be constantly available, but they never appeared.








 

 

Alexandria

In Alexandria we toured the catacombs, the Roman Theater and the National Museum, then the Citadel of Qaitbay.

The catacombs of Kom es-Shouqafa were tunneled into the bedrock in the age of the Antonine emperors (2nd century AD) for a single wealthy family.  These tombs represent the last existing major construction for the sake of the old Egyptian religion.

Citadel of Qaitbay

Roman Theater

 The Egyptian Museum -

The church of St. Sergio (also known as St. Sergius or Abu Serga) was built in the center of the Ancient Roman fort of Babylon. The church is considered as one of the sites visited by the Holy Family during their escape from King Herod to the land of Egypt.

Now, onto a boat to cruise the Nile!

First Croatia ..... (the first half)

I started off my big adventure by driving to San Francisco airport from Coasegold, about a 3 1/2 hour drive.  I left at midnight for a 7am flight, way too early, but I hate being late, so ....

While I was seated at the gate, a group of wheelchairs were collecting.  There had to be more than 20 by the time the flight was called. Although I was seated in the rows of chairs, one of the attendants asked me if I needed a wheelchair.  That was a first clue (more later ...).  In talking to people in line waiting to board the plane, I learned that adult children arrange wheelchairs for their parents so that they are taken directly to the gate and don't have to maneuver in the airport on their own; sort of like renting a wheelchair at Disneyland to avoid the line.

The flight on Egyptair was different from any other flight I have ever been on.  First, it left an hour late (no big deal), but before taking off, the entire flight had to pray.  There were no pre-flight protocols .... no "fasten your seat beat, close the overhead storage ..." People were standing and getting in their bags when the plane was taking off!  No movie or music in English was provided, and half way through the flight the flight crew changed out of their uniforms into civilian clothes .... it was a very different experience.

When I arrived in Cairo, I had a 12 hour layover, so I rented a hotel room to take a shower and a nap.  The shuttle to the hotel was like 3 blocks, but when we got to the hotel, we had to have the dogs check the shuttle and x-ray my bags again before being allowed on the hotel property. And then back to the airport at 3am for my flight to Zagreb via Zurich.

OK, anyone who complains about TSA regulations .... suck it up.  At the Cairo airport, I had to go through security before entering the airport, at the terminal, at the actual gate and again when I left the plane in Zurich.  And then in Zurich, I had to have my passport stamped every time I moved from one terminal to another to eat or shop, so my passport has all these "in"and "out" arrow stamps.  Fun.

Finally, 2 days later, I arrive in Zagreb, Croatia.

When I booked this trip, I didn't do a lot of planning.  The dates worked out well, the price was right, they had one open spot, and it was someplace I had heard was pretty.  Since my previous attempts to visit Egypt failed, I half expected this one to be canceled as well, so this was my back-up plan, more or less.  I was very pleasantly surprised to find myself on a small ship of 49 passengers for 11 days.  It was a great experience and I plan to do more of these.  My fellow passengers were my new friends, the crew was wonderful, the program directors and tour guides excellent, the food outstanding, Diet Coke was free and available 24/7, and the scenery breathtaking.  It was everything one could want.  Since it was shoulder season, we were the only boat, so there were no crowds to fight, and we could pull into port at each island and just get off and walk into town.  The weather was good, maybe a little chilly for some, with rain only one day.  So what did I see:

Mostar is most famous for the Stari Most, the arched stone bridge that connects the two sides of the town.  It is 94 feet long and 60 feet high and when it was constructed in 1557, it was the widest man-made arch in the world. 

The bridge spans the Neretva River, which divides the town into Muslim and Croat sections and was deigned by the Ottoman architect Mimar Hayruddin in the 16th century.  




The city was a major focus of the fighting during the early 1990s in the Bosnian war.  Many buildings in the city were damaged in the fighting and much of that scarring remains visible today.

 This was my first clue that walking was going to become a challenge ....

Korcula, Croatia - With 15,500 residents, this is the second most populous Croatian island and the most populated island not connected to the mainland via a bridge.

Marco Polo was taken prisoner by the Genoese at the battle of Korcula and it was his cellmate in prison who wrote the travels of Marco Polo, the book that made his exploits in China famous.








St. Mark's Cathedral on the main square, which features a detailed Romanesque portal by Bonino of Milano depicting Adam and Eve on either side and St. Mark perched at the top, has more treasures inside with a sketch by Da Vinci, drawings by Raphael, and paintings by Carpaccio.



This evening the on-board entertainment was an authentic Dalmatian dinner, followed by a demonstration of klapa singing.  This a cappella singing style is an informal tradition in which friends gather to sing in four-part harmony, and is perhaps the most definitive of all Croatian music forms.

The next morning our ship arrived in Kotor, a picturesque walled city nestled at the head of Europe's deepest fjord.  The city's walls, constructed between the ninth and 18th century, are barely visible against the dark grey stone of the mountains during the day.  But at night, the walls are lit up, giving the city a spectacular golden halo.

The Cathedral of Saint Tryphon, named for the city's patron saint and protector, was consecrated in 1166. 


In Perast, we took small boats to visit the baroque Our Lake of the Rocks shrine on a man-made islet.  The shrine contains 68 paintings by local 17-th-century artist Tripo Kokolja, while it's greatest treasure is the icon of Our Lade of the Rock, painted by the Dubrovnik artist Lovro Marinov Dobricevic.

 

We took a trip to the one-time capital, Cetinje.  This tiny city, built in the 15th century, retains enough importance to Montenegrins to hold the official residence of the President of Montenegro. The drive to this city was half of the experience!

Where am I you ask ....

Last July/August I spent some time at Park of the Sierras, an Escapees park in Coarsegold, CA.  Escapees is one of the RV group to which I belong.  Coasegold is about 13 miles south of Oakhurst, 30 miles north of Fresno, almost equal distance from LA and San Francisco.

I have been thinking of getting a "home" base for those times when I want/need to get off the road and someplace to store the "off season" stuff I don't want to carry all the time. It needed to be someplace convenient as well as have some sense of "community."  I didn't want just a lot somewhere, and it needed to have a climate where I could use it at various times of the year.

Park of the Sierras met those requirements for me so I purchased a lot here at the park.  There are 254 lots total, all seniors, a mix of singles and couples.  I'm excited to be here and I think it will work out great. 

I'm going to leave my coach here while I'm in Anaheim, Croatia and Egypt.  I'll also be here for a month or two when I get back, before heading out again.  I don't know if that will be in late January, 2018 or later .... to be decided.  The best part of retirement.  :)

These are pictures of lot 114 - the current one I'm assigned.  I plan to move to a different lot as soon as one is available, but this will work fine in the interim.

Plan B ...

So this is how I ended up stopping at the Bonneville Lock and Dam ....

Plan A involved a drive down the Crown Point State Scenic Corridor and the Columbia Gorge Scenic Byway, with stops at the Bridal Veil Falls State Park, Multonomah Falls, and a couple of overlooks along the way. Alas, all of the above were closed!  Not only were they marked "closed," there was a trooper or two at each exit to be sure no one stopped.

Very disappointing, but the next place to stop was the Bonneville Lock and Dam with a visitor's center .... hence Plan B.  I needed to stop because the lens fell out of my glasses and I can no longer driver without them.  I lost the tiny black screw in my black interior twice before I got them repaired.  Obviously, I need new frames.  Good thing I can see up close without them!

The Dam turned out to be a great stop.  Not only did I get another stamp in my National Parks Passport book, but it was really interesting.  The Dam is about 40 miles east of Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington.  It is the first Federal lock and dam on the Columbia and Snake rivers.  Construction began in 1933 and was dedicated by President Roosevelt in 1937.  President Roosevelt "used" the construction of this project for the Army Corps of Engineers as a "back to work" program to end the Great Depression.  The original powerhouse is located on the Oregon shore; the second powerhouse and the Visitor Orientation Building are on the Washington shore.

You can learn all about the dam from Ranger led tours, a couple of films, and a self-guided tour.  You can also see the salmon swimming up the fish ladders over the dam through "glass" walls inside the visitor center or from a platform above the ladders.  Exhibits in the Bradford Island Visitor Center show how nature, technology and humans intersect.  Visitors learn about the cultural history of the region, dam construction, the development of navigation along the Columbia River and the life-cycles of salmon and Pacific Lamprey.





In The Dalles, I stopped at the Fort Dalles Museum, one of Oregon's oldest museums.  It had a 1856 Army Officer's Home on the original fort site and the restored 1895 Anderson Homestead across the street.

 While in The Dalles, I took a picture of St Peter's Landmark - A 115 year old former Catholic church 

Built in 1897, dedicated in 1898 and saved from demolition in 1971, this magnificent structure is open free to the public for tours and is available to rent for weddings, concerts or memorials.

Then I crossed over to the Washington side and stopped at Stonehenge ...

History of Maryhill’s Stonehenge

Erected as the nation’s first WWI memorial and dedicated in 1918 to the servicemen of Klickitat County, Washington, who died in the service of their country during the Great War, Hill’s Stonehenge Memorial is a monument to heroism and peace.
Hill erroneously believed that the original Stonehenge was constructed as a place of human sacrifice. Concluding there was a parallel between the loss of life in WWI and the sacrifices at ancient Stonehenge, he set out to build a replica on the cliffs of the Columbia as a reminder of those sacrifices and the “incredible folly” of the war.
Guided by leading authorities on archaeology, astronomy, and engineering, Hill combined their knowledge to duplicate, as nearly as possible, the original size and design of the ancient Neolithic ruin in England.

Unfortunately, when leaving this stop (I wanted to take a scenic drive that was posted at this stop) I turned the wrong way and went about 108+ miles out of my way on Hwy 14, the Lewis & Clark Trail (Hwy 14 runs along the Columbia River on the Washington side; you can see I-84 on the other side).  The Washington side may be prettier ..

The views from the highway were very pretty - the bottom two are Table Mountain and, of course, Mt. Hood ....

I-85 through Cascade Locks allows bicycles on the interstate.  The only other time I've seen this was in Utah.

The Columbia Gorge Hotel is a historic hotel in Hood River, Oregon. It was built by Simon Benson, who was involved with the Columbia Gorge Scenic Highway.

 

 

 

 

 

The sunset coming home was beautiful.  Unfortunately, I couldn't stop and I had bug splatter again ...

Heading south tomorrow to spend some time in SoCal ....

More of Oregon

As the trees are starting to turn to the fall colors, it was a pretty drive from Bend to Silverton along the McKenzie Pass-Santiam Pass Scenic Byway and West Cascades Scenic Byway (Hwys 20 and 22).  The road follows a very pretty river part of the way.

Unfortunately, an 18-wheeler laying on it's side blocked traffic for awhile.  The cargo was hay - so what a mess.  We were escorted through the one lane that was cleared, but I imagine it was a total mess and completely closed at some point.  I hope the driver was not injured too badly.

One advantage to this colder weather is I didn't have bug spatter all over my windshield along the way.  And I averaged 10 mpg - it was a short, easy, beautiful drive.

Silver Falls State Park - There is a "Trail of Ten Falls" hike (roughly a 7-mile loop that is considered to be moderately difficult with some muddy areas, steep sections and an overall elevation of 800 feet) that is worth the effort if you are here.  I did a portion of the trail .....

Not much water flowing today ...

It was a very pretty trail ...

Not a very high drop, but it as pretty non-the-less

You can actually walk behind this fall and view it from both sides

 The number of feet listed on the sign is the "drop" height of the fall.

In Oregon City there is an End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center.  The center is located at the geographic end of the Oregon Trail, from which settlers could finally see the promised land of the Willamette Valley. The buildings have been designed to look like three prairie schooners in a train. The first hall exhibits deal with the start of the journey in Missouri - what was needed, how much to take, who went, etc.  The next stop was a 30 minute film, Bound for Oregon, that dealt with the actual journey, again with excerpts from actual journals and accounts. I always find these personal items the most interesting.  The last exhibit hall was the end of the journey, with a period town of Oregon City as it was in the 1860s.  After you leave the exhibit halls, you can walk the grounds to view a pioneer garden and the official end of the road trail marker.

 The Tualatin Heritage Center is the former home of Tualatin's oldest church, built in 1926. The "Craftsman-style church" houses a collection of artifacts, antiques, and photos, such as a 14,000 year old tusk and arrowheads.  There is also a self-guided historic walk through the "woods."

 I did some driving around the area ....

Outside the Harvey Marine Boat Supplier store lies the Harvey Rabbit statue, a physical embodiment of the store's mascot.

The Centennial Candle in Damascus stands 21.5 ft. tall and was created to mark Oregon's 100th birthday in 1959.

No trip to Portland on a rainy day would be complete without a stop at Powell's City of Books.  Walter Powell opened his first store in 1971, in Portland. Today, there are six locations selling both used and new books, the original store is 68,000 sq. ft. and has over 1,000,000 books available.


It has been raining the entire time I've been in this area .... there is rain pouring off the bridges in Portland that make it look like waterfalls.  Anything would help, because Portland has some ugly bridges.... and some ugly traffic.  The gridlock is the worst I have ever seen, which is saying a lot coming from a SoCal girl.  It look me almost 1 1/2 hrs to drive the 12 miles home from buying my book at Powell's.  Also, driving in Portland is like a roller coaster; you go up/down and around to get anywhere - it is a "trip" to get from Hwy 26 to I-5 and I could not have done it either time without my GPS.

Since I have "lived" by my GPS for 2 years now, there are 2 enhancements I would even pay extra for ... to be able to put my stops in driving distance order and for a pause button when I make an unscheduled detour.  I spend a lot of extra time and gas covering the same area because I don't know where things are located .... i.e. I drove out of my way for Harvey the Rabbit, only to find it within blocks the next day at another stop; sometimes I cover the same area 3 times or more.


Gresham is a cute little town.  In the downtown area there are statues on each corner ... a dog waiting, a dog straining on his leash, a crane, big brass bear sitting on a park bench .... fun to look at.

I had tons more to see in the area, but as it has rained, and most of the sights are outside ....

I did get a little time at Fort Vancouver National Historic Park before I was completely soaked ...

The London-based Hudson's Bay Company established Fort Vancouver in 1825 to serve as the headquarters of the Company's interior fur trade. The first Fort Vancouver was located on the bluff to the northeast of the fort's current location, where it was relocated in 1829. The fort served as the core of the HBC's western operations, controlling the fur business from Russian Alaska to Mexican California, and from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. Vancouver was the principal colonial settlement in the Pacific Northwest, and a major center of industry, trade, and law.




I have had the pleasure of attending 3 quilt shows while I have been here, one in this historic museum ...

The Korean War Memorial in Wilsonville

 The Korean War Memorial in Wilsonville ...












A stop at Bob's Red Hill for lunch and some gluten-free products ..

 And Wooden Shoe Gardens ...

I'm still hoping to take a scenic drive along the Oregon/Washington border before I head south to SoCal.

Bend (Concluded)

There is really a lot to see in this area.

Sunriver Nature Center - this is Central Oregon's only native botanical garden featuring forest, stream, wetlands and high desert habitats.  What I found here that was so interesting was my talk with one of the rangers regarding bees.  She has hives and the center has an open hive so you can observe the bees as they go about their routine.  I was fascinated by how the queen is "grown" and selected.  I'm not going to go into the details, but I found it .... well, fascinating.  One of the exhibits is an eagle - blind (detached retinas in both eyes due to being hit by a car when 1 year old).  It is a beautiful bird.

High Desert Museum - this is a very pleasant walk (about 2 miles was my trek) through indoor and outdoor exhibits. The non-profit Museum opened in 1982.  They "strive to be the preeminent resource for exploring the historic and contemporary relationships between people and the High Desert landscape."  Again, very informative and well done.

There were several sculptures through the grounds, but I found the mare & foal the most interesting.  It is made entirely out of barbed wire, rather than solid metal.

One day I took a long drive and this is what I saw ....

I took a walk to Steelhead Falls ... this is one the falls on the Deschutes River.

and in a local state park, there was a walk to this tree ....


I drove to Camp Sherman - once a rest stop for weary Sherman County wheat farmers, this community of about 250 looks to be set up for the summer out-of-doors.  Mostly campgrounds or rental cabins, summer homes, and resorts; there is the Metolius River for fly fishing, etc.  The 85-year-old Camp Sherman Store serves as an informal community center.  It sells everything imaginable, plus has an attached post office and book exchange.  There is a darling little church next door.


Sisters was a very nice little town - and home of a large quilt festival in July.  It also gives this beautiful view of the mountains ....

One of the businesses at the end of the main street is called "Antler Art" and it is located in front of "Meats and Smoke House."  Coincidence? ha

There was an alpaca ranch along the road .... they were so cute you just wanted to kiss their little faces ... well, maybe not, but they were adorable!

The Petersen Rock Garden and Museum is a collection of rocks, minerals and rock formations.  I'm sure it was a nice place to visit in it's "day," but is in disrepair and there isn't much to see now.

I saw a herd of miniature horses grazing as I was leaving for my next stop.

The Fun Farm has a unique collection of bizarre, amusing, and just plain weird items, with over 100 costumes for rent and for sale.

I had no concept of the volcanic activity that has transpired in Central Oregon.  When I think of volcanoes or volcanic activity, Hawaii is what comes to mind, not Oregon.  Knowing Crater Lake is in a caldera, or that Mt. Hood erupted, just doesn't bring it home until you are here, walking in lava rivers.

The beauty of traveling to each state is to learn what makes each unique ....

I also managed a walk/hike to Benham Falls .... Benham Falls is a gradual cascade waterfall that falls from 25 ft. into Deschutes River. 

It looks like it is time to move to a new place .... my propane tank is empty, which means no heat and it is currently 28 degrees; my gray tank is full; and I'm out of Diet Coke.  I'm heading back to the Salem / Portland area of Oregon for a couple of weeks.  I hope to see Silver Falls and some scenic drives north of Portland by the Washington border.  I'll keep you posted (or blogged :))!