gibsonchop.com

I'm Every Woman

2012-03-08T14:28:00.001+01:00

Whatever you want, Whatever you need

Anything you want done baby, I'll do it naturally!

I'm Every Woman

-Whitney Houston

Songwriters Simpson, Valerie/Ashford Nickolas

A little bit of Whitney Houston made it through my head today as I ventured out
to find some Mimosa Vendors.

Buona Festa della Donna!!!
Or around the world Happy International Women's Day!
You don't have to do anything but be a woman today and you qualify for
a bouquet or a clipping of a beautiful yellow flower from the Mimosa Tree.

What is Festa della Donna?
In Italy on the 8^th of March, the symbol of the day is the yellow mimosa and expression of female solidarity. The origin of the custom is lost, but it is said to have started in Rome after World War II. Men began giving the mimosa to their partners, friends, co-workers and family give to their significant others, colleagues, mothers and sisters blossoming branches of this tree. Scent of mimosas fills the air and remember to every one not only the meaning of this day, but also that spring is nearing. Everybody tries his best to be extra gentle and caring with all women. Today it has evolved and now women also give mimosa to each other. Italians are fond of this celebration, even if some criticize it as being an excuse used by men to make up for a year long of neglect toward their partners.
http://www.lifeinitaly.com/culture/festa-della-donna.asp

Last year Angela brought over this yellow vibrant bud, that burst with sweetness. This cheerful yellow flower will brighten any day, at least for an afternoon. I had no idea what this was all about, until last year. This year I delighted in the fact that I had two run ins, on the same day, with this ball of sunshine.

After viewing little stands at the Monterusceillo market, on Wednesday, of Mimosa wrapped up in plastic, I headed over to Carney Park to work off a morning pastry, that was also a gift from Angela. It's a gift that isn't so pleasent on the hips.
Guess, what I encountered while working out the jiggly jig?? A Mimosa Tree.
The 2nd encounter was at Tina Dietrick's house later last night.
The owners of their villa even cut a hole through the plaster so the Mimosa Tree could carry on its growth plan.
I wish I had the camera with me to share. I decided that today, on La Festa della Donna, I would get out and take some photos of sidewalk flower shops to share with you.

Just like a woman, always working, even on her special day!
Since I was riding solo I retreated to a little windshield photography, I also did a little snap, snap, snap hoping something got captured-while circling the round about.

Buona Festa della Donna!

This day and these flowers are for ALL the women in the world!

Thank you Angela Ciccarelli for sharing these with us.

Italians just seem to make life a little more romantic!

Buona Festa della Donna!

Extending the Hands

2012-03-07T14:32:00.000+01:00

How do you feel about children?
How about children that have been abandoned?
There are thousands of reasons how a child becomes an orphan. I am inspired by people that welcome orphaned children into their home.
Their hearts are huge. To me they are superheros!

On Friday, March 9th there is going to be the start of blog auction of all sorts of goodies held at

http://www.anextraleaf.blogspot.com/

This auction will help the Hand family with funds for the adoption process.

Have you ever looked into what it takes to give an orphaned child a home?

The Hand family has already spent $6,000.00 but still in need of $11,000.00 before the children can be welcomed into their loving home. It cost $900.00 for the immigration paperwork,

$6,000.00 for the Uganda lawyer, visas, humanitarian aid, and medical exam.

Plus travel expenses, to get the Hand family from Italy to Uganda, then to America for passports and visas, and then return them to their assigned duty station here in Naples, Italy.

The cost for travel is about $4,000.00

This family is literally using their hands and feet by providing orphans from Africa a home. I've posted this blog auction on Facebook but for those of you who are not my friend on Facebook, I felt the need to get the word out about what this incredible family is doing!

More on the Hand family and their journey at

http://www.extendingthehands.blogspot.com

If you feel like extending your hands, to a Christian family, feel free to send a gift through Paypal.

The e-mail you can send money to via Paypal is

handstrustinhim@yahoo.com

The Hand family is not only providing a home for orphans but is sharing the gospel with children who may have never heard about Jesus.

We serve a mighty powerful God and I know that every cent the Hand's need

will be provided!

God Bless extending the hands!

Over My Dead Body

2012-03-06T17:59:00.001+01:00

Welcome to The Crypt of the Capuchins, enter if you dare.

The Crypt of the Capuchins is located at Santa Maria dell'Immacolata Concezione in Rome. If you take the Metro red line in Rome and get off on the Barberini stop and head up the Veneto exit you will pop up right at the crypt's location.

They're open from 9-12 and 3-6. It is only one euro per person to visit this crypt.

As you can read from the sign above no photos are allowed.
Believe me the lady that was allowing a certain number in at a time made sure you were following the rules. She might as well have added, into her greeting, over my dead body will you snap a photo. This crypt is located under the church and is home to the Capuchin Monks.

These photos of the Capuchin Crypt are just postcards that we purchased,
then photographed, and uploaded for you.

The crypt is divided into 5 rooms and is said to hold over 4,000 bodies.

The arrangement of hip bones, pelvises, skulls and other parts of the skeletal system are put together so precise that it is hard to believe these are real bodies and not plastic molds of what is left behind after our soul exits the earth.

There are several crypts located throughout the eternal city, but not sure how many have the bones on display. At the end of your tour of the Capuchin Crypt you can purchase postcards for 50 euro cents. We were thankful that they sold the postcards since we could not take photos.

Tripadvisor ranks this tour 44 out of 468 attractions in Rome. So if you have time while in Rome check it out. The grouping of bones and the way this crypt was put together is quite interesting. Hard to believe our 6 year old son was not creeped out. Although, he knows that nothing down there could hurt us. Our flesh does not follow us in the afterlife. It is our soul that makes up the body. Life isn't stuck in a crypt. While I was inside this bone collectors room, I thought about how we all really look alike, in the inside. When you strip away the flesh and the soul, we are just bones.
This last week I read

For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you on the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes an atonement for the soul.

Leviticus 17:11

That verse was pre-Jesus but that is what Jesus did with his life, I'm sure there is deeper meaning into it and probably was something written forshadowing what Jesus would do.

His blood was poured out for us on the alter of the cross, so that we don't have to do anything but believe.

A sign in the crypt read,

What you are now we used to be; What we are now you will be.
My thought on that statement,
What can we become when we just believe?
Believe in the blood donor, when Jesus went up, the Holy Spirit came down and works the rest of it out in us. One day there will be only one town, one zip code for our souls, and it is not underground.

Love In Any Language

2012-03-05T13:54:00.002+01:00

Have you ever thought about why there are so many different languages?

We as humans all operate pretty much the same when it comes to living.

We need food, shelter, clothing and companionship to live and thrive.
We all put our pants on the same way.
But when it comes to language why was it chopped up and divided?

I mean you may not be able to understand a person of a different culture but you can get what you need with hand gesters or facial expressions.
If you have time, the drive, and motivation you can put a few scholarly notches on your belt by learning a foreign language. I admire people who retain and speak different languages of the world. It seriously impresses me. Especially people that can speak two or three fluently.

For atheists and the ones who believe in the concept of evolution, how did the cells decide that one group of people would speak one language and another group would speak something totally different?

As I waited for Antonietta, with Angela, in the Ospedale Santa Maria delle Grazie, (the hospital) last week, the whole language thing boggled my mind. Did I mention Angela's daughter Antonietta is having a baby? She is 36 weeks and will be delivering her little boy very soon. As I waited in the hospital, I watched children embraced by family members. The accents and pronunciations of the Italian language playing through the air was like music from the radio. I asked Angela if she would like a café while we waited. The no grazie that flowed out of her mouth was much softer than a no thank you in the English language. A few days ago, I found the answer to my first question for this blog. As I wait for the bus to bring my son home every afternoon, I sit in my car and catch up on the daily devotional that is from www.activeword.org. It comes from Calvary Chapel located in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. We usually get the devotional a month after it has been published so as I wait for Mayer I do some catching up.
Did you know that the human race spoke the same language before we were scattered around this earth?

But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. ⁶And the Lord said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. ⁷Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” ⁸So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city.
Genesis 11:5-8

So I found my answer, in Genesis, through the activeword and Bob Coy but what about love in any language?
Even the language of love is interpreted differently by each person.
Ask Gary Chapman he wrote a book on it called The 5 Love Languages.
http://www.5lovelanguages.com/resources/books/
By the way that book is a great book and learning that your love language is not the same as your spouse, kids, friends and family helps to remind you that love has many languages.
As we continue to live life scattered I leave you with a song that I loved as a child, I haven't listened to it in a while but today I searched for it on Youtube and found it. It is by an artist named Sandi Patti. The lyrics say it all, once we learn to speak it, all the world will hear, love in any language......

Fountain of Youth

2012-02-27T00:27:00.002+01:00

What in the world is so great about the Trevi Fountain?
The Trevi Fountain is located in Rome, Italy. It's a Baroque style fountain that is pretty famous throughout the world.

It is hidden within residences, businesses, and hotels.

The fountain at the junction of three roads (tre vie) marks the terminal point of the "modern" Acqua Vergine, the revived Aqua Virgo, one of the ancient aqueducts that supplied water to ancient Rome. In 19 BC, supposedly with the help of a virgin, Roman technicians located a source of pure water some 13 km (8.1 mi) from the city. (This scene is presented on the present fountain's façade.) However, the eventual indirect route of the aqueduct made its length some 22 km (14 mi). This Aqua Virgo led the water into the Baths of Agrippa. It served Rome for more than four hundred years. The coup de grâce for the urban life of late classical Rome came when the Goth besiegers in 537/38 broke the aqueducts. Medieval Romans were reduced to drawing water from polluted wells and the Tiber River, which was also used as a sewer.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trevi_Fountain

This fountain had me thinking a lot about water. You can't miss the Trevi's presence.
It's wild to think we are made of 70% of what flows out of her. The sound of water gushing from a fountain can drown out the noise from chattering tourists. People flock to water in the summer, many around the world just want clean water to drink.

We can drink various forms of water to try and flush out toxins in our bodies. One thing water can't do is wash away the ugly that can come out of our mouths.
It's crazy to think about the particles that God used to make up humans.
Then the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man's nostrils, and the man became a living person.
Genesis 2:7
Since God is our father and he created us from mother earth, it only makes sense that he would give us freewill to choose to believe his word. 40 prophets were given a gift to write his book. You know the guide book to the fountain of youth; Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth, better known as the bible, is filled with fresh flowing water that teaches us how to transform what comes out of our souls.
Jesus is the master teacher, he is so clean that maybe we can't believe he wants a relationship with us. Jesus said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9. Being washed by the blood of Jesus provides freedom to live. It opens the doors to the fountain of youth. I've been exposed to many religions, that just scream false, thought processes to omit this from your life or add this ritual to your life. A lifestyle of it's all about you so do whatever makes you happy.
Those ways seem so empty and you're left with a void.

I will tell you, there is only one truth.

I don't care if you think I am crazy.

I care that I will see you again one day after your expiration date is up on earth.

I am flawed just like you.

One thing I know, call upon Jesus to wash you clean and you will be saved.

He is the fountain of youth!
He reigns higher than any photo opportunity, any Kodak moment, or a famous Baroque style fountain.
Jesus is beautiful. He supplies a fountian of youth that is free for us all and he transforms us through the word of God.
Cheers to the Trevi Fountain. Cheers to freewill. Cheers to my redeemer and hopefully your redeemer and leader into the fountain of youth!

Holiday~Celebrate

2012-02-22T14:21:00.003+01:00

Before we headed off to the Eternal City, aka, Rome, last Saturday morning-we made a stop by the local IPERCOOP mall. Mayer is in the Italian Immersion Program at Naples Elementary and needed a costume for the upcoming Carnevale Parade, that was held on February 21, 2012 at Naples Elementary School.

Mayer wanted to wear his costume like the rest of the Italian children. So we agreed! We thought it would be fun for him to wear his costume but quickly discovered white gloves and hand rails by the Colosseum, along with escalator railing, on the metro, is not a good combo. He enjoyed it for a bit but wanted to keep it clean for his parade! We didn't have time to do laundry before the last day of Carnevale. We hang our clothes outside to dry like our neighbors so the Roman party with costume was short lived!

Before moving onto Carnevale at the school, I will share with you some photos of how the Romans and the tourists in Rome celebrated Carnevale!

A Carnevale Ogni Scherzo Vale, (Anything Goes at Carnival)

The word Carnevale comes from the Latin "Carnem Levare" which means "to deprive of meat”. It refers to the fact that Carnival celebrations precede the beginning of the Quaresima, a period of 40 days of lent before Easter. In the light of this, the Carnevale week is seen as a last opportunity to eat and have fun, and is thus called “La Settimana Grassa “ (The Fat Week), beginning on Giovedi’ Grasso (Fat Thursday) and ending on Martedi’ Grasso (Fat Tuesday).

The pranks: are the aspect of the Carnevale that children like and adults dislike most!! " A Carnevale ogni scherzo vale" (At Carnevale every trick is allowed) is the kids' motto. Be aware of kids in the streets holding eggs and flour!

Float parades: with allegorical carts take place all through the Carnevale week. The most famous and most beautifully done are the Venezia and Viareggio ones.

The specialties:

Chiacchiere: fried cookies sprinkled with powdered sugar

The Chiacchiere is on the left of the above photo. This batch of crunchy sweetness,

was made by Angela Ciccarelli and was simply divine. Both of the desserts were made

by Angela and hit the spot last night!

Sanguinaccio: chocolate pudding made with milk, cocoa, cinnamon

and candied fruit.

It used to be made with pig's blood. The word

“sangue” is the Italian for blood.

Lasagna: Everybody knows what lasagna is, but you

may not know

that it is a Carnevale specialty.

After all, it does have all the meat and fat required

to bear the Lenten time!!

All above information on Carnevale was provided by:

Rita Tomei

HN Teacher at NES

Not sure if that is Rita Tomei in the above photo at Naples Elementary,

that's the fun when you're masquerading!

After celebrating this holiday with the Romans, I enjoyed the afternoon snapping photos of the ones involved in the Immersion Program. After viewing the ones in costumes, I received a treat from the ones who were on the sidelines. They should have been included in the parade!

They had me cracking up!

I felt for the adults that had to come clean up after this holiday-celebration. It littered the whole building. The kids that enjoyed the show were excited to get a souvenir of the event,

a bag of confetti!

They scooped up little piles and filled up the Ziploc's until they couldn't zip.

As I waited for Mayer's class to wrap things up I was entertained by these little strike-a-posers!!!

These are the ones I mentioned earlier......They were ready to put on a show.

No need for costumes, masks or sitting on the sidelines. These performers were quite entertaining as they took a break from their collection of confetti!

Pranks and mishchief just come with this crazy day!

Hello Ash Wednesday!

Irish Beauty

2012-02-17T21:33:00.001+01:00

Ahhh, the fragrant smell of Lavender, Geranium, Rose and Ylang-Ylang mingled together, then absorbed within a jar of Epsom Salts. This blend can turn a stressful day into a restful evening. A few spoonfuls sprinkled into an evening bath or foot soak trumps a Calgon, Take Me Away, kind of night. Are you interested in a place where you can be restored, relaxed, and rejuvenated? How about a nice cozy room, where you're warmed by a heated massage bed, only then to have your skin soothed by a professional Irish Beauty? Oh and to top it all off, a customized jar of aromatherapy for your relaxing pleasure created by a top of the line Aromachologist!

Meet Isobel O'Brien. She is a Professional Licensed Aesthetician, Massage Therapist, Nail Tech and Electrologist. Isobel is a true Irish Rose, from Newbridge, Ireland. Newbridge is located roughly an hour from Dublin. The city of Newbridge is closer to the city of Trim where the movie Braveheart was filmed. It is also the location where we took a photo of the fresh lavender field above. The smell of lavender can produce a calming affect within the body. If you ever journey up to Isobel's motherland, of Ireland, we suggest visiting this area. A visit to The Trim Castle and a whiff of the fresh lavender, was a highlight of our trip last June. She comes from a lovely country. Isobel is currently living in Southern Italy with Gennaro, her Italian husband, and two children.

This skin care expert has been working in the pampering industry for quite some time. Her resume is pretty impressive. Isobel trained in Ireland in 1994. She has qualified at the CIBTAC, ITEC and CIDESCO levels-(basically she can't go any higher in this field). Isobel is qualified to do all facial and body treatments including electrical, nail technology, advanced waxing and electrolysis. CIDESCO is an International qualification and comes from Zurich, Switzerland. She has studied aromatherapy, hot stone treatments, spray tanning and is currently studying Reflexology. Isobel has trained with Darphin, RVB, Rene Guinot, Dermalogica,Yonka, Decleor and Eve Taylor skin care lines. In 1996, she went to work for Steiner Transocean in London. While in England she trained with Elemis La Therapie and Ionathermie (which are advanced electrical body treatments). After her time spent in the UK she moved to Miami, Florida. During her time in America she worked for Carnival Cruise Ships. She started as a spa therapist specializing in body treatments and ended her time there as a spa manager. In 2001, she returned permanently to Naples, Italy. She briefly worked at the NEX then left and opened a beauty salon in Naples. In 2009, after training in Eve Taylor products, she opened up her own treatment room. When you feel good, you look good, and Isobel knows exactly how to combine the two. She is currently operating her boutique style day spa and salon out of her villa in Licola, Italy.

Eve Taylor Skin Care products, the current line Isobel uses, is the founder of the Institute of Clinical Aromatherapy-and is regarded as the pioneer of modern aromatherapy by professional skin care therapists worldwide. In 1968 Eve Taylor launched the first professional aromatherapy skin care line to contain only pure natural essential oils without cheap synthetic filters. These highly concentrated oils are so potent that they are still only available for use by trained therapists, and are now sold in Eve's "Professional Use Only" range. To compliment the professional aromatherapy treatment range, a home care treatment range was later launched to cater to the ever growing home skin care market, bringing the benefits of clinical spa treatment to a much wider audience. All of Eve Taylor's oils are non-comedogenic, and do not contain any mineral oils, SD alcohols, or artificial additives, nor are they animal tested. The Eve Taylor range of pure essential oils are the number one selling professional aromatherapy brand in the world.
http://www.eve-taylor.com/

Isobel is currently offering: aromatherapy, facials, massage, hot-stone massage, waxing, spray tanning and nail services. This Irish Beauty, will customize a complimentary mix of essential oils and will add it into a jar of Epsom Salts, that you bring with you.
An added bonus on top of a few hours of peace!

You can find Isobel on facebook under Isobel O'Brien or through her e-mail address
at issy-ob@hotmail.com to set up an appointment for holistic healing.
Since she works out of her home, I will respect her privacy and not post directions.
She is more than willing to send you a price list and instructions to her pampering palace, (once you have contacted her and set up an appointment). Her skills as a therapist are top notch. As a fellow, pampering sister, working in the salon and spa industry for 10 years, I can honestly say her calm spirit and genuinely kind personality is one you don't find everyday. If you live in the Naples area and haven't found a Massage Therapist or Aesthetician, I suggest you spend some time in her serenity filled shop. You will leave relaxed and refreshed yet filled with anticipation, awaiting your next treatment. Remember to bring your salts, just a sniff from the jar will take you back into a time you spent at Isobel O'Brien's Irish-Italian retreat.

Squeaky Clean

2012-02-08T13:06:00.001+01:00

Have you ever washed with goat milk soap?

I like to dry brush my body before entering the tub. Dry brushing invigorates the skin by getting the blood flowing to the fat cells. It also helps to sluff off the dead skin cells. It's an excellent start before lathering up with your favorite kind of exfoliant. The feel and smell of a good soap is so refreshing. I am so excited for my friend Jillian Greenawalt.

She has been milking goats,

making goat cheese,

and soap.

I forgot to add, on top of getting a new small business off the ground and running,

she has been raising her own kids.

Oh and her human kid too, meet little Newton.

She has now decided to sell her products online.

She runs her business in Gooding, Idaho and will be hitting up local markets once springtime comes.

Her family is prior military. They stepped out in faith and jumped in feet first following a dream.

I am a big fan of small business and believe that supporting mom and pop places is very important. It teaches the children you raise that you can achieve anything if you work hard at it.

If you have never tried a goat milk soap, I suggest you give it a whirl. You can purchase all sorts of yummy flavors at Jillian and Jeremy's website.

http://greengoatdairy.com/soap/

You will be supporting a family that served America for years and have decided to produce products that are Made In America. A family that just keeps on serving and giving back.

Green Goat Dairy also ships to FPO/AE addresses for those of you who live overseas and would like to place an order online. Please feel free to share this blog via facebook or twitter.

I hope you decide to get your scrub on with Jillian's all natural goat soap!

I'm looking forward to my family getting squeaky clean!

Master Cleanse

2012-02-01T13:40:00.001+01:00

If you made a New Year's Resolution, how's it going?
I hope you are staying on track and accomplishing what you made up in your mind to achieve.
Detoxing from the previous years mindset is what I am trying to do. Some of us get so strict on ourselves making resolutions for a new year not taking in what we really learned from the year before. We as humans need a form of a detox, especially after 3 months of one festivity after another (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years). But going from one extreme of celebrating to almost nothing, is kind of depressing. Over the years I have made resolutions similar to a rigid diet plan. A mindset of "drop 10 pounds in 2 days" creeps in. I make promises or goals that happen to drift to the side of life because it is so extreme. After I decided to make a decision to do a master cleanse, I felt liberated. I feel as though no strings are attached and that my mind is free to love, live and explore-what each day has to offer. God will be the train conductor and I will just listen, stop at the required stops of commitments for each day, and just enjoy the ride. When I plan for myself to get on a certain track, Murphy's Law creeps in. There always seems to be an intersection with a roadblock. So this year I decided to Master Cleanse, not with cayenne pepper, maple syrup and lemon, but let God be the master of my cleansing.
While digital detoxing the last few weeks, my husband was working in Portugal and Italy went on a strike. We are currently awaiting a 10 day gas strike and an attendant strike for pumping the gas.
It has affected everyone in this country, including the non-Italians.
I see the blood that descended from the Roman Empire at work. I will tell you what, they are fighters.
While truckers joined together and blocked off exits to highways, the gas pumps ran dry and fuel was depleted they got their point across rather fast.
Seems to me like the whole world is wanting change, is looking for a good detox, or just needs to be cleansed.
During my detox from blogging, I listened to the Lord. When I say listened to the Lord, I opened up his word every evening after my son went to bed. With David being out of town, I was alone and needed the extra time with God. I prayed that the Lord would direct me to what he needs me to hear.
I will no longer be posting daily blogs-I may go a week or more without even blogging at all.
Not real sure... I am just going to ride the train and see where the cleanse that the Master has put upon my heart will take me.

Digital Detox

2012-01-18T13:28:00.003+01:00

Will respond to personal e-mails through emilygibson@gibsonchop.com. Will be on digital detox from gibsonchop blogspot for the rest of the month.

Ruby Red Slippers

2012-01-15T16:18:00.001+01:00

Someplace where there isn't any trouble. Do you suppose there is such a place, Toto?
There must be. It's not a place you can get to by a boat or train.
It's far, far away... behind the moon... beyond the rain.
Somewhere, over the rainbow, way up high,
There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby.
Somewhere, over the rainbow, skies are blue,
And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true.
-The Wizard of Oz, Over the Rainbow;
1939

The craziest thing happened last Wednesday while visiting the Monterusciello market with Angela and Antonietta. As I was digging through a pallet of clothes, I stopped and couldn't believe what I was holding. Just a few days ago I had thought about our experience we had at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver BC, Canada. We had the chance to take a photo with Julie Podesta (an Olympic Torch Runner), the Olympic Torch, and contribute a tiny donation to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Here is a link to our experience, 2 years ago next month.

http://gibsonchop.blogspot.com/2010/06/to-light.html#!/2010/06/to-light.html

While we were at the 2010 Olympics, it was impossible to find a pair of ruby red slippers.
Well, ruby red mittens or gloves. They were the iconic red gloves that Oprah had talked about on her show in 2009, they were also not that expensive like $10-20 for a pair at the time. They are also the gloves Julie Podesta is wearing in the above photo. I thought it would be cool to have a pair. We couldn't find any while in Canada. Life goes on and it's just a material item. God knows that we don't put a lot of value on material possessions. It's nice to have things but it isn't our world. God knows our hearts and is truly the only one who knows what we all go through and experience on earth. I always say, "Don't judge a person's value by what they appear to have material wise. We don't know what a person has been through or overcome; what they give in private and what they pay for an item. They may have found it in the trash and fixed it up or have worked hard and had funds to fulfill a desire of the heart."

So when I found this, now a collector's item, underneath a load of scarves and hats, all the way on the other side of the rainbow, I thought, what are these doing here? I was digging through a pallet of things that cost 2 euro. These ruby reds have the official tag and hologram image on the tag that makes it a collector's item. I asked the gentleman how much they were and he said, "Two Euro."
I laughed as he put the mittens and a hat for Mayer in the sack. "Grazie," I said and continued on with my friends. When David came home, I told him you are not going to believe what I found.
He laughed and couldn't believe it. The ratio of euro to dollar right now is pretty good, so we paid like $2.50 for them. I googled to see how much they are worth. They sell on Amazon for $56!!!
Here is the link http://www.amazon.com/2010-Collectible-Vancouver-Original-Hologram/dp/B0039GPAK2

We aren't really collectors of anything, maybe collectors of magnets from the places we've traveled, but this was a cool find. God says in the bible that he gives us the desires of our hearts. It is funny because it was a desire for us to purchase a pair of these ruby reds at the Olympic Games 2 years ago, but not a desire in 2012. The thought of the gloves were thrown out, by the experience that the homeless man led us to. When I think about the lyrics to that iconic song, about dreams coming true, it goes beyond what gives us happiness in the moment. Happiness is an emotion and comes and goes by experiences. Joy comes from within the soul. There's a lasting joy that is on the other side of the rainbow with Jesus. God tells us not to focus on the things of this world but to focus on things above. Do you know what he is talking about? These gloves made me think. He uses material things on earth to reward us and teach us bigger lessons about life and what is really important. Stuff is fun and is just stuff. It doesn't mean anything in our heavenly home. We won't have all this stuff that comes and goes in our life. We will only have the people we meet and heaven is a place where we can slip on our ruby red slippers, click, and then say, there is no place like home.

Lost in the Sahara

2012-01-13T10:08:00.004+01:00

When we find something new at Giza, we announce it to the world. The Sphinx and the Pyramids are world treasures. We are the guardians of these treasures but they belong to the world.

-Zahi Hawass

This blog will wrap up our time spent in Egypt.
On our last night in this antediluvian country, we received a nice goodbye. As the sun was lost somewhere in the Sahara, our eyes were treated with a sunset. It was filled with clarity and a majestic glow as it set behind the Pyramids of Giza. The days before had been filled with smog and fog as we made our way out to the necropolis of Dahshur, where we saw our very first pyramid; the Bent Pyramid.

Egypt has always been a place of mystery to me. A place that only exists in the bible and in movies. A place where explorers visit and only dream to go. A year ago this month, on January 25th, the uprising in Egypt flipped this country from being a prime destination for explorers, to a country that has detoured many tourists from making their dream exploration come true.

I know many Americans who would up rise as well if they were under the same president for 30 years. Hosni Mubarak was only Egypt's 4th president, from 1981-2011. I am happy for the people that freedom may ring one day. I just hope they don't destroy themselves and the history that brings tourists to this country before it's too late. Egypt is a place that holds many of the world's treasures. With ancient documents and artifacts being destroyed, on January 29th, 2011 in the Egyptian Museum and again last month on December 17th, 2011 at the Scientific complex. The history truly belongs to the world. I'm not only thankful that we were able to visit before anything more drastic happens but grateful that I am able to share with you what we have seen. I just hope that nothing else of historical importance is tossed away like the trash in the Nile.

In the midst of the 2011 Egyptian protests, Dr. Zahi Hawass, world-renowned archeologist, arrived at the Egyptian Museum on January 29, 2011 to find that a number of cases had been broken into and a number of antiquities damaged. Police later secured the museum. Hawass was reported to have faxed a colleague that 13 cases were destroyed and to have said,
"My heart is broken and my blood is boiling."Hawass later told the New York Times that thieves

looking for gold broke 70 objects, including two sculptures of Tutankhamen, and took two skulls from a research lab before being stopped as they were leaving the museum.

^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zahi_Hawass}
Dr. Zahi Hawass, a highly respected Egyptologists, has been a lead archeologist at many of the sites we were able to see. I hope that the Tourism and Antiquity police can keep these sites protected.

Many archeologists, including Dr. Hawass have spent their lives excavating history for all of us to enjoy. Hopefully natural erosion on these fantastic sites will be the only form of destruction that continues to take place.

Making my way through the photos of Dahshur. I am filled with a melancholy tone. We knew going to Egypt was going to be more of a learning experience than anything else. I'm elated that we were able to see, with our own eyes, what humans created thousands of years ago-but heavyhearted for a country that holds the keys to all these archeological findings, children who live in 90% poverty, and concern that a mindset and belief system may end up taking, rather than giving more freedom from the human.

Pray for the guardians of Egypt.
While the Egyptians hold the keys to the world treasures and the future is unpredictable in that country; I am filled with peace knowing that Jesus holds the keys to death and hades.
I know those keys will never be lost in the Sahara.

Magic Carpet Ride

2012-01-12T10:21:00.001+01:00

I like to dream
Yes, yes right between the sound machine
On a cloud of sight I drift in the night
Any place it goes is right
Goes far, flies near, to the stars away from here
Well you don't know what we could find
Why don't you come with me little girl
On a magic carpet ride

-Steppenwolf 1968

http://www.elyrics.net/read/s/steppenwolf-lyrics/magic-carpet-ride-lyrics.html

We entered EL TOHAMY Carpet School before entering Saqqara on one of our days in Egypt.

We had no clue that a stop at this location was going to be on the agenda. This was one ride on a magic carpet, where each stop became a mystery. Visiting this carpet school made us want to open up the wallet and purchase something, hoping that the money would go directly into the pockets of the workers, who make fine carpets.

These carpets or rugs are all made by hand,

even the cutting of the extra Egyptian wool, silk and cotton.

Have you ever been to a rug store?

One that carries Persian, Egyptian or Turkish rugs.

If you have, have you ever wondered why the price cost so much for these types of floor coverings?

After doing a tour of this carpet school and seeing the work that goes into a rug, I now know why these exotic rugs are so expensive.

I looked around at all the workers, from men approaching their golden years-to young children that should be out playing with their friends or in school-and came away with a new found respect for their work and skills. The speed at which these employees work is phenomenal.
They go off a pattern that is displayed in front of them, not behind the screen.

Then they pull down a piece of the yarn from above and get to work.

After we were shown the system in how these rugs were put together we were taken upstairs to the magic carpet room.

Thousands, upon thousands of rugs were in this upper level.
We were seated on a small sofa that was inlaid with gold. A table was in front of us with a small glass ashtray. A young boy comes out from the back room, then the leader asks us, "Would you like something to drink? We have tea, water, or Sprite."

We were at first thinking, we are okay, but then figured out what this experience was all about.

I was told before making my way upstairs that no photos will be allowed.

The salesman brought out rug, after rug, to us. Designs of the Tree of Life, Egyptian Calendar, and The Final Judgment were some of the rugs that were being tossed our way. Images of the children downstairs kept entering my mind, thinking about their little fingers being put to work.

Rugs that cost over $100,000 hung on the wall. I pictured palaces and castles that we have visited over the year, thinking these rugs go to locations like those.

These people are using their skills for the ultra-rich. I don't know many people that have that kind of

money sitting around to splurge on a rug. I mean unless they take out a loan.

We were told that these rugs are sold at factory cost. We asked how much a little tiny one would cost to roll up in and fit into our carry-on bag? Oh we can ship anywhere in the world we were told.

So you can buy any size you want. Oh, only if our bank account matched our taste, I thought.

Have you ever bought something on impulse or just bought something you don't need to help someone out? Thanks carpet company for playing on our emotions with the children working downstairs. Some salesmen are just down right good at their trade. We were taken on a Magic Carpet Ride, a carpet that is perfect to change a diaper of a newborn baby.

Hidden Treasure

2012-01-11T07:47:00.004+01:00

Some events are so powerful that they change your DNA.
-Dexter 2010
I thought last night, I have one more blog to write and I will finally be done with writing about our time spent in Egypt. WRONG! As I scrolled through the pictures I thought, I did not write anything on how rugs or a Cartouche is made by a Cartouche Maker. On the 2nd day Memphis tours came to pick us up, they said something about me taking so many photos through the window.

"She sure does like taking pictures of all the trash," said Mustafa. "She's not taking pictures of just the trash," David said laughing. "She writes a blog and takes a lot of photos to share with people around the world." Once that little bit of information was put out I was invited to the back room to view how our little piece of treasure was going to be put together at the Topaz Bazaar.

What is a Cartouche?

A cartouche was an oval circle with a name written in it, rather like a nameplate.

In the early days of ancient Egypt, a cartouche was attached to the coffins of kings and queens. As time went on, many people hired an artist to create a cartouche for their own coffins.

The ancient Egyptians believed that you had to have your name written down somewhere, so that you would not disappear when you died. By attaching a cartouche to their coffin, people made sure their name was written down in one place at least!

http://egypt.mrdonn.org/cartouche.html

So while the letters to our last name were being picked out from the hieroglyphics,

I buzzed through the store snapping some photos of little souvenirs.

A lady came out from the back and brought us this lemonade drink on a silver serving platter.

As we all said thank you and gulped down the delicious liquid, we started to 2nd guess our decision in drinking the delicious beverage.

Did they use bottled water to make this yummy drink?

There goes my mind, David had just spent the day before eliminating everything in his body from a bug that got into his system. At about that time the thoughts crossed my mind, the man who showed us his finger to vote, came out to tell me they were ready for me to come back and take photos, my stomach started to grumble.

We made our way back to this room, in the back of the store.

The Cartouche Maker

Step 1: Fire it up so the letters adhere.

Step 2: A dip in this mysterious green acid bath.

Step 3: Onto a dunk in a utensil that has certainly been put to use.

Step 4: The Final Buff and Shine.

The Cartouche.

The first day when Chico and Mustafa brought us by this store we had decided to pass and asked to return back to the hotel. The hours of stimulation and David being sick that day had worn us out. Mustafa had stopped in front of Topaz Bazaar, telling us that this place has a popular little silver piece that many people coming to Egypt enjoy. We told him no. It was okay. We can live without a visit to basically a jewelry store. He said, "Okay, tomorrow." David and I laughed and maybe did a small eye roll, thinking it was fine we really don't have to go there.

In this one shop, we came away with treasure that went beyond items that fit in or on a coffin. More than gold that adorns a home or body.

If we had stopped here the 1st day that was suggested, we would have missed the smile and finger our Egyptian friend used to vote that morning.

Voting for the first time in 55 years!

The joy that exuded from his face, an expression of hope, was the hidden treasure.

Air Tight

2012-01-10T13:41:00.000+01:00

"I don't know how much longer Mayer can hold it," I said while making our way off the Red Pyramid in Dahshur. The bathrooms at Memphis are much better than the ones here we were told.

After we made our way through security, and into the ancient city of Memphis, we made our way to the toilettes. We have grown accustomed to the bathroom charges that are located throughout Europe, so shelling out coinage to go to the toilet is no big deal or a surprise, even in Africa.
Should a bathroom be absent of blood from the floor if you pay?
After Mayer pointed out to us the two dead Arabian horses alongside the Nile River, blood was looking pretty clean. I will spare you the picture and lead you into the two story open air-museum where the limestone statue of pharaoh Ramses II lay on its back.

After we take a walk around we climb the staircase and pause to appreciate the craftsmanship the ancient Egyptians put into these ancient artifacts.

We are now on the 2nd level gazing down on this amazing piece of work.

Let's head back down and exit through the doors past this statue who was an example of what people worshipped as a God and King.
King Ramses II
for more information on this once God like statue visit.
http://www.king-tut.org.uk/egyptian-pharaohs/ramses-ii.htm

Before I take you out to stand in the ancient City of Memphis, how about an ariel view from the second floor of the air-museum.

You won't be bombarded with the street vendors from this view. Once you step foot on the old school territory, watch out! Bonus for the consumer, you will pay 60% less on goods because they do not pay taxes or pay the shop owners. It has become a huge problem and even worse after the government was overthrown in January of 2011. More on the nuisance it causes and how the country is against the selling of goods here.
http://al-shorfa.com/cocoon/meii/xhtml/en_GB/features/meii/features/main/2011/10/07/feature-02

We are finally in the middle of Memphis!

There are many verses that mention this city of Memphis in the bible.
This one clung to me today that was prophesied by Hosea a prophet.
After setting foot in this biblical city and seeing it with my own eyes, I am once again amazed at scripture and the prophets that were given God's word to share with us.
Hosea said,
Even if they escape from destruction,
Egypt will gather them,
and Memphis will bury them.
Their treasures of silver will be taken
over by briers,
and thorns will overrun their tents.
Hosea 9:6
Memphis was also called Mowph.

Memphis was founded in 3000 B.C. and is the capital city of ancient Egypt - during the old kingdom. Memphis was the seat of power for the pharaohs of over eight dynasties. It's the center for commerce and trade and it used to be full of business activities during its tomb building days. It is located 20 kilometers south of Cairo.
The only remains left of the old kingdom capital are a few artifacts.

As we exit this town that is documented in scripture and is sealed in an air-tight kingdom, we

will stroll on by the Alabaster Sphinx. A Sphinx that was sculpted from a single piece of alabaster.

I thank you Lord for being able to walk back into a time that was once written by your chosen children. Prophets that obeyed you and followed through with delivering a message that we humans have been able to see and read with our eyes.

It is more than air-tight.

Thigh High

2012-01-09T10:21:00.005+01:00

After we made it to the top of the Red Pyramid, in Dahshur, we were told that we needed to leave our camera with this happy man if we wanted to go inside.

We decided to make our way back down.

I wish we would have noticed then, rather than later, how happy he was to see this young lady in these thigh highs or I guess panty hose.

We could have left him some dollar bills and been able to take our camera in, then make the gruesome hike down and back up. Did I mention any form of money will work in Egypt? From what we understand hiking in and out can be pretty grueling, even for the ones who are in tip-top shape. We thought we would spare Mayer's little legs the workout.

We headed back down but before we give our thighs a break I will give you a little info on old Red.

The Red Pyramid, also called the North Pyramid, is the largest of the three major pyramids located at the Dahshur necropolis. Named for the rusty reddish hue of its stones, it is also the third largest Egyptian pyramid, after those of Khufu and Khafra at Giza. At the time of its completion, it was the tallest man-made structure in the world. It is also believed to be the world's first successful attempt at constructing a "true" smooth-sided pyramid.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Pyramid

The Red Pyramid was built by Khufu's father, Snefru. What makes this pyramid special today is the lack of crowds and circus atmosphere that plagues the Giza Plateau, along with the fact that it can currently be entered without limitation. Not long ago, the area of Dashur could not be visited, which probably explains why such an important monument receives so few visitors.

http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/red.htm

Visiting the Red Pyramid was our last stop in Dashur. We had made our way around the Black and Bent Pyramid right before we stopped here. We were on our way to the city of Memphis. Mayer was filled thigh high with body fluids he needed to release, David had lost his breakfast earlier that day, and I was just pooped, kind of like this dog.

Old red has spent too much time today sitting on my thighs. So I will move on out of here

and get on my exercise high.

360°

2012-01-08T08:37:00.000+01:00

After making our way through the only entrance into a vast, ancient burial ground in Egypt, called Saqqara, we proceeded through The Hall Colonnade.

It's a hall of a double row of 20 columns. It has been thought that the columns represent the provinces of upper and lower Egypt. Again so much history is linked to this site and I am doing a quick 360° look at our time on it today. Mayer was about 180° away not wanting anything to do with a photo for the family album not even by Djoser the pyramid, which is located 90° after we exit this Colonnade.

I know Mayer had rock hunting on his mind so he was all about racing Mustafa outside this ancient entrance. Jean-Philipee Lauer, one of the greatest French Egyptologist and Archeologist's dedicated more than 60 years to the site of Saqqara from 1926-1996. Before Laure dedicated his life to the site he found about 10,000 stone pieces that were destroyed and scattered in different places. While making our way out into our circular tour you may notice the white limestone pieces, they are the new pieces he used to piece the Colonnade back together.

I will now make a 90° turn to my left. We are now facing the pyramid of Djoser.

I skimmed over Djoser in the Step by Step blog so let's swivel around 180° where we will pass these lovely Arabic women and head up the stairs towards the tombs of Unas Ankh, prince and son of King Unas, Princess Idut, and the Tomb of Inefrt.

After we exited the exploration of the tombs we went left towards a place where we could complete this circle.

I will save you the time in reading knowledge I gained from the book The Treasure of Saqqara and not spill out circles of information you can Google online. I will share some helpful links if you would like to learn more on Saqqara.

http://www.saqqara.nl/ and http://www.ancient-egypt.org/index.html

I do suggest if you want to visit Saqqara to go with an organized tour or hire a private driver.

That completes this 360° view of a site that serves as a necropolis for the city of Memphis.

Days of Our Lives

2012-01-07T09:23:00.004+01:00

"Like sands through the hourglass.....so are the Days of Our Lives."

-MacDonald Carey

Days of Our Lives

1965-

"I wonder if we can bring back sand from Egypt?" I said to my husband.

I did bring extra Glad Ziploc bags so we could attempt it. I never saw anything online that said we couldn't take it from the Sahara desert. After having a smoother than smooth transition in and out of the airport, we probably should have scooped some and attempted to take it out of the country. We did not check our baggage and only took our three backpacks onto Egyptair. We were concerned that if we packed too much sand that they wouldn't be able to see through it and would think we were trying to smuggle something out of the country. Instead of sand from the Sahara Desert our little rock collector picked up two days worth of rocks while out exploring. His little pockets were full of them. We didn't give him the idea, we just noticed that he was picking up rocks and putting them in his pockets like he has done on many explorations.
Did we stop him?

No, it is legal, we carried on and let him do his thing.

There he is at the back of the Bent Pyramid in Dashur, in search of just the right one.

Again in Saqqara by the Djoser Pyramid, playing in the horseshoe alter.

He was really just finding the rock of the day.

They may not fit through an hourglass but they did come from one amazing day in our lives.

Thank you our little rock collector. It was a brilliant idea.

Finally I Am Neapolitan

2012-01-06T20:06:00.000+01:00

I have to interrupt the series of Egypt blogs for La Befana.

After seeing multiple little witch photos posted on my FB newsfeed yesterday, then my son came home from his Italian Immersion class, to tell us that we have to prepare for La Befana, I was quite intrigued.

What is La Befana?

Italy's traditional celebration of La Befana includes the tale of a witch known as La Befana who arrives on her broomstick during the night of January 5 and fills the stockings with toys and sweets for the good children and lumps of coal for the bad ones.

According to the legend, the night before the Wise Men arrived at the manger they stopped at the shack of an old woman to ask directions. They invited her to come along but she replied that she was too busy. Then a shepherd asked her to join him but again she refused. Later that night, she saw a great light in the sky and decided to join the Wise Men and the shepherd bearing gifts that had belonged to her child who had died. She got lost and never found the manger.

Now La Befana flies around on her broomstick each year on the 11th night, bringing gifts to children in hopes that she might find the Baby Jesus. Children hang their stockings on the evening of January 5 awaiting the visit of La Befana.

http://goitaly.about.com/od/festivalsandevents/a/epiphany.htm

Wow, we never knew anything about this tale. Really kind of cool. We put a sock by the fireplace last night and La Befana dropped off some goodies. To our surprise, knock after knock, came today with this Italian celebration. Angela brought Mayer a stocking from La Befana that had all kinds of sweet goodness,

Carmela our sweet Italian neighbor brought over another stocking with a La Befana on the stocking and goodies.

To cap off our evening Paolo and Nunzia brought over the Napoli's Soccer Mascot, O Ciuccio as a gift for our bambino!

The donkey has inscribed on his chest, Finally I am Neapolitan!

Thank you Italian families around us for making us feel so welcome in your country!

The Feast of the Epiphany, celebrated January 6 with a national holiday in Italy, and the tradition of La Befana are a big part of Italian Christmas celebrations. Epiphany commemorates the 12th day of Christmas when the three Wise Men arrived at the manger bearing gifts for Baby Jesus. The traditional Christmas holiday season in Italy lasts through Epiphany.

http://goitaly.about.com/od/festivalsandevents/a/epiphany.htm

Stop and Chat

2012-01-06T10:27:00.001+01:00

Have you ever seen Curb Your Enthusiasm?
It's a show on HBO (and needs to be on HBO) the kiddos really don't need to hear
the language that some of the adults use. Unfortunately, it is one of our guilty pleasures that we watch on 3click after Mayer goes to bed. There is an episode about the stop and chat.
I thought about it as we were on the bus passing these fellas, out by the train tracks, on our way to the city of Memphis, Egypt. They obviously were having more than a stop and chat.
What is a stop and chat?
Below is the scenario from a Curb Your Enthusiasm episode created by Larry David.
You’re walking down the street when you see someone you know fairly well up ahead about a hundred feet. As you get closer, you start to wonder whether this chance meeting warrants a stop and chat. You decide not to stop, and you say “hey!” and keep walking, but see that they’ve stopped to chat. Now you are a few feet beyond them and have to either stop and walk back or commit to the pass and keep going. The reverse situation can also occur where you stop and the other person keeps going.
http://www.awkwardrules.net/tag/larry-david/
My husband and I tend to run into someone we know all the time. I mean we were all the way in London and not one, but two times, we ran into a person we knew-in two of the oddest locations. A city with millions of people and you run into someone you know???? Neither one of us knew the other persons vacation plans, so of course that warrants a stop and chat. It is really not a surprise when you are visiting the Support Site. The site is a gated compound located in Gricignano here in Italy. The NEX, Commissary, hospital, housing, gym, are all located here within such tight quarters. I'm talking like a 2.5 mile radius around, so it is so small. When we saw the episode on the stop and chat, we laughed, because it is so true? Sometimes you are so busy that you have to get the shopping done or the other person is so busy getting their errands taken care of, that you just don't have time to stop and chat. I wish those of you, who do not live in a military community, could see how small the American community-is here in Naples. So when you run into one person, after another, that you know- you can almost never get anything done. Especially, if you stop and chat with everyone.
The http://www.awkwardrules.net/ does a great job of drawing out a scenario.
If I ever run into you with this surprised look below, I apologize now,
just think about the stop and chat.

Step by Step

2012-01-05T08:35:00.002+01:00

Before I make it to Dashur, the place where the Red, Black and Bent Pyramids are located, I thought I would stop off at the Djoser Pyramid, also known as the Step Pyramid. It is located in the royal necropolis of Saqqara and is the oldest stone pyramid. Evidence of graffiti dating back to the middle kingdom 1640-2040 BC shows that tourist came during that period or even early to view it.

Since Saqqara is the city of the dead and quite large, the place hasn't even been thoroughly excavated, I thought I would cover it step by step. Yesterday, I touched on the writing on the wall, where we visited the tomb of Idut and today I share with you Djoser the Step Pyramid.

Djoser's pyramid was a revolutionary design. Previously, pharaohs were buried in rectangular mastabas (like that of Mereruka nearby). Imhotep created a pyramid by stacking six mastabas on top of each other. This design would later evolve into the smooth-sided pyramids seen at Giza and elsewhere.

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/egypt/saqqara-step-pyramid-of-djoser

Several Bible experts think that the Step Pyramid and its complex may hold the granarysed for storage by the Pharaoh at the request of Joseph in preparation of the Seven Year Famine. Stele 81 located on the Island Of Siheyl, near Aswan, has definitely been identified as having been erected by Djoser and it is giving thanks to the gods for stopping a seven year famine by bringing a flood to the farm land near the Nile. There is one tomb at Saggara that may have been Joseph's prior to his embalmed body being returned to Israel.
http://www.delange.org/Saggara/EP10.htm
Tomorrow I will take you through the gateway into Saqqara where we enter through the only door into the funeral complex of Djoser. For now I will rest and take it step by step.

Writing on the Wall

2012-01-04T10:25:00.003+01:00

"We really can't take pictures in here?" I asked while exploring the tomb of

Idut, daughter and princess of King Unas from the 5th dynasty in 2360 BC.

That seemed to be the tune of most all the sites we explored.

We found out at the end of the day that if you pay people dollars or euro you can basically get any picture you want. There is this gentleman who stands at the entrance of the tombs at Saqqara making sure flash or the clicking of your shutter is asleep.

How about all the phones that have cameras these days? Someone is going to get a hip shot of all this writing on the wall. Well in doing some extra online research, many have Flickr sites with tons of photos from these tombs at Saqqara. After I got the okay from our leader in the tomb, I snapped a few shots. I knew I would have to pay the gate keeper if he heard me clicking and I shelled out some doe for the goods.

Listening to the history about all this writing; the rituals and rules of the afterlife made me appreciate even more what I believe and who rules my life. I mean seriously, the workers spent so much time designing a tomb, decorating the walls, and building this door to come back and forth from the afterlife.

Ancient Egyptians provided for their afterlives according to their earthly means. When they died, the Egyptians put all the things in their tombs that they would need in the afterlife to reflect their lifestyle in the mortal existence including jewelry, furniture, clothes, knives, spoons, plates, cosmetics, ornaments, statues and tools. They made drawings of any items which were too big to fit in the tombs which they considered would be just as good as the actual items. These large drawings were often carved on to the walls of the tomb.
http://www.king-tut.org.uk/egyptian-mummies/egyptian-afterlife.htm

Then the process of the way the body is mummified. The heart and feathers, measuring of good deeds and bad deeds. Mamma Mia I am glad I am born in the time, I was born. To have freedom to believe in the one who gave us freedom, from all this stuff, that people once believed and many still do. When you view the writing on the wall, followed by getting in trouble because you brushed your hand against these words that were inscribed by ancient Egyptians; you see that civilization from the beginning of time has tried to control life even after death.

Isn't it enough that we as humans have created enough rules on Earth? Our time to implement the rules end when our heart stops beating.

I am looking forward to the surprises in the afterlife.

I bet I can take as many photos as I want without having to pay for the writing on the wall.

Something to Write About

2012-01-03T10:17:00.003+01:00

"You haven't even written about the guy who was so proud to show us his finger that he voted," said my husband. We were in Egypt when the 1st elections took place since the government was overthrown by the people and arrived two days after the Scientific complex caught fire on December 17, 2011, amid clashes between protesters and the armed forces. The site, L’Institut d’Egypte, held some 200,000 original and rare books, exhibits, maps, archeological findings and studies from Egypt and the entire Middle East, based on the work of generations of western researchers.

Most of the artifacts were lost forever, burned or looted.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4165576,00.html

The driver who picked us up from the hotel told us that the ancient historical documents are on CD and DVD but the originals can't be replaced and were destroyed.

After spending some time in Topaz Bazaar and witnessing the joy on this gentleman's face

that he voted that morning, I asked him if I could take a picture. His finger had been dipped in ink and used to vote in the election on December 21, 2011.

"Make sure you get my face in the picture," he said.

So today that brings me to the place where ink makes a difference, an item that we all have used at one time or another. I wonder how extinct this item will become with the modern movement of e-mails, blogs, kindle or nook downloads, making appointments online and even the absence of personalized handwriting removed from a good ol' fashion card (not an e-card).

Today I blog about something that can hold important data and can be destroyed faster than how it is created; paper!

The Egyptians use Cyperus papyrus, a plant that grows in the Nile Delta of Egypt.

Ancient Egyptians discovered how to make paper from the stems of plant as early as 3000 B.C.

Egyptian papyrus was and is still used as we use paper today.

After spending some time in Topaz Bazaar with our "let freedom ring fella" and watching how our Egyptian Cartouche was made, (blog later) we then made our way over to Key of Life Papyrus. We were introduced to a lesson on how papyrus is made. Our teacher clipped off a piece from the Cyperus papyrus and then peeled off slivers of his clipping. The size of the papyrus depends on the length that is cut.

He made sure teamwork was involved and handed Mayer a mallet to pound out the water. Followed by rolling it out flat with a rolling pin.

Place it into a pan where it will soak in water for up to seven days.

The length of the time in the water determines the color of paper. If you want a lighter paper you leave it for seven days, to achieve a darker paper it bathes in water longer.

Our papyrus maker then removed a few that had been soaking and placed it on a felt like material.

He placed it into a press where it will be for another seven days.

Around fourteen days from the time it was clipped off the plant and pressed in the press you have papyrus. After the demonstration I was informed that no more photos would be allowed.

Our heritage, our history, our life is all on paper. From the Dead Sea scrolls that contain important information to our human number the social security card and birth certificate that keep who we are straight. It is an item that could be one of the most important products known to mankind.

I mean you can't even travel from one country to another without a passport that is made of paper and can be filled with stamps of ink.

The combination of ink and paper can truly change the world.

Now, that is something to write about.

Walk Like An Egyptian

2012-01-02T16:55:00.001+01:00

"What goes on four legs in the morning, on two legs at noon, and on three legs in the evening?"

The answer to the riddle is:

"A man, he crawls on all fours as a baby, walks on two legs as an adult, and walks with a cane in old age."

The riddle refers to morning, noon, and night which are metaphors for the times in a man's life. The riddle was solved by Oedipus, where upon the sphinx slew herself.

http://www.king-tut.org.uk/ancient-egypt/the-great-sphinx.htm

After our camel ride out into the desert we headed on over to The Great Sphinx.

It was time to walk like an Egyptian.

We were taken into the Valley Temple and educated on the purpose of this place before heading out to the Great Sphinx.

Location of the Valley Temple:

To the East of Chephren's pyramid.

The Valley Temple attributed to king Chephren , one of the kings of the 4th Dynasty.

Why was it built?

This temple served definitely two functions: First, it was used for the purification of the mummy of the king before its burial. Second, it was used for making the Mummification process of the king.

Explanation:

The best preserved valley temple all over Egypt was built of local limestone, it was partly covered with fine Tura limestone

and partly by ashlars of red granite.

It was built on square plane, measuring 482 feet on each side. This temple has been buried under the desert sand until the 19th century.

http://www.memphistours.com/about-egypt/Valley-Temple.php

It was our first stop before heading out towards the Pyramid of Chephren. You turn right out this doorway and are now up, close, and personal with The Great Sphinx.

We had some fun with the camera.

Mayer was anti-family photo for the rest of the day but Mustafa said he still got him in it!

Thanks Mustafa!

We did get one of him having some fun, punching the Sphinx!

How about some shades to take the glare out of your eyes Mr. Sphinx?

I zoomed in a bit and snapped a couple profile shots.

Then continued my Egyptian walk along the side to check out the side and rear views.

It was a great walk and not really that crowded.

Tourism is down in Egypt so it contributed to the lack of visitors at the site.

We made our way back through the Valley Temple; check out the size of the granite. Hard to believe how long it has been here and how it was put together by human hands.

I will wrap up it up today. Thanks for joining us on our walk like an Egyptian.

Lawrence of Arabia

2012-01-01T16:25:00.000+01:00

It's the beginning of 2012, and I am making my way through photos, laughing at the advice Mustafa gave us when we were making our way through sites that were loaded with Camels. Mustafa got so irritated at this one guy who would not stop hounding us. He kept telling him they are not going to buy anything from you.

Mustafa took our picture in front of The Great Pyramid, he then told us that he was going to go back to the van. He pointed over to where we were parked and instructed us to meet him there after we finished taking it all in.

A few minutes after he told us his plans, he comes out of nowhere with supplies soliciting us in front of the guy, who was sticking to us like the sand on our shoes. He told him,"See, they won't even buy from me." This wasn't Mustafa's first day on the job as an Egyptologist he wanted us to get the most out of our tour, rather than spend half a day acting as a sword to defend us.

From the time you step out of the tour van, you're solicited by men who are just trying to make a living, like the rest of the world. Some just choose a pushier-more annoying route to earn a buck. You just want to give them something, so they leave you alone, but once you do that about five other postcard, bookmark, and camel drivers flock around you.

They offer their goods and services for just anything you will give them. It is really sad and takes away from the experience of this ancient world. Mustafa told us not to agree to any camel ride until we get to the panoramic view of The Pyramids of Giza.

The Great Pyramid of Giza is located on the Giza Plateau, bordering the Sahara Desert on the west bank of the Nile River.

The Great Pyramid is the oldest of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It is pretty unbelievable how humans could build these structures, seeing how large one rock is. I am not going to give you the history on these BC buildings, but if you want to know more about the history here is a great site for some knowledge.

http://www.king-tut.org.uk/ancient-egypt/great-pyramid.htm

We are off to camel land.

Meet Charlie Brown and James Bond they were our means of transport for about half an hour.

As we glided back to the panaromic view of the pyramids, I was feeling for these long legged professionals. Charlie Brown was a bit gassy and James Bond had a mother load with the two of us on his hump. He gave his leader a kiss, so maybe he wasn't too upset.

I guess it isn't a big deal for an animal who can go for days, and or months, without actually drinking water. It amazes me the variety of animals that are on our planet and how God designed them to be used.

On our way back to camel headquarters, Lawrence of Arabia had to take an incoming phone call for work. I thought it was funny how he was wrapped up in an Arabian Keffiyeh, sitting on a camel, and taking a phone call-in the middle of the desert.

We made our way back to the lot and before leaving the site we got a few more shots of these truly incredible animals. They are truly amazing and just so cute!

Lawrence of Arabia was given an offer on this little beauty below. This baby camel is only 7500 Egyptian Pounds. They said he was a bad camel and probably wouldn't be very useful.

Maybe Angela and Mario could use him on the farm, or Aunt Carolyn back in Texas.

My Mr. Arabia passed on this deal; they bargained with many straws, but not one could break us on this camel's back.