Egypt and Lebanon

Since we were already in the Middle East and likely won't be back too soon, we decided to visit a few more countries in the region. We wanted to go to Israel, but unfortunately, if you go to Israel, there is a list of countries that you can't go to after (including Lebanon). And because Israel is much easier to get to from the US, we decided to save Tel Aviv for another time. (Anyone want to join us for Tel Aviv Pride 2018?!)

Egypt

When Sinead was a kid, she thought that The Pyramids were the most remote place in the world and the idea of visiting them was inconceivable. We were so close to them, that we decided we had to visit.

Egypt is "medium safe" (as I told my mom). Meaning, it's the least safe place we have been so far. The Australian government website straight up says: "Reconsider your need to travel." After consideration, we flew into Cairo, went straight to our hotel, saw the pyramids and the surrounding area, and then went immediately back to the airport. We are adventurous, but we are also smart about our travels.

Our hotel room had a view of the pyramids. FROM THE BED. I had no idea you could stay this close to the pyramids! And for cheap. The fact that we could book this room 3 nights ahead of time and they still had availability speaks to how little tourism there is in Egypt right now. Since the Arab Spring, tourism has plummeted (even more than Petra). We were literally some of the only tourists around.

Work space has never looked so good

Complimentary breakfast on our hotel rooftop

We took a camel tour of the Pyramids of Giza including the Great Pyramid and the Sphinx. There are 3 big pyramids and 6 smaller pyramids. The pyramids were cooler in person than I even expected. If I had a hard time wrapping my head around Petra being 2,500 years old, the thought of the pyramids being constructed 4,500 years ago was even more abstract.

Each stone is huge! 

Imagine those stones from the last picture again now

Highlight: the local hawkers constantly referring to Sinead as "Shakira" and me as "Cleopatra" 

Sinead continues with her love of camels

The hieroglyphics of people dancing really struck me. Humans were so similar to how we are now even that long ago. Mind blown.

Another mind boggling fact was that the blue and red colors were original from ~2,000 BC.

It was also surprising to me that the pyramids are not in the middle of nowhere, they are right up against the city of Cairo. It makes sense because the Nile, the lifeblood of civilization, runs through there and used to flow all the way up beside the pyramids (making it possible for them to be built since each stone was transported by boat).

We got to go deep inside the Great Pyramid to the King's Chamber, a tiny, bare room with a single sarcophagus. The pyramid is mostly solid except for this chamber (and one other lower chamber that is inaccessible to tourists). It's a steep and narrow passage to get there and the air gets really stuffy and thick (to the point where you feel like you might pass out). I got inside the sarcophagus and laid down and accidentally scared the bejeezus out of some stranger when I popped out of it.

Sinead and I returned to our hotel and sipped beers overlooking the pyramids at sunset. It was surreal.

Getting some wedding ideas

In the evening, there was a light show on the pyramids. Yes, a light show. Created circa 1990, this laser and sound show was a mix of (dated) modernity with really ancient history; an odd but fascinating combo.



After less than 24 hours in Egypt, we were off to Beirut.

Two of the only tourists surrounded only by locals selling things

Lebanon

The Jordanians had raved about how great Beirut is, so we wanted check it out for ourselves. Plus, my lovely coworker/friend, Mira, is from Lebanon and gave me recommendations of the foods to eat, the sights to see, and the places to stay.

Contemplating bedazzled shisha pipes and crowns for Queen Mira

Beirut was not what I expected. I thought it would be similar to Amman, but it was nicer. It is more Westernized, more diverse, has more restaurants and bars, and seemed more international. Lebanon was a blend of the Middle East and Europe and was more like what I expect Turkey to be like (though I've never been). The Mediterranean vibe mixed with Syrian refugees and blend of Christians and Muslims gives it a very contrasted quality that was hard to pin down.

Shows a mosque, church, and Roman ruins all next to each other in downtown Beirut

Walking through downtown Beirut (Can we all appreciate the outfit on the right?)

We walked around the different neighborhoods and along the waterfront. The architecture reflects Lebanon's tumultuous past. There are fancy French style buildings contrasted against the abandoned complexes with blown out windows from the not so distant war.

There is a thriving nightlife...that we didn't explore. We were seriously partied out from Jordan and we're nearly 30...

We had a lot more shawarma and a lot more pastries. Overall, Middle Eastern food was great and delicious: hummus, soft cheeses, olives, pita, baba ganoush, vegetables, meats, seafood, lentils... yum!

Shawarma = closest thing we can get to a burrito

We spent a lot of time working from the hotel room and planning our trip which was badly needed after having too much fun exploring everyday in Jordan. This is still a working trip for Sinead after all.

Doing my best Sinead impression

What I actually do while she works

Just kidding, I double as a travel agent

We then rented a car and explored other parts of Lebanon outside of Beirut. The rule of driving in Lebanon is that there are no rules. They call it "freestyle driving" where lanes don't matter, indicators aren't used, onramps are non-existent, cars swerve around, one way roads easily become two way roads, and horns are used liberally. It was half terrifying and half exhilarating. Sinead loved the "assertive driving" and felt like she was in real life Mario Kart.

4 lanes converted into 5 lines (not legally...but not illegally)

The highlight of Lebanon for me was Jeita Grotto. It was one of the coolest places I've ever been. It is a giant limestone cave full of stalactites and stalagmites. It looked like a mix of mushrooms, icicles, and melted candle wax. They were so giant that I felt tiny.

See the tiny people on the walkway for scale

People for scale again

You aren't allowed to take pictures inside of the cave. Sinead snuck her phone in and managed to snap a few after learning that the only reason for this rule was because people had fallen over while taking selfies. The pictures don't do it justice and it's really one of those places you have to see in person.

Byblos is a super cute fishing town on the Mediterranean. There are casual ancient ruins throughout the town and adorable bars lining the cobblestone streets. It was calm and charming and we finally felt relaxed after our go-go-go energy of the rest of the Middle East.

Although we were only an hour from Beirut, it felt like a whole different country. The people were more European looking (less Arab), predominantly more Christian than Muslim, and spoke more French than Arabic. It was a trip.

I was surprised by all of the Lebanese red-heads there were!

We stumbled across a little fossil museum where the owner befriended us and taught us all about why Lebanon's fossils are unique. The composition of the rock in Lebanon leads to some of the most intact and detailed fossils in the world. The shifting of the tectonic plates has pushed the floor of the Mediterranean Sea up, forming Lebanese mountains. The fossilized fish up in the mountains are 100 million years old!

Sinead nerded out and taught the owner about many of the marine species and how they have evolved. She was able to identify fish species for him and finally put her marine biology degree to use. She and a couple of the workers here were quick to become buds.

The next day we drove inland to see more of Lebanon and realized that we happened to go right where the fossils were on the mountain. We found tools in the car and started excavating on our own. There were tons to be found!

We saw lakes and waterfalls, but unfortunately since it was fall, the water had dried up making them less picturesque than anticipated.

We went to the cedar forests that have such meaning to the country that the tree is the symbol on the national flag. After so much time in the desert, it was a relief to see tress again! Sinead's mood was instantly boosted just from being around them. (Sinead had been frustrated that the ocean was too polluted to swim in and needed her nature fix.)

We were able to breathe fresh air for the first time in Lebanon. Looking at the coastline you could see a thick layer of smog and haze blanketing Beirut and even Byblos. I have a new appreciation for the good air quality we have in California after being in Asia and the Middle East.

Overall, the Middle East was an awesome experience. The culture is so different from American culture and it was eye opening. Seeing the dominance of religion, importance of family over the individual, and a world surrounded by violence and uprisings in the neighboring countries left me with a sense of awe at how different peoples perceptions are and how much society shapes our behaviors. We're getting too deep for a blog post, but this trip has exposed me to so many new and interesting things and have affected my mindset and world view.




Bonus:

We weren't allowed to fly over Syria or Israel, so the flight path brought us on a strange route through the Mediterranean Sea and then back around to Egypt and Saudi Arabia to get to Dubai.
We recognized this bit of the Red Sea! It's where 4 countries meet (where we were in Aqaba).