Finding Meaning in Luxor

The sun beat down as temperatures reached the upper 90’s. Sweat dripped off us as we hurried from shady spot to shady spot long the nearly empty streets. The heat even sapped the energy from the few, endlessly persistent touts who still roamed around looking for tourist dollars.

Picture 141

Continue reading

Foto Friday

The temples of Egypt were awe-inspiring for their incredible artwork, intricate carvings, and sheer enormity. It is sad for us to see the news coming out of the country these days, and we are glad we got to experience it as it was, but that civilization has been around for thousands of years and I am confident it will continue for another thousand. Our thoughts are with the people during this terrible struggle for democracy.

Picture 272

Finding Beauty in Simplicity

My breath fogs the air, mixing with the morning mist, as I climb out of the camper. The morning sun is peeking through the trees, causing flashes of light to reflect off the lake. Jim and the dogs are still asleep and I stand in wonder at the absolute silence surrounding me.

At moments like this I’m always struck by the beauty of the simple things in life, and astonished by our continuing ability to ignore it’s power. We spend our lives fighting a simple life of happiness as we strive for more, bigger, better. As I sit alone in the still of the morning, my mind wanders away from this scenic lake in Oregon to reminisce about some of my favorite memories, all of which had nothing to do with grand monuments or fancy lodging, and everything to do with meeting the locals, good food, and unexpected magic.

DSCN9373

Continue reading

Foto Friday

The Sphinx and pyramids of Cairo. Admittedly, not my favorite spot in Egypt, it was nonetheless an impressive sight. We were constantly in awe of the work done by human hands thousands of year prior. Egypt has seen some turmoil in recent years, but the country is safe and the people need tourist dollars. Go, now, and visit this iconic landmark for yourself.

Abu Simbel

OK, first, a disclaimer. In the interest of full disclosure I think I need to get one thing out in the open right away, I don’t like history. Wait, let me rephrase that, I LOVE being in historical places. I love wandering the same the same rock pathways that people have wandered for thousands of years. I love poking around ancient ruins and peering through doorways into past lives. I am endlessly fascinated by walking in the footsteps of history. What I don’t  always love is the facts of history. I’m not exactly sure how it happened. My dad was a history teacher at one point, my older brother still is, and yet start talking to me about the dates and extensive details and I feel myself immediately begin to fade off. I have spent hours and hours tramping about historical places all around the world, enthralled by where I am; just please don’t ask me to remember exactly what year it happened!

Continue reading

Foto Friday

While waiting for our train to Alexandria, Egypt, I spotted this woman waiting with her goose. Bored with our wait we talked over several possibilities..was it her pet that traveled with her? Was she on the way to the market to sell the goose? While we will never know the story, the picture always strikes me as a perfect example of what makes travel in other countries so appealing to us…the differences in culture keep us constantly intrigued and inspired.