Arabian Nights

Arabian Nights is a horseback riding resort outside of Giza (where the Pyramids are) in Fayoum (spelled wrong for sure). I traveled there with AIESEC friends and we spent a long day lounging by the pool, riding horses, some people rode ATV's, and finished the day up with a small bonfire up on a hill.

I learned how to trot and was very sore the next day :)

The main dining area, I did not go there.

Looking out from the pool area to the horse arena. You can see Anna, one of my roommates. The horseback group rode out into the desert, but the resort also had a track and some jumps.

Some horses.

Artistic attempts.
Converses and Egyptian pounds on a horse, rad.

The rest of the group coming in from the sort of desert, there were other things out there. No endless void for us!

I object to ATVs and most sports that destroy environments and get you really dirty, but everyone else had a great time!

After the ATVers did their thing we met up on a hill for a small fire and then took the long car ride back to Cairo. Giza is a little over an hour from Nasr City. You can see the pyramids as you drive through the city. Can you imagine having the pyramids in your backyard? People get pretty bored with them and I am waiting till it is cooler to go see them. After that you will get an honest opinion about how awesome they are.

A few photos of my apartment

I live in Nasr City, a sort of suburb of Cairo. Find Heliopolis on a map and look a little West, Nasr City is around there. In terms of charm the neighborhood is not what an young ex-pat goes looking for, but that apartment is paid for by the school and I can't complain.

The entrance to our building looks a little ramschackled. We have a two clothing stores (men's button ups and women's scarves), a pharmacy , and a moderately price cafe below us. I have not been to the stores or the restaurant. The pharmacy on the other hand saved my life when I got food poisoning. Inside, pictured below, is out "elegant" entry way. I put quotes around elegant because really they sidewalk is not existent and things are a little messy. Somehow Egypt looks tons better in photos than it does in real life, very odd.


We live on the third floor and I make a point to walk up the stairs, super healthy Faye.

Entry Way.

Living room, looking out towards our balcony.

View at night, from the balcony. Towards the right, not pictured, is a busy street with a small mall on the corner. I hate malls, but this one has a movie theater and a Starbucks (groan) with free internet. Starbucks has proven to be good for two things: bathrooms and free wi-fi.

Living room looking towards the kitchen, two bathrooms and three bedrooms.

See the curtain? All the rooms are off a long hallway through that curtain. My room is the tiny white light at the end of the hall.

This is the cat that mysteriously ended up on our deck. As previously mentioned we live on the third floor and we are not connected to other apartments.Somehow this guy showed up. We, Anna and I, decided to leave the cat on the deck because it could be stray and disease ridden. Luckily as I was leaving that night the doorman informed me the phone was for me, I answered and a nice lady told me in English her cat frequently jumps down from the fourth floor to the third, we may see the flying kitty again.

Hurgadah, one more time

One more trip for Hurgadah was planned, no diving, but plenty of beach time and tourist activities.

Fun Fun Fun

Tiny sheesha.

Che is everywhere, this one if for you dad.

Beautiful fake Fendi, fakes are everywhere.

The national beer, it tastes worst than Miller Lite.

Beach side Faye. Prescription sun glasses were a killer idea.

A private beach we chilled at for four days. You had to pay to enter it, but still pretty nice.

Same beach

Brad Pitt and Angelina apparently came to the beach too!

A massive meal with Rania, a friend of Nour's.

You can get everything at the pharmacy, hahahaha.