Egypt IV

Yummy fire baked bread

Stylishly repressed

Mohammed Ali Mosque

Tourist Police

Café scene - Cairo

Egypt III

The beautiful Cairo Mariott hotel,built in 1869 for the opening of the Suez Canal

Hookas:where's the smoking caterpillar??

Sheesha anyone???(note bags under eyes:<:<)

Gorgeous grillwork

Cairo by night from my room

The Nile

Egypt II

Prayer beads

Best oranges EVER!

From train window

From train window:Nile delta

Typical house!

Baby for Baksheesh!!!(Baksheesh= tip)

This sight always made me sad.Can't imagine it in the 120o heat of summer!

EGYPT!!!

Our trip to Egypt was truly a trip to remember,in more ways than one! We had a wonderful wonderful 13 days,full of fascinating sites,sights,experiences, food and company .We were on two different ships,on two different bodies of water,Lake Nassar and the Nile.We had an amazing guide,Mohamed,who showed us and taught us so very much about the culture and history of his country,and with such passion. We saw many sides of Egypt:the beautiful,the ugly,the happy,the sad,the old and the new. We were the unwitting witnesses to the beginnings of a Revolution;we are all very concerned about what this is going to mean for the people of Egypt.Their lifeblood is tourism.....we are all afraid that it will never be the same again. Our last day of getting back to and out of Cairo was stressful and exhausting,but could have been much worse than it was. 

In the following days,I'll be adding some of my favorite photos from the trip.I am grateful to have seen what I saw when I did. I have dreamt of seeing Egypt all of my life!!!

My first Sphinx,in Alexandria

I made friends with these four young girls;I think they thought I was exotic as I thought they were! 

the incredible new library in Alexandria,built on the site of the old one

Papyrus making demo

Our wonderful guide,Nancy(named after Nancy Reagan!)

Swimming women in full burkas.Wow!;we are NOT in Kansas anymore!

Dreaming of Flying Away

For this week's Soul Journal,Ali wanted us to use an image that we have had for awhile,and go from there.This one was very appropriate,as my friend Linda and I are leaving for Egypt tomorrow!

La Pensive

This is an ATC that I made for a DaVinci swap in the  Vintage ATCUK group.

L'Evolution Artiste journalback coverpages

This circle  journal is not actually starting until February.However,I wanted to get my pages done,since I'll be in Egypt in January for a couple of weeks.
The theme is artistic evolution. My first page is entitled Fairy of the Night...so,the next artist to get my journal will evolve that theme for her 2 pages.For example,she might do a butterfly,a bird,a dragonfly....or a night theme like star or moon or sun...Say she chooses to do a sun...then the next artist in line could do the moon,the stars...or evolve to a beach theme....the possibilities are endless!

Front cover

                  

Front cover edge

                  

inside front cover

my first page,beginning the evolution

                                    

artist sign in page

back cover                          

 Elena again is hosting this circle journal....the wonderful Valerie B. actually made and bound everyone's journal pages so that they would all be the same size!

Marie Antoinette's diary cover and page

Recently in Paris,while excavating underneath La Conciergerie for a new parking lot,construction workers discovered oneof  Marie Antoinette's diary covers and a single,poignant diary page. I have shown them here,in Elena's journal,along with a visual interpretation.

New Marie Antoinette Journal Art

These are 2 pages I created for Tracy's Marie Antoinette circle journal pages...her journal is,well, VERY non-traditionally Marie...so when I saw this pic of Lady Gaga,I had to use it for her. I hope she likes it!
The large "bubbles" are cheapo dangly bracelets that Terry picked up for me recently to use in my artwork...

Our Beagle Sundae

This is a photo of our 15 year old Beagle,Sundae,taken a few years ago up at Sam and Carol's in N. Wisconsin.
In the last year,Sundae became almost totally deaf. His arthritis became much worse.He had slight cataracts.However,he managed to still get around and enjoy life,and  even tolerated Beth's Beagle, Bailey, pretty well.
Two weeks ago,he had a sudden onset of severe glaucoma and became,almost overnight,totally blind as well.He lost his zest for life.
So,with very heavy hearts,we made the decision that it was time to let him go. He got to say goodbye to all his favorite people.The last few days,he was fed all his favorite treats(GREEN PEPPERS,YOGURT,PEANUT BUTTER,BEGGIN' STRIPS...),and was really pampered.
The vet came to our house where we had Sundae laying in his bed by the fire,with just myself,Terry and Beth there.
Can't say that we'll ever want to do that again.
Sorry if this seems sappy to you non-dog people,but it is what it is,and I wanted to say it.
Coincidentally,my book club's selection for this month is A Dog's Purpose.for those of you who are dog people,read it!It's about,well,doggie reincarnation .
This week,I'm really glad that I just read it.