A Sign of Things to Come

I've been busy this past week. No, not with the exploring of Egypt and seeing the pyramids and traveling. I mean with the constant updates on this blog. It's funny, since I am normally a quiet person. Not shy anymore, just not needing to speak all the time. But I have been very verbose this past week. Even without the images I include, the posts have been long, and at times detailed.

But this may be coming to an end.

This first week in Egypt was all about me. 

I am here in the country to work on an archaeological dig, but the team arrives this week, starting tonight.

I have been here since Tuesday.

This past week has been for me to go out and explore. To be a tourist. To sight see and take a vacation. And that's what I have done. I sleep. I nap. I eat. I take pictures. I find ice cream for Eeyore. What else is there?

As the team starts to trickle in, however, time for vacation will soon cease. In a day or two I will be leaving for Karanis in the Fayoum area. And then I begin to work.

This blog will still be maintained. I will post here as things change, as venues move, as I find interesting things to share with you. 

But it will not be every day. 

Now that I am back in Cairo, I want to relax a bit, and read the literature and manuals that have been shared with me for this project. I have read them multiple times over the summer, but I really want to read them now and get more familiar with them. A few manuals were just shared with me over the weekend, and I have not made the time to really get what they are saying. It is some simple stuff I will learn as I do the work, but I want to go in as prepared as I can be.

I don't think anyone is interested in reading about that.

Today, I read about entering stuff into a database. This afternoon, I will read about numbering objects.

Titillating.

Instead, I will save my posts for when they are interesting, and worth sharing.

Which just means every other day, or every three days.

At some point, when the project begins, I will begin a second blog post. While doing work, I will contribute a monthly or biweekly post to the Kelsey Museum blog. That address can be found at the Kelsey Museum Web site (www.lsa.umich.edu/kelsey). When that starts up I will share the details.

For the next few days, I will do some of that reading thing I have heard stories about. I just hope I don't, you know, learn anything.

But I will not be doing just that. When I got in today to the same hotel in Cairo, I was approached by an American. She asked me, "Are you here for the project?"

"I am here for a project," as I looked around room looking for her other Russian spy friends.

"Which project?" she continued.

"Karanis." Did I give her the right password for the key I am supposed to take to the man who opens the locker where I find a gun I use to kill the prime minister of Azerbaijan?

"Hi, I'm (name redacted as she doesn't know I have included her in a blog), also part of that team."

"Oh, nice to meet you." Dammit, I thought this was my opportunity to commit legally sponsored murder! The answer is always "When the eagle soars at night"!

Turns out this student is a Michigan grad, but I don't think I had met her before. The time period she was at UM, she did work with one of the curators, but not with my stuff as we were closed for renovations and moving.

In a weird turn of events, I have offered to show her where the Egyptian Museum is. Now that I have been here a week, and been busy blogging about it, I am going to play the part of host. Which is completely contradictory to what I wrote yesterday. I am a hypocrite.

But it is good to get to know my team members as they arrive, and if I can help, I will do so.

But the alone time was really nice while I had it.

Now as the rest of the team shows up, alone time is done. I will be part of a team. I mean, who needs that?  Teamwork is overrated! Think about it. I mean, what team was Babe Ruth on? Who knows.

Which made today's extension of nothing so delectable.

I woke up in Alexandria, Egypt. I arose, had my breakfast, and started walking to the train station. It was just a 30 minute walk, but it was still warm and I had my backpack. Translation: sweaty.

The route took me through the city, so I got one last look at the KFC and Baskin-Robbins. Oh, and all the other shops and cafes.

The Alexandria train station, because you were dying to see it

The train ride was mostly uneventful. There was not much to see outside the window besides dilapidated buildings/towns and farms. But we did have some excitement!

A scuffle on the train. This time, I did not cause it!

Otherwise, I just stared out the window, listened to music, and stared at the awesome decor of first class on an Egyptian train.

Pictures of King Tut's mask and the pyramids spruces up any joint

Once in Cairo, rather than take a cab, I opted for the 1.5 mile walk. It was nice out, I walked through some dirty, smelly areas, but I found some outside vendors. Which helps, since this student said she forgot to bring a belt. We can see how cheaply she can get a belt for, and how her bargaining skills are.

Since I have been pretty bad about actually eating while here, I did eat dinner. There is this cute, small, and clean, restaurant by the hotel that serves salads and really good juices.

Lentils, couscous with pomegranates, and tomato-cucumber salad

What I think is pomegranate juice.

The rest of the evening was spent chatting with this student, showing her where to get food (I walked after dinner and found all these happening joints). I spoke of this corner place that had a sign reading "Healthy Choices," but it was just meat on a spit eaten on hamburger or hot dog buns. I don't think they get the concept of healthy food.

And then I wrote this blog.

I think I have run out of things to say. It really is for the best I will not be posting every day.

On that note, I will post one more picture, of what I think my future car should be.

Square little refrigerator on wheels.

You've been warned!