My recent trip to Egypt

[Charlotte]

Hi All,

A friend from Cairo and I met in Hurghada, where we stayed in a "Chalet" with a view of the Red Sea. Well, a Chalet in Hurghada is very different from a Chalet on the French Riviera On the beach, I gathered interesting stones, one with rose coral, rosetta shaped, forming on it, shells, and white, branch-like coral, and of course sand, so now I have a little coral garden.

Hurghada is geared to Europeans, mostly Germans and Russians. Besides Arabic, many of the store signs are in German. There are 3 to 4 German TV channels on the air at any given time, refreshed my German and I had a chance to follow the exactness of the language.

We watched "Hamlet", "Dr. Dolittle" with Eddie Murphy, and "Dante's Peak."

At night, the architecture and grounds of the "Grand Hotel" in Hurghada is beautiful, magical and enchanting. Ordinary and Jewelry shops line the streets, and the gaudy stuff displayed is limitless.

The story of the lost luggage.

This was the first time it happened to me. After deplaning at the Hurghada Airport, I waited for my luggage with others. Everyone had left, and I was the only person left standing by the carrousel, anxiously waiting for 2 more pieces of luggage to appear. The carrousel stopped, my heart sank, but I kept staring at the door "my suitcase' must be behind there somewhere, they just didn't see them." One of two workers walked over and ask: "Your luggage not come?" "No, my luggage not come."

He walked me over to an EgyptAir official and we went to the office to "make report." A higher official came in, took over the report sheet and said: "Ok, princess, (don't try to butter me up I thought) dont't worry, we make report. So we did, he called to somebody to bring a sheet with all types of luggage on it for me to point to what mine looks like, and I was told that I will be contacted "tomorrow." I knew this was not going anywhere. I was so upset, went outside to be welcomed by my waiting friend, we drove to the "Chalet", me complaining all the way.

It all started 2 hours before my departure in LA. My travel agent called me to say that Lufthansa had called her, that someone in Cairo took my name off the passenger list to Hurghada, but to go ahead anyway, as I had a ticket and they coudln't deny me a seat. Once in Cairo, I went to the EgyptAir office, a lady scribbled something on my ticket, I went to the counter, showed my ticket and passport, and the man said: Sorry, you're name is not on the list." "Sir, I must get to Hurghada, people are waiting for me, I have a ticket and somebody here in Cairo took my name off the list for some reason etc., etc.

The man looked at his computer, then at me, and with ice cold eyes, and an ice cold voice he said: "Sorry, you did not confirm your flight." He let me stew a few minutes and said: "We will accept you this time as a standby passanger." Gee, thanks, but I didn't want to press my luck. I put my luggage on the scale and he gave me a boarding pass. As I walked away I had an ominous feeling that my luggage was not going with me on account of this man. We waited and waited, and later found out that there was a mechanical problem, finally they put us on another plane.

In Hurghada we waited and waited too for a call from EgyptAir. Arghhh, I had 2 Galabeas and the clothes I wore on the flight. "Give them a few days and then I make call to Cairo, when I start something, I'm like a terrorist to them, I must finish it", my friend joled. Every day we went to the Airport office. There was an EgyptAir official, Mr. Achmed I will call him, who genuinely did everything possible to find my luggage, made calls and send fax' to Cairo, Sharm, Asswan, and Luxor. Every day we went to look at new lost baggage, every police man on the way stopping us and checking my passport.

"I know my luggage is in Cairo, (because of the icy man there who loved me) but probably without a band and number, somebody must go to the lost luggage place and look for my name on a little card stuck in the back of my luggage, (yeah right) it can only be found by my name I kept saying to Mr. Achmed, but I could tell he didn't take it seriously.

Coming out of the airport the fifth day, my firend said he just called somebody in Cairo. Late afternoon on the next day the phone rang, my friend "closed" the phone and among other things said: "That was Mr. Achmed, let's go to the Airport to pick up your luggage. "Ohhh, whaaat, really, you wouldn't be joking would you?" "No, I not joking, let's go."

At the Airport I had to get past several police again to get to Mr. Achmed. He came out and we both threw our hands up in the air, happy to see each other like old friends. He took me to the office, and this time all the men stood up as we walked in, strange, I thought., but , I felt so special lol. Lo and behold, there were my 2 brand new suitcases with my name and "rush" stickers on them, God was I happy

Mr. Achmed motioned to a man to take them, and the 3 of us walked outside to my waiting friend. Animated, they arabiked away, and we took Mr. Achmed home. "Mr. Achmed sais this happens only one in 5000 times, and you ring him when you have problem in Egypt, here is his cell phone number", said my friend with a smile.

Alone in the car, I asked him "how did you do this?" "A man in Cairo who have name, little man who can do big things", he replied.

It is not what you know, but who you know, experienced.

Charlotte
MOD NOTE: Charlotte has asked me to post this pic.

Cheers
Don Barone

[Charlotte]

My birthday party

I forgot to mention that ladies are allowed topless on the private beach where we were, surprised me, I don't know about elsewhere at the Red Sea.

[Don Barone]

Hi All:

Charlotte has asked me to post this picture. She said she would explain.

Cheers
Don Barone

[Charlotte]

Thanks for posting the picture Don, and also for the beautiful Dove of Peace.

The subject of "speaking in tongues" came up in the Voynich Manuscript, so I thought I tell this story.

Eight people were present at the party. "You are all Muslims, how come you drink (save one) when you're not supposed to?" I asked. "How to be easy and habby and forget our big broblems for short time with being just as you see", came the answer from the oldest member of "my" family, and one of the wisest man I knew in Egypt. He died at the age 0f 43.

The man you see in the picture, whose name is Mohamed, and who repairs cars picking up wires and whatever else he find, is a problem for the family, a sort of non-comformist, who just smiles and walks away when somebody tells him to do this, or not to do this. The joke goes that he doesn't tightening some of the screws of the cars, therefore they're loose in his head as well.

At the party, we were talking and joking about all sorts of things, when suddenly Mohamed jumped up, turne away from us, and began talking in tongues. The "language" he spoke for about 2 minutes, had a definate rhythm and repeated same sounds, making it obvious it was not incoherent jibberish, made up at the spur of the moment by him. Cannot be done, besides he was not "with us."

When he came too, he was totally exhausted, his eyes blank, no facial expression, he could or would not talk. He remained oblivious to where he was untill one of the men told him they were leaving. He got up and followed the rest.

I looked at the elder of the family, and he said as if it was quite natural: "Mohamed in touch with the earth spirits." I questioned him again with my eyes, but he just smile and left with the others.

I saw Mohamed the next day, and the day after, and when I held his eyes for a moment, he knew that I wanted to question him about the incident, but just shook his head slightly with a faint smile: "No."

Charlotte

I forgot to say that the "talking in tongues" of Mohamed is obviously not the same as is meant in the Voynich Manuscript.

Mohamed's was an uninterupted stream of words, not from himself, but either as if "channeling", or a sort of spontaneous recollecting of a language he once understood. Watching him, on one hand it seems to me very unlikely that he once spoke that language, and on the other hand it is quite possible that he once upon a time communicated with the earth's spirits in this language in his waking consciousness. The reason this can happen with members of the older races is because these things are literally and figuratively, recorded and reflected, in their blood, as taught in occult anatomy, and as can be demonstrated by the magician with a white heart.

In any case, his eyes were closed, he was sounding from within---without, unaware of the camera flash, and I so wish I had my tape recorder on so I could have written down the sounds, which at the moment wouldn't do us any good, but maybe in a couple of thousand of years, when we re-member our past with trice hightened consciousness, the sounds would be intelligable and could be interpreted. It's a long journey and every little bit helps and "counts."

Prophet and adept teaches that we are not always "new" when we're born into this world, that we are souls of varying age or experience, but that we belong to "one humanity", bound to each other including prophet and adept, for good or for ill, as is so glaringly obvious at the moment.

My philosophical rant for the day

In hearing the enlightened philosophers, and as the ancient Egyptians, as well as my mentor also taught, all physical matter has to be spiritualized or sublimated ever finer, consciously and in the objective, because the "corrupt must take on the incorruptable" St. Paul says, or Mr. Hall's "every grain of sand must become a star. Pharaoh became a star, his glorified akh body, also shown as Jesus in his resurrected body of light. It's a very natural and doable thing, and we're doing it all the time.

I think that this is so hard to believe because basically, most of humanity has been brain washed into believing that after physical death we will meet God and things will be clear to us, or at least he will clue us in. Whereas philosophy teaches that we go to a kind of "Summerland where folks mingle" to work out relationships", the purgatory of the Catholics, the "other side" of John Edwards, and have time to work out the last life-time experiences, realize errors and things they don't understand yet, and come back "to fix" the errors and to understand.

As to the existence of "earth spirits", firstly, there is no doubt in my mind that the elder of the family knew them as well; secondly, because of Mr. Hall's words: ". . . for there are still many secrets of Nature that retire abashed at the irreverant approach of the material scientist . . . and when those minute beings who build our bodies refuse to stain they are withdrawn from our perception."

Lastly, they author of the VM spoke not in tongues as did Mohamed, but was an accomplished alchemist indicated by his drawings, concealed the secrets of alchemy from those who would abuse them, and revealed them to those who are ready understand them by degrees, as all alchemists do with "jibberish."

And so on and so forth G would say.

Charlotte

[Charlotte]

Greetings! I'm back again

Glad to see everybody is still here. I read the 20 most recent posts, some of the link by Daz on RLC, not yet Oak Island, or concentrate on "Sarah", thanks James, also for the message, "Isis Unveiled", yes, we can talk about that, also in the philosophical sense, and Madam's views. You know, the more I read about modern science, especially the electric universe, the more she is vindicated.

Noah, and the Native Americans of great wisdom, are always of great interest, and of course UFO's, those you are talking about are few compared to the millions of unidentified objects flying around in my head. How smart some people are to know their names and meaning off the cuff.

I also read my post about my friend Mohamed speaking in tongues, and remember it so well. On day 5 or 6 this time, I walked up to the stables to see what's new, and there he sat, surrounded by about 8 boys, from 5 to 20 I'd say.

My whole being lit up: "Ah, Kotta, I am so very happy to see you!" He turned and got up to with an equally happy smile to greet me with the costumary kiss on each side reserved for some, and I felt honered. He had changed. A man of less than few words, his face calm, his skin "clean", his brown woolen galabea impeccable. I felt/saw a wonderful aura emanating from him and bowed toward him slightly. Kotta had become a world within himself, and as with all such persons, people gathered to his remarkable presence. So I am looking forward with much happiness to see him again

I voiced my thoughts later to my friend, "yes" said he, Kotta is one of 4 people who can . . ."

My living room is a mess with "stuff", and I have to tend to my sad looking flowers. In James' words:

To be continued

A bright day to all.

Charlotte

[Don Barone]

Welcome back Charlotte !

Good that you have returned safely. I await your description of how things went.

Best
Don Barone

[Charlotte]

Hey, happy Barones

Warm and fuzzy Holidays, and the very best to you'll in 2007, and also to everyone else.

I spend all my time this morning over at Ma'at, arguing my case for Atlantis again, but will be back tomorrow.

Charlotte

[Charlotte]

Sabah alcher! That's good morning in Arabic

Don, about the Giza Plateau. I took pictures on and from the corner of Khafra's Pyramid where X marks the spot, which I will send to you shortly.

I could not make an X in the sand because the ground is massive stone slabs, but I took a picture of a temple there, which might be what you have in mind. Nearby is a dug out a longer and narrow ditch full with rubbish , of which I also took a picture, as well as a narrow opening seen in the ditch. I could see it was a cavity, but could not get down there to look what was inside, or shout into it for an echo. I also took pictures from there to the Sphinx.

Looking at the image of Menkaura's Pyramid, a strong gust of wind forced it out my hands arrrgh and it probably blew all the way to Sakkara, but will do next time if it still matters.

Near or at the Wall of the Crow is off limits, but I took pictures of what little can be still seen of the Wall of the Crow, as exuberant Zahi walled, and still is in the process of walling in the entire Plateau for "security reasons." The place gets uglier by the day, and the locals are utterly dismayed by what's happening.

Before their shops, two walls are being built where the Plateau ends and the village Nazlet el Samman begins, a sort of pipeline for tourist buses to a large area just before the Sphinx, where they park and all the tourist climb out to have a quick look at the Sphinx, the meaning of the creature explained by trained tour guides in very orthodox terms. Yes we know why. You gotta love our Pyramid Champ I talked with his son again, err he is not like his father

The Ministry of Tourism, and big tourist companies have the matter well in hand, lording with the power of money over all smaller merchants. The visitors are driven up to the Pyramids one way, herded about, and driven down another to the parking lot mentioned, where, of course, are the "official" bazaar's near the Sphinx.

It is a tragedy. I watch bus after bus drive by, the faces of tourists marked by dissappointment and boredom, without exception, no smiling faces, dead as the things they are told. Counteracting this situation are the vibrant, smiling, joking and happy locals subsisting in the most dire conditions, lucky to make a few pounds a day, keeping each other going. One joked that he was the brother of Sadamm, to say hello to Bush and ask him where in America they are hiding Ossama. The true psyche of the Arab world, they're not worried . . .

TV in Egypt is maddening to a foreigner, it taxes the mind to the limit with programs repeated over and over since the 13 years I have seen it Political speeches are repeated every day. I surfed about 300 chanels: Situation comedies and soap's abound, much crying, women getting slapped around, some slap back, and always they throw themselves down, or their hands up in the air screaming and screaming in excessive emotional fits of rage or dispair. Hourly interviews with people and children, in which they all appear to agree upon of what they are talking about, Egypt being a very structured, well-knit and contained society "They want to keep us bored", remarked my friend.

Between exercise programs, American style, power tool sales and instructions, home shoping networks, the worlds funniest animals, candid camera, educational biology, chemistry, mathematics and the English language, soft porn from Europe, the nervewrecking plaintive singing they love, and sort of Arabian Nights movies, where the actors and people dance and chant themselves, and the land, into a trance, to keep the "thing" going, are teachings of the Koran 24/7 on many chanels and perpetually on radio in the background.

The Saudis show off their beautiful horses with much pomp, trumpets and marching of uniformed men, before an audience of mysteriously important and somber looking VIP's sitting in rows under a large baldachin clad proper to their station, all with their more or less ornate sabers under and above their belts, so to speak or not to speak.

Did you know that even the Saudis eat cup of soup and something like Top Ramen in their snow-white galabeas. Some are so good looking that my heart ached but living with one of them is a whole different story, written on their face and seen via their body language. However, there are women running for public office now, in time we will win, said one lady.

But best of all, I saw a preview on the new movie "Charlotte's Web" Yes!!! Wilbur all over the world!!! I told you so . . . everything is coming up "Tudor Roses", slowly but surely, it is the Plan. Simply makes my life.

Wonderful and happy Holidays to One and All, wish I could have you over for an Apfelstrudel Symposium and a lively discussion, hehe

Charlotte

[Charlotte]

Having landed at the Cairo Airport and going through the usual process, I stepped out side and waited to be picked up. As usual also, three or four man asked me if I needed a taxi or hotel lol, and one asked me if I needed help or make a phone call. "No thank you, I have a friend picking me up."

After some time, another man in suit and tie approached me, introduced himsel and said he worked on behalf of a tour company at the Airport, and asked if I needed to make a phonecall. Since thirty minutes or so had passed I accepted his offer. He called the number and gave me his phone.

My friend said that somebody hit his car, not much damage, only the left back light casing was broken, but the front of the BMW which hit him had considerable damage. Later he told me what happened. A policeman came over and asked if the two drivers wanted to go to the police station and make a report. My friend said no, he was in a hurry to get to the Airport, the other man, he said, was crying because the car belonged to his boss and he is in trouble. The policemen said that my friend and the man should make a report, but to avoid this, and to "escape" the scene, my friend gave the destraught man a couple hundred pounds, as a sort of "mercy" to get the whole thing over with, and that was the end of the dilemma.

Meanwhile I was waiting and the man asked if I wanted tea, "yes, I would love some tea" I answered, off he went and came back with tea for the both of us, perked me up after seventeen hours "on the road." We talked about life in America, this and the other, he told me about his family, and of course all that time would cost me, but this was ok, he was a nice, polite, and sensitive person. My friend finally arrived and we drove to Giza.

Charlotte

[Charlotte]

Hallo Don, Paul, Daz, Bernhard, Julia, Ariston, and all you good people

A brief review of this trip to Egypt

From LAX to Amsterdam to Cairo with KLM, a good Airline I might add. The configuration of Shiphol Airport, Amsterdam, is more flyer friendly than Frankfurt, for example. Shiphol is super modern and super clean. I had a 12 hour layover , talked to some people, and walked the entire facility several times, window-shopping, but resisting the urge to bring out the credit card. The Dutch are Trekkies: to fly somewhere is to "vertreckken."

Unlike Lufthansa, KLM lands at Terminal 1 in Cairo, which has been notably modernized, and the people working there have become surprisingly friendly and helpful since I landed there first some 14 years ago. When needing help in those days it was like talking to a wall, this time it was "good morning my lady" from a lady with a worm smile, unheard of in "olden" days, when women gave you not the time of day for anything. Maybe Zahi called a meeting because tourist business has waned, and many of us have been complaining loudly at the Airport for a long time. Takes a long time for something to change in Egypt, and then only ensha Allah.

The same old vibrant Cairo, seemed more polluted than last time. My friend said it was fog, err no, it was exhaust fumes and dust. Traffic in Giza is worse than ever, literally coming and going in every direction, straight and diagonal when not at a complete standstill. Cars, buses, trucks huge and small, and carts, facing one the other and sideways in criss-cross fashion, and one day a rider-less donkey was waiting patiently and unperturbed with his nose and rear against cars, all so wedged in that nothing can move, that is to say, nobody is willing to give a centimeter, not to mention the perpetual horn-sounding. One time an Ambulance, alternating between "normal" and "urgent" sounds, tried to get through, a car in front of us was able to move its lenght to make room, but in a heartbeat another car swooped in, I kid you not. Driving in Cairo, one either swoops or lunges forward before the other person has a chance to do so, and people driving on the wrong side of the road - meandering through oncoming traffic is common. Where is the Traffic Police? They are standing as if in a coma at the curb with throngs of people waiting to dash between cars to cross a street, or talking with them and each other about daily life and family, as far as I know, much more important than the hopeless chaos around them Sometimes, they just stand helpless or get out of the way because nobody pays attention to them anyway.

I have also noticed that people on the streets are less friendly these days, fewer smiles and "welcome to Egypt."

On the road to Alexandria, about half an hour's drive, is a huge and spectacular Shopping Mall, American style, selling food, clothes, and what have you, and the latest electronics are explained and sold by their Geeks. There are numerous small fashion shops selling top designer fashion and wares, and of course, Pizza Hut, Mc Donalds, and the Kentucky Colonel. Next to the complex are "Avenues of cars" sparkling in the night. The place is amazing.

So Don, I went back to X marks the spot, looked down the "trench" and saw a donkey standing there with "donkey patience." My first thought was to lead it up and to a policeman, naa, all he would do is give me a look and gesture saying "what do you want me to do with it" and ride off on his camel. walking down on all the garbage I talked to the sad donkey for a while, and it acknowledged my words with some movement and low sounds.

On my knees I looked through a round opening big enough for a person to enter easily, but it was pitch dark in there and I wasn't about to go in without a good flashlight, duh, which I should have thought of in the first place. What if I got lost under the Plateau and the jackals got me? Or met up with Anubis himself to take my hand and conduct me through the Underworld? Next time I take a flashlight and extra batteries

I got up and wanted to take the donkey with me out of his sun-less and clammy confinement, but it was tied to a grill on the floor and one leaning against the wall in a manner where it could not even lay down. Made me It's sad how most of "them" treat their animals. I talked to it some more, and as I walked away slowly it strained on it's tethers wanting to follow me

Strolling about the Giza Plateau, I sat down by the Great Pyramid once more, beholding it and thinking of all that is written and said about it, Khafra's and Menkaure's, by conventional Egyptology, which seemed like the stones and dust accumilated at their base. Indeed, the Plateau is a holy and magical place as the Sphinx said to the 4th Thutmose, if one can but feel/know it, the Sphinx itself emanating an undefinable mystery and power.

It's good to be home

The best to one and all.

Charlotte

[Don Barone]

Hi Charlotte and welcome back to reality

I am so glad that you somewhat enjoyed your trip and am also sad that the people are less friendly. Perhaps a sign of these troubled times. Anyway a marvellous synopsis of your trip (as always, you really maybe should try a hand at a novel - perhaps a book translating Charlotte's Web and two "National Treasures" into a less cryptic form.

Anyway to the Salt Mines I must go and talk more soon

Best and Love
Don Barone

[BERNHARD]

Dear CHARLOTTE,
thanks for sharing these CAIRO-impressions with us ! You gave us some evidence, that the moloch-city named Cairo is about to collaps or to crash. this will become a very critical situation for all peope living in this area !
**********************
btw: i will mail a more private message. please read your messages ! - thanks in advance !
******************
best regards: Bernie

[Charlotte]

Thanks Don for the warm welcome and , as well for the same on the "Dragon" thread after my return from Egypt. You read my mind about concentrating now on a booklet about Wilbur, who already did the grunt work, so it could be a success. We'll share the millions

Bernhard, the modern part of Cairo isn't so bad, it's Giza and a strech toward the modern part, and from Giza the city is expanding out and toward Alexandria. From the Pyramids to the Airport, one can circumvent the conjested part by taking a relatively new freeway.

People living in this polluted area joke about it and take it all in stride with good humor. One licence plate read

Save the planet
kill yourself

Charlotte

[BERNHARD]

Dear Charlotte, Don and Others,
some days ago i got a private letter from an honest person living at Cairo.
here an short extract of its concern about the location of this new museum:

********
" ... We are now trying to protest against the new location for the museum, as you may know they are building a new museum now behind the pyramids with a huge buildings, so good so far - the problem is that the new location is in a very difficult location to reach.
we sent a lot of e-mails to the minister of cultures and of course to Zahi, but they like the new position (I don't know why).
This new location is at one of Cairo Gates from two cities (Alexandria and Fayoum), you have to spend about an hour to reach this area because of traffic. ..... "
****

so far this recent letter !
very interesting to hear from these critics !

****************
best regards: Bernie

[Charlotte]

I saw the new Museum, and good luck in protesting about anything in Egypt, might as well try to push the Pyramid a foot to the side.

I even wrote to Mubarak lol about the atrocious walls, one with colorful glass chards on top "to keep out the terrorists." The tourist business is so nicely organized . . . . UNESCO complained politely instead of calling a world-wide boycott until they are removed.

The entire Giza Plateau should (must) be declared a World Heritage Site, not one stone moved until all turns to dust, save keeping the Sphinx cleared. In due time there will be a wakeup call.

Charlotte