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Soon to leave Rochester, I had two more doc appointments on the docket before heading west. The first at 9:15 AM with my “hip doc” for a follow up and a 10:30 with my primary for a follow up as well. I arrived at the hip doc 10 minutes early and checked in. “You are set, we will call your name.”

I waited a while, looked around to see if I knew anyone in the waiting room–no, not this time. Then I noticed it, a magazine in the chair next to me folded open to a story. I flipped to the cover to check it out; Smithsonian, Dec. 2014. “Hmm,” I buzzed to myself, but all of the other magazines were back issues as well.  I returned to the exposed page then rubbed my eyes in wonder. It was a long article on King Tut. We had just returned a week ago from our fabulous journey to Egypt and the tomb of King Tut, hearing the stories and visiting the museum devoted to Howard Carter’s discovery of the tomb. 

I skimmed the long article and viewed the very items and photos we had taken just a couple of weeks before. Of course, this ancient story does not change, what a coincidence that the magazine was lying there “for me to find.”  If you wish follow the link below for more. 

The Controversial Afterlife of King Tut

A frenzy of conflicting scientific analyses have made the famous pharaoh more mysterious than ever

2. I continued to skim the magazine. Every article was of interest to me for various reasons and it kept me entertained and engaged for 40 minutes. Still, no one called my name. I read about Mount Baldy, a strange and unique sand dune in Indiana along the shores of Lake Michigan. I remember driving in the area did not explore this strange and challenging piece of landscape. The story involved a 6 year old boy who fell into a deep hole in the dunes. He was miraculously rescued and healed but what an ordeal. The scientists still remain baffled about the cause and existence of these holes that go deep into the dunes. For more; https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/mystery-why-dangerous-sand-dune-swallowed-boy-180953404/ 

                                                                                   photo by Ariel Sabar

4.  Story, Monkeys The fate of the lion-tailed macaque, found in just one small pocket in India, an how they are tied to its disappearing habitat.  More topics;

Twin Stars about Scott and Mark Kelly the twin astronauts who traveled in space, Unsafe Passage, building a controversial new canal through Central America, Ninja Warrior, the Stealth plane SE-71 and its fate. We had watched this beautiful plane fly at the Indianapolis 500 in the 80’s. 

To view the stories more deeply follow;  https://www.smithsonianmag.com/issue/december-2014/#MtwAUKXIuvPGPxhb.99

My “nutshell” summary version reads like this: 3 fast paced weeks, running at full speed. Temperatures 95F-112F with full sun and blue skies, sand sand sand, visiting every Pyramid, Temple, Coptic (means Egyptian) Church, man made dam at Aswan, wonderful people and  cross section views of days in the lives of many Egyptians, Caroline our wonderful (OAT) guide, Papyrus relics and artworks, jewelry both ancient and new, museums galore, the incredible Library in Alexandria, Nile Valley, top to bottom, public markets in every town and on premises of some venues, glorious foods and mouth watering presentations and over the top restaurants, talented chefs, artisans of all genre and again wonderful people.

My out of  “the nutshell” version; The cities; broken pavement, dirty streets, the result of eons of blowing sand and LITTER in piles. the youngsters happily play in their neighborhood streets often in the sand, muck and garbage but seem as happy, robust and healthy as other youngsters seen around the world. Most of the building facades appear corroded, decaying, pockmarked from sand and salt-sea air and in danger of destruction. There are no modern structures of glass and steel as elsewhere in the world (maybe that is a plus). 1/2 of the structures appear to be under construction others  under destruction or on hold. The metal building

material Rebar grows vertically on top of half finished buildings as prolifically as the numerous trees in the forests.  It is common to see apartment structures built a floor at a time; the lower apartments occupied by grandparents, parents and families. Newly married sons and daughters move into the same building after the parents build up the next floor above for them, thusly the explanation for the spikes of Rebar vertically awaiting the next level apartment and family expansion. We have seen this in other parts of the world as well.

Speaking of families; we visited many families, enjoyed home hosted meals, learning so much about the daily life of citizens from all levels of life, education and occupation. What stands out in my mind the most is the love and devotion of families units and their deep regard, hungry quest for education and the hope to better the lives of the next generations. Young people and many middle aged folks want to attend college, many abroad and some move away from family to pursue careers and futures far away.

 We sailed on the Nile river boat Asiya Dehabeya, for 5 nights, a 16 passenger, 15 crew two masted sailboat with engine. So comfortable, what a crew.

Such smooth sailing it was with Captain Mohammad.

The Egyptian cuisine is Mediterranean with differences.   I will share the Egyptian version of Moussaka; SO DELICIOUS; a recipe shared with us by our glorious chef on board the river boat. EgyptianMoussaka  Restaurants vary from simple pizza and subs, to highly upscale and sophisticated dishes. We dined like kings and queens, too much food, large portions but delicious. The Egyptians love baked goods and they are works of art. Every other shop seems to be a bakery. 

The historical sites. We saw everything intimately, from crawling through the Great Pyramid, do it if you go, to all of the renown Pyramids and tombs, the Sphinx, Temples, monasteries and Coptic (meaning Egyptian) Churches.

We had opportunities to learn Hands on to make and buy chairs and tables and bamboo mango boxes for shipping, by the lead artisan age 88 and to make and purchase parchment and papyrus papers and drawings, jewelry, clothing, accessories in upscale venues on the street or in the many markets.

We were indeed hounded by vendors begging us to buy. Either you are interested in buying or you walk by, protecting yourself as they beg you to “buy from me” and make no eye contact as you continue to your destination. 

Summing up 3 weeks of full days and nights is hard. I haven’t discussed Luxor, the Aswan Dam, light shows on site, the camel ride, rescued temples, the social and economic picture, the political situation which seemed to be escalating during our visit and continually was denied by our leaders. More stories will come out in the weeks to come. What a memorable tour it was.

Needless to say, I am very excited about our upcoming trek to Egypt. Things I know; I did not think that we could ever go to Egypt considering our last  the name. But, it is real, we are off soon. The long reach back into the history is monumental, breaching on differentiating actual historical events from myths and conjecture. Since we Jews all met at Sinai having fled Egypt, I hope we do not have to part a sea to depart again. I will savor every day of the 3 week adventure and assume we will be allowed to depart on time via airplane, not through the mud of the seabed. I am sure I will be reluctant to have the adventure end. 

What do I anticipate and what will be realities of life in modern Egypt? My preconceptions of most of our destinations have always been a bit off base, incorrect and out of date. How I learn each visit, modernity has that global reach and country has its delicious,unique and  indigenous flavor. That is, big bustling cities, too many high rises, too many Western world chain shoppes, crime, social dilemmas, too much traffic (whether cars, trucks and buses or motor scooters, bikes and goat carts).  There are people hurrying to their destinations, and yet  those people are continually friendly, willing to help a stranger, informative and will stop and chat, often at length. We get to know each other, take photos and depart good friends. What a joy is travel.

I wish to learn and will become supersaturated with the adventures, only to be sorted out in the months and years following the trip. About the long history, I will try to absorb so much in the museums, galleries, Monuments, Pyramids and floating on the Nile.

Guides always ask us to state our goals for the trip; I wish to learn about the school curriculum broaching the vast, perhaps overwhelming history of the country, about present realities of their politics, religion, economics, social treatment of citizens and services available and try to understand the current political currants of our times. I hope to interact with Egyptians of all ages, view the art world, music world, the workings of the government, treatment of women, addictions and savor and taste the foods of Egypt, in my case from the vegetarian end, which I understand is very vegan and veggie friendly. Nothing new in the above list but I will try not to anticipate or preconceive the facts and learn, learn, learn. I also know I will shoot TOO MANY PHOTOS, but try hard not to see Egypt only through the view finder. A hard task, but I am ready to take off, check off another bucket list entry and spend weeks contemplating the experience. 

Our dear friends Marc and Ellie heard about our upcoming trip to Egypt and presented us with some goodies, including an issue of Smithsonian (Magazine) dated Sept 2006. The cover features the title of an article; Solving the Mystery of Egypt’s Hatshepsut, Why Was Her Reign Erased from History? 

Was it because she was female? Was it her strong personality and daring actions? Was she the only Female Pharaoh? Here are some facts garnered from Wikipedia and confirmed by the Magazine article.

Hatshepsut was the fifth pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt. She was the second historically-confirmed female pharaoh, the first being Sobekneferu and she came to the throne of Egypt in 1478 BC. That is a long time ago!  She was referred to often as a “scheming Stepmother,” a “strong and effective Ruler, The Queen who would be king.” The ancient archaeological sites of Thebes and Karnak revealed smashed bits of the statues of the pharaoh weighing from a few ounces to a ton or heavier. They were “treated with every indignity” as she reportedly had been in her reigning days. 

Her line to the throne is theory, stating that upon her birth, her father is believed to have named her as successor to the throne. In a nutshell, She became Queen of Egypt upon marrying her half brother Thutmose 11, at age 12. She was known to “push around the frail and ineffectual king.” She rose to an “elevation of a godlike status” displaying “an act of naked ambition.” She took on the aura of Kingly male and suffered greatly for her show of strength. “Her reign “set new standards of craftsmanship, taste and luxurious living in both life and death.” Her legacy can be viewed to this day including her influences on the visual arts, crafts and and many architectural achievements, including Hatshepsut’s memorial temple pictured here. It is still visited today.

To this day, scholars are seeking answers to many questions and quandaries about her reign. No matter what the negative facts may be, her legacy celebrates the good that she brought to her country. I do not know if we will encounter this Queen of Egypt, but I certainly will keep my eyes attuned to her name. 

See the URL below. https://www.google.com/search?q=queen+hatshepsut+temple&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS853US853&oq=queen+hatshepsut&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l2j69i60l3.10873j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

“Calling People of a certain age. “Do you remember this object?

Do you remember the sound of a steady, droning, humming, dial tone? Do you remember the dial phones we grew up with coming in all shapes and sizes; counter top, table top, wall phones with long coiled cables (how many of you as teenagers pulled them into a closet or room and closed the door for privacy?)   Yes, a pay phone could be found on every corner, in public spaces and became an icon for Dr. Who, the space alchemist traveling through time.  Hop back to 2019.  While waiting in line for a restroom I spotted an object on the wall, long and tall and rectangular, with slots for coins and info on how to charge a call with a swipe slot to do so.

Yes, a pay phone, I thought they had gone with the demise of superman,  In fact as I reported in another blog entry, I have spotted them world wide re purposed to house  AED’s or ATM machines). Some still contain a modern pay phone such as the one I “discovered.” I took the chance and gingerly lifted the earpiece hanging in its saddle. After a 2-3 seconds delay it sounded forth, the almost forgotten HMMMM of the dial tone. At least it wasn’t a voice saying “Number Pleeaase”-drawn out as in the days of old when you could secretly listen in on your neighbors’ calls (I do remember the “party” phones), a phone number shared with one or two neighbors and the phone  operator who may have said, “oh, Ellie is at Joan’s house, I will connect you.” I was very very young. I confess, I heard many a conversation in my grade school years with my neighbors the Little’s. The dad was DA in Rochester and I went to school with the son. I bet they heard our calls and our neighbors’ on the other side as well. (my phone number was Hillside 5031M-the M being our party designation.) I apologize for flitting back and forth in time as if I were riding Dr. Who’s rocket booth but I truly did not expect the pay phones to be so present in this age of the smart phone. Now I am more aware of the number of pay phones spotted here and there, but I have not seen anyone attached to a phone but they must be used. Which credit card would you like to use? Next time you encounter a pay phone, stop, pick up the handset and listen to the past.  

After a warm and sunny day’s walk to hear a noon time organ concert in Christ Church,  (particularly noted for its historic and highly regarded organ, one of 17 honored instruments owned by the University of  Rochester’s Eastman School of music and located on East Ave in Rochester NY,) I decided to walk 1/2 block to Spot Cafe for tea and a sit outside to relax, put my feet up on a chair and read. After a bit, I looked up to see ominous clouds rapidly approaching and quickly gathered up my stuff to head home. Sprinkle-sprinkle-downpour and only 1/2 block underway (for a 17 minute walk home). I got wet but not yet soaked. I joined 3 others in a doorway. We stayed partly dry until the wind picked up. What could we do but chat and laugh and drip. The lovely woman on my right, named Charlotte (she pronounced it just like us Rochestarians pronounce our Lake Ontario beach, with the emphasis on the “lotte.”)  She did have a delightful perhaps Asian accent and was protecting a guitar case more than herself. Charlotte is a teacher of kids at risk and en route to her guitar lesson at the Eastman School. 

The couple on my left had been sitting inside the Spot Cafe at a table adjacent to where I was perched outside. The four of us were giddy and jovial in our dripping state laughing repeatedly out loud. Then the woman uttered the following, stopping me in my place; “this is the first time I have laughed in a long time. “Oh dear,” I replied,  “I am so sad to hear that.” No more was said. The rain slowed to a dripping pace and we said goodbye and went on our individual pathways. I will never know what was in the woman’s heart and mind and it bothers me still. Just sharing another tidbit in time and place.

Video featuring the organ; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fx8uEt6eVbY

Ann Carol Goldberg

“Tis” summer, the longed for season of heat, sun, water play, travel, vacations and time for adventure. It is also the season for summer vegetables; tomatoes, asparagus, broccoli and so much more and for fruit. Who can resist fresh strawberries, blueberries, cherries, peaches, plums, and on and on. It is easy to get carried away when shopping especially at the farm markets and fruit stands. I resist refrigerating fresh items, keep some in brown bags to ripen, however, after a visit to our local public market, I have a counter full of these delectable treats. I also have a counter full of those pesky tiny fruit flies, competition for the things we all love. 

They are all over, multiply by the second I believe. There are many tricks on line to tame these beasts. Do any of them work. I have a bowl of apple cider vinegar/dish soap and mashed fruit next to the fruits covered with punctured, stretched saran wrap. The bugs supposedly dive through the holes to reach the feast inside. Well, a few have taken the plunge. I guess it is a desirable way for a fruit fly to meet its demise. But, it is hardly a problem solver. There are other tricks to try. Perhaps binging on the fruits is one approach, but the body can only stand so much fruit without uncomfortable circumstances. I guess, I have to declare the insect the smallest pest in the world and grin and bear it. I believe it is the smallest pest but perhaps you, the readers have some other nominees. Please let me know and go have a piece of fruit for me. 

Rochester, NY, our home town and summer place may be smaller and not quite a boom town but we are strong, powerful and full of adventure, discovery and an abundance of activities and opportunities. No one could possibly be bored here. How often Paul and I walk about town and observe people and their activities. We have a strong community of visually impaired and I proudly and avidly volunteer at our local PBS station, WXXI and Reach out Radio, a reader’s service for Visually Impaired. It was announced that a large convention was is town for visually impaired. Indeed we saw many groups of attendees on the sidewalks led by vision apt guides on the way to events, venues and restaurants around the town. How wonderful it was to see so many folks exuding an atmosphere of excitement and discovery.

We were showing out of town friends around our town and spent a long morning at the George Eastman Museum, (GEM) joining a fabulous docent lead tour of the George Eastman House. Shari, our wonderful docent was very excited. After leading our large group for 90 minutes of jam packed information which kept even us veterans of the GEH engaged and amazed, she told us that she was leading an early afternoon tour of a group from the Visual community convention and was very excited and not the least bit exhausted after our tour. I happened to walk past the group as they arrived and formed a line to begin the tour. I overheard many comments of anticipation and delight in their coming event and was once again convinced that old stereo types have died hard. More and more we hear examples of true invention educating those with different methods of learning offering opportunities for all. I wish I had taken photos of the group so you could see their smiles and grins but I did not deem it appropriate to intrude unbeknownst upon their lives. Here is a  photo of a photo lesson in the gardens of the GEM.