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A Guide for Visiting Egypt and Its Energetic People. Tips Included!

3/29/2016

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Picture
 By John Roberts

"Where are you from, Alaska?" the friendly stranger inquired.
"No, I'm from Wisconsin," my wife replied.
"You lie. You're from heaven," he said, clinching his set-up, perfectly.

And so it went, again and again during our first few days in Egypt.
Colleen, who admittedly is a knockout, drew plenty of attention from the persistent salesmen who have spent many years honing their approaches to engage tourists who flock to see sites such as the Great Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx and the Temples of Luxor and Karnak.

We had been warned that vendors at the attractions are tough to deal with, but we had few problem, really. I think it's all how you want to consider what is going on.
These are people who are very polite and just want to take every opportunity in an exptremely poor country to make a buck or two in the competitive tourism business, which makes up more than 25 percent of Egypt's economy and has been hit hard in the past five years since political turmoil and the rise of terror attacks.

"Are you from this planet?" said a man selling ... I forget what it was this time. Tiny pyramids? Coins? Papyrus, maybe? Postcards? 

Colleen laughed, and we kindly said "La Shukran" (No, thank you), a phrase that can politely and quickly end a sales pitch if you make it clear that you simply aren't interested in a purchase.
We made our way to an outdoor cafe outside the mosque at Khan el Khalili for a pre-dinner cup of mint tea.

The cool evening air, the warm tea and bustle of the market square outside the important religious complex offered an invigorating feeling. Colleen and I have been fortunate to travel to many places in the world, and we were delighted to have finally made it to Egypt.

A journey on the Nile . . . and more
We came for a cruise with Viking River Cruises, and the first couple days were spent in Cairo exploring the rich historic places there.

Our Egyptologist, Mohamed Osama, has been giving tours of his country for more than 20 years, and he provided us with important information crucial for effectively navigating the complex customs. The Viking Cruises' itinerary starts with two full days in Cairo, and here is what to expect when you are there.

On our first day, we went to Saqqara to see the vast archaelogical complex and a set of pyramids, including the famous Step Pyramid. The site is the greatest archaelogical site in Egypt, according to Mohamed, covering 90 square miles and boasting 16 pyramids.
 
This is where we first set foot into the Sahara. It's also where I first learned about how the bribe culture works in Egypt. The famous sites all around the country are subject to rules that can be as rigid or as flexible as the security guards determine.

Dip into you pocket for 5 Egyptian pounds (about 50 cents), and the "no photos" regulation inside that pyramid suddenly disappears. I was happy that a guard in Saqqara wanted me to take his picture. Well, he kind of demanded it. No problem. I love to get interesting pics of locals when I travel.

OK, sir. Let's get you and your Kalashnikov rifle posing "just so" in front of that pyramid. Perfect! Thanks a lot. 

Wait. Why is he coming over and low-talking me while rubbing his fingers together down down his hip? What is he whispering? "Tip, tip ..."
Ah-ha! That was no free photo. I dig in a flip him a five-pound note.
 
Lesson learned. I still like the picture though, of the stern-looking man who calls himself "The General." I asked, and his real name is Ahmed, just like every other man in Egypt who isn't named Muhammad or Abdul or Omar. 
Not really an exaggeration. Hey, it's the largest Muslim country in the world.
Egyptian guard at pyramid site of Saqqara in Cairo.
My new friend, the General, wanted about 50 cents to pose for a picture for me. Well, I'm sure he wanted more, but that's what he got.
"Hey, lucky man."
Yup, they've seen my wife again. Yes, I am lucky. No. I don't want a necklace. "Shukran."

We are at the Great Pyramids of Giza, to see the three famous structures that serve as the most iconic images and symbols of Ancient Egypt.
I rode a camel, which surprised me with the herky-jerky manner that it rises from its knees after I got into the saddle. I thought I was about to tumble off face first into the desert sand -- or a pile of camel dung. I hung on for a fun 15-minute ride as Colleen took pictures and video, but the camera was soon in the hands of our camel handlers, who possess all kinds of tricks to give you cheesy shots at the temples that I would never use. (OK, I'll show you one here just as an example.)
Great Pyramids of Giza on a camel ride
Oooh. Don't hurt your elbow, Colleen. Those pyramids can be pointy.
The camel rides are included in your Viking Cruises excursion, but you should be tipping the handlers about $2 or more if they handled your photos, too.

Tips. Tips. Tips.

It's a society built on hustling for gratuities. You'll have to get comfortable with that idea before visiting Egypt. Luggage handlers expect a tip.

Anyone at a tourist attraction asking whether they can help you out by taking picture of you and your friend in front of the Sphinx. That's gonna be someone wanting a tip.

Going to a public restroom? You'll most likely find someone who will hand you a piece of toilet paper or towel for your hands. That's a tip (one Egyptian pound is sufficient).

On our second day in Cairo, we went to the Egyptian Museum, located across from Tahrir Square. The entry to the museum is part of your Viking Cruises included excursion for the day. But you have to pay a camera fee per device that you plan to use inside the museum.
This fee is about $5. Be warned that if you pay for a camera and use both a cellphone and a camera, you are expected to have a ticket for two devices. You might end up having to pay a "tip" (bribe) to get your camera back if you are caught breaking the rule. 

Also, in some areas inside the museum -- King Tut's jewelry room and the mummy room -- photos are prohibited. Plus, you have to pay an extra fee to get access to view the mummified remains of humans ($12). We skipped the mummy room and still had plenty of good stuff to view, including mummified pets and other animals on display in Room 53.

Showing some love
The city of 20 million people is constantly busy, and the population continues to boom throughout Egypt, so you can see how hard it must be to scrape out a living here.

Our group of 29, all from the United States, later in the day visited the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, which is located at the Citadel in Cairo and is considered an important religious site in Egypt. It was completed in 1848 and inspired by the design of the Blue Mosque in Instanbul. 

As a Westerner, I was unsure of how I would be received, but it has been wonderful, and I have felt safe the whole time. (We are provided with an armed security detail, and the government is aware of our travel routes and schedules.)

Colleen and I have been stunned (and humbled) to be asked to pose for pictures with other tourists as well as residents who we have happened upon. It's been a delight, for real.

The influence of America is sometimes quirkily present throughout the city. Billboard ads line the highways pushing such delicacies as Twinkies and Lay's potato chips.

Though, some of those influences lag decades behind current trends
.

When certain residents notice that we're obviously  American, I've heard calls of: "Waaaaaasssup?!" "Hi-Ho Silver" "Hey, Arnold Schwarzenegger" and "Jack and Rose from Titanic!" 

Kodak Film signs hang from storefronts enticing your to come in a develop your film. So much is wrong with that sentence. 
 
But you also hear "Obama!" and see products like TGI Friday's, Hardee's and Papa John's all over the city. As well as a KFC and Pizza Hut location just steps from the missing nose on the Sphinx.

The best thing I've heard so far, though, is "I love America. Americans are good people," from many who implore us to tell everyone that Egypt is a good place to come visit.

I will my new friends. I will.   


Thanks for reading and always travel happy!

Cheers!
JR
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Norwegian Cruise Line's Harvest Caye Offers Ec0-Tourism Options

3/21/2016

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Picture
Rendering courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line
By John Roberts 

Cruise lines have been creating their own private ports of call around the Caribbean for many years now. What better way to capture the most possible revenue from their cruise passengers than to provide (corral them at) a secluded beach or resort facility at a spot the cruise line fully controls?  

Cruise lines own private beaches and port facilities in the Bahamas, Haiti and Dominican Republic. 

And Norwegian Cruise Line is due to open Harvest Caye in Belize in November 2016. What makes this project different is the importance that Norwegian Cruise Line and Belizean developers have placed on creating a destination focused on eco-tourism designed to reduce the impact on the pristine environment. Harvest Caye sits on a pair of adjoining islands offshore from the former fishing village of Placencia. Passengers also can venture to the mainland for excursions instead of being restricted to the private beach area as is the case in many other of these developments. 

Environmentalists have raised questions about the project and its impact on the region. But Norwegian Cruise Line has taken steps to ensure that the experience embraces the importance of sustainable tourism. Visitors can relax on a seven-acre white-sand beach or jump in to enjoy a range of sports in the clear waters. But no jet-skis are allowed! (That is fantastic news.) 

Or explore the rich biodiversity of the region with a tour that shows you the exotic plant and animal life, such as observing manatees in the lagoon or checking out the aviary, which is home to toucans and endangered scarlet macaws. (The aviary hosts a breed-and-release program aiming to boost the bird's numbers.) An educational center offers looks at indigenous reptiles like boa constrictors, and you can swing by the Butterfly Garden to view interesting insects. 

A chief naturalist is employed to lead tours, discuss conservation efforts and talk about the wide range of wildlife native to Belize. As part of the port project, more than 10,000 new mangroves are being planted to boost the estuary system that serves as critical habitat for fish and birds. 

Fun activities for the adventurous cruiser include a 3,000-foot-long zipline course, free-fall jumps, suspension bridges and a "Superman" tandem zipline jump. All this aerial action takes place at the 130-foot-tall Flighthouse structure.  

Harvest Caye also features a 15,000 square-foot pool area with a swimup bar, shopping, restaurants and private cabanas for rent. 

The facility will have the only cruise pier in Belize -- cruisers who visit other ports in Belize must take a tender boat ashore -- and Norwegian Cruise Line passengers who stop at Harvest Caye can take excursions, such as exploring Mayan ruins or river rafting, on the mainland. 

Thanks for reading, 

JR

You might also like this story:
MSC to Build Conservation-Focused Marine Reserve in the Bahamas

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Fort Lauderdale Beach is Fantastic for the Fit Traveler

3/16/2016

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Fort Lauderdale Beach basketball courts and outdoor fitness area
Fort Lauderdale Beach features plenty of opportunities for fitness-inclined travelers. Run along the wide beachfront sidewalk, play hoops at the courts or dive in to a body-weight workout at the outdoor gym on the sand.
By John Roberts 

If you're going to hold a convention in sunny South Florida in the middle of March, you can be damn sure that I am going to go exploring to find out what the beach is like. 
 
Welcome to Fort Lauderdale, home to the annual "all things cruising" convention known as Seatrade. I snuck away from the stuffy confines of the convention center to get outside for a day of play. I took a leisurely run from my hotel down to Fort Lauderdale Beach. I say leisurely because that is all I could muster. This New Jersey guy -- visiting the Florida heat and humidity -- will need a few days to get properly acclimated. 

One word about this beach area: Awesome!  

The Blue Wave-certified beach (a system that rates the cleanliness and environmental quality) was just coming to life around 9 a.m. when I finished my two-mile run down State Road A1A to the ocean. The sands are clean, in almost pristine condition, and I immediately shed my shirt and MP3 player and GPS watch to jump into the clear and cool waters.  
Runners, bikers and walkers will love that the main oceanfront road, as Seabreeze Boulevard becomes North Atlantic Boulevard, is wide and smooth.  

Along the four-mile stretch of sand, I discovered several items to entice the fitness-seeking traveler. After running to the beach and jumping in for a swim, how about shooting some hoops on the basketball courts? Right next to this is an outdoor fitness space, complete with pullup bars and plenty of other pieces of equipment that allow you to get a complete body-weight workout.
 
Fort Lauderdale Beach picnic area and playground
Fort Lauderdale Beach is ideal for picnics, with clean benches in a shady area under beautiful trees and next to a playground.
Wander farther along the boulevard, and you can find dozens of places to grab a bite to eat, from seafood, pizza, burgers and more. The oceanfront corridor is also lined with boutique shops to check out. 

I saw people enjoying paddleboarding on the calm morning waters. The beach features a lot of gorgeous trees that cast comfy shade over picnic areas, as well as at least one playground space for kids. It seems to be a family-friendly beach. Signs are posted stating that there is no alcohol allowed. But I'd bet that you can bring in a small cooler, be discreet, don't get out of control and be sure to pick up after yourself and no one will mind if you have a few cold ones during your stay. Lifeguards are on duty. (Regulars at this beach? Let us know how strict this rule is please.) 

The beach is free and open to the public, but parking is metered on the street. I have visited South Beach in Miami several times, and it's also very nice, with a great running path and outdoors fitness equipment. But I really like the feel of Fort Lauderdale Beach much more. It's more laid back. No creepiness at all compared with the attention-starved vibe that some South Beach regulars throw off. The people in Fort Lauderdale don't need your attention; they just need their quiet and blissful beach time, thank you very much.  

No wonder Fort Lauderdale has been a fast-rising beach destination. I was glad to get to finally check it out. 
 
Picture
Chef Roy Yamaguchi is partnering with MSC Cruises to create a pan-Asian restaurant on the line's new MSC Seaside, which will start sailing out of Miami in December 2017. (Photo courtesy MSC Cruises)
Other News and Notes from Seatrade . . .

From the hive of competing cruise-related news and flash and glitz, I was able to sift through the news releases to find a few items of interest to you.
 
  
Well, I find them intriguing at least, so I'm going to go ahead and tell you about them. Got it?  
Here is what's new at Seatrade that's good for adventurous travelers who seek to venture beyond the sun decks and buffet lines. The right kind of cruise traveler can find time for food, sun and active fun. Just sayin'! 

Celebrity Cruises announced that it is acquiring two more vessels to expand its offerings in the Galapagos Islands. Celebrity Cruises acquired tour operator Ocean Adventures and its two ships, MV Eclipse and MC Athala II. Eclipse holds up to 48 passengers, and Athala II, a catamaran, holds 16.

Celebrity already operates its Celebrity Xpedition 100-passenger yacht in the Galapagos. The smaller ships expand the itineraries that Celebrity can offer in the pristine island region. The ships can venture to Puerto Villamil, Darwin Bay, Black Turtle Cove, Chinese Hat Islet and Wall of Tears.
 MV Eclipse and MC Athala II will continue with Ocean Adventure voyages until a drydock in January 2017. After the refresh, they will sail as part of the Celebrity Cruises fleet with signature elements from the line. Celebrity will have to rename at least Eclipse; the line already has another ship with that moniker. No word yet on the new name.

Crystal Cruises has plans to build a second expedition yacht, Crystal Endeavor, which will be the sister ship to Crystal Esprit. Crystal says Endeavor will be the world's largest megayacht when it debuts in August 2018. The vessel will be the first purpose-built polar class expedition yacht. Sounds great. I'm not sure what that means. I know that I've been told it will be 600 feet long and feature an incredible number of fitness-based activities you can enjoy during your voyages. 

The 200-passenger ship will carry two seven-person submersible subs and have 270-degree panoramic views for whale watching or spotting other wildlife in the exotic destinations it will sail. Yes, there will be a spa, Jacuzzi and a gym. It also will have two helicopters for flightseeing excursions, eight Zodiac boats, jet skis, wave runners, kayaks, fishing gear, paddleboards, snorkel and dive equipment, underwater scooter and an ATV. That ship will pack a lot of toys for your vacation. 

MSC Cruises announced a partnership with Chef Roy Yamaguchi, who helped popularize Hawaiian-inspired cuisine and founded dozens of Roy's restaurants. Yamaguchi will create a pan-Asian eatery that will offer a range of flavors in a teppan style. The cover-charge eatery will offer healthy fare on the new MSC Seaside, which will debut in December 2017 and sail voyages from Miami.

Thanks for reading. 
Travel fit! Travel happy! Travel often!
JR

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