Soon Will Be Off On Another Adventure....

Destination: Cape Town, South Africa. Purpose: Shark Cage Diving! Stay tune....

Underdog to the Rescue!!!

Twilight Birthday Cake

So, a friend of mine had this cake made for her 15 y/o daughter's birthday party. Is it possible to be SO jealous of a 15 year old??? LOL.

Happy "I Love Mom" Day!

Mom, leaving you a sweet note to to tell you --- I LOVE YOU!

You Say It's My Birthday!

Another year older... time to live it up!

Mandy Comes to Visit!

Last week my friend Mandy was in town on a business trip, and I was able to take her around and show her Cairo. Mandy and I go back about 10 years when we were working and living in Cuba. It was so good to see her!



I took her first to the Egyptian Museum that housed all the pharaonic relics that were found in the tombs and pyramids of ancient pharaohs and noblemen. Notably, King Tut's treasures and mummies of other ancient pharaohs were the museum's highlights. We were not allowed to take pics inside, but we did take several pics of the museum grounds.



I loved this pic of these Muslim school girls that were visiting the museum on a field trip.

The lotus flower found commonly on lily pads along the banks of the Nile was often used in ancient times to produce perfumes. The ones below were found in the museum's central water fountain.

And then we were off to the pyramids. Her colleague Tina accompanied us.

We met our tour guide Ramses, who gave us a historical account of the Great Pyramids of Giza.

Despite the "No Climbing" sign, Mandy took it upon herself to test her "Spidey" skills. LoL.

And of course, you can't have pyramids without camels!

Below, I am sporting my "mummy with her bling" pose. LoL.

It was wonderful having a good friend visit, and hope I get to see more before my time in Cairo is up. So, if any of you are in the neighborhood, please note that mi casa es su casa!

On Pins and Needles!

So, I've been toying around with alternative medicines lately. One that I tried for the first time is acupuncture; the Chinese method of healing through nerve stimulation. In acupuncture, sterile needles are lightly applied to the body's pressure points. I had been suffering from migraine headaches, and had read that acupuncture was an alternative way to combat this. As luck would have it, I found a local Chinese Health Center in Cairo, and therefore made an appointment. As soon as I walked in, I instantly was put at ease by soothing pan flute music played overhead, and greeted with a steaming cup of Chinese herbal tea. The acupuncturist started by patiently explaining the procedure to me and answering my questions. I was then led to a back room where I was given a gingham clinic gown and instructed to lie on my back on an examination table with my arms down and palms up. And then she began....



She placed needles at various pressure points on my face and the top of my head.



Then continued to place them on my neck, wrist, arms, abs, legs, and feet. At this point, my acupuncturist admonished me about taking photos, and hence had to quit. LoL. So, these were the only ones I clicked before I put my camera away.



The acupuncturist was gentle and quick. The needle pricks were slight, and very tolerable. After she stuck me with about 30 needles, she left me on the examination table, dimmed the lights, and told me to relax. I laid there like a pin cushion, and focused on the mystical sounds of Asian pan flute music. It was a surreal experience to say the least.



After 15 minutes, she came back and removed the needles. Swabbing each site with alcohol pads. My head felt really good. I was headache free, and totally relaxed. I don't regret my decision. I definitely would do it again. Next time though, I may bring my iPod... and listen to something a li'l more rockin'. LoL.