Children's Christmas Party

Last week-end was a busy, busy, busy one for me as I attended several Christmas parties. One that was loads of fun [READ: ones without me in an askewed santa hat after several rounds of spiked egg nogg], was the Children's Christmas Party that the Spouse's Club (and honorary members, i.e. moi) put together for the kiddies of our U.S. Cairo community. I was there with my santa hat on and sleeves rolled up, ready to help with the festivities!

We started out with the gingerbread pinata. Our verrrrrry junior kiddies didn't know what to make of it at first, until they saw what the big kids were doing to the poor li'l gingerbread man.

Then they really got into it!!! LoL.

I had to hand it to the gingerbread man, he "hung in there" until all the kiddies had about 5 rounds swatting him, before candies finally started flinging out of him. It took li'l Emma's final swat before all the candies gushed out and all the kids dove in and picked up candies frantically. LoL. They were like hungry birds looking for bread crumbs! Tooooo funny.

My friend Carol was a party fave, as she used her graduate degree in arts design by being the party's resident face painter. She, by far, was the BEST face painter - EVERRRRRR! Check out her art work below.

Even little Jake woke up in time to get his precious face painted.

But "bigger kids" -Aimee and Brent- decided to go with his and hers Christmas tattoos instead. LoL.

And then it was time to decorate Christmas cookies!!!

Next we made Holiday bookmarks.

Then the kiddies colored for the best Christmas Coloring Contest.

Followed with making really kewl angel ornaments.

The angel ornaments turned out sooo well!

The party concluded with a string concerto, and the rest of the children and santa's helpers singing Christmas carols.

Little Sarah's face said it all ----Loved, Loved, Loved the Children's Christmas Party!!!

European Christmas Bazaar in Cairo

This has been a busy week-end amid a flurry of yuletide cheer as I attended several Christmas parties and the annual European Christmas Bazaar at the Conrad Hilton Hotel. There are over 100 embassies in Cairo, and each year the European embassies get together to host a charity bazaar at Christmas time. It was a splendid wintry morning in the high 60's F, as I headed downtown to shop to my heart's content.

The Conrad had white-lit Christmas trees throughout its lobby; an anomaly in the Middle East.

My first purchase was a homemade gingerbread loaf from this charming Gingerbread House.

The Christmas Bazaar was packed with so many international sponsors and shoppers!

I liked this homemade sign that was displayed at the Russian table.



I thought Hungary selling food was funny. Hungry folks for Hungary! LoL.

They also had some delightful handmade Christmas items for sale.

Greece had a plethora of delightful yuletide treasures too.

I have a weakness for funny holiday hats, so I bought this cap on the spot!

There were plenty of vino to be had, as each country hawked their international brands.

These Canadians sold an assortment of handmade aprons, bags, and hats. Needless to say, I broke down and bought me a colorful apron.

I thought these powdered figs from the Montenegro table looked like little wreaths and were very clever!

I started getting hungry by the time I made it to the Serbian table. I ordered a hamburger, which came out looking exotic. I loved the pita-like buns. My Serbian burger was juicy and delish!

Switzerland had a baked potato and cheese stand, and used - what else? - Swiss cheese! LoL.

While the Irish sold Irish coffee. Yummers!

Norway sold baked goods and Christmas decorations.

Spain sold vino, sangria, and tapas (appetizers).

The Czech Republic sold elaborate crystal ware.

I bought a pair of these hand carved angels from the Slovakia table.

Hansel and Gretel (LoL) were selling homemade German gingerbread cookies. Needless to say, I bought several of these!

Loved these homemade Christmas Trees from Portugal's table! I bought one of these too!

Belgium sold - duhhhh - Belgium waffles!

It was the perfect day for the Christmas Bazaar! The temp was just right since it was held outside on the Conrad's expansive patio area.

Before I left, I enjoyed the festive Christmas carols sung by the charity bazaar's sponsors. It was a nice touch.

I'm sooo glad that I attended this event, bc for a few hours I forgot that I lived in the Middle East.... the Spirit of Christmas was alive and well at the Conrad Hilton Hotel!

Last Day in the White Desert

On the last day of my White Desert camping trip, I got up for a morning hike to catch the sunrise over the desert. Slowwwly it peeped over the horizon, and rose to blazing glory.



Light streaked across the lavender sky, and made the white patches of limestone and quartz look like glistening snow.

I captured this morning self portrait of me: 2 days without shower and make-up. Ugh!



During my explorations, I collected petrified debris as souvenir treasures of my White Desert trip. Later, I found out from one of the geologists at the camp that this was a petrified shell estimated to be 50 million years old when the desert used to be the bottom of the sea. Whoa!!!



I thought this embedded imprint below was verrry kewl.



I hurried back to the camp to start packing up, and walked past the Bedouins' durable open-air tent where they slept.



People were packing up their gear, readying for the trip back.



And then it was back on the camels, for our last camel trek in the White Desert.



Wearily we rode back, not really wanting to leave, but ready to sleep in our own beds again.



We gladly gave our camels back to the Bedouins when we arrived at our pick up point.



We loaded our gear, and rode the lonnnnng 6 hours bus ride back to Cairo. Thus, putting an end to an amazing National Geographic-esque week-end.