MUSALEMA!

That means "God bless" or "Goodbye" in Arabic!
Pyew, I've finally the last portion of the best weekend I've had here. So many pictures, I can barely pick which ones to use.
So on the last day, we woke up extra early to go to the step pyramids, which are less popular but prettier (so they say). When we got there, I was so surprised to see palm trees! And so much green!

But I suppose that must be why they say that the Nile was known to be such a lush area.

And the pyramids! Super cool. We visited a whole bunch of tombs, and I felt like Indiana Jones, climbing down narrow shafts and touching the walls of symbols that were carved thousands of years ago.

So much sand everywhere!

Hustlers like these tried to get us to pay them to take pictures of them. I did it on the sly.

I WAS SO EXCITED TO SEE HIEROGLYPHICS!

Seriously, we were sweating by the time we got to the rooms of tombs. Lots of bending and crawling in small spaces. Good thing no one was claustrophobic!

Look at that!! It was surreal seeing these things.

And the coloring is even still there!

We weren't supposed to take pictures, but if we paid the guards 15 pounds (about three bucks), they let us. Crazy! First time I ever bribed anyone.
But it was all amazing! As I was standing in those stone rooms with hieroglyphics marking it from floor to ceiling, my mouth was open the entire time. I couldn't believe I was actually there!

We had to rush through the three tombs unfortunately since our flight was that day, but I was so glad we made the time to go there.

On the drive back, I think I finally understood that I was in a third world country. There were donkey carts, run down buildings, piles of garbage on the sides of the street... the hour and a half ride back home felt like ten minutes because I was so absorbed by the sights that I have never seen before.

A rug shop! So pretty.

Lots of garbage.

Goats on the side of the street!

Lonely donkey.

And with that, it was time to go home to a snowing Brussels. Wish I was still there!

I am so glad I got to go to Cairo--it was my first experience being in Africa, in the Middle East, in a Third World country. And it was really different from anything I have ever seen before, and it was a really big eye opener. I wish I could've stayed for longer!

And I am so thankful that we had the Kane family with us, as well as a tour guide and driver, because I feel like our experience there wouldn't have been nearly as good without them. It was really easy to feel unsafe there because everything was so different. But with good friends and a reliable leader, we were able to enjoy the differences instead of fear them. And I was so thankful for Kait as well--she gave us the student Egyptian experience, and her generosity was so refreshing.

I WANT TO GO BACK! poo.

Let's see if I can get through finals, and then I'm off to Italy for a week! YIKES!