Journey to Egypt

This post has been long due. The holiday was unexpected, as are many great things in life. We had no idea where to tour and ended up choosing Egypt. We employed a travel agency because we wanted to be safe and have a whole plan in place.

We took off by plane and the journey took about 5 hours; the travel agency had the flight set up for us, so we didn’t have to worry about that. We had to get a Visa after we arrived, which was really simple; we spent about 22 euros each. We had to obtain a temporary passport beforehand. After completing the paperwork, we were transported by bus to the hotel that we had previously chosen.

Getting to Know Egypt

We stayed at the Meraki Hotel in Hurghada. We wanted to choose a nice and serene location where we could relax after the challenges we faced. The year 2022 was eventful for me and my partner; we’d gone through a few obstacles together, and while they’d grown us, we were exhausted and wanted to wind down.

The Meraki Hotel is elegantly built, has a pleasant vibe, and can be quiet throughout the day. We discovered later that they carry out events during the night, which may be loud until 2-3 a.m. This might be an issue if you wish to relax and sleep, but it’s not a deal breaker.

Our hotel room was nice and clean, and we loved the oriental touches, such as the little charming dream catchers attached to the walls, which encouraged me to buy one for our house. We had a TV in our room, but the signal was poor, and we could only watch a few programs of low quality.

The hotel food was delicious. I truly loved the fruits, which were more sweet and savory than anything we’d previously had; they also had attractive pastries and a large variety of vegan cuisine, which was fantastic. The beverages were also excellent.

Another thing that amazed us what the staff’s attitude towards their guests. I’ve never met such serving and polite staff at other hotels where we’ve stayed. They would come and greet us at the tables, ask us if the food was good and if we needed anything.

During the first days, we had the chance to meet Max, the attraction of the place, a fascinating camel that dropped by the hotel’s beach to greet tourists and invite them for a ride. I was initially frightened but he agreed to accept pets (despite my reservations):

Getting to Know Egypt

In the lobby, we met Ahmed, one of the hotel’s tour guides, who offered to assist us in choosing an Egypt trip. We agreed on two days since we wanted to see the surroundings and have a good time at the hotel.

On the first tour day, we went to Luxor. We had to go at 5 A.M. to ensure arrival by 9 A.M. at the first attraction, the Karnak Temple. The journey to the sites was pleasant; we were surprised to find an impressive number of Romanian tourists traveling with us. The guide for that day was also familiar with our language, making us feel at ease during the long drive. When we arrived at the visiting site, the tour guide stopped, gave us instructions, and spent the entire time looking out for us.

Karnak, Egypt’s second most visited historical heritage site, consists of a massive collection of decaying temples, pylons, chapels, and other structures near Luxor. The tour guide was friendly and discussed the significance of each statue and how it influenced history. We took a break on the banks of the Karnak Temple Sacred Lake to take in the scenery unfolding around us.

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The next in line was the Valley of the Kings. This amazing place, also known as the Valley of the Gates of the Kings, is a valley in Egypt where, for nearly 500 years from the 16th to 11th century BC, rock-cut tombs were excavated for the pharaohs and powerful nobles of the New Kingdom.

The site is rich in history, and you can visit some of the most renowned tombs, like Ramesses III and Tuthankamon, for an additional cost. These graves were robbed a long time ago, yet they possess significant historical worth, and their beautiful painted walls remember unseen and unheard events.

The Valley of the Kings was the hottest part of the tour. It was like entering and living in a sauna. Some kind people working at the burial sites provided little cardboard fans for people to vent and breathe. The tombs’ interiors are located low in the earth, so you’ll need to keep your claustrophobia at bay if you are interested in experiencing them. The scent of corpses, sweat, and salty rocks permeates the tombs.

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We then visited the Hatshepsut temple which is dedicated to the Hatshepsut and the creator god Amun. The Egyptian monarch had the duty to honor their Gods and Pharaohs and preserve their memory until eternity through the construction of tombs and temples.

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The next day, we took a cruise on the delightful Clear Blue Nile, ate at a riverside restaurant, and embarked on a wonderful aquamarine adventure.

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Facts and Tips

If you’re brave enough to visit Egypt in August, prepare yourself for the heat. Get extra sunscreen and try to avoid the blistering sun as much as possible. We were relaxed for the first few days, enjoying the beautiful water and the sunshine as much as we could, but we shortly ended up with sunburns. We were saved by an excellent in-house moisturizer made by one of the Pharmacists who worked close to our hotel.

The traffic is unique. We traveled by bus with the other tourists and were surprised by how traffic rules did not apply, and pedestrians could wander in the middle of the street without restrictions.

Egypt is primarily a tourism destination, the majority of its citizens are outstanding merchants. You must pay close attention and refuse any offers, including free camel rides and souvenirs. Before you know it, a negotiation may have begun. I learned to say „LA” to the vendors who sold items I wasn’t interested in. Pay attention, though, because this may be seen as the first step of the haggle. LA can’t always save you. 😅

Use bottled water instead of tap water. We drank bottled water the entire stay and were OK within the first three days. However, our gut health deteriorated in the final days, and we had to use treatment, be cautious, and get antidiuretic medication before coming to Egypt to avoid any unpleasantries.

This happens because water treatment plants in and around Cairo strongly chlorinate the supply, causing the water to taste foul, it takes time to get used to it. It is best to buy bottled water or have treated drinks or purified water in Egypt.

Women were rarely seen working in Egypt, at least in the areas we visited. Men dominate the workforce, while women have the responsibility to stay at home and look after their families while abiding by their religion. The ones we’ve seen were beautiful, respectful, and pleasant.

Egyptians place a high value on security. When visiting tourist destinations, it is customary to witness a strong military presence. Egyptian military and security personnel are everywhere, and heavy-duty weapons are not uncommon nearby tourist attractions (especially those in Cairo).

It is best to dress modestly since some tourist sites may have a dress code. Although it is not as restricting as it seems, you will not feel great wearing shorts and a tank top.

Conclusion

This was an incredible experience that I am grateful to have had. Egyptians are hardworking, intelligent, polite, and tenacious people. I was thrilled by our wonderful stay at the Meraki Hotel and highly suggest it to anybody planning a trip to Egypt in the near future.

I liked how they carried out their humble tasks diligently and successfully. Even janitors take pride in their appearance and wear fine-pressed clothing. They don’t complain about having to go to work, they GET to go to work and are thankful for each gift the day brings. They take a stand for their families and are proud to do so.

The Nile waters their productive land, and they get to work it every day. Agriculture is the primary occupation in Egypt, and people spend their days harvesting and planting their crops while thanking God in their own unique ways. I was amazed to see people pausing from their work to thank God for the wonderful blessings he provides every day. It made me wonder why I don’t pray more and served as an excellent example.

I will end my post with great views about this incredible country, having learned and experienced so much. Egypt, according to Josh Gates, is one of the world’s great open-air museums, and I couldn’t agree more. It is a fountain of knowledge, rich in history, potential, and beauty, all while living in the heat of the desert.

Absolvire si emotii. Discurs final de an.

Ieri am trecut printr-un moment important pentru viata mea, am participat la cursul festiv al facultatii de Inginerie Alimentara, programul de studii Controlul si Expertiza Produselor Alimentare. Spun moment important deoarece este ultimul curs festiv si ultima experiente de genul din viata mea de tanar student.

Ziua de ieri a fost emotionanta din mai multe puncte de vedere… impreuna cu colegii mei si cu indrumatorii ce ne-au fost alaturi 4 ani lungi am marcat acest eveniment si l-am scris in cartea vietii cu litere de aur. Am retrait clipe de pe bancile facultatii, ne-am adus aminte de lucrurile amuzante dar si cele triste ce ne-au facut ceea ce suntem astazi, absolventi ai facultatii de Inginerie Alimentara.

As dori sa public aici discursul pe care l-am rostit ieri in cadrul acestui eveniment important pentru colegii mei ce poate, pe viitor vor dori sa il revada.

Discurs final de an

Onorați părinți, stimate doamne profesoare, stimați domni profesori, dragi colege si dragi colegi. Am să mă străduiesc, în limita amintirilor şi cunoştinţelor, să vă demostrez că anii de facultate, de o frumuseţe tulburătoare şi inegalabilă, rămân unici în viaţa fiecăruia.

Pentru că sunt anii ultimelor în­­trebări, certitudini şi emoţii. Şi pentru că de ei ne leagă aduce­ri-amin­te frumoase sau mai puţin frumoase: prima notă mare la chimie oferita de doamna Leahu (şi ultima, de altfel), 5-ul firav la rubrica Fizicii din catalogul profesoarei Jarcau, foamea şi starea de semi-leşin după 6 ore de cursuri si sa recunoastem, viteza cu care părăseam, cu capul vârât la maximum între umeri, incinta facultatii, în tentativă de chiul.

Colegi şmecheri, fete prea serioase şi prea tocilare, am fost uniţi apoi de febra exa­menelor de mai târziu, am devenit între timp „noi”. Ne unesc zilele în care impartaseam emoţiile propagate cu viteza luminii dinaintea examenelor sau subiectele şubrede peste care ne-am aplecat frunţile fierbinţi.

Ne unesc clipele frumoase şi greşelile, tot ce am învăţat aici şi acum despre câte emoţii poate să aducă apropierea finish-ului unui an şcolar! Mai ales atunci când, despărţindu-ne de acest an şcolar, ne numim absolventi. Emoţiile-s provocate de neliniştea prevestitoare fiecărei despărţiri, de examenele ce ne aşteaptă şi, poate, de zilele acestea frumoase, atât de îm­bie­toare la o plimbare. Ne des­parţim de emo­ţiile canceroase de dinaintea examenelor, de colega de bancă. Sau, şi mai trist, ne des­parţim de cafelele aparatelor – de acel ,,gagaut,, falsificat, de setea care ne chinuie după o oră de sport, de banca prea în­gustă, de colegii de suferinţă alături de care am cunoscut atâtea bucurii şi necazuri, satisfacţii şi împliniri.

Profesorilor nostri le multumim pentru ca ne-au oferit ocazia sa descoperim lucruri noi care ne vor folosi in activitatea ce urmeaza, pentru ca au transformat relatia rigida student – profesor intr-una de comunicare deschisa si prietenie si pentru ca ne-au format ca oameni. Va multumim pentru toate intrebarile, uneori copilaresti, la care v-ati straduit sa gasiti raspunsuri, pentru acele cuvinte cheie pe care ni le-ati oferit ca punct de plecare in cautarile de pe Google sau Wikipedia.

Știm  că n-a fost ușor, știm că nu v-am ascultat întotdeauna, ba unii dintre noi au fost uneori chiar obraznici, dar dumneavoastră ați înțeles că acesta a fost felul nostru, al fiecăruia,  de a vă arăta că avem nevoie de dascăli cu vocație, care să știe să ne ia pe fiecare exact așa cum suntem, să ne prețuiască, să ne ajute să ne cunoaștem, să ne descoperim, să prețuim prieteniile, să iubim cuvântul și cărțile și să ne formăm astfel niște caractere puternice,  capabile să înfrunte viața adevărată. Dacă am reușit sau nu, ca împreună să facem asta, nu vom putea ști decât peste ani, pentru că piatra de încercare a caracterului nostru este timpul.

Acum 4 ani intram pe poarta acestei facultati cu inima strânsă și fără să cunoaștem pe nimeni, iar acum, când ne pregătim s-o părăsim, luăm cu noi pe lângă foarte multe amintiri frumoase, și mulți prieteni adevărați. Dumneavoastră veți rămâne aici, vin acum din urmă alți studenti, aveți datoria  de a trece acum trecutul la amintiri și de a vă concentra pe viitor. Ne vom gândi la dumneavoastră la fiecare început, știind că sufletele vă vibrează când zăriți pâlcurile de studenti ce se îndreaptă voioși spre facultate, și ne vom aminti cu drag că odată, demult, în grupul de copiii către care priviți acum eram și noi.

In numele colegilor mei, vreau sa le multumesc parintilor nostri care ne-au indrumat pasii pe aceasta cale si ne-au sustinut in anii de facultate, pentru ca ne-au trezit in fiecare dimineata la timp sa ajungem la ore si pentru ca ne-au fost alaturi in toate momentele noastre importante, inclusiv astazi aici.

Astazi este un moment de sfarsit si totodata un nou inceput, o noua viata ne asteapta. Este momentul cand cele acumulate pe bancile scolii vor fi puse in practica si vor legitima valoarea castigata in timpul facultatii. Noi avem astazi nu numai pregătirea necesară unor buni specialişti, ci şi capacitatea de a reuşi în viaţă. Cu siguranţă, după numeroasele examene prin care am trecut şi experienţa căpătată în anii de facultate, suntem pregătiţi să facem faţă obstacolelor care ne vor astepta de acum înainte.

Dupa Absolvire, vom fi membri cu drepturi depline in sintagma inginerilor si vom trai toate acele lucruri frumoase pe care viata ni le-a pregatit: un loc de munca, casatoria, copii, rate la banca, privirile suspicioase ale sefilor.

Imi doresc sa ne intalnim cu totii peste 10 ani aici, la fel de entuziasti, zambitori si veseli, însă cu firile șlefuite de experiențele maturizării, fără a vă fi lăsat vreo umbră pe chipuri.

Vă mulțumesc pentru atenția acordată!