Showing posts with label Personal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Personal. Show all posts

27 May 2008

Back in the USA

I apologize for the lack of posting while I was in Egypt and Israel, but paying to use the Internet was not at the top of my list of things to do every day. I did do it some, of course, but usually not for long enough to post.

I am going to upload my photo album so that you see how fantastic of a trip we had and I might do some retracking of our adventures while we were there. We'll just have to see how much time I end up having...especially since I am leaving on Thursday to go fishing for a few days.

Here are a few pics to whet your appetite.















13 May 2008

In Cairo

We have arrived in Cairo with a phone card that doesn’t work and expensive internet access. So, updates will likely be few and far between. 

Our hotel is literally at the base of the pyramids and we are going to visit them tomorrow and go for a camel ride as well. We are excited. Maybe I can update more once we get into Israel.


Until then...

11 May 2008

Out of Egypt into the Holyland

That's right folks. It is now less than 24 hours until Trinity and I, along with quite a few other people, hop on a plane to Cairo, Egypt. We are going to spend 12 days between Egypt, Israel and Jordan. I am extremely excited about this trip, as I have never been to this part of the world before. 


Check out the trip information I posted the other day that has our flight times, hotel info (you should google some of the hotels and check them out) and our tentative day to day schedule.

I will attempt to post while we're gone, but don't know how my internet access will be. So, if I can't I will surely post about it when we get back. Until then...

10 May 2008

Countdown

09 May 2008

Countdown

08 May 2008

Out of Egypt Into the Holyland Trip Information

Flight Itinerary

Monday May, 12, 2008

Depart

Charlotte

1:25 pm

US Air Flight 2622

Arrive

NY, JFK

3:24 pm

 

Depart

NY JFK

6:30 pm

Egypt Air Flight #986

Arrive

Cairo

12:30 pm (Tuesday)

 


Friday, May 23, 2008

Depart

Amman

8:25 pm

Egypt Air Flight 702

Arrive

Cairo

8:45 pm

 


Saturday, May 24, 2008

Depart

Cairo

10:15 am

Egypt Air Flight 985

Arrive

NY, JFK

3:15 am

 

Depart

NY, JFK

6:55 pm

US Air Flight 805

Arrive

Charlotte

9:05 pm

 

________________________________________________________

HOTELS

Tuesday, May 13, 2008 – Friday, May 16, 2008

LE MERIDIEN PYRAMIDS

El Remaya Square

P.O. Box 25 Pyramids

Pyramids, Giza, Cairo, Egypt

Tel: 011 20 2 3377 3388

Fax: 011 20 2 3377 1730

 

Friday, May 16, 2008 – Saturday, May 17, 2008

INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL

Jericho Main Road

P.O. Box 150

Jericho

Tel: 011 970 2 231 1200

Fax: 011 970 2 231 1222

 

Saturday, May 17, 2008 – Monday, May 19, 2008

GAI BEACH HOTEL

Derech Hamerchatzaot

Tiberias, Israel

Tel: 011 972 4 670 0700

Fax: 011 972 4 679 2776

 

Monday, May 19, 2008 – Friday, May 23, 2008

GRAND COURT HOTEL

Saint George Street Number 15

Jerusalem, Israel

Tel: 011 972 2 591 7777

Fax: 011 972 2 591 7778

 

Friday, May 23, 2008 – Saturday, May 24, 2008

CONCORDE EL SALAM HOTEL

Abdel Hamid Badawi Street

Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt

Tel: 011 20 2 2622 6000

Fax: 011 20 2 2622 6037

________________________________________________________

Day to Day

MON. May 12: Depart New York JFK International Airport via Egypt Air@6:30 PM Non Stop jet service to Cairo, Egypt.

TUES. May 13: Arrive in Cairo, 12:30 PM . Balance of day at leisure.

WED. May 14: Visit the Egyptian Museum. The Museum contains the world’s most important collection of Egyptian antiquities, dating from the earliest times to about 6th century AD. Collection includes some of the artistic masterpieces of the world, including the treasures of Tut-Ankh-Amon. Proceed to the Giza Plateau to see the Pyramids & the Sphinx. Stop at one of Egypt’s famous carpet factories & visit a papyrus shop.

THURS. May 15: Morning tour to Memphis and Sakkara. Located 20 miles SW of Cairo, Memphis was once the capital of Egypt. Sakkara’s Step Pyramids are the world’s first stone tombs. This afternoon visit the Mosque of Sultan Hassan built in the 14th century, the Citadel of Salah-El Din & the Alabaster Mosque.

FRI. May 16: Depart Cairo. Visit the remarkable ruins of the Fortress built by Herod the Great and destroyed by Flavius Silva in 73 AD. Drive along the shores of the Dead Sea to Qumran, the site where the Scrolls of the Dead Sea were found by a shepherd boy & stop for a swim in the Dead Sea. Proceed to Jericho for overnight.

SAT. May 17: Tour Jericho & visit Tel El Sultan, ruins of one of the oldest cities in the world. View the Mount of Temptation, where Jesus fasted for 40 days & 40 nights. Drive through the Jordan Valley to Megiddo or Armageddon, the strategic point on the Via Maris, connecting Egypt & Damascus. Proceed to Nazareth to see the Basilica of the Annunciation, one of the few Christian shrines in Israel. See Mary’s Well with its arched wall. Visit the Baptist Church & School of Nazareth driving through Cana to Tiberias for overnight.

SUN. May 18: This morning board a boat on the Sea of Galilee for Sunday morning worship & cruise to Capernaum. Upon landing, visit the site where Jesus began His Ministry & the site of the Synagogue where He taught. Proceed to Tabgha, the site of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fish. Visit the 4th century mosaics. Drive to the top of the Mount of Beatitudes

for an outstanding view of the Sea of Galilee & the surrounding area. End the day at the exit of the Jordan River near the Sea of Galilee for a baptismal service. Overnight in Tiberias.

MON. May 19:  This morning drive to the Valley of the Winds & on to Haifa, see Elijah’s Cave and enjoy the view of the city from Mt. Carmel. Drive along the Mediterranean to Caesarea by the Sea to visit the spectacular city of Herod the Great, see the ruins of the Crusader’s city, and stand in the Roman Theater. Drive to Jerusalem for overnight.

TUES. May 20: Drive to Mount of Olives. Visit the Church of Pater Noster, the Garden of Gethsemane, & Church of All Nations. View the Kidron Valley. Visit Mt. Zion & the Upper Room where Jesus accomplished his Ministry. Spend afternoon in Bethlehem visiting the Church of the Nativity, the Shepherds Fields, & the Fields of Boaz & Ruth. Return to hotel for overnight in Jerusalem.

WED. May 21: Visit the House of Caiaphas, the Dungeon, & Gallicantu. Proceed to the Church of Saint Anne, the Pool of Bethesda, the Lithostrotos, Pilate’s Judgment Hall & walk along the Via Dolorosa leading to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Return to hotel for overnight.

THURS. May 22: Proceed toward the city walls built by Solomon the Magnificent enclosing the most Holy Sites. Walk into the old city through the Damascus Gate & through the picturesque colorful bazaars to the superb Temple Area, where Solomon’s Temple was built on Mt. Moriah. Visit the Dome of the Rock enclosing the Rock of Sacrifice. See the Mosque of Al Aska, further south, the Pinnacle of the Temple & the Wailing Wall. Visit the Garden Tomb & Gordon’s Calvary, the site where Jesus was crucified,  buried & resurrected. Celebrate  Communion at the Garden Tomb.

FRI. May 23: Depart from Jerusalem to cross into Jordan via Allemby Bridge. Drive to Mount Nebo commemorating the site where Moses saw the Promised Land & died, continue to the biblical Medeba, for a visit to the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George which houses the 6th century mosaics showing the entire region from Jordan & Palestine in the north, to Egypt in the South. This map includes a fascinating plan of Jerusalem showing the Holy Sepulcher. Continue to Jerash, the “Pompeii of the Middle East”. Visit the most beautifully preserved Greco-Roman city in existence, the grand ruins - temples to Artemis and Zeus, a vast Roman Forum, Hadrian’s Triumphal Arch & a mile long Street of Whispering Columns. Transfer to Amman International airport for return flight to Cairo.

SAT. May 24: Transfer to Cairo airport in time for non-stop return flight to New York. Arrive New York approximately 3:15 in the afternoon local time.

Countdown

07 May 2008

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06 May 2008

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05 May 2008

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04 May 2008

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03 May 2008

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02 May 2008

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01 May 2008

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30 April 2008

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29 April 2008

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28 April 2008

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22 April 2008

Moving, Blogging Hiatus and the Middle East

As was mentioned in the previous post, we are moving soon...Saturday, actually. On top of that, right now is the end of the semester, so I am insanely busy finishing up a paper on Elie Wiesel, working on some journals for two other classes, finishing my credo (which is what I believe, right now anyway, on topics such as christology, pneumatology, eschatology, ecclesiology, etc.) and getting ready for exams.


Due to all of this going on right now I have not been blogging lately and probably will not be blogging for a few more days. 

After which, though, I will begin to ramp it up again. Hopefully this will include some insights/excerpts from my research on the use of silence in Elie Wiesel's Night and some anticipatory posts for mine and Trinity's upcoming trip to Egypt, Jordan and Israel.

Stay tuned.

11 April 2008

Apparently My Wife is an Office Max Rep

We are moving in 2 weeks and that is most of the reason as to why I've not updated in 5 days. This move, though very much anticipated and needed, truly comes at a horrible time for us as it is just before the end of the semester, when, of course, EVERYTHING is due. 

It is surprising how much stuff Trinity and I have even though we have only been married for 11 months. It is also surprising how much there is to learn about a spouse even when we live together (I know that's an obvious one, but I thought I should add it just to clear up any confusion), go to school together (both working on Masters degrees) and work together. I learned today that apparently my wife used to be and still is a rep for Office Max. I literally think that we could supply our county's entire school district with pens, pencils, markers and Sharpies for a year. I saw Sharpies in colors that I didn't even know existed. And don't even get me started on Post-It Notes. The various sizes, shapes, colors and styles would impress even Spencer Silver. I don't even know why we have a MaxPerks card. I think that Office Max needs to start coming to us for their supplies. The good news is though, that we will probably never have to take our kids (that we don't have yet) school-supply shopping. 

And, then, to add insult to injury, we are moving from a 3-bedroom house to a 2-bedroom house so that we can be closer to our church, where we both work and go many times a week, and to save on rent and utilities. We have this house more than full, so thinking about down-sizing its not the most joyous thought in my head right now. It should be a fun few weeks. 

P.S. What's the point of using packing tape if it can't be used for at least one painful practical joke?