Cairo Take 2 (Amy)

We are happily back in Cairo after our three week family trip to Portugal, Spain and Turkey.   It was interesting to return to Cairo (without jetlag) and see it somewhat as a tourist might view and yet it was somewhat familiar.   The trip had many highlights and I laughed more in three weeks than I had in the first four months here.  In retrospect, my favorite part was the first few days in a seaside condo in Portugal with only a fireplace for heat and no wifi.   I don't think the four of us had spent that much time in such a small area without digital distraction in years and years.  

I got all my books read in the first 4 days and then went to a coffee shop so I could download some Overdrive books.    Also, we had a washer, but no dryer and it rained a portion of each day so we hung the laundry from the mantle and watched the steam rise off of it - this does serve as entertainment on day 4 and 5.

We loved seeing the Atlantic Ocean from the other side (we did wave) and all the beautiful tile work.  

We had not taken many presents for the kids because we didn't want to carry them and we tried to tell them the trip was part of their present, but they are smarter than that.  At one point Elliot said if we were ever inspired to give him coal for Christmas he thought this would be a great year for it.   When we checked into the no heat, no wifi condo I thought maybe instead of presents we would give them a night of heat and wifi for Christmas and book a hotel room.  We used all our Hilton points to book two rooms at the Lisbon Doubletree.  We figured it would also have a a Christmas tree, decorations, piped in Christmas music, etc.   But we were so wrong.  This is a "concept" hotel, but no one knew the concept.  There was extremely low lighting - which at time we all appreciate, but it was hard to see where you were going. The furniture was of high design and nearly impossible to get out of - not a place for pregnant women. 

The view below is what we faced when the elevator door opened.  The elevators were at one end of the hall. 

Black walls, black doors flush with walls, black carpet with lime green on edges and room numbers on the lime green carpet, and black ceiling.  Somehow on Christmas Eve it all seemed a bit strange and not one Christmas decoration to be found.  We did enjoy the Christmas brunch and the heat and wifi were appreciated in a way they never have been before. 

David and I had a king room and the added benefit of the king room is there is a glass wall between the bedroom and the shower - so you can watch the other person shower from the waist up.  Again, what the hell kinda concept is that??  There are no pictures of this - sorry!

Anna managed to entertain us with her various accents and personas for all three weeks.  If she ever makes it big on stage I think she can credit her skills to having the same audience for three straight weeks (plus all the nights we spent in curfew) and always having to create new material.

Another added benefit of our long trip was that everyone was happy to be "home."   Our own beds, pillows, food whenever you want it etc.    Of course now that we have been home a week we are already throwing around ideas for spring break ..

Family picture at a juice stand in Istanbul near the Grand Bazaar.