egypt temple

2013 Highlights of Ancient Egypt Tour

As many of you know, I have been dying to return to Egypt. I just haven’t felt that it’s been safe enough to take a group. Having traveled to many countries with tourist advisories, I don’t scare easily. However, it’s a completely different thing when you are responsible for other people and are traveling to [...]

whirling

Five Days in Cairo (part 4)

Day five. I woke depressed. I didn’t know if I wanted to do something or do nothing. I had to pick up my costume from Madame Hekmet, so I went to do that while waiting for the other girls to get up and get dressed. The taxi driver didn’t know where I was going, so [...]

sunset at the pyramids

Five Days in Cairo (part III)

Day four arrived too late for breakfast, and I was starving! We didn’t have anything planned for today because we wanted to relax. The hectic pace was running us ragged. Though we didn’t want to miss a thing, we also didn’t want to make ourselves sick. A dance class would have been nice, but it [...]

cairo street

So You Want to Go To Egypt…

Disclaimer: I do not recommend going to Egypt during this time of political and cultural turmoil. So, you want to go to Egypt? How should you do it? Well, having been both as the single traveler in 3 star Egypt and with a tour group in 5 star Egypt, I can give you a little [...]

Hatshepsut

Nile Cruise, A Relaxing Egyptian Adventure

Picture the Nile- the most impressive river in the world. This river gave food to the Pharaohs and nursed a great civilization to prosperity. It fed the western empires as well as the peoples along its own banks. Majestic and powerful, it is still the same wonderful force it was in days of old. The [...]

asmahan

Five Days in Cairo (part 2)

Day two arrived for us at 2:00 in the afternoon. Danielle was simply exhausted and decided to stay in bed. Daleela and I decided to walk down to Mohamed Ali Street confident that we could find the way. After a few blocks, uncertainty overcame me. We stopped to ask directions, but got a few different [...]

tannoura

Five Days in Cairo (part one)

Wednesday, my first day in Cairo, started with a midnight arrival. As we flew over the city, I was in awe at how big it was. It seemed we flew for miles and miles before we touched down. The lights chased away any fatigue I had been feeling. Excitement raced through me as I walked [...]

temple painting

The Allure of Egypt

What is it that draws dancers to Egypt? What magic potion wafts through the air infecing the heart and invading the whole body, creating a longing within when miles separate us from it? Will the mystery ever be solved? My journey into belly dance began much like my experience with Egypt. It was mildly interesting, [...]

philae

The Southern Gate of Egypt- Aswan

Many belly dancers around the world travel to Egypt to take in the pyramids, shop at the costumers, and see exciting shows. Unfortunately, many also miss some of the highlights of the country at Egypt’s southern gate, Aswan. With this destination being a short one hour twenty minute flight away from Cairo (or take an [...]

Raqia

Rocking with Raqia

My group and I had the good fortune to take a class with Raqia Hassan during my last tour to Egypt in March 2006. Like most things in Egypt, we weren’t sure it was going to happen. I called Raqia before leaving the United States and she said she would be out of town during [...]