FTM

The acronym "FTM" came from a journal that we found in at the No Name Hostel in Tallinn, Estonia. A British fellow (name kept anonymous, although there are probably 7 million James' in the world), who had studiously written three entries into his journal before losing it at the hostel, wrote an FTM for each day of entries. One of his FTMs talked of his encouter with large amounts of vodka and a late night and attempting to visit the loo at 5:30 a.m. through a door-sized mirror in the hostel. It seemed to be his advice to others (or to remind himself) NOT to try to walk through mirrors in the early morning hours after drinking too much vodka. So the acronyn could possibly mean For The Masses. Whatever it means, we have kept daily FTM's in memeory of the Brit attmepting to walk through walls and his own reflection, in the form of quotes, epiphanies or complete nonsense.

So, for your own sake, keep updated on the FTM's!

FTM #1: "Thank you for existing!"
-Filipe, saying to himself about the waitress at the French Bar

More FTMs

Camel illegally parked on the street.
-self explanitory, Hurghada, Egypt, Nov. 23, 2007

Never eat at a place with the word "foul" in the name.
-After eating at a place called Foul Falafel, Nov. 25, 2007

"'gypt" = Egyptian for being cheated out of money
-Nov. 28, 2007

Chew softly when you eat at falafel stand.
-Nora acquired more than the shits, a chipped tooth, after finding a pebble in her falafel, Dec. 9, 2007

"I'll try anything once, with he exception of incest and Morris Dance."
-Paul the Brit, Dec. 12, 2007

"Fly with the Eagles! for tomorrow we shit with the crows."
-Quote from a RUSH flyer, a cheesy club in Dahab, Egypt, Dec. 15, 2007

"Food poisoning is good practice for child birth."
-Peter, on the pain of Nora's food poisioning, Dec. 16, 2007

"Very bold Gato added yogurt and bee honey to the above kick.:
-Description of a drink from Gato Restaurant menu, Dahab, Dec. 18, 2007

3 out of 5 male Egyptians are named Mohammad
-It's true!!!, Dec. 18, 2007

Nora learned a lesson: Don't eat the Turkish coffee grounds.
-"but they are sooo good." -N, Dec. 21, 2007

"Don't try to fart when you are getting over the shits! Seriously!"
-Peter, Dec. 24, 2007

"I had an Egyptian man's fingers in my mouth."
-Terje, after being fed by Omar Master of Sheesha, Dec. 26, 2007

"I gave birth to Omar's baby."
-Terje, the day after being fed by Omar Master of Sheesha, Dec. 27, 2007

Nora: "I'm craving crappy food!"
Peter: Why? You'll just poop it out your butt!"
-Nora on craving crappy food and Peter persuating her it's pointless, Dec. 30, 2007

Egyptians must be immune to headaches.
-On the loud noise in Cairo, Jan. 3, 2008

Beach House

Downtown Dahab, one of the many restaurants on the "strip"

While in Dahab, we decided to upgrade our housing. We moved out of the three dollar a day hut. The thin foam "mattress" on the concrete slab is really only quaint for a short while. We moved down the strip, our friend Brian called it the 'burbs since it was a good 10 min walk, everything else in Dahab is usually under 5 min. Sunsplash hotel was our new home.

Our beach cabin, the water is 15 meters to the left

It has been updated over the years but two of the original funky cabins are still standing and facing the water. It was a bit pricier, 6 dollars a day...but we had a loft a real mattress, a small table and a mouse who liked to eat my chocolate covered cookies at 3 am.

View of sunsplah hotel from the roof deck, our cabin is to the right of this picture

We fell asleep every night to the wind and the waves and woke every morning to amazing sunrises. It was our first, and possibly, only beach house.

The Night (In Dahab) Before Christmas

T'was the night before Christmas and all through Dahab,
Not a creature was stirring, not even the mouse Peter caught with his bare hands and set free a half kilometer down the beach and who then came back to eat a package of non-hydrogenated choco biscuits.

The galabia were hung in ElAsalah Village with care,
In hopes that Mohammad soon would be there.
The little Bedouin girls who sold bracelets were nestled snug in their beds,
While visions of rich tourists and their money danced in their heads.

And Nora in her sarong and I in my Mizuno,
had just settled down for long winter snuzo.
When out in the beach there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the mattress on the floor to see what was the matter.

Away from the cabin I flew like a Central Mass Strider,
Tore open the mosquito net and the door besid'er.
The moon on the edge of the Red Sea did behold,
The luster of mid-day to the plastic bottles scattered to and fro.

When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
but a pick-up truck taxi and eight mangy goats, my dear!
With a Bedouin driver, O in his fancy horned "Geep,"
I knew in a moment that this ride wouldn't be cheap.
More rapid than camels his promises came,
"Best Prices, Best Fabric!!"
No, dude, they're all the same!

Now Ahmed, now Sala, Peter and Shahla,
On Brian and Josh, on Jason, on Sam and Carmella.
Salam Alaikum, Salam Alaikum, Salam Alaikum to the rest of the crew at Yalla.

Now Riga, now Hamburg, now Buda and Pest.
On to Krakow, to Oslo, to Chamonix and the rest.
To the top of the Baltics, where the snow did fall,
We've seen it, we've done it, we've loved them all!

As dry leaves in Europe did fall to the ground,
We met with Arnuad and Emile and their advice was so sound!
So, up to the atmosphere our backpacks they flew,
"To Egypt!" we said, "Warmth, and pyramids, too!"

And then in a thud I heard on the plywood roof,
The clumsy clunking of camel toe hooves.
As I drew back my Kalashnikov and turned it around,
I was struck by the vision now staring me down!

He was dressed all in Egyptian cotton, from his sandals to his Arafat,
And there was soot on his lips from where his sheesha pipe had sat.
A bundle of memories he soon flung in my face,
And he appeared like a magician when he made me look back on this sojourn and each place.

My eyes how they twinkled! My memories so Merry!
Our new friends are like roses! The adventures sweet as guava!
More exotic than cherry.
Our trip, little in September, was drawn into more,
And exploring Egypt made it worthwhile, we are sure.
We had no set plans to hold tight while we wander,
But relied on new friends and their information of yonder.

We came to Hurghada, shop owners all yellie.
We found the resort town yucky and smelly.
It was Sinai and Dahab our destination or bust,
The snorkeling, the desert, the mountain all a must.

A glimpse of the beach, our small bungalow,
Gave us a calm from our head to our toe.
We spend many a night among our mates so wise,
Laughing and enjoying the world though their eyes.

And laying to rest with the sea as our song we give
Thanks to the many who have dared to come along.
To everyone everywhere.
At home and far from sight,

Merry Holidays!
Happy Solstice!
And to all a goodnight!

Love,
Peter and Nora

Baltic Sea in Latvia

Tallinn, Estonia at night

Boat Ride in Hurghada

Egyptian Red Sea Reefs from the air

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!

We hope you have a wonderful birthday!
Here is your present from Egypt (it may take a while to get to you).


Love Peter and Nora

THIS BLOGSITE IS CURRENTLY UNDER STORY TELLING CONSTRUCTION!!!!!!

So, we are way behind, but it will come....

After our time watching a prostitute bash a man over the head with a chair in Vilnius, Lithuania, hanging out at the French Bar (La Belle Epoch) with a lot of Spaniards and one Brazilian in Riga, Latvia, working at a Hostel with No Name as chefs and cleaners in Tallinn, Estonia, getting great deals on thrift store clothes in Helsinki, Finland and getting sick of the cold weather we found an inexpensive ticket to Hurghada, Egypt. Saw the Suez Canal, and are currently working at a bar as bartenders and making Egyptian wages (don't even ask! enough to cover our $3 a day bungallow on the beach) in Dahab, Sinai. The weather is amazing and the snorkeling and diving in the Red Sea is considered the best in the world.

More adventures and photos to come!

Nora and Peter in El Salam Camp, Dahab, Egypt