I seem to have travelled deep into the culture here....but how do you know how deep you are until you get deeper still? I've been staying with an Egyptian family for the last several days. Last night, I had my first egyptian "shower" in a middle-class home (middle class here is not the same as in the US.) No running hot water, so water is heated on the stove, then mixed with cooler water. You use a cup to pour it over yourself. I was skeptical, but felt clean afterwards, albeit a bit cold.

Bahariyya Oasis   I went with Sayid and Naima (a French-Moroccan woman) to Bahariyya and Farafra oases and out to the black and white deserts. I had a a head cold when we left. We took a tourist bus to the oasis. Five cramped and uncomfortable hours later, we meet a man named Talat out in the middle of nowhere (.jpg). He is beautiful. His eyelashes remind me of a camel's, thick and lush. His face reminds me of a fox -- sharp, quick, intelligent, and manipulative. I don't know what he talks to Sayid about, but he talks constantly and asks Lay? Lay? (why? why?) all of the time. I'm attracted to him, but he makes me uncomfortable. He is intense and my socio-path radar goes off when I'm near him. He tells me not to go off with any other guides and repeatedly asks if I understand. I nod my assent and he loads us up into his jeep.

He takes us to his family's home for some reason. We are sitting in a courtyard watching chickens run around. The courtyard is dirty, but peaceful. Many women (surprisingly with uncovered heads) are doing food preparation inside the home. It's Ramadan, so presumably the food is for iftar (break fast), but one of them brings Naima and I a tray. The food is marvelous. It is the best food I've eaten since I've been in Egypt. I eat until I'm stuffed. The flies are thickly swarming around us, and I try to bat at them, but there are too many of them and only one of me. I eat anyway.

From there, Talat takes us to a property that he has built out. This is where we will spend the night. It's peaceful, simple, but clean. Though the only electricity is from a generator, there is running water and flush toilets. At night, there isn't much to do, so we sit around a fire roasting peanuts and talking. Talat plays something as if he's playing a drum and starts to sing. I wish he would continue, but he doesn't.

The next day, I could feel that wonderful meal brewing in my gut -- a dark angry feeling in my intestines. But I kept eating anyway, imagining myself magically immune or protected by my 3x/daily potion of liquid Pepto Bismol which is supposed to keep the buggies away by coating the stomach. But I was seriously tempting fate and I lost. At the end of our desert journey, we came back to this same house when I had to use the squat toilet/bathroom. The kitchen was filthy. I may have become sick from elsewhere, but I doubt it. I can't believe it tasted so good. ;->

By the time we headed for the white desert (.jpg), I knew I was sick. I think I will spare you the details....but let's say that being ill when there is not a bathroom around for miles is an unusual experience that I'd prefer not to repeat. Thankfully, I was around friends....but for two days in the desert, I ate almost nothing. (Typical conversation: Talat - La'yla....how you feel? Me - Meesh qwy-es (not so good.) Every bump of the Jeep roiled my gut further.

At one point, I was behind the mushroom, getting sick in several directions (if you know what I mean.) Talat followed me around, trying to hit on me. If it wasn't dark out, he would have seen the most astounded look on my face as I told him to please give me some privacy. I can't believe he's trying to flirt with me while my bowels are about to bust open. He complains bitterly that Sayid won't let him near me. I wonder if Sayid is being protective or jealous. I finally convince Talat to leave me to my sickness in peace. He disappears back to the other side of the mushroom.

We spent the last night that we would have spent camping back at the oasis encampment (with flush toilets!!)

Even while sick, it felt like each new thing brought me joy despite it all. The white desert is one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. Four days after we left, we headed back to Cairo. It had been raining so the air was actually clear!