Why Not? More Importantly Why Go to Egypt?

When I was a kid, one of my dreams was to go to Egypt and see the pyramids.  Millions of people have had that dream.  Millions of people have lived that dream.  But, times change, governments change, people change, and dreams follow suit.  I changed my dreams about going to Egypt at one point, because of a lot of things.  But, not because I was no longer interested.  There are so many things to see and do in Egypt that I couldn't possibly talk about all of them here.  So, instead of that, I've decided to hit a topic head on.

Tahrir Square is at the heart of Cairo.  It's one of those dreaded traffic circle areas that I personally  hate.  It's been the center of so many things in history, that it's hard to list them all.  At one point there was a Kentucky Fried Chicken joint not far from there.

Unfortunately, in 2011 this square became the center of attention for all media in the world as Egypt had a revolution.  Now, anyone will tell you that a little revolution now and then is a good thing, but that attitude dries up fast when it really happens.  It's over now, but people still remember.  People drive through there every day again, but it sticks in people's minds.  Then you have a Russian plane crash and it gets worse.  Soon, nobody wants to come and see your pyramids because they are afraid that something will happen to them.  It's the way these days.  At the least little thing, people run away.  They're wussies.

Egyptian people suffer from this.  In a country that depends on tourism for so much of its income, this type of event can be catastrophic.  In some parts of Egypt, tourism revenues have been down as much as %95.  That's terrible.  But this is why you should come and visit.

The pyramids are still at Giza.  They've been there for thousands of years, and a little revolution won't get rid of them if WWII didn't.  The great part about coming now is all the personal attention you get.  You can get a great guide easy these days.  The crowds aren't there either.  You can roam around the place unannoyed.  There won't be people clogging up your iconic pictures.  It's time to take advantage of this.

Valley of the Kings, Saqqara, Luxor.  They're all still there, and they are all virtually free of tourists.  This is one of those times to strike while it's hot.  It's almost summer, and the weather will soon be a little unfriendly itself.  Now is the time to go.  I know it sounds crazy to go to one of those middle eastern hot spots, but it's not.  As long as you don't do anything stupid, you'll be fine.  Just don't offend the Egyptians.  Follow their customs and be polite.  They love tourists.  They make a lot of money off of tourism, and they have been hurting for a while.  Bring your money to spend and you will be well taken care of.

Resort hotels are still there.  Nile River Cruises are still there.  The cruises are closing down all over the place which means that it's just another reason to go.  What if no one came, and all the river cruises close down?  What if no one could ever book a Nile River Cruise again?  They need your business.  Go and do.  It's a beautiful country with beautiful people and exotic locations.  It's Egypt.  This place looks like another world.  You don't want to miss out on that because of a little revolution and a plane crash.

Don't give up your dreams of seeing pyramids because of some bad luck on the part of the Egyptian people.  Take the chance to see an amazing place and meet amazing people.  Sure, check the State Department site for potential problems, but do that wherever you go.  Be practical. Check your facts before you go.  Check the Egyptian tourism site to make sure you know how to behave.  Take your shoes off in a mosque.  Don't dress outrageously.  Don't expect everyone to speak English.  Learn the rules, but still go and have a great time.  Don't risk missing a once in a lifetime experience that you've dreamed of since you were a little kid.  Just go.  Go and have an amazing time in an amazing place full of amazing people.  Forget the revolution.  Go and see the pyramids.  Go and help the economy of a great country. Go and see Egypt before the crowds come back.  You'll be glad that you led the way. Enjoy!

http://www.travel2egypt.com/Travel/Egypt/Vacation/Cairo-Nile-Cruises/index.html
http://www.egypt.travel/
http://www.touregypt.net/
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http://www.kensingtontours.com/Travel/Tours/Egypt?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=cairo+egypt+hotels+Broad&utm_campaign=BING-LeadGen-Egypt
http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/tag/ministry-of-tourism/
http://www.fia.com/about-fia/member-clubs/ministry-tourism-arab-republic-egypt
http://www.pilgrimtours.com/egypt-tours/
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/09/world/middleeast/egypts-tourism-industry-grows-desperate-amid-sustained-turmoil.html?_r=0
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/29/egypt-tourism-revenue-falls-95-percent
http://www.sonesta.com/NileCruises/
http://www.nilerivercruise.com/
http://www.vikingrivercruises.com/cruise-destinations/egypt/index.html
http://www.ancient-egypt.org/_v3d/index.html
http://discoveringegypt.com/pyramids-temples-of-egypt/step-pyramid-at-saqqara/
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5309.htm
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/egypt/nile-valley/luxor
http://www.gizapyramid.com/
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings
http://terri-dixon.pixels.com/
https://www.facebook.com/adventuresforanyone?fref=ts
https://www.fictionpress.com/u/530752/Nina-Kindred

Bonus Blog With Local Stuff in Kingston, New York!

Today I took a little drive over to the Hudson River Valley and visited a city that I like more all the time.  That city is Kingston, New York.  Kingston is mid upstate New York in the Hudson Valley, just across the way from Rhinebeck and Red Hook.  This is one of those spots along the river that has had a little bit of a rough way to go, but as of late, they are getting it together.  Kingston was along the whaling route back in the day, and while the Hudson River is still a shipping lane, things have changed.  During the days of industry leaving the area, Kingston ran into some rough times.  When I first moved to New England it was called a slum.  But today they are reviving the waterfront and getting it together.

The riverfront walkway and park is dedicated to T.R. Gallo.  He was the mayor here years ago.  The walkway goes along the water, not to be confused with the Hudson, because that's a little ways off.  It's still a beautiful waterfront and it does connect to the Hudson River.

The area is coming along nicely with a lot of restaurants and bistros, and a great visitor center with very helpful ladies.  They even helped us pick out a great place to have lunch.  There are several bridges towering overhead as well along the water that make for some great photos.

Today there isn't much going on down on the waterfront, but the fire department was taking the opportunity of a beautiful day to flush the tanks on their trucks.  They are a friendly bunch that took the time to show us how all of the trucks worked and let us play with the hoses.  There will be much more going on down at the waterfront when the summer season begins. The entire Hudson Valley is very seasonal for tourism.  There will be free concerts, boat tours, activities, festivals, and all kinds of stuff.  The season will be starting soon with things opening for the weekends, so now is the time to look into it.

Along the waterfront is the Maritime Museum.  It is open year round and has a lot of interesting exhibits about the history of ships on the Hudson.  They have a great gift shop too.

The great part about the Hudson Valley waterfront areas, is that they are really promoting the heck out of them lately.  Most of the towns along the river are working on this to improve tourism.  Most of these areas up and down the river have maps to help you find what you want to see and to get around in general.  They are normally located in the park or along the walk right by the water.

But, the thing that I'm waiting for the most this year is the opening of river tour season.  Last year we took the River Rose out of Newburgh.  This year I plan to take the Rip Van Winkle out of Kingston.  This river tour goes down to Hyde Park and back.  I love to take rides on the Hudson, and I can't wait for this one to open.

Kingston has a historic section of town that when the season starts will have a few state houses, and historic residences to tour.  This is one of the things that I love about the Hudson River Valley.  There are tons of famous residences to tour with great architecture and amazing stories.  From FDR's house to the Vanderbilt mansion, there are tons of places to tour.  Whether you take the boat tour out to Bannerman's Castle or schedule a tour of West Point Academy, you will find some great places to see.  Whether you like to eat at the Culinary Institute of America or watch the antique planes fly at the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, you won't be bored in the Hudson River Valley.

The great thing about Kingston, however, is that it's your shopping hub as well.  They have a  mall, a giant Walmart and all the stores that you may want to stop at while you're in town.  There are countless restaurants of all kinds and every chain food place imaginable.  You can even stop in and try something new at Beer World.  There's a lot to do and see in Kingston.  There's also a lot of hiking and some great vistas for photographing.

Gone are the days of Kingston being nothing but slum.  Come on over and visit one of my new favorite cities in the Hudson River Valley of upper New York State.  Come and see Kingston and enjoy!



http://www.booking.com/city/us/kingston-new-york.en.html?aid=346685&label=msn-iXMNSrBciwMkR5nsb3LpFA-8874528171&utm_campaign=NY:+New+York+State&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=bing&utm_term=iXMNSrBciwMkR5nsb3LpFA
http://www.kingston-ny.gov/
http://www.kingstonhappenings.org/
http://www.newyorkupstate.com/?cmpid=NYUS_SEM_Tourism&utm_campaign=NYUp+Tourism&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=ppc&utm_term=%2Bnew+%2Byork+%2Btourism&utm_content=1384623x641246693214028508#/0
http://www.kingston-ny.gov/tourism
http://www.ulstercountyalive.com/
http://www.go-new-york.com/Kingston/Attractions/
http://www.travelhudsonvalley.com/
http://www.iloveny.com/places-to-go/hudson-valley/#.Vw82SHrES70
http://dutchesstourism.com/
http://www.hudsonvalley.org/
http://www.travelhudsonvalley.com/things-to-do/
http://www.hudsonriver.com/
http://hudsonvalleycruise.com/
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http://hudsonrivercruises.com/
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http://www.riverrosecruises.com/
http://thekingstonwaterfront.com/
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings
http://terri-dixon.pixels.com/
https://www.facebook.com/adventuresforanyone?fref=ts
https://www.fictionpress.com/u/530752/Nina-Kindred

It's More Than Some Gorillas

It's a tiny little country that no longer draws much attention, but there were points in time when the tiny country of Rwanda was all over the news.  Virtually none of the news was good for a good many years, and as a result, people sometimes get the wrong impression of this tiny African country.  Through gorilla poaching, the killing of Diane Fossey, the AIDS epidemic, and the genocide during the 1990's; this little country had a lot going on for it's size.  But did any of us really understand this country?  And what is life like there now?

Let's start with Kigali, the nation's capital.  This city has gone through a lot.  But, they are becoming very modern.  The city is coming into the 21st century in a big way.

1994 brought about the genocide that we all heard about in the news.  Being in America, it was sobering, yet it seemed so far away that it was like it wasn't real.  It was real.  259,000 people were killed in only a few months in the Hutu attempt to wipe out the Tutsis.  Today in Kigali there is the Genocide Memorial.  It is believed that several thousand people are buried in the space that the memorial occupies.  As with any memorial of this kind that I have visited; it feels real when you see it up close and personal.  The good news with this abysmal piece of history is that the people are getting past it.  I would love to say that they are all over it, but I can't believe that it's that simple.  Out of respect, if you visit the country; you should visit this memorial.  I always say that you should learn some history when visiting a country.

Another site to see in Kigali is the former Presidential Palace.  This is the other side of the war.  This was once the home of Hutu former President Juvenal Habyarimana.  There are several exhibits at what is now called the State House Museum, including pieces of the former President's plane which was shot down killing the President.  It's an interesting look at pre genocide history.  It's one more thing that helps us to understand the complex history of a fascinating country.

The Tutsis were at the epicenter of the genocide and once again, they are a complex bunch. The Hutu people and the Tutsi have long since been enemies and after the assassination of the President, war was on.  Decades later, the Tutsis invite tourists into their villages and teach them about their culture.  It's a far cry from the lives that they once led.  It's amazing to see how they have survived.

But the biggest tourist draw in Rwanda still remains in the world of the volcanoes.  Volcanoes National Park is a beautiful park full of wildlife, trails, flora, fauna, and cultural experiences.  You can take any of a number of safaris in this park and see all kinds of animals.  You have all the animals that you would expect to see on an African safari like Giraffe, Antelope, Zebras and yes, Monkeys and Gorillas.

"Gorillas in the Mist" was the movie that we all saw that taught us about the plight of the Mountain Gorillas of Eastern Africa.  They were hunted nearly to extinction.  They live in the cloud forests of not only Rwanda, but also Burundi, Tanzania, DRC, and Kenya.  This forested area that falls in these countries is the only place in the world where these animals exist.  Back in the 1960's, Diane Fossey took up the cause to make sure that these majestic animals could live safely in the forest.  She worked tirelessly her entire life to make sure that these animals could be safe and flourish in their home.  She was killed in 1985, but her work lives on through the Diane Fossey Foundation.  In Volcanoes National Park, you can learn all about her work.

What else can you do there?  You can book a guided walk into the world of the Mountain Gorilla.  The walk is one of the most memorable experiences you will ever have.  The gorillas after many years of being protected and seeing humans, have become far less shy than they used to be.  Mothers will let their babies play right in sight of us humans.  It's a great time to go and see these amazing animals.  The walk can only be taken with a guide, and it does take a few hours to do it right.  It's worth it.

If you do take the time to go into the forest, make sure you keep an eye out for another famous resident of the forest, the Golden Monkey.  They also only live there.

Rwanda is an amazing country that has overcome some great atrocities to come into the 21st century on the right path.  The Tutsis are thriving, the cities are improving, and the gorillas are getting used to being looked at instead of shot at.  I've only mentioned a very few amazing things that you can see and do in this incredible tiny country.  Rwanda has gone from one of the most dangerous countries to one of the safest.  Take an incredible journey and see a place that is nothing like it was 20 years ago.  See the result of a people that decided that they had had enough and that it was time to move forward and make it better.  Come and meet the friendly, outgoing, empowered people of Rwanda.  And don't forget to visit the cloud forest and the amazing wildlife that lives there as well. Enjoy!

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http://www.wildernesstravel.com/trip/uganda/bwindi-mountain-gorilla-safari
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https://www.audleytravel.com/us/rwanda?audcmp=365964264&audadg=23990405784&audkey=rwanda%20tours&auddev=c&gclid=CLP_nPisjcwCFRJbhgodAD0OLA
http://www.enchantingtravels.com/ppc-landing-pages/rwanda?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=africa-rwanda-us&utm_term=rwanda%20tours&gclid=CP7urfysjcwCFUJkhgodxMcH_Q
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https://www.facebook.com/adventuresforanyone?fref=ts
https://www.fictionpress.com/u/530752/Nina-Kindred

Took a Little Weird Connecticut Day Trip

What is it?  Well, sometimes in Connecticut we just don't know and have to go out and see for ourselves.  Connecticut is my home and one of the most fascinating microcosms on Earth.  There is such a melting pot in the state of Connecticut that you never know what language you might hear, what churches  may pop up, what kind of restaurants may appear, and there is a whole lot of creativity here no matter what you may have heard.  That being said, the fact that my son and I were driving down Route 3 in Middletown and saw three Yugos on balls didn't seem that odd.  What is it all about?

This is Wild Bill's Nostalgia Shop.  I'd heard a lot about it in the internet world lately, so I thought we should go and check it out.  It was just part of a roadtrip that we took today to see some unusual things.  It's that in between season in Connecticut, and since mother nature decided to drop winter on us for April, there's not a lot to do yet.  It's too late to ski, and it's too early for most other things.  So, we stopped in to see what Wild Bill's was really like.

I must admit, I saw some mighty strange things at Wild Bill's.  I saw a lot of things from old carnivals.  There's a couple of rides, one that looks like an old Himalaya and another that looks like a regulation fun house out back.  There are a couple of painted up Volkswagen Vans.  There is a haunted fun house that I believe has been in progress for some time.  It's all interesting stuff.

Wild Bill's is home to the world's largest Jack in the Box.  For a roadside attraction there are some interesting sights to behold.  But, what is Wild Bill's really about?  For one thing, this is all a product of the love generation.  On Earth Day they are planning a free concert out back to celebrate.  There are hippie things going on here.  But, the thing that I enjoyed about it was the fact that it was also America in action.  This whole place is like an open air art gallery and it's freedom of expression at it's very best.

And, if the outside isn't enough, there's a whole giant store full of all kinds of stuff.  As you enter past the clown and the suit of armor, you realize that you have not entered a typical store.  What did I find?  I found a lot of things.  I found funny posters of Donald Trump.  I found about a million various bobble heads.  I found vintage posters from the sixties, seventies, and eighties.  I found sports memorabilia.  I found art,  clothes, signs, buttons, CD's, LP's, cassettes, vintage video games and even arcade games.  You can buy an Asteroids game there.  Not one for an Atari either; the real arcade deal.  Every inch of the place is covered in curious and interesting throwback items and some new ones too.  It's quite a collection and quite a store.

You never know what you will find.  Question; is it worth the drive?  Answer, on a questionable weather day when you've had just about enough of winter it sure is.  I do think that if you plan to come from a long way's off, I would wait until some more work is done on that haunted fun house.  I love the unusual, and this place certainly is that.  Bill is a hoot too.

After we left Bill in Middletown, we drove on down to Long Wharf in New Haven to check out another curiosity that has landed in our state recently.  Jordan's Furniture.  Doesn't sound curious until you hear about It.  "It" is the largest indoor rope adventure course in the world.  Not what you expect when buying furniture.

Let's start off with the dancing fountains.  This reminded me of the pond in front of the Bellagio in Las Vegas.  They were playing 80's hair band music, which I love and there were people everywhere.  I will say that there were very few people in the furniture part, which is a shame, because they have some great furniture at reasonable prices.  There's a warehouse sized store to go through too.  You should be able to find just about anything there.  They have a whole section for rugs.

But, I digress.  "It" is a multi part course.  There's a food court and the fountains in the middle.  There are sections of rope course on either end.  There are zip lines connecting the two sections of rope course.  It's really quite remarkable.

They have some climbing experiences that are separate from the rest of the course, and they have a mini "It" for the little ones to play on.  You can play for $25 to $30 which is a great deal in the world of zip lines and rope courses.  Not to mention that it's inside where you can enjoy "It" during this awkward in between season in New England.

So, there's two places that are pretty neat to check out on a questionable day in Connecticut.  The best thing about a tiny state like ours is that no matter how small it is, it still packs a bunch of surprises.  I hope to spend some time this summer checking out some more spots in my state to entertain you with.  And, if those prices at Jordan's don't suit you, IKEA is right next door.  The Long Wharf neighborhood of New Haven, CT is full of surprises like the theater and Brazi's Italian Restaurant.  So, pack up the car and take a day trip to some cute and fun spots that you probably never new about.  Spend a little time road tripping in Connecticut.  Enjoy!

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