Image from FHM (published online and in the October print issue):
12.17.2009
Nothing much
It's been just over a month since I posted last and I guess I haven't had much to blog about. I'm just working and have had a lot of projects from portrait sittings to model portfolio, and of course, the dreaded Christmas themed imagery. I had several glamour images printed of my model friend Wendi Handley in the October issue of FHM magazine (Philippines). That was cool. And supposedly, I have an image in Maxim online December issue but I've yet to find it and haven't been provided a link. Hmmm.
11.12.2009
Time flies
It's been just over a month since I returned from my trip and I've had so much going on. I was sick for a little while and apparently brought a bug back with me, had neck and back problems from carrying my backpack all over but probably more so from the bus squishing me in Cairo, and I've been busy with shoots. It's been a long month but I'm feeling better. I was in LA last weekend shooting and had two excellent photo sessions. I scheduled five shoots and three were cancelled hours before. Oh well, it was upsetting but I'll keep rolling. With the extra time I had I went to my favorite massage place--Pho Siam Thai Spa rocks, hung out in little Tokyo, and because people bailed on me I just had time to relax which I needed anyway.
I have to mention my model friend, XiXi Yang, who I've had the opportunity to work with in LA a couple times now. Last Sunday was my second shoot with her and we've captured some awesome images together. She's wonderful and such a pleasure to work with. Check her blog out at www.xixiyang.com. Fun stuff!
10.16.2009
This time last week
Last Friday I was sitting at JFK waiting on my return flight to San Diego, exhausted from my trip and ready to get home. It's amazing how quickly time passes. I look back and think how wonderful but short the trip was and I am having a bit of travel withdraw. I find myself thinking of new locations to run off to now and Tokyo or Hong Kong may be next on my list. I've caught a bug and it wants to travel.
10.10.2009
I'm home
It was a long day of travel yesterday, 27 hours. I made it back last night around 8pm, San Diego time. I talked with my friend Kim, who apartment sat for me, and after I unpacked and took a shower I was out. It's noon now and I'm just getting started with my day. The trip already seems so distant. I was talking with a neighbor who has traveled extensively and he said he felt bad for me because he knows I'll be going through what he called, "travel withdraw"; thinking about the trip and and still wanting to be traveling. I think that's true as I already feel I would like to have had a few more days. SO much I didn't do and didn't see but what I experienced was amazing.
Pictures coming soon!
Pictures coming soon!
Final leg
October 8th - 4:45pm, somewhere over the Midwest
I'm on the last leg of my trip in the air somewhere over the Midwest. I had a ten hour layover at JFK today... got on my flight at 4pm, easy coast time, and have been in the air now for a little over an hour. It's strange that I look back on the last two weeks and it went so quick, and now feels so distant. I had a wonderf time and an adventure that will last in my memories for the rest of my life. I took so many images and I guess this is one thing that slowed me down in terms of getting more in. I've been talking with people on the phone today and really my only regreat is not getting in more. When you travel alone though I think it becomes more dificult to navigate through things. I set everything up myself and had a lot of trials. Some days were challanging and as I told a friend there were a couple days where I just didn't want to go out and explore but I pushed myself and worked through fears, difficulties, and some deep lonlyness. There was one point where I encountered a bus that could have ended very badly but with all that you push yourself and you move forward and continue to experience life.
The trip was rewarding to say the least. I fulfilled childhood dreams and really what more could you ask for. The opportunity to see things that you dreamed of and the chance to touch and walk on ground that holds so much history was amazing. I would do it all again and I hope to one day go back and see and experiance more. I've been to Egypt.
I'm on the last leg of my trip in the air somewhere over the Midwest. I had a ten hour layover at JFK today... got on my flight at 4pm, easy coast time, and have been in the air now for a little over an hour. It's strange that I look back on the last two weeks and it went so quick, and now feels so distant. I had a wonderf time and an adventure that will last in my memories for the rest of my life. I took so many images and I guess this is one thing that slowed me down in terms of getting more in. I've been talking with people on the phone today and really my only regreat is not getting in more. When you travel alone though I think it becomes more dificult to navigate through things. I set everything up myself and had a lot of trials. Some days were challanging and as I told a friend there were a couple days where I just didn't want to go out and explore but I pushed myself and worked through fears, difficulties, and some deep lonlyness. There was one point where I encountered a bus that could have ended very badly but with all that you push yourself and you move forward and continue to experience life.
The trip was rewarding to say the least. I fulfilled childhood dreams and really what more could you ask for. The opportunity to see things that you dreamed of and the chance to touch and walk on ground that holds so much history was amazing. I would do it all again and I hope to one day go back and see and experiance more. I've been to Egypt.
6:19am, wheels on the ground at JFK
October 9th - 9:00am, east coast time
We landed at JFK at 6:19am and the cabin broke into aplause. We didn't have a rough flight or anything, people were just happy to be on the ground in the US. It was a long flight though, elleven and a half hours. After I got off the plane I went through passport control and security, it was good to be back. The last two weeks have been adventurous to say the least.
We landed at JFK at 6:19am and the cabin broke into aplause. We didn't have a rough flight or anything, people were just happy to be on the ground in the US. It was a long flight though, elleven and a half hours. After I got off the plane I went through passport control and security, it was good to be back. The last two weeks have been adventurous to say the least.
10.08.2009
Cairo airport
October 8th - 11pm
Just went through security which took about 45 minutes. Seriously, I went through several stations. I'm sitting at the gate now and have about an hour before boarding. I hired a driver from the hotel and Ali was awesome. It was like driving with a madman, and he was so nice to talk with. I think he got me here in record time. It's a good thing too because the airport is packed. Anyway, I'll be in New York tomorrow morning, 6:30am. Cool,... I was just getting comfortable with traveling though but I'm happy to get back to the states.
Updated 10.10.2009
I didn't want to type this when I was at the airport in Cairo because I wanted to get on my flight and I was using the free wifi. I went through two x-ray scans, had two body searches (pat downs), had a 10 minutes conversation about my travel in Egypt at one check point, and then passport control where I answered a few more questions. The process took about an hour and by the time I got to the waiting area I only sat for 15 minutes or so until the bus arrived to take passengers to the plane. It's strange, they don't have skyport type walkways like in the US. You are taken to the plane on the bus and board through either the front or rear doors of the plane by stairs.
Just went through security which took about 45 minutes. Seriously, I went through several stations. I'm sitting at the gate now and have about an hour before boarding. I hired a driver from the hotel and Ali was awesome. It was like driving with a madman, and he was so nice to talk with. I think he got me here in record time. It's a good thing too because the airport is packed. Anyway, I'll be in New York tomorrow morning, 6:30am. Cool,... I was just getting comfortable with traveling though but I'm happy to get back to the states.
Updated 10.10.2009
I didn't want to type this when I was at the airport in Cairo because I wanted to get on my flight and I was using the free wifi. I went through two x-ray scans, had two body searches (pat downs), had a 10 minutes conversation about my travel in Egypt at one check point, and then passport control where I answered a few more questions. The process took about an hour and by the time I got to the waiting area I only sat for 15 minutes or so until the bus arrived to take passengers to the plane. It's strange, they don't have skyport type walkways like in the US. You are taken to the plane on the bus and board through either the front or rear doors of the plane by stairs.
All is good
October 8th - 3:00am
I can't sleep so I thought I would explain why in my last post I think Egypt is trying to kill me. I was kidding but yesterday was a bit tough. It started good and I slept a little late, got up and had breakfast at the hotel,... cheese, bread, olives, and cucumbers. I packed my bag, checked out, and headded for the train station. It was about a 20 to 25 minute walk. I asked one of the police officers where the ticket window was when I arrived and was directed down platform 1. Next, I had to figure out which window, the first one was not it and I was told be the laddy behind the glass to go in another line, she didn't say which one. So, I get in another line and was able to ask someone before I waisted a lot of time again. This line was good. I get to the window and find that first class is sold out, I get a second class ticket which is pretty cheap, EL 19.00. The first class ticket is either EL 35.00 or EL 55.00, depending on the time you pick to leave. I have my ticket and I'm not really sure about traveling second class but I leave the station to find the Roman amphitheater ruins. It's easy enough to find, just one block over from the train station. I have several hours before I need to get back and I spend most of my time walking around the ruins at the theater. I was going to walk to another sight but had run into a person I meant on the plane. She and her husband are in Egypt for a conferance and are from the UTC neighborhood of San Diego. We talked for 15 minutes or so and then her tour group started boarding the bus. After talking with her about the location I wanted to visit I decided not to walk there and instead walk around Alexandria with no destination.
It was time to head back to the train station and find out what platform I needed to be on. One of the things I've done on this trip when traveling by train is to double check and ask a few people where I'm supposed to be. Yesterday, I had five differnet answers and one person just said not here and brushed me away with his hand. The consistant answer was platform 8. I went to platform 8, bought some drinks from a vendor and asked one more time where I should be, he told me I was in the right place. I sit and relaxas I have a half hour before departure. As I'm waiting I notice that after about fiftenn minutes no one else is on the platform. Everyone left. A train pulled in but it's on platform 6. The vendor yells over at me, "hey mister, that train." I get up and run over to the other platform. I get in my car, find the seat and all is good. Second class isn't bad. A little more run down than first class but it's good. By the end of the trip though, we've picked up so many people that they're standing and have packed the car. I am the only white boy on the train so everyone is looking at me like what's he doing here. We pull into Cairo around 6:30pm. I head for the subway and get a ticket. I'm off to Sadat square. I'm looking forward to getting to the hotel and relaxing but when I walk the mile and arrive I find that they gave my room to someone else. I get my EL 100 deposit back but now have to look for something. I spend a half hour online searching and making some phone calls. Nothing. I also find that a friend I had been talking to online for a couple of weeks is also in Cairo and she wants to meet at the hotel. I wait until 9 for her and have to leave for food. I walk back downtown because I know there's hostels close to the area. I eat find a hostel, the first one I walk into. By this time it's 10:30. My friend went to the other hostel but we were able to connect through msn. She grabbs a cab to Talaat Harb circle and comes to meet me. We spend a couple hours talking and I walk her back to her hostel around 1am. Daisy had some great story about her travels in Egypt and I shared mine. It was really cool to connect online with someone from another country (she's from China) and then meet up with them.
Speaking of China, there are so many Chinese, and Japanese, people touring Egypt. Lots of people from Europe too. I've seen very few Americans though. I think the largest American group I've seen is a tour group at the Roman aphitheater,... It was a retirement home let loose.
I can't sleep so I thought I would explain why in my last post I think Egypt is trying to kill me. I was kidding but yesterday was a bit tough. It started good and I slept a little late, got up and had breakfast at the hotel,... cheese, bread, olives, and cucumbers. I packed my bag, checked out, and headded for the train station. It was about a 20 to 25 minute walk. I asked one of the police officers where the ticket window was when I arrived and was directed down platform 1. Next, I had to figure out which window, the first one was not it and I was told be the laddy behind the glass to go in another line, she didn't say which one. So, I get in another line and was able to ask someone before I waisted a lot of time again. This line was good. I get to the window and find that first class is sold out, I get a second class ticket which is pretty cheap, EL 19.00. The first class ticket is either EL 35.00 or EL 55.00, depending on the time you pick to leave. I have my ticket and I'm not really sure about traveling second class but I leave the station to find the Roman amphitheater ruins. It's easy enough to find, just one block over from the train station. I have several hours before I need to get back and I spend most of my time walking around the ruins at the theater. I was going to walk to another sight but had run into a person I meant on the plane. She and her husband are in Egypt for a conferance and are from the UTC neighborhood of San Diego. We talked for 15 minutes or so and then her tour group started boarding the bus. After talking with her about the location I wanted to visit I decided not to walk there and instead walk around Alexandria with no destination.
It was time to head back to the train station and find out what platform I needed to be on. One of the things I've done on this trip when traveling by train is to double check and ask a few people where I'm supposed to be. Yesterday, I had five differnet answers and one person just said not here and brushed me away with his hand. The consistant answer was platform 8. I went to platform 8, bought some drinks from a vendor and asked one more time where I should be, he told me I was in the right place. I sit and relaxas I have a half hour before departure. As I'm waiting I notice that after about fiftenn minutes no one else is on the platform. Everyone left. A train pulled in but it's on platform 6. The vendor yells over at me, "hey mister, that train." I get up and run over to the other platform. I get in my car, find the seat and all is good. Second class isn't bad. A little more run down than first class but it's good. By the end of the trip though, we've picked up so many people that they're standing and have packed the car. I am the only white boy on the train so everyone is looking at me like what's he doing here. We pull into Cairo around 6:30pm. I head for the subway and get a ticket. I'm off to Sadat square. I'm looking forward to getting to the hotel and relaxing but when I walk the mile and arrive I find that they gave my room to someone else. I get my EL 100 deposit back but now have to look for something. I spend a half hour online searching and making some phone calls. Nothing. I also find that a friend I had been talking to online for a couple of weeks is also in Cairo and she wants to meet at the hotel. I wait until 9 for her and have to leave for food. I walk back downtown because I know there's hostels close to the area. I eat find a hostel, the first one I walk into. By this time it's 10:30. My friend went to the other hostel but we were able to connect through msn. She grabbs a cab to Talaat Harb circle and comes to meet me. We spend a couple hours talking and I walk her back to her hostel around 1am. Daisy had some great story about her travels in Egypt and I shared mine. It was really cool to connect online with someone from another country (she's from China) and then meet up with them.
Speaking of China, there are so many Chinese, and Japanese, people touring Egypt. Lots of people from Europe too. I've seen very few Americans though. I think the largest American group I've seen is a tour group at the Roman aphitheater,... It was a retirement home let loose.
10.07.2009
Egypt is trying to kill me
October 7th - 10:30pm
I just checked in to the Lialy hostel downtown in Talaat Harb circle. I got off the train around 6:30pm from Alexandria, took the subway to Sadat square, and then walked to the Juliana hostel in Garden City. I booked with them before checking out last week and paid an EL 100 deposit. I get there tonight and find that they gave my room to someone else. I get the deposit back but I had no place to stay so I got online and started looking. Everything was booked, no rooms or way to expensive, like in the 2 and 300 US dollar range. I walked to Talaat Harb circle because I knew there were hostels in the area. The first one I checked, the Lialy, had a room. Yes!
I just checked in to the Lialy hostel downtown in Talaat Harb circle. I got off the train around 6:30pm from Alexandria, took the subway to Sadat square, and then walked to the Juliana hostel in Garden City. I booked with them before checking out last week and paid an EL 100 deposit. I get there tonight and find that they gave my room to someone else. I get the deposit back but I had no place to stay so I got online and started looking. Everything was booked, no rooms or way to expensive, like in the 2 and 300 US dollar range. I walked to Talaat Harb circle because I knew there were hostels in the area. The first one I checked, the Lialy, had a room. Yes!
On my way to Cairo
October 7th - 11am
I just checked out of the hotel Egypt and I'm walking over to the train station to get a ticket back to Cairo. I hope to catch an afternoon train and miss the rush. I should get into Cairo by 6pm.
I just checked out of the hotel Egypt and I'm walking over to the train station to get a ticket back to Cairo. I hope to catch an afternoon train and miss the rush. I should get into Cairo by 6pm.
10.06.2009
Where's Alexandria
October 6th - 9:30pm
I've been walking around Alexandria all day. I just returned to relax, take a shower, then go to sleep. I started off my day by eating at Athenos resturant right around the corner from the hotel. I had a fish, mushroom, curry dish which was so good. Like really good. I've never had a curry dish with fish that tasted so good. And the fish... ahhh
I left the resturant in search of a bank to exchange some of my US dollars. I went to four banks and two were closed, the other two were the same branch but their computers went down. I decided to keep walking and about 20 minutes later I arrived at the Alexandria National Museum. I was shocked at how small it was. For a city to have as much history as Alexandria there's very little to show for it. I can't believe there was only a few rooms of antiquity on display. I have to be missing something. What was on display was wonderful though. After the museum I started walking again and probably walked a couple miles around the city just looking. I finally grabbed a cab and took a ride over to fort Qaitbey. I spent about an hour or so walking around the fort. I was late in getting there so I couldn't get in but I spent time on the boardwalk watching people and taking photographs. After that I walked the roughly two miles back to the hotel, took a half hour break, and headed out again to go shopping. I just got back and the only thing I picked up was a dress shirt, beverages, and stopped to get a yummy pastery topped with fruit, and a hot tea. I'm so tired from walking today and I've been walking so much on this trip. Along with that, it's been so hot that I've lost weight and my pants are starting to fall off. I'm going to have to buy a belt soon, like tomorrow.
So, tomorrow is my last day in Alexandria. I'm kind of sad because I like Alexandria. I would stay a bit longer but there's a few more things I want to see in Cairo. I'm off to the crayziness again. I mean really, Cairo is a bit of madness,... so many people, so much traffic, so much polution. I think if there's one thing I would have to say that's overwhelmingly sad about Egypt is that it's choking on it's trash. Egypt is a beautiful country but saddly it's loosing it's luster to polution. I think that was one of the shocking things for me when visiting Saqqara and Giza. The amount of trash on the ground at those locations was sad. And not only that, but the amount of people that visit are taking a toll on the locations. You can see bag marks (people with backpack or shoulder bags scrapping or rubbing the walls), oil from hands over years and years of touching, and vandalizim. The one place where some of this was an exception was Luxor. It was so clean in comparison. Anyway,... I forgot to mention that I was stopped on the street again by several people and spent several mimutes talking today. One guy came running up behind me and stopped me for a while just to ask questions. He is an accountant, has two kids, a wife, is 54 years old, has traveled to England and Switzerland, wants his brother to get him and his familly in the US (New Jersey), and smokes heavely. People are very friendly and open in Egypt.
I've been walking around Alexandria all day. I just returned to relax, take a shower, then go to sleep. I started off my day by eating at Athenos resturant right around the corner from the hotel. I had a fish, mushroom, curry dish which was so good. Like really good. I've never had a curry dish with fish that tasted so good. And the fish... ahhh
I left the resturant in search of a bank to exchange some of my US dollars. I went to four banks and two were closed, the other two were the same branch but their computers went down. I decided to keep walking and about 20 minutes later I arrived at the Alexandria National Museum. I was shocked at how small it was. For a city to have as much history as Alexandria there's very little to show for it. I can't believe there was only a few rooms of antiquity on display. I have to be missing something. What was on display was wonderful though. After the museum I started walking again and probably walked a couple miles around the city just looking. I finally grabbed a cab and took a ride over to fort Qaitbey. I spent about an hour or so walking around the fort. I was late in getting there so I couldn't get in but I spent time on the boardwalk watching people and taking photographs. After that I walked the roughly two miles back to the hotel, took a half hour break, and headed out again to go shopping. I just got back and the only thing I picked up was a dress shirt, beverages, and stopped to get a yummy pastery topped with fruit, and a hot tea. I'm so tired from walking today and I've been walking so much on this trip. Along with that, it's been so hot that I've lost weight and my pants are starting to fall off. I'm going to have to buy a belt soon, like tomorrow.
So, tomorrow is my last day in Alexandria. I'm kind of sad because I like Alexandria. I would stay a bit longer but there's a few more things I want to see in Cairo. I'm off to the crayziness again. I mean really, Cairo is a bit of madness,... so many people, so much traffic, so much polution. I think if there's one thing I would have to say that's overwhelmingly sad about Egypt is that it's choking on it's trash. Egypt is a beautiful country but saddly it's loosing it's luster to polution. I think that was one of the shocking things for me when visiting Saqqara and Giza. The amount of trash on the ground at those locations was sad. And not only that, but the amount of people that visit are taking a toll on the locations. You can see bag marks (people with backpack or shoulder bags scrapping or rubbing the walls), oil from hands over years and years of touching, and vandalizim. The one place where some of this was an exception was Luxor. It was so clean in comparison. Anyway,... I forgot to mention that I was stopped on the street again by several people and spent several mimutes talking today. One guy came running up behind me and stopped me for a while just to ask questions. He is an accountant, has two kids, a wife, is 54 years old, has traveled to England and Switzerland, wants his brother to get him and his familly in the US (New Jersey), and smokes heavely. People are very friendly and open in Egypt.
The Egypt hotel
October 6th - 11:30 am
I just checked into my new room at the Egypt hotel. As I type this I'm sitting on the corner of the bed looking out of the french doors at the bay and fort Qaitbey. The hotel is just one block over from the place I stayed last night (I paid $24.00 US but that was to much for that place). I'm on the third floor and overlooking the main street, and bay. Everything is booked around here so I wasn't sure I would get in this morning but someone cancelled and I picked up an awesome room for $58.00 US. I think I can sleep well tonight. And, it's clean. Sweet!
I'm off to get lunch and walk around Alexandria.
- Fort Qaitbey was built in 1480 and sits on the ground where the Pharos lighthouse once stood.
I just checked into my new room at the Egypt hotel. As I type this I'm sitting on the corner of the bed looking out of the french doors at the bay and fort Qaitbey. The hotel is just one block over from the place I stayed last night (I paid $24.00 US but that was to much for that place). I'm on the third floor and overlooking the main street, and bay. Everything is booked around here so I wasn't sure I would get in this morning but someone cancelled and I picked up an awesome room for $58.00 US. I think I can sleep well tonight. And, it's clean. Sweet!
I'm off to get lunch and walk around Alexandria.
- Fort Qaitbey was built in 1480 and sits on the ground where the Pharos lighthouse once stood.
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