Technology at the Pyramids

 

I took many pictures while visiting the pyramids in Egypt, but this is one of my favorites. If you look closely, this man is chatting away to a friend while sitting at the base of one of the pyramids in Giza. No matter where I go in the world, people always have cell phones. In fact, this man probably had a cell phone even before I did! They may not have running water or electricity, but they always have a cell phone. Even when I'm really off the beaten path, the local people always seem to have at least one cell phone. Globalization really is amazing and I am so glad that people all over the world have access to technology because it creates economic opportunities that they otherwise would not have. I've heard of women who establish co-ops and then collectively sell their crafts overseas, and rural farmers who are able to determine the competitive market price for their crops because of access to global markets and networks, all through the use of their cell phones. I may not always understand technology, but it sure is amazing how it can change so many peoples lives.

Riding Bikes

Happy Halloween! Fall is the perfect season to ride bikes.

I have an aunt who is a devout bicycle advocate. She and my 89-year old grandmother live in San Diego and, for them, bicycling is a way of life. They ride a tandem recumbent tricycle as their primary mode of transportation for all grocery shopping, appointments and getting my grandmother to and from her many classes (she still takes dance and acting classes every day of the week). My grandma also has a single recumbent tricycle with a straight back seat for when she's biking solo, which is my personal favorite to use when I'm visiting. And my fiancee, Andrew, prefers my aunt's sporty, low to the ground recumbent tricycle. We love taking long rides along the ocean on Highway 101 with my grandma and aunt on the recumbent tandem tricycle, Andrew on the sporty recumbent, and me on the straight back. Needless to say, we always attract quite a crowd!

In DC, I also love to bike. I commute to work on a hand-me-down mountain bike, but I'm in search of a bike that's chosen just for me. I'm thinking either a dutch bike or a mixed road/cruiser. I also bike on the weekends on the C&O Canal, Capital Crescent Trail and Rock Creek Park, which is in our backyard.

I've learned everything I know about about bicycle safety from my aunt, who has committed her life to educating people about bicycle safety. Below is the safety manual that she created. Happy cycling!

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Tea in the City of the Dead, Cairo, Egypt

 

Happy Halloween weekend! I took these photos in Cairo's "City of the Dead." The City of the Dead is a four-mile grid of tombs and mausoleums where people live and work among their ancestors. These two men, who were drinking tea and visiting with each other when I met them, are the caretakers of one of the largest sections of tombs. I sat and had a cup of sweet Egyptian tea with them as they told me about the history of the City of the Dead. In this photo, I especially love their decorated bike, which is holding broomsticks and other tools used to clean the tombs and walkways. I'm not really sure why the man in white is emanating a halo, but I did not edit it.

Garbage City, a neighborhood in Cairo, Egypt

These are portraits of residents of Manshiyat Naser, also know as Garbage City, a slum settlement on the outskirts of Cairo. The economy in Manshiyat Naser revolves around the collection and recycling of the city's garbage. Although the area has streets, shops, and apartments like any neighborhood, it lacks infrastructure and often has no running water, sewage, or electricity. I had my driver take me to this neighborhood for a day so I could see and learn about the informal sector of Cairo's economy.

What I learned is that the city's garbage is brought to Manshiyat Naser by the Zabbaleen, or garbage collectors, who then sort through the garbage to retrieve any potentially useful or recyclable items. As I walked through the streets, there was garbage piled high alongside the road, and I could see dark concrete rooms filled with stacks of garbage. Men, women or children crouch to sort the garbage into "useable" or "sellable" piles. Carts pulled by horse or donkey are stacked high with recyclable goods.

In Manshiyat Naser, families typically specialize in a particular type of garbage which they sort and sell. One room may have children sorting out plastic bottles, while in the next room women are separating out aluminum cans. Anything that can be reused or recycled is saved. Various recycled paper and glass products are made and sold from Manshiyat Naser, and metal is melted down and reused.

Beduin herding goats in Wadi Rum, Jordan

After visiting Petra, a friend and I decided to stay in the Beduin camps in the Wadi Rum region of Jordan. Wadi Rum was made famous by Lawrence of Arabia, the British officer who lived here and served as liaison during the Arab Revolt against Ottoman Turkish rule in the beginning of the 20th century. My friend, Ben (the same friend who I was with with when I took the photo of the Brazilian man with the accordion), and I trekked all through the vast landscape, climbing rocks and getting lost (We literally got lost, but fortunately were rescued by a neighboring Beduin camp around sunset. But the rescue was late enough that we had already started plotting how we would survive the night outside in the elements!). This photo is of a Beduin herding his goats. Note his head scarf, which is a red and white checkered print. Jordanians wear these scarves in all different checkered colors, but the most popular are red and white, or black and white.

Melted menorah in Mea Shearim, Jerusalem

This photo was taken in Mea Shearim, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Jerusalem. Mea Shearim is almost entirely populated by Hassidic and ultra-Orthodox Jews, like this man in the photo. When I took this photo, I was most curious about the story behind the melted menorah sitting beside the dumpster. What caused the menorah to melt like that, and why did its owners just throw it in the trash?

Prayers at the Kotel in Jerusalem

I took this photo of the Kotel, or the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem. It's the only remaining wall of the Temple Mount and was built at the end of the Second Temple period at around 19 BCE. I was able to get this angle by standing on a temporary ramp that leads up to the Al Aqsa Mosque, which sits above the Western Wall. This was my second trip to Jerusalem, and each time I visit I am overtaken by the religious energy and passion of the Orthodox men dancing and the women solemnly praying. Upon closer examination of the stones that make up the wall, you see tiny folded notes and prayers lodged into the nooks and crannies left by thousands of visitors. Many Jews believe that this is the most direct way to send prayers to God because it is the closest religious site to the Holy of Holies.

Woman watching strike in Bolivia

I took these photos in Tupiza, Bolivia during a worker's strike that effectively closed all the roads and highways in the country. Needless to say, I ended up spending much more time in this little town than I had initially anticipated. This woman was sitting outside her home watching the strikers protest in the streets and blockade the roads. She is wearing a traditional Bolivian dress with a brown hat, red sweater and shawl, and a blue and white checkered blanket over her legs. I found the juxtaposition of her sitting in the doorway, the graffiti on the wall, and the railroad tracks in front of her home to be really interesting.

Tango dancing in Buenes Aires

You may recognize the red shoes on this tango dancer because those are her dancing feet at the top of this blog's homepage. I met this tango dancer and her partner in Buenes Aires in 2005. They were dancing in a neighborhood square in San Telmo, and as they danced, crowds and crowds gathered around. I love the way she's stretching and arching her back, and her blue dress with the red shoes. Pienso que ella es muy bonita!

Here is another photo I took in Buenes Aires, but in the La Boca neighborhood where the fisherman live. All the buildings in this neighborhood are painted bright colors because the locals use leftover boat paint on their houses. In this photo, I love the cat sitting on the ledge and the reflection in the window. Enjoy!

Fresh corn in Peru

Before starting law school, my mom and I took a trip together to Peru. We met this woman on a rural street as we traveled from Machu Piccu to Cusco. She was maybe 5 ft. tall and was selling corn from her house, which was just over a rickety old bridge alongside some railroad tracks. I love the wrinkles on her face, her serene smile, and how her hat sits on her head. She was so proud to pose for this picture and can you believe the stock of corn on her house? I love fresh corn!

Accordions in Brazil

I met this Brazilian man when I was hiking with a friend. We were on a 4-day trek in a national park near Salvador de Bahia and this man's home was deep into the park. He had been plastering the walls of his home that day and his feet were caked in dried plaster. In their small, one room home, his wife cooked us dinner and he and his sons played traditional Brazilian folk music, with him on the accordion and his sons on guitar. I will never forget the worn look on his face contrasting with the spirit with which he sang. I was lucky that I was with my dear friend, Ben, who speaks fluent Portuguese and was able to translate everything, otherwise I would have never been able to do this trek or meet this man and his family. Obrigadu, Ben. Besos!

Portuguese fisherman

Last April my fiance, Andrew, and I took a vacation to Portugal. We loved the people, the food (what more does one need than bacalau and wine?), the architecture and the music. It was during the last few days of our trip, when we rented a car to drive along to Atlantic coast, when I finally met some Portuguese fishermen. This photo was taken in Estoril, when we stopped in for an afternoon to visit the docks. I loved this man not only because he was so helpful and directed us exactly to where we wanted to go, but also because of the character in his face. I love his bushy ears. Also, under his hat he had a serious, serious farmer's tan! Can you still call it that even when it's not on the arms? When skiing, we call it raccoon eyes, so maybe I should be calling this a raccoon forehead. Anyway, we loved talking with him and his fishermen friends.