London's Tube

Since I love subways we went to the London Transport museum, which is directly at the Covent Garden subway (as a side note I wouldn't recommend taking the steps when exiting - there are 193 of them!).

The museum is very kid oriented and unfortunately a little less than I hoped it would be, however the little ones were enjoying themselves. There was a lot to look at, but maybe because I've been to the Deutsches Museum and was able to see how subways were built.

This museum didn't seem as sophisticated, but they did have large exhibits of their underground art series. In all fairness it's dedicated to all forms of transport and not exclusively subways.

The Tube has such an interesting graphic quality - it's easily identifiable and I really appreciate that they have taken a rather mundane space and used it as an art platform. The marketing posters are interesting and definitely have a lot of visual appeal.

The gift shop was really impressive. I loved that you could purchase posters and virtually anything with the tube map on it.

I bought several dish towels for my slightly subway inspired kitchen and my quintessential children's book. They also had toys, dish wear, and clothes, as well as many books spanning all topics of transportation. The shop itself is definitely worth a visit.

London

We had such a fantastic time in London and it was nice to see it with more seasoned eyes.

During my first trip, 6 years ago, I remember being awestruck. Now, after having lived abroad for a couple years in a non-English speaking country, I especially loved the familiarity in language, seeing friends, and touches from home in shopping and restaurants (although we didn't eat at any of them) - I simply appreciated that they were there.

It was also nice to see London on sale for a change. The exchange rate has drastically changed (.90€ = 1£) and even with the 10% price difference, things were very affordable. It was also obvious the price reflection hasn't caught up, because several shops had price tags with € and £'s - but even so it was substantially cheaper to buy in £'s.

Despite the great exchange rate, we didn't spend too much time shopping.

Since we flew in late on Thursday we decided to get an early start and walk around our cute neighborhood - Bloomsbury. It's right in the middle of things and even with the gentle mist it was a really nice walk.

When I visited 6 years ago I went to visit my neighbor and a few friends that were studying abroad from my university. They lived right by Russell Square and it was very surreal to be back and vaguely remember things. I'd love to look at those old pictures and see where the heck I was.

On our way through town we stopped at the British Museum, which is such an amazing collection. One of the things that impresses me the most is that it's completely free, which is how I believe it should be.

You can stroll through and just check things out as you have time. It's great for the proletariat and keeps art and culture accessible to everyone.

We were very intrigued by their large Egyptian art collection, particularly because our guide in Cairo was constantly telling us things were 'in the British Museum'. I remembered seeing the Rosetta Stone on my last trip, but it's very incredible to really think how that one discovery changed the course of history and our knowledge of the past.

I also loved seeing one of the maoi from the Easter Islands. It's so nice to see the size of things and it definitely piques my curiosity into the creators and history of such amazing works.

Last time I visited London was also in the Spring. All of the rain could make things dreary, but there's the pay off of beautiful flowers doting the city and giving a bit more color to the surrounds. It's the kind of city that still finds a way to glow, even with overcasts and drizzly weather.

Even with the rain people were out exploring the markets and walking the streets. That could also be due to the Easter weekend and stores closing for the holiday, but I think London always has a liveliness to it.

For lunch we met up with Caitlin, Liane, Jessica and her husband at Wahaca, which is a 'Mexican street food' restaurant. The food and company were both fantastic. It's so nice to meet up with other expats who have the common bond of the trials and tribulations that come from being an international couple.

I have to admit I'm envious that they are able to meet up with each other more frequently and that they have so many touches of home at their fingertips. I guess we just have to plan more trips to visit - even for a short weekend or overnight getaway the food, shopping, and meeting with friends is certainly well worth it.

The food at Wahaca comes in small portions, which was so nice because it allowed us to sample many dishes that we dearly miss. I still can't figure out why (edible) Mexican hasn't made it's way over the the channel to mainland Europe. I guess we're a little less progressive over here.

Spotted by Locals

It's no secret that I love to travel and spend hours and hours of my life planning for trips... not only planning, but making them happen. 

I love to find obscure restaurants, beautiful quiet spaces, interesting street art, tiny details, and meticulously designed hotels. Every single aspect makes me feel alive and I wouldn't trade my life for anything. 

I'm obviously a very visual person and learning about things through my own eyes and experiences is for me what life is about. Thankfully Stefan understands my enthusiasm and is willing to go to most places that interest me.

Sometimes the best way to experience a city is to wander around and get a bit lost, but I can't deny I'm a planner. I want to visit the best pastry shops, restaurants, museums, and stores, to really soak in the culture. Through my travels I prepare by talking to my friends, who span the globe, and try to get their local perspective. I also read, read, read. 

It always warms my little heart when Stefan tells me he can't believe the hotel we're staying in or the restaurant we just got reservations at for dinner. He doesn't get loads of time off, so I really want to make sure he enjoys it as much as I do.

This week I stumbled upon Spotted by Locals and I am loving it. Suddenly the cities where I don't know someone feel like people are opening their secret resources to me, which is why I want to share it with you.

Right now only Europe is represented, but it's such a stellar idea.

I can't wait to share some of the wonderful places we'll be visiting this week in London. I already have a few surprises I'm looking forward to.

Happy Travels! 

chèvre rosemary cheesecakes

This weekend I decided to bake some chèvre rosemary cheesecakes with a biscotti crust that I saw on food gawker.

Lately I've had a bit of an obsession with rosemary - and I love goat cheese. It helps to have a willing person to test my recipes on, although Stefan's not as harsh a critic as I am. I should be happy about that.

These we both agreed were really delicious. I only made 1/3 of the original recipe considering we're only two people and I'm trying to be healthy, but it still made 10 small cakes.

I also used low fat cream cheese and butter, but the recipe still worked. I'm sure it would be even better with real butter and cream cheese.

Once again, food gawker doesn't disappoint. 

Tortilla de Patatas

My friend Julia, from Spain, invited me over to make a traditional Spanish dish - Tortilla de Patatas (a Spanish potato omelette).

It's slightly comical that she was teaching me how to make a Spanish dish and explaining it in German, but it's nice for both of us to use the German we've been working hard on mastering.

Between our travels and conflicting schedules I think it would be fun to start cooking with Julia and my other classmates (yes, you Cait!). We've all hit moments of frustration here in attempting to create a food from home that doesn't quite work out, due to the different ingredients or kitchen equipment. It would be a great refresher for our German and everyone loves delicious food!

If others would are interested in cooking together I think it would be a lot of fun to make a new cookbook of international recipes - direct from people who come from other places.

I don't know exactly what people would be interested in learning from America, although Andrea expressed in my blueberry muffins after he saw my most recent baked goods cookbook.

We'll see what happens!

So here are a few photos and the explanation of how to make a traditional 'Tortilla de Patatas'.

Julia said she makes this dish once every week or so and that it reminds her of home. She usually serves it for dinner with a salad and she loves making it to take to the biergartens.

The ingredients are simple: potatoes, eggs, onion, olive oil, salt, and the ingredients of your choice. 

Here's how we did it:

• Skin the potatoes
  
• Cut them into thin slices
  
• Cut an onion to taste and add it to the potatoes
  
• Heat some olive oil in a pan on the stove
  
• Add the potato / onion mix and allow them to cook for 20 minutes or until soft and able to be broken up.
  
• Next, the potatoes are added to a bowl and eggs are mixed in. 
  
• In a separate pan, lightly coat it with olive oil and pour the combined eggs and potatoes together on medium-high heat. 
  
• Julia's only secret for flipping the tortilla is using a footed plate that she can hold over the pan to slide it out and cook the other side. 

I added some fleur de sel, since I add it to virtually all foods. That's it - and the results are quick and delicious.

Grandma

My Grandma received her Sistine Chapel puzzle a couple weeks back. I hear she's putting it together, although it is quite a struggle. All of the little intricate boxes definitely make things more complicated, but my sister and Mom were visited when she received it and she was so excited. I'm hoping my sister sends me a few pictures once she completes it... and I'm also hoping she is still happy we sent it.

I thought of my her the other day again when I saw the cookie jar that I wanted to get her for Christmas. Remember her enormous cookie jar collection?

This cookie jar I went to buy in December, but it was sold out, and then we raced around trying to figure out what to get her. Let me just say cookie jars aren't very common in Germany. Now I just have to get back home for her birthday or give it to her at Christmas.

Cairo Tips

We were fortunate to have friends that have lived in Cairo. They shared many places that they would recommend we visit. Everyone agreed that staying on Zamalek Island is the best bet for foreigners. There is a large ex-pat population there, as well as several nicer hotels (Marriott + Longchamps).

Here were their other suggestions if you're planning a trip yourself:

Kate is my old roommate who taught 2 years at the American International School in Cairo. Here are her recommendations:

 Cairo (3 days)

• Egyptian Museum
  
• Great Pyramids
  
• There is a Sphnix light show which is pretty tacky, they make the sphnix look like it is talking but mildly entertainning
  
• Step pyramid (Saqqara - further outside the city)
  
• Sequoia restaurant on Zamalek
  
• smoke shisha
  
• feluka little boat ride at night on the Nile
  

Alexandria (1-2 days) - it is a nice contrast from Cairo

• easy train ride from Cairo (you could do it in a day)
  
• library
  
• light house
  
• nice park
  

Nile cruise (ususally around 4-5 days long)

• we used Sonnesta which is an international hotel chain, it was great
  
• they are small boats but still nice, i don't know if there is a nicer ship, I just know Sonnesta is a safe bet
  
• it includes your own english speaking guide when you get to the temples
  

Sharm el Sheik (4-5 days)

• flights leave from the Cairo Airport or you can take an overnight bus (thats what I did)
  
• There is amazing scuba diving and snorkeling there the best in the world apparently behind Australia
  
• It is a beach destination with a day trip to Mount Sinai
  
• You can catch a bus to Mount Sinai and I think there is a monastery you can stay in for the night and then you hike Mount Sinai and reach the top when the sun rises. I never did it and really regret not doing it. The people I know who have done it say it is beautiful.
  
  

Lizzy went to my University and then studied Economics in International Development at American University of Cairo. She said..."so here are a few suggestions (in order of how much I enjoy them) depending on how much time you have...":

• Some night you should get a group to join you and rent a little sail boat (known as a Faluga) and cruise the Nile. You can pick up a boat just across the street from the Four Seasons / which is also right next to the Grand Hyatt

• You have to spend a day doing Pyramids and I recommend heading out to Saqqara and the Step Pyramid in addition to the three great pyramids. There are far fewer tourist and you can climb inside one of them.
• One night you should go to Al Azhar Garden for sunset - you are overlooking Khan al-Khalili, al-Azhar University, and an area sometimes called, 'Islamic Cairo". At sunset you can enjoy a view of the pyramids, and of course the call to prayer...which is something really unique. It is also near Khan al-Khalili (see below) so you could do this in the same night. 
• You have to go to the main souk: Khan al-Khalili... but if you don't like hassle then I suggest walking around for 15 minutes and then heading towards Hussein mosque which has a huge courtyard that families often go to at night just to spend time 'out' and catch up. There is also a quiter part of the souk (without many tourist) on the other side of the main highway and that is nice. You can also make your way towards the 'tent-makers' souk, but you might need someone to explain it to you. 
• On this same side of the main street there is a free Sufi mystic performance twice a week that is wonderful and sponsored by the ministry of tourism. 
• There is also a cool mosque named Al Ghouri mosque and it is possible to climb the minaret there if you make a donation.
• You should head to Sequia in the Zamalek neighborhood for great Shisha (the water pipe tobacco) a really nice dinner (they have great Sushi). Most hotels know where this is but taxi drivers don't so make sure to get a street address and phone number (for the taxi driver to call from his mobile) before heading there.
• Also in Zamalek, you should visit the Marriott hotel, it is a grand colonial building with a cool garden where you can get drinks and enjoy a few minutes of relaxing quite.
• Near there is a cool bookstore named Diwan and an awesome pizza place called Maison Thomas.
  
• There is an awesome place that does 'zar' music every Wednesday, named 'Makan' near the Saad Zagul mausoleum. It is really unique and worth a stop.

Here are our observations and tips:

• If you go to Cairo, presumably you will arrive very late. Our flight got in at 12:50am - not exactly a great time to have the taxi drivers fight over you. Instead of heckling with the taxi drivers, we planned ahead and booked with Cairo Shuttle Bus, which cost 80 LE (approximately 10€) for a half hour drive into the city. It was probably more expensive than some of the Taxis, but it was quick and reliable. 

• As soon as you arrive you start opening your wallet. We were immediately paying approximately $15 USD for a visa (no photos needed) at the the currency exchange counter. Getting Egyptian Pounds is cheaper and easier once you arrive in Egypt. During our visit 7.7 LE was equal to 1€. Despite a low cost of living it's very easy to spend a fair chunk of money, particularly if you get a guide and driver, however ours were very well worth it. 

• Learning a bit of Arabic really helps gain some smiles from the locals. Rani told us if you touch something electric you get shocked and then what do you do? You run. So to say Thank You, simply say 'shockrun' (shukran - شكراًَ).

• As a woman you will feel most comfortable being very conservative. I realize the heat makes a lot of people want to peel the layers off, but you will attract far less attention and blend in. Finding some loose fitting pants or tunics made of cotton or linen will also help you against the sunburns. If you plan to enter a mosque make sure you bring a scarf to cover your head.

• Animals are treated entirely different. We saw horses in the river, presumably getting a bath and people were throwing large rocks at them. We also saw one of the guards at our hotel mistreating a dog, which I shudder even thinking about. I realize it's a different culture, but I don't like to see animals or people being blatantly mistreated.

• Cairo traffic is unlike anything you've probably ever seen. It's worse than New York City, and also worse than Rome. There's not a lot of rhyme or reason to it. We did see a couple wrecks - only minutes apart, although Rani told us that was actually a rarity. Unfortunately, when it's not, insurance is not typically involved.

• The sound of the street is filled with honking horns, which we were told denote emotion - from anger to joy. During one traffic jam I even heard a car next to us put an emergency siren to use, despite obviously not being an emergency vehicle.

• The smog is really wretched. Often times it seems that big businesses take advantage of the fact the people don't have much, so instead they pollute and make a profit off the vulnerable. From what I have read the air quality is really awful in Cairo. I didn't exactly have to read that, because you can see it with your own eyes.

• I also read that Egypt is a hot spot for medical tourism, and unfortunately the cities poorest of the poor are often told they can get several thousand dollars for a kidney or other vital organ. It's no surprise when the people aren't paid the full amount they were promised, nor do they have follow up health care.

• Many of the buildings are dilapadated or appear to simply be made from brick - some even have live stock, such as goats, on the roof tops. You quickly appreciate space, nature, and what a celebration Ramadan is to the Islamic religion.

• Our trip was too short and frankly there is so much to see and digest that it is somewhat exhausting. As much as we read about things, this was a trip that wasn't simple to plan for, even with recommendations and advice from friends who had lived there.
  

Having Rani to help answer questions and take care of everything we would need to explore the city was something that helped make our trip wonderful. Of course people can and do get around town on their own, but I highly recommend having a private guide to make things easier.

• Cairo has several fringe societies, namely - The City of the Dead and Mokattam's Zaballeen (Garbage Collectors). While pollution is a great problem in Cairo, many of the Coptic Christians are trying to help the issue in sorting trash and recycling, which you can read more about from Kids with Cameras, an interesting way to empower the often outcasted youth in this community. You can even purchase prints to help their cause!

• There was also a film called “Garbage Dreams” by Director Mai Iskander that premiered this month at the SXSW Festival in Texas, that is based in this area. While we didn't make a special trip to this area, I'm pretty certain we passed it.
  

If you care to read about a tourist's perspective about the City of the Dead or Zaballeen, just click on the links.

Zamalek - الزمالك

We stayed on the island of Zamalek, which was highly recommended by friends. I wouldn't recommend our hotel (The Marriott Zamalek)... I know it's beautiful, but it's just too big.

I have to admit it felt extremely decadent to stay at our hotel once we saw the surrounds. While we were at the Khan el-Khalili I overheard one of the tourist police ask Rani where we were staying. I don't know if that was a safety measure or just curiosity, but I'm certain people thought we had money as soon as they heard which hotel was ours.

The only reason we stayed there was because we weren't entirely certain what we were getting into, and safety was key. However, after visiting I think a smaller hotel would be better - it's not such a display of excess, they would be more customer oriented, and I would feel as though our money was directly helping local business as opposed to this enormous chain.

As for the positives, there were so many pretty details that I appreciated whenever I passed by. The lights and the metal work were particularly beautiful. I'm also a big fan of Moorish architecture, so those little elements definitely didn't go unnoticed.

One thing I did absolutely loved (besides the palatial architecture) was the Bakery with Egyptian pastries. Most of them were sweetened with honey and coconut, but they were so very delicious. It's probably a good thing I can't find too many recipes to try, but believe me - I'm still looking!

While in Zamalek we also tried the shisha, which is typically a flavored tobacco. I really hate smoking and everything to do with it, but so many people told us to try it when we were there. Then my paranoia kicked in after I read about being cautious since it's a way tuberculosis can be spread.

Fortunately we could try it with a brand new tube, which was opened in front of us. It doesn't have a smokey smell - it's closer to incense, which is the only reason I decided to take a couple puffs from Stefan's Apple shisha. We decided to try it with our Egyptian dinner, which unfortunately wasn't super unique. I told Rani the falafel that he bought for us was better than our dinner - I don't even want to know what the price difference was. The best parts of the dinner were the 'foul medammes' and the baladi bread.

Zamalek also has the Cairo tower, which is the main tourist attraction on the island. It took us a little bit of effort to get to the Tower, because we were wandering around, but we saw so many things during our walk.

The view is really beautiful and you can slightly make out the Giza pyramids in the hazy distance. Again, the smog is very noticeable when you're so high above the rest of the city.

It's very startling to see how congested things are, and then there's Zamalek with ample sports fields and the most green grass and trees in sight for a long long way.

I always love reorienting myself with a nice view over they city. From the tower we could not only see the pyramids, but also the much closer Egyptian Museum and the Citadel area.

As we were leaving the Cairo Tower we spotted the most beautiful tree. I would love to know the history behind it and how old it is, because it's so beautiful and ancient looking. I loved that someone else also valued it, because the road was built around it.

I also admired the flowers growing on the trees. The bright contrast and colors from nature and life are very welcomed amidst the neutral browns that seem to be painted across Cairo - from the desert to the buildings there isn't a lot of color and vibrance. With such a struggle to live, I'm not sure how much time there is to appreciate something as simple as color or nature, but I warmly welcomed it even after only a couple days.

Khan el-Khalili - خان الخليلي

This is one of the main tourist stops in Cairo. There is a lot of action going on at this souk with plenty of interesting to things to stop and look at, particularly if you don't mind haggling.

On our way to the market Rani warned us that the shop workers were good. He said they would take one look at us and know where we were from, as well as speak our language. I told him we'd have to give them a hard time and say we came from Iceland.

As soon as we walked down one of the busier streets someone greeted me with a 'Hey Signora/Señora' - I don't know if they thought I was Italian or Spanish. Rani told me they must be just learning. Later I got a good laugh out of a woman saying with the biggest American accent 'Hi how are you doing?'

I would have really loved to spend more time at there. I saw so many beautiful things - from tunics and leather shoes to beautiful jewelry from semi-precious stones. There is also a beautiful and extensive spice market.

I don't mind the action of people trying to get business and keep things exciting. I realize some people find this intimidating or irritating, but I think it adds to the ambiance.

Not all of the market was hustling and bustling. There were quieter side streets and alleys. The winding narrow streets are very beautiful and several have gates from the middle ages.

Different areas of the market serve different purposes, so you don't have to walk very far to find a large variety of cottons, souvenirs, or jewelry. We came for a little bit of shopping and also for lunch.

Rani bought us some falafels down a quiet side street. The only action was a few men smoking shisha and a few stray cats waiting around for discarded lunches. I never would have ventured there on my own and yet sitting in one of the shady side streets and sharing tea and falafels while Rani smoked some shisha was simply wonderful.

I'm also willing to bet I will never have a falafel that was so delicious in my life. One was only falafel with some vegetables, while the other had a bit of baba ganoush added to it. Both were more delicious and substantially cheaper than the Egyptian meal we had the night before.

I expressed some interest in getting a traditional galabeya / galabia gown after I saw one near the Coptic area that I liked. I love tunics in general, although I tend to go for plain ones, but I thought it would be nice to have something conservative to wear during future Mid-East visits.

We walked down the street and then I saw a shop that sold a variety of traditional clothes. I asked about a light gray galabeya and was told they were for men. So much for simplicity! He continued to pull out a variety of options and finally I saw one that looked simple enough, but was fit for a woman. Of course the one I chose was handmade, so it was more expensive, but still incredibly reasonable.

As I went to change Stefan and Rani began haggling. Initially the man wanted 300 LE, however Rani was helping Stefan barter. I laughed as the man told Stefan 'don't listen to him, this is between us!' After agreeing on 225 LE (less than 30€) Rani told us that you tend to get something free after you buy and that we should get something else with it.

Outside this shop was a spice display and Stefan said 'how about some spices outside?' Stefan or Rani suggested some saffron and then we learned the man that owned the tunic shop didn't even own the spice shop! The spice shop owner quickly appeared and he exchanged a few words with the man we had bought the dress from and then he gave us a small bag of saffron.

The only unfortunate aspect of the 'Khan' is that it's been a target for attacks, the most recent happening in February 2009 in the open plaza near the Al-Hussein Mosque.

On one street there were tourist police and they wanted to look in Stefan and Rani's bags. I offered to open mine and he kept saying 'no' and waving me through. Another tourist police said 'hebebe (sweetie) where are you from?' to me, which really surprised me, particularly because I was with men. I don't know what traveling here as a single woman would be like.

This is the largest souk in Egypt and it dates back to the 1380's, so I definitely think it's worth a visit. All of our friends that have lived there recommended that we check it out and I'm glad that we did. Rani said it's great to hang out there at night and then added around 2AM. I didn't realize they stayed up so late!

I'm looking forward to wearing my galabia on future trips. I've really wanted to get to Morocco, so hopefully we'll get to go sometime soon!