100 Years Ago........Simpler Times

THE YEAR 1909


This will boggle your mind, I know it did mine!
The year is 1909.
One hundred years ago.
What a difference a century makes!
Here are some statistics for the Year 1909 :

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The average life expectancy was 47 years.

Fuel for this car was sold in drug stores only


Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.


Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.


There were only 8,000 cars and only 144 miles
Of paved roads.


The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.


The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower!


The average wage in 1909 was 22 cents per hour.


The average worker made between $200 and $400 per year.


A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year,
A dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.

More than 95 percent of all births took place at HOME.


Ninety percent of all doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION!

Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which

Were condemned in the press AND the government as 'substandard. '


Sugar cost four cents a pound.


Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.


Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.


Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used

Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.


Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from

Entering into their country for any reason.


Five leading causes of death were:

1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke


The American flag had 45 stars.


The population of Las Vegas, Nevada, was only 30!!!!


Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea Hadn't been invented yet.


There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.

Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write and

Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.




Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner drugstores. Back then pharmacists said, 'Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health'


Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.


There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE! USA!

Try to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years.

Malta-The most picturesque port on our 6-country cruise itinerary.

Malta

The last port on our cruise is Valetta, Malta. Malta is a five-island country between Africa and Europe that is one of the most Catholic (320 churches on this tiny nation), and new to the EU. Known for its Knights of St John, Falcons, and being the most bombed nation in WWII. More than ½ million cruise tourists visit this charming port annually. Malta has its own language which is derived from Arabic and peppered with Italian. Most residents, however, speak English, as it was a British colony until 1964 when it declared independence.

I agree with everyone who feels this port is the most picturesque of all those on our tour. In fact, this port exemplifies picturesque!

I decided to tour the entire island by boarding a hop-on-hop-off sightseeing tour bus (15E). From atop the double-decker bus, we saw breathtaking views of this stunning island from the scenic coastal ways to the mazes inside the cobblestone streets of small villages.

Highlights of the tour included Fort Saint Elmo, St John Cathedral, a glass blowing factory, and the walled city of MDINA. The 8-pointed cross from the Crusading Knights can be seen everywhere.

Cruise Vacation-Two Days in Cairo

Cairo from cruise NCL December 15-16, 2009

After connecting With Carolyn via Cruise Critic, I joined her group on the Cairo overnight tour with MemphisTours.com. There were 13 in our group. We booked our hotel, The Cairo Marriott Hotel & Omar Khayyam Casino, separately. I used reward points. The hotel is a former palace, built in the style of Versailles, to impress foreign dignitaries for the ceremony of opening of The Suez canal www.Cairomarriotthotel.com (description later in this post)

Day 1
A 5AM wake-up call found me excited about the adventure that awaited me.
My room service breakfast arrived on time and I met our group in the lobby (near reception) at 6:30AM. After disembarking at 7AM, we waited 20 minutes for our tour guide to arrive (much longer than all the other groups). We knew the drive to Giza was a 3-hour journey. We did not leave the port until 8AM—it seemed we were the last group to depart. Our van was old and not well-maintained.

In addition to our English speaking tour guide were the driver and a security professional dressed in black and packing a weapon, for our protection. Later, we realized this was standard protocol. Security is a major issue in Egypt—even the museums have metal detectors. As a result, I felt safer.

One of the first lessons from our tour guide was how to say, no thank you. La’ Shokran. He insists it will help deter the profoundly aggressive Giza vendors. (I kept it written inside my hand and referred to it periodically).

As we rode thru Alexandria, our guide pointed to sites: the library, the largest in the world; the stadium, the 2nd largest in the world.

I was surprised to see so many women wearing the full body abeya and for those not fully covered-they covered their heads.

There was such a mix of old and new.

Of note, Egypt was dominated by foreigners for 2600 years ending in 1952 with the 1st of only 3 Egyptian rulers.

Our Egyptologist joined us, en route. It took a while to adjust our ear to her dialect. She immersed herself in the study of Egyptian history and antiquities for more than six years. She is passionate and conscientious. She kept her head covered but wore western attire.

The ride was long yet well worth the time investment: I was moved to tears when the pyramids finally emerged on the horizon. It is for me, one of the most spectacular sites I have seen. It was the visit of a lifetime—a dream come true—to visit the Pyramids at Giza!!
I was in heaven!

Our first stop was the great pyramid, Khufu/Cheops (c. 2589BC). Next we stopped at a site where all 3 pyramids (tombs for father, son, and grandson) can be viewed. More great photo opps here. Then we walked over to the area where camel owners took riders on tours. Several in our group took camel rides. I took photos with camels, instead.

Our van drove us the end point of the camel caravan. There, we waited for the camel riders and took more photos. I got one of my best shots from this point.

Next, we drove to the famously photographed point where the Great Sphinx dominates the scene and the tomb of its creator, the Middle Pyramid of Khafre/Chephrenis, rests in the foreground. Another magnificent moment for this world traveler and lover of history.

Our guide took us inside a tomb next to the Sphinx and shared the history of its architecture. There we saw the seating for the nightly sound and light show. Perhaps I will see that on my next trip.

Of note, yes the vendors were aggressive but I have experienced far worse (Great Wall of China, Nassau markets etc.) AND I repeatedly replied La’ Shokran. They do a lot of bait-and-switch promotions. For example: one guy showed me a packet containing miniatures of the 3 pyramids PLUS Sphinx. He shouted ONE DOLLAR. (Yes, they take dollars in many tourist areas). My interest was stirred because I collect miniatures of famous sites all over the world. One dollar is always a good price for me! When I expressed interest, he clarified one dollar per item—which means $4 instead of $1 for the lot. I turned away and walked ahead. He immediately lowered the price; I kept rejecting his lowered rates. Three Dollars, then two dollars he cried out! I had agreed to ONE DOLLLAR---besides, I only had a ONE DOLLAR BILL folded inside my pocket (I left my purse on the tour bus for safekeeping).
At last, he conceded, OK ONE DOLLAR! We had a deal. I was deeply satisfied with my purchase.

I came, I saw, I conquered. I would add the “marble” miniatures to my Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, Roman Coliseum, Taj Mahal, Big Ben, Great Wall, Corcavado, Liberty Bell, Parthenon, Arch de Triomphe, St Louis Arch, Golden Gate Bridge, Mannekin-Pis, Irish Leprechaun, Indonesian Garuda, Vietnamese Water girl, Seattle Needle, Chicago skyline etc.

I took more photos in front of the Sphinx. A guard volunteered to take me “touching the tip of the pyramid” and “kissing” the Sphinx. They reminded me of the shots I took with The Taj Mahal.

There was so much to savor.

Next, we drove 45 minutes to Memphis, the first capital of a united Egypt. What has been discovered there is gathered in a small, open-air museum. The first site there is the Sphinx of Memphis (largest calcite statue ever found). Naturally, many were gathered to take photographs. Most impressive, in its own viewing pavillion, was the colossal limestone Statue of Ramses II. It fills the building and can be viewed from two levels. The detail and massive-size of the great work rendered me speechless and in awe of ancient builders.

Our last site would close by 4 so (although we were starving) we headed there next. It was Saqqara, the site of Egypt’s earliest pyramid (c. 2650BC), the Step Pyramid of Djoser. Once again, I was blown away by the scale and sturdiness of the structures here. This remarkable structure marks a leap forward in the history of world architecture. Until then, Egyptian royal tombs had been underground rooms, covered with low, flat, mud brick. This trailblazing work was built with stone with 6 mastabas placed on top of one another. The last stage in pyramid building, from stepped to smooth-sided, took only 65 years. The Step Pyramid was the model for later tombs including the trio at Giza, which are perfectly formed, smooth-sided tombs.

One of the highlights of Saqqara was next. We toured the Tomb of Mereruka, with it’s famously, well preserved statue emerging from a “false” door. We toured its extensive complex of 33 underground chambers. Impressive were the prolific, intricate wall-paintings depicting hunters, tax evaders, farmers and more scenes from everyday life.

The Pyramid of Teti was next. Some of us crawled inside the descending, narrowing passage to reach the bottom I was dreading every moment, realizing I am somewhat claustrophobic (BTW, I would do it again!). Highlights were the ceiling decorated with stars, the walls inscribed with sections of Pyramid texts, and the king’s giant basalt sarcophagus.

Lunch. FINALLY.

We went to a “traditional” (recreated for tourists, of course) village complete with bread makers and musicians for a traditional Egyptian Feast. The tastes and smells were familiar: they brought heaping platters of pita, Swarma, hummus, tzitki, lamb, chicken, salad, Baklava and more.

It really hit the spot even though we waited TOO long to dine. Next time, I will pack extra lunch. I am glad I had brought banana and a muffin from the ship!

Next, some in the group wanted to shop for cartouche jewelry. We took them there and waited long for them to order. Next, that group wanted to buy souvenirs at a cotton factory. Inside were typical, uninspiring items that I could purchase for less, in the US. Civil war almost broke out in our group because we were way behind schedule—needing to check into our hotel—during rush hour—in time to make our 8PM Nile dinner cruise. Nonetheless, some wanted to continue shopping at the massive Khan al-Khalili, one of the largest bazaars in the Middle East. Surely some in our group would get lost there AND we would undoubtedly miss our Nile Cruise. I came to Egypt to see Egypt—NOT to shop for overpriced T-shirts for distant relatives!!!! We had agreed no perfume or papyrus factories because we did not want to waste precious time buying stuff we did not NEED. Finally, we agreed to save Khan al-Khalili Bazaars for the next day, and to head directly to our hotel. Traffic was sooooo congested, we feared we would not arrive in time to check in, shower, and make the dinner cruise on time. We had spent the day in the windy sandy dessert and were in NEED of cleansing. Unfortunately, all we had time for was to check in and leave our luggage with the concierge. There was much debate about going to our rooms or not. I was the voice of reason, insisting we should give up the notion of the Nile dinner cruise if we were to attempt visiting our room in this massive former palace hotel.

FINALLY, they agreed we should head directly to our Nile cruise ship in this fiercely congested traffic.

Our people-pleasing tour guide was not helpful in guiding the decisions of this polarized first time group to Egypt.

The Nile dinner cruise was a bountiful buffet of traditional Egyptian dishes. Entertainment was 1) belly dancer and 2) whirling dervish spinning around in his brightly colored, muti-layered, flared costume

Back to the hotel after 10PM. I explored a bit and bought few souvenirs in shop just in case there would not be sufficient time to shop at the bazaar the next day.

I was EXHAUSTED.

Here is Wikipedias description of the hotel:
The Cairo Marriott Hotel is a large hotel situated on the River Nile in the centre of Cairo, Egypt. Once a palace built on orders from the ruler of Egypt in 1869, the hotel was converted to a by Marriott International to a modern hotel. The hotel consists of 1,089 rooms, making it one of the largest hotels in the Middle East.
The rooms are located in two identical twenty-storey buildings - the Gezira and Zamelek Towers. Situated between them on ground level is the palace and main entrance to the hotel, which reconstructed now contains the reception and administration areas. On the roof of the palace is an open-air theatre which faces the Nile.

The original palace was constructed by the Nile on orders from Khedive Ismail. He asked the architects of that time to make it resemble another palace in France, Versailles, where Empress Eugénie used to stay. The purpose for that palace was to host the French Empress Eugénie who was invited along with her husband the French Emperor Napoleon. The occasion of that invitation was the opening of the Suez Canal, which was a huge project at that time.

It is over-the-top ornate but beautiful at the same time!

Day 2
Checked out of hotel and met in lobby at 7AM (I think).

First stop: The Citadel

The Citadel, home to Egypt’s rulers for almost 700 years, was our first stop. This complex contains 4 museums, mosques, and an area that offers spectacular views of the city.

The imposing Turkish style Mohammed Ali Mosque, built from 183-48, has become a symbol of Cairo. It is a grand structure with ornate domes, minarets, and entrance ways that echoes the great imperial mosques of the Ottoman Empire. It truly is a splendid site.

We toured the inside of this magnificent structure. I found the stories of its design, construction, and religious importance to be interesting.

Next Stop: The Egyptian Museum. Aside from the Giza Pyramids, this museum (and the Royal Mummies room) was my favorite stop.

I could easily have spent days here with a tour guide and time to process it all, of course. It has 107 halls densely packed with displays of more than 120,000 items.

At the ground floor there are the huge statues, coins, coffins, amulets, household items, reliefs etc from the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms. The upper floor houses small statues, jewels, Tutankhamen treasures and the royal mummy room.

King Tut Exhibits

Commencing with two life-size statues of the young king that stood guard at the entrance to his tomb, The Tutankhamun Galleries fill the upper floors east and north wings. There are more than 1700 items on display ranging from board games and hunting implements to couches and beds, and of course, the fabulous life-sized GOLD DEATH MASK.

Only 3 in our group elected to pay the extra $20 to visit the Hall for the Royal Mummies housing eleven kings and queens. I was so impressed by how well-preserved these (more than) 3000 year-old bodies were. You can still see their teeth, nails, and hair.

More than a million and half tourists visit the museum annually, in addition to half a million Egyptians.

We agreed to not risk missing boat with a sit down lunch or with shopping in the Khan El Khalili Bazaars.

We headed directly back to ship in Alexandria. Along the way, we picked up boxed lunches of traditional Egyptian fare

It was an extremely windy day; Our van was rocking back and forth on the way back. I was so glad we had visited the dessert the day before. The blowing sand would have blinded our views.

The ride back was especially long—almost 4 hours

In Alexandria, our tour guide pointed out major structures. It was too windy to bother getting out to see them up close and personal.

As it turns out, there was a nice bazaar, with at least 25 vendors, right outside ship in Alexandria.

I was so tired carrying my duffle that I was not in the mood for bargaining or acquiring. I only bought postcards that I mailed from Malta (NCL mailed them for me)

I will definitely return to the Giza plateau and Cairo

Turkey--My 1st Visit to a Muslim Nation Today

Izmir, Turkey

Today, for the 1st time, I visited Turkey, an ambivalent nation torn between East and West, between past and present, secular and conservative religious. Once one of the most powerful empires in the Western World (spanning Southern and Eastern Europe, Asia, and North and East Africa), Turkey was reduced to a small country for fighting with Germany after WWI. Today 70% of Turkish citizens wish to join the EU. They have appealed several times for membership, which would make it the 1st Muslim EU nation.

I awoke feeling queezy and felt it unwise to take my planned group tour to Ephesus. After remaining on board ship to rest awhile, I decided to venture into Turkey by myself. Surely I had not come all this way to miss a visit to Turkey—sick or well!

I must admit I had mixed emotions about exploring a Muslim nation as a woman, alone. I was quickly reminded of how secular this Sunni Muslim county is as a strolled through cosmopolitan Izmir.

I took a taxi to Konak where I roamed through the bazaar. My impression was: male-dominated but the young woman were hip and progressive. The shops were trendy, reminded me of similar commercial districts in European cities. I heard Alicia Keyes and Michael Jackson blaring from the shops.

Next, I sat in the pigeon-filled, park of the clock tower. I watched the passers-by. From Dads with sons, to flocks of school girls, to older men drinking (and some were pouring) coffee, to head-covered, body-covered older women, to gypsies begging. I felt like a fly on the wall and a part of at the same time. I bet only my photo-taking suggested I was not from there.

The Turksh flag is prominently displayed everywhere.

At prayer time, a voice called worshippers to prayer from the minaret.

As with most places I visit outside the US, here too, I saw Mc Donald’s, Burger King, KFC, and Starbucks.

I felt this countries identity crises as I sat in the park. I could see clearly how its personae is divided between east and west, past and present, secular and religious. I look forward to my next visit to the Muslim world In two days, we will arrive in Egypt.

Update: A tornado killed people in Turkey and specifically in Izmir 6 days after I was there.

Here is an article written by a journalist with limited written English-language skills:

December 19 Tornado fear

Harsh wind turned into a tornado in the city of Izmir. Tornado threw away the security cottage of a settlement unit. It crashed to Mustafa Kose who is a shepherd and was working around the environment in which the bad event occurred.

Kose died and the security guard injured.

The Asian Sea overflowed in Izmir becaused of the tornado and the heavy rain and blocked routes between villages.

An estimated 600 residents of the village expressed their fear while two minute that tornado continued.

Cruise Vacation--Day in Athens

Athens

Today from our cruise ship, we visited Athens, the cradle of Western civilization and thought and birthplace of democracy, individual rights, and freedom of speech. The USA’s founding fathers were so enamored with the ideals and philosophies of Ancient Greece that they entertained making Greek the USA’s official language. European luminaries had even joined in the Greek War of Independence to help preserve the ideals of Ancient Greece.

One of my favorite things to do in Athens (my 4th visit here) is to tour the most potent symbol of the Greek Golden Age: The Acropolis. The Parthenon has inspired architects from around the world for more than 2500 years. It took 9 years to build this temple to Athena. (its too bad Turkish explosives bombed the structure in 1687). I love that the Parthenon so dominates the soul of the city, you can see it morning, noon, and night from throughout the city. We were fortunate that the rain held off til AFTER our Acropolis visit!

A stop at the Temple of Zeus was next. From there, we could see the landmark Parthenon perfectly.

Our tour guide, Peter, That Greece joined the EU in 1981. Their switch from the drachma to the Euro 8 years ago has had negative impact on their economy.

The 2004 Olympics were held in Greece for the 1st time since the modern Olympics were revived in 1896. Preparation for hosting the 2004 Olympics catapulted Greece into the 21st century bringing impressive new stadiums, an expanded subway system (today transports a million Greeks daily), a new airport, and tram lines. Of note, Greece completed construction the DAY before the Olympics.

The garbage strike that made internationals news was visible (everywhere. Our guide apologized.

Another of my favorite activities in Europe is to walk around the Plaka. The guide dropped us off at Thisio and I strolled through the cobblestone streets visiting shops for a couple of hours. Last on our itenerary was a visit to the newest (built June 2009) (and controversial) museum: The New Acropolis Museum.--A brand new modern structure designed to showcase Acropolis gems with a panoramic backdrop of the Acropolis. During our visit to this impressive museum, we witnessed the lighting of the Parthenon at sundown. It was stunning!

I will always look forward to visits to Athens, Greece!

Cruise Vacation--Day in Rome

Rome-All Roads Lead to Rome

Today we visited Rome, the Eternal City,--It’s most enduring legacy are it’s stone roads that connected much of the European continent. . It is also known for other achievements as central heating, aqueducts, public baths, and urban planning.

This was my 3rd visit to Rome.

Before we began our tour, the company owner , Remo (DriverInRome.com), invited us to his lovely, modern hillside vista. His lovely wife prepared traditional Christmas cake and coffee and he serenaded us with his squeezebox (harmonium) and told jokes. Luca was our driver and guide for the day.

On our 8-hour tour from the ship, we squeezed in the following visits:

Coliseum—ALWAYS impressive!

Trevi Fountain---tossed in 3 coins “so I will return”

Spanish Steps---majestic

Sistine Chapel---long walks thru countless rooms decorated rich in medieval art

St Paul’s Basilica---takes your breath away

Since the airline lost some of my luggage, Instead of lunch, I ran in and out of shops and found 2 pair of shoes-1) walking and 2)dressier ones. Looking in shop windows, I was reminded of how fashionable Italians are!

Because there were demonstrations throughout the city, traffic was snarled a bit.

We made it back to the ship in time.

Islamaphobia Leads Swiss Voters to Ban Minarets

Here is an article posted on bbc.com that describes a recent minaret ban decision in Switzerland.

Swiss voters back ban on minarets

Swiss voters have supported a referendum proposal to ban the building of minarets, official results show.

More than 57% of voters and 22 out of 26 cantons - or provinces - voted in favour of the ban.

The proposal had been put forward by the Swiss People's Party, (SVP), the largest party in parliament, which says minarets are a sign of Islamisation.

The government opposed the ban, saying it would harm Switzerland's image, particularly in the Muslim world.

But Martin Baltisser, the SVP's general secretary, told the BBC: "This was a vote against minarets as symbols of Islamic power."
The BBC's Imogen Foulkes, in Bern, says the surprise result is very bad news for the Swiss government which fears unrest among the Muslim community.

Our correspondent says voters worried about rising immigration - and with it the rise of Islam - have ignored the government's advice.

In a statement, the government said it accepted the decision.
It said: "The Federal Council (government) respects this decision. Consequently the construction of new minarets in Switzerland is no longer permitted."

“ This will cause major problems because during this campaign mosques were attacked, which we never experienced in 40 years in Switzerland ”

Tamir Hadjipolu Zurich's Association of Muslim Organisations
Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf said: "Concerns [about Islamic fundamentalism] have to be taken seriously.

"However, a ban on the construction of new minarets is not a feasible means of countering extremist tendencies."

She sought to reassure Swiss Muslims, saying the decision was "not a rejection of the Muslim community, religion or culture".
Switzerland is home to some 400,000 Muslims and has just four minarets.

After Christianity, Islam is the most widespread religion in Switzerland, but it remains relatively hidden. There are unofficial Muslim prayer rooms, and planning applications for new minarets are almost always refused.

Supporters of a ban claimed that allowing minarets would represent the growth of an ideology and a legal system - Sharia law - which are incompatible with Swiss democracy.

But others say the referendum campaign incited hatred. On Thursday the Geneva mosque was vandalised for the third time during the campaign, according to local media.
Amnesty International said the vote violated freedom of religion and would probably be overturned by the Swiss supreme court or the European Court of Human Rights.
'Political symbol'

The president of Zurich's Association of Muslim Organisations, Tamir Hadjipolu, told the BBC: "This will cause major problems because during this campaign mosques were attacked, which we never experienced in 40 years in Switzerland.
"Islamaphobia has increased intensively."

And there was dismay among Switzerland's Muslims upon hearing the result.
“ It's a message that you are not welcome here as true citizens of this society ”
Elham Manea, co-founder of the Forum for a Progressive Islam

Farhad Afshar, president of the Coordination of Islamic Organisations in Switzerland, said: "The most painful thing for us is not the ban on minarets but the symbol sent by this vote.

"Muslims do not feel accepted as a religious community."
Elham Manea, co-founder of the Forum for a Progressive Islam, added: "My fear is that the younger generation will feel unwelcome.

"It's a message that you are not welcome here as true citizens of this society." Sunday's referendum was held after the SVP collected 100,000 signatures from voters within 18 months calling for a vote.
In recent years countries across Europe have been debating how best to integrate Muslim populations.

France focused on the headscarf, while in Germany there was controversy over plans to build one of Europe's largest mosques.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/europe/8385069.stm

Published: 2009/11/29 21:19:54 GMT

© BBC MMIX