Monday, January 26, 2026

A trip to Egypt

This Tuesday, 1/13/26, my wife and I are flying to Cairo for a two week tour of Egypt. I’m writing to report my difficulty in believing this trip will happen - it’s such a contrast to the quotidian routines of suburban LA. Here’s a further twist: My 80th birthday will be in Cairo next Saturday. Am I part of a trend where Boomers seek a last hurrah, a special upset direct from the 60’s, with Trump leading the way, making giant noises to prove he exists? Inside I ask, “Will anyone care that I’m in Cairo? Will it make a giant noise? Is there some meaning to it?” At the moment I’m not seeing much meaning in being anywhere, whether it be staring at the Great Pyramids of Giza over a sea of waving cell phones, or buying low-fat yogurt at the Woodland Hills Ralphs. Sorry to be so glum, it’s just...you know, traveling to Egypt just as Trump’s World War III is warming up? Timing is everything. Anyway, I don’t know what to expect. I’ll report again soon!

Sunday, 1/11/26

I scoured the LA Times this morning to make sure Egypt is not in the news, and gladly it is not, leaving the rage and ruin to its neighbors. How does Egypt achieve this relative calm, this seeming neutrality? Maybe we’ll find out.

Watch for future posts from Egypt!

Thursday, 1/15/26

The first surprise: As we flew over the glittering spread of Cairo, the Lufthansa captain announced that if we looked out the windows on the left side of the plane we would see the Great Pyramids of Giza, lit up in the night by floodlights. I saw them and was moved by how gigantic they looked, piling up about 400 feet. I was puzzled, however, because I had always pictured these pyramids as surrounded by desert. They are actually surrounded by the urban sprawl of Cairo, unlike what you see in tourist brochures.

I have also been puzzled by the representation of the pyramids as early examples of the majesty of human endeavor. They are that, but they are also early examples of dictatorial subjugation of populations by con artist presenting themselves as demigods or gods who merit massive tombs, while regular people and slaves get cheap, cruddy tombs. This scam has been carried forward through human history, culminating in the current US president, who claims superhuman status. Maybe after he awards himself the Nobel Peace Prize he’ll claim godhood.

When we visit the pyramids up close this week, I plan to keep my mouth shut about my views, unlike on these pages. That’s what makes blogging so special - you can say what you want, though it’s safer if the demigods don’t notice.

Later today we visit the Cairo museum. More to come!
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A trip to Egypt

This Tuesday, 1/13/26, my wife and I are flying to Cairo for a two week tour of Egypt. I’m writing to report my difficulty in believing t...