Polar Prophecies

Star Chamber. No! Not that star chamber. This is the ceiling of a sauna and massage room.

Some random pictures from yesterday's interrupted excursion to a few sights, including this 17th century doctor's residency for the royal family. Wicked cool place, I wouldn't mind building one in the States, although I am thinking it wouldn't exactly synthesize well with the environment.

Cairo is still on high alert. National emergencies work wonders for Mubarak's image from what I've seen. All day long the smaller televisions without satellite on each floor have been broadcasting Nile News...so it's Mubarak 24/7 at the bed sides of the ailing and injured in Sharm. His status as a hero at least from the TV is only being confirmed. But he's somewhat responsible in my opinion. There were a bunch of people actually in Sharm this weekend aside from the three I know, and they all arrived back at the dormitories last night a little shaken to say the least. US nationals are basically not allowed to travel into Sinai at this point, which was unclear yesterday as special warnings reached us, but now flyers at the dorms from embassy staff are saying you'll be stopped and told to turn back.

A nail bomb went off for some reason near the Pyramids today too. I just found out about that, the news is playing it off as a coincidental fluke. Given the pattern of the last three bombings, and the fact the Egyptian forces have detained between 35 and 70 (love the range) people in connection with the Sharm explosions is an indication the illogical thinking of terrorists, who will seize their agenda as the terrorists take "revenge" for the detention of suspects. Just as a mass exodus of tourists are departing Sharm, many are leaving Cairo too, it's sad.