initial impressions, observations, and thoughts

Well we've been here in greater Cairo for about a week. I am having trouble getting started with my very first post, so I might just kick things off with some bullet points of the interesting things I have noted in the past seven days...

• the watermelons in Egypt are the deepest, rosiest red I've ever seen
• people drive very daringly except over speedbumps, when they slow to 1 or 2 mph at most
• on a related note, neither traffic nor driving conditions have not been *too* bad so far, but I am fully prepared to eat my words
• I saw a woman get into the pool with a swim cap covering her hair but a torso-exposing bikini...really--what's the point then?
• after having seen about 30 apartments in two days, bowwabs (doormen) span the whole spectrum of friendliness
• it's not overwhelmingly hot--we walked around for about 2.5 hours straight yesterday at midday (high: 100 degrees fahrenheit) and while we were ready for some AC, it was certainly bearable
• coming from Colorado, we're the only people we know who think it's humid here
  
• Maadi, the area of town where we are planning to live, has a laid back, leafy green vibe
• at Spinney's, a Target-esque store right next to our hotel, you can find all the typical toiletry brands that we use in the States--makes me feel a bit sheepish for the massive quantities of Pantene I stocked in our air shipment
• we're enjoying ourselves!