Sinai Liberation Day Celebration, Part 1

Surprise, it's a guest post from Clark! I made him do it...

Have you ever had one of those days where you look around and wonder what exactly happened in your life to get you to that specific place? It's happened to me a couple of times, usually when things get weird or absurd. I remember feeling like that in India a couple of times, usually when I was in some temple with a very old, very wrinkled naked man. It happened maybe once or twice on the mission. It happened again on Sunday.

Sunday was Sinai Liberation Day. Israel took control of the Sinai peninsula after the Six Day War in 1967. After the Camp David Accords in 1978, Egypt and Israel signed a treaty in which peace was finally declared between Egypt and Israel for the first time since the 1948 Arab Israeli war. As part of the peace agreement, Egypt was the first Arab nation to recognize Israel and Israel returned control of the Sinai (and the Suez canal) to Egypt. Anwar Sadat, the Egyptian President to sign the treaty and recognize Israel, is one of only three Egyptian president's since Egypt's independence and is somewhat of a folk hero here still. He also re-entered popular culture when Jason Segel named his dog Anwar Sadat in I Love You Man because "they look exactly alike." (President Sadat's daughter was not amused). Sadat's involvement in the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty led to him receiving the Nobel Peace Prize and to his assassination by Islamic radicals in 1981. On Sinai Liberation Day, the Egyptians celebrate the return of the Sinai peninsula to Egyptian control. It's a pretty major national holiday.

So, it was a lucky accident of fate that brought Margaret, me, and our two extremely white children to Anwar Sadat's country house in Menafia on Sinai Liberation Day. Apparently, Anwar Sadat (President Sadat's nephew) inherited the estate and had a little get-together to celebrate the holiday and do some schmoozing for his NGO. Marg's dad was invited and so we were collaterally invited. So there we were on a beautiful, sunny April day in a smallish village on the nile being given the grand tour by Anwar Sadat. There is the irrigation system, Ariel Sharon put that in. Over there - that date tree - Moammar Qadaffi planted that date tree. I won't show you the one Saddam planted.

Awesome.

The place was beautiful, the food was amazing, and the boys loved the grass and especially the dancing horses. I defy you to find a better way to spend Sinai Liberation Day.

The Spread


Drinking karkady (hibiscus) juice. It's syrupy, sweet and just a little bitter. If you're a Mormon in Egypt and your host offers you tea or coffee, just ask for karkady juice- they'll be so pleased that you "like" it.

There were several wood ovens on the compound cranking out fresh bread.

The pony's name was CiCi. Ike loved him and spend a good amount of time searching for carrots to feed him.

Petting Anwar Sadat's cows.

They used fresh milk from the cows to cook a sweet rice in the oven. It was divine.

Eating a biscuit right out of the oven.

The power stance!

Ike taking in the band.

Booker and Ike got down along with the dancing horses. That's actually a basketball court, but it looked like it got used for horse-dances more frequently.

I am a lucky, lucky man.

This corridor was lined with small fires roasting various nuts and tasty treats. You were really never far from something delicious the entire afternoon.

Anwar Sadat's fat chef. Seeing a chef like that puts your mind at ease about the food to come. You know he likes it.

Anwar Sadat's bread oven.

Those are my kids pretending to be doggies on Anwar Sadat's lawn. Hopefully no one got offended...

Strengthening diplomatic ties between Egypt and America.

Mmmmmmmm, dessert. The food was incredible. Lots of your typical Arab dishes but also some dishes unique to Egypt. Margaret tried pigeon. It tastes like a chicken... only darker and oilier.

The chocolate mousse. Always try the chocolate mousse if you find yourself at one of these things.

Mr. Sadat and his lovely Wife Jehan (I think that's spelled right) President Sadat's wife was also named Jehan. That must have led to some confusion.

The Saddam tree. Irrigated by Ariel Sharon's irrigation system. That's a metaphor for something or other.

I'm kind of a homebody. Most days I take a lot of pleasure in my routine. Go to work, come home to my family, watch some of my favorite shows, and go to bed. But it's nice to mix in an afternoon at Anwar Sadat's house every once in a while.

I'm having trouble with Photobucket, in the meantime, here's a slideshow with more photos.

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