Evolve 2016: White/Black Desert & Email

03/06/2016

Last weekend Ahmed,myself and some of his parkour friends went on a camp out in the desert about 4 hours south west of Cairo, roughly 300 miles from Libya. This place was absolutely surreal. The closest village is a place called Bahariya Oasis, aptly named because that's what it is. The village has a lovely hot spring, trees, green land.

The deserts outside of the village are called the White and Black desert. Both are of stark contracts to one another. The white looks like the set of a star wars space centered film. The black desert looks like a sci-fi movie involving radioactive ants and giant ant hills haha...my over active brain but really they do look like giant ant hill or volcano's. I was in love.

The weather was perfect, a light breeze 77 degrees. I couldn't have wished for better. We had two SUV 4x4s our guides were excellent handling the desert with ease and precision...which was great because we were going 70mph. They took us to a beautiful small oasis called Ain Khadra; palm trees, water, figs the whole 9 yards. It was picturesque and serene.

The Chick and the Mushroom, White Desert Egypt

Zoro climbing White Desert Rocks

Handstand

<3 <3 <3

Crystal Mountain

View from Crystal Mountain
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Seville De La Cruz <sevilledelacruz@gmail.com>
to Monica April 19

Ahlan (hello in Arabic) :)

I'm so happy to hear from you! Life here is sometimes mystifying to me as a westerner. I'm very happy to be here (official resident now!) its just at times I'm left scratching my head by things...laughing is my favorite activity. We have it so easy in America, its a shame that collectively most take it for granted. The ease and convenience of services and our business codes oh efficiency is ever so beautiful! I attribute this to the British rule which introduced a complicated system of Govt and many redundancies as an attempt to help with unemployment the govt is one of the biggest employers in the country and people have jobs with one singular task as opposed to having a few for efficiency (I.E the guy who answers to a bell the sounds like birds whistling and brings tea...with milk!) its kind of cute in a way too lol so stately and old skool.

I do think perhaps its a fair trade though that by what it sometimes lacks in western business standards the culture more then makes up for in its hospitality and kindness. I have seen things here I've never encountered before. Young men and woman stopping to help the elderly cross the street or assist them up a set of stairs, giving up their seats on the metro, or bus...strangers but with a deep sense of honor and respect to those older then them. Sometimes I brings tears to my eyes. Many people are so eager to be helpful and warm. Inviting you to their homes to break bread with them and feeding you until you burst haha ensuring their guest is nourished, happy and well satisfied, allowing you a glimpse of their lives. Helping one another with car trouble...no look of distrust in their eyes when they pull over, no fear that we sometimes experience in America about helping strangers that are stranded. I love that neighbors here know each other and work together in the community improvements. Its a hugely collective society, honor and respect is the creed.

The Egyptian culture is a kind and humorous one, they also have amazing ingenuity to achieve their needs. I giggle at times but ultimately I respect it. Something I absolutely adore here and wish America would adopt is the delivery culture! Not only does every single restaurant deliver (On adorable little motorbikes) supermarkets (known as hypermarkets) and pharmacies do as well! So at anytime you can simply phone in your order and within a few hours all of your needs are at your doorstep.

The land is beautiful and mystical, sometimes it feels like I'm in a dream. Seeing ancient architecture thousands of years old. I can close my eyes and imagine the days of yore. A lot of things still exist from that time like going to the souk for spices, you walk down the pathway smelling rich saffron, hibiscus, rose, vanilla, anise, fenugreek...its lovely for the senses. It's incredibly affordable, I love the cost of living here. I bought a half pound of cumin last night at the souk for .33 cents! It excites my inner bargain shopper lol There is something about spending 20 dollars at the hypermarket and leaving for 5 or 6 hefty bags. Everywhere you go fresh fruits and vegetables are available from the souk to roadside stands to the people who have a carro (a large flat carriage pulled by a horse or donkey) who walk through neighborhoods calling out the produce they have available or ringing a bell "Potatas Potatas! Tomatos Tomatos! Zaytoun Zaytoun (olives) Manga Manga! (mango) Tofeha Tofeha! (apples) Guava Guava!

We took a trip a few weeks ago to an Oasis about 5 hours from Cairo called Bahariya it was sooooo beautiful! they have these strangely shaped homes and lovely hot springs aplenty! this area is also the gateway to two deserts one known as the White desert...an ethereal outerspace like landscaped area and the Black desert reminiscent of mini volcano's or ant hills. I adored it! we camped Bedouin style it was an amazing experience zooming through the desert in land cruisers watching the landscape race by. Stopping at a lush oasis for a delicious freshly made meal. Returning the camp in the night to find large selection of strawberries and oranges for us to snack on as they prepared us an incredible feast. There is something to be said for laying on the bare sand, looking at the billions of twinkling stars and seeing the vastness that exists. It truly strengthens connections with God and is humbling. I loved waking up to climb to the top of of the ridges and watching the sun crest the landscape. It makes me think of Moses and what I imagine Mt Sinai to be like

I really am having a great time.I have my

, I love exploring, I've made friends. Its a great life. I'm excited to see where 2016 will take me! I realize I've written you a mini novel! my apologies, there's so much to include!

I hope you have been having a peaceful time in your life, being mindful and content and I hope you husband and girls are doing great and you're planning more trips! I'd love to know how everything is going! I hope the Talbots team is having happiness in their personal and professional lives, going on adventures and finding that which brings them much joy. Please send my love to everyone and tell them to email me sometime.

With love and peace,

Seville <3

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