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Madame Isabel - Melissa Balan

Melissa Balan I have left Egypt after living there for 3 years and am now trying life again in Canada - with my husband, of course! Will greatly miss the travel opportunites that living in Egypt gave us - I hope to get back there soon again!
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Joined on: June 23rd 2005
Last Login: September 13th 2009

Blog Entries: 29
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by Madame Isabel, order by Date newest first.

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On March 25, we headed back to Prague Castle. This time we were pros so we didn't need directions from cute little old ladies. By the way, approaching the castle from the side which brings you in closed to St. Vitus Cathedral is best as you don't have to go up as steep of a hill. We went to the Powder Tower - not much to see here except for some old and current military uniforms. After wandering around the huge courtyards, we found our way to Golden Lane. I was most looking forward to this little area as the pictures [View Full Entry]

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699 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 13 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: July 9th 2009 | 38 Views | [diary=416794]

Not open  :-(
The Powder Tower
Golden Lane

On March 23, Ahmed and I had our tour of Terezin (the Lesser Fortress, the Museum of Terezin, the Jewish Ghetto and the Crematorium). Terezin's fortress was used by the Nazis as a concentration camp for general Czech prisoners (most of whom were Christians) and for Jews as well (most ones who were part of underground resistance). Prisoners from other places in Europe also ended up here before being taken further East to the Death Camps. This was my first chance to visit a place like this - I have studied the Holocaust extensively as a History student in university but [View Full Entry]

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Published: July 8th 2009 | 91 Views | [diary=416411]

Cemetery
DSCF3599
Layout of the Fortress

We arrived at 7:30 am to our hostel (Hostel Rosemary - I highly, really, recommend it). After discarding our luggage, we headed to the nearest popular area in search of breakfast - Wenceslas Square. We found ourselves some breakfast - well, breakfast for Ahmed included a roasted chicken leg with veggies and taters, and about an hour later he had a street sandwich, a fried chicken cutlet. I was so happy to be in Europe! Egypt is great, but Cairo is oppressive...we follwed our crazy Spy Map of Prague (just hilarious) and after running into some amazing monuments/towers/etc. along the way, [View Full Entry]

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Published: July 8th 2009 | 38 Views | [diary=416394]

Hostel Rosemary
Me and St. Wenceslas
Ahmed's Breakfast

Hello all: I thought I should at least give a brief overview of my parents' trip here to Egypt for the second time as for some reason I didn't do it when they were here 2 years ago!? Here are some of the highlights: - Dinner at Al Azhar Park as the sun was setting. Mom and Dad loved it. - The "little explored" street of Darb el Ahmar - I was only introduced to this street in November, and I love it. There is a lot of history packed into this little street that runs behind the Citadel, on the [View Full Entry]

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672 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 19 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: May 29th 2008 | 388 Views | [diary=281345]

Blue Mosque
Mom's villa
Mom's villa window

By Madame Isabel
November 11th 2007
Back to Luxor Africa » Egypt » Upper Egypt » Luxor
Greetings all: Yes, it's been quite some time since I made an entry, but the only places that I go to now are in Egypt, and I hav already highlighted those adventures in this travelblog. But I have a new one with some new stuff...LUXOR! This trip was with Dennis and Iris, and of course, Ahmed. We stayed at the Mercure Accor Hotel which, for anyone looking for a hotel in Luxor, is a great place to stay. I think it is technically only rated 3-stars, but it is great - pool, garden, restaurants, nice breakfast buffet...all the stuff you need. [View Full Entry]

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Published: November 12th 2007 | 122 Views | [diary=218950]


Well, well - who would have thought that I would end up back in Cyprus with my Egyptian husband? After the harrowing adventure in Cairo to get Ahmed his first ever visa to a European country, we were off on a shaky EgyptAir flight to the lovely island of Cyprus. There are certain places in the world that I feel are truly just great hangout spots (Alexandria, Venice, that cool restaurant on the Nile in Luxor where I eat at), and Cyprus is certainly in this category, too. Not one particular place - just the whole island itself. We started [View Full Entry]

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Published: April 9th 2007 | 169 Views | [diary=159305]

Yummy
Crusader Castle
Lovely Coast

Greetings all: This past weekend, Ahmed and I had our "real" honeymoon - a 4-day weekend in Dahab! I have never been to the Sinai Penninsula yet, so this was something new for me, and Ahmed has only been to Dahab once before. The trip started out rocky, thanks to Egypt Air, who messed up our reservation (and about 20 other people). This was Ahmed's first experience in an airport (and, thankfully, later on a plane), so this was not a good first impression. Anyway, after much yelling and such, we were on our way - on a flight with some [View Full Entry]

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562 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 12 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: March 19th 2007 | 272 Views | [diary=135538]

Great view!
The Red Sea
Lazy Cafe

Have you ever wondered where you can buy jeans, spices, cheese, lingerie, thread, toys, fast food and every animal from Noah's ark? Well, I have the answer for you - - - Souk Gomma (Friday Market) in the City of the Dead! Holy cow! Yikes! Ewww! I have been hearing about his insane market for a while, but Ahmed was not willing to take me there until I "threatened" to go it alone. His only condition was that I wear a scarf, and I didn't have a problem with that. So, off we went with my friends Doug and Evelyn [View Full Entry]

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Published: February 12th 2007 | 321 Views | [diary=128179]

Gayer Anderson Museum roof
Spice man
Scary Spices!

Finally, Ahmed was finished his exams and we could go away (for one night only!) for a long-overdue sort-of honeymoon. We booked ourselves a great room at the Cecil Hotel in Alexandria. Yes, we have been to Alexandria before together on a number of occassions, but only for the day. of course! We arrived in Alex around lunchtime on Friday and checked into the hotel. We remembered to bring my passport and the marriage contract; this is the only way that an Egyptian can stay with a person of the opposite sex in a hotel. After getting everything photocopied and dropping [View Full Entry]

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Published: February 5th 2007 | 331 Views | [diary=125855]

Room with a view
Montazzah Garden
Not as tall

Well, it's done...I'm married! And wow, what a process you have to go through here in Egypt to get it done. It all started last Monday, when my then fiance and I went to the Canadian Embassy to fill out an affadavit. Good thing he came with me, because it had to be done in English and Arabic. This seemingly simple form had a couple of misleading parts to it, but we filled it in as best we could. After handing it in to a rather rude Canadian lady at the counter, we went off to have lunch. Today, we [View Full Entry]

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Published: December 21st 2006 | 2161 Views | [diary=112544]




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