Once upon a time there was this dude. His name was Édouard Empain. He was an official amateur Egyptilogist (it actually says that on his wiki page). Édouard was born in Belgium. In 1904 he came to Egypt. He established the Cairo Electric Railways and Heliopolis Oases Company. He then built the town of Heliopilis 10 km from the center of Cairo. It was designed to be a city of luxury and leisure. Okay, so then there's this palace. It's called the Baron Empain Palace or Qasr el Baron or The Palais Hindou. It was designed by a guy named Alexandre Marcel. He was French. It was decorated by Georges-Louis Claude. It was inspired by the Angkor Wat in Cambodia (which my dad accidentally recreated in a sand castle building contest a couple years ago). It was built between 1907 and 1911. The connection between this and the amateur Egyptologist I'm not sure others than it's in the neighborhood he built.
It was designed to follow the sun. Part of it supposedly turned and it was supposed to be one of the seven wonders but was rejected because it doesn't turn anymore. It's also supposed to be haunted.
Now, if you had told me a year ago that I would be in a dress and heals at a party at The Baron Empain Palace. I wouldn't have not believed you, but it's still incredible to think about.
Today was ASMUN's official opening ceremony. So I put on my dress and my heals and I went to a party at a palace. Where we danced. So you could say I went to a ball at a palace tonight. I went with Myrna and I met my other ASMUN friends. We sat and listened to speeches, then we danced and took pictures, then we ate, and danced and took more pictures. We got a picture with some Egyptian football player.
It was great. I also learned that they reccomend some people from the junior councils to participate in the senior councils. Which means that they get to attend the sessions and conferences with the college students. And I was reccomended for the ECOSOC council (!!!) I'm so excited because that means that my ASMUN is not over and I can continue to express my opinion and get to know more people and ahh. So yeah.
Tonight was on of those nights I can't describe because it was so amazing. So maybe seeing it will be helpful... I don't know. You guys. Egypt is great. And I would love for you all to come and experience it with me. So enjoy a bunch of pictures.
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