Birthday Surprises!

Thank you all for the birthday wishes and greetings. I have had a fabulous time. I am now 19 and no longer qualify as a United Methodist youth - I'm now officially a young adult in the Church!
My friends and I were planning to go the camel market on Friday, July 3 (my birthday). We were going to get a cheap hotel near the market, go early, and then head to the mall for a birthday dinner.
And then...they wouldn't let me help plan accommodations. And told me to pack swimming gear. And got me on a bus. Had no idea what was happening.
The bad news (which isn't really bad news): We did not go to the camel market. This is in no way a problem, as I'll be able to go during my extra week in Cairo after classes.

Here's what happened:
1. My absurd (but wonderful) friends got a room in a 5-star hotel with fantastic restaurants, a pool, and a jet tub.
2. Thursday night we chilled in the hotel - eating, chatting, and taking the most fun bubble bath I have ever had in my life (we all got in swimming gear and got in together - there were a LOT of bubbles).
3. We didn't go to bed Thursday until very late (or very early), so we had a nice sleep-in on Friday - by which I mean I got up around 8. lol.
4. Our room came with a fantastic hot buffet breakfast. I got chocolate crepes, fresh mozzarella (!) and tomatoes, croissants and strawberry jam, and fresh mango juice. (For those of you who don't know me all that well, these are some of my favorite foods.)
5. We checked out of the room and spent around 3 hours in the pool. It had a swim-up bar, so the kids had lots of fun. (No, I didn't have anything to drink. I'm underage in Egypt, not that they actually card or care...)
6. We went to the mall and watched "The Proposal." Adorably cute movie. I definitely needed a chick flick.
7. We went to Chili's for dinner. I got fajitas, and heavens above, were they wonderful. I went to the restroom at one point with my friend. None of them said anything to the waiter about its being my birthday. And then, suddenly, there were a ton of Arabic men circling me singing "Happy Birthday" in Arabic and English and a Chocolate Molten Lava Brownie was sitting in front of me with a candle in it. It was fantastic.

And now I'm back in the dorms. A large group is out on a felluca (boat) celebrating Independence Day. One of my best friends here is British - he's quite possibly going to end up overboard at some point. I came back for some sleep. I have a big vocabulary exam on Monday - lots of memorization to do!

It was a very fun day, though it was very Western. Next weekend is the cruise to Luxor and Aswan, and I will get a lot of ancient Egypt highs then.