Aswan

TODAY'S PHOTO ALBUM: Egypt Day 7

Geoff is now a Nile cruise celebrity, having won the great potato race last night! We went down to

the lounge just to take a peak at the festivities. Ash was already there and we were able to find some seats with him. Before the dancing begins, they play some games - one is like musical chairs, one is like hot potato only with a water bottle, there were a couple more. Geoff got volunteered for the potato race - where they tie one potato around your waist and it dangles down to push the potato on the floor to the other side over the edge. I pushed Ash to go up there with him. He went reluctantly, I guess he knew what was coming. What a riot!!  And when the old white guy won, the crowd went wild. Going to breakfast this morning, everyone was smiling and coming over to us - calling Geoff the champion. Last night, we were the only "foreigners" in the lounge - I think all the Egyptians really got a kick out of us.

This morning we visited the ancient Granite Quarries and the enormous unfinished obelisk
which lies still attached to a great mass of granite. Remarkable how they cut these giant slabs in place.  Then had to carve a path through the quarry and wait for the Nile to rise to help life it down the river.

Yesterday when we were talking with Ash, I had said something in Yiddish. He was curious about what it was - so we talked a bit about languages. He said he should be taking a lecture from me. So today while we were walking around the quarry, I mentioned another Yiddish expression and Ash immediately took out his notepad and pen (which he hasn't had all trip) and started taking notes. Geoff joined in as well. Now Ash writes down anything we say that he's never heard of. I think he just loves to soak up as much information as he can.  He is trying to work with a television station to put together a tourism video. I hope he succeeds.

Moving on from the quarry, we drove over the Old Dam built by Mohammad Ali and then visited the new High Dam which was built in the 1960's. Before the dam the Nile flooded every summer - making the land fertile but also doing destruction as well.

The Aswan Dam is an embankment dam built across the Nile at Aswan, Egypt between

1898 and 1902. Since the 1960s, the name commonly refers to the Aswan High Dam. Construction of the High Dam became a key objective of the Egyptian Government following the Egyptian Revolution of 1952, as the ability to control floods, provide water for irrigation, and generate hydro electricity were seen as pivotal to Egypt's industrialization. The High Dam was constructed between 1960 and 1970, and has had a significant effect on the economy and culture of Egypt.

Next we took a motor boat over to the  Philae Temple. This giant structure was moved from its original spot because of the construction of the dam. We heard that as we were coming ashore, Mrs. Sadat and her two daughters were just leaving. Maybe we will run into them at our next stop.

Philae /ˈfaɪli/ (Greek: Φιλαί Philai; Ancient Egyptian: Pilak, P'aaleq; Arabic: فيله‎  Egyptian Arabic: [fiːlæ]) is currently an island in the reservoir of the Aswan Low Dam, downstream of the Aswan Dam and Lake Nasser, Egypt. Philae was originally located near the expansive First Cataract of the Nile River in southern Egypt, and was the site of an Ancient Egyptian temple complex. The serapids and the surrounding area have been variously flooded since the initial construction of the Old Aswan Dam in 1902. The temple complex was later dismantled and relocated to nearby Agilkia Island as part of the UNESCO Nubia Campaign project, protecting this and other complexes before the 1970 completion of the Aswan High Dam.

One observation throughout these temples is that there is a lot of desecration to the faces of the godsand kings. This was primarily done by the Christians when they converted the temple to a church. Not unlike what the Muslims did in Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. They covered up all of the mosaic Christian saints with plaster. Such destruction of such beauty -- it boggles the mind.

A quick stop back at the ship and we were off again for a walk into the town of Aswan. This consisted of a train station and, of course, a market. More great sights and I really wish you could smell what we smell. The spices and cooking aromas are fantastic - especially before lunch. Which is now. Really going to miss the food on this ship. Although it is a dieter's nightmare - lots and lots and lots of carbs. But they do great things with eggplant!

Spent about an hour or so on the top deck before meeting Ash for our afternoon excursion to a

Nubian village. Another boat ride and the scenery was amazing. I have never seen dunes so high. At the village, we entered a typical style house. The Nubian people worship the crocodile and keep them in their homes - aging from very young to very old - so there is always a constant flow. I have to say that it was pretty sad to see these poor animals caged up in such small spaces. Plus, the big ones can eat more than the whole family. What is the point? Hang an icon like everyone else!

Anyway, we sat and had tea and some bread, which is baked in the sun not an oven, with some dipping stuff and halavah. Included in the price of admission, I got a couple of henna tattoos. The atmosphere here is extremely dusty with a haze over everything. We left the house and walked along the village getting back to our boat. The ride back was windy and chilly.

As soon as we got to our dock, Ash got a call from Egypt Air, they want to change our flight to Abu Simbel tomorrow morning. Apparently, tomorrow is a very special day at the temple. The sun only hits it twice a year and tomorrow is the second of those days. We did not know this when we booked it. More details about Abu Simbel to follow tomorrow. But, needless to say, it is going to be very crowded on this sacred day.

After dinner, Ash explained that our flight was moved from 6:55am to 10am. The good news is we do not have to get up at the crack of dawn. The bad news maybe that we might miss the sun hitting the temple. It is a very busy day tomorrow - flying from Aswan to Abu Simbel for a quick run to the temple then back on the plane to Aswan where we transfer to go to Cairo. Should be back in Cairo just in time for rush hour. Ash is not coming with us to Abu Simbel, but we have agents from Sito Tours during our whole junket and we meet up with Ash again at Cairo airport - hopefully. Ash just went out to buy us a sim card for our international phone so if we need to we can call him. I sure hope this all goes smoothly. I also hope it is worth it! We'll know tomorrow.

Next time.... Abu Simbel

TODAY'S PHOTO ALBUM: Egypt Day 7

More Nile Temples

TODAY'S PHOTO ALBUM: Egypt - Day 6

We sailed all night and were in Edfu by morning. As we left the ship this morning, we were greeted with a barrage of horse-drawn carriages waiting to take us to the temple site. This is there major means of transportation for tourists in this town - no taxis. We chose Mustava and his horse Layla. She looked well fed and he didn't carry a whip. I got to sit up next to the driver (even steered Layla a bit) while the boys rode in the back. It was a hoot.

Our first temple of the day was the Temple of Edfu dedicated to Horus, the falcon god.

The Temple of Edfu is an ancient Egyptian temple located on the west bank of the Nile in the city of Edfu which was known in Greco-Roman times as Apollonopolis Magna, after the chief god Horus-Apollo. It is one of the best preserved temples in Egypt. The temple, dedicated to the falcon god Horus, was built in the Ptolemaic period between 237 and 57 BC. The inscriptions on its walls provide important information on language, myth and religion during the Greco-Roman period in ancient Egypt. In particular, the Temple's inscribed building texts "provide details [both] of its construction, and also preserve information about the mythical interpretation of this and all other temples as the Island of Creation."  There are also "important scenes and inscriptions of the Sacred Drama which related the age-old conflict between Horus and Seth.

We are learning more and more about the kings and their gods. Everything is starting to weave itself together. So much information. Ash has been great with us. It is rather special having our own guide walk us through all these sites. There is a much deeper appreciation than just wandering aimlessly through the columns. We can now depict some of the kings' cartouches. We are also starting to recognize some of what is written in hieroglyphics - the original emoticons!

A buggy ride back, snapping some photos along the way. Sat on the deck for a bit - the ship left the dock around 11am. The scenery along the river has picked up since we left Luxor. Not as much smog and smoke. It is now after lunch and we are sailing to Kom Ombo to visit the Temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to two gods – Sobek (the falcon headed god) and Harwar (the crocodile headed god).

Docked at Kom Ombo at around 6:00. The Temple is a quick walk up the hill from the harbor.  It was a pretty scene at night. On our tour, Ash pointed out the images of the ancient calendar and especially the diagrams of the surgical tools. This was an ancient hospital. The graffiti was made by the people who stood in line waiting to see the physician.

The temple at Kom Ombo is about 30 miles (48 km) north of Aswan and was built during the Graeco-Roman period (332 BC AD 395). There was an earlier structure from the 18th dynasty but little remains.

The temple is unique because it is in fact a double temple, dedicated to Sobek the crocodile god, and Horus the falcon-headed god. The layout combines two temples in one with each side having its own gateways and chapels.

Sobek is associated with the wicked god Seth, the enemy of Horus. In the Horus myth the allies of Seth made their escape by changing themselves into crocodiles.

We took a peak down the Nileometer. We have seen several of these, but this is the best. It gauges the high water levels of the Nile. After meandering through the temple, we visited the crocodile museum, where several mummified crocs are on display:

Sobek’s chief sanctuary was at Kom Ombo, where there were once huge numbers of crocodiles. Until recent times the Egyptian Nile was infested with these ferocious animals, who would lay on the riverbank and devour animals and humans alike. So it is not surprising that the local inhabitants went in fear.

They believed that as a totem animal, and object of worship, it would not attack them. Captive crocodiles were kept within the temple and many mummified crocodiles have been found in cemeteries, some of which can be seen in the temple sanctuary today.

A leisure walk back to the ship along the harbor. Ate dinner and we will probably head down to the bar tonight to view the Galabiya  (traditional dress of Egypt it is a cotton kaftan) party.  Should be interesting if I can stay awake!

Next time.... Aswan

TODAY'S PHOTO ALBUM: Egypt - Day 6

The Valley of the Kings

TODAY'S PHOTO ALBUM: Egypt - Day 5

It is an indescribable feeling walking through tombs of Kings that are centuries old. When you are reading graffiti from the Greeks then you know you are so far back in time, it is hard to wrap your head around it! That was what this morning was like.

Of course we first had to take care of a little problem in our cabin - the bathroom. Not working - not even all the attempts they made yesterday to fix the toilet, it was terrible by morning. So as soon as reception opened we were able to change cabins across the way. Everything seems to be working - we'll see.

Valley of the Kings

We were on the road to the West bank of the Nile by around 8 am. At the Valley of the Kings, there are no photos allowed - we had to leave our camera in the car. So I am not able to share any of the sights that we experienced inside the tombs. There are 63 tombs in the Valley of the Kings. King Tutankhamen being number 62 to be discovered. Our ticket included entrance to three tombs. King Tut's tomb was extra and Ash said it really wasn't worth going into. It is tiny and nothing is in there. We saw most of it at the museum.

During Egypt's New Kingdom (1539-1075 B.C.) the valley became a royal burial ground for pharaohs such as Tutankhamun, Seti I, and Ramses II, as well as queens, high priests, and other elites of the 18th, 19th, and 20th dynasties.

As we were leaving, Ash noticed a crowd was forming. It turned out to be Jehan Sadat (wife of Anwar Sadat). Geoff and I were able to shake her hand and talk to her for a bit. Since we did not have the camera, Ash got a reporter to take our picture. Hopefully, he will send it to him.  She is a great woman and it was an honor to meet her.

Over the course of 32 years, Jehan was a supportive wife for her rising political husband who would go on to become President of Egypt. She is mother to their three daughters Noha, Jihan, Lobna and son Gamal. She later used her platform as the first lady of Egypt to touch the lives of millions inside her country, and served as a role model for women everywhere. She helped change the world’s image of Arab women during the 1970s, while undertaking volunteer work, and participating in non-governmental service to the less fortunate.

From here we stopped at the stone shop for a demonstration of carving and polishing stone. We picked up a gift and wanted it inscribed with both English and hieroglyphics. Put in our order and went off to visit the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, known as – Dier El Bahari.

Walk like an Egyptian

The Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, the Djeser-Djeseru ("Holy of Holies"), is located beneath the cliffs at Deir el Bahari on the west bank of the Nile near the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. The mortuary temple is dedicated to the sun god Amon-Ra and is located next to the mortuary temple of Mentuhotep II, which served both as an inspiration, and later, a quarry. It is considered one of the "incomparable monuments of ancient Egypt."  The temple was the site of the massacre of 62 people, mostly tourists, by extremists that took place on 17 November 1997.

The Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw is responsible for the study and restoration of the three levels of the temple. As of early 1995, the first two levels were almost complete, and the top level was still under reconstruction.

Queen Hatshepsut was acknowledged as a King and not a Queen.  We saw the two statues of her at the museum yesterday. The first as a woman with a soft face, and then behind that she is posed as a man with a face having sharp lines. She was probably the first powerful woman recorded in history.

It was back to the stone cutters to pick up our gift. Ooops! Since Egyptians read right to left, the name we spelled out was transcribed upside down! Back to the drawing board -- we'll be back.

The next stop was the Necropolis of Thebes to see the twin, 63 feet high Colossi of Memnon.

The Colossi of Memnon (known to locals as el-Colossat or es-Salamat) are two massive stone statues of PharaohAmenhotep III, who reigned during Dynasty XVIII. For the past 3,400 years (since 1350 BC) they have stood in the Theban necropolis, west of the River Nile from the modern city of Luxor.

Back to the stone cutters for the last time. Success. We paid up and sat and rested with some Egyptian coffee (which is actually Turkish coffee) before heading back to the boat.

Lunch at 1pm and sailing at 2pm. Like yesterday, we headed up to the deck after lunch - tasted another  Egyptian specialty - molokheya: spinach like soup. Pretty good.  Jumped in the pool for a while and waited to cast off from the dock. Well, our group of Egyptian grandmothers came strolling down to the ship an hour later than scheduled. Guess they didn't get the 2;00 or else memo! I wonder if they would have waited for the two Americans if we were an hour late. 

Speaking of Americans, I noticed that whenever we went into an exhibit, Ash would always say English not American. I asked about this. If the guards thought we were American, they would want to provide added security just for us. So to spare all the hassle, he just says English. So far we have felt very secure and extremely welcomed everywhere we go. Everyone wants to talk to us about politics and to let us know that they are just people and not the government.  We chatted with a man from Pakistan on board the ship while we waiting to cast off. He asked where in the States we are from. Geoff said outside Boston. He replied, "Oh, that is where the educated people are!" We got a kick out of that.

We are now cruising down the Nile. Another romantic image dissolving before my eyes. The haze from the smog and all the black smoke from, I have no idea what, kind of spoil the romance.  Not to mention the strange languages, smells, and costumes that surround us. Oh well, it is all part of the experience and being able to stand inside a 3500 year old tomb makes it all worth it. This is turning into quite the adventure.

A beautiful sunset on the Nile - we left a little of Jerry B. and relaxed in our cabin till dinner. 

Just got back in after another good meal and some free entertainment. We went up to the top deck after dinner to see the passage through the lock. This little row boat was tagging along making all kinds of ruckus that we couldn't understand. Ash told us that he throws his wares up to the women and they choose what they want to buy and throw the money back down. The little boat looked like a parasite traveling next to a whale. This boat followed our ship most of the way from dock to lock trying to sell stuff. What a commotion. It's not bad enough that you can't go anywhere without people either trying to sell you something or coming straight out and asking you for money, now we are being harassed on the river. The "bubbas" however, were eating it up! This country is wild. 

Should reach Edfu by 8am.  Good night.

Next time.... More Nile Temples

TODAY'S PHOTO ALBUM: Egypt - Day 5

Luxor

TODAY'S PHOTO ALBUM: Egypt - Day 4

Wake up call came at 4 am and we were in the lobby by 4:45. New guide and driver to escort us to the airport. Found a time of day where there is no traffic in Cairo. Made it to the airport in 45 minutes. Our guide did a great job shuffling us through the chaos of all the security checks. Since we were booked in business class - don't get too excited about Business Class - it wasn't much of a step up - but we were able to take advantage of the coffee and croissants in their small lounge. Very short and smooth flight. Landed in Luxor. Ash was waiting for us when we came out of baggage. Apparently he survived his over-night train ride no worse for wear.

There are two sides to Luxor: East and West banks of the River Nile. Today we explored the East Bank starting with the  Karnak Temple Complex. This complex is comprised of a wide mix of decayed temples, chapels, pylons, and other buildings.  Building at the complex began during the reigh of Senusret I in the Middle Kingdom and continued into the Ptolemaic period. There are many still beautiful cartouches (in hieroglyphics is an oval with a horizontal line at one end, indicating that the text enclosed is a royal name) visible.

The complex is a vast open-air museum, and the second largest ancicent religious site in the world, after the Angkor Wat Temple of Cambodia. It is believed to be the second most visited historical site in Egypt; only the Giza Pyramids near Cairo receive more visits. It consists of four main parts, of which only the largest is currently open to the general public. The term Karnak often is understood as being the Precinct of Amun-Ra only, because this is the only part most visitors see. The three other parts, the Precinct of Mut, the Precinct of Montu, and the dismantled Temple of Amenhotep IV, are closed to the public. There also are a few smaller temples and sanctuaries connecting the Precinct of Mut, the Precinct of Amun-Re, and the Luxor Temple.

Before leaving we made sure to walk around the sacred scarab beetle monument 7 times for good luck. The Egyptian Scarab was one of the most well-known and sacred of all amulets in Ancient Egypt. It goes back as early as 2345 B.C.

A stop for coffee at a very famous Luxor downtown cafe named after the legendary Oum Kolsoum. Finished our coffees and walked across the street to the Luxor Temple site. Standing in front of the sphinx-lined walkway, you can see across the way to the Karnak Complex.

The two primary cults temples on the east bank are known as the Karnak and Luxor. Unlike the other temples in Thebes, Luxor temple is not dedicated to a cult god or a deified version of the king in death. Instead Luxor temple is dedicated to the rejuvenation of kingship; it may have been where many of the kings of Egypt were crowned in reality or conceptually (as in the case of Alexander the Great who claimed he was crowned at Luxor but may never have traveled south of Memphis, near modern Cairo.)

To the rear of the temple are chapels built by Amenhotep III of the 18th Dynasty, and Alexander. Other parts of the temple were built by Tutankhamun and Ramesses II. During the Roman era, the temple and its surroundings were a legionary fortress and the home of the Roman government in the area. It is located in Egypt.

During the Christian Era, the inner section was converted into a church. And in the 10th century, the Muslims built a Mosque in the center of Ramses I Court, known as the Mosque of Abu Haggag. Ash pointed out several interesting things in these two sites. One very interesting thing to me was a depiction of the Jews crossing the red sea to escape the enemy and going into the mouths of crocodiles.

It was time to get on board our boat, the MS Semiramis III.  Well, again, my vision was not the
reality. Although adequate, this is not a first class ship. Like everything else we have seen, it is dusty and a bit aged. As with our Giza hotel, there are no other English speaking people, let alone Americans. That is not necessarily a bad thing. I'd rather experience a ship with many cultures than to feel like we are on a cruise out of Miami or New York!  We got settled into our room, and made our way to lunch. Food was pretty good. We tasted kushari for the first time. Pretty yummy.

Kushari, also koshary, kosheri or koshari, is an Egyptian dish made in the 19th century, made of rice, macaroni and lentils mixed together, topped with a tomato-vinegar sauce; garnished with chickpeas and crispy fried onions.

After lunch it was time to hit the deck. It is very quiet - not too many burkas by the pool. It feels so good to stop and relax and soak up some rays.  We are enjoying our 4:00 tea time on the deck right now. All is good.

Dinner was a race to the food. Our ship is filled with these little old Egyptian ladies that look like everyone's grandmother - but don't get in their way at the buffet!  They really are adorable.  Talked with a few over the dessert spread. Hope to get a chance to get to know them a little.

After dinner, Ash ordered a car and we drove into town to get a few night shots of Luxor Temple. Also picked up a few potable provisions for the boat. We were not in the mood to go to another bazaar. Think we are bazaared out!!  Sweet dreams...

Next time... Valley of the Kings

TODAY'S PHOTO ALBUM: Egypt - Day 4

Mummy, Mummy

TODAY'S PHOTO ALBUM: Egypt - Day 3

Before I begin today's recap, I'd like to answer a question about the structure on top of the Great Pyramid. No, it is not a cell tower. According to Ash, it is a steel structure put there in the 1800's by a Scotsman astronomer, who wanted to study how the pyramid was built in relation to the stars.

Now, it  is 6:30 pm and we are stuck in a downtown Cairo traffic jam after having to wait over an hour for our bus to come pick us up at the bazaar. As usual, we have the vehicle with mechanical problems. What else is new? We will be getting dinner sent to the room. Hope we make it there before the food does.

We started the day with the Egyptian Museum. Spending half a day there and we still didn't see everything. The highlights are the contents of King Tutankhamen's tomb and his two sarcophagi  - one fits inside the other like Chinese boxes. Also his burial mask -- a lot of gold.

Another highlight is the mummy room. Greek and Roman mummies as well as Egyptian. They are still not sure to this day exactly what oil they put on he body to protect it from bacteria, before the mummification.

The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, known commonly as the Egyptian Museum or Museum of Cairo, in Cairo, Egypt, is home to an extensive collection of ancient Egyptian antiquities. It has 120,000 items, with a representative amount on display, the remainder in storerooms. As of October 2015, it is open to the public.

Ash explained the Egyptian statues and some of the hieroglyphics. If the beard is straight down and the left leg is forward - this is a living pharaoh. If the beard is curled and the legs are together - then he was dead.

Time for lunch, then it was off to Mohammad Ali's Mosque built  inside the citadel.  But first we had to get the bus started again. This is not the first trip that this has happened. Apparently, we are mechanically cursed. This mosque is built in Turkish fashion, the inside is quite different. It is covered in alabaster and the graphics are painted - not tiled.

The great Mosque of Muhammad Ali Pasha or Alabaster Mosque (Arabic: مسجد محمد علي, Turkish: Mehmet Ali Paşa Camii) is a mosque situated in the Citadel of Cairo in Egypt and commissioned by Muhammad Ali Pasha between 1830 and 1848.

Situated on the summit of the citadel, this Ottoman mosque, the largest to be built in the first half of the 19th century, is, with its animated silhouette and twin minarets, the most visible mosque in Cairo. The mosque was built in memory of Tusun Pasha,Muhammad Ali's oldest son, who died in 1816.

This great mosque, along with the citadel, is one of the landmarks and tourist attractions of Cairo and is one of the first features to be seen when approaching the city from no matter which side. 

There is a brass clock tower in the middle of the northwestern riwak, which was presented to Muhammad Ali by King Louis Philippe of France in 1845. The clock was reciprocated with the obelisk of Luxor now standing in Place de la Concorde in Paris.

Our last stop was the open air bazaar. Our driver let us off up the hill from the bazaar so that we could walk by. We ran into the funeral of a very famous writer. As we got closer to the bazaar, we saw the crowds and tv crews surrounding the mosque with the funeral.

Heikal authored some 40 books, including a very famous one about Sadat’s turbulent years in office, entitled “Autumn of Fury, The Assassination of Sadat.” Another notable book in Arabic, “Mubarak and His Age,” which came one year after the former Egyptian president was toppled in a popular uprising in 2011, reflected Heikal’s sharply critical view of Mubarak and his long rule over Egypt.

We watched for a while before entering the close streets of the bazaar. Lots of people, sights, sounds, and smells. Ash treated us to a cup of Egyptian coffee in one of the oldest cafe's in Cairo. We sat and chatted not realizing it was getting late. That's when we found out that the bus was going to be late.

The Khan el-Khalili today is mainly occupied by Egyptian rather than foreign merchants and shopholders, but is significantly geared towards tourists. Shops typically sell souvenirs, antiques and jewellery, but many traditional workshops continue to operate in the surrounding area and the goldsmiths' souq, for example, is still important for locals.

In addition to shops, there are several coffeehouses (مقهى maqha ), restaurants, and street food vendors distributed throughout the market. The coffee shops are generally small and quite traditional, serving Arabic coffee and usually offering shisha. One of the oldest and most famous coffeehouses is Fishawi's, established in 1773.

It will be an early night -- flying to Luxor tomorrow and need to get up at 4am. This will be the beginning of our Nile cruise. Ash is coming with us, but he will be taking the over-night train and meeting us in Luxor. Let's hope we all get there when we are supposed to.

Dinner arrived about 10 minutes after we got into our room. Good timing. Ash also sent over a portable wifi router for us to take on the cruise. The blog will continue!

Next time ... Cruisin' the Nile

TODAY'S PHOTO ALBUM: Egypt - Day 3

See the Pyramids along the Nile

TODAY'S PHOTO ALBUM: Egypt - Day 2


Last night we were treated to an Egyptian Dinner Cruise. Not the romantic dining experience I had
envisioned, however.  Entertaining, nonetheless. The food was barely palatable and the music was very hokey and loud but it was a beautiful evening and the views were good. The belly dancer was so-so. The highlight of the evening was the Tenoura (a traditional Egyptian practice) dancer. He was amazing - unlike anything we have ever seen. Definitely worth the price of admission!  Got back into the room by 10pm - very long day for us - lights out!

Had to meet Ash at 8am - got up a bit late and scurried to get to breakfast. Very chaotic. Istanbul has spoiled us and now we have to get used to Egyptian ways. Everything we have seen of Egypt so far has been very poor, very crowded (except the tourist spots), very dusty, and extremely dirty. It is like the people have given up somehow. What once upon a time, used to be green farmland is now brown concrete and unfinished apartments everywhere. Apparently, if you don't paint the outside of your house, you do not have to pay taxes. Not sure I understand that one. A very stark contrast to Istanbul, which was spotless.

We got what we could to eat and met up with Ash. First stop the Pyramids of Giza  and the Sphinx - one of the Seven Wonders of the World. We did the camel ride down to see the 9 pyramids (there are three very small ones that you can barely make out). Also took a lot of silly tourist shots.:

The Pyramids of Giza consist of the Great Pyramid of Giza (also known as the Pyramid of Cheops or Khufu and constructed c. 2560–2540 BC), the somewhat smaller Pyramid of Khafre (or Chephren) a few hundred meters to the south-west, and the relatively modest-sized Pyramid of Menkaure (or Mykerinos) a few hundred meters further south-west. The Great Sphinx lies on the east side of the complex. Current consensus among Egyptologists is that the head of the Great Sphinx is that of Khafre. Along with these major monuments are a number of smaller satellite edifices, known as "queens" pyramids, causeways and valley pyramids.

After the pyramids, it was lunch time at our local falafal place. Next stop was a papyrus shop. One thing we made very clear to Ash yesterday, was that we did not like to shop. This is the main reason that we don't do the big bus tour - way too much shopping goes on. So instead of doing the carpet shop, the perfume shop, etc. we opted to go to just one - papyrus. This is a government run

establishment. We were presented with a demonstration of how the paper is made from the papyrus cane plant. We did buy a small scene of a honeymoon couple with fishes - perfect! A glass of tea was offered and we sat and relaxed for a bit. Before leaving Ash explained that they cannot harvest this plant anymore - so these are the last remains of original papyrus. In other words, hold on to it, it could be worth a lot more one day - who knew?!

A small note: Geoff told me that Ash said he has never spent so much time at the pyramids before -- this is because everyone else spends their time shopping. He really enjoyed being able to explore with us and share his knowledge.

On the road, I mentioned that we passed several carpet making schools. Ash explained that when Princess Diana visited Cairo, she found that the girls on the farms made the best carpets. Upon returning to England, she immediately donated money to the Egyptian government to set up these carpet making schools for children. Many of the schools are in what used to be the old farm houses.

From here we went to Memphis to the Mit Rahina Museum to see the statue of Ramses II:

The ruins of ancient Memphis have yielded a large number of sculptures representing Pharaoh Rameses II.

Within the museum in Memphis is a giant statue of the pharaoh carved of monumental limestone, about 10 metres in length. It was discovered in 1820 near the southern gate of the temple of Ptah by Italian archaeologist Giovanni Caviglia. Because the base and feet of the sculpture are broken off from the rest of the body, it is currently displayed lying on its back. Some of the colours are still partially preserved, but the beauty of this statue lies in its flawless detail of the complex and subtle forms of human anatomy. The pharaoh wears the white crown of Upper Egypt, Hedjet.

It was on to Saqqara:

Also spelled Sakkara or Saccara in English /səˈkɑːrə/, is a vast, ancient burial ground

in Egypt, serving as the necropolis for the Ancient Egyptian capital, Memphis. Saqqara features numerous pyramids, including the world famous Step pyramid of Djoser, sometimes referred to as the Step Tomb due to its rectangular base, as well as a number of mastabas (Arabic word meaning 'bench'). Located some 30 km (19 mi) south of modern-day Cairo, Saqqara covers an area of around 7 by 1.5 km (4.35 by 0.93 mi).

At Saqqara, the oldest complete stone building complex known in history was built: Djoser's step pyramid, built during the Third Dynasty. Another 16 Egyptian kings built pyramids at Saqqara, which are now in various states of preservation or dilapidation. High officials added private funeral monuments to this necropolis during the entire pharaotnic period. It remained an important complex for non-royal burials and cult ceremonies for more than 3,000 years, well into Ptolemaic and Roman times.

North of the area known as Saqqara lies Abusir; south lies Dahshur. The area running from Giza to Dahshur has been used as a necropolis by the inhabitants of Memphis at different times, and it has been designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCOin 1979.

This concluded our sight-seeing day. Heading home, we got stuck in a major traffic jam. Total chaos. Finally, made our way out and we were back in the room by 4:30. Rested for a bit and out again by 7. Tonight we finally had our first decent meal in Egypt. After specifying that we not want any more tourist buffets, Ash took us to a very nice restaurant for a fish dinner. Excellent! With a view of the pyramids - although it was dark, we did manage to see them.

When we returned from dinner, Mr. Sito himself was waiting at the hotel for us. He is the owner of the tour company we are using. He wanted to meet us in person and apologize again for the mix-up at the airport. He is a real sweetie. We took a group picture of the whole Sito group and us. This has definitely been day to remember.

One more full day here, Tomorrow we go into Cairo and do some museums and bazaars. For now, one last look at our pyramid view, Not as majestic as the mosques in Turkey at night, but still awesome to look at.

Next time... A Day in Cairo

TODAY'S PHOTO ALBUM: Egypt - Day 2