First, the building is just beautiful and huge. There are so many antiquities it is mind boggling.
The museum is not completely organized inside as many new artifacts have been discovered after current collections were already placed. The result is that you must have an organized way to go through the museum to not miss anything. Many important finds are wedged in hallways on the top floor which is nice as you will walk through them and not miss them.
There are so many sarcophagus that housed the mummies.
The mummy room was impressive with many so well preserved you can still see hair, nails, and connective tissue.
Canopic jars that hold the internal organs .
And of course there is King Tut’s treasures.
Canopic jars are housed in their own tomb
There is also a collection of Yuya who was King Tut’s great grandfather. What is notable is the excellent embalming methods that were used.
These jars have the mummified organs still in them.The mummy is still inside.The mask had incredible detail to features which is outlined in the book of the dead so the spirit will be able to find the correct body later to ensure resurrection.
There were so many artifacts it was overwhelming. I took pictures of things that caught my eye.
King Amenophis III and familyA granite altar found in a pyramid.
While I was waiting fur my driver I snapped some pictures outside.
They are building a new museum to be able to hold all the items as many have not been unpacked due to lack of space. As impressive and needed the new museum will be, it is sad to see this beautiful building not used as the museum.
I spent the afternoon after I was free done from diving sitting at a restaurant eating Greek salad. Yes of course there was a cat on my lap!
The Red Sea along the corniche in Dahab.
Later in the afternoon, I took a quad tour into the desert. The hotel sheikh ali dahab resort set it up for me for 300 egyptian. It was pretty fun riding in the sand and seeing the water on one side and the desert and mountains on the other.
One of the Egyptians told me I looked like a badass. Funny! The scarf was needed to keep sand out of your face.We had to ride on roads for part of the journey to get to the next access point in the desert between the mountains.
At the outpost they had Bedouin tea which was very sweet. We climbed rocks on a narrow trail to get to the to of a hill.
The path we climbed to get to the top. That was part of it as it curves around to the right at the bottom with some narrow passages between the rocks.
The view was very pretty and to get back to the other side and an easier way down you cross a suspension bridge.
The suspension bridge.We were told to go slow across the bridge. That was not as much fun so of course I didn’t listen and went quickly.
We relaxed at the outpost for awhile and I chatted with Egyptians I met. One wants to teach English in China and we talked about that, connected on we chat, and had dinner laughs.
On the way back it was very dark and there were no lights on the quads. But the one leading had a light so I could make out the quad just in front of me.
Afterwards I met Nicole and Mostafa at Yalla bar and had soup and Egyptian beer.
At the resort we have been eating traditional Egyptian breakfast which is eggs, foul (yummy fava bean dish), homemade cheese, cucumbers/pita bread, fruit…
The next day we booked a tour to the blue lagoon. It took a guy with a truck and a boat ride to get there. Cost was about 265 Egyptian plus $10 US to get through the checkpoint.
Not sure why there are two tickets and not just one. If it helps preserve the area, I have no problem with this.
We stopped at Blue Hole which is a diving spot. It has the best coral and fish. However. It goes from 10 metres to 30 meters as you step of the shelf and then if the current pushes you it will take you to the 50+ meter depth or what is known as the blue hole. It is a dangerous spot. Many drivers die here and there are memorials.
Memorials to divers
We stopped for a bit while we waited for the boat.
After getting off the boat we were at Ras Abu Galum.
The are little supermarkets like this one that had cashed goods and supplies. You can choose to camp in one of the little bungalows over night. It is cold there in the desert but they supply all the camel blankets you will need.
We walked quite a long way (about an hour) to get to the blue lagoon. You can be driven in a taxi instead: the back of a pick up truck!
At this point across the water is Saudi Arabia. That is how far we are up now in the Sinai peninsula.
At the blue lagoon the water is quite shallow a long way out. It was cold water but we braved it anyway. It would be much warmer in the summer but also more crowded. You can kite surf which requires lessons.
We relaxed in a tent, enjoyed tea, and enjoyed the day.
Cats are everywhere. I felt bag for this mom and family as there would not be much to catch to feed them here.
We decided to take the pickup truck taxi back.
At Ras Abu Galum we ate rice, vegetables, and chicken from one of the locals. I should have taken pictures. She told Mostafa that she would make a meal and he would never forget her! It was very tasty. I saved the chicken to give to cats when we arrived back in Dahab. I should have taken a picture of her as she was obviously the boss of the area!
On the way back I was trying to take a picture of the sunset. We slowed down at the checkpoint and I tried to grab a picture. You should not do this. Even if you are not pointing the camera at the officers, it is against the rules. They asked to see my camera and Mostafa explained I was taking pictures of the sunset (which I didn’t actually take when I realized my error). The good news is I did not have my phone taken away but I did not get the shot. After the checkpoint the driver slowed down so I could take a picture.
The next morning we are leaving from Dahab. Before breakfast I walked down to the corniche to see the sunrise. It was beautiful and peaceful.
I took a nice long walk after sunrise to eat the last breakfast in Dahab. This is a beautiful place and I’ll miss it. It is only about $20000 USD to buy a house. A consideration for retirement.
Dahab is a small town on the southeast coast of the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. We had to fly into Sharm el-Sheikh and drive about an hour to get there through the desert with small settlements scattered throughout.
Dahab used to be a Bedouin fishing village. In fact you can have dinner at night in the desert with traditional Bedouin food. The corniche along the Red Sea has many shops, restaurants, and dive centers.
Dahab is one of the best diving spots in the Sinai. That is actually why I’m here as I have wanted to learn to dive. My dive center is H2O Divers.
Along the Red Sea eating vegetable Curry on a lunch break from dive classes.
At night there are many wonderful restaurants. In this area a lot of fish are caught illegally and you should not go to many restaurants to eat fish. There are a few that are reputable and eco dive centers can tell you them.
We ate at night at Shark. It is set up like Bedouin. Carpets, chairs with cushions… The food was wonderful but so were the cats. As is usual with people who know me, I attract animals. The cats would come and sit on my lap here. So funny. The grey one just wanted to relax and
Lebanese bread with assorted dips as an appetizer that is brought automatically to your table.
We are staying at the Sheikh Ali Dahab resort. It is beautiful and quiet and not too far from the corniche along the Red Sea.
The resident dog became my friend too wanting belly rubs and pats on the head. Well, and my breakfast…
The skills for dive certification are challenging for me as I have a serious fear of the water. I have yet to swim under water for one minute with just the regulator in and no mask. But I accomplished many of the skills and I’m very proud of myself for that. But that skill had freaked me out. In the end, I completed 36 of the 60 seconds. If I could have calmed myself down I would have tried again but had made 4 attempts. I am still not comfortable under the water so as a result getting the verification was not important for me. I did do two other dives and was able to see cornetfish, coral, Moray eels, pufferfish, lionfish, rockfish, and many others that live along the reef. Even though I wish I could get the certification my level of discomfort under the water was a barrier and I’m pretty proud to have conquered my fear that far. I also realized that I was not having fun and even on the dives I was not comfortable. Even though I cleared my ears in the dive, I have swimmers ear and that problem made it miserable after the dives.
Outside one of the restaurants there was a large amount of cats congregated. The poor dog stood in the back. He doesn’t stand a chance if any food is given.Nicole took this picture of a black cat sitting amongst cat statues. It is the Where’s Waldo of kitties.Nicole also took this picture along the Red Sea. Beautiful!
I went shopping for caftans. I remember my mom wearing them in the 70’s and lately I think they would be really comfortable for lounging. I found a long sleeve one and then found this short sleeve that was very pretty.
Now that I am not diving anymore it have me the afternoon and next day to do other things.
We hired a driver to go to Alexandria. We almost cancelled the trip because of the rain that was forecast. Here there is no drainage on the roads and dangerous flooding has been known to happen. There was rain and some areas that had standing water. It definitely took longer to get there.
At a rest stop I’m always on the lookout to try something different. I found paprika Pringles and basil seed drink. The Pringles are fantastic and the drink much tastes like a chia seed drink but the taste of basil seed.
We started at the Catecombs of Kom El Shuqafa. You can see Roman, Greek and Egyptian culture as some statues are Egyptian in style with Roman clothes and hair. The circular staircase was used to transport deceased bodies down the middle and leads down into the tombs. They were constructed in 200 AD. It was discovered in 1900 when a donkey accidentally fell into the access shaft.
Outside the burial chamber.Inside the vault are carvings that served as protectors of the dead.Tombs. Originally this was designed for a single family but it was said that horse remains were also found here.This is a wardian tomb.Inside a Tigran tomb. There is a front room, back room, and open court that is found inside the tomb. This was unearthed elsewhere in Alexandria and reconstructed here.Stone with carvings of the burial process.
Next was the library at Alexandria. On the way I noticed there are still Radio Shack’s around!
The library in Alexandria is one of the largest collection of all media in the world. They had many artifacts on display and interactive exhibits throughout.
A piece of the Kiswah of the Kaaba
Downstairs is an antiquities museum.
Egyptian alphabet.Egyptian god of the moon which is a blending of a baboon and an Ibis.The top of sarcophagus of a child.The torso of Hercules. There is incredible detail in the muscles.Alexander.Ancient sundial for tracking time by placing it facing the South to catch the sun’s rays. This is from 2000 BC.The heads of the Canopic jars that held the internal organs. Imsety had a human head and carried and protected the liver. Qebehsenuf had a falcon’s head and carried and protected the intestines. Hapy had the head of a baboon and carried and protected the lungs. Duamatef had the head of a jackal and carried and protected the stomach.This Mosaic is from the original library. It shows exceptional detail including the expression on the dog.
They also had art displays throughout the basement leading to an exhibit is Anwar Sadat.
Next we went to the citadel. There is a Greek restaurant called White and Blue that is a block away. You choose your own fish to be butterflied and grilled. It was delicious. We chose bluefish from the Mediterranean and a red fish from the Red Sea. It is not cheap but worth it.
Tahini, tzaziki, baba ganoush, seafood chowder.We ate on the balcony overlooking the Mediterranean.The outside of the citadel which has a lighthouse. Unfortunately it closed for the day right before I got there. Go early if you want to see it on your travels.
I love taking pictures of Christmas trees. There are many here in Cairo and other areas I have visited.
For my birthday on Christmas Eve we left Luxor and flew back to Cairo. The resort had decorations and played Christmas music continuously.
After a quick workout at the gym we stopped at 4 fat ladies bakery. They are amazing and make Western cakes and cookies. We bought a slice for each of us to celebrate my birthday. We ate a cookie walking around and looking at shops along the way back to Nicole’s apartment. They even had gingerbread which I bought for the car ride tomorrow to Alexandria.
Once back at the apartment we had cake. Mine was a fudge cake with lotus frosting. The others were an apple cake and carrot cake. Yummy!
For dinner we went to a great seafood restaurant called Ibn Hamido in New Cairo. It was fabulous and very famous. On the way I found other decorations as well as a mosque with a service station next to it. The sign in the hill says chill out!
The mosque is on the left. It obviously is not completely in the picture.Santa is sleeping above the I and the V!
The seafood bisque was buttery but not too rich. We also had Sea Bass on a bed of gratin potatoes. The shrimp, fish, and tahini were delicious.
I see these Santa’s in many places here.
Afterwards, Nicole and I went to the new City Centre mall and watched the new Star Wars movie. It is an unbelievably immense mall and the decorations were beautiful.
Underneath the tree there were photo booth scenes you could use for a holiday photo.
A hazy start to this Christmas morning. May everyone have a Merry Christmas!
Another early morning but this time to be picked up for a hot air balloon ride over the valley of the Kings. What a great time! It is very cold in the morning in the desert but heats up during the day.
I have never seen a balloon being inflated and it was fascinating to watch. You are actually warmer in the balloon because of the flames to hear the air. I highly recommend this as an activity if you visit.
Balloons being inflated on the ground.
Floating over the monuments we toured the day before was pretty spectacular as was seeing the sun rise and looking at the vast area of Luxor.
Views during sunrise. Vote of the colossi from above.You can see the irrigation channels that keep the area green. It is not an Oasis but fed from the NileSugar cane is a major crop which requires a lot of sunlight and water.
We used hod-hod soliman at www.hodhodsolimanballoons.com. They pick you up, take you to the location then drop you off wherever you want (or back to your hotel). Very professional with an experienced crew.
Children from nearby will follow the balloons and been for money. It breaks my heart as they do not go to school and even doing so does not give them a job as this is a class society. You are born into your class and you are unable to move into a different one.
Afterwards we went straight to Luxor temple. Luxor temple is dedicated to the rejuvenation of kingship; it may have been where many of the pharaohs of Egypt were crowned. It is on the east bank of the Nile and different from the other temples and mortuaries.
The largest line of Sphinx.which used to connect the temples of Luxor and Karnak. It is called avenue of the Sphinx and monuments were carried between for celebrations. There is another line on the otherside of the walkway. Excavation between the 2 sites is still underway.A closer up of the Sphinx.Obelisk constructed by Ramses II
The colonnade of Amenhotep III which served as the original entrance to the Temple of Amun. The walls around it were built by King Tutankemun.
This area was covered in mud and sand to the top of these columns. During building in the area, these structures were found and excavation began.Ramses II. This statue is incredible.There are so many hieroglyphics it is overwhelming. To be able to touch something that is at least 4000 years old is impressive. The color that was used is original and impressive how color and detail is used.
The Karnak temple complex is also on the east bank of the Nile about 2k away. It means fortified village. 30 pharoahs contributed to the building over a long period of time which is evident when you travel through it from the front to the back as the styles change along the way.
The row of Sphinx that connect to those at Luxor temple.
One famous aspect of Karnak is the Hypostyle Hall in the Precinct of Amun-Re. It is 50,000 sq ft or 5,000 m2 with 134 massive columns in 16 rows. It is the largest collection of columns in the world. It was created by Seti I and his son Ramses II. The columns represent a papyrus flower.
The architraves on top of these columns are estimated to weigh 70 tons and may have needed levers to lift them. This would be an extremely time-consuming process. Some believe large ramps were constructed of sand, mud, brick or stone to bring them up the ramps.
Hatshepsut had twin obelisks erected at the entrance to the temple. One still stands, as the tallest surviving ancient obelisk. Obelisks were a symbol of the sun god Ra and we’re important in religious ceremonies. Usually two were at the entrance to a temple.
As you travel around the perimeter there is an open air museum of the various artifacts that were scattered throughout and are now catalogued by years and styles.
The sacred bark shrines of Seti II. They were dedicated to Theban deities.
This was a pretty tiring day and we went back to the resort for a very late lunch and relax by the Nile. We played ping pong and then set out that night to go to the Winter palace where Agatha Christy wrote her famous book Death on the Nile and others. It is beautiful.
The winter palaceThe gardens at the Winter palace.
Stories from a shop owner
We found a tea and perfume shop where we drank hibiscus tea and talked with the owner. Mostafa found a magnet of a statue with a large erect penis. We found this hysterical and then we were told the story.
Ahmed the owner talked about Amehkim or Min. Min the Egyptian god of fertlity, virility, rain, and the desert has a great story. The image of Min is one of a human male with one arm and one leg. In the ancient legend, Min was given the order of protecting a city in Egypt when the ruler and all the men had to leave on a military campaign. The women were left alone and in need of a protector. When the ruler returned he found that all the women in the city pregnant. The god Amun punished Min for this by cutting off one leg and one arm. However, all of his progeny were strong and useful and he was elevated to the level of a god. Henceforth Min was recognised as the one armed, one legged god with the large, erect penis.
Of course this is the one temple we did not go in. We were pretty tired at this point.
And I did but some tea and perfume which are oils and long lasting.
We got up super early the next morning on December 23rd to fly to Luxor. There are a few ways to get there:
1. Take a Nile river cruise from Cairo to Aswan. It is pretty. People like it. You get port stops along the way. But if you want to get out and see things it might not be for you. It does have a tour to all the things you want to see at the stops and it is self contained which means you are on the ship for a long time. But I don’t want to do that for 3 or 4 days and the price you pay is not just it. You do have to tip at the end so plan on spending more money than the quoted price.
2. You can also drive the 8+ hours. It is easy to get a car to take you but will cost you a bit too.
3. Or you can fly. It cost about $250 USD round trip but only takes an hour and is the best option if you are trying to pack a lot into 10 days. We flew obviously as part of the trip includes learning diving which will take days away.
We arrived at the Ville Jolie at about 9 in the morning and set out right away to tour. We found a taxi to take us to some of them local sights.
In Luxor we stayed at the Jolie Ville which is right along the Nile. It is beautiful here.
The statues of Memnon (Colossi)
The Colossi of Memnon are two massive faceless stone statues of the Pharaoh Amenhotep III from 1350 BCE, in the Theban Necropolis in Luxor. Memnon was slain by Achilles during the Trojan war. They are cut from a single block of stone. The statues sit at the funerary entrance of the temple and that part is currently being excavated. The ground level was as high as these statues when they were discovered.
Valley of the Kings
Next was the Seti II temple. Mustafa was able to negotiate a taxi to take us everywhere for 500 Egyptian pounds. That slowed us to tour at our leisure and know that a car was waiting for us.
Seti may have only reigned for about six years, from about 1199 until 1193 BC. In ancient Egypt the long reign of a king is generally followed by succession problems. Ramses II was successful and had a long reign. Ramses son took power but was older as a result of Ramses long reign and Seti was that runners son. Seti was not known as a good ruler and had competition from another concurrent ruler. His resign was so short that his burial changer was not completed before his death.
Ramses IV was the third pharoah of the twentieth dynasty in 1156 BCE. He reigned 6 years and used extensive building activity to maintain Egypt’s prosperity in a time of deteriorating conditions in the country.
Ramses III was the second Pharaoh of the Twentieth Dynasty in Ancient Egypt. He reigned from 1186 to 1155 BC and is most likely the last great monarch of the New Kingdom to have any real authority over Egypt.
Hatshesut temple. She was the 5th pharoah of the 18th dynasty in 1478 BCE. She was the 2nd female pharoah and installed herself after the death of her father.
Al-Deir Al-BahariHatshepsut was a great leader in re establishing trade routes, bringing back trees successfully to replace from other areas, and one of the most prolific builders in all of ancient Egypt. Her buildings are considered the most Grand and this one, her mortuary temple at Al-Deir Al-Bahari.
It starts out cold in the desert in the morning and night in the winter but still gets quite hot during the day. It drains the battery of the phone quite extensively. This was a lot of sight seeing for the first day.
For something different at night we took a Felucca out on the Nile to catch the sunset. This is a covered boat. It was beautiful and we stayed until it was dark then found a local restaurant to eat dinner.
I’ll miss spending Christmas with my kids this year. It will be the first I have not been with at least one of them. And it was a tough decision to decide to travel instead of going home, but tax rules limit the time each year to be home and I reached my limit this year.
It doesn’t always feel like Christmas as decorations in China go up much later than in the States. It is still festive as there is still a Holiday party and secret Santa at school. Some places are decorated and play Christmas music.
At the metropolitan plaza in Tianhe.
The trip to Cairo was long (11 hours) and soon I was at my friend Nicole’s place. Nicole worked with me in China last year and miss seeing her as we used to run in the Nike run club together. We walked to get a local breakfast. We had Foul, which is a fava bean dish and very tasty, an eggplant dish, tahini, falafel, and bread. Yes that is typical for breakfast.
Yum. My favorite type of food and so tasty.
Afterwards we went to Sakkara Archeological site which is 19 km South of Cairo. This is the necropolis of the ancient Egyptian city of Memphis. One minute you are driving on a highway and the next you are in a desert. The pyramids were amazing. This area is a burial ground.
The step pyramid of Djoser. This pyramid was constructed for the pharoahs burial by Imhotep. It is there center of a large burial complex with many ceremonial structures.Nicole Reid and I.I really don’t remember what he said as I was seriously jet lagged. You must know that just because they are talking does not mean they are a free guide. If you pay them attention, you will need to pay them money so you might as well let them take your picture for you!
Next was the Imhotep museum. Imhotep was the first to build monument structures out of stone. He was high priest of the sun god Ra in the 27th century BC.
Outside the museum there is a little Oasis.Above this Sphinx are hieroglyphics depicting the Bedouin people. They are portrayed as being skinny as they are very poor people in the desert. It is the same today. Bedouins wear head scarves that are red or black pattern on white.King Merenre I who only reigned 5 years
Next…The pyramids of Giza.
The pyramids are the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and I was amazed as it is the only one of the wonders to remain largely intact since 2580 BC. It is believed it was built for the pharoah Khufu.
One thing I learned walking around areas is not to address Egyptian people selling wares. Just keep walking. They are endearing though and try to make you smile, which you do, then laugh… And then they try that much harder. Giza had the most ambitious peddlers due to their poverty. If you ask a question about anything, be prepared to pay. Information is not free and neither is the help. But that is okay. 100 Egyptian pounds is 6 USD. Yes I worked hard for my money but I’ll pay here if I use a service. Many people do not have much to live on.
I did want to ride a camel. This gentleman had a beautifully dressed camel and at a good price of 200 Egyptian pounds.. As you walk away they will offer something else. He was funny and friendly and I had a great time.
They obviously know where to park the camel to get the correct shot. He also dressed me in a Bedouin scarf.Camels are pretty easy to ride but you pitch forward and side to side when they lower down or get up to standing.
Afterwards we had a light lunch across from the Giza entrance.
Nighttime in downtown Cairo
I don’t recommend this if you do not have an Egyptian guide. We went to see a mosque and do some jewelry shopping.
You remove your shoes to enter this area. Women are on one side and men enter on the other side.
It is very crowded here downtown, you will be mobbed with people selling you things, and it can be unsafe if you do not look out for your belongings. Nicole’s boyfriend Mostafa made this possible as he was born here and knows how to handle the area.
It was crazy and I get to a point where I have had enough and just want to leave. I was at that point.
Where my friend lives is out of the way so finding a way home was very difficult as many taxis don’t want to navigate this mess. We eventually went by metro which is not a very robust system to get around but did the trick. I was pretty exhausted by this point and we needed to get up early to get to the airport to go to Luxor.
Education is not compulsory here. Many children do not go to school.There are many schools to learn how to make quality carpets.
