Karen and Julie's Egyptian escapades: camels, sheesha pipes & belly dancing
Mar 5th, 2009, 05:22 PM
#22
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Wow!
Thanks so much for the prompt responses. I was thinking there wouldn't be much chance of getting a name or address. I thought I might have to log on in Cairo. That's wonderful to have the name of the jeweller. I am unsure whether we will be going to the Khalili bazaar due to the recent bombing. I am glad to see there are other stores in the same firm.
Well, it's after 9:00 p.m. and I want to have a glass of wine with my lovely wife before I collapse into bed. We have an early morning bus ride to the airport. Everyone in our group of 49 is fantastically excited about our 15 day trip to the land of sand. A trip report has already been started and I will certainly be adding to it over the next weeks.
Thanks again.
tC
Thanks so much for the prompt responses. I was thinking there wouldn't be much chance of getting a name or address. I thought I might have to log on in Cairo. That's wonderful to have the name of the jeweller. I am unsure whether we will be going to the Khalili bazaar due to the recent bombing. I am glad to see there are other stores in the same firm.
Well, it's after 9:00 p.m. and I want to have a glass of wine with my lovely wife before I collapse into bed. We have an early morning bus ride to the airport. Everyone in our group of 49 is fantastically excited about our 15 day trip to the land of sand. A trip report has already been started and I will certainly be adding to it over the next weeks.
Thanks again.
tC
Mar 5th, 2009, 05:28 PM
#23
Omigosh - I just happened to check one more time before heading upstairs to read (a book, not more Fodor's) and saw your note, tC. Have a GREAT trip. I had seen some of your thread before but hadn't made the connection in my mind that it was from you. I need to go catch up on it. You'll have a wonderful time.
Mar 5th, 2009, 11:47 PM
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tc - if you don't use the Gouzlan in the Khan, tell them to call Shaggy, Mamdouh or Said at the Khan store to verify that these cartouches should be sold to you at $15 (might go up to $18 if silver changes price significantly, or if you want them oxidized instead of cut out, or some other minor change) as that is my price on them. I am not well known at the other shops, but Said (pronounced Si-EED) owns all the shops and can tell them that Miss Debbie gets this price and if you come with my name, you should get the fair price.
Mar 6th, 2009, 01:52 AM
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Thank you Debbie.
I still look forward to connecting with you in a day or two. I have your number on my "master list" of important things. I really appreciate all the advice and counsel you have so freely offered.
tC
I still look forward to connecting with you in a day or two. I have your number on my "master list" of important things. I really appreciate all the advice and counsel you have so freely offered.
tC
Mar 8th, 2009, 05:29 PM
#26
Cairo - continued (Islamic Cairo)
The next morning at breakfast, the "head waiter" seemed taken with me. He kept smiling and coming over to check whether I needed anything. At one point, he made two triangles out of six toothpicks. He told us to move one stick and make four. When we gave up, he moved the right wall of one of the triangles down and to the left to make the numeral 4... (groan).
Breakfast was so-so (except for that entertainment). There were lots of pastries that I didn't try, hard-boiled eggs, cereal, and a few hot dishes, none of which were appealing. I had a hard-boiled egg and cereal every morning we were there. No fruit.
Debbie picked us up at 9:30 and we headed for the Citadel. It was a gorgeous morning, sunny, high 60s. Droves of tourists, almost all Egyptians, were walking up the hill to the entrance. At the top, a young girl, 12 or 13, came over to Julie and wanted her brother to take a picture of Julie and her together (I got one, too).
We saw three mosques:
- An-Nasir - the oldest with a large open-air courtyard. There were lots of people and a guy wanting to help with your shoes for some baksheesh.
- Suleyman Pasha - my favorite. It was a little out of the way and when we arrived, we had the place to ourselves (except workers). The mosaics and stonework were gorgeous. Debbie asked one of the workers to demonstrate the call to prayer. He did so, his voice reverberating throughout the large domed room. The acoustics were amazing.
- Muhammad Ali - the most famous one. I enjoyed it less than Suleyman, though, because it was so crowded. We had several photo requests inside. It was also the only one where Julie had to put on a robe because she was dressed immodestly. (We didn't actually think it was immodest, but evidently the sleeves revealed too much of her upper arms - plus it was a tad low-cut.) One woman approached, asking if she could take a picture of Julie with her small (2 or 3 year old daughter). When Julie bent down to pick the girl up, the mother's face lit up as if she'd won the lottery. Not only was Julie consenting to having her picture taken, she was actually picking the daughter up. Don't miss the city view from this mosque - it's fabulous.
Throughout the visit, we noticed women lurking close to us, timid but interested. If we met their eyes, they'd giggle and grin at us. There were a few others who were American/Canadian/Australian/European - but not many. White people definitely stuck out like a sore thumb.
Next stop was Ibn Tulun, where a service was in session. We thought this mosque was worth a quick visit. Beautiful arches and columns surround the huge courtyard. The Gayer-Anderson museum is next door - we skipped it. (Debbie - I kind of wish we'd checked it out! Oh well.)
Across the street, we stopped at a great souvenir shop (mentioned in several guidebooks) - Misr Touloun. Prices were fixed and marked. I bought a couple pieces of pottery (plates) and a T-shirt.
From there we drove to the City of the Dead, where a large and thriving community lives among the tombstones and mausoleums. We did a quick drive-through and stopped at a glass-blower's shop. The craftsman made a vase with a snake wrapped around it as we watched.
Then it was downtown for lunch at a bustling kosherie place, where we ate big bowls of the popular Egyptian dish for about $1.50 each. The restaurant didn't serve anything else - the only choices were small, medium, or large. Kosherie is made up of lentils, pasta, chickpeas, rice and some other stuff. You then topped it with a tomato sauce. Cheap, filling and delicious.
Next we picked up our cartouches and bought galabeyas in the bazaar, with Julie having to fend off the numerous men who were immediately smitten: "gorgeous," "sweet," "beautiful eyes," "a million camels wouldn't be enough for you." The comments were never-ending - and it continued throughout the trip. I felt like I was with Angelina Jolie. One man offered 500 camels for her. Another asked me to name the price - "how many camels for your daughter?"
We stopped at the famous Fishawy's in the Khalili bazaar for mint tea. What a great place for people-watching, sheesha smoking (we didn't try it... not yet) and just soaking up the atmosphere. It can get crowded, but it's a lot of fun.
That evening back at our hotel, Julie and I wimped out on finding Egyptian food and ate at McDonald's. The hardest part was crossing the unbelievably busy street - a main drag in Giza. We finally figured out that the way to do it is get close to a local, "up-river" from traffic, and go when they go. It was scary and I thought sure we were going to die at any moment, but somehow we made it.
Afterwards, Julie wanted to hang out in the room, while I met the rest of our group for the first time. We were 16 in all: an Australian family of four, a young Canadian couple, a young woman from South Africa, and the rest Americans. Our tour guide was a 30-something (handsome) Egyptian named Abraheem. I wasn't sure what to think that first evening. Everyone was kind of quiet, but it became clear in short-order that we had a great group.
Tomorrow: pyramids (camels!) and Egyptian museum.
The next morning at breakfast, the "head waiter" seemed taken with me. He kept smiling and coming over to check whether I needed anything. At one point, he made two triangles out of six toothpicks. He told us to move one stick and make four. When we gave up, he moved the right wall of one of the triangles down and to the left to make the numeral 4... (groan).
Breakfast was so-so (except for that entertainment). There were lots of pastries that I didn't try, hard-boiled eggs, cereal, and a few hot dishes, none of which were appealing. I had a hard-boiled egg and cereal every morning we were there. No fruit.
Debbie picked us up at 9:30 and we headed for the Citadel. It was a gorgeous morning, sunny, high 60s. Droves of tourists, almost all Egyptians, were walking up the hill to the entrance. At the top, a young girl, 12 or 13, came over to Julie and wanted her brother to take a picture of Julie and her together (I got one, too).
We saw three mosques:
- An-Nasir - the oldest with a large open-air courtyard. There were lots of people and a guy wanting to help with your shoes for some baksheesh.
- Suleyman Pasha - my favorite. It was a little out of the way and when we arrived, we had the place to ourselves (except workers). The mosaics and stonework were gorgeous. Debbie asked one of the workers to demonstrate the call to prayer. He did so, his voice reverberating throughout the large domed room. The acoustics were amazing.
- Muhammad Ali - the most famous one. I enjoyed it less than Suleyman, though, because it was so crowded. We had several photo requests inside. It was also the only one where Julie had to put on a robe because she was dressed immodestly. (We didn't actually think it was immodest, but evidently the sleeves revealed too much of her upper arms - plus it was a tad low-cut.) One woman approached, asking if she could take a picture of Julie with her small (2 or 3 year old daughter). When Julie bent down to pick the girl up, the mother's face lit up as if she'd won the lottery. Not only was Julie consenting to having her picture taken, she was actually picking the daughter up. Don't miss the city view from this mosque - it's fabulous.
Throughout the visit, we noticed women lurking close to us, timid but interested. If we met their eyes, they'd giggle and grin at us. There were a few others who were American/Canadian/Australian/European - but not many. White people definitely stuck out like a sore thumb.
Next stop was Ibn Tulun, where a service was in session. We thought this mosque was worth a quick visit. Beautiful arches and columns surround the huge courtyard. The Gayer-Anderson museum is next door - we skipped it. (Debbie - I kind of wish we'd checked it out! Oh well.)
Across the street, we stopped at a great souvenir shop (mentioned in several guidebooks) - Misr Touloun. Prices were fixed and marked. I bought a couple pieces of pottery (plates) and a T-shirt.
From there we drove to the City of the Dead, where a large and thriving community lives among the tombstones and mausoleums. We did a quick drive-through and stopped at a glass-blower's shop. The craftsman made a vase with a snake wrapped around it as we watched.
Then it was downtown for lunch at a bustling kosherie place, where we ate big bowls of the popular Egyptian dish for about $1.50 each. The restaurant didn't serve anything else - the only choices were small, medium, or large. Kosherie is made up of lentils, pasta, chickpeas, rice and some other stuff. You then topped it with a tomato sauce. Cheap, filling and delicious.
Next we picked up our cartouches and bought galabeyas in the bazaar, with Julie having to fend off the numerous men who were immediately smitten: "gorgeous," "sweet," "beautiful eyes," "a million camels wouldn't be enough for you." The comments were never-ending - and it continued throughout the trip. I felt like I was with Angelina Jolie. One man offered 500 camels for her. Another asked me to name the price - "how many camels for your daughter?"
We stopped at the famous Fishawy's in the Khalili bazaar for mint tea. What a great place for people-watching, sheesha smoking (we didn't try it... not yet) and just soaking up the atmosphere. It can get crowded, but it's a lot of fun.
That evening back at our hotel, Julie and I wimped out on finding Egyptian food and ate at McDonald's. The hardest part was crossing the unbelievably busy street - a main drag in Giza. We finally figured out that the way to do it is get close to a local, "up-river" from traffic, and go when they go. It was scary and I thought sure we were going to die at any moment, but somehow we made it.
Afterwards, Julie wanted to hang out in the room, while I met the rest of our group for the first time. We were 16 in all: an Australian family of four, a young Canadian couple, a young woman from South Africa, and the rest Americans. Our tour guide was a 30-something (handsome) Egyptian named Abraheem. I wasn't sure what to think that first evening. Everyone was kind of quiet, but it became clear in short-order that we had a great group.
Tomorrow: pyramids (camels!) and Egyptian museum.
Mar 9th, 2009, 10:04 AM
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Hi Karen - your latest post made reminded me of a few things. One night on our boat our waiter showed us the same toothpick trick, actually I noticed tables near ours also trying to figure it out. Who knows maybe it got passed around throughout Egypt.
Kosherie was on the top of my list of foods to try in Egypt. It was a dish I prepared at home before I left as I wanted to try the cuisine. I love to cook and am always experimenting. I really enjoyed the huge plate of it I was served in Cairo.
As always I was happy to continue reading about your trip. Looking foward to your next installment.
Susan
Kosherie was on the top of my list of foods to try in Egypt. It was a dish I prepared at home before I left as I wanted to try the cuisine. I love to cook and am always experimenting. I really enjoyed the huge plate of it I was served in Cairo.
As always I was happy to continue reading about your trip. Looking foward to your next installment.
Susan
Mar 9th, 2009, 05:23 PM
#30
Thanks, Femi! I'm not very objective, obviously, but I think she's lovely, too!
More Cairo
Pyramid day! YAY! When I looked out our hotel window, though, my heart sank. Oh no: fog and overcast skies. What's with this? Moreover, brr... it was chilly!
We climbed aboard the small bus for the first time with our 14 tour-mates and Abraheem. A 15-minute drive down the busy suburb street and we were there. Abraheem got the tickets for all of us (as he did from then on out), and we entered the gate.
There it was! The largest of the three big ones at Giza. (There are actually more than three there, which I hadn't realized. There are a few small ones - queens' tombs.) I was so excited. It's weird how they're just right there in the suburbs. When you come out the exit gate, just across the street is a KFC.
Facing the pyramids, though, with your back to the gate, you couldn't see the suburbs. And when we went around to the backside... but wait, I'm getting ahead of myself.
Abraheem herded us to a spot maybe 100 yards from the pyramid to give us the lowdown. I was sooo impatient (not to mention cold). I wanted to run over to it and touch it and look at it from the bottom and take pictures. Julie threw me a look telling me to behave. After about 40 minutes, Abraheem finally released us and we hurried over (as if it might be going somewhere after 4,500 years). It was farther away than I'd thought! The perspective is weird - you think you're right next to it but you're not. It's bigger than you first realize. Each stone is humongous. Plus, I had this misperception - I thought the pyramids were smooth, like a tile floor. I didn't realize each stone stuck out individually (if that makes sense). Duh.
We had the option of going into the tomb in the big pyramid for an extra fee (I forget how much - maybe $10 or $15?) or going into a smaller tomb for free. No one wanted to do the big pyramid. And we also had the option to take a 45-minute camel ride for$20! Everyone in the group did it. Yay us!
Abraheem showed us how to take a picture that looked like you were touching the top of the pyramid - similar to the shots in Pisa of people "holding up" the Leaning Tower. What a hoot.
Next stop: bathroom. I was expecting the bathrooms in Egypt to be terrible. For the most part (at tourist attractions anyway), not so. Nearly all of them had an attendant, who kept it reasonably clean, handed out toilet paper when you entered, and gave you a paper towel when you washed your hands... in exchange for a small tip (1LE - about 18 cents). (Make sure you have lots of small bills or coins for bathroom tips.)
Over at the queen's small pyramid, we went down the ramp to the tomb. You had to go backward down the low and narrow passageway; fortunately, it wasn't too steep. There wasn't really anything to see inside. We took a couple of pictures and came back up.
We decided not to pay extra for the solar boat, although some in our group did. They thought it was interesting, but it didn't appeal that much to us, and I didn't hear rave reviews.
The group was to meet Abraheem over by the second pyramid to head for the camel ride. We got our first dose of Abraheem's whistle. It could be heard for what seemed like miles. He used it whenever he wanted to round us up. We all liked it because it made him easy to find.
The bus took us around to the other side of the pyramids where you could look off into the distance and see nothing but sand, rocks, and sky. And by this time, the fog had lifted, the air had warmed, and we had a beautiful, blue-sky day. A group of guides and camels were waiting. Abraheem assigned us each to a guide, and it was time to climb aboard - easier said than done.
Even on its knees, a camel is TALL. Very tall. No way could I get up on that camel by myself. Julie later told me hers had stirrups, but I didn't see any on mine. The guide kept trying to take hold of my arm, but I'd shrink away and point to my shoulders saying, "No. Shoulder problems." Of course he had no idea what I was trying to say.
He did figure out, though, that I wasn't going to do it his way. Finally he said: "I pick you up." And the next thing I knew, he'd come around behind me, put his arms around my waist, and slung me up on that camel. Whoa. How'd that happen so fast? I found myself sitting on a flat, blanket-covered saddle with a wooden pommel in the front and back. Suddenly, that camel stood up and I grabbed the front pommel and held on for dear life. Lean way back as he straightens his front legs. Then forward as he straightens his back legs. Good grief, how tall is this thing?
Well, we had a ball. Everyone was laughing and smiling. The guides hooked several camels together in a line. Denise was behind me and her camel kept trying to pass mine - which was pokey and cranky and didn't want to go at all. So her camel had his head almost against my leg for most of the ride. I reached out and touched the top of his head a couple of times. Julie was in a different group and her camel also kept trying to pass the one in front of her. Julie also later told me that her camel tried standing up before she was all the way on.
When we'd go down a hill, the camels would speed up (naturally), and the guides would tell us to lean back. And when they'd go uphill, we were to lean forward. It was really fun. Getting down was a little scary. Back down on his knees, back legs first (lean forward), then front legs. Mine was so cranky and kept braying - he sounded like a mule.
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p907...121b#h150cbf0e
It was a great experience - one of the highlights of the trip for me. I think everyone really enjoyed it. I was glad to be on a tour because our guide had already made the arrangements, and we got a nice 45-minute ride for what was probably a reasonable price - and no hassle. I doubt we could have done as well on our own.
Regarding tipping, at the beginning of the tour, Abraheem asked us to give him, I think, $40 per person for all the tips for the entire trip. He told us not to tip anyone for anything we did together - that he'd take care of it. I wasn't crazy about the arrangement initially, but I'm glad we did it that way. It made things much easier. The camel guides tried to get tips from us before Abraheem got to them, and when he found out, he yelled at them and made them give the money back to the few people who succumbed.
After the camel ride, we made the obligatory papyrus shopping stop. I didn't buy anything - probably should have - but we got a papyrus-making demo, which was interesting. I didn't know you could get papyrus wet, wring it out, and it would stay intact.
We stopped for lunch at a restaurant right along the Nile. It was a buffet and ok. Not great, but not bad either. Then we headed for the Egyptian museum. And I've once again written more than I intended, so I'll leave it at that for tonight. More to come!
More Cairo
Pyramid day! YAY! When I looked out our hotel window, though, my heart sank. Oh no: fog and overcast skies. What's with this? Moreover, brr... it was chilly!
We climbed aboard the small bus for the first time with our 14 tour-mates and Abraheem. A 15-minute drive down the busy suburb street and we were there. Abraheem got the tickets for all of us (as he did from then on out), and we entered the gate.
There it was! The largest of the three big ones at Giza. (There are actually more than three there, which I hadn't realized. There are a few small ones - queens' tombs.) I was so excited. It's weird how they're just right there in the suburbs. When you come out the exit gate, just across the street is a KFC.
Facing the pyramids, though, with your back to the gate, you couldn't see the suburbs. And when we went around to the backside... but wait, I'm getting ahead of myself.
Abraheem herded us to a spot maybe 100 yards from the pyramid to give us the lowdown. I was sooo impatient (not to mention cold). I wanted to run over to it and touch it and look at it from the bottom and take pictures. Julie threw me a look telling me to behave. After about 40 minutes, Abraheem finally released us and we hurried over (as if it might be going somewhere after 4,500 years). It was farther away than I'd thought! The perspective is weird - you think you're right next to it but you're not. It's bigger than you first realize. Each stone is humongous. Plus, I had this misperception - I thought the pyramids were smooth, like a tile floor. I didn't realize each stone stuck out individually (if that makes sense). Duh.
We had the option of going into the tomb in the big pyramid for an extra fee (I forget how much - maybe $10 or $15?) or going into a smaller tomb for free. No one wanted to do the big pyramid. And we also had the option to take a 45-minute camel ride for$20! Everyone in the group did it. Yay us!
Abraheem showed us how to take a picture that looked like you were touching the top of the pyramid - similar to the shots in Pisa of people "holding up" the Leaning Tower. What a hoot.
Next stop: bathroom. I was expecting the bathrooms in Egypt to be terrible. For the most part (at tourist attractions anyway), not so. Nearly all of them had an attendant, who kept it reasonably clean, handed out toilet paper when you entered, and gave you a paper towel when you washed your hands... in exchange for a small tip (1LE - about 18 cents). (Make sure you have lots of small bills or coins for bathroom tips.)
Over at the queen's small pyramid, we went down the ramp to the tomb. You had to go backward down the low and narrow passageway; fortunately, it wasn't too steep. There wasn't really anything to see inside. We took a couple of pictures and came back up.
We decided not to pay extra for the solar boat, although some in our group did. They thought it was interesting, but it didn't appeal that much to us, and I didn't hear rave reviews.
The group was to meet Abraheem over by the second pyramid to head for the camel ride. We got our first dose of Abraheem's whistle. It could be heard for what seemed like miles. He used it whenever he wanted to round us up. We all liked it because it made him easy to find.
The bus took us around to the other side of the pyramids where you could look off into the distance and see nothing but sand, rocks, and sky. And by this time, the fog had lifted, the air had warmed, and we had a beautiful, blue-sky day. A group of guides and camels were waiting. Abraheem assigned us each to a guide, and it was time to climb aboard - easier said than done.
Even on its knees, a camel is TALL. Very tall. No way could I get up on that camel by myself. Julie later told me hers had stirrups, but I didn't see any on mine. The guide kept trying to take hold of my arm, but I'd shrink away and point to my shoulders saying, "No. Shoulder problems." Of course he had no idea what I was trying to say.
He did figure out, though, that I wasn't going to do it his way. Finally he said: "I pick you up." And the next thing I knew, he'd come around behind me, put his arms around my waist, and slung me up on that camel. Whoa. How'd that happen so fast? I found myself sitting on a flat, blanket-covered saddle with a wooden pommel in the front and back. Suddenly, that camel stood up and I grabbed the front pommel and held on for dear life. Lean way back as he straightens his front legs. Then forward as he straightens his back legs. Good grief, how tall is this thing?
Well, we had a ball. Everyone was laughing and smiling. The guides hooked several camels together in a line. Denise was behind me and her camel kept trying to pass mine - which was pokey and cranky and didn't want to go at all. So her camel had his head almost against my leg for most of the ride. I reached out and touched the top of his head a couple of times. Julie was in a different group and her camel also kept trying to pass the one in front of her. Julie also later told me that her camel tried standing up before she was all the way on.
When we'd go down a hill, the camels would speed up (naturally), and the guides would tell us to lean back. And when they'd go uphill, we were to lean forward. It was really fun. Getting down was a little scary. Back down on his knees, back legs first (lean forward), then front legs. Mine was so cranky and kept braying - he sounded like a mule.
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p907...121b#h150cbf0e
It was a great experience - one of the highlights of the trip for me. I think everyone really enjoyed it. I was glad to be on a tour because our guide had already made the arrangements, and we got a nice 45-minute ride for what was probably a reasonable price - and no hassle. I doubt we could have done as well on our own.
Regarding tipping, at the beginning of the tour, Abraheem asked us to give him, I think, $40 per person for all the tips for the entire trip. He told us not to tip anyone for anything we did together - that he'd take care of it. I wasn't crazy about the arrangement initially, but I'm glad we did it that way. It made things much easier. The camel guides tried to get tips from us before Abraheem got to them, and when he found out, he yelled at them and made them give the money back to the few people who succumbed.
After the camel ride, we made the obligatory papyrus shopping stop. I didn't buy anything - probably should have - but we got a papyrus-making demo, which was interesting. I didn't know you could get papyrus wet, wring it out, and it would stay intact.
We stopped for lunch at a restaurant right along the Nile. It was a buffet and ok. Not great, but not bad either. Then we headed for the Egyptian museum. And I've once again written more than I intended, so I'll leave it at that for tonight. More to come!
Mar 10th, 2009, 11:49 AM
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Hi Karen - Your experience with the camel made me laugh. I know I didn't enjoy my ride nearly as much as I was sure I would fall off the whole time. I don't think it helped that I had my large handbag with me. I think I wrote about the foul tempered camel I rode on. I only wish my guide gave me helpful hints.
Also happy to read your impressions of the pyramids. Looking foward to your next post.
Susan
Also happy to read your impressions of the pyramids. Looking foward to your next post.
Susan
Mar 10th, 2009, 05:04 PM
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Karen --
My Mom and I are considering a trip to Egypt later this year, and your trip report has been WONDERFUL guidance for us. Your review of the camel ride made me laugh out loud! I love all of the details and can't wait for your next post.
- Kristen
My Mom and I are considering a trip to Egypt later this year, and your trip report has been WONDERFUL guidance for us. Your review of the camel ride made me laugh out loud! I love all of the details and can't wait for your next post.
- Kristen
Mar 11th, 2009, 02:32 PM
#37
Kristen - thanks! The camel ride was a hoot. I hope to add to the post later this evening.
Muriel - we took the Egypt Explorer tour (DPEE). The balloon ride was an optional excursion - $80 per person. We thought it was well worth it. Only 4 in our group did it. Some had already been ballooning; for others, it was more than they wanted to spend.
Abu Simbel - often an option on tours - was included. It's one of their "comfort" tours - so you get a Nile cruise on a regular cruise boat (it was very nice - details to follow later) rather than a felucca.
Muriel - we took the Egypt Explorer tour (DPEE). The balloon ride was an optional excursion - $80 per person. We thought it was well worth it. Only 4 in our group did it. Some had already been ballooning; for others, it was more than they wanted to spend.
Abu Simbel - often an option on tours - was included. It's one of their "comfort" tours - so you get a Nile cruise on a regular cruise boat (it was very nice - details to follow later) rather than a felucca.
Mar 11th, 2009, 04:09 PM
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Ha ha! That's some death grip you've got on the pommel!
Jerseysusan is right, I think your ride was more enjoyable because you got instructions. All my camel did was stand up and I made them put me down, afraid I'd fall off.
Jerseysusan is right, I think your ride was more enjoyable because you got instructions. All my camel did was stand up and I made them put me down, afraid I'd fall off.
Mar 11th, 2009, 04:39 PM
#39
Cairo - continued
After seeing the pyramids, we walked over to the sphinx. I assumed that the entrance fee to the pyramids also got you in to see the sphinx. But not - you had to exit the pyramids, get a separate ticket, and go through a separate entrance. I don't know the cost; Abraheem got out tickets.
Once inside, you pass through some high stone walls - not a maze, exactly, more like tall (maybe 20-foot high) passageways. We noticed at least one of the corners was rounded stones. Interestingly, it was very similar to some of the Inca ruins in Peru, including Machu Picchu. We marveled during our visit there that the Incas figured out in 1500 A.D. that rounded corners increased the strength of a wall, making it more earthquake-resistant. (A pic from Machu Picchu: http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p450...86761#he986761
What we didn't know then was that the Egyptians figured it out a few thousand years earlier!
In short order, you emerge from the passageways, and the sphinx is RIGHT THERE in your face. The sphinx threw me for a loop. From the pyramids, it looked tiny - a disappointment. But up close (although you can't go right up to it like you can the pyramids), it's huge.
In all the pictures I'd seen, the sphinx looks similar in scale to the pyramid behind it - as if the pyramid is the doghouse and the sphinx is the dog. In fact, the sphinx is WAY smaller - mouse-sized rather than dog-sized. It's because in the pictures the sphinx is close and the pyramids are far away. (Similar to the effect of taking a picture with someone touching the top of the pyramid.) It's not that the sphinx is small. To the contrary, it's that the pyramids are humongous.
We only spent about 15 minutes at the sphinx. Once you see it, you've seen it. The viewpoint is kind of a ledge overlooking the sphinx. We took pictures of each of us "kissing" the sphinx (both of us missed its mouth in spite of the other one saying, "lower, lower.") http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p907...0cfc#h146f0cfc (I didn't post the one of me because I look so dorky.) There were some fairly aggressive vendors - quite a few kids - selling miniature pyramids and so on.
From there, as I mentioned earlier, we went to lunch, the papyrus place, and then to the Egyptian museum. As others have reported, the museum (like the pyramids) is a must-see. We spent about 2 hours there with Abraheem guiding us through the ground floor, explaining some of the highights.
We learned why statues of pharaohs have their left foot forward (it signifies their divine status), why the legs of seated statues are often out of proportion to the bodies (so the statue won't tip over backwards), that only the mummies of royalty had their arms folded, and that a double crown meant that the king ruled both Upper and Lower Egypt. King Tut's stuff (upstairs) is truly amazing. He was, indeed, a golden boy! There were large storage boxes (big enough to fit a car inside) completely plated with 640 carat gold, yup, 640 carat. It was so soft you could basically write on it with something sharp. And of course, the funerary mask was gorgeous (although actually, a little smaller than I was expecting).
The mummy room was an extra 100LE (about $18). I thought it was well worth it. The mummies (maybe about 20?) were displayed really well in a dim room with just the right lighting on each case. It was very atmospheric and not terribly jammed with people when we were there. Tut's area was much more crowded. There's a free "mummy room" with some animal mummies. Interesting, but it doesn't compare. If you spend the money to go all the way to Egypt, definitely spring for the mummy room!
I would have liked a little more time at the museum (a second visit would have been nice), but it didn't work out - and we got a great sampling in a couple of hours. You could do it on your own, without a guide, but I think our guide definitely enhanced our visit - we learned much more than we would have on our own. No pictures were allowed, by the way, anywhere in the museum - they collect your cameras before you enter.
After the museum, it was back to our hotel to pack up for our departure to Alexandria in the morning. (We had a light dinner of minestrone soup and garlic bread in the hotel.)
More tomorrow...
After seeing the pyramids, we walked over to the sphinx. I assumed that the entrance fee to the pyramids also got you in to see the sphinx. But not - you had to exit the pyramids, get a separate ticket, and go through a separate entrance. I don't know the cost; Abraheem got out tickets.
Once inside, you pass through some high stone walls - not a maze, exactly, more like tall (maybe 20-foot high) passageways. We noticed at least one of the corners was rounded stones. Interestingly, it was very similar to some of the Inca ruins in Peru, including Machu Picchu. We marveled during our visit there that the Incas figured out in 1500 A.D. that rounded corners increased the strength of a wall, making it more earthquake-resistant. (A pic from Machu Picchu: http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p450...86761#he986761
What we didn't know then was that the Egyptians figured it out a few thousand years earlier!
In short order, you emerge from the passageways, and the sphinx is RIGHT THERE in your face. The sphinx threw me for a loop. From the pyramids, it looked tiny - a disappointment. But up close (although you can't go right up to it like you can the pyramids), it's huge.
In all the pictures I'd seen, the sphinx looks similar in scale to the pyramid behind it - as if the pyramid is the doghouse and the sphinx is the dog. In fact, the sphinx is WAY smaller - mouse-sized rather than dog-sized. It's because in the pictures the sphinx is close and the pyramids are far away. (Similar to the effect of taking a picture with someone touching the top of the pyramid.) It's not that the sphinx is small. To the contrary, it's that the pyramids are humongous.
We only spent about 15 minutes at the sphinx. Once you see it, you've seen it. The viewpoint is kind of a ledge overlooking the sphinx. We took pictures of each of us "kissing" the sphinx (both of us missed its mouth in spite of the other one saying, "lower, lower.") http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p907...0cfc#h146f0cfc (I didn't post the one of me because I look so dorky.) There were some fairly aggressive vendors - quite a few kids - selling miniature pyramids and so on.
From there, as I mentioned earlier, we went to lunch, the papyrus place, and then to the Egyptian museum. As others have reported, the museum (like the pyramids) is a must-see. We spent about 2 hours there with Abraheem guiding us through the ground floor, explaining some of the highights.
We learned why statues of pharaohs have their left foot forward (it signifies their divine status), why the legs of seated statues are often out of proportion to the bodies (so the statue won't tip over backwards), that only the mummies of royalty had their arms folded, and that a double crown meant that the king ruled both Upper and Lower Egypt. King Tut's stuff (upstairs) is truly amazing. He was, indeed, a golden boy! There were large storage boxes (big enough to fit a car inside) completely plated with 640 carat gold, yup, 640 carat. It was so soft you could basically write on it with something sharp. And of course, the funerary mask was gorgeous (although actually, a little smaller than I was expecting).
The mummy room was an extra 100LE (about $18). I thought it was well worth it. The mummies (maybe about 20?) were displayed really well in a dim room with just the right lighting on each case. It was very atmospheric and not terribly jammed with people when we were there. Tut's area was much more crowded. There's a free "mummy room" with some animal mummies. Interesting, but it doesn't compare. If you spend the money to go all the way to Egypt, definitely spring for the mummy room!
I would have liked a little more time at the museum (a second visit would have been nice), but it didn't work out - and we got a great sampling in a couple of hours. You could do it on your own, without a guide, but I think our guide definitely enhanced our visit - we learned much more than we would have on our own. No pictures were allowed, by the way, anywhere in the museum - they collect your cameras before you enter.
After the museum, it was back to our hotel to pack up for our departure to Alexandria in the morning. (We had a light dinner of minestrone soup and garlic bread in the hotel.)
More tomorrow...
