Karen and Julie's Egyptian escapades: camels, sheesha pipes & belly dancing
Mar 11th, 2009, 06:12 PM
#41
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Hi again Karen - as always enjoying your report. I agree about the mummy room. Not everyone in our group spent the money to go in, but my son and I thought it was well worth it. Seeing hair or teeth that old is quite amazing.
Susan
Susan
Mar 12th, 2009, 02:55 AM
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FYI - I don't know what Abraheem was doing, but he couldn't have been buying more tickets to the Sphinx, because your assumption is correct - it is included with the price of the Giza Plateau ticket. Since you weren't paying for each site as needed, I'm sure he was just dealing with someone about something else.
Just wanted to clear that up for anyone that is going in the future. You buy one ticket for the Giza Plateau and that will get you inside the park and to the Sphinx and into a number of other small temples etc. It will NOT get you into the Solar Boat museum, or inside any of the big pyramids. Those are all extra and optional.
Just wanted to clear that up for anyone that is going in the future. You buy one ticket for the Giza Plateau and that will get you inside the park and to the Sphinx and into a number of other small temples etc. It will NOT get you into the Solar Boat museum, or inside any of the big pyramids. Those are all extra and optional.
Mar 12th, 2009, 03:06 AM
#43
Ah, maybe he took our tickets after we presented them at the pyramids and gave them back to us at the sphinx? I definitely remember going through a separate ticket entrance to get inside - up close to the sphinx - but maybe he just redistributed the tickets we had already used. I don't remember. Thanks for clarifying, Debbie!
Mar 12th, 2009, 05:21 AM
#44
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What you said about needing more time in the museum is so true. 2 hrs with a guide gives you a nice overview with some historical detail (there's not a lot of signage explaining what you're looking at) but if you have any free time in your tour you should definitely go back and spend as much time as you can by yourself.
I loved how Victorian it felt -- the old wooden cases, everything just mish-mashed in together, no air-coniditioning! Sort of sad to think of them building a new, modern museum. People should hurry & see it while they can!
Karen - did you see the wigs? They were not far from the mummified animal room. Too funny, some of them were huge afro wigs like a foot high.
Also, 100% agree with the mummy room being worth the extra fee. So cool to see Ramses II after hearing so much about him and viewing all of his temples, etc.
I loved how Victorian it felt -- the old wooden cases, everything just mish-mashed in together, no air-coniditioning! Sort of sad to think of them building a new, modern museum. People should hurry & see it while they can!
Karen - did you see the wigs? They were not far from the mummified animal room. Too funny, some of them were huge afro wigs like a foot high.
Also, 100% agree with the mummy room being worth the extra fee. So cool to see Ramses II after hearing so much about him and viewing all of his temples, etc.
Mar 12th, 2009, 12:38 PM
#45
Leslie - yes, I agree - the atmosphere and the way things were displayed were wonderful. I know what you mean about the no air conditioning and the mish-mash of things - a bit more orderly than someone's attic, but a little like that.
I think it would be nice to get the overview at the beginning of a trip to Egypt and do the return visit at the end after touring Aswan and Luxor. I think a lot of things would have made more sense to me at the end. In fact, as we'd hear about Ramses II, I'd struggle to remember for sure which one he was - because at the time I didn't have the context - didn't understand how important he was. In some ways, I too think it will be sad to see everything moved to a new (and almost certainly more sterile) building.
And, no, I don't remember seeing the wigs! Drat, that's the very kind of thing I get a kick out of. We must have missed them. As we were heading toward the mummy room (and time was getting tight), I remember Julie saying she wished we had more time. Both of us love museums.
I think it would be nice to get the overview at the beginning of a trip to Egypt and do the return visit at the end after touring Aswan and Luxor. I think a lot of things would have made more sense to me at the end. In fact, as we'd hear about Ramses II, I'd struggle to remember for sure which one he was - because at the time I didn't have the context - didn't understand how important he was. In some ways, I too think it will be sad to see everything moved to a new (and almost certainly more sterile) building.
And, no, I don't remember seeing the wigs! Drat, that's the very kind of thing I get a kick out of. We must have missed them. As we were heading toward the mummy room (and time was getting tight), I remember Julie saying she wished we had more time. Both of us love museums.
Mar 15th, 2009, 08:31 AM
#46
From Cairo to Alexandria
We had an early departure (7 a.m.) for Alexandria. The bus ride, once we were out of the Cairo traffic, was relaxing - an easy 3 hours on an interstate-type highway through desolate desert scenery.
Alexandria has a different feel from Cairo. It's hard to explain. What stands out in my mind are the narrow streets, crowded with people and lined with interesting shops - plus the busy promenade running along the beach and harbor. Unfortunately, we didn't have time during the day to just wander the streets. Many of the locals were just hanging out on the sidewalks. I got a kick out of this guy who caught my eye while we were on the bus. If you click on the left thumbnail in the upper right corner, there are some other Alexandria street scenes.
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p965...92d87#h3a1febe
Lunch was at a fish restaurant overlooking the harbor (so-so), then we went to the Catacombs, my favorite Alexandria stop (but not Julie's). It doesn't look like much from the outside... because, of course, it's underground. To enter, you go down a long spiral staircase wrapping around the wall of what looks like a large, very deep well. You then step out into a series of rooms and labyrinth-like hallways with beautiful archways, statues, and carvings. Only one mummy was found. He's not there now, but there are some horse's bones - plus lots of empty tombs, statues, and cobra carvings. It was an eclectic mix of Roman and Egyptian styles - and very cool.
If you're interested in more details and pictures - no photography was allowed - this link provides tons of info: http://www.touregypt.net/featurestor...melshuqafa.htm
We also visited Pompey's Pillar - interesting (especially the ancient underground "library" with shelves where manuscripts were kept) but missable, and the Biblioteca, Julie's favorite Alexandria spot. With its soaring, angled ceiling and dozens of columns, the modern library is indeed impressive. You can get free internet time here.
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p965...2a483#h672a483
Our hotel (Mercure) overlooked the Mediterranean. Views were great and the room was clean and comfortable. There was traffic noise from the busy street below, but we slept pretty well anyway. http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p965...2a1f#h16bf2a1f
That evening, our bus driver dropped us off downtown, and Abraheem turned us loose for 2-3 hours of wandering the crowded streets. We had dinner at an Egyptian fast-food restaurant, Gad, a bustling stand with a guy carving slices of beef from a large chunk of meat on a skewer right on the sidewalk. We had beef schwarma, kind of like a philly cheesesteak sub. It was delicious and cheap. (See this photo and the next:
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p965...a483#h1e935060
Afterwards, we strolled the busy, well-lit shopping district, which was packed with people (many of whom stared at us) shopping for shoes, electronics, clothing, and more. We couldn't resist an ice cream at Baskin-Robbins and some cookies in a small grocery store (where the cashier told Julie she's beautiful). We passed a disco with music blaring and a machine that was blowing hundreds of bubbles into the air. The whole scene was fascinating - the air was full of excitement and energy.
And since I'm not (full of energy)... I'll quit here for now. More later. (I think I'll add a couple of night shots to my Alexandria online album.)
We had an early departure (7 a.m.) for Alexandria. The bus ride, once we were out of the Cairo traffic, was relaxing - an easy 3 hours on an interstate-type highway through desolate desert scenery.
Alexandria has a different feel from Cairo. It's hard to explain. What stands out in my mind are the narrow streets, crowded with people and lined with interesting shops - plus the busy promenade running along the beach and harbor. Unfortunately, we didn't have time during the day to just wander the streets. Many of the locals were just hanging out on the sidewalks. I got a kick out of this guy who caught my eye while we were on the bus. If you click on the left thumbnail in the upper right corner, there are some other Alexandria street scenes.
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p965...92d87#h3a1febe
Lunch was at a fish restaurant overlooking the harbor (so-so), then we went to the Catacombs, my favorite Alexandria stop (but not Julie's). It doesn't look like much from the outside... because, of course, it's underground. To enter, you go down a long spiral staircase wrapping around the wall of what looks like a large, very deep well. You then step out into a series of rooms and labyrinth-like hallways with beautiful archways, statues, and carvings. Only one mummy was found. He's not there now, but there are some horse's bones - plus lots of empty tombs, statues, and cobra carvings. It was an eclectic mix of Roman and Egyptian styles - and very cool.
If you're interested in more details and pictures - no photography was allowed - this link provides tons of info: http://www.touregypt.net/featurestor...melshuqafa.htm
We also visited Pompey's Pillar - interesting (especially the ancient underground "library" with shelves where manuscripts were kept) but missable, and the Biblioteca, Julie's favorite Alexandria spot. With its soaring, angled ceiling and dozens of columns, the modern library is indeed impressive. You can get free internet time here.
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p965...2a483#h672a483
Our hotel (Mercure) overlooked the Mediterranean. Views were great and the room was clean and comfortable. There was traffic noise from the busy street below, but we slept pretty well anyway. http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p965...2a1f#h16bf2a1f
That evening, our bus driver dropped us off downtown, and Abraheem turned us loose for 2-3 hours of wandering the crowded streets. We had dinner at an Egyptian fast-food restaurant, Gad, a bustling stand with a guy carving slices of beef from a large chunk of meat on a skewer right on the sidewalk. We had beef schwarma, kind of like a philly cheesesteak sub. It was delicious and cheap. (See this photo and the next:
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p965...a483#h1e935060
Afterwards, we strolled the busy, well-lit shopping district, which was packed with people (many of whom stared at us) shopping for shoes, electronics, clothing, and more. We couldn't resist an ice cream at Baskin-Robbins and some cookies in a small grocery store (where the cashier told Julie she's beautiful). We passed a disco with music blaring and a machine that was blowing hundreds of bubbles into the air. The whole scene was fascinating - the air was full of excitement and energy.
And since I'm not (full of energy)... I'll quit here for now. More later. (I think I'll add a couple of night shots to my Alexandria online album.)
Mar 15th, 2009, 08:43 AM
#47
I added three, this one and two more - click on the right thumbnail:
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p965...f5f7#h3d4ff5f7
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p965...f5f7#h3d4ff5f7
Mar 15th, 2009, 03:19 PM
#48
Alexandria - continued, then to Aswan
The next morning we saw a few additional Alexandria sights:
- a lighthouse, bridge, and Mediterranean overlook (it was sooo windy!)
- a mosque with lovely ceilings (the men got to go in the front entrance and the main part of the mosque; the women had to go in a side entrance and stay behind a fenced barrier)
- Ft. Qaitbey, which was pretty interesting and offered a great view of the city skyline. The highlight for me was when a guy in his late 20s followed me along the outer wall and as I turned to rejoin our group, said, "I love you." I'm guessing it was the only English he knew. I responded, "You're too young for me."
It rained for about 15 minutes as we were driving along the coast. We were told it had only rained twice so far this year. We were lucky to see a rainbow over the Mediterranean.
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p965...0b0ab#h440b0ab
Before leaving for Cairo to catch the night train to Alexandria, we stopped at a shopping mall (very Western-style) with a grocery store (we picked up some water and snacks for the train) and a big food court (lunch at McDonald's). A sign in the parking lot said in English, sort of: The regulation of the high way code applies to the parking lot.
On our way back to Cairo, we visited a Coptic monastery at Wadi Natrun. It's about 15 miles off the main road and well worth a stop. A service was under way when we arrived, but we were allowed inside the outer hallways and could see inside to where communion was in progress.
Julie and I were almost immediately befriended by a girl of about 9, who gave us each a sticker and a little oil for dabbing on your forehead. She wanted her picture taken with Julie and before we knew it, we were surrounded by the entire family, who were delighted when they learned my name... because they had a small daughter also named Karen.
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p965...4982#h159d2d6d
Many smiles and photos later, we rejoined our group for the tour given by one of the monks. He was captivating - an older guy with a full beard, very spry and very passionate about his beliefs regarding education, tolerance, and peace in the world (some in our group thought he was preachy and opinionated - but we loved him). He had a twinkle in his eye.
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p965...2b1b#h11122b1b
As we were listening, I noticed two young teen-aged boys watching us from a distance. I aimed my camera and zoomed in for a shot. They caught my eye and, using hand motions, asked if I'd taken their picture. I smiled and nodded yes, and they both, looking cool and nonchalant as adolescents do, gave me a thumbs-up sign.
Back in Cairo, we stopped at cotton store (several in our group bought t-shirts) before heading to the train station for our overnight journey to Aswan. We had a 45-minute wait at the busy station. The bathrooms, not surprisingly, were the worst I encountered on the trip. A woman attendant insisted on a tip before you could enter, but I'm not sure what we were paying for! The squat toilets were pretty dirty. When I came out of the stall, a young woman was washing her foot in the sink.
The train ride was fun, although long.
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p136...7d15#h2d5ca258 (you can see by the look on his face that the attendant was taken with Julie).
Our group took up nearly an entire car, and the accommodations were pretty decent. Each compartment had two seats and a sink. An attendant served dinner (not great but better than Delta), and when it was bed time, he converted the seats into bunk beds. They were reasonably comfortable, although one of the men in our group said they were too short for him (he was over 6 feet). There were two bathrooms at the end of the car - a toilet (that flushed to the ground outside) and a sink. I thought it was reasonably clean. One of the women in our group was sick during the train ride, and she later told me she thought the restrooms were awful. I'd seen far worse - including the one at the station.
Unfortunately, the train broke down in the middle of the night and delayed us over 5 hours. We arrived in Aswan, anxious to get off that train(!), around 3:30 the next afternoon, 22 hours after we'd boarded...
More to come.
The next morning we saw a few additional Alexandria sights:
- a lighthouse, bridge, and Mediterranean overlook (it was sooo windy!)
- a mosque with lovely ceilings (the men got to go in the front entrance and the main part of the mosque; the women had to go in a side entrance and stay behind a fenced barrier)
- Ft. Qaitbey, which was pretty interesting and offered a great view of the city skyline. The highlight for me was when a guy in his late 20s followed me along the outer wall and as I turned to rejoin our group, said, "I love you." I'm guessing it was the only English he knew. I responded, "You're too young for me."
It rained for about 15 minutes as we were driving along the coast. We were told it had only rained twice so far this year. We were lucky to see a rainbow over the Mediterranean.
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p965...0b0ab#h440b0ab
Before leaving for Cairo to catch the night train to Alexandria, we stopped at a shopping mall (very Western-style) with a grocery store (we picked up some water and snacks for the train) and a big food court (lunch at McDonald's). A sign in the parking lot said in English, sort of: The regulation of the high way code applies to the parking lot.
On our way back to Cairo, we visited a Coptic monastery at Wadi Natrun. It's about 15 miles off the main road and well worth a stop. A service was under way when we arrived, but we were allowed inside the outer hallways and could see inside to where communion was in progress.
Julie and I were almost immediately befriended by a girl of about 9, who gave us each a sticker and a little oil for dabbing on your forehead. She wanted her picture taken with Julie and before we knew it, we were surrounded by the entire family, who were delighted when they learned my name... because they had a small daughter also named Karen.
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p965...4982#h159d2d6d
Many smiles and photos later, we rejoined our group for the tour given by one of the monks. He was captivating - an older guy with a full beard, very spry and very passionate about his beliefs regarding education, tolerance, and peace in the world (some in our group thought he was preachy and opinionated - but we loved him). He had a twinkle in his eye.
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p965...2b1b#h11122b1b
As we were listening, I noticed two young teen-aged boys watching us from a distance. I aimed my camera and zoomed in for a shot. They caught my eye and, using hand motions, asked if I'd taken their picture. I smiled and nodded yes, and they both, looking cool and nonchalant as adolescents do, gave me a thumbs-up sign.
Back in Cairo, we stopped at cotton store (several in our group bought t-shirts) before heading to the train station for our overnight journey to Aswan. We had a 45-minute wait at the busy station. The bathrooms, not surprisingly, were the worst I encountered on the trip. A woman attendant insisted on a tip before you could enter, but I'm not sure what we were paying for! The squat toilets were pretty dirty. When I came out of the stall, a young woman was washing her foot in the sink.
The train ride was fun, although long.
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p136...7d15#h2d5ca258 (you can see by the look on his face that the attendant was taken with Julie).
Our group took up nearly an entire car, and the accommodations were pretty decent. Each compartment had two seats and a sink. An attendant served dinner (not great but better than Delta), and when it was bed time, he converted the seats into bunk beds. They were reasonably comfortable, although one of the men in our group said they were too short for him (he was over 6 feet). There were two bathrooms at the end of the car - a toilet (that flushed to the ground outside) and a sink. I thought it was reasonably clean. One of the women in our group was sick during the train ride, and she later told me she thought the restrooms were awful. I'd seen far worse - including the one at the station.
Unfortunately, the train broke down in the middle of the night and delayed us over 5 hours. We arrived in Aswan, anxious to get off that train(!), around 3:30 the next afternoon, 22 hours after we'd boarded...
More to come.
Mar 15th, 2009, 04:53 PM
#49
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Great report on Egypt. I myself have been there. I did a tour with Trafalgar and it was fantastic. We stayed at the Mena House Oberoi in Giza. What a beautiful hotel. Great restaurants, nice rooms, nice pool,etc. There was also a 4 day cruise on the Nile and so much more. What a beautiful country.
Mar 15th, 2009, 09:51 PM
#50
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Foot washing in the sinks is common in a country where Muslims wash before prayer. Unfortunately they tend to splash water from floor to ceiling and no one wipes it up so it's always wet in the bathrooms... fortunately it's generally water that makes it wet.
And you're right about the toilets in the trainstations. For some reason it's like they sell admission tickets there. It's not common to run into that sort of demand for money at the toilet where you can't just tell them to wait til you are finishsed. It seems to be the only place where they can actually hold you hostage until you pay.
The woman that was sick on the train was probably responsible for the bathrooms getting yukky. Tourists tend to be the ones that barf in bathrooms and don't clean it up, then the next tourist goes in and complains wildly about Egyptian bathrooms being yukky.
Not that anyone that feels that crappy feels like cleaning up a bathroom, but before anyone complains about Egyptian bathrooms, please remember who is using them mostly.
Speaking of which - this is a good time to remind those that have not been here before to toss your TP in the wastebasket if there is one provided in the toilet stall instead of in the toilet. Not all toilets have enough water pressure to get the paper down and then once the build up of paper begins, it's next to impossible to get it down the drain. It's easier and cleaner to just dispose of it in the wastebasket (if one is provided) and let the plumbing take care of the rest.
And you're right about the toilets in the trainstations. For some reason it's like they sell admission tickets there. It's not common to run into that sort of demand for money at the toilet where you can't just tell them to wait til you are finishsed. It seems to be the only place where they can actually hold you hostage until you pay.
The woman that was sick on the train was probably responsible for the bathrooms getting yukky. Tourists tend to be the ones that barf in bathrooms and don't clean it up, then the next tourist goes in and complains wildly about Egyptian bathrooms being yukky.
Not that anyone that feels that crappy feels like cleaning up a bathroom, but before anyone complains about Egyptian bathrooms, please remember who is using them mostly.
Speaking of which - this is a good time to remind those that have not been here before to toss your TP in the wastebasket if there is one provided in the toilet stall instead of in the toilet. Not all toilets have enough water pressure to get the paper down and then once the build up of paper begins, it's next to impossible to get it down the drain. It's easier and cleaner to just dispose of it in the wastebasket (if one is provided) and let the plumbing take care of the rest.
Mar 16th, 2009, 02:54 AM
#51
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Hi Karen - I loved reading about your time in Alexandria as you saw many things I didn't, I've never visited catacombs anywhere. We did not have time to wander around the streets, it looked so interesting. I am also having fun reviewing your photos in context. Another great job.
Susan
Susan
Mar 16th, 2009, 03:07 AM
#52
Susan - glad you liked the photos intermingled with the text. I wondered if anybody would bother to look at them or if they were merely a distraction. Here are the boys who gave me the thumbs-up after they learned via hand motions that I'd taken their picture.
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p965...28f0d#h5b28f0d
Debbie - actually in this case it wasn't the sick woman who made the bathrooms yucky. She was the one who said they WERE yucky. I used both of them and I didn't think either one was bad. My impression was that her standards for decent might have been higher than mine. I don't think she had traveled to less-developed countries before. Good reminder about the toilet paper! We first learned in Peru that the trash cans next to the toilet were for the TP and had a terrible time remembering to use them. I finally got it right while in Egypt.
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p965...28f0d#h5b28f0d
Debbie - actually in this case it wasn't the sick woman who made the bathrooms yucky. She was the one who said they WERE yucky. I used both of them and I didn't think either one was bad. My impression was that her standards for decent might have been higher than mine. I don't think she had traveled to less-developed countries before. Good reminder about the toilet paper! We first learned in Peru that the trash cans next to the toilet were for the TP and had a terrible time remembering to use them. I finally got it right while in Egypt.
Mar 18th, 2009, 03:44 PM
#54
Aswan
In Aswan we checked into Isis Hotel, overlooking the Nile, before heading out for our evening felucca ride and Nubian dinner. We walked down the stairs from our hotel, and our boat was right there waiting. (The tour company certainly made the logistics easy.)
The Aswan Nile is very different from the Cairo Nile - much more scenic. The air is clear, the light is crisp, and the river is very blue and studded with islands. After a short ride,
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p136...ab53#h3dbbab53 (see this one and the next few), we arrived at Kitchener's Island for a stroll through the lovely and peaceful Botanic Gardens. A young girl captured my attention and posed for a picture. http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p136...35a7#h3af735a7
Abraheem told us about a boy who would come up to the boat on a small float (looked like a piece of styrofoam) and could sing in any language. Sure enough, the boy soon appeared and paddled to our boat, whereupon he began singing. He'd sing a line or two and Abraheem would call out a language. The boy would stop and start again in another language (presumably the one Abraheem said). Abraheem and the boy went through about a dozen languages - English, French, Chinese, Japanese, Norwegian, Romanian, Russian, and so on. It was unreal. Naturally, we gave him a tip. There appeared to be several boys in the same business - we saw two or three floating around. See this picture and the previous one (left thumbnail):
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p136...35a7#h208caf14
Next we headed past Elephantine Island and to the Nubian village where dinner had been arranged for us in a large home obviously set up to receive tourists. Julie got to hold a crocodile. Then Abraheem helped serve up dinner on the outdoor deck. We had multiple courses - salads, chicken, rice, spaghetti - all good.
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p136...35a7#h3ebf5098
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p136...35a7#h2b50253f
After dinner, Julie befriended the small and very shy daughter of the proprietor and was finally rewarded with a smile after spending quite awhile blowing bubbles and talking to her.
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p136...35a7#h3738dea2
(this one and click on the right thumbnail for the subsequent smile)
Then it was back to our hotel to get a good night's sleep (after the previous rather fitful night on the train) in preparation for Abu Simbel-woohoo!-in the morning.
More to come.
In Aswan we checked into Isis Hotel, overlooking the Nile, before heading out for our evening felucca ride and Nubian dinner. We walked down the stairs from our hotel, and our boat was right there waiting. (The tour company certainly made the logistics easy.)
The Aswan Nile is very different from the Cairo Nile - much more scenic. The air is clear, the light is crisp, and the river is very blue and studded with islands. After a short ride,
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p136...ab53#h3dbbab53 (see this one and the next few), we arrived at Kitchener's Island for a stroll through the lovely and peaceful Botanic Gardens. A young girl captured my attention and posed for a picture. http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p136...35a7#h3af735a7
Abraheem told us about a boy who would come up to the boat on a small float (looked like a piece of styrofoam) and could sing in any language. Sure enough, the boy soon appeared and paddled to our boat, whereupon he began singing. He'd sing a line or two and Abraheem would call out a language. The boy would stop and start again in another language (presumably the one Abraheem said). Abraheem and the boy went through about a dozen languages - English, French, Chinese, Japanese, Norwegian, Romanian, Russian, and so on. It was unreal. Naturally, we gave him a tip. There appeared to be several boys in the same business - we saw two or three floating around. See this picture and the previous one (left thumbnail):
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p136...35a7#h208caf14
Next we headed past Elephantine Island and to the Nubian village where dinner had been arranged for us in a large home obviously set up to receive tourists. Julie got to hold a crocodile. Then Abraheem helped serve up dinner on the outdoor deck. We had multiple courses - salads, chicken, rice, spaghetti - all good.
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p136...35a7#h3ebf5098
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p136...35a7#h2b50253f
After dinner, Julie befriended the small and very shy daughter of the proprietor and was finally rewarded with a smile after spending quite awhile blowing bubbles and talking to her.
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p136...35a7#h3738dea2
(this one and click on the right thumbnail for the subsequent smile)
Then it was back to our hotel to get a good night's sleep (after the previous rather fitful night on the train) in preparation for Abu Simbel-woohoo!-in the morning.
More to come.
Mar 18th, 2009, 07:12 PM
#55
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Karen -
Thanks for the details on the Egyptian Museum. I had been wondering whether we should pull that off our itinerary because we don't have much time in Cairo, but it sounds like it's a MUST SEE. And thanks also for the comments about the train. I've been looking for feedback about the train experience because we're trying to decide whether to take the overnight train or fly to Aswan.
Looking forward to the details about Abu Simbel!
Kristen
Thanks for the details on the Egyptian Museum. I had been wondering whether we should pull that off our itinerary because we don't have much time in Cairo, but it sounds like it's a MUST SEE. And thanks also for the comments about the train. I've been looking for feedback about the train experience because we're trying to decide whether to take the overnight train or fly to Aswan.
Looking forward to the details about Abu Simbel!
Kristen
Mar 19th, 2009, 03:37 AM
#56
Yes, the Egyptian museum is a must=see, I think. Even if you're not that much into museums, this is a wonderful one.
And the train is fine = an interesting experience. In spite of the delay, I'm glad we did it.
And the train is fine = an interesting experience. In spite of the delay, I'm glad we did it.
Mar 19th, 2009, 06:18 AM
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Your comments about the old-fashioned atmosphere of the Egyptian museum reminded me that prior to the late 90s, the priceless treasures of King Tut were displayed in ordinary wooden cabinets secured only by large padlocks!
Mar 19th, 2009, 07:57 AM
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<i>the priceless treasures of King Tut were displayed in ordinary wooden cabinets secured only by large padlocks!</i>
A lot of them (well, maybe not the priceless ones) still are (actually, I'm not sure they're even padlocked) -- not everything is in the "King Tut room".
A lot of them (well, maybe not the priceless ones) still are (actually, I'm not sure they're even padlocked) -- not everything is in the "King Tut room".
Mar 19th, 2009, 08:09 AM
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Karen - some singing boys were there for our felluca trip also - they sang "row row row your boat" in every language - very cute! I couldn't believe what they were rowing could actually float - seemed like a little piece of cardboard and they were paddling with two other smaller pieces.
Did you notice the oars they used on other small boats? Ones I saw were just straight pieces of wood, like a 2 x 4 without any kind of paddle form on the end. I was so curious about why they wouldn't shape an oar that was a little more efficient. The oars in the drawings in the tombs were "normal" oars so it's not that their culture never figured that out. Hmmm...just seems so much more difficult. Would be like swimming with no hands.
Did you notice the oars they used on other small boats? Ones I saw were just straight pieces of wood, like a 2 x 4 without any kind of paddle form on the end. I was so curious about why they wouldn't shape an oar that was a little more efficient. The oars in the drawings in the tombs were "normal" oars so it's not that their culture never figured that out. Hmmm...just seems so much more difficult. Would be like swimming with no hands.
Mar 19th, 2009, 07:00 PM
#60
Abu Simbel - oh my!
Our flight to Abu Simbel was not terribly early - I think we left the hotel around 8 for the half-hour drive to the little airport. Although I'd have liked the light of early morning for photos, Julie was happy we didn't have to get up before dawn.
The plane was surprisingly large - three seats on each side - and was full, or nearly so. We flew over an expanse of brown desert and the beautiful blue of Lake Nasser (created when the Aswan High Dam was built in the 1960s). http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p136...bc75#h33ad2f8e
Within about 45 minutes, we were there.
We saw lots of fabulous sights on our trip, but none more jaw-dropping than Abu Simbel... except maybe the Valley of the Kings...
and maybe the pyramids... and...
well, suffice it to say Abu Simbel was a pretty special headliner among a large cast of headliners. And what a gorgeous day we had - a royal (Ramses II?) blue sky with comfortable temperatures (low 80s).
When you get off the bus, you can't see the temple at all. You kind of sneak up on it from behind. You walk down a long, dusty trail, toward Lake Nasser and then suddenly you round a corner and get a glimpse of it peeking from behind a rock-wall off to the left. And it's a wow.
Each of the four seated statues of Ramses II is exquisite - incredibly preserved, except the second one from left, whose head fell off in an earthquake (date of quake not quite clear - some sources said shortly after it was built; others say 2,000 years ago, which would have been 1,200 years after it was built). The face was crushed, and they just left the head and torso on the ground. When the temple was moved to save it from the rising water of Lake Nasser, they left the damaged statue just as it was. How cool is that? (And can you even believe they moved the entire thing by cutting it into 20-ton blocks and painstakingly reconstructing it?)
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p136...3784#h3a0a3784
The statues are bigger than they seem - 65 feet tall (about 5 stories). From a distance - far enough away to get the whole facade in a picture - they don't look all that big. But up close, looking up at one of them, whoa. (I thought it was pretty narcissistic that all four statues are of him. I mean, come on, Ramses. I guess when you're a pharaoh, no one says anything.)
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p136...da66#h36d61a65
The doorway in the middle is really tall - maybe 20 feet or more. A guy was standing there holding the key - a HUGE key - that unlocks the door. Yes, we got a picture.
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p136...da66#h3a7ea603
The inside brings still more oohs and ahhs. The doorway opens to a humongous hallway, with large statues on either side. Much of the paint remains on the ceiling. The walls are richly carved with figures and hieroglyphics, and there are several chambers off to the side with more carvings. In the far back is an inner sanctuary with statues of four gods (deities representing Ramses II). What's really cool is that twice a year, on Ramses' birthday and coronation day - in February and October - the morning sun shines down the hallway onto those statues. Interestingly (to me), the October date was originally the 21st (my birthday), but when they moved the temple, it's now a day later, Oct. 22. The days supposedly coincide with Ramses' birthday and coronation.
No pictures were allowed inside, but this view from the entrance gives a sense of it;
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p136...da66#h27f1e85d
But wait, that's not all. Besides the main temple with the four big Ramses, there's another temple dedicated to his queen, Nefertari. It, too, is lovely - and unusual in that the statue of the queen is as big as that of the king (I think he was crazy about her).
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p136...a0f7#h20e5a0f7
Both temples face the lake. The setting is absolutely stunning.
We had a couple hours at the site and enjoyed every minute. Abraheem had a photographer take a group picture - I bought one - a 5 x 7 with about 10 postcards for $10.
It was such a great day. The sun was warm. The air was clear. The temples were gorgeous. Although there were quite a few people, it didn't seem terribly crowded. And on the way back to the bus, we had the path almost to ourselves. It was a really nice mother-daughter time. I took a few pictures of Julie with the lake in the background. I also snapped one of my favorite pictures of the trip of some Egyptian women walking along the lake.
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p136...bc75#h3586bc75
Men continued to be dumb-struck by Julie. One looked at her and said in an awed whisper: "Wow." It was the same reaction we had to the temples.
One of the guards asked if I'd take his picture with her.
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p136...bc75#h2727dfa9
Unfortunately, once we boarded the plane, they discovered a mechanical problem that forced us to get back off the plane and wait in the airport for about 3 hours. Once again, our free time was foiled by transportation problems! Oh well, Abu Simbel was well worth it. Don't miss it!
Next up: dinner at a local restaurant and an evening of sheesha smoking...
Our flight to Abu Simbel was not terribly early - I think we left the hotel around 8 for the half-hour drive to the little airport. Although I'd have liked the light of early morning for photos, Julie was happy we didn't have to get up before dawn.
The plane was surprisingly large - three seats on each side - and was full, or nearly so. We flew over an expanse of brown desert and the beautiful blue of Lake Nasser (created when the Aswan High Dam was built in the 1960s). http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p136...bc75#h33ad2f8e
Within about 45 minutes, we were there.
We saw lots of fabulous sights on our trip, but none more jaw-dropping than Abu Simbel... except maybe the Valley of the Kings...
and maybe the pyramids... and...
well, suffice it to say Abu Simbel was a pretty special headliner among a large cast of headliners. And what a gorgeous day we had - a royal (Ramses II?) blue sky with comfortable temperatures (low 80s).
When you get off the bus, you can't see the temple at all. You kind of sneak up on it from behind. You walk down a long, dusty trail, toward Lake Nasser and then suddenly you round a corner and get a glimpse of it peeking from behind a rock-wall off to the left. And it's a wow.
Each of the four seated statues of Ramses II is exquisite - incredibly preserved, except the second one from left, whose head fell off in an earthquake (date of quake not quite clear - some sources said shortly after it was built; others say 2,000 years ago, which would have been 1,200 years after it was built). The face was crushed, and they just left the head and torso on the ground. When the temple was moved to save it from the rising water of Lake Nasser, they left the damaged statue just as it was. How cool is that? (And can you even believe they moved the entire thing by cutting it into 20-ton blocks and painstakingly reconstructing it?)
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p136...3784#h3a0a3784
The statues are bigger than they seem - 65 feet tall (about 5 stories). From a distance - far enough away to get the whole facade in a picture - they don't look all that big. But up close, looking up at one of them, whoa. (I thought it was pretty narcissistic that all four statues are of him. I mean, come on, Ramses. I guess when you're a pharaoh, no one says anything.)
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p136...da66#h36d61a65
The doorway in the middle is really tall - maybe 20 feet or more. A guy was standing there holding the key - a HUGE key - that unlocks the door. Yes, we got a picture.
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p136...da66#h3a7ea603
The inside brings still more oohs and ahhs. The doorway opens to a humongous hallway, with large statues on either side. Much of the paint remains on the ceiling. The walls are richly carved with figures and hieroglyphics, and there are several chambers off to the side with more carvings. In the far back is an inner sanctuary with statues of four gods (deities representing Ramses II). What's really cool is that twice a year, on Ramses' birthday and coronation day - in February and October - the morning sun shines down the hallway onto those statues. Interestingly (to me), the October date was originally the 21st (my birthday), but when they moved the temple, it's now a day later, Oct. 22. The days supposedly coincide with Ramses' birthday and coronation.
No pictures were allowed inside, but this view from the entrance gives a sense of it;
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p136...da66#h27f1e85d
But wait, that's not all. Besides the main temple with the four big Ramses, there's another temple dedicated to his queen, Nefertari. It, too, is lovely - and unusual in that the statue of the queen is as big as that of the king (I think he was crazy about her).
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p136...a0f7#h20e5a0f7
Both temples face the lake. The setting is absolutely stunning.
We had a couple hours at the site and enjoyed every minute. Abraheem had a photographer take a group picture - I bought one - a 5 x 7 with about 10 postcards for $10.
It was such a great day. The sun was warm. The air was clear. The temples were gorgeous. Although there were quite a few people, it didn't seem terribly crowded. And on the way back to the bus, we had the path almost to ourselves. It was a really nice mother-daughter time. I took a few pictures of Julie with the lake in the background. I also snapped one of my favorite pictures of the trip of some Egyptian women walking along the lake.
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p136...bc75#h3586bc75
Men continued to be dumb-struck by Julie. One looked at her and said in an awed whisper: "Wow." It was the same reaction we had to the temples.
One of the guards asked if I'd take his picture with her.
http://kbutler1122.zenfolio.com/p136...bc75#h2727dfa9
Unfortunately, once we boarded the plane, they discovered a mechanical problem that forced us to get back off the plane and wait in the airport for about 3 hours. Once again, our free time was foiled by transportation problems! Oh well, Abu Simbel was well worth it. Don't miss it!
Next up: dinner at a local restaurant and an evening of sheesha smoking...
