Egypt For Christmas 2019
Introduction
This Tour by Truly Egypt Tours takes you through Egypt, packs in awe-inspiring culture and adventure in 9 energetic days. Discover the ancient sites along the Nile and explore the most famous of them all, the Great Pyramids of Giza, Valley of the kings, and Abu Simbel temples and still manage to relax and watch life unfold as you sail the on the luxury Nile cruise.
Truly Egypt Tours was the best company to choose to take me on this amazing adventure through Egypt. They took such good care of me and offered me the most wonderful service all the time, as you will see. I felt like a Queen of Egypt.
This Tour by Truly Egypt Tours takes you through Egypt, packs in awe-inspiring culture and adventure in 9 energetic days. Discover the ancient sites along the Nile and explore the most famous of them all, the Great Pyramids of Giza, Valley of the kings, and Abu Simbel temples and still manage to relax and watch life unfold as you sail the on the luxury Nile cruise.
Truly Egypt Tours was the best company to choose to take me on this amazing adventure through Egypt. They took such good care of me and offered me the most wonderful service all the time, as you will see. I felt like a Queen of Egypt.
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I arrived in Egypt at 4:30pm and it was almost dark. It was winter and cold and the days were short. The Airport in Cairo was great with no queues After the 2 hour debacle in Chennai, the swift exit was a relief.
Never listen to taxi drivers at airports - one day I will learn this. They always confuse me after a long journey. One approached me and tried to make me think that my driver wouldn't be waiting for me outside. He also told me to get a sim card at my hotel - hotels don't have sim cards.
My driver, Mouhamed was waiting for me outside. (Everyone in Egypt is called Mouhamed or Eslam). He told me that we'd be at the hotel in half an hour. But the traffic jams in Cairo are terrible so an hour and a half and many-a "Mamma Mia!" from Mouhamed later we arrived at the Hilton Trade Apartments. We went through down town Cairo with its bright shiny shops and down dark, scary street with alley cats and rough looking men. You wouldn't catch me walking down there at night. He said he was taking me on my own personal tour. When we drove for the second time through a square, with unique buildings and a statue, I said "We've been here before!" But Mohamaed said "No, all the buildings look the same." I'm sure he had made a wrong turn and that's why we ended up going through the dangerous alleys.
Mac was there to meet me at the Hotel and I was taken up to the Penthouse on the 30th floor. Man! The view was extraordinary! Over the whole of Cairo and the Nile!
Never listen to taxi drivers at airports - one day I will learn this. They always confuse me after a long journey. One approached me and tried to make me think that my driver wouldn't be waiting for me outside. He also told me to get a sim card at my hotel - hotels don't have sim cards.
My driver, Mouhamed was waiting for me outside. (Everyone in Egypt is called Mouhamed or Eslam). He told me that we'd be at the hotel in half an hour. But the traffic jams in Cairo are terrible so an hour and a half and many-a "Mamma Mia!" from Mouhamed later we arrived at the Hilton Trade Apartments. We went through down town Cairo with its bright shiny shops and down dark, scary street with alley cats and rough looking men. You wouldn't catch me walking down there at night. He said he was taking me on my own personal tour. When we drove for the second time through a square, with unique buildings and a statue, I said "We've been here before!" But Mohamaed said "No, all the buildings look the same." I'm sure he had made a wrong turn and that's why we ended up going through the dangerous alleys.
Mac was there to meet me at the Hotel and I was taken up to the Penthouse on the 30th floor. Man! The view was extraordinary! Over the whole of Cairo and the Nile!
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The apartment was as big as a house! My bed was huge and soft and white.
It was a very distinct contrast with my room in India that hadn't been cleaned when I arrived, with it's tiny window, dirty sheets, large size ants & faucets that were falling off. |
I lit my essential oil burner and ordered Room Service, half a chicken and fries. I lit my essential oil burner and ordered Room Service for dinner, half a chicken and fries. I had a thing for fries through the whole trip.
I loved the Apartment so much I didn't go out the next day. It was the free day I had planned so I could rest between the two countries. And what better place to do it than perched over the top of Cairo. I had a balcony (2 actually, a little one outside my room and a big one along one side of the apartment). It also had an old kitchen, and laundry with a washing machine. The bathroom was sorely in need of renovation but it had nice toiletries with slippers, a comfy bath-robe and a little loofa that I used for the rest of my tour.
Because it was winter time in Cairo, and quite cold, I didn't stay out on the balcony for long, but the lights at night were stunning and I was above the smog during the day and could see the famous Mosque in the distance.
I had so much fun in my apartment that day. I never do washing or ironing at home, so that's what I did! I asked the cleaning girl if she could help me get the machine going as it was so old and decrepit. I think it had finished it's last wash cycle about 100 years ago. She had to get help, so the whole hotel staff ended up in my room trying to get this washing machine going. We laughed and joked; and got the machine working. Well sort of. It took hours and at one point it went crazy and the whole top nearly shook off.
In the mean time I ironed all the clothes that had been rolled up in my suitcase getting crushed. The iron was new and pink. I hung the damp clothes from the machine around the room and finished off ironing them dry.
I loved the Apartment so much I didn't go out the next day. It was the free day I had planned so I could rest between the two countries. And what better place to do it than perched over the top of Cairo. I had a balcony (2 actually, a little one outside my room and a big one along one side of the apartment). It also had an old kitchen, and laundry with a washing machine. The bathroom was sorely in need of renovation but it had nice toiletries with slippers, a comfy bath-robe and a little loofa that I used for the rest of my tour.
Because it was winter time in Cairo, and quite cold, I didn't stay out on the balcony for long, but the lights at night were stunning and I was above the smog during the day and could see the famous Mosque in the distance.
I had so much fun in my apartment that day. I never do washing or ironing at home, so that's what I did! I asked the cleaning girl if she could help me get the machine going as it was so old and decrepit. I think it had finished it's last wash cycle about 100 years ago. She had to get help, so the whole hotel staff ended up in my room trying to get this washing machine going. We laughed and joked; and got the machine working. Well sort of. It took hours and at one point it went crazy and the whole top nearly shook off.
In the mean time I ironed all the clothes that had been rolled up in my suitcase getting crushed. The iron was new and pink. I hung the damp clothes from the machine around the room and finished off ironing them dry.
Later in the afternoon I went to meet my friend, Mohammad who had persuaded me to come to Egypt. He had been my friend on Facebook for years, it was so great to finally meet him. Unfortunately he got called by his work to go to Jordan and Kuwait and I only saw him for that brief half hour.
In the evening I met a couple from America who were part of the tour group. And in the morning we had breakfast together before going down to the foyer to meet three more in the group, a grandfather and his two young grandsons.
In the evening I met a couple from America who were part of the tour group. And in the morning we had breakfast together before going down to the foyer to meet three more in the group, a grandfather and his two young grandsons.
The Pyramids of Giza
The traffic in Cairo makes it difficult to get anywhere, but it only took about half an hour to get the pyramids as we left very early. The sun hadn't been up long when we arrived and it was cold!
It was hard to take in the fact that we were really there. It has been my dream my whole life to come to Egypt and it didn't seem real. The pyramids are colossal and awe inspiring. The massive blocks of stone are so finely crafted that they join together like pieces of a jigsaw, without needing any cement to keep them intact. They are so well built that they are still standing 4500 years later.
The Great Pyramid of Giza was built by Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops) to show the might and power of Egypt. About 2.3 million blocks of stone were cut, transported, and assembled to create the massive 5.75-million-ton structure. It is a masterpiece of technical skill and engineering. It's four corners are precisely aligned with the four compass points.
His son, Khafre (Chephren) built the second great pyramid. As respect for his father it is not quite as big. But when you look at the pyramids from the viewing platform, his pyramid appears to be the largest. The third great pyramid was built by his son, Menkaure (Mykerinus) at a time when Egypt's fortunes were not flourishing as much, so his pyramid is smaller.
The pyramids were built by paid builders, with support teams of physicians, priests, cooks, etc, not by slaves. Each pyramid was built during the rule of the pharaoh and each took about 20 years to build. The pyramid had to be completed by the time of his death as they were built as monumental tombs to house the pharaoh's mummified remains and all the treasure and food he would need on his journey to the afterlife.
Our guide was amazing, he knew heaps of facts which mostly entered and left my head, probably due to the fact that we were all chilled by the cold morning wind that was blowing.
It was hard to take in the fact that we were really there. It has been my dream my whole life to come to Egypt and it didn't seem real. The pyramids are colossal and awe inspiring. The massive blocks of stone are so finely crafted that they join together like pieces of a jigsaw, without needing any cement to keep them intact. They are so well built that they are still standing 4500 years later.
The Great Pyramid of Giza was built by Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops) to show the might and power of Egypt. About 2.3 million blocks of stone were cut, transported, and assembled to create the massive 5.75-million-ton structure. It is a masterpiece of technical skill and engineering. It's four corners are precisely aligned with the four compass points.
His son, Khafre (Chephren) built the second great pyramid. As respect for his father it is not quite as big. But when you look at the pyramids from the viewing platform, his pyramid appears to be the largest. The third great pyramid was built by his son, Menkaure (Mykerinus) at a time when Egypt's fortunes were not flourishing as much, so his pyramid is smaller.
The pyramids were built by paid builders, with support teams of physicians, priests, cooks, etc, not by slaves. Each pyramid was built during the rule of the pharaoh and each took about 20 years to build. The pyramid had to be completed by the time of his death as they were built as monumental tombs to house the pharaoh's mummified remains and all the treasure and food he would need on his journey to the afterlife.
Our guide was amazing, he knew heaps of facts which mostly entered and left my head, probably due to the fact that we were all chilled by the cold morning wind that was blowing.
We climbed up some of the huge stones. I was actually standing on a Pyramid in Egypt. It was a dream come true at last.
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The viewing platform for the pyramids is great for photo opportunities including yoga and camel rides. If you are a Chinese tourist you can capture yourself on film jumping in front of the pyramids.
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The Great Sphinx
The Sphinx is the guardians of the tombs and a symbol of sun worship.
When the Pharaoh Khafre was building his pyramid complex, a huge piece of limestone rock was unearthed in the sand. It was in the way of the construction site but would have been difficult to remove. Instead, one of Pharaoh's construction engineers had the brilliant idea of carving the huge rock into the sculpture that became the Sphinx. At that time it was called Harmakhet meaning Horus on the Horizon. It has the body of lion and head of Khafre. It represents animal power tamed by human intelligence and transformed into divine calm. The Sphinx symbolizes mankind's domination over wild beasts, and over chaos itself.
Over the millennium the body has been covered and uncovered, with the head exposed to the eroding effects of the climate. Inscriptions on a pink granite slab between the Great Sphinx’s paws tell the story of how the statue was unearthed from the sands of time.
Prince Thutmose, son of Amenhotep II, was on a hunting expedition. He wanted an afternoon nap and seeking refuge from the hot sun, fell asleep between the paws of the great Sphinx and had a dream. In the dream, the statue, calling itself Harmakhet, told Thutmose that it was suffocating. It said if the young prince would free it from the sand it would help him become pharaoh. Thutmose and his hunting party set about clearing away the sand to reveal the magnificent Sphinx. Within a year the prince became Pharaoh Thutmose IV, and introduced a Sphinx-worshiping cult to his people. Statues, paintings, and reliefs of the figure popped up across the country and the sphinx became a symbol of royalty and the power of the sun.
The Great Sphinx was eventually forgotten again as the sands gradually covered it's magnificent body. In the early 1800s, when a Genoese adventurer named Capt. Giovanni Battista Caviglia attempted (and ultimately failed) to dig out the statue with a team of 160 men. The stone creature was finally freed from its sandy tomb in the late 1930s by an Egyptian archaeologist, Selim Hassan. Part of the Sphinx’s nose, royal cobra emblem from its headdress and sacred beard have broken off.
When the Pharaoh Khafre was building his pyramid complex, a huge piece of limestone rock was unearthed in the sand. It was in the way of the construction site but would have been difficult to remove. Instead, one of Pharaoh's construction engineers had the brilliant idea of carving the huge rock into the sculpture that became the Sphinx. At that time it was called Harmakhet meaning Horus on the Horizon. It has the body of lion and head of Khafre. It represents animal power tamed by human intelligence and transformed into divine calm. The Sphinx symbolizes mankind's domination over wild beasts, and over chaos itself.
Over the millennium the body has been covered and uncovered, with the head exposed to the eroding effects of the climate. Inscriptions on a pink granite slab between the Great Sphinx’s paws tell the story of how the statue was unearthed from the sands of time.
Prince Thutmose, son of Amenhotep II, was on a hunting expedition. He wanted an afternoon nap and seeking refuge from the hot sun, fell asleep between the paws of the great Sphinx and had a dream. In the dream, the statue, calling itself Harmakhet, told Thutmose that it was suffocating. It said if the young prince would free it from the sand it would help him become pharaoh. Thutmose and his hunting party set about clearing away the sand to reveal the magnificent Sphinx. Within a year the prince became Pharaoh Thutmose IV, and introduced a Sphinx-worshiping cult to his people. Statues, paintings, and reliefs of the figure popped up across the country and the sphinx became a symbol of royalty and the power of the sun.
The Great Sphinx was eventually forgotten again as the sands gradually covered it's magnificent body. In the early 1800s, when a Genoese adventurer named Capt. Giovanni Battista Caviglia attempted (and ultimately failed) to dig out the statue with a team of 160 men. The stone creature was finally freed from its sandy tomb in the late 1930s by an Egyptian archaeologist, Selim Hassan. Part of the Sphinx’s nose, royal cobra emblem from its headdress and sacred beard have broken off.
This is the entrance to the temple at the base of the Sphinx. In the ancient days the River Nile came right up to the ramps. A funerary boat with the body of the Pharaoh Khafre sailed to the mortuary temple where it was received by the high priests and the body was taken in to be mummified. It takes 70 days for the mummification process. The Pharaoh was then taken to his pyramid along secret passageways and buried with all his treasure. The problem with burying the Pharaohs in these gigantic pyramids was that they were easy for robbers to find and rob. So later Pharaohs found a hidden valley and were buried deep under ground in the Valley of the Kings.
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After a traditional Egyptian feast for lunch I was whisked off to the airport for my flight to Luxor. The other guys were catching the overnight train. The trains are really uncomfortable, but the two little boys had a great time. My flight was delayed by three hours but it gave me a chance to write about my experience in India which I wouldn't have done otherwise.
I was met at Luxor by my new host, Khaled. After taking me to settle in at the hotel we went for a walk along the new promenade beside the Nile. It was so pretty with blue lights wrapped around the palm trees and feluccas at the warves. It had only been finished a month before. There were lots of horse and carriages and wild boys galloping down the street on their horses. We went into an old and luxurious Hotel called the Winter Palace to have a look.
At the back is the temple of Luxor with the ancient Mosque built into its walls (with the coloured lights)
Karnak Temple
After breakfast, the next morning I rejoined my tour group, with the addition of two young people who were very much in love. They lived together in France, though she was from America.
Our first visit was to the very impressive Karnak Temple. It is a huge temple complex. When it was constructed it covered 200 acres. (Though Angkor Wat in Cambodia is twice that size.) Being there first thing in the morning before the other tourists arrived contributed to the calm feeling the ancient stones and columns radiated.
Luxor was the original capital of Egypt known as Thebes. Thebes was founded on the primordial ground which rose from the waters of chaos at the beginning of the world. The site of the temple is on the original mound where the creator-god Atum stood to begin the work of creation. Thebes is called as the first City.
Our first visit was to the very impressive Karnak Temple. It is a huge temple complex. When it was constructed it covered 200 acres. (Though Angkor Wat in Cambodia is twice that size.) Being there first thing in the morning before the other tourists arrived contributed to the calm feeling the ancient stones and columns radiated.
Luxor was the original capital of Egypt known as Thebes. Thebes was founded on the primordial ground which rose from the waters of chaos at the beginning of the world. The site of the temple is on the original mound where the creator-god Atum stood to begin the work of creation. Thebes is called as the first City.
The Ram-headed Crisophinx was a representation of The god of Creation, Amun.
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Running the gauntlet of Criosphinx, the entrance into Karnak Temple
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Construction of Karnak temple went on for 2000 years from around 2055 BC. The Egyptians were still building it when the Romans took over about 100AD. The temple was never fully completed so we can still see how the huge walls were constructed. Mud-bricks were used as scaffolding, workers climbed up the mud-brick ladder to place the heavy blocks of stone, building the mud-bricks up as the stone wall got higher and then taking the mud-bricks away when the wall was finished.
Giant scarab
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Mud brick scaffolding
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I was amazed that every wall and column and surface in every temple we saw in Egypt was completely covered with hieroglyphics, carvings and paintings. Every aspect of their lives, history and beliefs is depicted in minute detail.
The people who later discovered the temple before restoration, also carved their names when the temple was covered in sand, and they could reach the top of the megalithic pylons. |
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There are 137 Columns, one for each of the Goddesses of Ancient Egypt
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Gigantic statue of Ramses the Great. All his statues are figantic because he was a God and had to be viewed as a God by the people. His beloved wife Nerertari is standing between his legs
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I was pretty excited to be on another James Bond film location - I think I'm up to about 5 now - Switzerland, Spain, Two in Thailand and now Egypt. This is where he was trying to fight Jaws in the 1977 movie, The Spy Who Loved Me. It is easy to play hide and seek around the columns because I kept disappearing and reappearing, just like in the movie. But there was no sign of Jaws climbing on a collapsing lintel. It's actually really interesting to see how much restoration has taken place since the movie was made.
Saba, our lovely guide, took us into secret chambers where once only the high priests with Pharaoh and the Great Wife went to prepare for the Opet festival to celebrate the link between Pharaoh and the god Amun. The festival lasted 27 days (that's the number of breaths used in certain yogic pranayama practices.) And we went into the shrine room of the sacred gold statues of the God Amun and his wife Mut.
Out the back of the temple is a vast sacred lake where the golden statues were ritually bathed for the festival, then dressed in fine linen, and adorned in gold and silver jewelry. The statues were carried by the priests and joined by Osiris and Isis in their earthly form as Pharaoh and his Queen. They all moved together through the crowded streets. A troop of Nubian soldiers serving as guards beat drums, and musicians accompanied the priests in song as incense filled the air. They made their way to Luxor temple along the avenue of Sphinxes that joined the two temples.
During the festival the people were given over 11000 loaves of bread and more than 385 jars of beer, and could ask questions of the gods.
Saba, our lovely guide, took us into secret chambers where once only the high priests with Pharaoh and the Great Wife went to prepare for the Opet festival to celebrate the link between Pharaoh and the god Amun. The festival lasted 27 days (that's the number of breaths used in certain yogic pranayama practices.) And we went into the shrine room of the sacred gold statues of the God Amun and his wife Mut.
Out the back of the temple is a vast sacred lake where the golden statues were ritually bathed for the festival, then dressed in fine linen, and adorned in gold and silver jewelry. The statues were carried by the priests and joined by Osiris and Isis in their earthly form as Pharaoh and his Queen. They all moved together through the crowded streets. A troop of Nubian soldiers serving as guards beat drums, and musicians accompanied the priests in song as incense filled the air. They made their way to Luxor temple along the avenue of Sphinxes that joined the two temples.
During the festival the people were given over 11000 loaves of bread and more than 385 jars of beer, and could ask questions of the gods.
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The sacred lake
Stars on the roof of the sacred shrine
Amazing the paint is still there after thousands of years
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I went with my friends, the American couple to the sound and light tour that night at the temple. It was pretty spectacular with surround sound describing the history of Egypt while images of the Pharaohs and hieroglyphics moved across the towering stone walls.
Luxor Temple
Luxor Temple is only a short distance away. I listened to Saba tell us about the temple and the giant statues of Ramses the Great. She told us that when Alexander the great came along he wanted to be like the Pharaohs so he knocked out the inner sanctum and built one of his own with his own name carved in hieroglyphics as a Pharaoh. But after seeing the splendor of Karnak temple, Luxor was not so impressive. It was interesting to see the mosque high up in the walls. It was very ancient, but had been built into the walls when the temple was immersed in sand.
Napoleon's Egyptian campaign 1798-1801 CE was the first systematic study of the ancient Civilization. Napoleon brought a team of scholars and scientists along with his army who explored, examined, recorded, and studied the monuments of ancient Egyptian culture. The Rosetta Stone in 1799 CE was discovered while building a fort. The treasures found by Napoleon make up the foundation of the exhibition of Egyptian antiquities in the Louvre, Paris.
The Egyptians were so grateful to France for helping them modernize their country and in particular for deciphering the long lost secrets of Hieroglyphic writing using the Rosetta Stone by Jean-Francois Chamollion, Pasha Muhammed Ali gave Paris one of the obelisks from the temple. It took a feat of engineering and 7 years of patience for the gift to arrive in Paris.
https://www.oh-i-see.com/blog/2014/03/20/the-odyssey-of-an-obelisk-luxor-to-place-de-la-concorde/
The Egyptians were so grateful to France for helping them modernize their country and in particular for deciphering the long lost secrets of Hieroglyphic writing using the Rosetta Stone by Jean-Francois Chamollion, Pasha Muhammed Ali gave Paris one of the obelisks from the temple. It took a feat of engineering and 7 years of patience for the gift to arrive in Paris.
https://www.oh-i-see.com/blog/2014/03/20/the-odyssey-of-an-obelisk-luxor-to-place-de-la-concorde/
The avenue of Sphinxes that joins Karnak and Luxor Temples
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The statue of Ramses the Great was really great.
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The temple was full of school groups on excursion. Beautiful girls all smiling and wearing the traditional hijab in so many bright colours to cover their hair. On the way in we had shyly said hello to each other. When they received a warm smile and I waved back we became more bold. After our guided tour I went off to take selfies. We all had fun taking a wonderful photo of them surrounding me.
After that, many came up to ask for selfies with me. I love meeting people on tour. We used a lot of sign language, I am very good at miming. And there are few universal phrases such as 'How are you?' to which is replied 'I am fine. How are you?' and they reply, 'I am fine.' but you have to say it with a particular accent. Their teacher wanted to leave but no one wanted to go. In the end, he took a selfie too, haha.
The other universal phrase is 'What is your name?' Whenever I replied, 'Sarah' everyone fell in love with me at first sight. Saba told me that Sarah is an Egyptian name; Sa means Son and Ra is the sun God so Sarah as a girl's name means daughter of the Sun God Ra. I think that my glowing white skin and flaming red hair ignited a lot of adoration.
My fame continued to spread throughout the tour, it was very strange that every one knew my name and used to call out to me. It had actually started at the Pyramids when the hawkers heard my guide call Sarah and called out to me by name to buy their stuff.
I think I'm Australia's unofficial ambassador to the east. It's in my blood. My ancestors were the first ambassadors from Belgium to Australia.
After that, many came up to ask for selfies with me. I love meeting people on tour. We used a lot of sign language, I am very good at miming. And there are few universal phrases such as 'How are you?' to which is replied 'I am fine. How are you?' and they reply, 'I am fine.' but you have to say it with a particular accent. Their teacher wanted to leave but no one wanted to go. In the end, he took a selfie too, haha.
The other universal phrase is 'What is your name?' Whenever I replied, 'Sarah' everyone fell in love with me at first sight. Saba told me that Sarah is an Egyptian name; Sa means Son and Ra is the sun God so Sarah as a girl's name means daughter of the Sun God Ra. I think that my glowing white skin and flaming red hair ignited a lot of adoration.
My fame continued to spread throughout the tour, it was very strange that every one knew my name and used to call out to me. It had actually started at the Pyramids when the hawkers heard my guide call Sarah and called out to me by name to buy their stuff.
I think I'm Australia's unofficial ambassador to the east. It's in my blood. My ancestors were the first ambassadors from Belgium to Australia.
The girls at Luxor Temple
Our Luxury Cruise Liner, Ramses III
My lovely, light and airy cabin for the cruise
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I pushed the bed up against the wall so I had a day bed to lounge on and more space.
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From there we were taken to board our boat that we would be cruising down the Nile on. After lunch we were allowed to have a few hours break. Then Khaled came to get us for the Sound and Light show at Karnak temple. He was a bit late because his watch was broken and to tell the time he had to move the hands himself. Bahahaha, that's a good sort of watch! We had to drive fast - well sort of drive fast, though it is quite hard to go fast in Luxor as there are many speed bumps - or silent cops as they call them. We had to slow down, bump, speed up; slow down, bump, speed up; repeat. We got there at the right time, so that's OK. After the show Khaled took us to a shop to buy snacks. There is a different price for tourists and locals, and the shop boy held onto my change for a long time, I know he was trying not to give it to me.
Wow what a big day on hardly any sleep and I had to be ready to be picked up at 4 O'clock in the morning. Good night.
Wow what a big day on hardly any sleep and I had to be ready to be picked up at 4 O'clock in the morning. Good night.
The Great Balloon Ride
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They gave me a take away breakfast for my early start. I had time for a coffee. I ended up being transported in so many different buses that my breakfast got lost.
The bus took me to a boat where we had another coffee and some biscuits as we crossed to the left bank and were taken to the area where the balloons take off. It was exciting watching the balloons inflate. I bought some little carved gifts from one of the boys trying to sell small things to the tourists. It's always risky buying something because as soon as you do somehow they all know and want you to buy their's too. I timed it well so I was whisked away to be loaded into a balloon. The young man helping us in told me to get in last and stay in my spot so I would have the best view.
Once we were up it was very peaceful, floating gently, high above the fields, houses and desert. There were ruined temples far below. The famous flooding of the Nile and the rich soil was very obvious, where green abruptly changed into desert
The bus took me to a boat where we had another coffee and some biscuits as we crossed to the left bank and were taken to the area where the balloons take off. It was exciting watching the balloons inflate. I bought some little carved gifts from one of the boys trying to sell small things to the tourists. It's always risky buying something because as soon as you do somehow they all know and want you to buy their's too. I timed it well so I was whisked away to be loaded into a balloon. The young man helping us in told me to get in last and stay in my spot so I would have the best view.
Once we were up it was very peaceful, floating gently, high above the fields, houses and desert. There were ruined temples far below. The famous flooding of the Nile and the rich soil was very obvious, where green abruptly changed into desert
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Queen Hatshepsut's temple and the Valley of The Kings
Ra, the sun God rose, flooding Egypt with his rays of light as we gently floated in circles. We were drifting up in the air for an hour or more before we started to descend.
I didn't know there was anything unusual happening until later when a girl in the balloon told me later.
We were getting lower and lower. It was a wonderful way to get a view into Nubian village life. The roofs are flat and the buildings are made from mud bricks & concrete pylons. Many houses have animals in their back yards, the animals live under thatched roofs. I saw cows, ducks, geese, chickens, donkeys and dogs. They went crazy as the balloon got lower, the noise of the flame jet frightened them.
I started noticing that people were looking up at us and waving, there were people on the roofs of their houses with their children calling out. And then I started seeing all the village boys running in the direction the balloon was drifting. Hundreds of them! All the boys that lived in the village and some of the girls too. They were leaping over the mounds of dirt and sand, trying to catch up with the balloon. There was even a Tuktuk in pursuit of us.
I wasn't worried, but I did wonder why we skimmed so low over the power lines. And I had to warn the Chinese girls that we were about to crash through the top branches of a gum tree. We safely ducked down inside the basket and popped up again when we came through the tree. I thought we were going to come down on a roof but we managed to land in the field of a brick maker.
The landing crew leaped out of the basket and managed to bring us down safely.
We were immediately surrounded by all those children! One boy grabbed his brother and hoisted him above his head to show how strong he was. The landing of a balloon in a Nubian village was a huge surprise for everyone! It was big event that everyone in the village and the balloon will remember forever.
It took about 20 minutes for the Balloon Ride organizers to find us. That was 20 minutes surrounded by excited children. All asking our names and asking 'How are You?' Eventually we were helped out of the basket and into the bus. The bus was surrounded by children, now they were all begging for money, even though they were well fed and wearing gold earrings. Their parents will never believe them when they tell them they were late for school because a hot air balloon crash-landed in their village!
I didn't know there was anything unusual happening until later when a girl in the balloon told me later.
We were getting lower and lower. It was a wonderful way to get a view into Nubian village life. The roofs are flat and the buildings are made from mud bricks & concrete pylons. Many houses have animals in their back yards, the animals live under thatched roofs. I saw cows, ducks, geese, chickens, donkeys and dogs. They went crazy as the balloon got lower, the noise of the flame jet frightened them.
I started noticing that people were looking up at us and waving, there were people on the roofs of their houses with their children calling out. And then I started seeing all the village boys running in the direction the balloon was drifting. Hundreds of them! All the boys that lived in the village and some of the girls too. They were leaping over the mounds of dirt and sand, trying to catch up with the balloon. There was even a Tuktuk in pursuit of us.
I wasn't worried, but I did wonder why we skimmed so low over the power lines. And I had to warn the Chinese girls that we were about to crash through the top branches of a gum tree. We safely ducked down inside the basket and popped up again when we came through the tree. I thought we were going to come down on a roof but we managed to land in the field of a brick maker.
The landing crew leaped out of the basket and managed to bring us down safely.
We were immediately surrounded by all those children! One boy grabbed his brother and hoisted him above his head to show how strong he was. The landing of a balloon in a Nubian village was a huge surprise for everyone! It was big event that everyone in the village and the balloon will remember forever.
It took about 20 minutes for the Balloon Ride organizers to find us. That was 20 minutes surrounded by excited children. All asking our names and asking 'How are You?' Eventually we were helped out of the basket and into the bus. The bus was surrounded by children, now they were all begging for money, even though they were well fed and wearing gold earrings. Their parents will never believe them when they tell them they were late for school because a hot air balloon crash-landed in their village!
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It took us ages to arrive at the meeting point to join the rest of my group. We had drifted about an hour off course. The balloon is at the whim of the air currents, the only control the pilot has is taking the balloon up and down.
I was absolutely busting to pee by now. Thank god there was a toilet across the road from the meeting point. It costs €5 EGP to use the toilets. That's about 50c AUS. €5 notes were very obviously very valuable and I saved them up.
Once I spent some on a gift of sandlewood bracelet. I bought it from a boy when we were on a little boat going to Philae island, it was such a beautiful day. The Egyptian children were always finding ways to make money by making things to sell. Another time we were on a boat going to a Nubian village and two little boys paddled up in a little canoe and sang us some songs, including Christmas carols. I gave them some money. I like to reward people if they are enterprising.
But it is expensive being famous because you have to be generous to everyone. Saba was always saying to me, "Sarah, did you buy something from them?" and shaking her head. Once she helped me out when a little girl insisted on giving me a bracelet with a scarab on it as a 'gift'. I didn't want it, I tried to give it back and I didn't have any small money. The little girl was my shadow till Saba rescued me and gave her a few coins. Egypt was quite expensive for me as their money has the same value as Australia's and Australia is very expensive.
I was absolutely busting to pee by now. Thank god there was a toilet across the road from the meeting point. It costs €5 EGP to use the toilets. That's about 50c AUS. €5 notes were very obviously very valuable and I saved them up.
Once I spent some on a gift of sandlewood bracelet. I bought it from a boy when we were on a little boat going to Philae island, it was such a beautiful day. The Egyptian children were always finding ways to make money by making things to sell. Another time we were on a boat going to a Nubian village and two little boys paddled up in a little canoe and sang us some songs, including Christmas carols. I gave them some money. I like to reward people if they are enterprising.
But it is expensive being famous because you have to be generous to everyone. Saba was always saying to me, "Sarah, did you buy something from them?" and shaking her head. Once she helped me out when a little girl insisted on giving me a bracelet with a scarab on it as a 'gift'. I didn't want it, I tried to give it back and I didn't have any small money. The little girl was my shadow till Saba rescued me and gave her a few coins. Egypt was quite expensive for me as their money has the same value as Australia's and Australia is very expensive.
The Temple of Queen Hatshepsut
The beautifully designed temple of Queen Hatshepsut
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Hatshepsut with her fake beard
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Statue of the God, Horus
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Our excursion today was to the Valley of the Kings. We started at Queen Hatshepsut's Tomb which was in amazingly good condition as it had been hidden by the sands until the mid 1800's. She had been erased from history and forgotten since her death. With the discovery of her tomb and the translation of the Rosetta Stone
by Jean-François Champollion, her history has been rediscovered.
Hatshepsut was the daughter of Thutmose I and married her half brother Thutmose II. Thutmose II died while Thutmose III, his son, was still a child. Hatshepsut became regent, taking control of Egypt. After seven years she had herself crowned pharaoh of Egypt. They said that she couldn't be Pharaoh because she wasn't a man, but she said she would be Pharaoh anyway and wore a false beard so she looked like a man when she appeared as Pharaoh. Hatshepsut claimed for herself special privilege to rule the country as a man would because she was the daughter of Amun the creator God, the most powerful and popular God in Egypt at that time. In the temple there is a colonnade that tells the story of her divine creation with Amun as her true father. Hatshepsut had the night of her conception inscribed on the walls relating how the god came to mate with her mother.
Her reign was one of the most prosperous and peaceful in Egypt’s history, with successful trade, a booming economy, and many public work projects. No other Egyptian Pharaoh except Ramses II erected as many impressive monuments as Hatshepsut. Building projects gave work to peasant farmers when the Nile flooded, encouraging unity and pride, and giving the opportunity for the expression of ma’at (harmony/balance), through communal effort. Ma'at was the central value of Egyptian culture.
In the mean time, Thutmose III had been leading the armies of Egypt on successful campaigns of conquest. Hatshepsut had given him supreme command of the military. Thutmose III is considered one of the greatest military leaders in the history of ancient Egypt. He was happy in a role that he was greatly admired and respected in.
But after Thutmose III returned from the Battle of Megiddo, Hatshepsut's name disappears from the historical records. Thutmose III had all evidence of her reign destroyed. He cut her name and image out of all public monuments. He disposed of the wreckage near her temple. He then backdated his reign to the death of his father and Hatsheput's accomplishments as pharaoh were ascribed to him.
It doesn't seem that Thutmose III had anything personal against Hatshepsut. He left the story of her accomplishments and divine birth carved in her temple. The issue was that he was threatened by her strong female leadership.
Her mummy was found in the Cairo museum in 2006 and and examination shows that she died in her fifties from an abscess following the extraction of a tooth. The popular story is that she was murdered by Thutmose II.
To erase one’s name on earth was to condemn that person to non-existence. In ancient Egyptian belief, one needed to be remembered in order to continue one’s eternal journey in the afterlife. In 1824 AD Jean-Francois Champollion published his translation of the Rosetta Stone. When he visited Hatshepsut’s temple he was mystified by references to a female pharaoh who was unknown in history and so began the re-discovery of her story.
Now she is remembered and revered as one of the greatest monarchs of the ancient world and a role model for strong, independent women in Egypt and around the world. Perhaps she waited all that time till her roll in world affairs can be appreciated and emulated by women as we take our place in today's world as intelligent, capable and aware citizens, with as much power, might and authority as men.
by Jean-François Champollion, her history has been rediscovered.
Hatshepsut was the daughter of Thutmose I and married her half brother Thutmose II. Thutmose II died while Thutmose III, his son, was still a child. Hatshepsut became regent, taking control of Egypt. After seven years she had herself crowned pharaoh of Egypt. They said that she couldn't be Pharaoh because she wasn't a man, but she said she would be Pharaoh anyway and wore a false beard so she looked like a man when she appeared as Pharaoh. Hatshepsut claimed for herself special privilege to rule the country as a man would because she was the daughter of Amun the creator God, the most powerful and popular God in Egypt at that time. In the temple there is a colonnade that tells the story of her divine creation with Amun as her true father. Hatshepsut had the night of her conception inscribed on the walls relating how the god came to mate with her mother.
Her reign was one of the most prosperous and peaceful in Egypt’s history, with successful trade, a booming economy, and many public work projects. No other Egyptian Pharaoh except Ramses II erected as many impressive monuments as Hatshepsut. Building projects gave work to peasant farmers when the Nile flooded, encouraging unity and pride, and giving the opportunity for the expression of ma’at (harmony/balance), through communal effort. Ma'at was the central value of Egyptian culture.
In the mean time, Thutmose III had been leading the armies of Egypt on successful campaigns of conquest. Hatshepsut had given him supreme command of the military. Thutmose III is considered one of the greatest military leaders in the history of ancient Egypt. He was happy in a role that he was greatly admired and respected in.
But after Thutmose III returned from the Battle of Megiddo, Hatshepsut's name disappears from the historical records. Thutmose III had all evidence of her reign destroyed. He cut her name and image out of all public monuments. He disposed of the wreckage near her temple. He then backdated his reign to the death of his father and Hatsheput's accomplishments as pharaoh were ascribed to him.
It doesn't seem that Thutmose III had anything personal against Hatshepsut. He left the story of her accomplishments and divine birth carved in her temple. The issue was that he was threatened by her strong female leadership.
Her mummy was found in the Cairo museum in 2006 and and examination shows that she died in her fifties from an abscess following the extraction of a tooth. The popular story is that she was murdered by Thutmose II.
To erase one’s name on earth was to condemn that person to non-existence. In ancient Egyptian belief, one needed to be remembered in order to continue one’s eternal journey in the afterlife. In 1824 AD Jean-Francois Champollion published his translation of the Rosetta Stone. When he visited Hatshepsut’s temple he was mystified by references to a female pharaoh who was unknown in history and so began the re-discovery of her story.
Now she is remembered and revered as one of the greatest monarchs of the ancient world and a role model for strong, independent women in Egypt and around the world. Perhaps she waited all that time till her roll in world affairs can be appreciated and emulated by women as we take our place in today's world as intelligent, capable and aware citizens, with as much power, might and authority as men.
Cool Queen Hatshepsut in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo.
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Queen Hatshepsut as a Sphinx at Sakkara, once Memphis, the capital
Two Queen's of Egypt
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On the other side of the cliff behind Hatshepstut's Temple lies the Valley of the Kings. The Pharaohs stopped building pyramids because they were so easy to find and rob. They found a hidden valley and were buried deep underground. Unfortunately their tombs were still discovered over the millenium by the tomb robbers. Tutankhamun's tomb was a sensation when it was discovered by Howard Carter in 1922. It was intact and full of golden treasure that is now in the Egyptian museum.
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Tutankhamun and his sister/wife at Karnak temple
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One of the little boys in our group drove the little yellow train that took us from the entrance to the tombs. It was his first driving lesson. He was very hesitant but his big American friend helped give him confidence.
We went into three tombs. They were amazing. Steep steps and a ramp descend deep down underground along a corridor adorned with hieroglyphics that instruct the Pharaoh on how to get to the afterlife. The first tomb contained the sarcophagus of Ramses IV. It was spectacular with the painting of the sky goddess Nut on the ceiling.
We went into three tombs. They were amazing. Steep steps and a ramp descend deep down underground along a corridor adorned with hieroglyphics that instruct the Pharaoh on how to get to the afterlife. The first tomb contained the sarcophagus of Ramses IV. It was spectacular with the painting of the sky goddess Nut on the ceiling.
The entrance passage into the tomb of Ramses IV
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Nut the sky goddess held up by her father, Shu
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The Creation of Ancient Egypt
(Part of a story I have written about Ancient Egypt)
Ra was the first Pharaoh of Egypt. He ruled wisely but when he grew old and wrinkly he dribbled a lot. He decided to go to live in the sky instead of on the earth. Ra's granddaughter, Nut*, turned herself into a cow called Hathor and carried Ra on her back up into the sky.
Hathor went so high up that she became dizzy and Ra became heavy. Four gods blew in to hold he up and became the pillars of the the sky - North, South, East and West. Hathor tossed Ra off her back and he sailed up into the sky to become the sun. From that time the sun has risen every day. At night it goes into dark caves on the other side of the world.
Nut's father, Shu, stepped in to hold her up and Nut changed into the blue sky. Shu became the air, Nut's husband, Geb became the Earth, Ra became the mighty sun and all together they made the world.
Poor Geb was very upset that he could never touch his lovely wife, Nut again and fought against Shu to get her back. Volcanoes erupted and earthquakes shook as Geb pounded his fists into the Earth.
Geb's knees make the mountains and the wind howling in the trees is the sound of his wailing for Nut; the rain is her tears. Geb grows tall trees, tall enough to nearly tall enough to touch the sky. The wind that blows in their branches is happy and laughing to be so close to lovely Nut.
*Nut is pronounced Noot
Hathor went so high up that she became dizzy and Ra became heavy. Four gods blew in to hold he up and became the pillars of the the sky - North, South, East and West. Hathor tossed Ra off her back and he sailed up into the sky to become the sun. From that time the sun has risen every day. At night it goes into dark caves on the other side of the world.
Nut's father, Shu, stepped in to hold her up and Nut changed into the blue sky. Shu became the air, Nut's husband, Geb became the Earth, Ra became the mighty sun and all together they made the world.
Poor Geb was very upset that he could never touch his lovely wife, Nut again and fought against Shu to get her back. Volcanoes erupted and earthquakes shook as Geb pounded his fists into the Earth.
Geb's knees make the mountains and the wind howling in the trees is the sound of his wailing for Nut; the rain is her tears. Geb grows tall trees, tall enough to nearly tall enough to touch the sky. The wind that blows in their branches is happy and laughing to be so close to lovely Nut.
*Nut is pronounced Noot
My painting of Nut, Geb and Shu
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My painting of Nut and Geb
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The next tomb was of Ramses the Great which has only recently opened for tourists. It has been difficult to excavate due to being flooded many times. The once magnificent paintings on the wall have mostly flaked off.
That didn't really matter to me as I felt the power and awe of being able to descend down the steep passageway into this great ruler's tomb. The enormous stone top of his sarcophagus is separated from the stone base and it is possible to look inside. The archaeologists have drawn their impressions of the figures that might once have decorated the sarcophagus.
On the way out I said Shukraan and smiled at the guardian of the tomb. He looked at me and got up. He beckoned to me and as no one was in the tomb he took me walking all over the tomb and showed me all the secret places. The rooms that once would have held treasure, he took me to vantage points to see the remains of the wall frescoes, and he took photos of the inside of the sarcophagus for me. He showed me a tiny dark room at the back, more like a dark cave really. He took hold of my hand and placed it on the wall inside the entrance. The power that flooded through my arm and into my body was extraordinarily strong, so strong it was almost too much, even for me to hold for long. It was the most powerful energy I experienced in Egypt.
My new guide took my arm and escorted me up the steep corridor to the light at the end of the tunnel. He suggested if I needed a husband he would be happy to fill the roll. Probably not a great choice for me as he didn't speak English.
That didn't really matter to me as I felt the power and awe of being able to descend down the steep passageway into this great ruler's tomb. The enormous stone top of his sarcophagus is separated from the stone base and it is possible to look inside. The archaeologists have drawn their impressions of the figures that might once have decorated the sarcophagus.
On the way out I said Shukraan and smiled at the guardian of the tomb. He looked at me and got up. He beckoned to me and as no one was in the tomb he took me walking all over the tomb and showed me all the secret places. The rooms that once would have held treasure, he took me to vantage points to see the remains of the wall frescoes, and he took photos of the inside of the sarcophagus for me. He showed me a tiny dark room at the back, more like a dark cave really. He took hold of my hand and placed it on the wall inside the entrance. The power that flooded through my arm and into my body was extraordinarily strong, so strong it was almost too much, even for me to hold for long. It was the most powerful energy I experienced in Egypt.
My new guide took my arm and escorted me up the steep corridor to the light at the end of the tunnel. He suggested if I needed a husband he would be happy to fill the roll. Probably not a great choice for me as he didn't speak English.
The top of Ramses the Great's alabaster sarcophagus
Ramses the Great's alabaster tomb
A small amount of the original paintings remain on the walls
Archaeological work in the tomb of Ramses IV
My lovely group in the tomb of Ramses III
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Me and my idol Ramses II
Suggested images by the university archaeologists
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Of course, by the time I eventually came out the other's had moved on. When I eventually found them I explained by saying "I got married" and they all chimed in with "Again?" Haha. They warned me that if I kept getting married I'd get caught by one of these Egyptians and have to stay. I wouldn't mind. I was loving Egypt so much, it felt like I had come home.
The third tomb was that of Ramses III and it had particularly beautiful images on the walls.
The third tomb was that of Ramses III and it had particularly beautiful images on the walls.
The Story of RaOnce, in a place before time, even before the sun was in the sky, the land of Ancient Egypt was ruled by a Pharaoh called Ra.
Every morning when Ra woke up he had his breakfast and a bath, then got in his royal barge to glide down the Nile River. He visited the twelve provinces he ruled along its banks. Ra taught people to grow crops and tame animals, to hunt and catch fish and to exchange the food they caught and grew. He spent one hour with the people in each of the provinces. That is why he made the day 12 hours long. At the end of the day he sailed home to eat dinner and rest safely in his palace. Every morning Ra the sun is born as a baby of the sky goddess, Nut. He gets aboard his boat and sails through the day, spending an hour above each of his twelve provinces, helping things grow. As the day goes on the sun Ra grows older from a child to a youth and into a man. By the end of the day when the dew falls, Ra has grown old and dribbly again. At night when the stars are out, Ra is on the other side of the world shedding a little bit of light into the dark caves he passes through. Ra always rises again the next morning as the bright and shining Sun-child, spreading his rays of sunshine across the world. |
Watching Ra rise from the balloon
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My painting of Ra
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On the upper deck of the Cruise Ship
The setting sun
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Watching Ra set as we cruise on the Nile River
We went back to the boat for lunch and I was finally able to relax for the afternoon as we cruised down the Nile.
Edfu
The next morning we woke up at a horrible place called Edfu. I had read about the horse-drawn carriages, or the caleche that take the tourists to Edfu Temple and I didn't want to go. But my group wanted me to come with them. They persuaded me by saying I could tell everyone about the deplorable condition of the horses. There are tuktuks available so if you go, please take one instead.
It was so sad to see these horses whipped into a frenzy by the cruel drivers. They were un-cared for, had manure caked to their skin and looked like they had never been washed or brushed in their lives. The hair on their hides was worn away in patches by the rubbing of the bridal-ware and many had open and weeping sores. It is disgusting that they suffer in such a way. Where I come from, horses are valuable animals that are cared for, groomed and well fed. Some of these poor creatures had ribs showing from starvation and ill-treatment.
It was so sad to see these horses whipped into a frenzy by the cruel drivers. They were un-cared for, had manure caked to their skin and looked like they had never been washed or brushed in their lives. The hair on their hides was worn away in patches by the rubbing of the bridal-ware and many had open and weeping sores. It is disgusting that they suffer in such a way. Where I come from, horses are valuable animals that are cared for, groomed and well fed. Some of these poor creatures had ribs showing from starvation and ill-treatment.
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I didn't care much for the temple either, even though it is proclaimed to be one of the best preserved temples in Egypt. It is also a Greek copy of the Egyptian style, Saba called it 'copy and paste'. It was jam-packed with people, all the passengers from the cruise boats arrive about the same time. It had a completely different atmosphere to the elegance of Luxor.
The entrance to the temple complex is lined with kiosks selling souvenirs to tourists, but these men had bad energy. I walked with Saba without a looking right or left. When we left I momentarily glanced at a man selling postcards and I saw him aiming to swoop on me. But I neatly avoided him by ducking around to the other side of a column and my group. The hawkers were like hawks, which I suppose is appropriate seeing as we were at the temple dedicated to Horus, the falcon god of the sky.
The massive pylon gateway to the temple is enormous with intimidating reliefs of Ptolemy XII holding his enemies by their hair before Horus and Hathor, about to smash their skulls.
The entrance to the temple complex is lined with kiosks selling souvenirs to tourists, but these men had bad energy. I walked with Saba without a looking right or left. When we left I momentarily glanced at a man selling postcards and I saw him aiming to swoop on me. But I neatly avoided him by ducking around to the other side of a column and my group. The hawkers were like hawks, which I suppose is appropriate seeing as we were at the temple dedicated to Horus, the falcon god of the sky.
The massive pylon gateway to the temple is enormous with intimidating reliefs of Ptolemy XII holding his enemies by their hair before Horus and Hathor, about to smash their skulls.
The massive gateway is guarded by two huge and splendid granite statues of Horus as a falcon and leads into a courtyard that is surrounded on three sides by 32 columns, each with a different floral capital.
Inside the temple, the relief carvings give a lot of information about ancient Egypt's god's, rituals, beliefs and habits, including the ingredients and recipes for the perfumes and incense. There were many rooms that were once used by the priests for preparations and rituals. There is a room that was the shrine for sacred gold statue of Horus and a library where the sacred scrolls were stored and room where the fresh garments for the priests were kept.
Inside the temple, the relief carvings give a lot of information about ancient Egypt's god's, rituals, beliefs and habits, including the ingredients and recipes for the perfumes and incense. There were many rooms that were once used by the priests for preparations and rituals. There is a room that was the shrine for sacred gold statue of Horus and a library where the sacred scrolls were stored and room where the fresh garments for the priests were kept.
Here we are with Horus
The courtyard behind the massive pylons
My lovely group in front of the temple library where the ritual texts were stored
I made my way further and further inside the enormous complex, trying to get away from the crowds of people. I could imagine the intrigues that had taken place in the dark rambling corridores between the priests and courtiers. I found myself in an inner passageway running around the back half of the temple. It was decorated with reliefs and inscriptions that the depict the stories of the battles between Horus and the evil god of the underworld, Seth. Seth is depicted as a hippopotamus that the king and Horus are hunting.
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Building of the temple was started by Ptolemy III in 237 BC, on the site of an earlier and smaller New Kingdom temple and was completed about 180 years later by Ptolemy XII, Cleopatra’s father. It is a Greek copy of the Pharaonic style right down to the Egyptian clothing worn by Greek pharaohs depicted in the temple’s reliefs.
The temple of Edfu was burned and desecrated by the early Christians when the pagans were persecuted by the Holy Roman Empire in 391AD. Many of the temple's carved reliefs were defaced to destroy pagan imagery.
Over the centuries, the temple was buried beneath drifting desert sand and layers of river silt deposited by the Nile. Only the upper reaches of the temple pylons were visible by 1798. There were even houses built on top of the site. The temple was identified by a French expedition and in 1860 Auguste Mariette, a French egyptologist, began the work of freeing Edfu temple from the sands.
The temple of Edfu was burned and desecrated by the early Christians when the pagans were persecuted by the Holy Roman Empire in 391AD. Many of the temple's carved reliefs were defaced to destroy pagan imagery.
Over the centuries, the temple was buried beneath drifting desert sand and layers of river silt deposited by the Nile. Only the upper reaches of the temple pylons were visible by 1798. There were even houses built on top of the site. The temple was identified by a French expedition and in 1860 Auguste Mariette, a French egyptologist, began the work of freeing Edfu temple from the sands.
Me and Horus
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Me and Saba
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The rest of the day was spent relaxing as we cruised leisurely down the Nile River.
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Kom Ombo
In the evening when we docked we went to visit Kom Ombo Temple. It is another Greek copy of Egyptian beliefs built during the Ptolemaic dynasty, 180–47 BC but it was beautiful in the golden lighting and calm of the evening.
It is divided in half, courts, halls, sanctuaries and rooms duplicated and dedicated to two sets of gods including the holy trinity of the crocodile god Sobek, god of fertility and creator of the world and the holy trinity of the falcon god Haroeris (Horus the Elder). It also has a deep well where they used to catch crocodiles and a crocodile museum with mummified crocodiles.
It is divided in half, courts, halls, sanctuaries and rooms duplicated and dedicated to two sets of gods including the holy trinity of the crocodile god Sobek, god of fertility and creator of the world and the holy trinity of the falcon god Haroeris (Horus the Elder). It also has a deep well where they used to catch crocodiles and a crocodile museum with mummified crocodiles.
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The well for catching crocodiles
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The funniest thing happened; we got back to the boat late and it left without us! It had moved from where it had originally docked and it took Saba a while to locate it. The way on is through the foyers of two other boats but when we reached our boat there was a widening gap of water. They had to come back to get us. Haha.
In the mean time our group was waiting and the hawkers were circling trying to sell us things. The lovely grandfather from Japan who practices Zen meditation told us to clear our minds so we wouldn't want the items they were trying to sell. We all went quiet and the hawkers stopped. 
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The Temples of at Abu Simbel
We had an early morning, 4am start to drive nearly 4 hours to visit the mesmerizing Temples of Abu Simbel. There are two temples, the Great Temple, dedicated to Ramses II himself, and the Small Temple, dedicated to his chief wife Queen Nefertari.
They huge monuments were built by Ramses II to commemorate his victories over Nubia, Libya, and Hatti, especially the victory of Kadesh. The absolute enormity of the temples was to imprint the might of Egypt upon the people in neighbouring countries. The carvings on the walls describe the battle where Rameses the Great takes on the whole of the Hittite army single-handed. The God Amun defends him in battle and finally hands him the victory. He charged his way through the Hittite army like a blazing sun, sending them into confusion, with chariots crashing, horses bolting and soldiers falling into the River Orontes.
They huge monuments were built by Ramses II to commemorate his victories over Nubia, Libya, and Hatti, especially the victory of Kadesh. The absolute enormity of the temples was to imprint the might of Egypt upon the people in neighbouring countries. The carvings on the walls describe the battle where Rameses the Great takes on the whole of the Hittite army single-handed. The God Amun defends him in battle and finally hands him the victory. He charged his way through the Hittite army like a blazing sun, sending them into confusion, with chariots crashing, horses bolting and soldiers falling into the River Orontes.
Towering statues of Ramses the Great sitting pensively at the entrance to his temple radiating his mighty power.
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3000 years ago the temples were carved into the cliffs. Then amazingly, the whole temple complex was dismantled and rebuilt on a higher hill to make way for the Aswan High Dam in the 1960s.
Seeing this enormous mountainside of rock made me consider that moving it piece by piece to look the same as it did before was just an incredible piece of engineering as building it 1244 B.C. Moving the temples must have been a massive job, they cut it into pieces between 3 to 20 tons in weight and re-assembled them precisely as they were. It took almost five years, involved about 3,000 workers and cost (in the 1960s) about $42 million US. I went into rooms inside where the rough ceiling was like a cave. I imagined the huge weight of the mountain of rock above the tiny space I was in, and yet it was solid. At least I hoped it wouldn't collapse on my head. |
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The inner sanctum has four statues, Ra, Ramses the God, Amun and Ptah. On the 22nd of October and 22nd of February the sun lights up the faces of three of the statues but leaving the face of Ptah, a god of the underworld in darkness. These dates are Ramses birthday and coronation day.
The smaller temple is dedicated to Ramses Great Wife, Nefertari and the goddess Hathor. We couldn't stay long as we had to drive 4 hours back to the boat.
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In the afternoon we went on a boat ride to visit a Nubian Village. There wasn't much at the village. We had some horrible tea and I ate the most disgusting goat's cheese. Probably the most disgusting thing I ever ate in my life. The others were so glad I tried it first. But we had fun. One of the little boys downloaded an app so we could take funny photos of each other.
Philae Temple
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On our last day together our group went to visit my favorite temple of all, the Temple of Isis. It was such a beautiful day with the sun shining as we caught a little boat to the island. The temple had been moved to a safer island in the 1960's when the waters began to rise when Aswan dam was being extended. The temple was disintegrating and almost constantly flooded. It's relocation was an engineering feat to rival the ancients.
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Excerpt from my book: The Ancient Gods of Egypt
Isis was the wise and beautiful Queen of Egypt, Daughter of Ra. She was very magical. She married Osiris he became Pharaoh. Together they created civilization. They taught people to be civilized, instead of living like savages. They taught people right from wrong, to settle down and live in houses and have families. They built cities and invented law and order.
Osiris taught men to make agricultural tools, to plough the land and grow crops of corn, wheat, grapes and fruit. He taught them how to tame animals like cattle and goats and use tame oxen to help plough the land to sow crops.
Isis taught women how to grind corn and wheat into flour to make bread and cakes. They milked the goats and sheep and made butter and cheese. Isis taught them how to spin and weave wool and cotton into cloth and how to sew cloth into clothes.
They also learnt how to make drinks of wine and beer from grapes and wheat. When Osiris began religion they had many festivals for their gods and drank lots of beer and wine.
Isis discovered medicine and taught how to heal wounds and cure sicknesses using magic and special herbs. She also discovered how to turn people into mummies when they died so their souls could live forever.
Osiris set out to conquer the world. He spread civilization using wisdom and knowledge, music and dancing. without using force or weapons.
Osiris taught men to make agricultural tools, to plough the land and grow crops of corn, wheat, grapes and fruit. He taught them how to tame animals like cattle and goats and use tame oxen to help plough the land to sow crops.
Isis taught women how to grind corn and wheat into flour to make bread and cakes. They milked the goats and sheep and made butter and cheese. Isis taught them how to spin and weave wool and cotton into cloth and how to sew cloth into clothes.
They also learnt how to make drinks of wine and beer from grapes and wheat. When Osiris began religion they had many festivals for their gods and drank lots of beer and wine.
Isis discovered medicine and taught how to heal wounds and cure sicknesses using magic and special herbs. She also discovered how to turn people into mummies when they died so their souls could live forever.
Osiris set out to conquer the world. He spread civilization using wisdom and knowledge, music and dancing. without using force or weapons.
But when Osiris returned in triumph to Egypt his evil brother Seth was very jealous. He cut Osiris into little pieces and scattered them far and wide.
Isis was broken-hearted and searched the world for all the missing pieces. She found his foot on Philae Island.
She wrapped the pieces in bandages and made the first mummy. Then she brought Osiris back to life using magic and her powerful skills of healing. She gave him eternal life.
Isis was broken-hearted and searched the world for all the missing pieces. She found his foot on Philae Island.
She wrapped the pieces in bandages and made the first mummy. Then she brought Osiris back to life using magic and her powerful skills of healing. She gave him eternal life.
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I thought that being on the island where Isis found Osiris' foot would cure my sore foot, but unfortunately it didn't
Coptic cross from when the Christians turned it into a
christian church and defaced the beautiful carvings
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After a gorgeous boat ride back we were taken to an expensive perfumery where I spent a lot of money on essential oils for my massage business
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After that I had to say good bye to my lovely friends who were like family from the moment I met them. I hope I meet them again one day.
I went with Saba in a comfortable car to Luxor and then with Khaled to Hurghada. I went out for dinner and had the best Shawarma in town. I wanted to go to a belly dancing show but they were closed that night.
The next day I relaxed by the Red Sea. The Red Sea is the sea Moses parted to escape from Ramses the Great when he led his people out of Egypt in search of the promised land.
It was a luxurious resort. I felt rich just being there. It was huge with many swimming pools, though it was too cold to swim. There was lots of food, most of the tourists were fat, unhappy-looking Russians or families who lazed by the pool. I lazed by the sea and read my book about Ramses and Abu Simbel.
After all the fame and excitement of the past few weeks it was a relief to be somewhere quiet where no one was interested in who I was. It was my first opportunity to do yoga on my veranda with a view to the sea.
The next day I relaxed by the Red Sea. The Red Sea is the sea Moses parted to escape from Ramses the Great when he led his people out of Egypt in search of the promised land.
It was a luxurious resort. I felt rich just being there. It was huge with many swimming pools, though it was too cold to swim. There was lots of food, most of the tourists were fat, unhappy-looking Russians or families who lazed by the pool. I lazed by the sea and read my book about Ramses and Abu Simbel.
After all the fame and excitement of the past few weeks it was a relief to be somewhere quiet where no one was interested in who I was. It was my first opportunity to do yoga on my veranda with a view to the sea.
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Cairo
I flew back to Cairo for the un-touristy, authentic part of my Egyptian holiday.
The inspiration for the trip to Egypt had been to spend time with my friend from Facebook, Mohamad, but he had a job with the airports and had to go to Kuwait and Beirut to fix some problems so I only saw him for half an hour. I was actually mortified, I had come all the way to other side side of the world and he wasn't even there. I had booked five nights in a hotel and couldn't change my booking, it would have been more interesting catching the boat back up the Nile to Luxor.
Anyway, I got in touch with another facebook friend and he took me out. We had a great time! His name was Mahoumad too, everyone's name is Mahoumad in Egypt. He was working in the desert but he came and met me at my hotel and took me to the Egyptian market.
I wasn't exactly at the hotel, I was next door eating a seafood feast on Christmas Eve. I had seafood soup and bread with caviar dip and some other delicious dip; I had King prawns served on a sizzling platter and a huge fish which I asked them to make with a delicious sauce. I also had chips and lettuce (which I could finish). I did a pretty good job of demolishing a whole table full of food.
The inspiration for the trip to Egypt had been to spend time with my friend from Facebook, Mohamad, but he had a job with the airports and had to go to Kuwait and Beirut to fix some problems so I only saw him for half an hour. I was actually mortified, I had come all the way to other side side of the world and he wasn't even there. I had booked five nights in a hotel and couldn't change my booking, it would have been more interesting catching the boat back up the Nile to Luxor.
Anyway, I got in touch with another facebook friend and he took me out. We had a great time! His name was Mahoumad too, everyone's name is Mahoumad in Egypt. He was working in the desert but he came and met me at my hotel and took me to the Egyptian market.
I wasn't exactly at the hotel, I was next door eating a seafood feast on Christmas Eve. I had seafood soup and bread with caviar dip and some other delicious dip; I had King prawns served on a sizzling platter and a huge fish which I asked them to make with a delicious sauce. I also had chips and lettuce (which I could finish). I did a pretty good job of demolishing a whole table full of food.
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We got an uber to the metro station. I went on the metro with real Egyptian people. My friend said every man was looking at me. I was white and just about the only woman on the train.
We had fun on the train, talking on messenger and secretly taking photos of people. |
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He took me to the local's market, it was cram packed with people buying everything from jumpers and nighties to shoes & socks to deodorant and wallets.
My friend was so worried I was going to get stolen. I said I was going to get a jumper printed with a logo that says "I went to Egypt and I didn't get stolen by White Slave Traders." |
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This is just the sort of adventure that is right up my alley and what my up-tight friends try to warn about.
My friend walked so fast I didn't have much time to shop. Then I called out wait! and grabbed his arm as we raced by a stall with daggers. We were on the street and the stall was on the other side of the fence on the footpath.
At first the vendors thought I was just a dumb lady tourist and tried to sell me the worst one, but they became friendlier as I tested each one till I found the one that was firm in the scabbard but not tight. They gave me a good deal when I threatened to stab them (only in jest). Then they called me a good Australian woman and when they found out my name was Sarah they invited us to come to their shop for some tea. I really wanted to sit down and have some tea. My foot was killing me and my shoe kept falling off.
My friend walked so fast I didn't have much time to shop. Then I called out wait! and grabbed his arm as we raced by a stall with daggers. We were on the street and the stall was on the other side of the fence on the footpath.
At first the vendors thought I was just a dumb lady tourist and tried to sell me the worst one, but they became friendlier as I tested each one till I found the one that was firm in the scabbard but not tight. They gave me a good deal when I threatened to stab them (only in jest). Then they called me a good Australian woman and when they found out my name was Sarah they invited us to come to their shop for some tea. I really wanted to sit down and have some tea. My foot was killing me and my shoe kept falling off.
Authentic Egyptian street cafe
Someone ran off to get some mint to put in my tea and they set up a shisha for us. All the men that walked by thought it was so funny and the women were so shocked. A young lad came up and tried to sell me a bag, he was very polite but I didn't want a bag. So they showed me a dress that was near by in a shop. The boy went to get it. I needed a dress for Christmas Night. I had booked a cruise on the Nile for dinner. It was a spectacular dress. I had a conversation with the boy, he would like to be a doctor when he grows up. I wish him all the success in the world.
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Me and Mahmoud having fun and tea and shisha
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We walked to Khan Al-Khalili bazaar. I couldn't wait to get rid of my shoe. I saw a little shop with some shoes pinned to a board. Any shoe would be better than the what I was wearing. I had got them in Rome, they had walked all over the world but had come to the end of their life. The men in the little shop were very helpful, a very old man went through a whole stack of dusty shoe boxes in the corner till we found some to fit me. I also had to clean out my bag as my water bottle had leaked and gotten everything wet.
The market is inside a huge old mosque. It is full of shiny gold and silver and brass, carpets and trinkets and antiques. I wanted a statuette of Nefertiti's head, but I didn't see one I thought was perfect.
Mahoumad wanted to buy me a bracelet with my name on it. We eventually found a shop that could make it from beads. I sat down on a chair behind the shop while we waited. I heard a little tap-tapping noise and I found something that still has me wondering.
There was a little man sitting in the shop behind making the most intricate table I have ever seen from copper and silver. He tapped away at the copper to reveal silver underneath to make the pattern. I was amazed, it would take him months and months to make this. Then he asked his boy to go and get something to show me. He brought a very special, embroidered, grey bag and inside the bag was a huge key to fit inside a huge lock. My friend interpreted for me that I was holding a key that had been made for the King of Egypt to give to the King of Saudi Arabia.
Later I found out that the last King of Egypt, was King Farouk and he had been overthrown in the Egyptian Revolution in 1952. I guess he never had a chance to give the gift to Saudi Arabia.
The market is inside a huge old mosque. It is full of shiny gold and silver and brass, carpets and trinkets and antiques. I wanted a statuette of Nefertiti's head, but I didn't see one I thought was perfect.
Mahoumad wanted to buy me a bracelet with my name on it. We eventually found a shop that could make it from beads. I sat down on a chair behind the shop while we waited. I heard a little tap-tapping noise and I found something that still has me wondering.
There was a little man sitting in the shop behind making the most intricate table I have ever seen from copper and silver. He tapped away at the copper to reveal silver underneath to make the pattern. I was amazed, it would take him months and months to make this. Then he asked his boy to go and get something to show me. He brought a very special, embroidered, grey bag and inside the bag was a huge key to fit inside a huge lock. My friend interpreted for me that I was holding a key that had been made for the King of Egypt to give to the King of Saudi Arabia.
Later I found out that the last King of Egypt, was King Farouk and he had been overthrown in the Egyptian Revolution in 1952. I guess he never had a chance to give the gift to Saudi Arabia.
Lonely street my up-tight friends warn me not to walk down
Street stall selling beads and necklaces
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Sweets and Candy
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Those Egyptians really know how to live and enjoy life. There were people dancing and singing, riding on trucks in the chaotic traffic. I was amazed at a group of musicians with a sort of oboe and drum playing at the petrol station with some little girls clapping and dancing. They all seem so happy, their soul shines from their heart and through their eyes.
Alexandria
My driver, Mouhamad picked me up in the morning for the long drive to Alexandria. We met my guide for the day, Ayman at the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa. Ayman is the most respected archaeological guide of Alexandria, he is in the process of finishing his thesis on the importance of honey and bees in Ancient Egypt.
The catacombs were discovered when a donkey dragging a cart filled with stones fell down a hole about 1900. Excavations revealed a maze of underground burial tunnels that had been hidden for centuries that is an amazing blend of different ancient arts and cultures.
When first discovered, the tomb was flooded and the lower level is still. The mummies that were discovered in the catacombs were badly decomposed by the water leaving only remains.
Ayman started to wonder about my knowledge of Ancient Egypt when I said that the ladies used to attend feasts with perfumed wax cones on their hair, he didn't know how I could have known that, but I have always known that. I know what ancient Egyptians ate and drank, the names of their Gods and mythology. I have had a fascination for Ancient Egypt and I have soaked up knowledge through books all my life. I think that was another reason they loved me so much in Egypt, I spoke their lingo and could join them in conversations about the many different Gods.
Alexandria was founded in c. 331 BC by Alexander the Great . Alexandria grew rapidly to become an important center of Greek civilization and remained the capital of Ptolemaic Egypt and Roman and Byzantine Egypt for almost 1,000 years, until the Muslim conquest of Egypt in AD 641.
The catacombs were discovered when a donkey dragging a cart filled with stones fell down a hole about 1900. Excavations revealed a maze of underground burial tunnels that had been hidden for centuries that is an amazing blend of different ancient arts and cultures.
When first discovered, the tomb was flooded and the lower level is still. The mummies that were discovered in the catacombs were badly decomposed by the water leaving only remains.
Ayman started to wonder about my knowledge of Ancient Egypt when I said that the ladies used to attend feasts with perfumed wax cones on their hair, he didn't know how I could have known that, but I have always known that. I know what ancient Egyptians ate and drank, the names of their Gods and mythology. I have had a fascination for Ancient Egypt and I have soaked up knowledge through books all my life. I think that was another reason they loved me so much in Egypt, I spoke their lingo and could join them in conversations about the many different Gods.
Alexandria was founded in c. 331 BC by Alexander the Great . Alexandria grew rapidly to become an important center of Greek civilization and remained the capital of Ptolemaic Egypt and Roman and Byzantine Egypt for almost 1,000 years, until the Muslim conquest of Egypt in AD 641.
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A deep well was used to lower the mummified body of the deceased, by means of ropes. Some slits were cut into the sides of the shaft to allow the daylight in. The mummy was then passed through tunnels (which I crawled through and popped up at the other end, hehe)
I went down a spiral staircase of 99 steps leads into a vestibule with two niches on both sides with the shape of a shell for a roof where mourners could meditate and a large room carved into the rock where feasts were held at burials. The name Kom el Shoqafa means “Mound of Shards” as the area was littered with piles of shattered pottery for drinking wine and eating food left by those who visited their loved ones at the tombs. The tomb was originally constructed for an Emperor and his family and later expanded into catacombs. The carving on royal tomb shows him with a double crown, presenting a necklace to the sacred bull Serapis who has the sun disc of Ra between his horns. The Goddess Isis stretches out her wings. 
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The sculptures and paintings down inside the tombs were a strange mix of Egyptian, Greek and Roman. They were no longer flat and two dimentional represetations, they had become more realistic, rounded and three dimensional. The Jackal head of the god Anubis wore roman kilt and armour, the tomb was guarded by the Gorgon headed, Greek goddess of the underworld, Medusa. Giant serpents with the double crown of Egypt and the caduceus of Apollo represent the Greek “Agathodaimon,” or “good spirit.” . The caduceus is also a representation of the rising energy of kundalini through the 7 chakras or energy wheel in the body.
Citadel of Qaitbay
We went on a crazy drive though the tiny, dilapidated streets of Alexandria because the main roads were closed for church or something. They have the same trams running as they did in the 1950's and the apartments look like they are about to fall down into the street. But I wondered what they are like inside. I saw inside one appartment during my time in Egypt and it was in the process of being newly renovated and beautifully furnished, maybe these appartments were hiding secret charms on the inside. Alexandria certainly has a lot of character. We drove along the harbour lined with fishing boats.
We arrived at the Citadel of Qaitbay, a relic of Alexandria's history as a world power. It is built in the 15th century on the exact same spot as the light house of Alexandria, one of the 7 wonders if the ancient world. It's creamy ramparts and turrets have a gorgeous view over the Mediterranean Sea. The day I was there the sky was changing from a delicious blue to a menacing grey as storm clouds threatened.
Balancing on the top of Alexandria
Me with my brilliant guide Ayman with one of the huge doors under restoration
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Leaning on one of the stones from the original Lighthouse of Alexandria
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Mahamad, my driver, me and Ayman
The castle is a beautifully designed building full of light with holes for pouring boiling oil on approaching enemies, and high steps to strengthen the legs of soldiers as they trained running up and down. I know how they felt, stair runs were a favorite part of my martial arts training. I found an imprint of a sneaker someone had left in fresh cement when they were repairing the stairs. Huge strong doors to hold against battering rams were under restoration.
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The citadel was bombarded and left badly damaged after Alexandria was attacked by the British at the end of the Urabi revolution. The uprising was ended by the British invasion of the country that left it under foreign control until after World War II.
The citadel was restored In 1904 by King Farouk to be a royal rest house. After the revolution of 1952 it became a Maritime Museum. In 1984 the Egyptian Antiquities Organization restored the fort so visitors like me can enjoy it's splendor. Ayman showed me all over, down into dungeons and wells that would never dry up during siege. We saw the kitchens and bread ovens and the apartments that would have been done up to house King Farouk and his court when they visited. The first floor has an impressive mosque and the second floor is designed around a large open square that looks down to the floor below. There are many passageways, large halls, and chambers. I did bird pose on the ramparts with the wind blowing. I had become good friends with Ayman, he liked my yoga and we both understood about energy and magic. He has invited me to stay with him and his family when I come back to Egypt. We will camp in the black desert and visit crystal desert and all the places in Alexandria. |
Bibliotheca Alexandria and the Antiquities Museum
Alexandria once had the most famous library in the world but that was long ago. It had been destroyed by the Romans 2000 years ago. But its fame didn't die and Alexandria now has a new and fabulous library opened in 2002. It felt very special to be in the most famous library in history.
The library has shelf space for eight million books, with the main reading room covering 20,000 square metres (220,000 sq ft). The complex also houses a conference center; specialized libraries for maps, multimedia, the blind and visually impaired, young people, and for children; four museums; four art galleries for temporary exhibitions; 15 permanent exhibitions; a planetarium; and a manuscript restoration laboratory.
The library has shelf space for eight million books, with the main reading room covering 20,000 square metres (220,000 sq ft). The complex also houses a conference center; specialized libraries for maps, multimedia, the blind and visually impaired, young people, and for children; four museums; four art galleries for temporary exhibitions; 15 permanent exhibitions; a planetarium; and a manuscript restoration laboratory.
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It costs extra to visit the museum but Ayman was best friends with the head curator (of course) so we were allowed in as VIP's (of course). It was a great museum with wonderfully effective lighting. The museum is full of artifacts that were dug up on the site during excavation for the library and treasures that were hauled up from the sea bed in the harbour.
The displays took me on a journey through the different era's of Egypt and Alexandria's history. Ayman explained to me how a mummy was made. There were statues of Egyptian scribes and gods, beautiful statues from Greek civilization and weapons from the mighty Roman Empire. There were scripts, cloths and and delicate paintings of icons from the Coptic civilization that brought Christianity to the East, beautiful rugs and carvings from Islamic civilization, gold coins and jewelry from the ages.
The displays took me on a journey through the different era's of Egypt and Alexandria's history. Ayman explained to me how a mummy was made. There were statues of Egyptian scribes and gods, beautiful statues from Greek civilization and weapons from the mighty Roman Empire. There were scripts, cloths and and delicate paintings of icons from the Coptic civilization that brought Christianity to the East, beautiful rugs and carvings from Islamic civilization, gold coins and jewelry from the ages.
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I think Augustus Caesar looks a bit stunned to have his photo taken with me
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Alexander the Great
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Christmas day
I did the bravest thing of my whole trip on Christmas morning. I went for a walk on my own. I needed money from the ATM (again) which was about a kilometer away. I told them at the front desk of the hotel that I was going and if I wasn't back in an hour to call the police, haha. I covered my head with my scarf. Nothing happened and I found my way easily. It felt pretty weird though. There were street stalls selling eggs and corn for breakfast, I smiled and said hello. Maddi, (where my hotel was) is a good area of Cairo with trees and leafy streets. I walked back along the Nile. It was a busy road to cross.
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In the afternoon I caught an Uber to the Egyptian Museum. I don't like Uber, I never used it before. It is hard to find the car.
I met my friend Mahmoud at the Egyptian Museum. It is very old and dusty. They are building a bright new museum near the pyramids that will open in October or November 2020. We turned a boring old museum visit into something fun and lively.
We had some tea by the Nile and said good bye. He put me in an Uber but I had a terrible experience with the driver. I reported him.
I had to rush to get ready when I got back to the hotel. I was being picked up to go on a dinner cruise on the Nile I had booked on-line. I had a lovely escort for the night. There was a Sufi and belly dancing show. I wore the beautiful dress I had bought at the market and put on the jingling belt I had bought at Kom Ombo temple. They thanked me for the show as we left the boat.
I had to rush to get ready when I got back to the hotel. I was being picked up to go on a dinner cruise on the Nile I had booked on-line. I had a lovely escort for the night. There was a Sufi and belly dancing show. I wore the beautiful dress I had bought at the market and put on the jingling belt I had bought at Kom Ombo temple. They thanked me for the show as we left the boat.
Saqqara
Saqqara is an oasis with fine houses, and shady date palms. It once was the capital of Ancient Egypt, known as Memphis before the capital was moved to Thebes (Luxor).
360 degree view of the site at the Step pyramid, the desert as far as the eye can see on one side and Cairo in the distance
I love how they ride donkeys in the Middle East, this farmer with his buffalo going to the fields and his frind is bringing a herd of cattle behind
The Step Pyramid of Djoser
I would have liked to enjoy my time at this quiet place in contemplation. But I had to constantly fend off unwanted attacks by the vendors annoying me, and men trying to scab a few dollars by telling me things in Egyptian that I didn't want to know. I walked in the opposite direction, ignored them, told them to go away and held up my hand to stop them. I got annoyed when one held out his hand for money, I said I wasn't giving him anything because I hadn't asked him to tell me anything, the tourists looked at me, mystified. One man chased me on his horse and pretended to be friendly till I told him that I was not going to have a ride. He said he hadn't asked me. I walked in the direction he told me not to go and he eventually rode away. Once I pretended to be part of a group of French people so they would leave me alone. They eventually got the idea.
If this camel driver had seen me taking this sneaky photo, he would have wanted money
I just wanted to be quiet and soak up the atmosphere. I was on the site of the first great pyramid. I helped a couple to take a great photo, I managed to fit them and the whole temple in the shot. I walked around the back of the pyramid, away from the man on the horse to where there weren't any people. Looking up the towering peak of the pyramid with the clouds moving through the sky and the wind in my ears, it appeared as if the pyramid was moving. It made me a bit dizzy.
There where work men are trying to stabilize the entrance. The whole pyramid is in danger of collapse after an earthquake in 1992.
The pyramid was the inspired idea of the vizier, Imhotep (c. 2667 BCE). It is the first square(ish) tomb to be built in stone. Mastabas were the customary form of graves, rectangular monuments built from dried clay brick that covered underground passages where the deceased was entombed. Djoser's tomb stacks progressively smaller mastabas on top of one another making the Step Pyramid
The Step Pyramid was 62m high. The large surrounding complex included a temple, courtyards, shrines, and living quarters for the priests and was surrounded by a wall 10.5m high.
I walked around behind the wall and wondered why each little room was blocked of by stone blocks, the maze of cave-like spaces didn't seem big enough for priests to sleep and meditate in. The reason is the wall had 13 false doors cut into it with only one true entrance in the south-east corner; the entire wall was ringed by a trench 750m long and 40m wide to keep people out. If someone wished to visit the inner courtyard and temples they would have needed to be shown in.
The step Pyramid was a revolutionary advance in architecture and it became the archetype which all the great pyramid builders of Egypt would follow. The design was the prototype that influenced the famous pyramids at Giza.
There where work men are trying to stabilize the entrance. The whole pyramid is in danger of collapse after an earthquake in 1992.
The pyramid was the inspired idea of the vizier, Imhotep (c. 2667 BCE). It is the first square(ish) tomb to be built in stone. Mastabas were the customary form of graves, rectangular monuments built from dried clay brick that covered underground passages where the deceased was entombed. Djoser's tomb stacks progressively smaller mastabas on top of one another making the Step Pyramid
The Step Pyramid was 62m high. The large surrounding complex included a temple, courtyards, shrines, and living quarters for the priests and was surrounded by a wall 10.5m high.
I walked around behind the wall and wondered why each little room was blocked of by stone blocks, the maze of cave-like spaces didn't seem big enough for priests to sleep and meditate in. The reason is the wall had 13 false doors cut into it with only one true entrance in the south-east corner; the entire wall was ringed by a trench 750m long and 40m wide to keep people out. If someone wished to visit the inner courtyard and temples they would have needed to be shown in.
The step Pyramid was a revolutionary advance in architecture and it became the archetype which all the great pyramid builders of Egypt would follow. The design was the prototype that influenced the famous pyramids at Giza.
Wow! A few days after I wrote this the renovations were finished and the Pyramid is now open. I was lucky to go while it was quiet. The hawkers will be happy, it will be buzzing with tourists for them to annoy now.
There is also a huge necropolis of graves you can wander over at the site.
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false entrances
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Mustaba of Ty
A short distance from the step Pyramid was the mustaba of Ty.
First we visited the underground burial chamber. I had to crouch to descend down a long shaft that led to the huge stone sarcophagus. Mohamad pointed out the stars on the roof of the chamber and queried how they were able to get the huge sarcophagus into the chamber without the help of men from the stars.
I have heard other people question the intelligence of the ancients, presuming that we are more intelligent because we must have evolved a superior brain over millenium. I point out to them that there are alot of people with low intelligence today and history has had many genius such as Michelangelo, Einstein, Plato, Shakespeare and Buddha. The Ancient Egyptians had great intelligence, power and understanding of magic that people without wisdom don't understand. They possessed profound medical knowledge and left behind detailed carvings of medical instruments that are used by surgeons today. Mankind didn't need help from aliens, we have incredible intelligence. For those who find the true purpose of life find profound joy in the discovery of innate purity of spirit that has always been within people.
It was quite creepy down under ground, I didn't want to stay long. Above ground is is a chapel structure for the living to visit and honor the deceased.
First we visited the underground burial chamber. I had to crouch to descend down a long shaft that led to the huge stone sarcophagus. Mohamad pointed out the stars on the roof of the chamber and queried how they were able to get the huge sarcophagus into the chamber without the help of men from the stars.
I have heard other people question the intelligence of the ancients, presuming that we are more intelligent because we must have evolved a superior brain over millenium. I point out to them that there are alot of people with low intelligence today and history has had many genius such as Michelangelo, Einstein, Plato, Shakespeare and Buddha. The Ancient Egyptians had great intelligence, power and understanding of magic that people without wisdom don't understand. They possessed profound medical knowledge and left behind detailed carvings of medical instruments that are used by surgeons today. Mankind didn't need help from aliens, we have incredible intelligence. For those who find the true purpose of life find profound joy in the discovery of innate purity of spirit that has always been within people.
It was quite creepy down under ground, I didn't want to stay long. Above ground is is a chapel structure for the living to visit and honor the deceased.
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The Mastaba of Ty is full of corridors and rooms and false doors. It was wonderful inside, the carvings were so fresh and the wall paintings are incredibly detailed. I saw wonderful stories about everyday life in Old Kingdom Egypt. There are detailed scenes of daily life including dancers and musicians, craftsmen, builders, men and women farming, preparing food, hunting, fishing, catching crocodiles and hippopotamus.
Catching hippos in the marshes, fishing
Fishing scene
Ty was a hairdresser to the royalty during the early V Dynasty, as well as controller of the farms and stock that belonged to the royal family. He was also the overseer of the Abu Sir pyramids and sun temples during the 5th Dynasty.
His wife Neferhetpes, was a priestess, and related to the royal family. Their two sons, Demedj (responsible for the raising of the ducks of the Great Royal House) and Ty (Senior hairdresser of the Great House) were of royal descent. Their images appear throughout the tomb and their mummies were also placed in the tomb, though they were stolen long ago, along with the goods that were inside.
The hieroglyphic carvings carry on a chattering dialogue – ‘Hurry up, the herdsman’s coming’, ‘Don’t make so much noise!’, ‘Pay up – it’s cheap!’
His wife Neferhetpes, was a priestess, and related to the royal family. Their two sons, Demedj (responsible for the raising of the ducks of the Great Royal House) and Ty (Senior hairdresser of the Great House) were of royal descent. Their images appear throughout the tomb and their mummies were also placed in the tomb, though they were stolen long ago, along with the goods that were inside.
The hieroglyphic carvings carry on a chattering dialogue – ‘Hurry up, the herdsman’s coming’, ‘Don’t make so much noise!’, ‘Pay up – it’s cheap!’
Totally loved these sandals. I really would like some.
Ty
I don't know who this little guy is. I found him carved into the walls of the tomb at Saqqara and on a gold chest that came from Tutankhamen's tomb in the Museum of Antiquities.
He looks like a Buddha to me. |
Sarah
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We drove through the remains of what was once the greatest city on earth. I was one of the guys you see on TV travel shows going exploring in out of the way places tourists only wish they knew about. There was lots of fresh fruit and vegetable stalls, and Egyptian bread for sale, and plenty of donkeys loaded up with fodder.
The Colossus of Ramses II
We arrived in the archaeological zone of Memphis near the village of Mit Rahina at a small museum that has been built to protect the colossus of Ramses II. You can climb some stairs inside and walk around the statue at a higher level, giving you an excellent vantage point to admire it from different angles. Mohammad met a friend as I was going in and asked her if I could join her little tour with two other men. I gave her a good tip at the end.
The Colossus of Ramesses II is an enormous limestone statue, about 10m long. The magnificent piece is displayed on its back because the feet and base are broken off. The fallen colossus was found near the south gate of the temple of Ptah, about 30m away.
The Colossus of Ramesses II is an enormous limestone statue, about 10m long. The magnificent piece is displayed on its back because the feet and base are broken off. The fallen colossus was found near the south gate of the temple of Ptah, about 30m away.
A pair of monumental statues were found in 1820 by an Italian traveller Giovanni Caviglia. He offered them to an Italian duke who turned down his gift due to the cost and practicalities of moving the enormous sculpture. The British Museum later waved away a similar offer from Mohammad Ali similar reasons. The statues were eventually recovered by Egypt's president Gamal Abdel-Nasser in 1954. One was fully restored and taken to Giza. It weighs 75 300kg (83 tons) and will soon be inspiring visitors with awe at the entrance of the Grand Egyptian Museum.
The broken, unfinished statue at Saqqara was lying face down in the mud for milenium, it was known as the crocodile rock because its stone back looked like a crocodile lying in the river. An incredible hydraulic system was eventually able to lift the statues from the mud.
The broken, unfinished statue at Saqqara was lying face down in the mud for milenium, it was known as the crocodile rock because its stone back looked like a crocodile lying in the river. An incredible hydraulic system was eventually able to lift the statues from the mud.
By John Harrison Allan - http://eng.travelogues
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By Théodule Devéria (French, 1831 - 1871)
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By Internet Archive Book Images
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By Fiedler, Bernhard - This image comes from the Travelers in the Middle East Archive
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Just across from the museum was a traditional carpet shop. Saqqara is famous for its handmade Egyptian rugs. I fell in love with one. It was very expensive and though I shouldn't have bought it I couldn't resist, it's so beautiful and maybe the only chance I will have to get one. It is silk and simply divine. Everyone loves it in the yoga room. We don't walk on it, though my new kitty, Tutankhamun likes to lie on it. I also bought a rug to walk on.
The fun part when I got back to the hotel was packing and fitting two carpets into my luggage, but I did.
I went up to the roof to say good bye to my friends who worked in the restaurant up there. We took photos, they still send me messages telling me they miss me. I miss them too.
I went up to the roof to say good bye to my friends who worked in the restaurant up there. We took photos, they still send me messages telling me they miss me. I miss them too.
I got an Email when I landed in Dubai saying that the train from Sydney that I had booked a month ago was going to be leaving 45 minutes early. I just made it, dragging my heavy, 60kg of luggage with me in two suitcases and a backpack. When I arrived home the handle broke off my bag, but at least it made it. When I unpacked there were tiny things and items of clothing tucked into every corner. I brought back a lot of trasure but the best treasure was discovering the wonderful friends I made on this magical trip to Egypt. They feel like my family. I will return.
References:
https://www.ancient.eu/index/
https://www.wikipedia.org/
https://www.thevintagenews.com/2017/11/28/the-catacombs-of-kom-el-shoqafa/
https://www.ask-aladdin.com/alex-travel-information/catacomb/
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Pyramids-of-Giza
https://www.livescience.com/25184-karnak-temple.html
https://www.ancient.eu/article/862/the-step-pyramid-of-djoser/
https://discoveringegypt.com/
https://www.osirisnet.net/mastabas/ty/e_ty_01.htm
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/egypt/attractions/mastaba-of-ti/a/poi-sig/1453975/355224
This site is amazing, you will feel like you are there:
https://describingegypt.com/
https://www.ancient.eu/index/
https://www.wikipedia.org/
https://www.thevintagenews.com/2017/11/28/the-catacombs-of-kom-el-shoqafa/
https://www.ask-aladdin.com/alex-travel-information/catacomb/
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Pyramids-of-Giza
https://www.livescience.com/25184-karnak-temple.html
https://www.ancient.eu/article/862/the-step-pyramid-of-djoser/
https://discoveringegypt.com/
https://www.osirisnet.net/mastabas/ty/e_ty_01.htm
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/egypt/attractions/mastaba-of-ti/a/poi-sig/1453975/355224
This site is amazing, you will feel like you are there:
https://describingegypt.com/