tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62122223546503795962024-03-05T21:28:31.300-05:00Egyptian historical tour and RevolutionEloisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16709385941962753995noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6212222354650379596.post-38179805878725636852011-01-31T21:55:00.006-05:002011-03-15T22:46:41.769-04:00Home again<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-LmCTQ7BipMo/TXPg1hjT5WI/AAAAAAAANzk/9tT_QfUXRvY/s1600/DSCN2027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-LmCTQ7BipMo/TXPg1hjT5WI/AAAAAAAANzk/9tT_QfUXRvY/s320/DSCN2027.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are next in line, taking off for a direct 14-hour flight to New York</span></td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our wakeup call is at 4 am and after an excellent although somewhat abbreviated night’s sleep, we are off to the airport where we have a very nice breakfast in the business class club before leaving for home. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the flight we have four to six hours sleep on aseat that stretches out to a flat bed. Not to overdo it about this wonderful seat, but it has two kinds of vibrating massages, and every imaginable configuration. It's an experience, after all of the cramped cheap seats we've experienced. There are a couple of nice movies and more wonderful food. The airline even provides silk pajamas, and the attendants are attentive and considerate. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tHebxQIIkpQ/TXPg6IijK3I/AAAAAAAAN0E/ZWl00plhOrk/s1600/DSCN2033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tHebxQIIkpQ/TXPg6IijK3I/AAAAAAAAN0E/ZWl00plhOrk/s320/DSCN2033.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The beautiful Persian Gulf</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-iOQzMct6o_E/TXPg9b_KSQI/AAAAAAAAN0U/O8IkILkyLAY/s1600/DSCN2037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-iOQzMct6o_E/TXPg9b_KSQI/AAAAAAAAN0U/O8IkILkyLAY/s320/DSCN2037.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An oil tanker in the Gulf</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNXtquW83HtP7cBtdfCtPpUw47V0Dj7oY4suFVQuiQokcCpsK3hnfkUMSMx6L0HHjq_G7fJekQLlwZp4a9t03kRKOOQSvJmJoOgM1kOA18NuvPve0KXvysRhbaDAIQ6WJFN4rccVEddG1a/s1600/DSCN2039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNXtquW83HtP7cBtdfCtPpUw47V0Dj7oY4suFVQuiQokcCpsK3hnfkUMSMx6L0HHjq_G7fJekQLlwZp4a9t03kRKOOQSvJmJoOgM1kOA18NuvPve0KXvysRhbaDAIQ6WJFN4rccVEddG1a/s320/DSCN2039.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Breakfast </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As we approach </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:state></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, we agree we could stand more of this kind of travel. First class by accident but we can appreciate the value. </span><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That became even more true on our arrival in New York. After going through customs and immigration, we went to return our single checked bag for our ongoing flight to Vermont. Delta had agreed not to charge us $400 for the flight for which we had already paid - they had told Astrid we would have to pay because we had missed yesterday's flight - no matter it was because THEY had cancelled our flight from Cairo. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-T-gQ8mNCTtk/TXPhHRFe_EI/AAAAAAAAN1Y/4rgX9Jf_TDA/s1600/DSCN2048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-T-gQ8mNCTtk/TXPhHRFe_EI/AAAAAAAAN1Y/4rgX9Jf_TDA/s200/DSCN2048.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Good to see New York</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But the Delta clerk<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">wants $50 for our bag to go to Burlington. There is only one bag, we point out. OK, she concedes, $25. But there should be no charge, there is an allowance of one bag for person on international flights. Well, you didn't come in on Delta she says sulkily. No, we admit - and that is because Delta suspended ALL flights to Cairo. It would have been difficult to fly without a plane. Well, talk to Qatar, she says rudely. Qatar does not fly to Burlington. This continued for several minutes with Jim saying he would give her his </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">credit card but also assuring her he would not end up paying that fee. Finally, curtly, she says she will "waive" the fee this time "but don't try that again!" No problem, we will NEVER fly Delta again, if there is any other choice, regardless of price. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">BUT if we have the opportunity, we will fly Qatar anywhere! We had forgotten that flying could actually be fun. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our flight to Burlington is uneventful and we are SO happy to see Astrid who was there to picked us up. It has been an unforgettable trip. We believe we have witnessed a Berlin Wall moment. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lars says he understands, but "you all weren't in Berlin!" </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are sorry to have caused anxiety for him and his sisters, and other family and friends. None the less, it was a wonderful trip and it was an honor to also be witness to the birth of New Egypt. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFJB9wuyuxQVWC2pYnoEMYvFpKLzJjnlmZ1Ye3BQUWkvxAGuxAzepNcBTt7b0f6ZCP2pbf6yZZaoKkHl6SC05ZMbu03EWnL2OVqxHiFwNqisEycUdUs3yV7-LF9HoO5L6uagXgncXLvixz/s1600/180699_10150133206953453_583408452_7875653_7140065_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFJB9wuyuxQVWC2pYnoEMYvFpKLzJjnlmZ1Ye3BQUWkvxAGuxAzepNcBTt7b0f6ZCP2pbf6yZZaoKkHl6SC05ZMbu03EWnL2OVqxHiFwNqisEycUdUs3yV7-LF9HoO5L6uagXgncXLvixz/s400/180699_10150133206953453_583408452_7875653_7140065_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are home again, happy to be here and looking forward to sleeping in<br />
our own bed, some 40 hours after departing from the hotel in Alexandria</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Looking forward, we know there will be setbacks and mistakes, but </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Egypt is an old, wise country and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">we have confidence that it will evolve into a strong vibrant 21st century nation. Are have heard from Samir and Dalia, that they are safe - and that they are optimistic about the future of their new nation. we are looking forward to our next visit.</span></div>Eloisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16709385941962753995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6212222354650379596.post-31291800565852167252011-01-30T22:10:00.123-05:002011-03-15T22:01:48.592-04:00Out of Egypt<div dir="ltr" style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">If all goes well, we will be on our way home today. We plan to leave the hotel at 3 pm to go to the airport for an evening flight. But we are already packed and ready to leave quickly if needed. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We eat a good breakfast – it isn't clear when we will get to eat again, so we take along an orange and a banana as a snack. The sounds of demonstrations are already echoing through the streets of <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 /><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Alexandria.</st1:place></st1:city> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">After breakfast we have a call from American Express. The woman says she had to reach us before she left at the end of her shift because our flight has been moved up to 4 p.m. and she wanted to be certain we did not miss our flight. She also said we will have access to the lounge in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Qatar</st1:place></st1:country-region> that comes with the business class ticket. That's good news. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We call Dalia and agree to a 2 pm departure from the hotel. </span>We groom about 10 a.m and put on our traveling clothes., figuring we are not going to see a bed or much else in the way of creature comforts, although a night in the first class lounge in Doha won't be that bad. We also pack a change of clothing in our carry-on, figuring we may be more comfortable if we change. Jim has washed that incredible Tilley's travel wear and, as usual, it is nicely dry by morning, fresh underwear and socks for both of us, along with a change of pants and shirts. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Although it is still hours before Dahlia is supposed to arrive, we pack everything. Still just a single checked bag, two small carry-ons and one small rolling case.we had brought an "opportunity bag" that could be used to pack an potential quantity of treasures bought from the famous bazaar in Cairo, but we won't be needing it this time!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Just as we are finishing dressing, we get a call from Samir saying he has advised Dalia to leave as soon as possible for the airport, even though it is six hours before our scheduled flight. Can we be ready in 15 minutes? Yes, we can. Soon thereafter Dalia calls – 30 minutes, she says – she must go to the police station to get permits to pass. We finish zipping up everything and say a last goodbye to the room that has been our refuge from the storm for three days. (Is that all? It seems much longer.)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We go down the quaint and charming elevator, to the darkened lobby and settle with the hotel. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-xTflXrSctLU/TXPeM1baipI/AAAAAAAANxc/IzYM4CEaIKw/s1600/DSCN2001.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="320" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-xTflXrSctLU/TXPeM1baipI/AAAAAAAANxc/IzYM4CEaIKw/s320/DSCN2001.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Qt_abV3qQM4/TXPeJSp0zPI/AAAAAAAANxE/Clt2LjDQKiw/s1600/DSCN1996.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Qt_abV3qQM4/TXPeJSp0zPI/AAAAAAAANxE/Clt2LjDQKiw/s320/DSCN1996.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We are whisked into the car and head for the airport with police permits. We drive directly to airport on largely deserted streets. There is some traffic and volunteers are directing traffic, cooperating with the military. Every major intersection has one or more tanks or APCs but the troops look relaxed as do the civilians around them.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-gfYSbmTsW_Q/TXP2_IsMYiI/AAAAAAAAN40/IfrxsBlIGNM/s1600/Photo0096.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img height="192" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-gfYSbmTsW_Q/TXP2_IsMYiI/AAAAAAAAN40/IfrxsBlIGNM/s320/Photo0096.jpg" width="320" border="0" /></a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">TV coverage indicates 100 dead now. But it also documents a lot of cooperation between military and protestors. The BBC lead “violent protests” is clearly inaccurate. We know this first hand. Generally peaceful protests treated to violent response by the riot police, and restrained pushback by the protesters. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"> We think we are seeing a bottom up, social media enabled, popular, peaceful revolution. The possibilities are very positive. Potentially we are witness to a wonderful change,. We are hopeful.</span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We express appreciation for the Army restraint, so far, and our hope that Mubarak does not order them to use force on the protestes. "He already did," Dalia tells us. "They refused." She seems very certain of that and is similarly confident that it will not change. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Dalia tells us Qatar Airways has switched to a larger plane, and scheduled an earlier flight. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">As we approach the airport, the streets are blocked by six or eight tanks. Dalia speaks to the soldiers and we are allowed to approach a barricade. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><a style="CLEAR: right; FLOAT: right; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-LEFT: 1em" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-wF0i437Fwyc/TXP3BfkXoFI/AAAAAAAAN48/JV5FOQmzsGQ/s1600/Photo0097.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img height="192" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-wF0i437Fwyc/TXP3BfkXoFI/AAAAAAAAN48/JV5FOQmzsGQ/s320/Photo0097.jpg" width="320" border="0" /></a>We leave the car, pulling our bags, accompanied by Dalia. We walk towards the terminal thorough hundreds of people here with baggage, kids, everyone trying trying to get out. We go to a side building and sit while Dalia gets on her cell phone and checks on details. She returns with a scrap of paper with flight confirmation numbers written on it. We approach the terminal and we are not allowed to enter until a Qatar Airways representative scans those numbers and verifies we have a flight. </span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pEAl-6C52PM/TXP3Frt9CeI/AAAAAAAAN5U/U7H8mOzUsf8/s1600/Photo0100.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img height="96" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pEAl-6C52PM/TXP3Frt9CeI/AAAAAAAAN5U/U7H8mOzUsf8/s320/Photo0100.jpg" width="320" border="0" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Here is where we say goodbye to Dalia - she's not allowed inside without a ticket. It occurs to us how dependent we have been on her translation, support, and problem solving skills. Now we are in the hands of Qutar Air, for better or worse. Dalia says she was leaving us to pray for the victims and to give blood and then to resume her neighborhood guard duties until she could get back to <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Cairo</st1:place></st1:city>. We are honored and humbled to have met such patriots.(After we are safely home, we hear from Sahir, and he says Dalia is safe - but we don't hear from her for over two weeks. Finally, an e-mail. She had been in Tahir square for two weeks, bringing in the revolution) . </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVyv7xy9Jm1cw0l5KrK35nhaWXIPei2mXMbgpqtmwqw3w93DPZk9Uw4FWWj1tH8MUQldutS4gSOVOWBS1ET-1kDyvk050BqA9U_6rBAybPV1TSJv4LROfHILvhFB4Uqj7SPPVvMT490TUq/s320/DSCN2005.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:x-small;">The airport terminal was chaotic</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><a style="CLEAR: right; FLOAT: right; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-LEFT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVyv7xy9Jm1cw0l5KrK35nhaWXIPei2mXMbgpqtmwqw3w93DPZk9Uw4FWWj1tH8MUQldutS4gSOVOWBS1ET-1kDyvk050BqA9U_6rBAybPV1TSJv4LROfHILvhFB4Uqj7SPPVvMT490TUq/s1600/DSCN2005.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;"></span></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Now we are in terminal with our bags on our own. We work through crowds of people toward the baggage check and once there we are told Qatar Airways is waiting to accept all of their nationals first – even with a ticket, we are essentially on standby. We had a conversation with a young man who was guarding his neighborhood last night. They intercepted people who were bent on looting who turned out to be policemen. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">There are also unverified stories that thousands of criminals were freed from prison and even armed by the police. Why? Spite and to keep people guarding their property instead of demonstrating. This shows that security people understood that the people on the streets are not the “poor” but responsible property owners.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><a style="CLEAR: right; FLOAT: right; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-LEFT: 1em" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-VDJUtKnuADs/TXPePMkKrpI/AAAAAAAANxs/dhSsTQk9iW0/s1600/DSCN2007.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;"><img height="240" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-VDJUtKnuADs/TXPePMkKrpI/AAAAAAAANxs/dhSsTQk9iW0/s320/DSCN2007.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></span></a>The ticket agent, a young Egyptian man who says he has been working there for 48 hours non-stop, tells us we will be called. But we follow the advice of a would-be fellow passenger, a young Malaysian man, and stay very close, pressing forward every 10 minutes or so to again request to have our bag checked. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="DISPLAY: inline! important"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="DISPLAY: inline! important"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We ask if we are going to get on the plane. “Probably.” But huge groups keep coming, handing over handfuls of passports.</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="DISPLAY: inline! important"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="DISPLAY: inline! important"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Outside there are hundreds of less fortunate people, without tickets but obviously hoping for a flight that will take them out of Egypt. </span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6WreK3Ybq-eadB30WQ1aPekKxn3sv3Lf9yMY4SYOA4EgQVKf87relxwceYhL8EC9ZoYcvJNPcme-wxqNPdzXgcjVEQORIHXSbLVTLY5XIy2_QZ9JBD3z-PSBzu_x4nCQB4O_tDh72MoB/s1600/DSCN2012.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;"><img height="77" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6WreK3Ybq-eadB30WQ1aPekKxn3sv3Lf9yMY4SYOA4EgQVKf87relxwceYhL8EC9ZoYcvJNPcme-wxqNPdzXgcjVEQORIHXSbLVTLY5XIy2_QZ9JBD3z-PSBzu_x4nCQB4O_tDh72MoB/s320/DSCN2012.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="DISPLAY: inline! important"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="DISPLAY: inline! important"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">On the third or fourth attempt, after more than a hour of waiting in limbo, the clerk takes our bag and gives us boarding passes and we go through security. There are the usual forms to fill out and our bags are put through ordinary security checks. Somehow, manhandling the bags in the last frenzy has broken the retractable handle of our roll-on bag, and it will not compress into the bag. Jim has to break it off and he worries about injuring himself and being unable to take the flight. Finally it snaps off, with no injury, and he takes it over to some sympathetic security officials for disposal.</span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal">At 4 pm we are on the bus to the plane. Turkish, <st1:country-region st="on">Qatar</st1:country-region>, and Air <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region> seem to be the only carriers flying. <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Egypt</st1:place></st1:country-region> Air had, we are told, suspended all flights. We are directed to the stairs at the front of the plane.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">We climb the stairs and feel as though we have entered another dimension. At 4:50 we are wheels up after being pampered with refreshments and hot washcloths, with a sconce of fresh roses and orchids on the wall in front of us. First seat, First row. First class. Across the aisle are two Arabian princes in white robes who seem to know the flight attendants by name. We look out the window at the green productive Delta below, crisscrossed by canals. With a splendid grilled salmon dinner, we revel in drinking a 2002 Margaux, chateau Rauzan Gassies, 2<sup>nd</sup> Grand Cru. We follow that with Sauvignon Blanc with the meal. It is a “through the looking glass” experience.</div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-DT8hls9iwZ8/TXPeUXmDJ2I/AAAAAAAANyU/AszO0Lu24Uk/s1600/DSCN2013.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;"><img height="240" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-DT8hls9iwZ8/TXPeUXmDJ2I/AAAAAAAANyU/AszO0Lu24Uk/s320/DSCN2013.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></span></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-bI3QbsZzJfQ/TXPeWScXl3I/AAAAAAAANys/_s3oiqB273s/s1600/DSCN2017.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;"><img height="240" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-bI3QbsZzJfQ/TXPeWScXl3I/AAAAAAAANys/_s3oiqB273s/s320/DSCN2017.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"> All the tension, the uncertainly, our discomfort because of the announcements are in Arabic , the crowds of perhaps a thousand people trying to get flights – it was a "through the looking glass" experience. Beautiful perfectly groomed young flight attendants, the best airline seat imaginable – I think we both had tears in our eyes as we took off. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0px"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0px"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We cannot say we ever felt threatened, but we bless the luck that put us in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Alexandria</st1:place></st1:city> instead of in Cairo at the Talisman hotel a few blocks for Tahrir square. If we were still there, we night have been days away from exit, without fresh food and possibly exposed to some real danger. </span></div><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-hHV5sw5QA3M/TXP3Jr5eQ9I/AAAAAAAAN5w/Jz9EuE9oQsc/s1600/Photo0105.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img height="320" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-hHV5sw5QA3M/TXP3Jr5eQ9I/AAAAAAAAN5w/Jz9EuE9oQsc/s320/Photo0105.jpg" width="192" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">We are surprised to enjoy the glimpse we catch of <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Doha</st1:place></st1:city>. It is Disneyland pretty along the shore of the <st1:place st="on">Persian Gulf</st1:place>, showcase skyscrapers, everything illuminated. Sort of a cross between Disneyland and <st1:place st="on">Hong Kong</st1:place>. </span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-hHV5sw5QA3M/TXP3Jr5eQ9I/AAAAAAAAN5w/Jz9EuE9oQsc/s1600/Photo0105.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;"></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-xfubzfR1rMc/TXP3KXqBoZI/AAAAAAAAN54/5do82wk9XCI/s1600/Photo0106.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;"><img height="320" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-xfubzfR1rMc/TXP3KXqBoZI/AAAAAAAAN54/5do82wk9XCI/s320/Photo0106.jpg" width="192" border="0" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">We arrive about 9 p.m., are escorted by a very courteous Qatar Airways representative through immigration and rather than spending the night sitting in the lounge, we are installed in a glorious suite of the ultra modern Movenpick hotel, transportation included, all courtesy of Qatar Airways. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><img src="http://static.besthotelsdoha.com/images/hotel/org/603/603540.jpg" /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">We go to bed, still pinching ourselves, although we know it will be a short night because we have an early morning flight. Relax, don't worry, we are told, they will give us a wakeup call and have a car and driver at the hotel to return us to the airport. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><br /></span></div><br /></span></span><br style="mso-special-character: line-break"><br /></span></div>Eloisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16709385941962753995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6212222354650379596.post-76396801824770133492011-01-29T21:50:00.174-05:002011-03-15T21:34:39.266-04:00Need a "Plan C"<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We wake shortly before the alarm goes off and start to do our stretches – we are expecting a long day of waiting followed by a long plane trip – 12+ hours. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But our stretches are interrupted by a phone call from Ingrid. It is midnight in Connecticut and it is good to hear her voice, but her news isn't that good. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She said Lisa had tried to let us know via e-mail that our flight was cancelled. </span></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ingrid had tracked down the hotel from the name we had mentioned to Lisa because she realized we would not have received that message, having heard on the news that the Internet was still shut off. We are glad we had not left for Cairo Airport, only to arrive to find we had no flight. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We cannot say that we are terribly surprised by the news, but now need a plan C. Ingrid says a friend of hers who has a sister living in Cairo says we should try instead to fly out of Alexandria. Sergei (who came to the U.S as a refugee from the counterrevolution in Russia in 1990) seconds that. Get out as soon as possible, to anywhere possible. We give Ingrid our passport numbers, thinking it would be good for her to have that, and tell her we will let her know just as soon as we know what we are doing.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We try to call the American Embassy but are simply told to stay put – they do not even want to know our names or where we are. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We go upstairs for breakfast and wait for Dalia to arrive . Outside things look quiet (with tanks). </span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Cc5xmOO5m5o/TXPYIx8MCyI/AAAAAAAANuQ/6_DUaH6IYTI/s1600/DSCN1967.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="320" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Cc5xmOO5m5o/TXPYIx8MCyI/AAAAAAAANuQ/6_DUaH6IYTI/s320/DSCN1967.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The Army is clearly here but aside from traffic control, they do not seem to be impeding the movements of civilians in any way. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Mubarak made a speech last night, sacking the government but staying in office himself. It is the first time he has addressed the people since the protests began. Too little, too late.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-G9vaWtx4yh0/TXPYLOPO0xI/AAAAAAAANug/AHr_3bAS6ow/s1600/DSCN1971.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="320" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-G9vaWtx4yh0/TXPYLOPO0xI/AAAAAAAANug/AHr_3bAS6ow/s320/DSCN1971.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">At 7:15 Dalia comes to the restaurant and after getting her some tea for her poor creaky voice, we tell her what is happening. She says she will make some calls, and see what flights might be available from Alexandria. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">How was Dalia’s night, we ask. She admits she is a bit shaken. On her way to her friend’s house yesterday evening she saw a security cop beating up an older woman. She intervened and it helped – they let the woman go. Dalia is assertive when she needs to be. She has a hobby of being a kick boxer – not exactly what you imagine when you meet a woman who wears a head covering! However, she had gotten a cold a couple of days ago, and yesterday she had pretty much lost her voice. We have this image of her in mind getting in this cop’s face and having her voice fail to convey her outrage. We think she was shaken up by thinking about the risk she took, but we are sure she would do it again too. She also tells us that she stood a three-hour shift last night with other volunteers (she was armed with only a kitchen knife) guarding the neighborhood where she was staying.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">She is also concerned because she has not heard from Samir. He went out to the demonstration and has not been heard from since. Dalia had called Samir’s wife, but she had not heard from him either. Of course, the cell service was still not working, so everyone was hoping that was the reason for Samir's silence. Dalia told his wife that if she and the children felt unsafe, she should go to the home of Dalia’s mother. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#444444;"></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#444444;">We worry about Samir -he is a tall man with a confident, "leader" bearing, and we can imagine him being singled out by riot police.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We agree on a course of action. Dalia will try to find us a flight out of <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 /><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Alexandria</st1:city></st1:place> and we will go through American Express and try as well.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We return to our room, Using the hotel's land line, we are able to call American Express concierege and explain our situation. The choices are limited, but in less than half an hour we get a confirmed flight for tomorrow evening, January 30th – via Qatar Airlines, to <st1:city st="on">Doha</st1:city>, <st1:country-region st="on">Qatar</st1:country-region>, and then direct from <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Doha</st1:place></st1:city> to JFK. The only seats on that flight are business class - $2,000 each and worth every penny, Jim figures. This call was also interrupted by a limit on the length of phone calls (15 minutes), and fortunately American Express called us back to complete making the reservation. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">It turned out that Dalia was unable to find any flight, and when we call to tell her that we do have a Plan C. she says, “Thank God.” Getting to the <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Alexandria</st1:place></st1:city> airport will be much easier and more likely to be successful. American Express is great in this situation. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Our attitude is we never had any intention of going to the Gulf, or flying Qatar Airways, but it will do. To illustrate how chaotic this was, when Dalia checks with the Alexandria airport and Qatar Airways says they have no such flight, so we check to be sure of the airport – there are two from the city. Finally by using our confirmation number, she is able to confirm the flight from the <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Alexandria</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Airport</st1:placetype></st1:place>. We make plans to leave the hotel at 3:30 tomorrow afternoon. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We resume watching BBC, which is reporting things are still hot in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Cairo</st1:place></st1:city>. At 11 am, we hear demonstrators here again, then we hear armored vehicles. They sound heavier and they turn out to be tanks. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Meanwhile still no word from Samir. Dalia said she has called his wife, but she was in tears, worried about him. Then around noon, the cell service resumes in a spotty manner. We are able to text the kids, intermittently. Still no Internet and have to keep manually shifting between carriers for texting. First one system works and then the other. Dalia calls to tell us the mobile phone service is working now. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Shortly thereafter we get a phone call from Samir. He is OK. Last night he said he was working with others until about 4 am guarding the Cairo Museum from hooligans who had broken in. Not protesters, he says. Maybe plain clothes police, maybe just petty criminals. Anyway he and others roust them from the building, frisk them and recover some things they have attempted to steal and then cordoned off the museum until the Army arrived to take over the job of protection. He sounds very happy that the Army is there. Stay safe, we tell him. He says he must go out again tonight .There are hooligans and others who would take advantage of the situation and he needs to join others to keep the protest on track – peaceful and purposeful. He says “we need to outnumber the criminals.” Wow!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We go up to the rooftop restaurant for lunch and watch the crowds swelling along the Corniche. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaAY0PZ-TLDkPL4oG5nWl5BfFBO3kMrvW6jkP5vaVp9Ag_VOlAnTphyphenhyphenZnfMqgwWxdFDIiV8clUCnhX-2Tw6pW0Mt87gExIp4Ojc6u8nTNQgFMyveYvUWWyig4DXNpfC-mSCMOVMIo9wT9r/s1600/DSCN1972.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaAY0PZ-TLDkPL4oG5nWl5BfFBO3kMrvW6jkP5vaVp9Ag_VOlAnTphyphenhyphenZnfMqgwWxdFDIiV8clUCnhX-2Tw6pW0Mt87gExIp4Ojc6u8nTNQgFMyveYvUWWyig4DXNpfC-mSCMOVMIo9wT9r/s320/DSCN1972.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We hear repeated chanting coming and going. But we don’t hear the concussion of tear gas any more. To our amazement, relations between the Army and the demonstrators seem courteous, even cordial and we see demonstrators greeting soldiers with some show of enthusiasm.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-_oJlh6_JxrM/TXPYS0zVtmI/AAAAAAAANvA/j6R1kUwxElQ/s1600/DSCN1977.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="320" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-_oJlh6_JxrM/TXPYS0zVtmI/AAAAAAAANvA/j6R1kUwxElQ/s320/DSCN1977.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqXSJ139moDUMj50E957VGK2wQNQn1QG7WYfgAzw-Smj8pC6U113LfMyat3kgFWV9J1IEypy0-AqpXwuXfZ7AQgczr-IH88_mSsLflMbwrT7GmAc6kQcmx1P2nffkW-1qDJEe_KWa4Fv-K/s1600/DSCN1985.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqXSJ139moDUMj50E957VGK2wQNQn1QG7WYfgAzw-Smj8pC6U113LfMyat3kgFWV9J1IEypy0-AqpXwuXfZ7AQgczr-IH88_mSsLflMbwrT7GmAc6kQcmx1P2nffkW-1qDJEe_KWa4Fv-K/s320/DSCN1985.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-RSkVAie6t9c/TXPYY93_nGI/AAAAAAAANvY/mRtguUgvEag/s1600/DSCN1980.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="240" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-RSkVAie6t9c/TXPYY93_nGI/AAAAAAAANvY/mRtguUgvEag/s320/DSCN1980.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Except for our time in the restaurant, for meals and tea, we stay in our room, keep our heads down and watch the news on television. The lobby of the hotel is dark, the drapes are shut, the doors are chained. The demonstrations just get louder and larger as the day progresses. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Protesters are marching below us. After prayers end (Coptic and Muslim, both) the crowds swell even more. Peaceful, even jovial. There are thousands of people on the streets, men and women, young and old, even families with small children.The hotel staff is mostly out on the rooftop balcony, watching with everyone else. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeu4YmNv0zdDvypAnpReCJ7QMcQu5aX-O4iO7rMnZ-M0auBzn9AM99QzmGh1_TjDOdNUNoP2zpla_cda1ZZmS9JTc6dNASUIzIV8tivV3-jU40anKCrcrCZ3qsbCsNvWb8ceE1yjKQJRbM/s1600/DSCN1984.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeu4YmNv0zdDvypAnpReCJ7QMcQu5aX-O4iO7rMnZ-M0auBzn9AM99QzmGh1_TjDOdNUNoP2zpla_cda1ZZmS9JTc6dNASUIzIV8tivV3-jU40anKCrcrCZ3qsbCsNvWb8ceE1yjKQJRbM/s320/DSCN1984.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We return to our room to watch more BBC and CNN coverage. They are beginning to get the story right. On TV live in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Cairo</st1:place></st1:city> we are seeing cooperation between the military and the demonstrators. Troops make a containment line, converse with the leaders of the demonstration, and a second containment line forms inside the first, made up of the protestors. A Berlin Wall moment, says one commentator. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">A 4 pm curfew is announced, and the Army asked people to stay in. By 4:08 we hear people demonstrating. Boom Boom,. Tear gas? what? A few minutes later two more, a bit more distant but still rattling our window. We are far from the center of city and thus far from the center of action. We have our balcony closed and shuttered, as Dalia instructed.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">When we go up for dinner, again we watch the crowds swelling. Individual groups ebb and flow, all chanting slogans, “Mubarak must go” and the like. Completely peaceful. Police are now invisible, their threatening black-clad troops in full riot gear have vanished. The protesters swarm around the Army tanks and APCs, sometimes climbing on them, often cheering the soldiers whom they trust, in stark contrast to the police whom they loathe. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We are glad to see the restraint of the army, though are naively concerned about what happens when Mubarak orders them to fire to enforce curfew. State television reports the Army has issued warnings of “extreme danger” to anyone who violates curfew. That turns out to be the dying state, not the military that issued such a warning. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Later Dalia tells us that today Mubarak DID issue an order to fire, and the military ignored it. Instead the military seems in great sympathy with the protesters. Perhaps this is not universal but certainly the majority.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Random reports from people we speak with: The violence after dark seems to be police (not in uniform), This mostly does not take place during the day. Police have deliberately released criminals from jails to force people to return to their homes to protect their families and property. This may have backfired. Instead more people turn out, setting up neighborhood protection units. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The most disturbing thing is BBC's continuing reports that “Cairo is in flames.” Simply false. The building they repeatedly show burning is the ruling party headquarters. That WAS torched by the protesters and apparently the fire companies were not very interested in extinguishing the flames. It was still burning when we left Egypt on Sunday. There were some efforts to torch the Bureau of Interior Affairs, which houses several thousand bureaucrats who eat away the substance of ordinary Egyptians. Also burning are several police stations. We cannot find much fault with the protesters' targets.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Nonetheless we are glad not to be in Cairo. On Mubarak's orders, almost all shops are closed, the Talisman Hotel where we had been staying was only a few blocks from the party headquarters and Tahrir Square, and had no restaurant. Being stuck there for several days would have been miserable, and our chances of getting out of Egypt in a timely manner would have been much poorer. As chaotic as the airport at Alexandria was, Cairo is, from what we later hear from others, many times worse. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We have noticed things are quiet until after dark, when those with sinister purposes mingle with the crowds and attempt to cause disorder. The concussions and more distantly, gunfire, reflect this. By Sunday there had been some 100 deaths reported around the country. Some no doubt just ordinary crime in a country of 86 million. Some may be people taking advantage of the disorder to settle old scores. But some are victims of the protest violence, mostly perpetrated by police and their cronies. We feel deeply humbled to listen to the accounts these people tell – they are true patriots in every sense of the word.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">BBC news is showing live pictures of masses of people mixing with tanks and personnel carriers. No rash action by the military . Indeed, pictures of tanks in motion with dozens of protesters riding them, clapping and cheering! There are also pictures of of the Army guarding the <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Egyptian</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Museum</st1:placetype></st1:place>, bayonets in place. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We go to bed and sleep well. Nothing wakes us. <?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></div><div style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></div>Eloisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16709385941962753995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6212222354650379596.post-37796993847552194212011-01-28T22:07:00.284-05:002011-03-15T21:19:38.301-04:00On to Alexandria<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0px; COLOR: #444444"><br /></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="MARGIN: 0px;font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; MARGIN: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-iwIi3pWxo0g/TXbb04dDRBI/AAAAAAAAN_w/7wKJJB-24g0/s1600/DSCN2091.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img style="CURSOR: move" height="327" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-iwIi3pWxo0g/TXbb04dDRBI/AAAAAAAAN_w/7wKJJB-24g0/s400/DSCN2091.JPG" width="400" border="0" /></span></a></div><div style="MARGIN: 0px;font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div style="MARGIN: 0px;font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We are early to go to <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 /><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Alexandria</st1:place></st1:city>. We have breakfast at the hotel, checkout of the Talisman and we are ready to go by 7:30 – and Dalia is there already.</span></div><div style="MARGIN: 0px;font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div style="MARGIN: 0px;font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">When we get in the car, Dalia gives Eloise a bag from the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Egyptian</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Museum</st1:placetype></st1:place></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"> – “Happy Birthday,” she says. It is a beautiful Bastet cat goddess statue! We are on our way a good half hour earlier than planned. All to the good.</span></div><div style="MARGIN: 0px;font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="MARGIN: 0px;font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We drive to <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Alexandria</st1:place></st1:city> without incident. Driving north along the western edge of the Delta, we appreciate its highly productive agriculture including vineyards, and miles of offices of international high tech companies. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; MARGIN: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-zb6ywV0hAlE/TXPkevtu4eI/AAAAAAAAN3I/ruM0--E-nrw/s1600/Photo0070.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img style="CURSOR: move" height="192" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-zb6ywV0hAlE/TXPkevtu4eI/AAAAAAAAN3I/ruM0--E-nrw/s320/Photo0070.jpg" width="320" border="0" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; MARGIN: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ueMKMj3znLA/TXPkbP-bDXI/AAAAAAAAN24/XroLcYt4WpI/s1600/Photo0068.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img style="CURSOR: move" height="108" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ueMKMj3znLA/TXPkbP-bDXI/AAAAAAAAN24/XroLcYt4WpI/s320/Photo0068.jpg" width="320" border="0" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We also see whole towns of very expensive but unoccupied houses, built by the government on some theory or another, evidence of the corruption or at least mismanagement in the government, Dalia says.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The plan is to get to <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Alexandria</st1:city></st1:place> early to tour the catacombs and a collection Greco-Roman monuments in the middle of the city, and finish there by noon. Demonstrations are planned after Friday prayers and all the rest of our <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Alexandria</st1:city></st1:place> itinerary is along the coast on the Corniche where "nothing should happen.” En route Dalia receives a text message predicting an “enormous” demonstration in <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Alexandria</st1:city></st1:place>.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We arrive at the catacombs around 10 am. They are called the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafu, which means mound of shards, recognizing the Roman custom of marking each anniversary of a loved one's death with a funerary feast. Once the feast ended, all of the dishes were smashed and pieces left in the chamber where the feast had been held.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div></div><h1 id="HEADING" style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 2.41em/110% Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; PADDING-TOP: 2px; BORDER-BOTTOM: rgb(88,148,66) 2px solid" property="v:name"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">These catacombs were reputedly discovered by accident when a donkey fell into a hole about 1900. Another story says as local man was quarrying for building stone when he broke into one of the chambers. </span>At first it was thought this tomb complex dated to the second century AD. But recent studies have produced a new theory, that it may have originally been constructed as a tomb for Cleopatra. The chamber that may have been for her is pictured below.</span></h1><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img style="CURSOR: move" alt="Alexandria catacombs principal tomb" src="http://www.bibleplaces.com/images/Alexandria_catacombs_principal_tomb,_tb_n110800.jpg" /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">It also appears that there were two other tombs, one on either side of the chamber for Cleopatra, one for Mark Antony and one perhaps for Caesar. Cleopatra intended to be mummified in the ancient Egyptian tradition. If the inscriptions are to be believed, these tombs were built by Cleopatra as her final resting place. But there is no indication whether or not they were ever used as such. </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">An interesting feature is that the sarcophagi found here were made of one piece of stone – covers did not lift and instead the mummy was put in through the end, another device to fool tomb robbers. </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">After Cleopatra’s death, it is thought that Octavian essentially desecrated her tomb by opening the area up as a public burial place. Hundreds of tombs are carved into the rock, designed to hold coffins (for Christians), urns (for Roman pagans who believed in cremation) and mummies (for those who still followed the old Egyptian religion). It may have been used as burial place for several hundred years in the Roman era. The deepest levels are flooded and you walk around on planks above the water. </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">So we are about 150 steps under ground, examining the Cleopatra site and its side chambers, possibly representing both Caesar and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Antony, when w</st1:place></st1:city></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">e are interrupted by loud shouting. It is the police ordering everyone to leave immediately. We rush up the steps quickly and our driver gets permission to pass a barricade to take us to our hotel. </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"></div><div class="MsoNormal" face="'Times New Roman'"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;">We speed through narrow streets, between seven to ten story older buildings and get a fleeting glimpse of the ambiance of old Alexandria. We drive too fast among many pedestrians, hand carts, street vendors -w</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;">e feel fortunate to arrive at the without incident -</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;"> to reach the Windsor Palace, an elegant, charming place evoking another era. It first opened in 1906 and ts location right on the Mediterranean and beautiful harbor of Alexandria is stunning. Samir had chosen ths as an ideal place to spend the night for Eloise's birthday. </span></span></div><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" src="http://www.tnetnoc.com/hotelimages/241/12427241/61715901/PROP0-20101219-043236-895.jpg" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Windsor Palace from the waterfront, an aspect of the hotel we never got to see in person</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span></div><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;">The main door facing the C</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;">orniche (the main road </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;">along the eastern harbor of Alexandria) </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;">was locked but they directed us to a side door. By about 1 pm we are checked in and are told everything - attractions, shops, restaurants have all been ordered closed. At reception desk we were told under no circumstances should we leave the hotel and we were directed to the 6<sup>th</sup> floor restaurant for all meals, rather than the ground level coffee shop where lunch is normally served.</span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" face="'Times New Roman'"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" face="'Times New Roman'"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Everything is changing very quickly. Cell phone and texting services are down, blocked by the government, the Internet is down by order of the government and suddenly we are out of touch with family, just as any news they are hearing is likely to be sort of scary. The last they knew we were on the way to Alexandria and we did not anticipate any trouble. </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;">Dalia gives us contact information for her, a land line number. She plans to stay with a friend nearby who has a land line. All of our tourist plans are cancelled so we will miss seeing the sites along the Corniche, which include Fort Quait Bey, built on the site of the famous <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Alexandria</st1:place></st1:city> lighthouse using stone that came from the lighthouse. We also miss visiting the supposed location o</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;">f the famous <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Alexandria</st1:place></st1:city> library </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;">- no trace remains and it may be the location is actually underwater off the Corniche. We had also intended to visit the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;">new <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Alexandria</st1:place></st1:city> library, which is planned to be one of the great libraries of the world. There is also a very well-preserved Roman theater, and dozens of other interesting places to see. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;">Also cancelled is the special dinner that Samir and Dalia had planned for Eloise’s birthday at a waterfront seafood restaurant. (We will HAVE to go back!) </span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0px;font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0px;font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p></o:p>The initial plan Dalia has proposed is to leave Alexandria after any protests have died down and to travel at night, possibly leaving the hotel at 1 a.m. We would need a travel by permit at night back to <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Cairo</st1:place></st1:city>, and would go directly to the airport for a flight scheduled to leave at 11 pm. It means we would end up staying at the airport for about 18 hours but the goal it to be at the airport in plenty of time for our scheduled flight home.</span></div><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div></div></div><div style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;color:#444444;">We promise not to leave the hotel, to not go out on our balcony, and to keep our heads down until Dalia calls us. We go up to our room and discover on the bed one of those printed messages you often see at nice hotels - "We hope your stay will be memorable..." Honestly, they did not have to make it <i>this</i> memorable! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;"><span style="font-family:arial;">We leave off our luggage, and head up to the restaurant for lunch</span>. </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="COLOR: #444444; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We are pleased to find it is a very nice restaurant on the roof six stories up with a splendid view of the great semicircular coastline of the Corniche. We are right across the street from the water’s edge an excellent view of Fort Quait Bey, which is on a breakwater that hooks around the outside of the harbor. We start to eat lunch on the patio of roof-top restaurant high above the street. But when the demonstrations heat up and the tear gas starts flying, we chicken out and go inside. The demonstrators are really peaceful, just marching and chanting. It certainly appears to us that the initiators of force are the police, not the protesters.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By about 1:30 p.m., and we are hearing explosions, probably tear gas, as well as the sharper sounds of gunshots. Several hundred people chanting and carrying signs march down the Corniche. We see tear gas. We hear repeated concussions, which prompts our retreat inside. (Others arrive and go outside to watch.) But w</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">e stay in the restaurant, watching the crowds on the Corniche. The picture below is taken through the plastic curtains that protect diners from the winds off the sea.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-gPUCpweM2uU/TXPOTpNGA2I/AAAAAAAANtI/KQtSsWYNESg/s1600/DSCN1956.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img height="320" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-gPUCpweM2uU/TXPOTpNGA2I/AAAAAAAANtI/KQtSsWYNESg/s320/DSCN1956.JPG" width="294" border="0" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The crowds continue to grow, and the chanting become increasingly loudert, but remains peaceful. There are ocassional sharp reports,in the distance, probably closer to the center of the city. We never did learn what the smoke was but it is coming from downtown Alexandria.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">When we eventually left for the airport we saw a burned out police truck beside the highway - perhaps that was the origin of that smoke.<br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ApWzP6pbK58/TXPQWJqD5BI/AAAAAAAANto/aKsP_kMOkn0/s1600/DSCN1957.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ApWzP6pbK58/TXPQWJqD5BI/AAAAAAAANto/aKsP_kMOkn0/s320/DSCN1957.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We go </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">back</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"> to our room, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">listening</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"> and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">trying</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"> to </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">imagine</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">what’s</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">going</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"> on.The </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">sounds</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">shouts</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">ambulances</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">sirens</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">, apparently </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">larger</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"> and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">larger</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">groups</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"> of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">people</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">chanting</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"> and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">marching</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"> by – </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">continue</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"> all </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">afternoon</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">, into the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">evening</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">. We </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">find</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">continuing</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">news</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"> on </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">BBC</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">. The </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">signal</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"> is interrupted at least </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">once</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"> a </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">minute</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"> and it </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">seems</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"> the government is </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">trying</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"> to </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">interfere</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"> with the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">TV</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">broadcast</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"> too. Still no Internet, no cell phone or texting service. Land lines are working but overwhelmed with the volume of calls as people accustomed to using cell phones struggle to keep in touch.</span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">About 4 p.m. the news broadcast reports that a curfew will be imposed beginning at 6 p.m. We anticipated that may make it impossible for us to travel at night. Soon thereafter </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dalia calls and confirms that will stop us from night travel and she says to be ready at 7:30 am. She assures us she is OK, safe and says that she will take care of us.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At 6:15 we are called, please come to the front desk. The hotel wants to know when is our flight, and advises us there will be a curfew until 7 am when the Army will be in place. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal" style="color:#444444;"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color:#444444;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;">t is clear there is nothing for us to do except keep our heads down. Having settled our plans for the night, we dress up for dinner and go to the rooftop restaurant for Eloise’s 65<sup>th</sup> birthday. It's a nice place to have a birthday dinner, even if not what was planned. There are dark curtains covering all the windows that look out over the city. Only the patio is still open and that faces the Mediterranean. And dinner is not being served out there. </span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We order a nice dinner (Jim gets grilled pigeon, an Egyptian specialty he had wanted to try anyway) and we share a bottle of Egyptian red wine which is quite nice (and not too sweet). But as we sit there there is a distant rumble that grows louder and loader, and everyone leaps up and goes out on the patio in time to see four sandy colored armored personnel carriers, rolling by on the coastline road.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; MARGIN: 0px; COLOR: black; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU5W0k2UHckeyBQ-qCxJaTmo6gxiKVL_Po3oSV_yQ-XVsruqUHLNsrnkmIKgF6D3kQtpy-F_kcKwO68TEtB2NM9IR_q-CkglxwexBF5yNTOnSwC7PeyjpDyFYw-tApq_3Bp_jNVgTGGO6E/s1600/Photo0076.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img style="CURSOR: move" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU5W0k2UHckeyBQ-qCxJaTmo6gxiKVL_Po3oSV_yQ-XVsruqUHLNsrnkmIKgF6D3kQtpy-F_kcKwO68TEtB2NM9IR_q-CkglxwexBF5yNTOnSwC7PeyjpDyFYw-tApq_3Bp_jNVgTGGO6E/s320/Photo0076.jpg" width="320" border="0" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color:#444444;"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Still we see no particular sign that either the Army or the curfew is having much impact on the protests, which continue far into the night. We hear gunfire, explosions, chanting and the sound of armored personnel carriers moving on the streets. </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color:#444444;"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color:#444444;"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The wait staff which is, I assume, usually very attentive, is clearly very distracted, going out on the balcony to see what is happening. They also know they will be staying here all night and may be unable to communicate with their families, since many people use only cell phones. </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color:#444444;"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color:#444444;"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Still the wait service is very nice and our waiter offers to take our picture.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color:#444444;"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; MARGIN: 0px; COLOR: black; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-1ZpV_qKRZ6Q/TXPQXWvN-jI/AAAAAAAANtw/N4mxx_dVzyQ/s1600/DSCN1961.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img style="CURSOR: move" height="300" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-1ZpV_qKRZ6Q/TXPQXWvN-jI/AAAAAAAANtw/N4mxx_dVzyQ/s400/DSCN1961.JPG" width="400" border="0" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color:#444444;"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color:#444444;"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color:#444444;"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Internet, cell phones, texting, Facebook, Twitter – all continue to be suspended or blocked by the government. Land line phones are very busy, and it is hard to get an outside line. But finally after we return to our room following dinner, we manage to get a land line and after a of waiting, we reached Lisa. Fortunately once the connection was made by the hotel, she patiently held the line, hoping it might be us trying to call. The relief in her voice was palpable. </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color:#444444;"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;">We tell her we are safe, in no immediate danger and that we planned to leave first thing in the morning for </span><st1:city style="COLOR: #444444" st="on"><st1:place st="on">Cairo</st1:place></st1:city><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;">. We told her where we were staying and what our plans are – that we expect to leave about 7:30 in the morning. </span><span style="color:#444444;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;">She says she is relieved to hear we are safe and secure, in the midst of what is now clearly a would-be revolution. She promises to let everyone else know and we say we will try to stay in touch in so far as we are ab</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;">le to. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;">Jason, the veteran traveller and South African native, who has seen his share of troubles, reminds us to keep our passports on our person – "in your underwear," he suggests .We take his suggestions to heart.</span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color:#444444;"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We make sure everything is packed, our travel clothing laid out, and that we can be ready to leave on five minutes notice. We are glued to the television news through the evening but finally set the alarm for 5:30 am, and settle down to a nervous night of sleep, hearing bangs and booms, chants and other unfamiliar sounds continuing all through the night.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color:#444444;"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="COLOR: black"></div><div style="color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The curfew may be impacting us but does not seem to be affecting the demonstrations. The protests seemed to grow exponentially after the curfew. In the middle of the night, we hear a different, louder sound on the street - the ground seems to shake. Tanks, guesses Jim. In the morning the guess is proven correct- there are full battle tanks on the street. This is a new worry, because tanks have no moderate levels of force like tear gas, water cannon, rubber bullets. If intimidation fails, there; are machine guns and tank cannon, and that would be horrible, unthinkable, against demonstrators. To say we are on edge would be an understatement, yet we have read that the army is trusted by the people (unlike the police). </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" color="#444444"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="COLOR: #444444"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What will tomorrow bring.<br /></span></div></div>Eloisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16709385941962753995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6212222354650379596.post-44896302340584974412011-01-27T21:54:00.351-05:002011-03-15T20:47:20.094-04:00Egyptian Museum and more revolution<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">It remained quiet during the rest of the night. We have a slow morning, sleeping later than is our habit - we expect the Egyptian Museum to be less crowded in the afternoon. Dalia meets us at 11:30 a.m. and we walk to </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 /><st1:street st="on"><st1:address st="on">Tahrir Square</st1:address></st1:street></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"> for our much anticipated visit to the famous</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><st1:place st="on"> <st1:placetype st="on">Museum</st1:placetype></st1:place></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">. We circle around, going about five or six blocks out of the way, because the police are still interfering with traffic flow to impede freedom of movement. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We cross many lanes of fast traffic on several occasions – routine for a Cairene, harrowing for us. At the high court near our hotel and on the way to the museum, we see several formations of more than 100 black clad helmeted riot police which shields, body armor and long batons.</span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIpircffbpmLm1DFa2qePGashWDC1Padvym8UIDT2ucf__MzIEktUfmj8KHeSvt_q5xLTGC3RTIZdpStA3cqUBa1ELjidAH12rj-eCK_gy4Mgie5bMIzHt8WsORh0jW4NWtY4JgmkM56aS/s1600/DSCN1919.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIpircffbpmLm1DFa2qePGashWDC1Padvym8UIDT2ucf__MzIEktUfmj8KHeSvt_q5xLTGC3RTIZdpStA3cqUBa1ELjidAH12rj-eCK_gy4Mgie5bMIzHt8WsORh0jW4NWtY4JgmkM56aS/s320/DSCN1919.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We had intended to remain at the museum until it closes at 6 p.m. It is very hard to know where to start, but Dalia, of course, has a plan. She also tells us she will stay in touch with Samir about what’s happening on the street. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We feel a real thrill as we pass through the gates onto the grounds of this world-famous museum. We know this can only be the cursory visit - the museum houses more than 120,000 artifacts, going back to pre-dynastic times.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiODYfeBoKdddMIZsBlbYvHRbsu8OAYZ42g7dA6uV-pOOgGInqGaq4N6-On6Tkf5O-9h6RtgSSGVuGq40fh0aWkeEQGF7hxZmDcsHa5jD9aeCM9sKHx04xt98idb-4oh6w7Qzp-bkIt4pOF/s1600/792.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiODYfeBoKdddMIZsBlbYvHRbsu8OAYZ42g7dA6uV-pOOgGInqGaq4N6-On6Tkf5O-9h6RtgSSGVuGq40fh0aWkeEQGF7hxZmDcsHa5jD9aeCM9sKHx04xt98idb-4oh6w7Qzp-bkIt4pOF/s320/792.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Main gate of the museum</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Our first stop is on the grounds of the museum where there are some beautiful large pieces on display. </span><br /><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Nw0ejhCzOnA/TXL6oKue7oI/AAAAAAAANn8/lZkNTe8tDiI/s1600/794.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Nw0ejhCzOnA/TXL6oKue7oI/AAAAAAAANn8/lZkNTe8tDiI/s320/794.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:x-small;">Sphinx of Tutmoses III found at Karnak in the dedicated to Amun-Ra</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-64F6YivdDys/TXL9IpVglfI/AAAAAAAANoY/l9tg0TTSWkg/s1600/797.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="320" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-64F6YivdDys/TXL9IpVglfI/AAAAAAAANoY/l9tg0TTSWkg/s320/797.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:x-small;">Fragment of obelisk of Rameses II found at Tanis</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><br /></div><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-V26EHpjd5KE/TXL9KMjeLmI/AAAAAAAANog/0n93nYh5Dr8/s1600/798.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="320" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-V26EHpjd5KE/TXL9KMjeLmI/AAAAAAAANog/0n93nYh5Dr8/s320/798.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A statue that seems to embody the concept<br />that behind every great man, there is<br />a great woman</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-jRe2z21-pqI/TXPL6ysu54I/AAAAAAAANrw/jaAmRnAw6S4/s1600/DSCN1933.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="320" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-jRe2z21-pqI/TXPL6ysu54I/AAAAAAAANrw/jaAmRnAw6S4/s320/DSCN1933.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Auguste Mariette,founder of the museum,<br />is buried in the nearby mausoleum on<br />the museum grounds</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></td></tr></tbody></table><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-qczlhzsggoA/TXL9LIpGgtI/AAAAAAAANoo/A37KQlKg8CQ/s1600/800.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-qczlhzsggoA/TXL9LIpGgtI/AAAAAAAANoo/A37KQlKg8CQ/s320/800.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This butterfly, on the grounds of the Egyptian Museum,<br />is the only one we see well enough to identify in<br />our two weeks in Egypt (<em>Catopsila florella</em>)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Once we enter the museum, cameras are not allowed. (The pictures below came from various places on the Internet.)</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Dalia tells us it seems to her that the museum is uncharacteristically uncrowded, and speculates that many people have called off their visit. Our visit turned out to be the last day the Museum was open, as the revolution took off. Dalia tells us, very regretfully, that most visitors to the museum are foreigners, implying that Egyptians do not fully appreciate their ancient heritage.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We start on the ground floor. </span><img src="http://www.akhet.co.uk/cairo/foyer.jpg" /><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The main hall of the museum as you enter is breathtaking. You will see "in the flesh" ancient statues you have seen in books all your life. There is some frustration for visitors because labeling is rather haphazard. There is a very good guidebook to the museum (which can be purchased on line) but even that is far from perfect. Dalia says Egypt plans to build a new Egyptian Museum on the Giza Plateau for this wonderful collection. It will be air conditioned, which the current museum is not. That should extend the tourist season into the hotter parts of the year, and may help preserve the artifacts as well. Probably improvements will also include better labeling, but this minor frustration takes little away from the stunning collections. Dalia, of course,helps us to understand what we are seeing.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">For the most part, the exhibits are organized chronologically, though in some cases the size of objects dictates their location. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><br /><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" alt="cm-amenhotepiii&tiye.jpg" src="http://www.shaav.com/travel/egypt/cm/cm-amenhotepiii&tiye.jpg" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Amenhotep III and Queen Tiy (18th Dynasty)<br />was originally located at Thebes, but Amenhotep's temple was<br />destroyed to make room for a later one, leaving only the so-called<br />colossi of Memnon to mark its location. This colossal group<br />was found in pieces at Habu by Mariette, and brought<br />and re-assembled</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#444444;">.</span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Also 18th Dynasty is a statue of Tutmoses III - he became king when his father, Tutmoses II died, but because he was just a child, his stepmother became regent. She was the great Hatshepsut who entered up ruling Egypt as king for 20 years, long after Tutmoses III was an adult. In some places he is portraryed as "co-pharoah." with her.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" alt="Thutmose_III_.jpg" src="http://www.knowledgerush.com/wiki_image/6/64/Thutmose_III_.jpg" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tutmoses III</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;">Some of the painted images are especially striking. This couple, perhaps members of the royal family, was found in a mastaba near the Meidum pyramid. Their eyes are still amazingly lifelike, especially when you consider they are more than 4,500 years old, 2575 to 2467 BC</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse">. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" src="http://www.white-history.com/eggall02/rano_stat.jpg" /></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Early 4th Dynasty, Rahotep and Norfet, painted limestone, inlaid eyes</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse;color:#444444;" ></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;">We think the palette of Narmer may be of the most striking items we see in the museum. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse;color:#444444;" ><img src="http://www.arthistory.upenn.edu/smr04/101910/Slide2.31.jpg" /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 14px"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;"></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color:#444444;">This palette is thought to commemorate the victories of King Narmer, who came from the south of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Egypt to invade the Delta in about 3000 B.C. </st1:place></st1:country-region></st1:place></st1:country-region></span>He is today considered the last king of Dynasty 0 or first king of Dynasty 1, and is sometimes identified with Menes.<span style="color:black;"><?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><?xml:namespace prefix = u2 /><u2:p></u2:p></span></span><br /><table class="MsoNormalTable" style="FLOAT: left" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4.5pt; PADDING-LEFT: 4.5pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4.5pt; PADDING-TOP: 4.5pt"><div class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcStN6pcFbAaWzzsqQGl96-B8wD_OgZBgnc_IBvTJZodvCd6BkWK"><img src="http://images.cdn.fotopedia.com/flickr-151018938-image.jpg" /></a></span></span></div></td></tr><tr><td style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4.5pt; PADDING-LEFT: 4.5pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4.5pt; PADDING-TOP: 3pt"><div class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thiis is how it appears in the museum<o:p></o:p></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:#444444;">The interpretation of this palette has evolved since it was discovered about 100 years ago. It is said to represent the most important evidence that the first political unification in the history of mankind occurred in</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:#444444;"> </span></span><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:#444444;"><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Egypt</st1:place></st1:country-region></span></span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:#444444;">. The two faces of the artifact are topped by the name of Narmer inscribed inside the Serekh, or rectangular frame. In hieroglyphic signs, the chisel reads "mr" and the catfish reads "naar." (Namar is sometimes called the Catfish King.)</span></span></span><span style="color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><br /><span class="apple-style-span">The Serekh is flanked by two female heads having the ears and horns of a cow, which could be the first representation of the goddess Hathor. </span><br /><br /><span class="apple-style-span">The scene on the front shows the king, followed by his sandals bearer and wearing the White Crown of Upper Egypt, smiting a helpless foe from the North. </span><br /><br /></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The upper section of the back side shows the king wearing the Red Crown of Lower Egypt, followed by his sandals bearer and preceded by his vizier and four standard bearers. In the middle section, there are two men holding two felines with extremely long necks representing the people of the North and South under the control of the king and his men</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;">. </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="CLEAR: right; FLOAT: right; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1emcolor:#444444;" ></span></div><table class="tr-caption-container" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; TEXT-ALIGN: right" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="CLEAR: right; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="http://iguide.travel/photos/Cairo/Midan_Tahrir-2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img height="372" src="http://iguide.travel/photos/Cairo/Midan_Tahrir-2.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:x-small;color:#444444;">This is the Pharaoh Khafre, builder of the second pyramid at Giza</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Khafre.We are impressed with the power of this pharaoh's face, and we also like the "embrace" of the falcon representling the god Horus. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">This often used device also has a practical purpose, as it serves to strengthen the neck of the statue. Twenty-three identical copies of this statue were found in his mortuary temple. It dates to 2500 BC, and the artist was able to carve this masterpiece from very hard diorite <i>with no metal tools. </i></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><i><br /></i></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><i><br /></i></span><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#444444;"><span class="apple-style-span"></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><br /><div><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" alt="Objects in the Egyptian Museum" src="http://egyptsites.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/cairomuseum-3.jpg?w=480&h=250" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:x-small;color:#444444;">Left: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 18px">Yuya, gilded mask 18th Dynasty; </span>Center; Old Kingdom couple, Seneb is a dwarf;<br />Right, statue of Khasekhem, 2nd Dynasty</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Also on the ground floor are some of the best Amarna and Akhenaten pieces, including this unfinished Nefertiti bust and the painted floor of the Amarna palace and some of the wall paintings.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';color:black;"><img src="http://www.answersingenesis.org/assets/images/articles/utp/chap21/head.jpg" /></span></span></div><div><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" height="266" src="http://www.answersingenesis.org/assets/images/articles/utp/chap21/floor.jpg" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">This floor survived in spite of the palace of mud brick being in complete ruins,<br />as we have seen in Amarna</span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We have seen a great deal but still realize we have barely touched of surface of what there is to see. Still we hear the protests may begin again today and decide to head upstairs to see the incomparable King Tut collection. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Tut died unexpectedly at the age of 18 or 19. because the body must be mummified, placed in the tomb and the tomb sealed 70 days after death, there was little time to assemble the sorts of treasures that would ordinarily have accompanied a pharaoh to the next world. But included in the tomb are many objects that Tut probably used in his daily life. For example, there is a case containing sandals, ranging in size from those he wore as a small child to ones he would have worn at the time of his death. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="213" src="http://artofcounting.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Tut-sandals-Egypt.jpg" width="320" /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Dalia says she is very surprised at the Gold Room - usually she tells us there is a line to enter, but today, there are a few people in there (probably because of the protests) and we are able to look at the exhibits at our leisure. We stand and stare into the eyes of this, his death mask, as lifelike as can be imagined.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img src="http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lfui98WlHH1qz50dao1_500.jpg" /> </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">As beautiful of this iconic death mask is, some of the jewelry here is stunning beyond belief.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/7039482.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img height="266" src="http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/7039482.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><br /><div><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img src="http://pictopia.com/perl/get_image?provider_id=318&size=550x550_mb&ptp_photo_id=279914" /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The solid golden coffin of Tutankamun is amazing not so much for its weight (300 pounds!), as for the fineness of the workmanship. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img src="http://www.sacred-destinations.com/egypt/images/cairo/egyptian-museum/king-tut-cc-john-spier.jpg" /></span></div><div><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">What is difficult to imagine is the richness of this tomb of a minor king to reigned briefly and died unexpectedly. Everything had to be completed and the tomb closed 70 days after the boy-king’s death. Just think of the treasures that must have filled the tomb of a pharaoh like Rameses the Great who reigned for more than 60 years!</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><br /><div><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">There are some poignant things here too: sandals Tut wore as a little boy, toys he played with and a throne with endearing images of Tut and his sister/wife Ankhesanamun. The throne depicts a pair of young people who were very fond of one another. The throne, incidentally, has his original name, Tutankhaten. He was the son of the heretic king, Akhenaten, but abandoned Amarna, his father’s city in the <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Western</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Desert</st1:placetype></st1:place>, to return to the traditional capital, and changed his name that honored the Aten, the one god of his father, to Amun, one of the traditional Egyptian gods. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><o:p><img src="http://www.richard-seaman.com/Wallpaper/Travel/Egypt/TutankhamunsChair1.jpg" /></o:p></span></div><div><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The young pharaoh was reputably very fond of charioting and experts now believe that fondness led directly to his death. He suffered a broken leg and may have died of complications from that injury. Preserved in his tomb are a number of images related to chariots, including several of his chariots.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#444444;"></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2715/4230683067_0f05d69569.jpg" /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Continuing study of Tut's mummy has found other injuries and medical issues - possible injuries suffered in warfare, and what may be a congenital foot condition that may explain the considerable collection of staffs and walking sticks found in the tomb - some well used. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The power of some pieces, statues and sphinxes of pharaohs, have so much power and are so fine. We call off seeing the royal mummies of Seti, Rameses and others in favor of clearing out before an announced 4 pm demonstration across the street. The last thing we saw was collection of animal mummies, including a crocodile that must have been 20 feet long. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">When we leave, we take a roundabout route through back streets to AbouTarek, a very popular restaurant for Koshary. This is a one-dish meal made with rice, noodles, lentils, spicy tomato sauce, and chickpeas with a garlic vinegar dressing and a crispy fried onions topping. The restaurant is full of ordinary Egyptians enjoying this meal. We find it positively delicious. There is a creamy rice pudding for dessert. When we leave we change course when we encounter a phalanx of riot police on what would have been our direct route back to the hotel. We go down a narrow street filled with impromptu mechanics working on cars on the street and sidewalk - another of these informal businesses we see everywhere in <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">Egypt</st1:country-region></st1:place>. </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><br /><div><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: right"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">On the way to the hotel we pass one of the ubiquitous police wagons and there is a young girl crying. Dalia speaks to her and she says her brother and sister are inside the wagon and she doesn’t know why. When we get to the hotel, we find that all of the shops on the street are locked down with metal shutters (which we have never seen before). So we do without extra water or snacks for the evening. We promise to stay in tonight, as Dalia asks. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Today the <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Cairo</st1:place></st1:city> stock market suspended trading, reopened briefly and dropped 10% - people are worried. Very big demonstrations are planned tomorrow in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Cairo</st1:place></st1:city>. We will get out of town at 8 am for <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Alexandria</st1:place></st1:city>. We think we can avoid trouble there. We have the option of coming back to <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Cairo</st1:city></st1:place> on Saturday to visit the bazaar (we think).</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-m6HhjdBrkKg/TXPjFkkQ4CI/AAAAAAAAN2c/PDkzKIB2ytU/s1600/Photo0064.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img height="240" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-m6HhjdBrkKg/TXPjFkkQ4CI/AAAAAAAAN2c/PDkzKIB2ytU/s400/Photo0064.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before nightfall, we don't see a lot of activity, although there is a paddy wagon,<br />and a substantial police presence. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Because no one in the hotel could go out, the hotel made tea and offered us anything else we might want . Fortunately we are still full from our dinner and not at all hungry.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">As darkness falls, there wereare more and much louder demonstrations, many more people, many more concussions – tear gas we think – hoping it’s nothing worse. Things do not quiet down until well after 11 pm. Again, we are packed and ready to go at a moment notice, should that become necessary. There are unanticipated advantages to traveling light. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span></div>Eloisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16709385941962753995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6212222354650379596.post-57720548519916597822011-01-26T23:30:00.018-05:002011-03-14T20:32:37.795-04:00Welcome to the Revolution!<div dir="ltr" style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We had boarded the train in Aswan yesterday evening for the overnight trip all the way north to Cairo. We were served a dinner as we rumbled north, and entertained ourselves writing our journals and reading our Nooks, before making up the upper and lower bunks and going to bed. </span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-7Rmv8Gy337M/TXbcAVBobMI/AAAAAAAAOAw/6RhsKYx34V8/s1600/DSCN2087.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="640" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-7Rmv8Gy337M/TXbcAVBobMI/AAAAAAAAOAw/6RhsKYx34V8/s640/DSCN2087.JPG" width="344" border="0" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Dalia told us yesterday to be prepared – there might be some changes to our schedule. She had received a couple dozen text messages alerting her to demonstrations in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 /><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Cairo</st1:city></st1:place> and - and inviting her to participate. She has loaned us a cell phone so that we can keep in touch.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We wake up at sunrise, around 5:30, to find the train stopped. The train stops and resumes moving several times during the morning and our scheduled 7 am arrival is delayed until 9:30. </span><br /><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-xyWyW86wYFQ/TXBVjcv_RcI/AAAAAAAANi4/Xs4MPcywJ2M/s1600/753.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="240" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-xyWyW86wYFQ/TXBVjcv_RcI/AAAAAAAANi4/Xs4MPcywJ2M/s320/753.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#444444;">A local train at a station not far out of Cairo</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#444444;"></span> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Officials were waiting to see how the street demonstrations in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Cairo</st1:place></st1:city> might shape up. Our destination station is in <st1:city st="on">Giza</st1:city>, on the west side of the <st1:place st="on">Nile, across the river from Cairo.</st1:place> </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">There are thousands protesting in the streets of Cairo, we are told, inspired by the Tunisian uprising. We have the impression the police are caught by surprise. We understand Samir is out demonstrating. People want change, want to be heard, want police reform. Using radical Islamic movements as an excuse, the entire country has been under martial law for more than 30 years. Police and other security forces are excessive in their use of force. They arrest and detain people for weeks and sometimes people simply disappear. There is no due process, nothing like a bill of rights. There’s also a stifling bureaucracy and a sense that there is corruption everywhere. These are complaints we have heard over the last two weeks, and what we have seen seems to confirm their validity.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Dalia meets us at the train station. She </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">has scoped out the situation, calling and texting her friends around town and we decide to proceed with our tour of Islamic medieval <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Cairo</st1:place></st1:city>. We drive by the City of the Dead where several million people actually live. (Our plans had included a visit here, but because of our delayed arrival, we have to skip this.) This is an enormous cemetery in use for many hundreds of years that occupies prime real estate in downtown <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Cairo, probably</st1:city></st1:place> more than a square mile right in the middle of the city. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Inhabitants are generally the poor who can not afford the high cost of housing withing Cairo.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">People have informally arranged a entire city infrastructure there with electricity, running water, waste disposal – it’s not a shanty town – it’s houses, constructed within and making use of the elaborate tomb structures. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="261" src="http://www.learnquebec.ca/export/sites/learn/en/content/curriculum/social_sciences/sec_geography/resources/metropolises/metropole_images/LeCaire/cite_mort.jpg" width="400" /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We also drive by Saladin’s walled citadel on the high ground in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Cairo</st1:place></st1:city>, which is still a center of government administration.</span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-mgD7AIZveTs/TXBVlp_mvvI/AAAAAAAANjI/9DBoWe00_mc/s1600/757.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="240" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-mgD7AIZveTs/TXBVlp_mvvI/AAAAAAAANjI/9DBoWe00_mc/s320/757.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We spend three hours on foot touring through many mosques, madrassas and kitab schools, palaces and a cistern that reminds us of the great <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Istanbul</st1:place></st1:city> cistern. The building styles span the centuries from the Fatimids, around 900 AD to Saladin to Mamalukes to Ottomans. Lots of very beautiful and impressive architecture. </span><br /><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vGlfJLxeEMQ/TXL0Wrf6SII/AAAAAAAANkA/wT9gLK3yUSs/s1600/764.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="221" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vGlfJLxeEMQ/TXL0Wrf6SII/AAAAAAAANkA/wT9gLK3yUSs/s320/764.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:x-small;color:#444444;">Beautifully delicate designs in stone</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">An Indian film crew wants to interview us about our impressions of the mosques – Jim declines (in retrospect, we wonder what they may have filmed during the next two weeks).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-I6Fu3lXGzAs/TXL0bOPf5KI/AAAAAAAANkY/jhVZSBxyahQ/s1600/768.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="320" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-I6Fu3lXGzAs/TXL0bOPf5KI/AAAAAAAANkY/jhVZSBxyahQ/s320/768.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:x-small;color:#444444;">An "incense burner" minaret dating to 1303, at the Al-Hakim Mosque</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The Al-Hakim Mosque, named after the Fatimid Caliph Al-Hakim, is one of a few Fatimid-era buildings in Cairo. It was erected in 1013 AD., and in 1303, after an earthquake two "incense-burner" minarets were added. (No, they were never used to burn incense but they are called that because of their resemblance to incense burners.) The courtyard seen in the picture above is part of restoration project in 1981, which added the marble and other non-original materials to the mosque. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;">We also visit the 19th century Suleyman Aga El-Silahdar Mosque with its Sabil (pubic water fountain), and the Ottoman era H</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 3px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 3px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">ouse of al-Suhaymi. This house was built around 1650 and added on to for another 150 years, providing living space for all of the harem ladies and their children. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 3px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 3px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaY4xVr180ZYMgE0WfgYuYXAxptzCoN_HXA9t2B7x7zU7w0KrzwXlCuitx2Ce0jZn432zzDYm0JEXe8iBkMRLHmXg-qjzAcVMqnGe7f6pcRTKxEb70KzPfdXOhB35B1tuniUwovENNZs2k/s1600/775.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaY4xVr180ZYMgE0WfgYuYXAxptzCoN_HXA9t2B7x7zU7w0KrzwXlCuitx2Ce0jZn432zzDYm0JEXe8iBkMRLHmXg-qjzAcVMqnGe7f6pcRTKxEb70KzPfdXOhB35B1tuniUwovENNZs2k/s320/775.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 3px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 3px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 3px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 3px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">In includes a lovely green open courtyard, designed to provide a cool refuge from Cairo's summer heat. The room below would allow the ladies of the house to look out and see what was happening on the street, but the clever window shield them from public view. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 3px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 3px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-NdvrSXKvRXo/TXL2aayV7lI/AAAAAAAANlM/wDmT6yzVvqk/s1600/776.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="240" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-NdvrSXKvRXo/TXL2aayV7lI/AAAAAAAANlM/wDmT6yzVvqk/s320/776.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Below is a view of the windows from the street. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 3px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 3px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-0jr9PXfDWL4/TXL3clDJmuI/AAAAAAAANl0/z2r8z2bSc-U/s1600/780.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="240" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-0jr9PXfDWL4/TXL3clDJmuI/AAAAAAAANl0/z2r8z2bSc-U/s320/780.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 3px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 3px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></span></div><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6bYQ_Snd-fA6HDXlD0ECJe3jlgFhm_-re3L1Nxb1PLNPFgiYg3y-ahVgNucRgLDFV8Kbsxow0mJf3CB4yUFyLbdQwnm7ISELi8dkzdmEGaCDc4IIZyC6RLtl6dhRvxkLUN7KKCdNvXMcr/s1600/783.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6bYQ_Snd-fA6HDXlD0ECJe3jlgFhm_-re3L1Nxb1PLNPFgiYg3y-ahVgNucRgLDFV8Kbsxow0mJf3CB4yUFyLbdQwnm7ISELi8dkzdmEGaCDc4IIZyC6RLtl6dhRvxkLUN7KKCdNvXMcr/s640/783.JPG" width="480" border="0" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:x-small;">Glorious ceiling</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;"> </span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFSVuEA23eLfjPSsQHxtgEFKqwU-k5TGZuLBrzvwsv_ShVVsz713FhV1aIvVX2u5ANA_xBEQE5Q15fzAk4z5l6Uj3rlk8W1A__UaCHvL8oE2cNMHXRkXrI8jnxXnYDD6lYgzP48TdybRX4/s1600/787.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFSVuEA23eLfjPSsQHxtgEFKqwU-k5TGZuLBrzvwsv_ShVVsz713FhV1aIvVX2u5ANA_xBEQE5Q15fzAk4z5l6Uj3rlk8W1A__UaCHvL8oE2cNMHXRkXrI8jnxXnYDD6lYgzP48TdybRX4/s320/787.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:x-small;color:#444444;">Another ceiling</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Th artistry in stone, tile and inlaid wood is delightful, and very typical of Islamic art through the centuries.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We walk to a corner of the famous Khan Al Khalili B</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">azaar, look at a few shops that have fixed (and very fair) prices and pick up a few things we especially liked, planning to return for much more shopping in the big bazaar on our last day before our departure from Egypt. (We never got back.) We doubt it would have equaled the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul, but it is reputed to be wonderful, with many uniquely Egyptian wares. Another "must see" for our next trip to Egypt. </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Our plans for the day had included a tour of Coptic Cairo this day too, but because of the lateness of our arrival in the morning and the growing protests, Dalia decides this needs to be missed. She is in regular contact with others around the city and says she wants us back in our room at the Talisman (the same hotel where we had stayed on our arrival in the city) before people get out of prayers a little after 4. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Dalia stops at her favorite take-out place in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Cairo</st1:place></st1:city> and we get falafel, and Egyptian bread stuffed with ful medanes (sort of like flavorful re-fried beans), and she says we can order delivery from them later in the evening. She says we should not leave our hotel room. We stop at a little grocery in our “alley” to get water and juice. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We check back in to the Talisman and meet Samir in person for the first time. We both immediately like him – a very impressive man, tall (at least 6’ 4”, handsome and confident). We how delighted we are with the tour that Dalia provided – we are so happy that she has been our guide. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Samir says he believes we will be safe, but worst case we can evacuate to his home which is near the airport (if we can stand his two little kids!- that would have been fun!). We appreciate that there is a plan B. There is a big demonstration called for 8 pm tonight and no one knows what’s going to happen. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We take an afternoon nap and set ourselves up for action if necessary. Bags packed, clothes handy, passports handy, ready for a quick exit and stay alert. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The evening demonstration begins , peacefully and we look out from our balcony which overlooks an intersection, one block from the Supreme Court building and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">not far from <st1:street st="on"><st1:address st="on">Tahrir Square</st1:address></st1:street>, where the demonstrators are congregating</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">. We see lots of police on the street, a number of paddy wagons, and movable barricades redirect traffic to interfere with people’s movements. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" height="320" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-YtULvsEvn3A/TXL5R7sPfRI/AAAAAAAANnU/R0F552WQc1U/s320/790.JPG" width="283" border="0" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From our bedroom window</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-YtULvsEvn3A/TXL5R7sPfRI/AAAAAAAANnU/R0F552WQc1U/s1600/790.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br />We hear concussions and see a cloud of spreading tear gas on the corner by the hotel. There had been maybe 150 people moving by chanting loudly, and after the tear gas, we hear shouting and see people - and the pigeons on the rooftop - fleeing . More paddy wagons arrive on our corner, lights flashing, par</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">k there briefly and then move on. Things quiet down by 10 or so. Jim stays awake, reading and watchful until about 11:30. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">more pictures here: <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/eloise.hedbor/20110126?authkey=Gv1sRgCJiRj_WzmrXQjgE#">https://picasaweb.google.com/eloise.hedbor/20110126?authkey=Gv1sRgCJiRj_WzmrXQjgE#</a></span></div></div>Eloisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16709385941962753995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6212222354650379596.post-56653819848984252822011-01-25T20:19:00.054-05:002011-03-14T20:21:10.261-04:00Back to Aswan and depart for Cairo<div dir="ltr" style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Alfresco breakfast at sunrise in Nubia – hibiscus tea, juice, fresh bread and a nice omelet, courtesy of the chickens they keep right there. </span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-qRwiY-8J0VQ/TXBCtUOADOI/AAAAAAAANYw/jR-qf63YwPE/s1600/679.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-qRwiY-8J0VQ/TXBCtUOADOI/AAAAAAAANYw/jR-qf63YwPE/s320/679.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Then it is back to the convoy and a 3 ½ hour drive back north to <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 /><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Aswan</st1:place></st1:city>. </span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">In <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Aswan</st1:city></st1:place> we take a motorboat trip, and tour around Elephantine Nubian village. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 18px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Elephantine is an island in the center of the Nile at Aswan. It was the original ‘border town’ between Egypt and the Nubian lands to the south. In antiquity it a was important both for border defense and as a trading post. </span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 18px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uvtPaydB-CE/TXBHMwHzY3I/AAAAAAAANZo/DUihJhUUlI4/s1600/690.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uvtPaydB-CE/TXBHMwHzY3I/AAAAAAAANZo/DUihJhUUlI4/s320/690.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 18px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 18px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The island has been inhabited from the Early Dynastic Period through Roman times through the present day. There are some well preserved temple ruins but we do not have time to see these. Maybe next time. Honestly at this point we are so saturated with temples and monuments, it would have been difficult to absorb any more. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jvP6K-gStxo/TXA8fHYumgI/AAAAAAAANYM/0_muvbk0M1w/s1600/DSCN1808.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="320" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jvP6K-gStxo/TXA8fHYumgI/AAAAAAAANYM/0_muvbk0M1w/s320/DSCN1808.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We see traditional crops, fodder, narrow streets, and mud brick homes up to three stories high. In some places the home is on both sides of the street and there is a bridge at the second story level connecting the two parts of the home, as you can see above.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We had a very nice lunch with our host Mohamed who is the owner of Animalia House. His wife, a local math teacher, made and served the very ample amounts of food, to which we could not do justice. He gave us a great demonstration of all the ways Nubian people use date palms. The trunks made into sawed lumber, to frame their houses. The spines of the leaves make rattan that is fashioned into furniture, stiff baskets, fish traps, bird cages. The leaves are used to weave rope, mats, and flexible baskets - and of course there are dates to eat. </span></div><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt4AinFObdHfbD5O3IDiE5lffghwBhuA0XthoCGzgVnyQS43iNe-R_yBRMIWRx8H3oWaRr8MEXD1JBt1BuoB0MFHsy_aAn3Rod31swRWkjeS8y8guZ982D9YbcLvRryIU7shwSD84z8z1O/s1600/712.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt4AinFObdHfbD5O3IDiE5lffghwBhuA0XthoCGzgVnyQS43iNe-R_yBRMIWRx8H3oWaRr8MEXD1JBt1BuoB0MFHsy_aAn3Rod31swRWkjeS8y8guZ982D9YbcLvRryIU7shwSD84z8z1O/s320/712.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><p></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;">Rattan furniture and bird cages, made from date palm leaf spines </span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;color:#444444;">' </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">He showed us how Nubians surround the courtyard of their homes with very fine sand and sweep it smooth with a date palm broom. Then you can see if there has been a snake or scorpion crossing the sand by its tracks. There was a pet tortoise in the courtyard – charming creature. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-dx-cY-JRK9o/TXBMSgp_RMI/AAAAAAAANdQ/VmhFD4j5unQ/s1600/714.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-dx-cY-JRK9o/TXBMSgp_RMI/AAAAAAAANdQ/VmhFD4j5unQ/s320/714.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Traditional Nubian "kitchen"</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Animalia House is a sort of museum including traditional rooms and furnishings, of plastered and painted mud brick, with clever ventilation arrangements and displays of he way of life along the river and the natural world that is now beneath the waters of <st1:place st="on"><st1:placetype st="on">Lake</st1:placetype> <st1:placename st="on">Nasser</st1:placename></st1:place>. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Nubians comprise ad 300,000 to 400,000 population minority in a nation of 86 million. Mohamed’s museum included mineral samples, an insect collection including scorpions and scarabs, preserved fish including an electric fish, an enormous (four foot long) Nile perch, and a very ugly catfish that is considered too unclean to ever eat. Tilapia of three kinds are the main food fish from the river. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">His reptile specimens included horned vipers, cobras, and a huge Nile crocodile, as well as a little two foot croc that he said were sometimes kept as pets. He also had stuffed animals like foxes and jackals, and birds like falcons and herons.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">As we walked back to the riverside with our guide, he identified more plants including castor bean, and the type of fig tree that is part of the Osiris legend. This is a variety of strangler fig that will completely enclose its original host and the story in the myth involves a tree that grows around the coffin of Osiris in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region>. It was turned into a column for a palace and <st1:place st="on">Isis</st1:place> had to plead for it so she could reclaim her husband’s body.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Elephantine</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Island</st1:placetype></st1:place> has a place in history and was a site of shrines in antiquity. Later there was a colony of Jews after the Diaspora from <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region>. The name comes from large smooth rocks just off shore, thought to look like elephants. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We go back to <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Aswan</st1:place></st1:city> and with Dalia we walked to the spice market. The merchant promises Dalia he will give us “local” prices. Jim selects about $5 worth of spices he does not really need and the merchant wants to charge 150 Egyptian pounds, about $25. Jim just walks out and the shopkeeper wants to bargain. Cultural incompatibility. Dalia seems a little embarrassed. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">She must leave us to catch her train back to <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Cairo</st1:city></st1:place> - she always has to take the least expensive option. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">She turns us over to a local guide, who brings us to a nice restaurant with a great vantage point above the city.</span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5sUrsuFhAejJ0ySBXUIyT13N16sl4vzuy_JK-iUbTVLzf4euikhqmpUVbt-jmD5KFDPe4nF_f7xZtg672_Zr1EqTLmBu0UrojR5IlFf4RGvHRfqlGQU3YVfN0DtojeobQflyq0-gyAN3z/s1600/735.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5sUrsuFhAejJ0ySBXUIyT13N16sl4vzuy_JK-iUbTVLzf4euikhqmpUVbt-jmD5KFDPe4nF_f7xZtg672_Zr1EqTLmBu0UrojR5IlFf4RGvHRfqlGQU3YVfN0DtojeobQflyq0-gyAN3z/s320/735.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We have more hibiscus tea, some cakes – there is a little gray tiger kitty and accepts some salty bread sticks as a gift. We wished we had something better to give him. We watch sunset and take pictures of the Nile at the first cataract and <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Elephantine</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Island</st1:placetype></st1:place>. It is very beautiful. </span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzwjZPZRPTF3DmXFpfYJWh-DkxExTLG16U57ybJHASALc_weYxRS40XHT7Y-ZLa2NFcMqL9U9pRsFO-n8utGVLQgbYOMjTBmxO0Mz4iRVJvTpJ-wMN1hIrfQZG7fLEtTJ2wIJwiEgk377K/s1600/743.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzwjZPZRPTF3DmXFpfYJWh-DkxExTLG16U57ybJHASALc_weYxRS40XHT7Y-ZLa2NFcMqL9U9pRsFO-n8utGVLQgbYOMjTBmxO0Mz4iRVJvTpJ-wMN1hIrfQZG7fLEtTJ2wIJwiEgk377K/s320/743.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We were off to the night train where we have an unremarkble travel dinner served in heated foil packets in our compartment. We leave at 7 pm and eventually settle into our separate bunks – upper and lower. We sleep reasonably well on the scheduled 11-hour train and our thoughts are with Dalia sitting up in her 13-hour train making local stops along the way.</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Tomorrow it's Cairo.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">more pictures from today are here: https://picasaweb.google.com/eloise.hedbor/20110125?authkey=Gv1sRgCILA_4nwg9vG2wE#</span></div></div>Eloisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16709385941962753995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6212222354650379596.post-26719724444054637982011-01-24T22:00:00.002-05:002011-03-13T22:00:48.710-04:00Nubia and Abu Simbel<div dir="ltr" style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We check out of the boat, meet at 9:30 to go to the assembly point. We are riding in a small Kia sedan with hilarious big dog headrests. But it is more comfortable by far than that 14 seat van!</span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_F7NRz6s7fk/TW2xXmEnEdI/AAAAAAAANQE/_xxLpwOgXlk/s1600/DSCN1749.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_F7NRz6s7fk/TW2xXmEnEdI/AAAAAAAANQE/_xxLpwOgXlk/s320/DSCN1749.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We will leave at 11 am in a convoy of about 70 vehicles. This has been policy since about 2005 when some tourists either got lost or were kidnapped depending on the story. No stops allowed on 175 miles trip so no second cup of coffee and hope the Imodium works. (It did.)</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The drive through the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 /><st1:place st="on">Nubian Desert</st1:place> reveals an apparently sterile environment with few interesting features. There are rocky outcroppings amid the sand, and as we get deeper into the desert, water mirages, even though there is not that much heat today. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-CRW4GbpC64U/TW2xWRG-zyI/AAAAAAAANP0/hjYa4ebp4yw/s1600/DSCN1745.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="240" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-CRW4GbpC64U/TW2xWRG-zyI/AAAAAAAANP0/hjYa4ebp4yw/s320/DSCN1745.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">There a few turnoffs toward the east and <st1:placetype st="on">Lake</st1:placetype> <st1:placename st="on">Nasser</st1:placename> where several Nubian temples have been relocated away from the <st1:place st="on">Nile</st1:place>. There were also some remnants of some small Nubian pyramids. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">With the exception of military training, the Egyptians today make little use made of this land. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">When the high dam was built, tens of thousands of Nubians who had been living along the river were relocated into virtual reservations near <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Aswan</st1:place></st1:city>. Their way of life changed forever. </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Our drive takes nearly four hours. (It usually takes about three hours.) Convoys move at the speed of the slowest vehicle. We arrive at <st1:place st="on">Abu Simbel</st1:place> about 3 pm and go directly to look at the famous temples.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Abu Simbel is a set of two temples near the border of Egypt with Sudan. It was built for the pharaoh Rameses II who reigned for 67 years during the 13th century BC (19th Dynasty). He wanted to impress Nubians, so size was more important than fine carving. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">At <st1:place st="on">Abu Simbel,</st1:place> Rameses II made a huge statement intended to intimidate the Nubians. The image of the colossal statues that stand at its façade are world famous. When you see these massive temples carved from the living sandstone rock, they are incredibly impressive and you are awed by the skill f the builders. But even more awesome is the fact this is NOT their original location. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">When the high dam was built, UNESCO and an international team of some 40 engineers created an artificial mountain and cut the whole enormous temple out of its original location and relocated it higher to save it from the rising waters of <st1:place st="on"><st1:placetype st="on">Lake</st1:placetype> <st1:placename st="on">Nasser</st1:placename></st1:place>. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;">Here's an image of that project<br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><a style="CLEAR: left; DISPLAY: inline! important; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://lexicorient.com/egypt/photos/abu_simbel02.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="Abu Simbel" src="http://lexicorient.com/egypt/photos/abu_simbel02.jpg" border="0" /></a>Originally carved out of the sandstone cliffs above the Nile, these temples were moved to higher ground to protect them from the rising waters of Lake Nasser because of the High Dam. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 20px">The process of salvaging the Temples by moving them more than 600 feet away and more than 180 feet higher took about four years, starting in 1964.</span></span><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Because they had originally been carved into living rock, the temple had to be cut into blocks, each weighing up to 30 tons. These temples are is not just the façades but two temples that extend more than 300 feet deep into the limestone cliff. To save these ancient monuments from the rising waters, workmen cut them into immense blocks, lifted the blocks and refitted them into the artificial mountain. They did this so skillfully that you cannot spot the cuts in the rock. Today the setting is different. Instead of overlooking the Nile, they overlook an enormous man-made lake, larger than <st1:place st="on">Lake Champlain</st1:place>.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8tiOcyzRUpyWKY96yOPujZSeoxWK8HfqF8xO8ZT9odc9FC7Ww_tOjYeXlxSqTTHEswpJYRMzVgVe0AoxlTiw3PtaVHQfRwI4Hb7IoDfu8NLo6TzSgg0hCQBQO8iO18kaaB42_qd4RER9y/s1600/DSCN1771.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8tiOcyzRUpyWKY96yOPujZSeoxWK8HfqF8xO8ZT9odc9FC7Ww_tOjYeXlxSqTTHEswpJYRMzVgVe0AoxlTiw3PtaVHQfRwI4Hb7IoDfu8NLo6TzSgg0hCQBQO8iO18kaaB42_qd4RER9y/s320/DSCN1771.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 20px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 20px"><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 20px">The four 60-foot tall high statues of Rameses stare towards any possible invader from the south, demonstrating the power the Nubians will face if they continue north. The</span> six colossal statutes of him at the entrance are unusual because because they show Rameses through life, from a young man to maturity, although idealized in all cases. The second statute broke in an earthquake in antiquity, about 40 BC. Though all the pieces are there, the decision was made to leave it as it has been for the last 2,000 years. </span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPVUQZo4peUzCP8XZ0zqq3HFugTI7wjN5IJumjC6UbYEPSD019FkR_fVG_zHR1QT0cqtx4_wnU_lb0ERZhhBP8TItbT6YEsPIFYpFzOtGR5b_uIcynz84C3rF5u2yxFSQRIwDcBuHiePoj/s1600/DSCN1752.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPVUQZo4peUzCP8XZ0zqq3HFugTI7wjN5IJumjC6UbYEPSD019FkR_fVG_zHR1QT0cqtx4_wnU_lb0ERZhhBP8TItbT6YEsPIFYpFzOtGR5b_uIcynz84C3rF5u2yxFSQRIwDcBuHiePoj/s320/DSCN1752.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"> As you enter, there is a long frieze of Rameses herding captive Nubians on the left, with the same scene but with captive Syrians on the right. </span><br /><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" height="266" src="http://mathildasanthropologyblog.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/abu-simbel.jpg" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nubian prisoners</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Within the first chamber there is an entire wall, about 80 feet long and 35 feet tall, depicting in great detail in pictures and hieroglyphics the “official" version of Rameses II victory and personal h</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">eroism at the Battle of Kadesh against the Hittites. A more objective version of the story is that the young Pharaoh (under 25 years old) charged in his chariot headlong at the enemy, was separated from his troops, fought his way clear, was undoubtedly brave but also rash and fortunate to survive. Based on Hittite sources the battle was probably a draw. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Deeper in the temple there are series of very large 40 or 50 foot deep side chambers richly decorated with painted wall carvings, the colors still impressive. These are offering rooms, actually storerooms for tribute brought to the temple priests by the Nubians. The tribute collection is encouraged by annual punitive raids. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Famously in this <st1:place st="on"><st1:placetype st="on">temple</st1:placetype> <st1:placename st="on">Rameses</st1:placename></st1:place> the king is seen making offerings to Rameses the god in equal standing to of other gods, Ptah, Amon-Ra, and Ra-Horakhty. (Egyptians always liked their gods in trios.) In another relief very deep in the temple both Horus and Seth, the eternal opponents signifying good and evil, are both seen blessing Rameses.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rv26yR_kKfk/TW7paS0PJUI/AAAAAAAANQ0/hWytPYq55Sc/s1600/DSCN1753.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rv26yR_kKfk/TW7paS0PJUI/AAAAAAAANQ0/hWytPYq55Sc/s320/DSCN1753.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Next to this temple is one dedicated to the Rameses' Great Wife, Nefertari, portrayed as the goddess Hathor, a patroness of love and music. This Temple was built by Ramses II to honor both Hathor as the goddess of love/music and his wife Nefertari as the deified queen. On each side of the entrance, two statues of Ramses flank one of Nefertari dressed as Hathor. The colossal statues, in turn, flank smaller statues of their children.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Nearly all the scenes within are of Hathor blessing Nefertari and of Nefertari making offerings to Hathor. As expected, <st1:place st="on">Isis</st1:place> is featured with Hathor in some scenes. As Dalia says, they were “best friends” in the Egyptian pantheon.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" src="http://www.theathertons.info/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Abu_Simbel_16-480x332.jpg" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Interior of the queen's temple</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-JT3HLcVAFo0/TW8Ce2oL8YI/AAAAAAAANUw/BLnMuBlVTaQ/s1600/DSCN1781.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-JT3HLcVAFo0/TW8Ce2oL8YI/AAAAAAAANUw/BLnMuBlVTaQ/s320/DSCN1781.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">After seeing everything we can at the two temples, we head to our hotel, the Eskaleh Nubian House. </span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">This is a very interesting place built of mud brick and domed vaulted ceilings. This combined with clever ventilation helps keep these buildings warm in the cold desert nights and cold during the heat of the day. We go out for a walk and watch the sunset over Lake Nasser.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVO08MmOAodvus9XXhbzJY3WqB-VVQkG43-YHq2wTsL6H0ufXBXBAjXp4QAQcxde4Gwq7FYXMzvmWimpPfUuc3UmnPR__88iY1FmTdpIwmYg7hwmSQw-IvI7uoCzFZKnWZpirrfYpdSBzx/s1600/DSCN1796.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVO08MmOAodvus9XXhbzJY3WqB-VVQkG43-YHq2wTsL6H0ufXBXBAjXp4QAQcxde4Gwq7FYXMzvmWimpPfUuc3UmnPR__88iY1FmTdpIwmYg7hwmSQw-IvI7uoCzFZKnWZpirrfYpdSBzx/s320/DSCN1796.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We really enjoyed the distinctive food and wonderful recorded Nubian lute music. Our host invited Eloise to download a selection of the music on her flash drive which she did. Isn’t technology wonderful, even in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Nubia</st1:place></st1:country-region>?</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Much of the food here is raised on the grounds - eggs and chilcken, and an assortment of vegetables from the gardens. Eloise had a delicious chicken Tajine, a very distinctive Nubian dish. Jim had fried tilapia fish, from the nearby <st1:place st="on"><st1:placetype st="on">Lake</st1:placetype> <st1:placename st="on">Nasser</st1:placename></st1:place>. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjwYwphuDKbpvCU8wX2xCizV_HcKWbXk4Pc3EO69MblKQv0AXJpWt5ig4qVZ3Nvn9qWuyNa5TjTv02p0L07Ow13_qpDNcrLBDHVe3pTNEurCFeBGZtbcJFRb0OizuL1eG5T78yuo6rNbXX/s1600/DSCN1788.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjwYwphuDKbpvCU8wX2xCizV_HcKWbXk4Pc3EO69MblKQv0AXJpWt5ig4qVZ3Nvn9qWuyNa5TjTv02p0L07Ow13_qpDNcrLBDHVe3pTNEurCFeBGZtbcJFRb0OizuL1eG5T78yuo6rNbXX/s320/DSCN1788.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We went out and looked at the stars – Orion was straight overhead and <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Canopus</st1:place></st1:city> was high in the sky to the south and very bright. We did not feel comfortable walking far from the hotel to get a better view of the sky but we did enjoy what we saw of the sky.</span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvsa0P5ZORx6boUQ8y8srpw7rObOReVeH6ORzcGs0zENTrjMlAZSpxfLEHCDvRrYn6tncPk-n9PAguinumMVQlk-B0hGTKzULFMH3iPv1Tpkgy5xHVULFIwhBJHWoW9HN3uu_Od2GRX3iC/s1600/659.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvsa0P5ZORx6boUQ8y8srpw7rObOReVeH6ORzcGs0zENTrjMlAZSpxfLEHCDvRrYn6tncPk-n9PAguinumMVQlk-B0hGTKzULFMH3iPv1Tpkgy5xHVULFIwhBJHWoW9HN3uu_Od2GRX3iC/s320/659.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Our room was very comfortable and pleasant. We had mosquito nets which worked except for Jim’s hand which he let slip outside the netting and acquired about 30 bites on it. But we both slept very well in this delightful quiet place.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">More pictures from today are here: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';color:black;"><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/eloise.hedbor/20110124?authkey=Gv1sRgCLi06vTi2qukngE#">https://picasaweb.google.com/eloise.hedbor/20110124?authkey=Gv1sRgCLi06vTi2qukngE#</a></span></span></div></div>Eloisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16709385941962753995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6212222354650379596.post-6575706892814905292011-01-23T20:57:00.110-05:002011-03-13T21:45:42.840-04:00Exploring the Aswan area and Philae Island<div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We rise early, enjoy breakfast on the boat and meet Dalia for a day around <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 /><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Aswan</st1:place></st1:city>. First we go down the quay to take a small boat out to the “new <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Philae</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Island</st1:placetype></st1:place>.” Philae was sacred to ancient Egyptians as one of the places where Isis discovered a portion of her dismembered husband, Osiris. Here it was said to have been his heart. </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><div dir="ltr" style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">It's not clear how important Philae was to the earlier Egyptians but the Ptolemies and later Romans made this a very important cult center. The ruins here all date to that later period. This site continued to be used well into the Christian era. It was here that the last known hieroglyphic inscription was carved, about 300 AD. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Although it appears to the visitor that these temples stand as they have for more than two millennia, in fact they have only been where they are now for less than a century. The original name of this Island is not Philae of ancient times but <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px">Agilika. In 1903, with the construction of the Aswan low dam, the famous Philae temple complex was partially inundated. as shown in this photo from 1910.</span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px"></span></span> </div><div dir="ltr" style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img src="http://underthepyramids.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/philae12b-499x379.jpg" /></span><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The building of the Aswan High Dam in 1953 threatened to drown Philae and its history. But with the cooperation of the Egyptian government and UNESCO, flooded Philae was pumped dry through the use of a coffer dam. Philae temple itself was carefully dismantled, so that it could be relocated away from danger. Each block of the temple was labelled and its position carefully recorded, so that it could be reconstructed in exactly the same format. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Meanwhile the nearby - but higher - island of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px">Agilika </span>was landscaped and reshaped so that it would look like the site on which the temple was originally standing. All of the blocks were moved and the temple complex was carefully reassembled so that many visitors never realize this is not the original location. The rescue mission took millions of dollars, 10 years to complete and involved the movement of blocks weighing 27,000 tons in total.</span></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center" trbidi="on"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-X2UIGlRMx-I/TWxIFGd7QRI/AAAAAAAANBo/emeRcMoIv0U/s1600/DSCN1690.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="320" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-X2UIGlRMx-I/TWxIFGd7QRI/AAAAAAAANBo/emeRcMoIv0U/s320/DSCN1690.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center" trbidi="on"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-HNW1ivlSf_M/TWxjjG12-HI/AAAAAAAANE4/rshatd8i9pQ/s1600/566.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-HNW1ivlSf_M/TWxjjG12-HI/AAAAAAAANE4/rshatd8i9pQ/s320/566.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The temple complex was later converted to be a Coptic church. In some cases old images were defaced and in others, spells in the Coptic language- grafitti on walls - was used to neutralize the pagan scenes. Two lion statues before the entrance to the hypostyle hall were not defaced. Why? The Coptics decided that St. Mark would be synmbolized by a lion. An Egyptian solution! </span><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><st1:place st="on">Philae</st1:place> also has some interesting formal French grafitti on walls from Napoleon’s scientists, as seen here.</span></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1emfont-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;" >A<a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-isg6T4FEl-s/TWxM6PY1iaI/AAAAAAAANCE/RzeAfXxajA4/s1600/DSCN1692.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-isg6T4FEl-s/TWxM6PY1iaI/AAAAAAAANCE/RzeAfXxajA4/s320/DSCN1692.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">In 535 A.D. the temples were closed by order from the Roman emperor Flavius Anicius Justinianus. The priesthood was chased away or put in prison and the art of reading and writing hieroglyphs was forgotten, and not until the 19th century were scholars once again able to read these tales of ancient Egypt.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-bVuLpVjF_rc/TWxkjs61H-I/AAAAAAAANGA/rCwinYN50aw/s1600/582.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="320" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-bVuLpVjF_rc/TWxkjs61H-I/AAAAAAAANGA/rCwinYN50aw/s320/582.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><div dir="ltr" style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span">More pictures from today are here: </span><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/eloise.hedbor/20110123?authkey=Gv1sRgCKmIiceVz4a__wE#">https://picasaweb.google.com/eloise.hedbor/20110123?authkey=Gv1sRgCKmIiceVz4a__wE#</a></span><br /><br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Next is a quick cab ride to visit the famous <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Aswan</st1:place></st1:city> red granite quarry.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Across the street from the quarry is a large Fatimid cemetery, about 1,000 years old and still used as a cemetery. <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">It is located over a small hill and has a number of domed and vaulted square buildings that date back to the 10th century AD.</span><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><div dir="ltr" style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2591/4202352171_1f2c243d28_z.jpg" /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="apple-style-span">The tombs probably housed the bodies of local governors</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">The</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><a href="http://lexicorient.com/egypt/e.o/fatimids.htm">Fatimids</a></span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">ruled <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Egypt</st1:place></st1:country-region> until the 12th century, until they were replaced by</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><a href="http://lexicorient.com/egypt/e.o/saladin.htm">Saladin</a>. It is thought some of the tombs here go back to the 9th century, even predating Fatimids. </span><span class="apple-converted-space">The Fatimids, an Arab-Berber people, came into <st1:country-region st="on">Egypt</st1:country-region> from <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Tunisia</st1:place></st1:country-region>. c</span><span class="apple-style-span">onquering the Egyptian city of</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><a style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cairo"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none">Cairo</span></a></span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">in 969, which they made their capital.</span> </span><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Across the street is a red granite quarry. This one quarry is the source of every obelisk in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Egypt</st1:place></st1:country-region> and any other ancient monument made of red granite. Dalia arranged for us a seven minute screening of a film about obelisk making in the quarry. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px">The quarry had a canal - filled in over the centuries - that probably connected to the Nile and allowed the large stone monuments to float to their permanent locations. All obelisks had to be carved of a single piece of stone. They were laid on boats to float down the Nile and carried by dozens or even hundreds of men to their final location. The picture below comes from the wall of<br />Hatshepsut's temple that we visited.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px;color:black;" ><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2425/4155232766_4f756dd15c.jpg" /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px">Because the Egyptians had no metal harder than bronze, they had to use a harder stone in order to quarry something like granite </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#ffbf80;"> </span>To extract granite, dolorite balls were pounded against the rock's surface in order to chip into it. Some of those tools are shown below.</span></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-672W30BHLrydEAnFBAxZvUvPktMbIQB1RpBenBSI34JgA66KRnRU5NdhvpItKFB7VcEqfcPBIg5UkkCjuS2wB-M7YKMWio51fkSCW4AVFkbYjQkYEm41VK5Skz1qmOuQvchfSQ0gaaJG/s1600/DSCN1700.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-672W30BHLrydEAnFBAxZvUvPktMbIQB1RpBenBSI34JgA66KRnRU5NdhvpItKFB7VcEqfcPBIg5UkkCjuS2wB-M7YKMWio51fkSCW4AVFkbYjQkYEm41VK5Skz1qmOuQvchfSQ0gaaJG/s320/DSCN1700.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">They also used wooden wedges to split pieces of granite from the base rock. Soaking wood causes it to expand and a series of strategically wedges was used to break away desired pieces of stone.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Hatshepsut left behind some great obelisks, but she had the intention of creating the largest one the world had ever seen. The one she had planned would have been more than 140 foot tall, more than 1/3 larger than any others. But the natural fractures in the Aswan granite that allowed the extraction of so many wonderful obelisks defeated the makers of this one. After what experts say was probably a year of work, when the workers began the process of levering the giant obelisk from the quarry, a fracture appeared and the three quarters completed obelisk remains here in the quarry, unfinished to this day. </span></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-cO41mMrriBY/TW2SGJ1WLpI/AAAAAAAANHc/E2FPLFlkkxM/s1600/590.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="400" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-cO41mMrriBY/TW2SGJ1WLpI/AAAAAAAANHc/E2FPLFlkkxM/s400/590.JPG" width="300" border="0" /></a></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgech22wzzlQ0Kn6WABjV6F-HS7E_q2wsC5LdKzPvZUC6iFgq2nnW0YCBi7hADs-d_jXrzSyKPXCOTir4K1ssVmSK1dNvZpTsJ0d69sCLXs4bZhJCRbwnNVOw2X8Ns8QM2_0z0cm03XHEZd/s1600/DSCN1704.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgech22wzzlQ0Kn6WABjV6F-HS7E_q2wsC5LdKzPvZUC6iFgq2nnW0YCBi7hADs-d_jXrzSyKPXCOTir4K1ssVmSK1dNvZpTsJ0d69sCLXs4bZhJCRbwnNVOw2X8Ns8QM2_0z0cm03XHEZd/s400/DSCN1704.JPG" width="300" border="0" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We return to the boat for a quick lunch, and then walk down the quay for a felluca ride to the botanical garden on <st1:city st="on">Kitchener</st1:city>’s <st1:place st="on">Island</st1:place>. </span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-hEF6qLQefnQ/TW2qV4C0eAI/AAAAAAAANMg/P1iGYk-fOTY/s1600/598.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="480" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-hEF6qLQefnQ/TW2qV4C0eAI/AAAAAAAANMg/P1iGYk-fOTY/s640/598.JPG" width="640" border="0" /></a></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="CLEAR: both; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="CLEAR: both; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" trbidi="on"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-l2P_kw956Wo/TW2qUeD_rWI/AAAAAAAANMY/GcZgx-OjjBA/s1600/597.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="320" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-l2P_kw956Wo/TW2qUeD_rWI/AAAAAAAANMY/GcZgx-OjjBA/s320/597.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We enjoyed walking among nice labled tropical trees and flowering bushes from around the world. It is a lovely cool oasis. </span></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center" trbidi="on"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-FUovDMVTqCE/TW2VfAT-zZI/AAAAAAAANIg/fNNpNVcLGDw/s1600/606.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="320" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-FUovDMVTqCE/TW2VfAT-zZI/AAAAAAAANIg/fNNpNVcLGDw/s320/606.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Not a single butterfly to be seen, although the sun was out. Got a great set of pictures of a very striking – and half tame –bird. It is a <st1:city st="on">Hoopoe</st1:city>, <st1:country-region st="on">Israel</st1:country-region>’s national bird, and it appeared on the scepter of Horus in ancient <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Egypt</st1:place></st1:country-region></span></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center" trbidi="on"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin6TjVhVLDYx3un2Hw3bJeuxRq_gTGKBV2DQGIRkX8W3mbQx3OkXg8EWW-Cjzc0EStSav0ptVbifvUUgJKwdB-Z9hy7mUMN8W9y0XI_mQlxdK7Z-9tFmx4Rrm-erRmOWoCgw_JymnhThTo/s1600/609.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin6TjVhVLDYx3un2Hw3bJeuxRq_gTGKBV2DQGIRkX8W3mbQx3OkXg8EWW-Cjzc0EStSav0ptVbifvUUgJKwdB-Z9hy7mUMN8W9y0XI_mQlxdK7Z-9tFmx4Rrm-erRmOWoCgw_JymnhThTo/s320/609.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">How Jim knew the name of this bird is a mystery to both of us! He does not ever recall seeing an image of it, and thinks he may have read a description once. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Last on today's agenda is a boat trip through a natural area to the Nile's first cataract. The entire river passes between narrow rapids among many small islands. This was a big challenge in antiquity – end of the road for easy travel on the <st1:place st="on">Nile</st1:place>. Expeditions further south had to either by pass by land, or pull smaller boats through using ropes from the shore.</span></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center" trbidi="on"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-r9SjZblFxCg/TWxgQJQheII/AAAAAAAANDU/NHOQ4S-_Deg/s1600/DSCN1729.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-r9SjZblFxCg/TWxgQJQheII/AAAAAAAANDU/NHOQ4S-_Deg/s320/DSCN1729.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">It is so narrow in places that we are scraping against the overhanging vegetation on both sides.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></p><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><br /></div></span><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center" trbidi="on"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-AkQi7vvGZLI/TW2hMqXS29I/AAAAAAAANLI/aaLcjOLVE7I/s1600/DSCN1728.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-AkQi7vvGZLI/TW2hMqXS29I/AAAAAAAANLI/aaLcjOLVE7I/s320/DSCN1728.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We thread our way among the islands, sometimes having to push off from one side and then the other. We see many different sorts of birds, including kingfishers, several kinds of herons, ducks, and several </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Purple Gallinules with their huge feet (one seen above).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The word Philae means “the end,’ and <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Aswan</st1:place></st1:city> means “trading post.” This was, for the ancients, the end of where they called home. From here south it’s <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Nubia</st1:place></st1:country-region>. Even today the local language is not Egyptian Arabic but is closer to Sudanese. Ancient Egyptians did not want to live here – they just traded and did army training.</span></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center" trbidi="on"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tLsS7P1qjsU/TWxgTjxIWCI/AAAAAAAANLQ/KbfPEGhM24s/s1600/DSCN1731.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="480" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tLsS7P1qjsU/TWxgTjxIWCI/AAAAAAAANLQ/KbfPEGhM24s/s640/DSCN1731.JPG" width="640" border="0" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We return to our boat (second from the left) in the evening for a final nice dinner and a good night’s sleep. We will check out in the morning. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Our cabin boy leaves us one last example of his linen art, two graceful cobras.</span></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center" trbidi="on"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-U9JZikCSEH4/TW2ZJU90EKI/AAAAAAAANKk/0gdTsnWenio/s1600/DSCN1705.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="320" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-U9JZikCSEH4/TW2ZJU90EKI/AAAAAAAANKk/0gdTsnWenio/s320/DSCN1705.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><br /></div>Eloisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16709385941962753995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6212222354650379596.post-201661873024491462011-01-22T22:57:00.037-05:002011-03-13T21:24:21.357-04:00Sailing up the Nile<div dir="ltr" style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-pqFpUQIqI5M/TWqxDU_eTTI/AAAAAAAAMow/bXgJkdbiTvI/s1600/DSCN1629.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="320" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-pqFpUQIqI5M/TWqxDU_eTTI/AAAAAAAAMow/bXgJkdbiTvI/s320/DSCN1629.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ymav4U2wNPk/TWrBweTGUdI/AAAAAAAAMwU/8kWCQFNh5Eg/s1600/505.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="320" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ymav4U2wNPk/TWrBweTGUdI/AAAAAAAAMwU/8kWCQFNh5Eg/s320/505.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We are now cruising the Nile to Upper Egypt. We sleep soundly and when we wake early, we see the full moon setting as dawn lightens the Nile.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">After breakfast on the boat, we join Dalia to visit Edfu temple, a Ptolemaic construction. This site was, in ancient tradition the location of the mythological battle between the gods Horus and Seth, and its sandstone Ptolemaic temple is dedicated to Horus.<?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p></o:p></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" src="http://www.museum-tours.com/museum/roberts/wall09/050l.jpg" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Edfu Temple, as depicted by David Roberts in the 1830s</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpuAmKbWkmg4TbJZ4D7MlEXZYQoYy4inDectNapQ3nsMNuTru-3Yx6rqX17XSBqRWJj0cqHGg9C44dwokOo81rn4jVqj01VNDsMcNyePvwBwk2ZnalAyvzSbrZE-XIeQfazAjJnQSK4T1V/s320/508.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Edfu today</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpuAmKbWkmg4TbJZ4D7MlEXZYQoYy4inDectNapQ3nsMNuTru-3Yx6rqX17XSBqRWJj0cqHGg9C44dwokOo81rn4jVqj01VNDsMcNyePvwBwk2ZnalAyvzSbrZE-XIeQfazAjJnQSK4T1V/s1600/508.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">It was begun about 237 BC by Ptolemy III and finally completed about 57 BC by Ptolemy XII, father to Cleopatra VII, who was the last Pharaoh of Egypt. This temple has are empty cartouches which show the builders’ contempt for the pharaoh who would never see the temple.(With the exception of the last Cleopatra, none of the Ptolemies spoke Egyptian and most never traveled outside of Alexandria.)<o:p></o:p></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span lang="EN"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">This huge Ptolemaic temple was constructed over the site of a smaller <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Kingdom">New Kingdom</a> temple, oriented east to west, facing towards the river. The newer structure faces north to south and leaves the ruined remains of the older temple <a title="Pylon (architecture)" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pylon_(architecture)">pylon</a> to be seen on the east side of the first court.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Interesting things about this temple include the language – like Dendera, the hieroglyphs look like what we have become familiar with, but the language is not Egyptian but Greek. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Also except for the entrances, the Egyptian workers, who for the most part held the middle Ptolemies in contempt, generally left the cartouches for them blank. This was safe to do because they could be confident that the Ptolemy pharaoh would not actually came here, and they could rely on only a cursory examination by any officials sent by the pharaoh. The fact the cartouche remain blank, as below, shows the workers were correct in their assessment.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-abY0JKmnXYg/TWrB0nFdfaI/AAAAAAAAMwk/pw0i0Dx0gws/s1600/513.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="320" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-abY0JKmnXYg/TWrB0nFdfaI/AAAAAAAAMwk/pw0i0Dx0gws/s320/513.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The Greek influence is obvious here in the depictions of people – rather than idealized, here it is clear who is male and who is female. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-dNAbqs2G1Wc/TWqxIMX2liI/AAAAAAAAMpM/Q2r2zJ3ordM/s1600/DSCN1634.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="313" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-dNAbqs2G1Wc/TWqxIMX2liI/AAAAAAAAMpM/Q2r2zJ3ordM/s320/DSCN1634.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The first gate shows the Pharaoh on each side, but on one he is wearing the crown of Upper Egypt and on the other, the crown of <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 /><st1:place st="on">Lower Egypt</st1:place>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">And the columns have different capitals, matched side to side but each in the row different</span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ttn8HcbrfuI/TWrKXoOqYAI/AAAAAAAAM5c/afbiu9eLSgc/s1600/515.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ttn8HcbrfuI/TWrKXoOqYAI/AAAAAAAAM5c/afbiu9eLSgc/s320/515.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">This temple includes a wonderful series of scenes in the form of reliefs inside the entire outer wall of the temple. It is like a cartoon, from right to left, showing an on-going battle between Horus, son of Osiris, and Seth, Horus's uncle who murdered Osiris. In each scene Horus is in a boat using first a spear and then a spear and rope to try to kill Seth, who is depicted as a hippopotamus. At first Horus’s efforts have little effect, and then we see Seth inverted but not dead and then we see him up again and finally not dead but contained by ropes, controlled, as evil may be controlled but never eliminated from the world. Horus cannot kill Seth, cannot defeat him outright, but Horus can control him. It’s a parable – evil is always with us but we can strive to control it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-gjbgBRRV9ws/TWrMcx6H5lI/AAAAAAAAM5w/65-TH0U8JfY/s1600/519.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="320" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-gjbgBRRV9ws/TWrMcx6H5lI/AAAAAAAAM5w/65-TH0U8JfY/s320/519.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">There re also the symbol of Ra-Horahkty - the winged sun disk - on the lintel which can also be interpreted as the triumph of good over evil.<o:p></o:p></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-QOynBDXiZ3I/TWqzmwB7q7I/AAAAAAAAMps/9M3q_wxg-uE/s1600/DSCN1636.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="240" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-QOynBDXiZ3I/TWqzmwB7q7I/AAAAAAAAMps/9M3q_wxg-uE/s320/DSCN1636.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We return to the ship and cruise another three hours, have a pleasant lunch and arrive at Kom Ombo. (Three hours on a ship is a lot easier than three hours on the road!)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLB0Mg_djBnV6XNd6D2yv9qKwa_KifyLLiNajXtUppusIQTTta9agd1TWoVqf5cuFmWAyQcBPAY7CGNABzEJOqA7TKD4F44Onk6lPYc7YurDDDHKgrr_t3eKzmf3FhBC0MhZvM0q5NjYDs/s1600/DSCN1664.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLB0Mg_djBnV6XNd6D2yv9qKwa_KifyLLiNajXtUppusIQTTta9agd1TWoVqf5cuFmWAyQcBPAY7CGNABzEJOqA7TKD4F44Onk6lPYc7YurDDDHKgrr_t3eKzmf3FhBC0MhZvM0q5NjYDs/s320/DSCN1664.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The ship docks close to the temple of Kom Ombo and we meet Dalia to learn about this site. I</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;">n ancient times, Kom Ombo stood on an important crossroads between the caravan route from Nubia and trails from the gold mines in the eastern desert. </span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">This unusual two-sided temple, built not on an ancient religious site but at <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Gold</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Mountain</st1:placetype></st1:place>, on the east bank point at a gathering point for gold shipments, was in the 1800s in ruins. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><img src="http://www.museum-tours.com/museum/roberts/wall10/056l.jpg" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Today this unusual two-sided temple, in an attractive setting right on the river bank with sugar canes fields all around, has been reassembled from the pieces <o:p></o:p></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-gxmyFUaci0A/TWrhcDEmn4I/AAAAAAAAM9w/xoGWtIcolZY/s1600/DSCN1666.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="250" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-gxmyFUaci0A/TWrhcDEmn4I/AAAAAAAAM9w/xoGWtIcolZY/s400/DSCN1666.JPG" width="400" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The temple is dedicated to two separate gods, Horus the elder and the local crocodile god, Sobek. (Some 40 crocodile mummies were supposed to be displayed in the adjacent museum, but that was not yet open - we later saw an enormous 18 foot croc mummy in the Egyptian Museum.) It has two entrances, two hypostyle halls, and two sanctuaries, completely symmetrical. It also has a little niche where you can pray to the golden image of your god. (Of course, the gold statues were the first thing to be looted from any temple.) </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Attached to this temple is a sanatorium with wall depicting Imhotep (a physician, architect, etc., from <st1:place st="on">Old Kingdom</st1:place>) as a god of healing with a wash basin and surgical instruments, as well as two women in birthing chairs. How interesting that Imhotep become a god almost 3,000 years after he lived. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#444444;"></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" src="http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/3563/minip10104678gy.jpg" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the left are two women using the traditional Egyptian birthing chairs.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:x-small;color:#444444;">The medical instruments depicted here in the center seem rather sophisticated</span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: right"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="CLEAR: left; FLOAT: left; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-BrBh_fld7jE/TWrm6WVMFQI/AAAAAAAAM_k/G-RlW-scJ-c/s1600/DSCN1675.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="320" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-BrBh_fld7jE/TWrm6WVMFQI/AAAAAAAAM_k/G-RlW-scJ-c/s320/DSCN1675.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">There is also a Nile-ometer, a common feature of temples throughout the ancient times – when the level of the Nile determined your tax rate – high water meant you could produce more crops, so higher taxes. Low flood would mean less productivity, so lower taxes. </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></o:p></div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is a curious later addition to this temple, an oddity </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">apparently</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"> designed to compete with the new religion that had started to tempt people away from the old gods. Thanks to a chamber under the pavement, your god can answer you – a good way to counter the rising popularity of Christianity. The faithful were invited to speak directly to the god (a departure from ancient Egyptian beliefs). From beneath the pavement, a priest or priestess in the chamber would reply to the supplicant.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">So now it is back to the ship to</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"> cruise south up the Nile toward Aswan. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">This gives us an opportunity to watch Egypt going by. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwGS6WCSiGt23sB_nE9idRMOannBR6kte-9tTcYI-Mt5WeNzekyhk0TNBomrtrCseok4bZB0Co5YF9SV1wW4ouiQ7VDyFoVpZk9lEOhBPy7iVfNLP0JSoCpSIUEkb6LBIG4stp-ymam9p1/s1600/DSCN1655.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwGS6WCSiGt23sB_nE9idRMOannBR6kte-9tTcYI-Mt5WeNzekyhk0TNBomrtrCseok4bZB0Co5YF9SV1wW4ouiQ7VDyFoVpZk9lEOhBPy7iVfNLP0JSoCpSIUEkb6LBIG4stp-ymam9p1/s320/DSCN1655.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jYrnKyO9d5c/TWrhTU6fB6I/AAAAAAAAM9I/H3ewJ-b4YoM/s1600/DSCN1659.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jYrnKyO9d5c/TWrhTU6fB6I/AAAAAAAAM9I/H3ewJ-b4YoM/s320/DSCN1659.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="CLEAR: right; FLOAT: right; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-LEFT: 1em" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7P6pkcLXwUE/TWrhZBqQGGI/AAAAAAAAM9g/QRznkt00Hv0/s1600/DSCN1663.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7P6pkcLXwUE/TWrhZBqQGGI/AAAAAAAAM9g/QRznkt00Hv0/s320/DSCN1663.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We take the opportunity to bring our journals up to date, have dinner, and relax. After all the running during the past days, this is a pleasant respite.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-OpyVoZhbIEI/TWrm94Kn5fI/AAAAAAAAM_8/l2RGaapmRVg/s1600/DSCN1678.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-OpyVoZhbIEI/TWrm94Kn5fI/AAAAAAAAM_8/l2RGaapmRVg/s320/DSCN1678.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are about two hundred of these boats carrying<br />tourists up and down the Nile</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjENmkanF5VbVDKNJUmN2SIcbrKJeit8BK9-xlxw-2jddsjoeql7zdKc1l5Q5_wFb8COKomj7szzBCm7ZN1aSBKUOWvzgt4-kinHjbBVbQ7FUXD-5NC8yoif2seRFLCrypK_rx8S90VVOGw/s1600/DSCN1681.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjENmkanF5VbVDKNJUmN2SIcbrKJeit8BK9-xlxw-2jddsjoeql7zdKc1l5Q5_wFb8COKomj7szzBCm7ZN1aSBKUOWvzgt4-kinHjbBVbQ7FUXD-5NC8yoif2seRFLCrypK_rx8S90VVOGw/s320/DSCN1681.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">More cabin boy sculpture!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">more pictures from today here: </span><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/eloise.hedbor/20110122?authkey=Gv1sRgCNbd9eGKic7RpQE#">https://picasaweb.google.com/eloise.hedbor/20110122?authkey=Gv1sRgCNbd9eGKic7RpQE#</a></div></div><br /></div>Eloisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16709385941962753995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6212222354650379596.post-29448704334385650342011-01-21T18:41:00.056-05:002011-03-13T21:08:35.216-04:00Temple of Hatshepshut, and Habu Temple<div dir="ltr" style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Now we are off to see Hapshepsut's mortuary temple, on the other side of the mountain from the King's Valley. There are various stories about how there is a tunnel from this temple deep into the mountain, and what its intended purpose may have been.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-a3GeRv2kIp0/TXv1Bo7-r2I/AAAAAAAAOh4/7VaeNMTtHSY/s1600/420.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="157" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-a3GeRv2kIp0/TXv1Bo7-r2I/AAAAAAAAOh4/7VaeNMTtHSY/s320/420.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Stunning location of this beautiful temple</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This temple was largely destroyed and in fragments but it has been beautifully restored so that you can really appreciate its beauty. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" height="240" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-rWtHB3Iida8/TWmKHvMqwRI/AAAAAAAAMjM/m2-okUL_Bgg/s320/DSCN1565.JPG" width="320" border="0" l6="true" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We had long wanted to see this temple, and it did not disappoint.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-rWtHB3Iida8/TWmKHvMqwRI/AAAAAAAAMjM/m2-okUL_Bgg/s1600/DSCN1565.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The temple is carved out of living rock, limestone, on the opposite side of the same mountain as the Valley of the Kings. It faces East, toward <city st="on">Luxor</city> and <place st="on">Karnak</place> temples, and has has three levels or terraces.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On the first level there are painted scenes of her expedition to Punt, a long sea voyage down the Red Sea toward present day <country-region st="on">Eritrea</COUNTRY-REGION> or <country-region st="on"><place st="on">Somalia</place></COUNTRY-REGION>. This was a major accomplishment for the non-seafaring Egyptians. There is great detail showing African people with conical houses, a obese queen and all the strange animals and plants that the expedition encountered and bought back. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" src="http://travelfunclub.com/articles/pics/punt6.jpg" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A remarkable portrait of the wife of the chief with whom they are trading</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br /><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" height="241" src="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTQT5PiUzh_1HW0oUCaJXg-xuCNXvgytWLjoBW3_E8RRY7erDsV" width="320" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Bringing back full-sized trees in baskets from Punt<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There are giraffes, monkeys and elephants. And there are depictions of bringing back nursery stock of trees that are sources of myrrh and frankincense, both used in embalming. There were also many kinds of flowers and ornamental trees and the temple includes inventories of everything that was brought back. The queen had these specimens planted in front of the temple and on the various terraces (a lady after my own heart!). Archaeologists when they excavated found the roots of some of these still preserved in the sand – quite unbelievable. On the opposite side of the first level is recounted Hatshepsut’s claim to be king legitimately, because she is actually the daughter of the god Amon. Her conception and divine birth are depicted here. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Are the next level is a row of colossal statutes of Hatshepsut. These were demolished as part of a campaign to erase her from history but they have been recovered and reassembled well enough to see her face. </span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><br /></div><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-mb8oSDmBaFs/TWrE2oIdvBI/AAAAAAAAMw8/T86vtH8jctk/s1600/443.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="320" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-mb8oSDmBaFs/TWrE2oIdvBI/AAAAAAAAMw8/T86vtH8jctk/s320/443.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hatshepsut had herself portrayed with the<br />pharaoh's false beard and the red skin<br />of males rather that the yellow, usually reserved for females</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><br /></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Hapshepsut temple lies in the center of three similar temples, the earlier Montuhotep II temple, which still lies in ruins, to the left of Hapshepsut's, and the temple of Tutmoses II, which has yet to be restored. Hapshepsut's temple was discovered buried and in ruins in the 1800s, in this valley, called Deir al-Bahri, “Northern Monastery,” for the Coptic monastery that occupied this site. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In the rear of the sanctuary a tunnel has been found, heading deep into the mountain toward the Valley of the Kings on the opposite side of the mountain, but the tunnel may also go toward the tomb of Senemut her architect, friend, supporter, vizier, and possible lover.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" height="240" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ne3oOa3UMMU/TWmZeqUW_II/AAAAAAAAMkQ/KxghPQuu4RY/s320/DSCN1579.JPG" width="320" border="0" l6="true" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Beautiful painted low relief decorated her temple</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ne3oOa3UMMU/TWmZeqUW_II/AAAAAAAAMkQ/KxghPQuu4RY/s1600/DSCN1579.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></a></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></div><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" height="320" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-COs6akQ8_B8/TWmZaO1lJdI/AAAAAAAAMj4/fzwx9kIrhx0/s320/DSCN1573.JPG" width="240" border="0" l6="true" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><em><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:x-small;">Hathor topped column</span></em></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-COs6akQ8_B8/TWmZaO1lJdI/AAAAAAAAMj4/fzwx9kIrhx0/s1600/DSCN1573.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></a></div><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" height="203" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-l4OWlETrDeo/TWmfkbOc-TI/AAAAAAAAMlI/Odfgmlpqq_4/s320/DSCN1582.JPG" width="320" border="0" l6="true" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:x-small;">These are the Colossi of Hatshepsut.<br /><br />The tomb of Senenmut is on the same site as Hatsepshut's temple; the entrance is to the North a couple of hundred yards away. It is a very deep, steep shaft, not open to the public, but has interesting carvings deep inside in the burial chamber, including verses of devotion to Hatsepshut. There is continuing interest and scholarship about these two, and recently Hatsepshut's mummy was positively identified, using a combination of CT Scans and DNA analysis. Amazing!<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-l4OWlETrDeo/TWmfkbOc-TI/AAAAAAAAMlI/Odfgmlpqq_4/s1600/DSCN1582.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Our last stop in Thebes – i.e. Luxor (which means complex of temples) – is Medinat Habu. Here is the mortuary temple built by Rameses III, but it was a sacred site long before his time, and his is only the latest addition. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Rameses III has been called the last "great" pharaoh, with the possible exception of Cleopatra, 1200 years later. He built an unusual looking entrance for the complex, modeled perhaps on citadels he had seen on military campaigns in <country-region st="on"><place st="on">Syria</place></COUNTRY-REGION>. The tower is in the form of a "migdol," a kind of fortified gate house. The complex thus had the look of a fortress since originally it was enclosed by a mud brick wall 35 feet thick and 60 feet high.</span><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRb78pBZJsTZMWOfSP8jD8sCWr2X4rTNumNPOF0fUiUganTfBcSCpltLwUygo3CZjGsPrrX5491PYCTLzLdiWE1zOO7Mq-Fm1PDx8KlnLx9CYm7rvRctoTYJ6kyYEqMOu0KEgbO99OkTw4/s1600/DSCN1590.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRb78pBZJsTZMWOfSP8jD8sCWr2X4rTNumNPOF0fUiUganTfBcSCpltLwUygo3CZjGsPrrX5491PYCTLzLdiWE1zOO7Mq-Fm1PDx8KlnLx9CYm7rvRctoTYJ6kyYEqMOu0KEgbO99OkTw4/s320/DSCN1590.JPG" width="320" border="0" l6="true" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We spend most of our time here just gawking. The sheer size of the statues, and of the entire complex is amazing and we do not have time to do it justice. But everywhere Rameses has “smiting” scenes of his overcoming the Sea People and the Lybians, both identified by their dress, features and weapons. How many were slain? Here is a pile of right hands. Not sure all the hands came from combatants and not women camp followers? Here is a pile of male members. </span><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Below is is part of a dramatic chariot scene. There is also a hunting scene and the only depiction of an Egyptian sea battle found on any temple walls. (The Egyptians were spoiled by the predictability of the <place st="on">Nile</place> and never became accomplished sailors.)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-50L69roPw9g/TWmkPNdeLzI/AAAAAAAAMl8/W5KqK79NafI/s1600/DSCN1591.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="198" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-50L69roPw9g/TWmkPNdeLzI/AAAAAAAAMl8/W5KqK79NafI/s320/DSCN1591.JPG" width="320" border="0" l6="true" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><br /></div><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There is a palace off to the side of the temple, where Rameses was in residence from time to time. There is even a latrine but it not impressive for a king. The palace was built of mud brick so there is not that much of it left. (Mud brick could look wonderful for a while and did not, unlike tombs and temples, have to last for eternity.) On side wall of the temple, that faces the palace there is a 40 foot high, and 100 yards long wall, pictured below, solid top to bottom heiroglyphs, depicting all the festivals and important dates through the year. </span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDx7kKdIm6O2q8zHP6KXMmvjI-nIGbjYLNhOhd5Q3wPt_fYZZkwAJF3j5slFm2AQ9muNgD2rmH9Hl262KlFTIKtYz4MnPy71o8rUHOvestEi8JwnBuRi0MQJVR5IrXurPLpYYKpE8_Eu_8/s1600/DSCN1599.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDx7kKdIm6O2q8zHP6KXMmvjI-nIGbjYLNhOhd5Q3wPt_fYZZkwAJF3j5slFm2AQ9muNgD2rmH9Hl262KlFTIKtYz4MnPy71o8rUHOvestEi8JwnBuRi0MQJVR5IrXurPLpYYKpE8_Eu_8/s320/DSCN1599.JPG" width="320" border="0" l6="true" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Originally there was a canal with a harbor outside the entrance, that connected the temple to the Nile, but the desert reclaimed this centuries ago.<br /><br />In later times, Medinat Habu's strong fortifications made it attractive as a place of refuge during a civil war between the High Priest of Amun at Karnak and the viceroy of Kush. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The exterior walls are carved with religious scenes and portrayals of Rameses III's wars against the Libyans and the Sea Peoples. The first pylon depicts the king smiting his enemies and also has a list of conquered lands. </span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwZwXx8XdErpvJPPX-AR_rJilu4hN2_HvIUkKkJP_hDD1iOEgIZiDaNITIsPFKmnEwvz_tEBqi3ybSTEuUx6JiJ8O7qALdO-juFKWtOHMHMUVMxNpcJwj4z0bcrgJ3B3oQoElSr0ut5YZq/s1600/DSCN1595.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwZwXx8XdErpvJPPX-AR_rJilu4hN2_HvIUkKkJP_hDD1iOEgIZiDaNITIsPFKmnEwvz_tEBqi3ybSTEuUx6JiJ8O7qALdO-juFKWtOHMHMUVMxNpcJwj4z0bcrgJ3B3oQoElSr0ut5YZq/s320/DSCN1595.JPG" width="240" border="0" l6="true" /></a></div><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The interior walls also have a wealth of well preserved bas-reliefs some of which still retain their original paint work. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none"><div style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Now we must rush to catch the boat, the MS Crown Emperor. Less than six hours and we saw all of this! </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After all the rushing around, it is time to slow down and try to absorb everything we have seen in the last few days. It is really information overload.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-jazSfs6orpY/TWrMj0n_TDI/AAAAAAAAM6g/iSSCwvUgWYM/s1600/530.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="320" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-jazSfs6orpY/TWrMj0n_TDI/AAAAAAAAM6g/iSSCwvUgWYM/s320/530.JPG" width="223" border="0" /></a></div><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We watch the sunset, bathe and even dress for dinner. Not fancy - we did not bring that sort of clothing, but at least we are presentable! It's a nice buffet and we enjoy the relaxation and the opportunity to catch up with our journals. And appreciate another cabin boy creation.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DbqTNxSbGGs/TWmpN1AaziI/AAAAAAAAMnI/9km67oa_pVQ/s1600/DSCN1617.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DbqTNxSbGGs/TWmpN1AaziI/AAAAAAAAMnI/9km67oa_pVQ/s320/DSCN1617.JPG" width="320" border="0" l6="true" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Later in the evening, we go up on deck to watch the ship go through the Isis lock. We have waited in line for the lock for a couple of hours – there are 200 cruise ships on the Nile! So it is after 11 before we go through the lock, and we get to bed. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZjSSLylCkR4/TWmpsic3i4I/AAAAAAAAMnw/ygenWkqbcb0/s1600/DSCN1625.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZjSSLylCkR4/TWmpsic3i4I/AAAAAAAAMnw/ygenWkqbcb0/s320/DSCN1625.JPG" width="320" border="0" l6="true" /></a></div><br />Other pictures are here: <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/eloise.hedbor/20110121?authkey=Gv1sRgCMOAwf_hxK_vvgE">https://picasaweb.google.com/eloise.hedbor/20110121?authkey=Gv1sRgCMOAwf_hxK_vvgE</a>#</div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div></div>Eloisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16709385941962753995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6212222354650379596.post-56087758397892377582011-01-21T13:58:00.182-05:002011-03-13T16:48:26.299-04:00The wonderous Valley of the Kings<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-mBYvMYEQKKA/TXbb8obgaJI/AAAAAAAAOAY/0ogLr4csYuc/s1600/DSCN2098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-mBYvMYEQKKA/TXbb8obgaJI/AAAAAAAAOAY/0ogLr4csYuc/s640/DSCN2098.JPG" border="0" height="640" width="612" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We remain moored at Luxor overnight, and in the morning disembark for our trip to the legendary Valley of the Kings. The boat is scheduled to sail at 12:30 when we will depart Luxor, heading upriver to our destination in Aswan. Stops along the way will permit us to see some other temples and the trip will give us the opportunity to see more of the Egyptian countryside. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But the morning is scheduled to include visits to the <place st="on">Valley of the Kings</place>, Hatshesut’s temple and Hapu temple, so we need to get an early start. We are met by Dalia and our driver with a small van just after 6 a.m. and head toward the Valley</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On the way we stop for a chance to see the colossi of Memnon, a name that comes not from the Egyptians but the Greeks (which is true of many of the place names in Egypt). These </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">60 foot tall statues erected by Amenhotep III. The remainder of his mortuary temple is thought to have been the largest one ever built but it was plundered by later pharaohs for building materials and because it was under the water table, it has now vanished. Current excavations are focused on locating the foundations.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoV-Xeb9NPslj17u7eVLJwV8eZu6ChHNbtd4VIfYz09MSHe91zDQzEskjcKOY9rn9cSKViiX0ORZAoO0htKAQmFeqlvHfr37fqo94U0Ifo8xJwkKUMxBABRr-u7v9gx6s9jQq-P7iqt3-p/s1600/DSCN1555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoV-Xeb9NPslj17u7eVLJwV8eZu6ChHNbtd4VIfYz09MSHe91zDQzEskjcKOY9rn9cSKViiX0ORZAoO0htKAQmFeqlvHfr37fqo94U0Ifo8xJwkKUMxBABRr-u7v9gx6s9jQq-P7iqt3-p/s320/DSCN1555.JPG" border="0" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SUUJW4U3M9c/TXv0zZGeGnI/AAAAAAAAOhA/jovVj9GU-ko/s1600/408.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SUUJW4U3M9c/TXv0zZGeGnI/AAAAAAAAOhA/jovVj9GU-ko/s320/408.JPG" border="0" height="320" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Along the way we also see the on-going work at the site of Rameses II's mortuary temple, called the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Rammesseum</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">. We also pass the site of the Valley of the <place st="on">Queens</place>, tombs of the nobles and Deir al Medina which is the city where workmen who built the tombs lived. Another place we’d like to visit! Both the tombs of the nobles and Deir al Medina have wonderful tombs with scenes of everyday life.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As we drive up through the hills, maybe a six or seven mile drive, we see Howard Carter’s house high on a hilltop near the entrance to the <place st="on">Valley of the Kings</place>. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-5fAHPmkumTI/TWmGV1jYxkI/AAAAAAAAMic/dglul0ab6yk/s1600/DSCN1554.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-5fAHPmkumTI/TWmGV1jYxkI/AAAAAAAAMic/dglul0ab6yk/s320/DSCN1554.JPG" border="0" height="201" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sunrise illuminates the hills and cliffs on the West Bank of the Nile and that's the beautiful temple of Hatshepsut, halfway up the hills, below sheer cliffs.<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><table class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-vn11rcrBgK4/TXv0_vFiceI/AAAAAAAAOhw/POujd9Dm1DM/s1600/417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-vn11rcrBgK4/TXv0_vFiceI/AAAAAAAAOhw/POujd9Dm1DM/s320/417.JPG" border="0" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Imagine this pyramid-shaped peak, capped with gold,<br />capturing the first rays of the rising sun.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Valley of the Kings is an amazingly forbidding place – not a speck of green anywhere. Just limestone, piles of chips from tomb construction, fragments eroded by winds and the rare rain storms. It must have taken immense courage, persistence and endurance to discover these wonderful ancient tombs.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KDFZ_09VIiU/TXv06sftCnI/AAAAAAAAOhg/ng0-sIwRq-U/s1600/413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KDFZ_09VIiU/TXv06sftCnI/AAAAAAAAOhg/ng0-sIwRq-U/s320/413.JPG" border="0" height="240" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Cameras are not allowed in the area of the tombs - the painted colors on the walls have survived 3,500 years, but light from flashbulbs can dim them. The tombs are managed to reduce the effect of tourist traffic, but not only light, but even the change in humidity from people breathing and perspiring has its effect. Dalia tells us there is a wonderful web site, the Theban Mapping Project that details the valley and each of the tombs, including detailed explanations of each of the countless scenes. (The pictures inside the valley included here come from there - we did NOT violate ban on cameras.)</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The earliest burial here was Tutmoses I about 1500 BC who chose this location in hopes of defeating tomb robbers. Of course, most of the tombs were robbed in antiquity. However, for the most part the gorgeous painted walls were seen as having no value, beyond their use by bats and hiding places for occasional criminals. Because of the the very dry climate in the forbidding location and depth of the burial chambers, except for the first few dozen feet of the entry corridor, most are are in remarkably good condition.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The process of creating one of these tombs would be to select a location, cut the tomb into the mountain, smooth the walls, apply plaster, outline the panels, the red cartoons, corrections in black, then shallow carving, then painting. If a pharaoh died suddenly, you will see a completed part, parts in these various stages and some parts that may only be rough cut, because he had to be buried in seventy days after death. (The embalming process took seventy days).</span><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The paintings are very complete and elaborate sets of spells, hundreds of feet of floor to ceiling hieroglyphs, altogether the spells the pharaoh needs to reach the next life. We are impressed by three headed winged, legged giant snake who eats you if you don’t pass the weighing of the heart before Osiris. The notion of judgment presages by a couple thousand years the idea of appearance before St. Peter. Here you stand, before the gods and your heart is weighed versus a feather. The monster or eternal life? </span></div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There are some 62 tombs that have been discovered in the valley but only a couple dozen are actually kings – the rest are royal family members, nobles and other important people. A ticket to the valley allows you to see just three tombs and there are separate tickets for some special tombs to restrict the number of visitors and thus protect the paintings. The most popular "extra” tomb in the valley is King Tut's, but Dalia tells us it is one of the smallest and least interesting. It is the only one to still contain a mummy, but except for this, virtually everything else that so amazed Howard Carter is in the Cairo Museum which we will see next week. What is most interesting is to see its location, sort of under the rubble from KV8. It is easy to see why it lay undiscovered for three millennia. To us, that was the most interesting part.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Instead we opt for a $10 ticket to the tomb of Rameses V & VI, the “chocolate” according to Dalia. Tombs may be open or closed based on weather, as well as on a rotation because just breathing can over time damage the wall paintings that have survived for so many centuries. Also for this reason guides are not allowed in the tombs. Guards will give you some information but will expect a tip. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The most crowded tombs are those closest to the valley entrance, of course. Most people are too lazy to walk any distance, and, fortunately, too cheap to pay for Rameses V/VI – their loss was our gain, and we were practically alone there. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Some of the tombs are incomplete, including that of Seti II. You can see portions with rough cut walls, some where the walls have been smoothed and some where the limestone plaster has been applied and the red cartoon of the painting completed. Some some the corrections – always in black, and some are partially painted – it appears the ochre was the first color applied. Each hieroglyph would have a specific color too. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><table class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDUlR1qd5M_rwGjTbYQ_mnTXnPc5wxyz95Kue2RfmqcU4p4RrgyhCMCJC6Nqp9DpX5e2w3jO3R200XzOt9IHrdYM_Hg4BgZpCf6QUncYvu7F2xm8RQs6-o6kxzElPrzfsLaosWlbKGmFC/s320/Seti-1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" border="0" height="320" width="221" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Like many of the tombs, this one was not completed before<br />the pharaoh died. Here are the original red drawing lines, with on a few lines<br /> of the black corrections</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDUlR1qd5M_rwGjTbYQ_mnTXnPc5wxyz95Kue2RfmqcU4p4RrgyhCMCJC6Nqp9DpX5e2w3jO3R200XzOt9IHrdYM_Hg4BgZpCf6QUncYvu7F2xm8RQs6-o6kxzElPrzfsLaosWlbKGmFC/s1600/Seti-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></a></div><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRbo18-X43kcL0h4C15ESgzvb9la5A1YeMEzMRTk_I_pXhTODb6YLmH3EgBdmHvAv4Yx2Hji1byuIJ48-xe_q6fSw5-eVMbZE3Q4HfS1ccaV8rwBJMzEvS6fkrF36ouQQFEQy1_cgp1AiH/s1600/seti-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRbo18-X43kcL0h4C15ESgzvb9la5A1YeMEzMRTk_I_pXhTODb6YLmH3EgBdmHvAv4Yx2Hji1byuIJ48-xe_q6fSw5-eVMbZE3Q4HfS1ccaV8rwBJMzEvS6fkrF36ouQQFEQy1_cgp1AiH/s320/seti-2.jpg" border="0" height="223" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2L_C_8cWuL0rEatcNdt_zvAs5Xcp8O2q75VUQ4k6DtWSj7v-s7vdPq6e6o3n-gDKm0RC8pvcg5Dn8KbFGB2c_mKOBDs0LtuXhjPpu41Cp0XKmbbcipMMnQE4OOHdIZkVzc21mmyQVsO-O/s1600/seti-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2L_C_8cWuL0rEatcNdt_zvAs5Xcp8O2q75VUQ4k6DtWSj7v-s7vdPq6e6o3n-gDKm0RC8pvcg5Dn8KbFGB2c_mKOBDs0LtuXhjPpu41Cp0XKmbbcipMMnQE4OOHdIZkVzc21mmyQVsO-O/s320/seti-4.jpg" border="0" height="210" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM-dhdcALneUgS9SKOw1tVrN6BTZdxPe24RDzv49ERkQ8VnbWQubJilLM9sJiuc68s4-ASALS7jE3QZqtRzHmFUmnix6DcHpY3Jwdjn_r33FgRL3cFGHB4ZhR5IFUHj6NQaOoATI1pyetP/s1600/seti-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM-dhdcALneUgS9SKOw1tVrN6BTZdxPe24RDzv49ERkQ8VnbWQubJilLM9sJiuc68s4-ASALS7jE3QZqtRzHmFUmnix6DcHpY3Jwdjn_r33FgRL3cFGHB4ZhR5IFUHj6NQaOoATI1pyetP/s320/seti-3.jpg" border="0" height="237" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTG_Dmswymbo3ypzZzDZ06GQTwNmy8VGsjil42DAT08Dlc-m2_k2xp8qOnKwlYwwzJgTM9h-gdcnmNsrm8ezHwrcnTQS2BVQQp0nVIg3-ijQ7U3VipLn5QWs4nC4qxEh9gzHTpEIyCBu3P/s1600/seti-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTG_Dmswymbo3ypzZzDZ06GQTwNmy8VGsjil42DAT08Dlc-m2_k2xp8qOnKwlYwwzJgTM9h-gdcnmNsrm8ezHwrcnTQS2BVQQp0nVIg3-ijQ7U3VipLn5QWs4nC4qxEh9gzHTpEIyCBu3P/s320/seti-5.jpg" border="0" height="216" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" align="center"><em><span style=";font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:x-small;" >The burial chamber for Seti, with the sarcophagus</span></em></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This gives you a brief tour of the tomb of Seti II <a href="http://www.thebanmappingproject.com/atlas/index_kv.asp?tombID=829"><span style="color:blue;">http://www.thebanmappingproject.com/atlas/index_kv.asp?tombID=829</span></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The unfinished tombs can be as important as the finished ones in terms of understanding their techniques. Because the pharaoh had to be buried 70 days after his death, an unexpected death would not allow time for completion of the tomb. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">KV11 was begun for Setnakht, but abandoned when the cutting of the third corridor broke into another tomb (KV 10). The tomb was later completed by is son, Rameses III, who added the side chambers and finished the tomb . After his burial was disturbed, the mummy was reburied in one of the mummy caches found in the 1800s. The tomb has been partly accessible since antiquity. The side chambers are decorated with some unusual scenes that show food preparation and tomb equipment, and there is also an beautiful pair of harpists, portrayed as many ancient musicians were, as blind. Early explorers called KV 11 "The Harper's Tomb" because of these scenes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><em><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Below is the entrance to KV 11</span></em></div><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img src="http://thebanmappingproject.com/images/large/13726.jpg" /></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Note the star pattern on the ceiling in the picture below. Nepret, Renenutet and Hu portrayed as cobras.</span></em><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><em></em><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <img src="http://thebanmappingproject.com/images/large/15634.jpg" /></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A portrait of Rameses III</span></em><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img src="http://thebanmappingproject.com/images/large/16507.jpg" /></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Depicted on the walls of tombs were the offerings that the king wished to receive in the afterlife. Here we see Star pattern; bundles of wood, stone beads, Mycenaean stirrup jars, stone vessel, and amphorae.</span></em><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img src="http://thebanmappingproject.com/images/large/15645.jpg" /></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><em><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The harpers that gave this tomb its nickname.</span></em><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img src="http://thebanmappingproject.com/images/large/16508.jpg" /></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The tomb of Rameses IX, KV 6, is unfinished, as many are, but is very interesting, and very lovely. After the death of the king, the remaining plastering and painting of the ceiling and walls of the tomb was hastily finished. The walls of KV 6 contain over fifty graffiti, mainly located on the upper part of the walls, indicating the tomb was partly filled with debris during antiquity.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">.<img id="il_fi" src="http://www.narmer.pl/kv/ima/kv06_01.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" height="424" width="600" /></span><br /><div style="border: medium none ;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></div><div style="border: medium none ;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="border: medium none ;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This is the astronomical ceiling in the burial chamber.</span></div><div style="border: medium none ;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="border: medium none ;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img src="http://thebanmappingproject.com/images/large/10927.jpg" /></span></div><div style="border: medium none ;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="border: medium none ;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The sarcophagus, now missing, would have been here. The heavy sarcophagus would not likely be removed by tomb robbers but may have been taken for "re-use,"</span></div><div style="border: medium none ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="border: medium none ;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">KV 9, was begun by Rameses V but he died with it incomplete and Rameses VI took it over for his own, enlarging it and completing the decorations. He also died before the tomb could be completed to his satisfaction, but he was buried here. It contains a virtual treatise on Egyptian theology. It even contains the smashed sarcophagus. We are almost alone it it and the images, including Nut and the astronomical depictions have us leaning over backwards until our necks are stiff. </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Dalia was SO right to be sure we saw this one. </span></div><div style="border: medium none ;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1309/1357145152_d5ff6455d3_o.jpg" /></span></div><div style="border: medium none ;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="border: medium none ;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Book of the Caverns, Books of the Night, Book of the Earth.... gorgeous works depicted in loving detail. </span></div><div style="border: medium none ;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="border: medium none ;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img src="http://thebanmappingproject.com/images/large/15080.jpg" /></span></div><div style="border: medium none ;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="border: medium none ;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The conclusion of the Book of Day with the goddess Nut about to swallow the sun. This is a popular ceiling illustration. </span></div><div style="border: medium none ;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img id="il_fi" src="http://artofcounting.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/KV9_Nut-dusk_Egypt.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" height="452" width="678" /></span></div><div style="border: medium none ;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img src="http://thebanmappingproject.com/images/large/10993.jpg" /></span></div><div style="border: medium none ;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="border: medium none ;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This enignmatic scene contains on the right Greek visitors' graffiti <img src="http://thebanmappingproject.com/images/large/16294.jpg" /></span></div><div style="border: medium none ;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="border: medium none ;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img id="il_fi" src="http://artofcounting.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/KV9-burial-chamber-Egypt.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" height="452" width="678" /></span></div><div style="border: medium none ;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="border: medium none ;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If you go to the Valley of the Kings, don't miss this one! This is 3,100 years old and still stunningly beautiful!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We could have stayed here for hours, for our ship is to sail just after noon, and we have other marvels we want to see.</span></div></div>Eloisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16709385941962753995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6212222354650379596.post-45849622115581161802011-01-20T23:01:00.063-05:002011-03-13T16:23:00.602-04:00On to Luxor<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">From Dendera, there we proceeded to Luxor, about an hour and a half to the south. Driving through the small towns of Egypt is a wonderful way to really see the countryside We enjoy seeing the many varied means of transportation, and wares for sale along the road. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><table class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-pUAhLCc9jfQ/TWWq1DAwVxI/AAAAAAAAMQk/oTtSUnUFYbI/s1600/DSCN1400.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-pUAhLCc9jfQ/TWWq1DAwVxI/AAAAAAAAMQk/oTtSUnUFYbI/s320/DSCN1400.JPG" border="0" height="235" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We cannot see but this load (not sure what it was) might be<br /> hauled by a donkey cart, a small truck, or even a man a scooter or bike.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><table class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yHF7AkB5FgY/TWWi27cGT7I/AAAAAAAAMQQ/fnlAA1G6AfQ/s1600/DSCN1403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yHF7AkB5FgY/TWWi27cGT7I/AAAAAAAAMQQ/fnlAA1G6AfQ/s320/DSCN1403.JPG" border="0" height="170" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:x-small;" >The oranges were just being harvested and they were wonderful</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-m2vhJDNDS2w/TWWi4y8C5pI/AAAAAAAAMQY/TJ73FGSSgB0/s1600/DSCN1402.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-m2vhJDNDS2w/TWWi4y8C5pI/AAAAAAAAMQY/TJ73FGSSgB0/s320/DSCN1402.JPG" border="0" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Dates are extremely popular in Egypt</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kDP0HNeEYEg/TWWixnCXl9I/AAAAAAAAMP4/YE8ZG2P5lh4/s1600/DSCN1408.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kDP0HNeEYEg/TWWixnCXl9I/AAAAAAAAMP4/YE8ZG2P5lh4/s320/DSCN1408.JPG" border="0" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Crops in front, a pyramid in the distance</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In Luxor, we leave our driver and check in on the boat, and have lunch. Jim checks in, and Dalia tells Eloise to go to the dining room to be sure we get some lunch, since it is late - well after 2 pm. The maitre d' seems a bit dubious that anyone so covered with dust and mud could actually be a cruise ship patron, but we are allowed to have lunch. (They quickly become accustomed to our less than "dressy" appearance.)</span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After lunch, and settling into the stateroom, which will be our "hotel" for the next four days, we meet up again with Dalia to see the great temples of Luxor and Karmak. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">These famous New Kingdom temples are two miles apart and once were connected by the avenue of the sphinxes. The existence of this avenue of sphinxes has only recently been rediscovered. It lies some 20-plus feet under the current street level, and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> is being uncovered and restored, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">little by little with the help of UNESCO which is also helping to fund purchase of the properties under which it lies. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Dalia suggests we visit Karnak first because Luxor can be seen at night but Karnak is closed soon after 4 pm in order to prepare for the sound and light show, a popular tourist attraction. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Our transportation is by horse and carriage. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Our particular horse looks reasonably well-fed and in decent condition, but some are little more than skin and bones, lame and with sores. We cannot understand why the drivers cannot see that proper care of their horses just makes good economic sense, regardless of whether they care about the animal.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ldp160GAwBM/TXvnTS2y0dI/AAAAAAAAOd0/H1c3e0MgJ5Q/s1600/356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ldp160GAwBM/TXvnTS2y0dI/AAAAAAAAOd0/H1c3e0MgJ5Q/s320/356.JPG" border="0" height="240" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Karrnak is not a single temple but a complex spanning several dynasties, with each pharaoh adding his (or in the case of Hapshepset, her) part of it. Here are some of the great obelisks still remaining in Egypt and some of the most monumental statues. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It was built over 1300 years, beginning in the 11<sup>th</sup> dynasty. Many of the kings felt it was more important to build BIG here rather than with the highest quality so although each addition seems to be larger than the last, the better quality workmanship is likely to be found in temples closer to where the pharaoh lived, in his own mortuary temple or in temples dedicated to whatever god each individual most favored. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><table class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.museum-tours.com/museum/roberts/wall05/030l.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" height="400" width="258" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This is what the Great Hall<br />looked like in the 1830s<br /><br /><br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><table class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-C1yBIMahl-4/TXvnnZXX8SI/AAAAAAAAOfo/LUYVCAoNInA/s1600/371.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-C1yBIMahl-4/TXvnnZXX8SI/AAAAAAAAOfo/LUYVCAoNInA/s320/371.JPG" border="0" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Today, with some restoration and on-going work of stabilization, this ancient wonder should last for some more generations</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Egyptian </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">revisionist history over the centuries and millennium meant some parts were defaced, or cartouches erased, particularly for Hatshepsut . It is a matter of current scholarly debate whether is was Tutmoses, her nephew and successor or Rameses II who made the most concentrated effort to erase her from history. How ironic that she and Tutankhamun, both of whom later rulers attempted to erase from history, are today among the best known of all Egyptian rulers.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uW2PmwNI9v8/TWcFHN26oFI/AAAAAAAAMdM/zxbKkzEbr0c/s1600/DSCN1504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uW2PmwNI9v8/TWcFHN26oFI/AAAAAAAAMdM/zxbKkzEbr0c/s320/DSCN1504.JPG" border="0" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uW2PmwNI9v8/TWcFHN26oFI/AAAAAAAAMdM/zxbKkzEbr0c/s1600/DSCN1504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The iconic entrance gate to Karmak was built by Ptolemy II. Hatshepsut had two obelisks erected here. They were walled in by later pharaohs, maybe Amenhotep II, maybe Rameses II, and only uncovered by archaeologists in modern times. The result is they are in very good condition. One is broken and lying on the ground. The other still stands and was partially (and deliberately) concealed by the obelisk erected by Rameses II. When he could not conceal it in its entirety, he covered the top with wood, which is why the top is of a different color and better preserved. Like all </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Egyptian obelisks, these are made of a single piece of stone. So too as are traditional Egyptian columns, unlike Greco-Roman ones, which are constructed in segments.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We walk through crowds in the <place st="on">Karnak</place> temple in late afternoon It is too large to describe accurately and actually incorporates many temples, many shrines, many obilisks built by many pharaohs over many centuries. It has been called the largest religious site on the earth. There are nine or ten pylons built on two axes and many obelisks have been removed. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">By the edge of the several acre ceremonial pool is the largest known scarab representation – the only larger beetle we have ever seen has four wheels. Egyptians made a god of Scarab beetles, Khefre, because they found the rolling of a dung ball, and the later emergence of the beetles that had been nourished within it to be miraculous. It became part of their creation myth. Many exquisite pieces of jewelry and art are in the form of scarabs.<br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBiq4-3vMh0RlpI75SJqRTjR-WTftWQv_TK-gUDOowstr7lST87_GKnSXB6wkXe2A03Rb90ExXnlL6LPDL3yVDfnVtyDLjTDpOzsMLik5Wz8_4t3dR8tcjGXXhOaJda5zdIsbChnmPxb4k/s1600/DSCN1520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBiq4-3vMh0RlpI75SJqRTjR-WTftWQv_TK-gUDOowstr7lST87_GKnSXB6wkXe2A03Rb90ExXnlL6LPDL3yVDfnVtyDLjTDpOzsMLik5Wz8_4t3dR8tcjGXXhOaJda5zdIsbChnmPxb4k/s320/DSCN1520.JPG" border="0" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">From here we go to Luxor Temple. While the sphnixes at Karmak generally have a ram head, here the heads are mostly human. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Luxor Temple is dedicated to the local triad of gods, Amun, Mut and Khonsu. It was mostly completed by Amonhotep III (father of the heretic king, Ankenaten) but added on to (inculding the great gates) by Rameses II.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It was later a Roman camp and here as elsewhere there are many fragments from Roman era pottery. Just inside the walls is a 13<sup>th</sup> century mosque and recently a proposal to remove this as part of the Pharaonic era restoration led to huge street demonstrations. That proposal has now been abandoned in favor of the alternative concept of preserving the mosque as itself being part of the site's history.It is still in active use.The call to prayers echoes above the 18<sup>th</sup> and 19<sup>th</sup> dynasty religious monuments.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><table class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7nhNFRzAkXQ/TWcKcUPBHGI/AAAAAAAAMf0/FXdp-5Esu-E/s320/DSCN1540.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" border="0" height="240" width="320" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This mosque, built in the 1200s AD, is inside the walls of<br />Luxor. It is still use today. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7nhNFRzAkXQ/TWcKcUPBHGI/AAAAAAAAMf0/FXdp-5Esu-E/s1600/DSCN1540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Among the most impressive elements at Luxor are the huge columns (Amunhotep III) that look like huge papyrus bundles.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizGfjtYWVgj8Pr3NRvOWaa7mtw6C1Y817RJik6IRs-GeBnwBb_mtPHJN34lDUyehehhC3WY3yjaWjGwn7U9MaQ6YRLI9qz9DmG41M4GJYlmB9JrMG1DNOsH9o_KK3AymD3bjkWesW4-m8T/s1600/DSCN1547.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizGfjtYWVgj8Pr3NRvOWaa7mtw6C1Y817RJik6IRs-GeBnwBb_mtPHJN34lDUyehehhC3WY3yjaWjGwn7U9MaQ6YRLI9qz9DmG41M4GJYlmB9JrMG1DNOsH9o_KK3AymD3bjkWesW4-m8T/s640/DSCN1547.JPG" border="0" height="480" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So we finish up this amazing day that has taken us from Abydos to Luxor to return to the ship, on the way </span><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">driving past </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">the illuminated temple complex (below)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">. That's a full moon over the mosque, though in athe photo it looks like a street light. It's a balmy evening along the Nile, and It has been yet another day filled with wonders.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" ><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4QtiqT6nBy8/TWcLA1TRIZI/AAAAAAAAMgw/mEh40HSKcsg/s1600/DSCN1550.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4QtiqT6nBy8/TWcLA1TRIZI/AAAAAAAAMgw/mEh40HSKcsg/s320/DSCN1550.JPG" border="0" height="240" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We enjoy a nice dinner - our choice from an extensive buffet. We return to our stateroom, to find our cabin boy is an amateur sculptor, employing linens - in this case towel and a pillow - with remarkable creativity.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72mDvzi0V3evboiZrakqP_w7LSOnVUltaUg_rMxYhA27ixX9Zvttv4_2Qq6yynAy47NDKEbQVpn2sxMaHbxQ7x66jLbCsy1uy7B_-tfVk3ghJlUVP7frdp5O0vSCoi-L4HodK5Qn08VtH/s1600/499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72mDvzi0V3evboiZrakqP_w7LSOnVUltaUg_rMxYhA27ixX9Zvttv4_2Qq6yynAy47NDKEbQVpn2sxMaHbxQ7x66jLbCsy1uy7B_-tfVk3ghJlUVP7frdp5O0vSCoi-L4HodK5Qn08VtH/s320/499.JPG" border="0" height="320" width="240" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We take the opportunity of some time this evening to catch up on our journals and enjoy the view out our window of the moon over the Nile, before settling down for a sound night's sleep. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-whCmzOvg78s/TUn3Cag7zcI/AAAAAAAAJgM/OUemvwTOyR4/s1600/498.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-whCmzOvg78s/TUn3Cag7zcI/AAAAAAAAJgM/OUemvwTOyR4/s320/498.JPG" border="0" height="240" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style=";font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12;" ><br /></span><br /><span style=";font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12;" ><br /></span></div>Eloisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16709385941962753995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6212222354650379596.post-7733572342177568392011-01-20T22:58:00.012-05:002011-03-12T22:05:01.428-05:00Dendera, built by Cleopatra<div dir="ltr" style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><table class="tr-caption-container" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; TEXT-ALIGN: right" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="CLEAR: right; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="http://artmight.com/albums/2010-09-11/1001-Orientalist-Art-Paintings/David-Roberts/normal_David-Roberts-The-Temple-At-Dendera.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="David Roberts The Temple At Dendera" src="http://artmight.com/albums/2010-09-11/1001-Orientalist-Art-Paintings/David-Roberts/normal_David-Roberts-The-Temple-At-Dendera.jpg" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dendera as it appears in the 1830s, artwork of David Roberts</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Next it is about an hour and 15 minute drive to Dendera, less than 40 miles north of Luxor. (Tourists often take a day trip from Luxor to visit here.)</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">This temple is dedicated to Hathor, goddess of love and pleasure and consort to the god Horus. The site is a very ancient place of healing although the temple itself is "new" in terms of Egyptian history. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">It is hard to imagine something dating to around the time of Christ as being "new," but this is one of the "youngest" temples in all of Egypt. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">built between 30 BC and 14 AD,. However, it is thought it was constructed on top of much older temple, and this may have been a cult site dating back to the Old Kingdom.</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px;font-size:12;color:black;" ><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Today the sand has been removed and it looks like this:</span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="CLEAR: left; FLOAT: left; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://egyptsites.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/dendera-1.jpg?w=480" imageanchor="1"><img src="http://egyptsites.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/dendera-1.jpg?w=480" border="0" /></a><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-A3ndl6-UVlc/TWMmN77PgDI/AAAAAAAAMMw/Mm_OxvaeWM8/s1600/DSCN1440.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="320" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-A3ndl6-UVlc/TWMmN77PgDI/AAAAAAAAMMw/Mm_OxvaeWM8/s320/DSCN1440.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:x-small;color:#444444;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">This a late Greco-Roman temple is very well-preserved but it did sustain some damage because it was occupied by the Coptics, who used it as both a church and a refuge. Holes were cut to tether animals and some of the faces were effaced, particularly in any place where the Coptics lived or worshiped. Again there is also fire damage, probably from attacks by Romans who for a time persecuted the Coptic Christians. There is also additional soot from centuries of lamps and other lighting, which is being cleaned. From the time of <place st="on"><city st="on">Constantine</city></place> until the Arab conquest, the temple was used as a Christian church</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The capitals of the columns feature the face of Hathor but most of those are deliberately erased, presumably by the Coptics.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"> A series of Ptolomies worked on the construction of the temple, but it was completed by the last Ptolomy, Cleopatra IV, the only Ptolomy to speak Egyptian and to actually believe the old religion. An image of her is found on the back wall of the temple, with Caeserian, her son, making offerings to Hathor. </span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-a5YEBz-7zDU/TWMpnPSzKdI/AAAAAAAAMNo/qXhgevR_iBE/s1600/DSCN1426.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="320" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-a5YEBz-7zDU/TWMpnPSzKdI/AAAAAAAAMNo/qXhgevR_iBE/s320/DSCN1426.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The images however clearly show the Greek influence with more realistic as opposed to idealized bodies. Also although the inscriptions are hieroglyphics, the language is Greek.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Although the temple retains much of the traditional Egyptian style, it has a second floor which is unknown in the older dynastic temples. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">This temple includes lion-headed drains to remove water from the second floor. Many of the carved and painted images still retain their colors.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-NGufMH5Z4g0/TXvYMYhEe_I/AAAAAAAAOcE/upBJ2Zq3hlw/s1600/330.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="320" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-NGufMH5Z4g0/TXvYMYhEe_I/AAAAAAAAOcE/upBJ2Zq3hlw/s320/330.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nut embracing the sky - her head is in the lower right<br />and her body embraces the sky. She swallows the sun each<br />evening and gives birth to the sun again each morning</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">On the second floor is a sanctuary, with the goddess Nut depicted on the ceiling – she swallows the sun each night and gives birth to the sun each morning. She is often part of sky tombs in tombs. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">There is the story depicted here (and in many other temples) of Isis retrieving Osiris’s body parts after his dismemberment by Seth, his evil brother, reassembling him, bringing him back to life, being impregnated by him and then his decision to become lord of the dead.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Another feature that sticks in your mind is the crypt –unique in Egyptian temples. We went down into it. (Jim had a hard time slipping through the tiny opening! Good thing he is slimmer than he once was!) It was used in the old religion by the priests though its exact purpose is still a matter of debate. The Coptics used it as a hiding place in the second and third century when they were being persecuted by the Romans. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">When Dendera was built the Nile came up to the front of the temple, and from here, once a year, the statue of Hathor was carried by boat to the temple of Horus in Edfu where the two statues would be purified and carried to the second floor where they would spend the night together, celebrating a good union, good marriage. The temple includes a small New Year's chapel with one of those magnificent illustrations of Nut giving birth to the sun. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">There is also a small temple to Isis, Hathor's best friend among the divinities. (At a temple dedicated to <place st="on">Isis</place>, she would return the favor.)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The Romans also built “birth houses” (Mammisi) here, mostly of mud bricks, but there is one of stone, quite well preserved. This entire complex was buried in sand until the 1800s, which explains its good state of preservation. It includes portrayals of the dwarf god, Bes, the god of childbirth.</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lN08WRqyh60/TWMrqMQ66hI/AAAAAAAAMOg/yFmeV9bDNyE/s1600/DSCN1417.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lN08WRqyh60/TWMrqMQ66hI/AAAAAAAAMOg/yFmeV9bDNyE/s320/DSCN1417.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div></div></div>Eloisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16709385941962753995noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6212222354650379596.post-84848115904763889202011-01-20T19:43:00.094-05:002011-03-12T21:29:40.312-05:00Abydos, a sacred site for 5,000 years<div dir="ltr" style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><a style="CLEAR: left; FLOAT: left; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5meAEMk12ewTS74l9jS-J69JXqhZNWATROhZpBenBV7wVtxLT9im4hOZWU8QPQIMDMerTcIonf8OEkg_6usy4K9B1ia1IIEwBMpTXXzw2CIzlLK-uiEeYsHibfv3rKgGZweYlso8UBMwz/s1600/DSCN1326.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5meAEMk12ewTS74l9jS-J69JXqhZNWATROhZpBenBV7wVtxLT9im4hOZWU8QPQIMDMerTcIonf8OEkg_6usy4K9B1ia1IIEwBMpTXXzw2CIzlLK-uiEeYsHibfv3rKgGZweYlso8UBMwz/s200/DSCN1326.JPG" width="200" border="0" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal">Thursday, January 20, </span></span>we are up early , groom and go downstairs there there is a nice breakfast at the Abydos House laid out for us. We also enjoy seeing some artwork of the lady of the house that is lovingly displayed on the walls. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><a style="CLEAR: left; FLOAT: left; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-_AEXKzJLOvw/TXrIkY4M1XI/AAAAAAAAOVA/QVwwBcleDco/s1600/DSCN1328.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="150" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-_AEXKzJLOvw/TXrIkY4M1XI/AAAAAAAAOVA/QVwwBcleDco/s200/DSCN1328.JPG" width="200" border="0" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">From the Abydos House it is a short walk to <city st="on"><place st="on">Abydos</place></city> temple, passing by the location of tombs from the 1<sup>st</sup> and 2<sup>nd</sup> dynasty. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;" >Burials had taken place here since pre-dynastic times. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The early tombs are not open – in fact, the fragile mud brick tombs have been re-buried to protect them. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">This was the main cult center of Osiris, lord of the underworld. The ancients believed the entrance to the underworld was located at the mouth of a canyon here.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse">A thousand years later, one of those <span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; BORDER-COLLAPSE: separate">1<sup>st</sup> and 2<sup>nd</sup></span> dynasty tombs was mistaken for the tomb of Osiris and pilgrims would leave offerings to the god at the site. The temple we are visiting was begun by Seti I, (1294-1279 BC) and completed by his son Rameses II. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Many later pharaohs put cenotaphs (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:black;">funerary monument, in the form of a tomb, for one who is buried elsewhere</span>) here in Abydos symbolizing connection between lower and upper Egypt, even though they were buried elsewhere. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;" >(Indeed some "New Age" types continue to make pilgrimages here and to Dendera, which we visit later today. However unlike those "modern" would-be Egyptians, there is no indication that reincarnation played any role in ancient Egyptian beliefs.)</span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" ><br /></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="CLEAR: right; FLOAT: right; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-LEFT: 1em" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-YcVWO0cfFGw/TXrInjKfWdI/AAAAAAAAOVY/cOivP9P30vE/s1600/DSCN1332.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-YcVWO0cfFGw/TXrInjKfWdI/AAAAAAAAOVY/cOivP9P30vE/s320/DSCN1332.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" >There are fragments and traces of earlier temples, sacred lakes and other structures but these are all in poor shape except for this</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"> temple built by Seti I. This temple is astonishingly intact, most of it still standing and with the colors on the low relief carvings retaining much of their original brilliance. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">I</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">n terms of modern tourism, this is Middle <country-region st="on"><place st="on">Egypt</place></COUNTRY-REGION> and off the beaten track. (It can be reached as a day trip from Luxor, but the numbers of visits are low) That's a shame because this 3300 year old temple is one of the most impressive we saw with many beautiful low relief scenes that remain much of their original color. According to experts </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15px;color:#2f3746;" >is one of the most beautifully decorated temples in all of Egypt. </span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px"><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">This was the most sacred cult center in ancient times and every ancient Egyptian tried to visit here at least once in their lifetime. (Those who failed to make the journey might place a scene of their visit here on their mortuary temple or tomb walls, which apparently secured the same blessing of Osiris.)</span><br /><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCKKcq_9yPh18dudbxh1z9r2i5KGeL9EW4Gqckv7XQBEzYZLq4muAhyphenhyphenAznd1B4JgIVzzj16ehd_Il96g3EUHn4QdGDQSry8qgNLk06bOtDqTFhrM-xEoiaAWVo7dRfF2-VaW-JkRPJbQdq/s1600/DSCN1338.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCKKcq_9yPh18dudbxh1z9r2i5KGeL9EW4Gqckv7XQBEzYZLq4muAhyphenhyphenAznd1B4JgIVzzj16ehd_Il96g3EUHn4QdGDQSry8qgNLk06bOtDqTFhrM-xEoiaAWVo7dRfF2-VaW-JkRPJbQdq/s320/DSCN1338.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In this picture of the temple facade, you can see what is original<br />and what is reconstruction. The reconstruction allows you to<br />appreciate the original appearance</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Although the facade of Abydos is restored, but the colors and reliefs are original. Abydos includes many illustrations of the interaction between gods and between the king and the gods. In the second hypostyle hall (a columned and roofed hall) are illustrations of Seti with the gods Horus and Osiris. </span><br /><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-K8-03yDJzsU/TWWxq0n6jOI/AAAAAAAAMS8/PiYQygbTRoQ/s1600/DSCN1371.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-K8-03yDJzsU/TWWxq0n6jOI/AAAAAAAAMS8/PiYQygbTRoQ/s400/DSCN1371.JPG" width="300" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:x-small;">Horus blessing Seti</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><table class="tr-caption-container" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; TEXT-ALIGN: right" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="CLEAR: right; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="http://www.art-and-archaeology.com/egypt/egy329-4.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img height="320" src="http://www.art-and-archaeology.com/egypt/egy329-4.jpg" width="236" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:x-small;">Seti offering a gift to the god Osiris</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Further into the temple are chapels dedicated to Osiris, Horus, Ptah, Amun, Isis, Ra-Horakhty and a divine Pharaoh, Seti himself. Each would have contained a golden statue and a barque for the god. You could spend days here just looking at the walls and struggling to understand what those ancient designers intended us to learn. However, it is interesting to note some of the most important designs are in the interior of the temple where only the king and the high priests would ever see them.</span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 16px">However, for archaeologists and historians, the most important thing here is the king list, which claims to list every king from Menes, through Seti, from the first through 19th Dynasty. A total of 76 kings in all are listed</span> </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">To the left end of the long corridor there is a depiction of Seti I, and in front of him a young boy, who is his son, who will become Rameses II. The prince is depicted wearing the "side lock" of youth.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><table class="tr-caption-container" style="CLEAR: right; FLOAT: right; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; TEXT-ALIGN: left" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="CLEAR: left; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-cj-40QZwbSc/TWRs8X3-83I/AAAAAAAAMRU/Nn4oXd4oyBA/s1600/DSCN1391.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="320" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-cj-40QZwbSc/TWRs8X3-83I/AAAAAAAAMRU/Nn4oXd4oyBA/s320/DSCN1391.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:x-small;">Seti with his son, Rameses</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The list covers most of the rest of of the lengthy wall, yet it is incomplete. Missing, for example, are all the kings of the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 18px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: nonecolor:#584d4d;" >the Second Intermediate Period. Also missing are the "politically incorrect" rulers. This includes the female pharaoh, Hatshepsut, and the four "Amarna" rulers, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 18px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: nonecolor:#584d4d;" >Akhenaten, Smenkhkara, Tutankhamun and Ay.</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 18px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: nonecolor:#584d4d;" ><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 18px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: nonecolor:#584d4d;" >The other omitted kings may be those whose rule over the entire land was questionable (as in the Intermediate Period when at times more than one king seems to have ruled at the same time).</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 18px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: nonecolor:#584d4d;" ><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 18px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: nonecolor:#584d4d;" >This is one of three known Kings Lists, and by comparing these, along with other historical documents, Egyptologists have managed to piece together a pretty good record of the rulers</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 18px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: nonecolor:#584d4d;" ><br /></span></span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><br /><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PCgTcJv290g/TWRs-aitFbI/AAAAAAAAMPI/BGvyYCtipMc/s1600/DSCN1390.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="640" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PCgTcJv290g/TWRs-aitFbI/AAAAAAAAMPI/BGvyYCtipMc/s640/DSCN1390.JPG" width="480" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:x-small;">A small section of the Kings List</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Like many other temples and tombs, this site was later used by Romans, and Coptics. Damage, including holes cut in the rock to tie up animals and soot from fires is evident in many places. Also evident are pottery shards from the Greco Roman period.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Behind the temple is the Osirieon, where it is said Osiris' head was buried. This is a pit filled with water, right now although many of the columns are visible, but it has yet to pumped out. This was built by Seti I but the legend of Osiris and his being buried there goes back to Old Kindgom and this was the cult center for that god of resurection. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-_EX6QONlhiw/TWRtICZx-UI/AAAAAAAAMQ8/LM4b6k-dEpI/s1600/DSCN1396.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-_EX6QONlhiw/TWRtICZx-UI/AAAAAAAAMQ8/LM4b6k-dEpI/s320/DSCN1396.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">Osirieon</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Throughout all of ancient Egyptian history, religion as based on this "resurrection" concept. The reason for the tombs, mortuary temples and mummfication was to preserve the body and the <em>being</em> of the deceased so that he or she could resume life in the next world, as life was in this one.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#444444;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#444444;">Pictures from both Abydos and Dendera, which we visit next are here: <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/eloise.hedbor/20110120?authkey=Gv1sRgCI2_lc6XvZ3BNg">https://picasaweb.google.com/eloise.hedbor/20110120?authkey=Gv1sRgCI2_lc6XvZ3BNg</a>#</span></div></div>Eloisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16709385941962753995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6212222354650379596.post-30913528719632132612011-01-19T21:07:00.337-05:002011-03-12T21:05:33.809-05:00Happy Birthday, Astrid!<div dir="ltr" style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><br /></div><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgotJ5X66fitfkcJQi1wCdWeQR5rpUqrs94K9cP-N2ZDTYF-9-jdnaQfK3Gra69dGm6dBbsWqhhADKkIR1-F9KRC5Xa6VlUOyg3uc7K7o1w_0DClni_nV4tQ6Jh7iWLAzqSBDM9aj9cRI5o/s1600/DSCN2089.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgotJ5X66fitfkcJQi1wCdWeQR5rpUqrs94K9cP-N2ZDTYF-9-jdnaQfK3Gra69dGm6dBbsWqhhADKkIR1-F9KRC5Xa6VlUOyg3uc7K7o1w_0DClni_nV4tQ6Jh7iWLAzqSBDM9aj9cRI5o/s640/DSCN2089.JPG" width="593" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><br /> </td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Tried to send Astrid a message, but not sure it got through. Did not get a reply. Of course it would have been just after midnight, so that was not a big surprise! May she will get it later.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Packed and ready to go by 7:30. Take our one suitcase and two cabin cases down to the hotel restaurant where we have a substantial breakfast (included with the room), with Ful Mendanes, a very basic Egyptian food like refried beans, a boiled egg, cheese and Egyptian bread.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We found it curious that there was a Christmas tree in front of the hotel in El Minya, but Dalia explains that Christmas is widely celebrated in Egypt, and we did see Christmas decorations still displayed in a number of places, including little Santas hanging from mirrors in cabs!</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-1auhZfE1XDA/TV8ojXYk7xI/AAAAAAAAMGo/2ckriAUMudM/s1600/DSCN1247.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-1auhZfE1XDA/TV8ojXYk7xI/AAAAAAAAMGo/2ckriAUMudM/s320/DSCN1247.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0in"><br /></div><div style="MARGIN: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">When Dalia comes to pick us up, we find we have a different driver (no explanation, but we surmised either Dalia or Samir had fired him). We easily found the Beni Hasan site and found it well worth the trouble. Dalia explains these are tombs of high officials, governors and military men rather than kings and so they feature scenes of everyday life. They date to the Middle Kingdom, 11th and 12th dynasties, about 2000 to 1780 BC.<span class="apple-style-span"> </span> </span></div><div style="MARGIN: 0in"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HZwfjioKCb0/TV8omTbu2XI/AAAAAAAAMG4/vOaXND5Xnds/s1600/DSCN1250.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HZwfjioKCb0/TV8omTbu2XI/AAAAAAAAMG4/vOaXND5Xnds/s320/DSCN1250.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">In contrast to most places, the city of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><city st="on"><place st="on"><city st="on"><place st="on">El Minya</place></city><span class="apple-converted-space"></span></place></city> is on the west bank and the tombs are on the east side of the river, cut into high limestone cliffs across from the city. The reason is that only the east bank cliffs were suitable for tombs – the limestone on the west side of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><place st="on"><place st="on">Nile</place><span class="apple-converted-space"></span></place> here is just too fragile.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="CLEAR: left; FLOAT: left; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HDcTpP0KDkU/TV8ooPk6tfI/AAAAAAAAMHA/pEvIuiVIoGM/s1600/DSCN1251.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HDcTpP0KDkU/TV8ooPk6tfI/AAAAAAAAMHA/pEvIuiVIoGM/s320/DSCN1251.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-PMhzvM18dIo/TWBdkrn1c6I/AAAAAAAAMH4/yWSW02s_56Q/s1600/DSCN1258.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="320" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-PMhzvM18dIo/TWBdkrn1c6I/AAAAAAAAMH4/yWSW02s_56Q/s320/DSCN1258.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The tombs are high up on the East Bank cliffs, cut straight into living rock, part of the mountain. Typical is a big doorway with a courtyard, a door surrounded with text telling the story of the man’s life. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Next generally is one large room, about 40 by 40 feet, with 12 foot high ceilings and columns. Walls and ceilings all painted after being plastered to smooth them. Scenes are of ordinary life, offering tables (so that survivors know what the deceased wants - things like bread, meat, wine, fruit), places for sarcophagus. Several of the tombs had a separate room with niche in back for statues of owner and possibly wife and children, and to side, deep grave shafts, 50 or 60 feet down. No mummies or coffins were found in any of these tombs. All valuables were removed in antiquity - cedar doors covered with gold leaf were probably the first to go. Today, only the paintings, many of which are still brilliant, remain. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The tombs were later used by Coptic Christians, to hide from would-be persecutors. Over the centuries, the tombs were also used as stables (holes have been cut into floors to allow tethering of animals) and for storage.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div style="MARGIN: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">There are a total of 39 tombs here but only a handful are open to the public and in good condition. </span></div><div style="MARGIN: 0in"><br /></div><div style="MARGIN: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">This site is especially interesting because it gives us a peek into the daily lives of these people who lived as much as 4,000 years ago. Because these are for ordinary people rather than kings and queens, the paintings are of daily life, rather than the affairs of gods. The wall murals in Beni Hasan are decorated with paint only, rather than the older painted-relief. </span></div><div style="MARGIN: 0in"><br /></div><div style="MARGIN: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The earliest tomb we visit is that of Baqet, who was apparently enthusiastic about wrestling. One entire wall of his tomb depicts almost 200 wrestling positions. (Sadly you are not permitted to take pictures in any of these tombs, but there are some professional pictures so that you can get an idea what they look like.) </span></div><div style="MARGIN: 0in"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="MARGIN: 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img src="http://egypttourinfo.com/beni-hassan_files/BIGbeni-hassan-egypt.jpg" /></span></div><div style="MARGIN: 0in"><br /></div><div style="MARGIN: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Son of Baqet was Kheti, like his father a local governor, and he shows many agricultural enterprises, including wonderful depictions of winemaking, harvesting of various recognizable crops, and other activities of rural life. Below is the main room of his tomb. </span></div><div style="MARGIN: 0in"><br /></div><div style="MARGIN: 0in"><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://egyptopia.com/shared/images/geographic/2/15/50/11705/11709/gr/tomb-of-kheti_11709_kheti-_11815.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="http://egyptopia.com/shared/images/geographic/2/15/50/11705/11709/gr/tomb-of-kheti_11709_kheti-_11815.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span></div><div style="MARGIN: 0in"><br /></div><div style="MARGIN: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Below is the interior of Khnumhotep's tomb. Like many of the tombs here, and all the features - beams, columns, etc., have no structural function, but are works of sculpture. In this picture below you can see the base of one of the columns. The paintings are idealized representations of the life of a gentleman farmer, showing how Khnumhotep envisioned his afterlife. A statue of Khnumhotep would originally have stood in the niche in the wall.</span></div><div style="MARGIN: 0in"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="MARGIN: 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img src="http://www.utexas.edu/courses/classicalarch/benihasan-khnumhotep.jpg" /></span></div><div class="separator" style="MARGIN: 0in"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="MARGIN: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">It is important to remember that the ancient Egyptians were not so much focused on death as the effort they put into their tombs might suggest. It may be more accurate to see them as cherishing their lives so much that they wanted to continue the activities they had enjoyed in this life in the next one!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">From El Minya, we drive to Amarna, the city of <city st="on"><place st="on">Akhenaten</place></city>, the heretic king. He was originally crowned Amenhotep IV but a few years into his reign, he changed his name and began to promote a single god, the Aten. When the priests of the other gods, especially <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Amon Ra, apparently sought to undermine his authority, he chose to move the entire capital to a new site, in <place st="on"><placename st="on">Western</placename> <placetype st="on">Desert</placetype></place>, choosing his site where a clef in the rocks perfectly framed the sun. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">He was building in haste, but he still created an impressive city. Because the basic construction material was mud bricks for most of the buildings, including his palace, little remains save the foundations. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Today we have a police escort- a pickup truck with a policeman driving and three more in the back under a truck cap. It is still chilly and they are huddling under blankets, armed with military submachine guns. </span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ncv86ypqoJ8/TWBfXGsOM4I/AAAAAAAAMIk/O9BU3yGTMFQ/s1600/DSCN1270.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ncv86ypqoJ8/TWBfXGsOM4I/AAAAAAAAMIk/O9BU3yGTMFQ/s320/DSCN1270.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">There are armed guards with AK 47s or similar at the archaeological sites too. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">To reach Amarna, we drive parallel to the west bank through agricultural land and take a small ferry across the <place st="on"><place st="on">Nile</place></place>, together with our escorts, and local people doing their day to day business. We see very few tourists.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-_Za9zBC_wAY/TWBfYYJLdgI/AAAAAAAAMIs/uN0yJ1gl7XE/s1600/DSCN1271.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="320" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-_Za9zBC_wAY/TWBfYYJLdgI/AAAAAAAAMIs/uN0yJ1gl7XE/s320/DSCN1271.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="CLEAR: left; FLOAT: left; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cuMrMNYbMDo/TWBrWHK-loI/AAAAAAAAMJA/YT7fgyfurJY/s1600/DSCN1283.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cuMrMNYbMDo/TWBrWHK-loI/AAAAAAAAMJA/YT7fgyfurJY/s320/DSCN1283.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The most important thing to see at Amarna is the location, isolated and, at least today, desolate. Boundaries and layout of a good sized city that came and went in two decades. It may have been the first planned community on the planet. The cliffs also on the east side of the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><place st="on"><place st="on">Nile</place><span class="apple-converted-space"></span></place> above the city site are where the tombs were built and from that vantage point you can get an idea of the extent of the city, called Akhetaten in ancient times</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dM8RpbKA1qw/TWBrccjpMtI/AAAAAAAAMJY/iDs4I5AcrSk/s1600/DSCN1288.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dM8RpbKA1qw/TWBrccjpMtI/AAAAAAAAMJY/iDs4I5AcrSk/s320/DSCN1288.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We visit three tombs of nobles. <span class="apple-style-span">Ahmose was 'Fanbearer on the King's Right Hand', 'Steward of the Estate of Akhenaten' and 'Royal Scribe." </span> Mery-ra's tomb included an image of Akhenaten presenting him with the collar as high priest of the Aten. This tomb also contains the best representation of what the city must have looked like at its height. Penthu's tomb includes s<span class="apple-style-span">cenes of a visit from the royal family to the temple and the royal family giving a reward to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penthu"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none">Penthu</span></a> at the temple. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">What makes these tombs so different from those of Beni Hasan is not just the centuries that separate them or even the difference in artistic style. At Amarna non royal tombs do not show activities of daily life but rather show the owner paying homage to the Pharaoh and his beautiful wife Nefertiti. And of course the Aten is prominently featured everywhere. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Most tombs here were never finished and never occupied by their builders. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">In most places at Amarna, the faces of the King and his Queen have been obliterated, and the king's cartouche has been erased has been defaced in most places. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Akhenaten's temple was of course, built of stone, but successors who wanted to erase all history of the heretic carted away most of the stone, often reusing it in their own construction. Unlike all other Egyptian temples, the Great Temple of Aten was never roofed, because worship of the Aten required that the temple be open to the rays of the sun. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:arial;">He was building in haste, but he still created an impressive city. Because the basic construction material was mud bricks for most of the buildings, including his palace, little remains save the foundations. Another innovation was using smaller, uniform sized stone blocks to build his temple to the Aten, so it could could be quickly built. It turned out, this also allowed the temple to be quickly torn down, and the materials used elsewhere.Thousands of these blocks were used as fill in a Rameses II Pylon at Karnak Temple. Twentieth Century Archaeologists found these, recorded the carvings on each of hundreds of pieces, and were able to piece them together like a puzzle. These are now some of the best images of the art of Akhenaten's time, though the priests and his successors tried to erase him and his religion from history. <br /><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-gZJeWvDJ5LA/TWBuz26JpnI/AAAAAAAAMKg/cg5_Abz9FzI/s1600/DSCN1295.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="320" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-gZJeWvDJ5LA/TWBuz26JpnI/AAAAAAAAMKg/cg5_Abz9FzI/s320/DSCN1295.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dalia and Eloise on the site of the the great temple</span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Later rulers however made sure that the Aten – solar disk – symbol, was effaced in many locations. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We also visit the ruins of the royal palace, which is today mostly just piles of rubble from the disintegrated mud brick.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-E8IAJAaJcIk/TWBuyLYKYwI/AAAAAAAAORs/QkK0GYHx38o/s1600/DSCN1294.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-E8IAJAaJcIk/TWBuyLYKYwI/AAAAAAAAORs/QkK0GYHx38o/s320/DSCN1294.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div></span><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Our last visit of the day is to Tuna El-Gebel and the famous catacombs where thousands of mummies of baboons and ibises have been found, each in its own little niche carved our of the stone. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">This was a place sacred to the god Thoth and these animals were offerings </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">to associated deities. </span><br /><table class="tr-caption-container" style="FLOAT: right; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/--vIzmger4Eo/TWF7X57PSbI/AAAAAAAAMK0/F2SC8jgoseQ/s1600/DSCN1308.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/--vIzmger4Eo/TWF7X57PSbI/AAAAAAAAMK0/F2SC8jgoseQ/s320/DSCN1308.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mausoleum of Isadora</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">There are a number of late tombs here, some in very poor shape, but we did visit those of Petrosirius and Isadora, a Roman princess. She was placed a mausoleum here by her father after she died while trying to swim the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><place st="on"><place st="on">Nile</place><span class="apple-converted-space"></span></place> to meet her lover. She appears well preserved but is not as true mummy. She is simply desiccated by the extremely dry climate. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We see distinctly Roman column on the chapels. </span></span></span><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-SQOLXkkOqFI/TXmVIMUeJCI/AAAAAAAAOSE/KtRaGlzsCw4/s1600/DSCN1309.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-SQOLXkkOqFI/TXmVIMUeJCI/AAAAAAAAOSE/KtRaGlzsCw4/s320/DSCN1309.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We stayed here until almost the 4 pm closing time and on the road out we visited what may be the most interesting thing here. With only minutes to spare, we scampered up several hundred steps to the cliff s to see the boundary stella of Akhenaten’s city. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Q_lELWE4svA/TWmAt-hxeiI/AAAAAAAAMh8/xXK2SSiUwEM/s1600/DSCN1318.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="300" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Q_lELWE4svA/TWmAt-hxeiI/AAAAAAAAMh8/xXK2SSiUwEM/s400/DSCN1318.JPG" width="400" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="CLEAR: left; FLOAT: left; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Ds_SxShOIX8/TXmRek-wD5I/AAAAAAAAOR0/RqJK1HdSin8/s1600/DSCN1314.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="320" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Ds_SxShOIX8/TXmRek-wD5I/AAAAAAAAOR0/RqJK1HdSin8/s320/DSCN1314.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">This monument escaped destruction after Akhenaten’s reign and is the only known stella marking the boarders of Akhenaten's great city that was not defaced. It is a 1 ½ times life-size relief showing Akhenaten, Nefertiti and their four daughters. And Queen Tye, Akhenaten’s mother as well, adoring the Aten symbol. This is very dramatic art and differs greatly from other traditional stylized Egyptian relief’s it is well protected behind Plexiglas and is very impressive. The only reason we got to see this place is because all of our work on fitness is paying off!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Dalia gets a phone call from the guards demanding that we hurry up and leave – it’s past closing time. A van full of German tourists is complaining because we went up there and they were not allowed to do likewise. We leave at 4:10 pushing the rules and drive for 5 hours, at night with a police escort, to<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><city st="on"><place st="on"><city st="on"><place st="on">Abydos</place></city></place></city>. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">During the course of this day, we have seen so much that is wonderful. But now we have a very long drive. We have paused at a rest stop for a quick bathroom break, and see one more wonder - the beautiful little bee-eater bird. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-hU8_Ldtt69w/TXmUGzjn9DI/AAAAAAAAOSA/Wx_Si56EIYw/s1600/DSCN1313.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="288" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-hU8_Ldtt69w/TXmUGzjn9DI/AAAAAAAAOSA/Wx_Si56EIYw/s320/DSCN1313.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">These long drives in Middle<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><country-region st="on"><place st="on">Egypt<span class="apple-converted-space"></span></place></COUNTRY-REGION> are scary. At night, big trucks driving two ways on a one way, supposedly limited access, highway – drive with - at most - only their running lights, and then flash their high beams continuously when they approach you. Past 9 pm on the outskirts of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><city st="on"><place st="on"><city st="on"><place st="on">Abydos</place></city></place></city>, the escort leaves us. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We are driving slowly on a small road in a settled area. There are pedestrians everywhere along with donkeys, tup-tups (odd-looking three-wheeled vehicles imported from India), buffalos, carts of all kinds (pulled by donkeys, horses and people), big loads on small vehicles, no lights, dark clothing. Somehow we do get to our destination without incident. At the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><city st="on"><city st="on">Abydos</city></city> House – a private home sort of like a bed and breakfast - our dinner is the best meal so far in<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><country-region st="on"><place st="on"><country-region st="on"><place st="on">Egypt</place></COUNTRY-REGION>: p</place></COUNTRY-REGION>yramid bread (baked in the sun without an oven), vegetable soup, grilled chicken, and rice pilaf - all absolutely delicious. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">By the way the rest of the left-over chicken from Day 2 plus Dalia’s contributions of cheese, jam, tinned chicken, tomatoes, Egyptian bread, cucumbers, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">instant tea mixed with bottled water, chocolate cake, oranges and an apple </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">made good road food – we never stopped for lunch. We were on a purposeful expedition and did not want to waste time to stop to eat – assuming there was such a place.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We had had a 16-hour day, we ate like kings and slept like babies and up early the next day for<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><city st="on"><place st="on"><city st="on"><place st="on">Abydos</place></city></place></city>.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Other pictures from the day are here: </span><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/eloise.hedbor/20110119?authkey=Gv1sRgCLnjkLCzjebLtQE#">https://picasaweb.google.com/eloise.hedbor/20110119?authkey=Gv1sRgCLnjkLCzjebLtQE#</a></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span style="font-size:12;"></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span style="font-size:12;"><br /></span></span></div></div>Eloisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16709385941962753995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6212222354650379596.post-66034213467230007122011-01-18T20:14:00.112-05:002011-03-12T17:44:09.644-05:00The FIRST "True" Pyramid<div dir="ltr" style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Day four - we depart the townhouse in our 4 by 4, which we needed to get out of the uncharacteristically muddy roads in Fayoum. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-I5Z5PzwegWs/TVx9_8pWiyI/AAAAAAAAMBY/YULSUjjBGLE/s1600/DSCN1214.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-I5Z5PzwegWs/TVx9_8pWiyI/AAAAAAAAMBY/YULSUjjBGLE/s320/DSCN1214.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Later we switch to a van and the new driver is proud - it is brand new. Although it is just the two of us and Dalia, it is designed to hold up to 14 passengers - unfortunately it has no foot room in the second seat (where we want to sit in order to listen to Dalia whose narratives are wonderful) - worse than a plane!</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><a style="CLEAR: right; FLOAT: right; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-LEFT: 1em" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pxtrackE7y0/TVx9fqER_PI/AAAAAAAAMBA/7tGGkL8h-28/s1600/DSCN1216.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="91" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pxtrackE7y0/TVx9fqER_PI/AAAAAAAAMBA/7tGGkL8h-28/s320/DSCN1216.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">On our way we pass through a newly built "City of the Dead," a hige modern cemetery that stretches for several miles along the highway. Families construct what look like small houses on their "plot," places family members can come of pay honor to the deceased. Beneath the :house" there will be two separate burial chambers, one for men and one for women. Fewer than half of these tombs are already actually in use, Dalia tells us, but most are already prepared to be ready should the need arise. </span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pxtrackE7y0/TVx9fqER_PI/AAAAAAAAMBA/7tGGkL8h-28/s1600/DSCN1216.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;"></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKwm_mlWZ8F_iWZlq-A1Ih-dROn2WMddT5zrz6N4nHyCbMqIIDZBnYPyTLmebX3CVwMSS9FVrclRT5Tci2bPaVPJ0n-fANPzm0JayzJDtjtU-MaqPbuXWnIn4-yCOPoCDd3MINHGXZZhKj/s1600/DSCN2089.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKwm_mlWZ8F_iWZlq-A1Ih-dROn2WMddT5zrz6N4nHyCbMqIIDZBnYPyTLmebX3CVwMSS9FVrclRT5Tci2bPaVPJ0n-fANPzm0JayzJDtjtU-MaqPbuXWnIn4-yCOPoCDd3MINHGXZZhKj/s320/DSCN2089.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It continues to be cold, with fog and rain as we drive on east toward <span class="Apple-style-span" style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse">Meidum, what is thought to be the first effort to construct a "true" - that is, smooth-sided - pyramid, 4,600 years ago. As we reach the site, it is actually difficult to realize that the hill looming in the distance is actually the famous Meidum pyramid We sto</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;">p at the administration building - there are no other tourists here today. We are off the tourist track for next three days, in "Middle Egypt". Through the fog we can barely see this distinctive and unique pyramid. </span></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;color:#444444;"><br /></span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tvzZl2WtZ8A/TVyI593h0AI/AAAAAAAAMCs/OUaKD6fPFdE/s1600/DSCN1221.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;"><img height="146" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tvzZl2WtZ8A/TVyI593h0AI/AAAAAAAAMCs/OUaKD6fPFdE/s320/DSCN1221.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;color:#444444;"><br /></span></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;color:#444444;">As we walk toward it, we realize It is really huge. It was 4,600 years ago that Sneferu, the founder of the 4th Dynasty, built a step pyramid like that of Djoser. Then he took the next step, filling in the steps with rubble and faced it with white limestone. He had in mind a perfect gleaming white pyramid, but probably it started to collapse even before it was completed. The burial chamber was never completed. Today there is rubble all around and limestone has long since been carted away.</span></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rZjsw2aPG2M/TVyHZm9KvII/AAAAAAAAMCI/-zB_WdwGLO0/s1600/220px-MeidumPyramidPassage.JPG" border="0" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The descending passage of Meidum (taken from the web)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rZjsw2aPG2M/TVyHZm9KvII/AAAAAAAAMCI/-zB_WdwGLO0/s1600/220px-MeidumPyramidPassage.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;"></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px;font-family:sans-serif;color:#444444;" >The steep descending passage more than 170 feet long leads to a horizontal passage, just below the original ground level, that then leads to a vertical shaft about 30 feet high that leads to the corbelled burial chamber itself. </span><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px;font-family:sans-serif;color:#444444;" ><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px;font-family:sans-serif;color:#444444;" ></span></span><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;color:#444444;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">We also expamined the causeway toward the river which is being excavated right now, and briefly watched as the workers were removing sand that had completely filled it in. </span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;color:#444444;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yCdkvgb4wWc/TVyOclE0TmI/AAAAAAAAMEo/7fJ1dRcaFmg/s1600/DSCN1224.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="320" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yCdkvgb4wWc/TVyOclE0TmI/AAAAAAAAMEo/7fJ1dRcaFmg/s320/DSCN1224.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;color:#444444;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;color:#444444;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">We really loved this pyramid - such an accomplishment. From here on a clear day (which this not) you can see Sneferu's other two pyramids north in Dashur - the Bent Pyramid, another experiment, and finally the Red Pyramid, the first successful true pyramid. This was engineering by trial and error. Snerferu was determined and he was fortunate enough to live long enough to finally get it right. Ironically no one knows where he is - or was entombed.</span><?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p></o:p></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#444444;"><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Other pictures are here: </span></span><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/eloise.hedbor/20110118?authkey=Gv1sRgCJeMoKCir8rSGQ#">https://picasaweb.google.com/eloise.hedbor/20110118?authkey=Gv1sRgCJeMoKCir8rSGQ#</a></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;color:#444444;"><?xml:namespace prefix = u1 /><u1:p></u1:p><u1:p></u1:p></span><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Now it is a three-hour drive south into Middle <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 /><st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">Egypt</st1:country-region></st1:place>. We had to stop at police checkpoints every10 miles or so – Dalia and the driver answer same questions each time and wait for permission to proceed. This kind of monitoting and control has been in place in Middle <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Egypt</st1:place></st1:country-region> at least since 9/11 – maybe back to the time of an attack on tourists in the late 1990s. </span></div><div style="MARGIN: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div style="MARGIN: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We are going to El Minya and our schedule called for us to see the famous tombs at Beni Hasan tonight. Because we are running late, Dalia has a bag of food - probably enough for a dozen people! - Egyptian bread, several different kinds of cheese, etc. - delicious! Dalia takes such good care of us!</span></div><div style="MARGIN: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div style="MARGIN: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We arrive at El Minya, cross the Nile on a bridge and the driver gets lost repeatedly, stopping and asking help. The site is not important to local people and because it is in Middle Egypt it gets little tourist traffic .</span></div><div style="MARGIN: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div style="MARGIN: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Finally Dalia gave up for the evening and just has us check into the Nefertit Hotel. It’s a nice room (Dalia stays elsewhere for economy) overlooking the Nile. </span><br /><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-P85A9RJUc6k/TV8bk4472YI/AAAAAAAAMF0/a8JA1NxhgMc/s1600/DSCN1245.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-P85A9RJUc6k/TV8bk4472YI/AAAAAAAAMF0/a8JA1NxhgMc/s320/DSCN1245.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From our room, overlooking the Nile</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">There is an almost full moon over the West Bank. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We could have gone out to eat, but we stay in the hotel, not being completely comfortable walking around on our own where tourists are a rarity, and little English is spoken. There are four choices for dinner, and we both opt for fish, which is all right but nothing special.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="MARGIN: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div style="MARGIN: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">It's been another long day, and we are quite tired, so we will go to bed pretty early.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal"> </span> </span></span></div></div>Eloisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16709385941962753995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6212222354650379596.post-81245578700076861322011-01-17T20:39:00.012-05:002011-03-12T17:37:48.564-05:00Adventure!<div dir="ltr" style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-mjlQVUxr7oY/TXgv-jCnZ6I/AAAAAAAAOQk/GKrGtLtQxCA/s1600/DSCN2091.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="320" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-mjlQVUxr7oY/TXgv-jCnZ6I/AAAAAAAAOQk/GKrGtLtQxCA/s320/DSCN2091.JPG" width="301" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are up early, in spite of jet lag, and enjoy the nice breakfast included with our room, and are packed and ready to leave when Dalia arrives at 8 am. We are grateful for the sweater vests Dalia has provided us. It is chilly and rainy, nothing we had anticipated in Egypt. We are dressed in layers - shirt, long sleeved sweater, expedition vest, sweater vest and safari jacket! (So if we look a bit bulky, that's the reason!)</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are scheduled to head out to nature areas to look for butterflies and birds, but in this weather there no butterflies and only a handful for birds. </span></div><div style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The pictures from today are here: <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/eloise.hedbor/20110117?authkey=Gv1sRgCP-Z_JjPrqjtWg#">https://picasaweb.google.com/eloise.hedbor/20110117?authkey=Gv1sRgCP-Z_JjPrqjtWg#</a></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are heading out to Wadi El Rayan and the El-Rayan Valley in the Western Desert, taking a loop around Fayoum Lake and through the desert for about two and a half hours. But this does not really feel like a desert today - it is foggy, rainy and chilly! In El Rayan Valley are two man-made lakes and a small waterfall (the only one in Egypt!) all in a wildlife preserve. But with the cold and rain, most wild things seeking cover. We climbed the sand dunes there, and found our first Teythis Sea fossils, small sand dollar- type creatures. </span></div><div style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-6a-tWuoc1co/TVtDvGnyr6I/AAAAAAAAL-A/TSohXv632Fo/s1600/DSCN1137.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-6a-tWuoc1co/TVtDvGnyr6I/AAAAAAAAL-A/TSohXv632Fo/s320/DSCN1137.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-H6lME4GamlY/TVs7ZcE0XOI/AAAAAAAAL8I/YQPENZvfqAo/s1600/226.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="210" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-H6lME4GamlY/TVs7ZcE0XOI/AAAAAAAAL8I/YQPENZvfqAo/s320/226.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With little prospect of sun or butterflies, we continue on to Wadi El-Hitan, the Valley of the Whales. This wonder was declared a UNECSO World Heritage site a few years ago, a title it richly deserves. But if we had had anything less than the Toyota safari vehicle, we would not have made it to Wadi el Hitan. Rain made roads very hazardous, washing out some places and turning others into seas of mud. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Normally you take a 4 by 4, or even an ordinary car along the paths in the Valley of the Whales but it is, we are told, too wet to drive so we must walk, 3 kilometers. It turns out this is by far the best way to appreciate this wonderful place. </span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-F8yWMFoWAsM/TVs8HqA2M0I/AAAAAAAAL8Y/xI5kEx_L5BE/s1600/232.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-F8yWMFoWAsM/TVs8HqA2M0I/AAAAAAAAL8Y/xI5kEx_L5BE/s320/232.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even without the fossils, the landscape would earn this place great fame. But barely had we reached the first station, places marked as containing with the most significant fossils, but the skies opened up and it was a deluge. Quickly we flee back down the hill and seek what little cover there is in a tiny kitchen off the picnic area that is covered only by woven reeds to offer protection from the sun but not from pouring rain. Change of plans – we will eat first.</span></div><div style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After having lunch inside the caretaker's shop (he makes us welcome in spite of the mud on our shoes and much of the rest of our clothing), a lunch prepared by our intrepid driver, the rain seems to have eased off, and the wind has subsided, so we embark along the trail once more. The rain has intensified the colors of the sandstone formations that are fantastically shaped by the winds and in the past, water erosion. This is one of the world's great places, and not to be missed. </span></div><div style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_RPFS_-SduW5Tg-iiEXsbG7ZD1pCI9FF7kQiwtjcbzagavShsr_YnZ-02E7FRDMPUhqViSiqL8aVy6yhS7y4lty2rpkOc_1IV7Gc89p48uoRwXDNvaCzGelg3qdJrUsSiFliIGKqRnZH/s1600/233.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:black;"><img height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_RPFS_-SduW5Tg-iiEXsbG7ZD1pCI9FF7kQiwtjcbzagavShsr_YnZ-02E7FRDMPUhqViSiqL8aVy6yhS7y4lty2rpkOc_1IV7Gc89p48uoRwXDNvaCzGelg3qdJrUsSiFliIGKqRnZH/s320/233.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKq3DlsNHV8ZiWNycyZuMjmWHYshQdgNhYhBxQ97nD3foRWFtfNShnDeXoslBiYPzVAmWaa1y5fCqTWQ9jbnIPi0agzgXDJrpqQ39amZToWIQLO7l7CJru70f3jzFj8UgR7P73nFwBV38G/s1600/234.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:black;"><img height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKq3DlsNHV8ZiWNycyZuMjmWHYshQdgNhYhBxQ97nD3foRWFtfNShnDeXoslBiYPzVAmWaa1y5fCqTWQ9jbnIPi0agzgXDJrpqQ39amZToWIQLO7l7CJru70f3jzFj8UgR7P73nFwBV38G/s320/234.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></span></a></div><div style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Our pictures in no way do this place justice. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">In the Valley of the Whales paleontologists have so far found thousands of skeletons of sharks, dogfish and, and whales that some 40 million years ago, were thriving in the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 /><st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Tethys</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Sea</st1:placetype></st1:place>. The fossilized roots of mangroves are a clue that this was a shoreline, one of the most active parts of the ecosystem. Scientists believe the rolling surf may have helped concentrate skeletons near the ancient shoreline.<?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3JJVjRKlcP255-JK-F5w5upwrc9y5KA-I19A4IUQ43IIzIr9X2P41hFLXA-7Xluk1NQ7289VXGK4Wf0gkcgSvNdrPFNWljM1Il6FN4PiWGlDCjjK6czsm7DdDlMoqtOoNTPKP0_oKx-7/s1600/DSCN1161.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3JJVjRKlcP255-JK-F5w5upwrc9y5KA-I19A4IUQ43IIzIr9X2P41hFLXA-7Xluk1NQ7289VXGK4Wf0gkcgSvNdrPFNWljM1Il6FN4PiWGlDCjjK6czsm7DdDlMoqtOoNTPKP0_oKx-7/s320/DSCN1161.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="apple-style-span">Over thousands of millennia, a mantle of sediment built up over the bones. Eventually the sea receded, and the former seabed became a desert. More millennia and the wind carved away the sandstone and shale above the bones. Still t</span>he secret of these bones lay hidden until about 25 years ago when Philip Gingerich, <span class="apple-style-span">a paleontologist with the <st1:place st="on"><st1:placetype st="on">University</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename st="on">Michigan</st1:placename></st1:place>, came here. Soon he was exploring the fossils of whales and other marine animals, One day he was bushing sand away from the spinal column of a 50-foot long Basilosaurus whale when he discovered proof that whales evolved from land mammals. It was a bone from a vestigial leg, less than three feet long, Basilosaurus was a whale, with two delicate hind legs. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="apple-style-span"><br /></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NCD7sFOEXgc/TVtGd9fQkXI/AAAAAAAAL_Y/nF6j-iQPEQE/s1600/DSCN1185.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="320" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NCD7sFOEXgc/TVtGd9fQkXI/AAAAAAAAL_Y/nF6j-iQPEQE/s320/DSCN1185.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="apple-style-span"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Here we are walking across the bottom of an ancient sea, seeing what Gingerich calls the Rosetta stone of whale evolution! And there may be countless more skeletons remaining to be discovered here<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">.</span></span></span></div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><div style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Our intention had been to camp out near the Valley of the Whales, but the rain and cold forced a change of plans. The tents (carried on top of the truck) were soaked and there was no dry place to camp even if we had wanted to brave the chill. So Dalia called Samir to arrange accomodations in Fayoum City.. Samir found us a villa just on the outskirts, a lovely place. </span></div><div style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">When we finally got there, having worked our way around land slips and mud, and waited about 10 minutes for someone to unlock the gate, it seems all the power is off all over town and also there is no water. Well, the original plan had been to camp out so we DID have water and food and the two of us have two flashlights each (never travel without them!). Fortunately there was a gas stove and with the combination of food we had and Gammal, our driver, had brought, Jim produced a very tasty chicken stew by candlelight – and enjoyed the accomplishment a great deal! And we all ate by candlelight.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-HwVXt1EbBCY/TXbXVO5d_fI/AAAAAAAAN_M/GlcFEDOEgVU/s1600/249.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-HwVXt1EbBCY/TXbXVO5d_fI/AAAAAAAAN_M/GlcFEDOEgVU/s320/249.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We retire early - it's been a busy day and we are tired. The house is quite chilly - of course with no power, no heat - and the two of us sleep together in a twin bed with multiple (and very heavy!) blankets.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /></div>Eloisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16709385941962753995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6212222354650379596.post-66463007036024785102011-01-16T22:13:00.024-05:002011-03-12T17:24:11.820-05:00First day of explorations<div dir="ltr" style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-iwIi3pWxo0g/TXbb04dDRBI/AAAAAAAAN_w/7wKJJB-24g0/s1600/DSCN2091.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="326" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-iwIi3pWxo0g/TXbb04dDRBI/AAAAAAAAN_w/7wKJJB-24g0/s400/DSCN2091.JPG" width="400" border="0" /></a></div><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">This is a day that is difficult to adequately describe everything we saw. We saw and touched many things we have seen portrayed in books since we were children. <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/eloise.hedbor/2011011602?authkey=Gv1sRgCLKi8tHl5LXl2QE#">Pictures from the first day...</a></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><div style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Prepare to be wowed, .said Dalia, when she and our driver picked us up and started driving. It is misty, and a bit smoggy, so the visibility isn't perfect. We are driving north along the Nile toward the bridge to Giza when suddenly Jim exclaims, “the pyramids!” </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-5Qm9GgIK0Mw/TVhBbVUjilI/AAAAAAAALvQ/YKtOAPQ21DI/s1600/108.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="240" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-5Qm9GgIK0Mw/TVhBbVUjilI/AAAAAAAALvQ/YKtOAPQ21DI/s320/108.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Looming above the near by apartment buildings, like apparitions in the mist, towering over the six story or so apartments are the iconic pyramids that have drawn tourists to Egypt for well over two millennium. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Dalia explains we are on the east bank, which is officially Cairo. Once you cross the Nile to the west bank, you are in Giza. Nothing really prepares you for the sheer mass of the Great Pyramid. It has lost a bit of its height to the centuries, as its facing of fine white Cairo limestone was lost. Dalia says you can go inside but there is little to see and she will show us much better tombs. Still like every other tourist, we must actually ascend at least to the entrance, and have our “We were here” pictures taken.</span></div><div style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="CLEAR: right; FLOAT: right; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-LEFT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZrr9M5Mf_xbBOXx1-9OTY8_3heC2RmlL0bFflRdAF33RxS5is6jzyZDsNKQ2MwM1-Fyv8hFtjk_6oSjjTTnGCm4XnVV68ZQH1ahrvEHk84Nw4Wd9FprTWufSMzr1tqn1r6t3LUomcWjQg/s1600/Photo0024.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZrr9M5Mf_xbBOXx1-9OTY8_3heC2RmlL0bFflRdAF33RxS5is6jzyZDsNKQ2MwM1-Fyv8hFtjk_6oSjjTTnGCm4XnVV68ZQH1ahrvEHk84Nw4Wd9FprTWufSMzr1tqn1r6t3LUomcWjQg/s640/Photo0024.jpg" width="384" border="0" /></a><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-v8s4h0C4iXc/TVhGr4GmoFI/AAAAAAAALww/8Eah5Jp9-3s/s1600/120.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="480" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-v8s4h0C4iXc/TVhGr4GmoFI/AAAAAAAALww/8Eah5Jp9-3s/s640/120.JPG" width="640" border="0" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We do walk around the entire structure, marveling at how little damage it has sustained over the centuries. The Great Pyramid was, like all pyramids, built during the Old Kingdom. It was the final resting place of King Khufu . Next to it is the pyramid of Khafre, once about 50 feet shorter that the earlier one but now, since it retains its while limestone top, it is just 10 feet shorter. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 18px">The third pyramid was erected by Menkaure, Khafre’s son, and his monument is the smallest of the three Giza pyramids, but it appears to be a similar height because it is built on a elevation of land. </span>All three of the large pyramids on the Giza plateau were once capped, with tops of gold or electrum, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px">natural or artificial alloy of gold with at least 20 percent silver</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px">. Imagine the view from the eastern bank when those tops caught the rays of the morning sun!</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The pyramids were not, as is often thought, built by slaves. They were built by Egyptian citizens who probably took great pride in their work. The skilled craftsmen probably worked year round, but the bulk of the labor would have been ordinary people. During the annual flood of the Nile, (called the inundation) it was not possible to work in the fields. Instead many of those people would turn their time to pyramid construction, and would receive staples for their efforts.</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We also descend into one of the Queen's pyramids. All of these are very rough on the exterior, with the outside casing long gone. You have to crouch to walk down the narrow corridor, 50 feet to the burial chamber. The one we enter is thought to have been built by Khufu for his mother (and wife of Sneferu), Hetepheres. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px">Although her <a style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; TEXT-DECORATION: none; background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcophagus"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;">sarcophagus</span></a> was sealed and the <a class="mw-redirect" title="Canopic jars" style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; TEXT-DECORATION: none; background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canopic_jars"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;">canopic jars</span></a> were intact, Hetepheres' mummy was missing. The tomb also contained a number of funerary items, include chairs and a bed, which are on display in th Cairo Museum</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 19px;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;" ><br /></span></div><div style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">And of course there is the enigmatic Sphinx whose face may depict Khufu, Khafre or another of the Old Kingdom kings.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-yStUBdKv79Y/TVhVKGTNlAI/AAAAAAAAL00/lyc8YAtpZhk/s1600/DSCN1101.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="320" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-yStUBdKv79Y/TVhVKGTNlAI/AAAAAAAAL00/lyc8YAtpZhk/s320/DSCN1101.JPG" width="292" border="0" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">It is carved from a natural limestone outcropping and has been the subject of much wild fantasy, but there are no secret chambers inside. It once had the classic false beard of the pharaoh. Pieces of that beard are in the Cairo Museum and the British Museum. It is located in a natural depression which has resulted in its being buried in sand, both in antiquity and in modern times. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">In the 1830s, it was depicted in several drawings by the famous artist, David Roberts.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="222" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/David_Roberts_Sphinx_side_view.jpg" width="320" /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">There is known to be a temple associated with these kings, but it has not been excavated, and now cannot be, because it lies beneath the Giza KFC and Pizza Hut </span></div><div style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><div style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Before we leave Giza, we visit the Kufu Solar Boat museum, with an original 125-foot boat found in a deep pit beside the pyramid, buried conveniently so that the king could sail across the sky for all eternity. the boat when it was found had been completely dissembled and it took years for archaeologists to figure out how it went together - a huge jigsaw puzzle made of 4,800 year old cedar of Lebanon!</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg48cCoFOtuOyv1NdQBk3j7ZRqwtNew-LBKnAFDSbB3-Yy4xD5-XCi5ghjFKKPVqUeJePX-zVp-oOksWH7sNvOR8N1kM6Ppmacc5PPG61El8Bw7llbB55i6T8COufd3fP9GTkPYW9ImTdns/s1600/DSCN1089.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg48cCoFOtuOyv1NdQBk3j7ZRqwtNew-LBKnAFDSbB3-Yy4xD5-XCi5ghjFKKPVqUeJePX-zVp-oOksWH7sNvOR8N1kM6Ppmacc5PPG61El8Bw7llbB55i6T8COufd3fP9GTkPYW9ImTdns/s320/DSCN1089.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><div style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We travel south from Giza, to see the Mit Rahina Museum near the site of ancient Memphis. The small museum and park includes a number of statues found underwater in wet area where the Nile once flowed. Although Memphis was the capital of Lower Egypt in early times, these sculpture pieces are from the New Kingdom, especially Rameses II of the 18th dynasty.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7X05cFQIfqXINcmO4svWJm6OUma-4khNcPEWToxZ4kiHZPX2zGEENUPDJSnJKMuxDrcKxa4bLWMcFk7xVeWv7QpBS5eBF6zzyiqzf6OKnp8RDFSDADA9ka0hJcZ_WiVIAFj1eu1Acf7ug/s1600/DSCN1108.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7X05cFQIfqXINcmO4svWJm6OUma-4khNcPEWToxZ4kiHZPX2zGEENUPDJSnJKMuxDrcKxa4bLWMcFk7xVeWv7QpBS5eBF6zzyiqzf6OKnp8RDFSDADA9ka0hJcZ_WiVIAFj1eu1Acf7ug/s320/DSCN1108.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span></div><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We stop for a nice lunch at an outdoor restaurant, and are greeted by traditional musicians. Dalia helps us order. There is a great assortment of mezes - small dishes - including hummous, baba ganoush, egyptian beans, tomatoes and cucumbers, chick peas, served with egyptian whole wheat pita bread. Then a big serving of nicely spiced grilled chicken. We pack up the leftovers in our insulated bag.<br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">On to the Imhotep Museum at nearby Saqqara that gives a glimpse into the evolution of the pyramid, including the early so-called Step Pyramid, built by King Djoser. It is currently being restored with limestone to protect it. Imhotep was the designer of this innovative pyramid and has been called the first known genius in history. His innovations in medicine were the foundation for Egypt's exceptional reputation in that field in the ancient world. 1500 years later he is actually deified and people made pilgrimages to shrines in his name, seeking cures. He is thought to be the origin of the Greek symbol for medicine, Aesculapias. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#444444;">Looking south, we can see a number of other pyramids. Several in Dahshur, are mud brick structures that are pretty much just big heaps, though a number of importat finds have been made in excavations there. We can also clearly see the bent pyramid and red pyramid, which are developmental steps between the step pyramid of Djoser and later pyramids. The red pyramid is the first "true pyramid", built after two other attempts, the Maidum and bent pyramid, by Djoser's son Sneferu. </span><br /></p><h2 dir="ltr" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; MARGIN: 8pt 0in 3pt; FONT-STYLE: italic; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><br /></h2><div dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PLBhKC0qne4/TXgk79wXfEI/AAAAAAAAONw/kGTOOizUIBo/s1600/195.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="203" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PLBhKC0qne4/TXgk79wXfEI/AAAAAAAAONw/kGTOOizUIBo/s320/195.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:x-small;">The famous Step Pyramid and in the foreground, the Pyramid of Teti, one the earliest with inscriptions inside.</span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><div dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The whole area - seven square miles - is filed with tombs and is notable for the first pyramid texts in Pepi's 5th dynasty pyramid. We also enter the tomb of King Teti working our way down into the burial chamber, with the first iteration of the Book of the Dead in stone.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5166/5374187726_818e9cd005.jpg" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Above is the burial chamber and below, some of the Book of the Dead<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span><div dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="CLEAR: both; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: center" trbidi="on"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-xhd0SNEv5J0/TXgky5ISeYI/AAAAAAAAONA/DvlgVQKHuVk/s1600/203.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img height="240" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-xhd0SNEv5J0/TXgky5ISeYI/AAAAAAAAONA/DvlgVQKHuVk/s320/203.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><div dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><br /></span>The book of the dead in all of its forms-in tomb inscriptions, later painted inside coffin lids, or on papyri placed with mummies-was a sort of cheat sheet, with all of the spells one needed to deal with the challenges of getting from this life to the next.<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We then enter the tomb of one of King Teti's guardians, Ka Gmni.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="480" src="http://www.lasvegasmikey.com/egypt2010/slides/Tomb%20of%20Ka-Gmni%20Oyn%20VI.JPG" width="640" /> </span><br /></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="CLEAR: both; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: center" trbidi="on"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><div dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Anyone except the kings and queens would have scenes of daily life painted in their tomb walls, and these scenes provide some of the best glances into early Egyptian life. There are portrayals of family time, fishing, feasting.These tomb paintings are all the more impressive in that they retain much of the bright colors the artists originally applied.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img src="http://ddasenbrock.net/20091026_Egypt-WEB/20091028_Cairo-Pyramids/0274s.jpg" /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="CLEAR: both; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: center" trbidi="on"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Omy3IPU8NCg/TViJHRlgsrI/AAAAAAAAL50/hUkedo1eiZk/s1600/207.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img src="http://ddasenbrock.net/20091026_Egypt-WEB/20091028_Cairo-Pyramids/0267s.jpg" /> </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Finally it is time to return to our hotel, and it is hard to absorb all we have seen. After dark, we take a walk, stop for a beer in the same restaurant where we ate last night - have Stella this time, which we find we much prefer, then return to our room where we eat leftover chicken from lunch wrapped in Egyptian bread that we had bought on the street. (It's no different from home - servings are far too large for one meal. We have some extra bread and make chicken rolls which we put in our small insulated lunch bag along with a couple of bottles of water.) Still jet lagged, with full bellies but it is hard to sleep!</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"></div>Eloisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16709385941962753995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6212222354650379596.post-39997533904281754522011-01-15T23:26:00.003-05:002011-03-08T20:47:55.813-05:00Traffic in Egypt<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7nXwp5AN0vVq4PIok2T3A72D3gU95FoKw3ZVdcoJlV8nG9Duw6pI7LHIzW5nXA7epOHIh7BW7BbNjBNXNHvmp22gex_mMeW6c6U1X4MbVGTwlV09swMi4mPczw6ZKvlNt30ZT3ClFKXci/s1600/DSCN1067.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7nXwp5AN0vVq4PIok2T3A72D3gU95FoKw3ZVdcoJlV8nG9Duw6pI7LHIzW5nXA7epOHIh7BW7BbNjBNXNHvmp22gex_mMeW6c6U1X4MbVGTwlV09swMi4mPczw6ZKvlNt30ZT3ClFKXci/s320/DSCN1067.JPG" style="clear: both; float: left; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Busy Cairo side street</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="clear: both; text-align: LEFT;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There seems to us to be no rhyme or reason to traffic in Cairo. This is just a small side street, about a block from the Talisman Hotel. Generally we decide crossing the street is potentially a dangerous proposition, especially since we see no signals for walking. Drivers are competitive, apparently, and from the looks of vehicles, a lot of people consider driving to be a contact sport!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At night many vehicles use parking lights for ordinary driving, saving headlights for various sorts of communication. Traffic lanes apparently do not exist. Or if they do, they are advisory at best. This is clearly not a place for casually renting a car and attempting to enter the fray.</span></div></div>Eloisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16709385941962753995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6212222354650379596.post-33387078321512482232011-01-15T16:44:00.072-05:002011-03-12T16:40:53.940-05:00January 14-15, Getting there and settling in<div dir="ltr" style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We have packed carefully, with quick-drying travel underwear, and a minimum of clothing, so that we can travel relatively lightly. We have a single 24-inch case to check, one rolling carry-on, a small cabin carry-on, and a briefcase with the netbook computer, our Nooks, cameras, and chargers.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">We are continuing to work in the specialized skill of travelling light (but also having essentials like flashlights and remembering to carry a pocket full of toilet paper). These preparations gave us confidence and flexibility when things became a bit unpredictable.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We have a direct flight from JFK to Cairo, leaving late in the evening Jan. 14. Jim starts the day taking a ski at home (more for style points than anything else). The snow was patchy and drifted, as the big storm that had buried places further south had just barely touched us. Jim said it was half skiing, half clambering.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Then we spend about 6 hours in the office, finishing several tasks for clients before leaving for the airport about 4 pm for the connecting flight from Burlington to JFK. The flight to Cairo takes about 10 hours, and we get some decent sleep. We wake up as we are flying over Athens. We pass over the Greek pennisula and down over the Greek Islands, with the shoreline of Turkey visible in the distance. It is fun to look down and figure out where you are.</span><br /><span style="color:#444444;"><br /><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Then there is open sea – the "Great Green” the ancient Egyptians called it, for they were spoiled by the ease of navigating the Nile and never learned great seamanship skills. Then quite suddenly you are over the Delta, perhaps one the most distinctive landmarks in the world. Very green and almost entirely, it seems, under cultivation.</span><br /></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center" trbidi="on"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-u7C_n3gi8nQ/TXP4p2fJ6MI/AAAAAAAAN6k/1j0ds2JEDt8/s1600/100.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="240" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-u7C_n3gi8nQ/TXP4p2fJ6MI/AAAAAAAAN6k/1j0ds2JEDt8/s320/100.JPG" width="320" border="0" q6="true" /></span></a></div><span style="color:#444444;"><div dir="ltr" style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><br /><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">But as you approach Cairo, you can see why this land has so long been called the Gift of the Nile. There are lush green fields (we still have to learn what specific crops we were seeing) and then, as though someone had drawn a line with a straight edge, there is sand with not a tree or blade of grass to be seen.</span><br /><span style="color:#444444;"><br /><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br /></div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center" trbidi="on"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Lgp6c4R2s_4/TXP4qog3g_I/AAAAAAAAN6s/mV8NQKE3lvY/s1600/102.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="240" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Lgp6c4R2s_4/TXP4qog3g_I/AAAAAAAAN6s/mV8NQKE3lvY/s320/102.JPG" width="320" border="0" q6="true" /></span></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The housing is mostly, it appears, in this unirrigated land. There are mud brick homes in relatively small villages in the Delta, but soon that gives way to high rises and apartment complexes and factories, virtually all surrounded by sand, and lush green fields in perfect rectangles as though drawn for a geometry project.</span><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">On the ground the plane has to park far out on the tarmac where it is met with stairs and a bus to transport passengers to the terminal, but the whole process is very efficient and we are quickly in line for entry.</span><br /><span style="color:#444444;"><br /><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPd8betmR5cmmg-mZq9bOT20kKa4ZxnRBF7VpvCv1QGLZZI7uVQ98gRtKbxbSvezh1zlJ08d-SZTCzY_fSa_DiGbss5J5zZb-XK9WMNS_odqlgtuQD1yKJpvVAaP-g6EGsUM1Um1zlsRPj/s1600/105.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPd8betmR5cmmg-mZq9bOT20kKa4ZxnRBF7VpvCv1QGLZZI7uVQ98gRtKbxbSvezh1zlJ08d-SZTCzY_fSa_DiGbss5J5zZb-XK9WMNS_odqlgtuQD1yKJpvVAaP-g6EGsUM1Um1zlsRPj/s320/105.JPG" width="320" border="0" q6="true" /></span></a></div><span style="color:#444444;"><br /><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The officer sends us to get visas - $15 each just as we were told – and the entire system is quick and efficient. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Once outside the passport control, we are met by a representative of the tour company who insists on grabbing our luggage and whisks us through customs and out to the waiting van and driver.</span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">We quickly get a phone call from Dalia, who will be our guide for the next two weeks, and from Samir, owner of Real Egypt who has designed our entire tour to our specifications. </span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">From the airport, it's about a hour drive through very busy, often gridlocked streets with - to us - incomprehensible traffic. It would be fair to say that either the driver was not familiar with the hotel or the traffic was unusually heavy and he had to take several detours or that he just wanted us to have a bit of a tour of Cairo.</span></span> </div><div dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" trbidi="on"><div style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><div style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span></span></div><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Into the center of Cairo and we stop at the entrance to a very wide alley. Our hotel is a short distance down this alley and accessed by this quaint elevator, up five flights. </span></div><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="CLEAR: both; MARGIN: 0px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkIUnRXR36ipKqu8rei_In37zbsu1z9NInoEE2a7lyNcZwzPk7RkF3dSef6n4IU75B2LFDK148pH2mqb_OiUqbc7_bcTYcaJD50aRPanMu0vumYOMyYPmg8ELbHkMORyT1Cdtu2_EuSlrx/s1600/DSCN1069.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkIUnRXR36ipKqu8rei_In37zbsu1z9NInoEE2a7lyNcZwzPk7RkF3dSef6n4IU75B2LFDK148pH2mqb_OiUqbc7_bcTYcaJD50aRPanMu0vumYOMyYPmg8ELbHkMORyT1Cdtu2_EuSlrx/s320/DSCN1069.JPG" width="240" border="0" q6="true" /></span></a></div><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"><img id="il_fi" style="PADDING-RIGHT: 8px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 8px; PADDING-TOP: 8px" height="265" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_63m4rH5trcE/SdVjRGG6eKI/AAAAAAAABG8/ewzkVXyowgM/DSC_0002.JPG" width="400" /></span></div><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><br /></div><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">The "alley" is actually a busy commercial district and the activity continued late into the evening. The ground level is mostly retail businesses and small, mostly take-out eating places. </span></div><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><br /></div><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Our hotel, the Talisman, occupies the entire fifth floor of a fairly large building. We do, by the way, feel completely safe as we wander around, but are careful not to go too far for fear of not being able to find our way back!</span></div><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><br /></div><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Our room at the Talisman is pleasing: nice, full sized bed, nice bathroom - convenient, clean and very attractive place. What is especially delightful is the beautiful inlayed furniture throughout the hotel. </span></div><div style="MARGIN: 0px"></div><div style="MARGIN: 0px"><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;"></span></div></div><div style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><table class="tr-caption-container" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:x-small;color:#444444;"><img style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" alt="Image of Talisman Hotel de Charme, Cairo" src="http://cls.cdn-hotels.com/hotels/2000000/1360000/1359700/1359612/1359612_10_b.jpg" /></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:x-small;color:#444444;">This is the Talisman breakfast room - note the furnishings!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">After pulling out clothing for the morning when we are to meet our guide at 8 am, we venture out on the street. Trying to convince our bodies that it is 7:30 pm and not just after noon, we decide to have dinner. There are endless stores selling all matter of clothing, leather goods, confections, etc., but the choice of restaurants right nearby is limited and we selected the Excelsior, a family place with a very limited menu in English. But the “Chicken Shish Barbeque” pasta and another chicken dish looked interesting enough. But the food was of a very plain Western style and the only Egyptian thing we had was the Sakura beer, which is also nothing special. Still the name of that pasta dish has possibilities.</span></div><br /><div style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"></div><div style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">After dinner, we explored the streets a bit, acquiring a hazelnut confection at an incredible and very crowded bakery, toothpaste (all the care in packing omitted that essential) and a couple of bottles of water from the little shop across the alley from the entrance to our hotel for our touring tomorrow. </span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">Also found some places down a side alley that were selling street food, including the classic Egyptian puffy flatbread – bought and ate one of those. Oddly no touts – must not be too many tourists in this area. That made walking quite pleasant. </span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#444444;">In all we have walked about a dozen blocks from the hotel, and explored a tiny bit of downtown Cairo, but we like it and find people are friendly and helpful. In the drug store the two girls behind the counter seemed to have fun figuring out what we were looking for, since they had no English and we, no Arabic.</span></span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;color:#444444;"><br /></span></div></div></div>Eloisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16709385941962753995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6212222354650379596.post-68592777951351578232011-01-12T18:44:00.010-05:002011-03-19T20:19:38.561-04:00Background<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Who hasn't wanted to see the great wonders of ancient Egypt? Herodotus (~490 to ~430 BC) wrote with great admiration of the great sights he saw in Egypt. The Great Pyramid of Giza, built by the 4th dynasty Pharaoh Khufu, drew tourists from all corners of the ancient world. It was already about 2000 years old when Herodotus visited Egypt! It is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the World to survive to our time.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Modern interest in ancient Egypt began in the early 19th century when Napoleon invaded Egypt, bringing with him more than 400 scientists. It was one of his soldiers who in 1799 discovered the world famous Rosetta Stone which enabled Jean-François Champollion to decipher the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs.</span> </span><br />
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</span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: arial;"></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Egyptians employed hieroglyphic writing from earlier than 3000 BC, and invented papyrus (the origin of the word paper) for many kinds of recordkeeping. Fortunately, a wealth of papyri have survived in the very dry conditions of Egypt, in addition to inscriptions painted and carved on monuments and tombs. This is in contrast to the more perishable media of other early writing civilizations - so there is a lot Egyptian material to study. Scholars can interpret perhaps 90% of hieroglyphic writing, so there are still plenty of new things to discover.<br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As the interpretation of the ancient texts opened the window on this ancient civilization, interest in Egypt's past surged, especially in Europe and America. Gradually the science of Egyptology evolved, and tombs, temples and other monuments were excavated from centuries of sand, documented and studied.</span> <span style="font-family: arial;">There are still exciting new finds being made today.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Millions of tourists each year journey to see the ancient wonders, making tourism Egypt's third most important industry, accounting for more than 10% of its income annually. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We had studied about Egypt, and had taken a 48-lecture course on ancient Egypt. We arranged a custom tour with the help of Samir Abass, an Egyptologist and owner of RealEgypt.net. We found RealEgypt through online research six months in advance, using Google, sorting the possibilities, then by referring to Tripadvisor, considering reviews of others, then by entering an online dialog with Samir. He asked great questions, and through some back and forth, we agreed on an itinerary that suited our preferences and interests. We were able to go far beyond the usual package tour, including three days in little visited "Middle Egypt", between Cairo and Luxor, and an expedition to the Valley of the Whales. RealEgypt surpassed our expectations in every way, as did Egypt itself. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So with some study and a heavy reliance on expect guidance, we are ready to depart Jan. 14 for Cairo. </span></div>Eloisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16709385941962753995noreply@blogger.com1