Adventures in Egypt
Next we went around to the temple and the Sphinx.
Our tour continued with a quick stop at a government sponsored souvenir shop, then a papyrus museum/store. There we learned how they made papyrus and watched them paint our names in hieroglyphics. And Cai got to play with a new friend.
Lunch was in a cozy Egyptian restaurant before heading out for Memphis. Here we saw many statues of Ramses II and several other statues and carvings.
This led us to a stop in Saqqara Desert to the step Pyramid and several mestaba burial sites. This time we were able to go into a mestaba and see the paintings and hieroglyphics on the walls (at least those that have made it through the grave robbers, earth quakes, and the more recent revolution). We were also able to enter a mud brick pyramid where the tunnels were short and most of us had to walk hunched over.
Last on the tour was a rug school where they make handmade silk and wool knotted rugs and wool woven rugs.
Finally, we were taken to the train station to board the sleeper train. After a dinner, the porter made up the bunks and we all turned in for the night.
Day 3
We woke with scenes of the desert passing on the east, and the Nile valley to the west. We had breakfast on the train before arriving mid-morning at the station in Aswan. A representative from the tour company met us at the station and took us (and another couple who was to be a part of our group) to the river cruise. We had some time to relax before it was time to check in, at lunch, and then met the tour guide (Eid) and the rest of our group (9 people total) for the afternoon excursion.
The tour started at a granite quarry where we saw the largest known Egyptian (unfinished) obelisk. We received a detailed explanation of how they cut the stone with hammers, and then with wood and water. Cai even had the chance to try a hammer on the stone himself.
Next we headed to the High Dam built as the result of an agreement between King Nasser and the U.S.S.R. crating Nasser Lake.
Next we ventured out on a boat on the lake to an Island. Here is where they relocated the Philea Temple from its original location which was flooded when the lake was formed. This temple was originally built during the Greek period and devoted to the goddesses Isis and Hathor. It was repurposed by the Christians during the Coptic period and served as a sanctuary till a church was built next to it. The Christians carved loops into some of the corners, allowing them to tie up their horses. The had a stone alter block along one wall and carved Crosses into the wall in several points. The temple was not moved until after the lake was created. The Egyptians had to create a circular dam around the temple then pumped the water out around the middle. Afterwards, they disassembled and moved the temple to a new location.
The evening ended back at the cruise for some down time before dinner.
Day 4
In the morning, we had arrived in Kom Ombo. Just after breakfast, we headed out with the tour group to walk up and see the temple dedicated to the brother gods, Horus (falcon) and Sobek (crocodile).
When we finished, we went back to the boat for lunch and to sail to Edfu.
In Edfu, we took a horse and carriage ride to another temple for Horus. The carriage was driven by Cai and Saoirse to the Temple. While much of this temple was well preserved by drifting sand, it too was repurposed for a time by the Christians in the Coptic period.
After another carriage ride back (driven by Cai and Saoirse once more), we enjoyed tea time on the top deck (for those who could bear the chilly breeze).
The rest of the afternoon was spent exploring the ship, playing cards, knitting, reading and such till dinner.
Day 5
Morning wakeup call came at the insane hour of 4 AM. Wrapped up as warmly as we could with what we had, we boarded a bus, to a boat that took us across the Nile to the west bank at Luxor. Then we took another bus to sandy lot. There we were given instructions from the pilot before climbing into the basket of a hot air balloon. Because of the chilly weather we were able to climb high enough to see many temples and ruins before landing on the east bank (usually they stay and land on the west side but the cold air increased the lift of the hot air allowing us to make a very long trip, compared to normal).
After another quick bus/boat (to get back to west bank where they thought we would originally land)/bus ride we met up with our group in time for a quick picture at Colossi of Memnon. Then back on a bus to head to the Valley of the Kings. We were able to enter 4 tombs (but photography was not allowed).
Next up was the temple of Hatshepsut. She reigned “for” her step-son as Pharaoh till she died. When he took power, he removed her name and image from every place he could find it…
Lunch was back at the ship and we relaxed the rest of the day away.
Day 6
The next day was the east bank of Luxor and our last day on the ship. We started off at the temple of Karnack, the largest temple complex in the world (62 acres). The weather was cold but we had the whole place to ourselves so we had a great time walking around and getting photos. We were able to see where the Nile was originally located (right beside the temple) as well as the ramps leading down to the old Nile location. They had three ramps leading from the temple down to the Nile, one for the Pharaoh and god statues, one for the priests, and one for the commoners.
The temple has rows of sphinxes with both human heads and ram heads. Also, they have two standing obelisks. The main part of the temple has 134 columns support what use to be the roof. Visible in some parts are the windows that allowed light into the temple.
The back of the temple had an area where the Christians worshiped and painted icons of Saints on the columns in the area.
The row of sphinxes in front of the temple use to create a double row along a road way 2.5 km long to link to the Luxor temple, our next stop. Luxor temple was a common temple for pharaohs and kings to show their right to rule. The temple has several seated Ramses II statues including his wife, and one including his sons.
During the Coptic times, the temple was buried with sand and only the top of the walls was visible. The Christians built a church on top of one sections of the temple. Later, the Muslims built a mosque on the foundation of the church which is still in use.
In the back of the temple is a room which Alexander the Great had built to show his right to rule. The cartouche with this name in hieroglyphics is clearly visible with his name on it.
Several parts of the temple in the back showed signs of where the Christians worshiped. Including points where they tied their horses up.
Our train was to leave at 2300 and since we had to check out of the ship before 1000, the travel group made arrangements for us to check into a hotel after an Egyptian buffet lunch. We stayed at the hotel for 9 hours before going to catch our train back to Cairo.
We had an Italian dinner at the hotel (Cai fell asleep before it arrived). When we got onto the train, everyone immediately went to bed.
Day 7
We arrived early in the morning to Cairo and were met by our tour guide. First up, we went to the Citadel and White Mosque. The Citadel was built by Saladin to protect Cairo from the Crusaders. He died before it was completed, but it was finished later. A palace was built in the Citidel for Saladin. Later, a mosque was built in the Citadel. Mouhamed Ali brought in the architect of the Blue Mosque in Turkey to create his mosque. While the outside is not as ornate, the interior is more ornate. The upper levels was built from limestone. The White Mosque was very dirty. The guide explained that since the 5 prayers are not said regularly, they do not view the mosque as a priority. They use it for Friday prayer and for tourists, so they maintain it safe and secure, but not clean. The Egypt government is responsible for maintaining the cleanliness. The guide told us compare the mosque to the Hanging Church later in the day.
From the Citadel, you can see the first mosque built in Cairo as well as several older mosques.
Next we went to the Bazaar to look at some of the older architecture in the area. The paths were very narrow and twisting, luckily we had a local guard to guide us.
Next, we went to the Hanging Church, built over the central tower of an old Roman Tower. The tower had collapsed after an earthquake. The Coptic Christians in Egypt built a church at all of the locations where the Virgin Mary stayed. She had stayed at the ruins of the tower. They built the church by laying palm trees across the top of the walls. The church was then built onto the palm trees. The church has several areas where you can look down through glass in the floor to see the height above the ground.
The church was very clean and well maintained. Our guide said it was because the church did not wait for money from the government but rather took care of things themselves.
The pulpit is made of alabaster and rises in the central of area.
The church had over a hundred icon paintings. Some of them date back to the 4th century.
Next we went to an Egyptian lunch buffet, then continued on to an Egyptian cotton store to pick up a few items for Mommy.
At last, we went to our hotel, only to find out that the tour group had assigned us to a different hotel, Mena House. The building was built by the last king of Egypt as a hunting lodge. The hotel is 139 meters from the Pyramids of Giza, giving us a great view from the front of the hotel. The actual building was even better than our first hotel, which surprised us.
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