Destination Luxor & Karnak Temple

Thursday, Sept 23
A very early start – up at 4:30, luggage outside the rooms by 5:15, buffet breakfast (far too good to be eaten in such haste) onto the bus by 6 am and off to the airport for our flight to Luxor. Everything goes like clockwork, with Abdu herding us safely and we, the Mashi Mashi Group (as we have been named) play our part happily by being on time and following our leader. It seems that in no time we have arrived at Luxor where we immediately head for Karnak Temple. It seems trite to say that this temple is magnificent – but it is. Yet that hardly describes the legacy of the many different Pharaohs who made their mark with building, expanding, improving, changing, and demolishing this awe-inspiring complex. After reading about the antiquities of Ancient Egypt and anticipating the moment of seeing some of them as real objects, not pictures in the glossy books, it is hard to describe the feeling when you are actual arrive in their presence. I felt oddly as everything before was fiction – but suddenly it has become reality. (Too obscure for a holiday blog? Okay.) The famous hypostyle hall is particularly impressive; but that just leads you along the axis to more wonders. Peter appreciated the sense of light and space. I was thrilled to see the real life versions of inscriptions and images I had read about.

It was mightily hot but Insight keeps us well supplied with bottled water and Abdu has a knack of finding the one shady spot in a sundrenched temple to gather us for his history lessons. Abdu gave us a tour of important pieces and set us loose to explore on our own. When we set off on our own, we found that not many other tourists ventured beyond the main axis and it was quiet and unpopulated except for the ever vigilant self-appointed guides.
Our special find was the Festival Hall built by Tuthmose III. It was exciting to find colour preserved on some of the inscriptions. A guard showed us a couple of highlights, including the influence of Christians on the site. He took us to a sanctuary with a cobra carving on a pedestal. I must remember to ask Abdu about that.
In the afternoon we set sail aboard MS Miriam downstream to Dendara. Our cabin is spacious and comfortable. Food on board is delicious. The tiny plunge pool is enough to keep us frying in the shade. We’re set for our gentle cruise on the Nile.

Cairo at last

Wednesday, Sept. 22
We managed to catch a bit of sleep on the 4 ½ hour flight to Cairo where we landed in the wee hours of the morning. Although a lot of people get their Egyptian visas at the airport, we were glad to have ours as we cleared immigration quickly and were welcomed by an Insight rep. who loaded us in a van with a few other passengers and whisked us to the palatial Cairo Marriot. We felt very special checking into the same hotel that Agatha Christie patronized when she was writing “Death on the Nile.” (several hotels in Egypt make the same claim, so I assume she travelled around) The hotel was built in the time of the launching of the Suez Canal to house dignitaries and nobility attending the great event.

After only a few hours to enjoy the sumptuous Egyptian cotton sheets on our bed, we had to gobble a quick breakfast and meet our tour guide and group. The Insight Rep and our tour guide Abdu briefed us on how the tour would operate and gave us important tips on such things as money, tipping and bargaining. We were assured that Egyptians consider haggling for merchandise to be a way of life; to be savoured not shied away from. I am not sure we all felt comforted by that.
First outing was to the highest part of the City, where the Citadel and Muhammad Ali Pasha Mosque (Alabaster Mosque) perch. The drive there was a fascinating and somewhat frightening adventure – fascinating to see the street life of a very old part of Cairo from the vantage point of a bus; frightening due to the crazy driving techniques that are necessary for drivers to survive and reach their destinations in this slightly crazy city. Inside the mosque, once we had removed our shoes and were checked for modesty (covered shoulders and knees) the group settled on the carpeted floor as Abdu briefed us on the features of the mosque and the basics of the Muslim beliefs.

Next, stop was the Egyptian Museum, a treasure trove of Ancient Egyptian artefacts. Abdu gave us a short, but thorough briefing on the important moments of history as we viewed monumental statues, inscriptions, sarcophagi and of course the magnificent Tutankhamun collection. Of course, it’s impossible to appreciate, examine or digest even a fraction of what is housed in the museum, but Abdu is very knowledgeable and took time to give us a chronological introduction to the ancient culture. In our free time, before returning to the hotel, Peter and I chose the option of visiting the Mummy Rooms, where we were immediately in the royal presence of the great Ramesses II and the well preserved mummy of Sety I. There are two rooms of neatly displayed mummies. It might be strange to be so fascinated by these ancient bodies, but there is something both profound and endearing about them and that’s not even considering the great stories and lessons they tell.
Back at the hotel, we lounged at the pool, where the service was exquisite. I believe the next two things we did were eat a light lunch and soon after a light supper. Back with the group, we were bussed to the Pyramids for the Sound & Light show. It was already quite dark when we arrived and my first impression was one of total awe – to be at last in the sight of the pyramids with the sphinx crouching close by. However, in my humble opinion the show dispels the magic, demeans the majestic monuments and frankly, is pretty hokey. It is however, good for the local economy and the neighbourhood dogs added a good sound track.
The adventure has got off to a great beginning. So much to see – and we have hardly started.

En Route - Egypt via London

September 20 & 21, 2010
After all the planning and anticipation, the time finally arrived to leave on our splendid Egyptian adventure. The BA flight took us via Heathrow with a 10 hour layover – too long to hang out in a transfer lounge; so we headed off to London. We had booked our tickets, for the London Eye, online before leaving home, which saved queuing and also got us a discount. So, having landed at 8am, checked some of the carry-on luggage, taken the Tube to Embankment and walked across the Hungerford Bridge, we boarded our capsule for the 30 minute “flight” by 11:30. We hadn’t expected it to be anything spectacular but the day was one of those perfect blue sky days that can be elusive in London and the views were fantastic. So there we were circling high above the Thames in an oval pod. It sure beats the stale blandness of the airport lounge. Westminster Abbey, the Parliament Buildings, the gardens of Buckingham Palace that are so familiar from street level, took on a whole new charm from above.

From there a short hike took us to Covent Garden where the buskers were entertaining the crowds, and we enjoyed a couple of pints (beer and cider)\ with the best Cornish pasties outside of Cornwall. Still with time to kill, we wandered along to Trafalgar Square and spent half an hour in the National Gallery. By that time, the lack of sleep and time change were beginning to take effect and I think we both nodded off for a few minutes on the ride back to Terminal 5.

The Society for the Study of Egyptian Antiquities

Google and you shall find it. Using that theory I found a fantastic organization whose members all share, but are much better versed in, my passion for all things related to Ancient Egypt. After attending three fascinating lectures as part of their summer series, I have joined as a member so that I can continue to learn more about the archeology, the conservation and the amazing history of this incredible culture. http://www.thessea.org/ They are a terrific group of people who are so happy to share their knowledge.

Since I don't have my own photos to add at this point, I have used this one of Karnak from a site that has royalty free images. http://historylink101.net/egypt_1/pic_main.htm

Egypt here we come!

Today I booked our Splendours of Egypt tour with Insight Vacations. Departure September 20, 2010. The itinerary is well laid out on the Insight website http://www.insightvacations.com/ca/index.php?brochure_id=7768459&region_tour_id=2268369

I know its quite a while before we leave, and all of the summer adventures still ahead, but in the meantime I have become consumed with reading about the ancient Egyptian civilization starting of course with a good guide book, Frommers Egypt and then branching out with a fascinating book Conversations with Mummies by Rosalie David and Rick Archibald.

Notes for next time

Our Italian adventure was fantastico.

1. The mix of activities made a good balance. Hiking the Cinque Terre was a unique adventure that we loved. In retrospect, it would have been easier if we had done it after a few more days of climbing the steep streets of some of the hill towns.


2. Amazing sites and memorable views - the Campo (square) in Siena and the view of it and the surrounding countryside from the top of the Mangia Tower, ranks as # 1. Views of Rome from the Castel d' Angelo and the Pincio are also spectacular. And of course, the cliffside panorama from the Cinque Terre coastal path is breathtaking - and this, from someone raised in Cape Town, is saying something.


3. All the hotels were excellent and we would go back to them again. Each had something unique - Hotel Orcagna in Florence had the best room, best WiFi access and was by far the best value; Hotel Porticciolo in Fumicino is a convenient stop from the airport - also had the best bathroom; Hotel Oceania in Roma was quite a find on a quiet street, but convenient to train station and many great sites; Hotel Porta Romana in Siena had the best breakfast and great views of Tuscan countryside; Hotel Al Sole in Venezia in the old palazzo was a perfect location for bus, train or vaporetto, but also away from the hub bub of tourist mayhem - quite reasonable by Venetian standards; Locanda Ca'Dei Duxi in charming Riomaggiore arranged parking, which is essential if you arrive in the Cinque Terre by car.


4. Loved all the towns we visited, but our favourite is Siena. Would like to return and stay longer in the area and explore the wineries and hill towns of Tuscany more. Peter would add - the roads in the area are great for motorcyles.


5. The car rental through Kemwell was a bargain. Everything went smoothly and there were no hidden charges. A discount online booking service, we would definitely use them again.


6. Overall the food was delizioso. Our favourite restaurant was the San Pietro in Siena where Peter had an amazing steak dinner, a specialty of the area. I also loved the funky little place behind the Piazza Navona in Rome. - don't know its name.


7. Best gelato was in Venice. Second best, at Ed's in Toronto.


8. Must go back - to see Ostia Antica, the ancient port city of Rome that we missed; the secret Medici passage across the Ponte Vecchio in Firenze; the Borghese Gallery and the newly unveiled archeological dig of Hadrian's Auditorium in Rome; re-visit Siena and explore the Tuscan coutryside; etc etc.

Arrivederci Roma

Oct 2: Time to end our Italian adventure. Not much time for more site seeing, so we took one last walk around our neighbourhood – down quiet Via Firenze, past the guard outside the Ministry of Defense across from the hotel, past the motorcycle/scooter parking that Peter checked out every day, past the local Gelataria which was good for a late night snack and the Pizzeria which looked good, but where we never ate, past the McDonalds which we ignored except to use it as a landmark – to the busy, bustling Via Nazionale. Strolling along aimlessly we came across a fascinating church the Chiesa San Vitale, which looked very old judging from its façade and the fact that it was significantly lower than the modern street level. Later we found out that it was built in the 4th Century with renovations up to the 16th Century. The antiquity and excellent condition boggles the mind. It was beautiful and dim; a nice respite from the pace of modern Rome, a veritable sanctuary.
As one last church visit, we stopped into the Chiesa Santa Maria Maggiore. In contrast to the previous church, this is very grand. There has been a church on the site since 350, but the current church was completed in the 18th century. It is filled with beautiful mosaics, marble, gilding and all the other displays of richness that Catholic churches excel in. There was a service taking place, so we stayed at the back and just admired what we could from a distance.
Going through frantic Termini Station once again, the express train got us very efficiently to the airport and there the efficiency ended. The next part of line-ups and security were beyond the usual airport tedium. Best not to dwell on that.
Arrivederci Bella Italia. It has been wonderful.