|
 |
|
 
|
Splendors of the Nile Journal: February 24th - March 7, 2010 Journal and Photos by Dan Skinner,
President of Texas Public Radio Wednesday/Thursday: February 24-25 It is my pleasure to accompany a group of 12 travelers who signed up for the "Splendors of the Nile" tour, presented by Smithsonian Journeys Travel Adventures and Collette Vacations, as part of Texas Public Radio's Travel Program. I've never been to Egypt before and am looking forward to what will probably be a "once in a lifetime" experience. Our Egyptian adventure began early Wednesday afternoon with a flight out of San Antonio; making connections through Atlanta and New York and finally arriving in Cairo late Thursday afternoon. Our flights from San Antonio and Atlanta were delayed and we were concerned that we might miss the New York flight, but we arrived just in time to make the connection at JFK airport. Snow is predicted for tomorrow in NYC so it’s a good thing we are passing through there tonight. After purchasing our entry visas and making our way through airport customs, we connected with our local Collette
The Giza Pyramids are located close to our hotel and as we could see the pyramids dramatically illuminated by lightening as we closed in on our destination. After checking in at Le Meridien Pyramids, we went to a welcoming reception where we received a briefing from our Collette Vacation Guide, Pam Reimann. Tomorrow we will be joined by an Egyptologist who will provide context for the sights we will visit and insure that we'll not only see wondrous sights but also understand the history and culture that surround them. After the open reception/briefing, we had dinner in the hotel. The most welcoming site for me, after completing the flights from San Antonio to Cairo and the stormy bus ride to Giza, was my hotel room. I'm looking forward to a good night's sleep before traveling to nearby Giza to see the pyramids. Friday: February 26 We started our morning with a quick trip to the nearby Pyramids of Giza, along with our Egyptologist, Khaled Lotfy. Some of the streets still have water standing curb deep because they lack drainage. On the way to the pyramids and during our visit, Khaled provided us with the background history of the Egyptian Dynasties and earlier attempts at making pyramids that led to the knowledge required to build the pyramids of Giza. Millions of blocks of stone, averaging 2.5 tons each, where used to construct the pyramids. The famous trio of pyramids were constructed to protect the tombs of Khufu (aka Cheops), his son Kafre and grandson Mankaure. Truly deserving being listed as one of the "Seven Wonders of the Ancient World," these mammoth structures have endured for over 4,000 years. For 3,800 years the Great Pyramid of Khufu, at 455 feet, was the tallest manmade structure in the world. This is also the sight of the monument known as The Sphinx, which is 200 foot long and 65 foot tall.
After visiting the pyramids up-close we went to a nearby sight with a panoramic view of all three pyramids. Some of our travelers took advantage of the opportunity to take a ride on a camel at this location as well. We next traveled to Memphis, the ancient capital of Egypt, to see the 40-foot statue of Ramses II and other artifacts near the village of Mit Rahina. Our Egyptologist, Khaled, drew a map of Egypt on the ground and explained more history about the Pharaohs and where they built their temples.
In the evening we returned to the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, for a light and sound show that told the history of the Pyramids. Laser lights projected on the pyramids showed the precise angle achieved, length, height and other information about their construction. Images and diagrams were also projected onto a wall below the Sphinx, while flood lights in varying colors lit up the Sphinx and the individual pyramids as the story of their creation unfolded via narration and music. Saturday: February 27 This morning we went to a papyrus shop, where we saw a demonstration on how papyrus paper is made and information about the meaning of some of the ancient Egyptian Symbols contained in the art work. Following the demonstration we had the opportunity to browse and purchase art works painted on papyrus as desired.
After lunch we spent three hours at the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities in Cairo. The museum opened in 1902 and houses an amazing number of artifacts. Our Egyptologist, Khaled, led our tour of the museum and helped us better understand what we were seeing, followed by some free time to explore the museum on our own. The top exhibit in the museum is the collection of some 5,000 artifacts from the tomb of Tut An Khamen. Although some items from his tomb are loaned to other museums around the world for exhibits, by law the major items must always remain in Egypt, including his famous burial mask. Unfortunately no photography was allowed at the museum so I have no pictures to share. It was an amazing Museum experience. After exiting the Egyptian Museum, we returned to the airport and took a flight to Luxor. As we left the Cairo, I came away with strong impressions. It is a city of contrasts. There is much beauty and history to be found. There is an energy evidenced by the constant bustle of activity and the major streets constantly crowded and noisy. I will always remember seeing colorful clothes hanging from apartment balconies and windows to dry in the breeze... Merchants selling fruits and vegetables from the back of carts pulled by donkeys... Street vendors hawking souvenirs... Open store fronts... Men gathering to smoke hookahs and share conversation... The sound of the call to prayer emanating from the Mosques... The people I encountered who were good natured and engaging... There are many pleasant memories to take with me from Cairo, but the city also has issues. There is a large gap between the rich and the poor. There are beautiful homes on spacious grounds and crowded apartment buildings in various stages of decay where a person is lucky to have a single light bulb to illuminate the interior of their home at night. The top floors of many of the multistory buildings, both older and recent construction, have bare columns and no roofs. We were told that this was a way of avoiding taxes because owners don't have to pay taxes on the building until it is complete. The building may be otherwise full with businesses and residences but technically, it's still a work in progress. Sanitation is also an issue. Many of the streets are dirty, and it seemed like almost everywhere you looked there was always trash is on the ground. Refuse also lined the banks and floated in many of the streams and the canals we passed. Despite signs that remind people to keep things tidy, the grounds of many of the historic sites we visited were also littered. An hour's flight took us to Luxor, with its 800,000 residents compared to Cairo's 22 million. In contrast to Cairo, Luxor seems almost like a small town. As the bus took us to our hotel, the evening traffic was not congested, and the pace of the city seemed relaxed instead of frenetic. Our hotel, the Sheraton Luxor is located on the banks of the Nile. Along the way to the hotel we saw many docked cruise ships. Khaled told us that about 20 years ago there were only 15 cruise ships on the Nile, but over the years demand has grown so much for the tours that there are now around 300 cruise ships in operation. Sunday: February 28th Today we visited the Valley of the Kings on the West bank of the Nile. The sight lists 62 excavations that are classified as tombs. Some tombs were the burial place of 1 person, and other tombs were "family plots" that held over a hundred mummies. The most famous discovery was the last, the tomb of Tut An Khamen. Only 9 of the 64 tombs are open for public viewing at a time. Our Egyptologist, Khaled, explained the history behind this collection of tombs in the valley between limestone mountains. Hundreds more tombs and mummies of common people have also been discovered in the area. No photography is allowed in the Valley of Kings and it is strictly enforced, so I have no pictures to share of the tombs. However, I can report that the tombs were amazing. The surviving decorative paintings and carvings in the tombs are well preserved and intricate. In addition to the artistry, the sheer amount of craftsmanship and brute force required to dig the passageways deep under the ground and into the bedrock of the mountain is impressive. Unfortunately over time there has been vandalism, sometimes by other kings, sometimes by tomb robbers, and also by those who used the tombs as a place of refuge. Some tombs were also defaced by people of different religious beliefs who tried to remove depictions of Egyptian gods and goddesses from the tombs. Compared to the age of the tombs, it is only in recent history that the tombs in the Valley of the Kings have come to be valued and protected as cultural treasures. As a group, we visited the tombs of Sa-Betah; The dual tomb of Ta-Wesert and Sat-Nehkt; and Ramses IX. It requires an extra ticket purchase to see Tut's tomb but after seeing the exhibit of the artifacts from his tomb yesterday at the Egyptian Museum, a number of us wanted to visit the location of their discovery. Also, after learning so much about his life, it was a small way to pay our respects to him by visiting his remains. King Tut An Khamen's mummy lies in state in the burial chamber of his tomb inside a special temperature and humidity controlled enclosure in the burial chamber. His body is respectfully draped with a white sheet and only his face and feet are exposed. Next, we drove to the other side of the mountain to Al-Deir Al-Bhari. This is where is the impressive Temple of Queen Hatshepsut is located. She was one of the few female pharoahs and ruled for nearly 22 years. The structure is famous for its grand staircase, terraces and columns.
In the evening, some members of our group opted to sign up for visit to the Luxor Museum then have dinner downtown before returning to the hotel in horse drawn carriages. The rest of the group enjoyed a few hours of free time to explore on our own. Monday: March 1st
This morning we checked out of the hotel and went to the Valley of the Queens where we visited the tombs of Queen Ti-Ti; Prince Kha-En-Waset; and Prince Amon-Kher-Ef. Again, no photography was allowed in the tombs. Several of the tombs have very well preserved wall paintings that still retain much of their original color. Some of the tombs had smoke damage from fires lit in them when they were occupied by nomads. And like many other tombs and temples, many were defaced by early Christians seeking to remove references to pagan gods. We stopped briefly to see the Colossi of Memnon, two massive stone statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. We then continued on to the Tomb of Nobles area where we visited the Tomb of Ramose. He was a visir under Amenhotep III and Governor of Thebes under Amenhotep IV, who later change his name to Akhenaten. Again no photography was allowed inside the tomb but we were allowed to take pictures outside.
Our next stop was at the Medinet Habu Temple complex which was constructed by Ramses III. One of the interesting things about this Temple is how well preserved the color is on many of the scenes and decorations.
After the Medinet Habu Temple Complex visit, we returned to the city and checked into our rooms aboard the Mirage I cruise ship. After lunch on the ship, we headed back out to tour Karnak Temple. It is the largest religious Temple compound ever created in honor of a god, in this case being Amon Rah, the Sun God. It was constructed over a 1,300 year span and contains many temples.
Tuesday: March 2nd Today we traveled up the Nile, working our way toward Aswan. From our viewpoint on the top deck of the ship we could see life along the Nile. We passed by individual houses, villages and cities representing a wide economic range. Poorer homes were made of mud brick while more modern homes were made of concrete and brick. We saw many other cruise ships, of course, but we also saw small row boats plying the river with one or two people fishing from them. We saw people washing their laundry, bathing, and collecting water to take back to their homes. Farm animals were led to the water for a drink, and various crops were being cultivated next to the banks of the river. According to our guide, Khaled, a vast majority of the population live within a mile or two of the banks of the Nile. He said the band of green used to extend father from the Nile than it does now and as the desert encroaches agriculture is suffering.
In the evening, the boat hosted a Galabaya party. A Galabaya is a traditional tunic worn by both men and women, however the "tourist" versions sold in the souvenir shops are a bit flashier. The event was essentially a costume party where people dressed up in Egyptian clothing for a dinner of Egyptian cuisine and a party afterwards. The festivities included music, dancing and games. It was fun and everyone seemed to have a good time.
Wednesday: March 3rd Today, the boat made two stops so that we could visit temples. Our first stop was the city of Edfu where we visited the Temple of Horus, which is second in size only to the Karnak Temple complex. It was built between 237-257 BC and is one of the best preserved temples. It contains important scenes and inscriptions that tell the story of the conflict between Seth and Horus.
In between visits, I tried to capture more pictures of life along the Nile.
We continued up the Nile until we stopped at Kom Ombo where we saw an unusual double temple. The Southern half of the temple is dedicated to Sobek, the god of fertility and the Northern part is dedicated to Horus the Elder. Construction was started by Ptolemy VI Philometer (180-145 BC) during the early in his reign and was added to by other Ptolemys. The site also contains a Nilometer for monitoring the water levels of the Nile and predicting the annual flood.
At each location, our guide Khaled explained the history behind the temple and what made each location unique. Following the visit to Kom Ombo our journey up the Nile continued. We reached Aswan at nightfall. Thursday: March 4th Today part of our group traveled from Aswan to Abu Simbel via commuter jet to see the Temples there. The Aswan Airport was designed to resemble a temple. The temples of Ramses II and Nefertari at Abu Simbel were moved 200 feet up and 600 feet back from their original locations to avoid them being lost under the waters of Lake Nasser as it filled in after the creation of the Aswan High Dam. The temples are massive and extend deep into artificial hills that strive to recreate the original surroundings. Next to the Pyramids of Giza they are perhaps the most familiar images that people think of when they consider ancient Egypt.
In the evening, We visited the Nubian Museum in Aswan. With the building of the Aswan Dam and the creation of Lake Nasser, the Nubian lands were largely destroyed. The area known as Nubia is divided between Egypt and Sudan. The government built apartments for the displaced people, but the Nubians rejected them because the buildings did not fit their communal culture. They were used to living in multi-generational configurations and the single family style apartments did not work for them. The museum helps preserve their history and culture, but they are a displaced people who are not quite assimilated, but are slowly adjusting. The loss of Nubian land is still part of living memory and it will take future generations before they will feel more part of Egypt or Sudan.
Friday: March 5th This morning we checked out of our rooms on the cruise ship and went to see the Temples on Philae Island. In boats operated exclusively by Nubians, we were taken to and from the island and along the way the crew made sure we had opportunity to shop for jewelry, carvings, statues, souvenir books, etc. Surrounded by water and islands of granite, the Philae Temple Complex is in a beautiful setting. This temple complex was moved from the original island of Philae (now underwater) to higher ground on a neighboring island due to the High Aswan Dam. The primary Temple on the island is for Isis, but there are others as well, including temples for Hawthor and Horus.
We checked into the Movinpick Resort Hotel on Elephantine Island on the Nile, within site of where our former cruise ship was docked. In the afternoon, we took a Felucca (traditional wooden sail boat) across the Nile to the Aswan Botanical Gardens. These boats were also crewed by Nubians and we were once again give the opportunity to shop for souvenirs. The Aswan Botanical Garden is located on an Island in the Nile which was given to British soldier Lord Horatio Kitchener in 1899 as a reward for his service during the Sudan Campaign of 1896-1898. Kitchener spent years developing the botanical garden with flowers, trees and plants from Africa, India, and beyond. Kitchener's Island became the property of the Egyptian government when Kitchener departed.
After sailing back to the hotel, Khaled spoke to the group about modern day Egypt and the challenges the country is facing politically, economically and environmentally. For example, the building of the High Aswan Dam does protect Egypt from floods but without the annual floods the soil is no longer as fertile as before and agricultural output is not able to keep up with the needs of the growing population. Saturday/Sunday March 6th/7th Unlike most mornings on the tour we had no activities scheduled for this morning, so I took advantage of sleeping until 9 a.m. in preparation of the long journey home. We left Elephantine Island via shuttle boat at noon, and then traveled by bus to the Aswan airport to catch our flight to Cairo. We arrived in Cairo a little after 4 p.m. and were taken to the Sonesta Hotel in the Heliopolis section of the city. The royal palace of President Mubarak is located across the street. We had to go through a metal detector to gain entrance to the hotel. The hotel room was very nice but unfortunately there was little time to enjoy it. We had our farewell dinner at 6:30 p.m. and by 9:30 p.m. our group of TPR travelers were headed back to the Cairo Airport to make our 12:30 a.m. Sunday morning flight to JFK Airport in New York. Since this is the weekend, the traffic was lighter than normal for Cairo, but still very heavy. One of our travelers remarked that he would never complain about San Antonio traffic again now that he had experienced traffic in Cairo. Cairo airport was also very congested with travelers and security was the tightest I have ever experienced. We went through two metal detectors and two passport inspections just to reach the Delta Airlines gate where everyone’s carry on luggage was hand inspected. There were two more boarding pass checks and another passport check before we finally boarded the plane. Whew! I guess I should feel safe now. The flight to New York should be around 10 hours and 30 minutes, give or take. I passed the time by watching a few movies, listening to music and using a laptop computer to get some writing done. At JFK, we retrieved our checked baggage, went through Customs, rechecked our bags then made our connection to the flight to Atlanta, and then left Atlanta for San Antonio. (As usual, I didn't sleep on any of the flights. I really wish I could.) We landed around 3 p.m. on Sunday Afternoon, tired, but filled with memories and a better understanding of Egyptian history and culture. It was a wonderful journey and I am thankful for experiencing it in the company of our Texas Public Radio Travel Group. More information about future trips being offered by Texas Public Radio, please visit our travel page.  |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
