A Taste Of Egypt |
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There are so many people who live here they hold on to the outside of a train when they travel. They seem friendly. The first time I was here I was young and a few men were too friendl
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Egypt’s northern border is the Mediterranean Sea, to the west is the Suez Canal to the Red Sea. Passing through the coundtry is longest river in the world, the Nile. Egypt once had Kings and Queens then they became Christians, (the Copts), Muslims and Jews. You can visit the Pyramids, (that are tombs for Royalty), the Churches and the Synagogues. The largest container port is in Alexandria. The biggest city is Cairo. It took forever for our Ship to dock. It’s an interesting country because every place you did you find something from the past. Unfortunately most of the time the ‘grave robbers’ have been there before you!
I won a Cruise from Greece to Egypt and I was allowed to take another Greek travel agent with me. Nini was a guide who worked for a travel agency, so she came with me.
Because she didn't have to pay for the cruise her company arranged for the taxi from Alexandria to Cairo, the hotel in Cairo, the Nile Cruise and a taxi back to Suez City to meet our Ship.
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Cruising down the Nile in the Sheraton Hotel Ship. I read about an Island in the Nile that had a Temple that looked like the first Temple in Jerusalem. I couldn’t find it!!!!
I loved the people even the ones who begged for money. They are so poor in this part of the world. The problem is if you give one child some money you will be swamped and it is difficult to move.
I once was told, (when I was younger), that I looked like
Cleopatra and I tried to imagine what she felt like when she was on
the Nile.
The waters of the Nile have a bug in it and you must be careful that you don't get even a drop on you. Your body thinks the bug is
"protien" and won't even try to get rid of it. This is not a "heal yourself" situation and you will be very sick for a very long time.
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Taking a taxi from Alexandria to Cairo. We saw fertile land and deserts. People on the train waving at us. People working in the fields waived at us. Our driver turn the radio on to a new station. The words spoken were Hebrew. I asked him where the station was and he answered, “Mexico”.
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Cairo (Arabic is al-Qahirah, (they call it Misr), and is the capital city of Egypt. It is the largest city in both Africa and the Middle East and is currently the thirteenth most populous city in the world, (it has over 15 million people that officially live here), but many more in the City of the Dead and on the streets.
The American University, Cairo University, the old Gates of Cairo and Al-Azhar University, it's the oldest university in the world).
Then the Museum, the City of the Dead, Ginza and the Market.
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The Sheraton in Cairo is on the Nile. The bridge that is in front of it was designed by the man who designed the Eiffel Tower, in Paris.
The shops are on the floor you regester. You’ll see a Bank that has Money Exchange Booth. When you go in to exchange your money ask for it in the ‘black market price’. The lack market is illegal in Egypt!!
The Bar is across from the Restaurant and in both places make sure you don’t drink the water or have ice in your drink.
Since we were Travel Agents there was a bottle of Scotch, Gin and Vodka in our rooms. I guess when the British were here during WW II they taught them how to drink.
Fresh flowers were everywhere even in the bathroom.
They clean the rooms every day but by evening they are dusty.
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We had lunch at the Pharaoh Hotel in Giza. It was delicious.
The we shopped for a gold Cartouch, (it spells your name in Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphics) for my husband and myself and in silver for my children.
Then I wanted to take a ride on a camel. I bartered for the best price for the ride but I didn't know that includined getting off the camel. The owner demanded I pay more money and I refused. I began to shout at the people waiting in line, for a ride, "Don't get on his man's camel, he's a cheat!!!" Someone translated what I said and he had his camel lower his front legs and I got off the camel.
We then watch the Light Show on the Pyramids. It's nicer to see them this way than during the day when they are crumbling.
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Isis Is One Of Egypt's Goddess
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The Sheraton Hotel has a Nile fly/cruise that took four days. We flew to Luxor and visited the Tempes of Karnak.
We cross the Nile to the West Bank to visit Valley of the Kings and & Queens, El Deir El Bahari of Hatshpsut and Colossi of Memnon facing the Nile.
Visit the High Dam, the Granite Quarries and the Temple of Philae. Then we flew back to Cairo.
It was nice to come back to the ship at night for a nice meal, entertainment and sleep in a nice bed.
I read about an Island in the Nile that had a Temple that looked like the first Temple in Jerusalem. I couldn’t find it!!!!
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The next morning after breakfast we were ready for the taxi when it arrived to drive us to Port Said.
The tour book said it was 120 kilometers so I figured it would take about two hours to get there. We each had a few bottles of water to drink as it was very warm in Cairo that day.
The road was narrow and full of bumps. We almost had a few accidents along the way.
Nini had never seen the Suez Canal and was surprised to see it was not wide. After the 6 Day War I had seen it from Ismailia, (on the Sinai Peninsula). I thought I knew that when I saw the city again it wouldn't be more than an hour to reach Port Said.
Unfortunately I told Nini and she drank the rest of her water. It took us another 2 hours to reach that city and I had to give her the rest of my water.
I couldn't believe that it would take over 5 hours to drive that distance.
Port Said is a true Duty Free city. This is were I bought my embroidered cotton caftans and Nini bought her son some electrical things.
I was so happy to get on our ship that I curled up on my bed and missed lunch@
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In Anciet Egypt the worshiped gods and goddesses. Each one had their own role to play keeping peace and harmony through out the land.
They believed that it was important to recognise and worship these gods and goddesses so that life continued smoothly.
The Important Ones Are:
Theban was the king of the gods, Isis was called the Throne and was goddess of magic, Aten was the sun, Atum was "the Complete One",Aker was calle the Bender and was the guardian of the traveling sun, Apep is the snake who tried to kill the sun, Anubis was the Royal Child, Amon is the Hidden One, Ammut ate the Dead, Anqet was an Embracing Lady.
Bes was celestial cow-goddess, Bat was the god of the setting sun, Cobra was the goddess of Lower Egypt, Cat the goddess of the home, Dwarf wasgod of music & warfare, Duamutef protected the stomach of the dead and Demon ate souls.
The water goddess was Elephantine, Jackal was god of mummification,
Geb was the god of the earth, Hapi was the god of the Nile, Hapy quarded the lungs of the dead, Hathor was the cow-goddess of love & music Heh was the god of infinity, Heket was a frog goddess that rules infinity, Horus was the ruler of "High Above", Falcon was god of the sun.
Theban was god of the moon, Ma'at goddess of order & truth.
Montu the Egyptian god of war, Nut was the goddess of the sky, Onuris was the "Sky-Bearer" who was a warrior and skygod of Abydos.
Osiris was the Lord of the afterlife,Ptah mummified & creator god, Qebehsenuef protected the intestines of the dead.
Syncretic god of the afterlife, Shu god of the air, Sobek was the god of crocodiles, Sokar was the god of the Memphis, Sopdet was the oddess of the star "Sirius", Tauret was the goddess of women & the home,Tefnut was the goddess of moisture & rain, Thoth was the "Leader", Ibis wasgod of wisdom & the moon, Wepwawet was called "Opener of the Ways" and usher of the dead.
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Published on Wednesday August 30th, 2006 by mrscanada
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