Ed's Egypt Trip

After arriving and sorting out the luggage, we boarded our busses and headed to the hotel. On the way, we stopped at the Sadat Memorial.

On the second day, we visited the Museum of Antiquities in Cairo. Cameras were not allowed inside, but I took some pictures in the garden. In the evening, we were hosted by a Cairo family and served a very nice meal.

On day three, we visited the best known of Egypt's sights - the pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. This was also where we got our training with Egypt's vendors. After Giza, we went on to have lunch in the countryside, and a visit to Saqqara, home of the oldest known pyramid in Egypt - the Step Pyramid. Saqqara is in the general area of MenNefer (Memphis), the ancient capital of Egypt.

The fourth day was devoted to an excursion to Alexandria, home of the famous library and lighthouse of ancient times. We started with a train ride through the Nile delta from Cairo.

On the fifth day, our main excursion was to religious sites in the old part of Cairo. The main attraction was the Mosque of Mohammad Ali. This Mosque, built of alabaster, was modeled after the famous Blue Mosque in Istanbul.

On the sixth day, we flew to Aswan and boarded our ship, the River Anuket. On the way from the airport, we visited the Aswan High Dam, where we got our first look at Lake Nasser, which stretches south into northern Sudan, where it is called Lake Nubia. Once we had gotten settled on the ship, we went felucca sailing.

The seventh day was mostly dedicated to an excursion to see the temples of Abu Simbel. Construction of the temple complex was started around 1244 BC, and was known then as the "Temple of Ramesses, beloved by Amun." It was discovered in modern times by Jean Louis Burckhardt, the Swiss explorer best known for discovering the ruins of Petra in modern day Jordan.

The morning of the eighth day we took an excursion to the Philae temples. This complex of temples, after being 1/3 covered with water due to rising water behind the Aswan high dam, was moved from the old island of Philae to a nearby island, Agilika.

After our visit to Philae, we visited a shop in Aswan that sells essential oils used to make perfume. they also make perfume bottles there. then we cruised up the nile to Kom Ombo.

We ended the eighth day with a visit to the temple of Sobek and Haroeris (Horus the Elder) at Kom Ombo, probably started by Ptolemy VI Philometor (180 to 164 BC) and continued by other Ptolemies and Romans.

Day Nine was devoted to cruising and a stop at Edfu for a visit to the temple of the falcon god Horus and Hathor of Dendera (visited later in the trip.) The temple was built between 237 and 57 BCE. This is one of the best preserved temples in Egypt, and is second in size only to the Temple of Karnak

On day 10, we were docked in Luxor, and started the morning crossing over to the west bank to visit the Valley of the Kings. No photography is allowed there, so we left our cameras in the bus. But there were plenty of pictures at other west bank sites, including the well-preserved Mortuary temple of the famous queen Hatshepsut

On day 11, the ship cruised from Luxor downstream to Qena for a visit to the the temple of Hathor at Dendera. After the visit, we cruised back to Luxor. These pictures are of life along the Nile and in Qena/Dendera on the way to the temple.

The Temple of Hathor was one of the best preserved sites we visited. The temple was built relatively recently, starting in 54 BC, but the site also includes a necropolis with tombs of the early dynastic period.

After our visit to Dendera, we cruised back to Luxor. Here are more pictures of life along the river and a few shots on the ship.

Day 12 started with a pre-dawn ride on a hot air balloon over the west bank of the Nile opposite Luxor. This took us back to the area around the Valley of the Kings and the temple of Queen Hatshepsut, along with a lot of stuff we did not see on the ground.

After the balloon ride, we returned to the ship to join our non-airborne companions for more normal morning activities. First, we visited the El-Shohada Primary Mixed School, a recent departure from all-boys and all-girls schools. The mixing is still not complete, as you can see, because the boys and girls are still in different parts of the classroom.

We went directly from the school to one of the most impressive temple sites in Egypt - the Karnak temples

After taking a break for lunch and a visit to a papyrus place, we toured Luxor temple, dedicated to the got Amun-Re, his wife, and their son. Luxor temple faces Karnak, and was originally connected to it via the avenue of sphinxes. The site of this temple was used long after phaeronic days, and there are frescoes from Roman times and a Mosque that is still in use.

These shots were taken on our last day in Luxor, and the next morning at the airport for our flight to Cairo. There are a couple of pictures also in Cairo on our last night.

After arriving and sorting out the luggage, we boarded our busses and headed to the hotel. On the way, we stopped at the Sadat Memorial. (27 Pictures)	On the second day, we visited the Museum of Antiquities in Cairo. Cameras were not allowed inside, but I took some pictures in the garden. In the evening, we were hosted by a Cairo family and served a very nice meal. (21 Pictures)	On day three, we visited the best known of Egypt's sights - the pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. This was also where we got our training with Egypt's vendors. After Giza, we went on to have lunch in the countryside, and a visit to Saqqara, home of the oldest known pyramid in Egypt - the Step Pyramid. Saqqara is in the general area of MenNefer (Memphis), the ancient capital of Egypt. (59 Pictures)	The fourth day was devoted to an excursion to Alexandria, home of the famous library and lighthouse of ancient times. We started with a train ride through the Nile delta from Cairo. (101 Pictures)	On the fifth day, our main excursion was to religious sites in the old part of Cairo. The main attraction was the Mosque of Mohammad Ali. This Mosque, built of alabaster, was modeled after the famous Blue Mosque in Istanbul. (121 Pictures)
On the sixth day, we flew to Aswan and boarded our ship, the River Anuket. On the way from the airport, we visited the Aswan High Dam, where we got our first look at Lake Nasser, which stretches south into northern Sudan, where it is called Lake Nubia. Once we had gotten settled on the ship, we went felucca sailing. (46 Pictures)	The seventh day was mostly dedicated to an excursion to see the temples of Abu Simbel. Construction of the temple complex was started around 1244 BC, and was known then as the "Temple of Ramesses, beloved by Amun." It was discovered in modern times by Jean Louis Burckhardt, the Swiss explorer best known for discovering the ruins of Petra in modern day Jordan. (73 Pictures)	The morning of the eighth day we took an excursion to the Philae temples. This complex of temples, after being 1/3 covered with water due to rising water behind the Aswan high dam, was moved from the old island of Philae to a nearby island, Agilika. (118 Pictures)	After our visit to Philae, we visited a shop in Aswan that sells essential oils used to make perfume. they also make perfume bottles there. then we cruised up the nile to Kom Ombo. (61 Pictures)	We ended the eighth day with a visit to the temple of Sobek and Haroeris (Horus the Elder) at Kom Ombo, probably started by Ptolemy VI Philometor (180 to 164 BC) and continued by other Ptolemies and Romans. (46 Pictures)
Day Nine was devoted to cruising and a stop at Edfu for a visit to the temple of the falcon god Horus and Hathor of Dendera (visited later in the trip.) The temple was built between 237 and 57 BCE. This is one of the best preserved temples in Egypt, and is second in size only to the Temple of Karnak (72 Pictures)	On day 10, we were docked in Luxor, and started the morning crossing over to the west bank to visit the Valley of the Kings. No photography is allowed there, so we left our cameras in the bus. But there were plenty of pictures at other west bank sites, including the well-preserved Mortuary temple of the famous queen Hatshepsut (41 Pictures)	On day 11, the ship cruised from Luxor downstream to Qena for a visit to the the temple of Hathor at Dendera. After the visit, we cruised back to Luxor. These pictures are of life along the Nile and in Qena/Dendera on the way to the temple. (39 Pictures)	The Temple of Hathor was one of the best preserved sites we visited. The temple was built relatively recently, starting in 54 BC, but the site also includes a necropolis with tombs of the early dynastic period. (84 Pictures)	After our visit to Dendera, we cruised back to Luxor. Here are more pictures of life along the river and a few shots on the ship. (48 Pictures)
Day 12 started with a pre-dawn ride on a hot air balloon over the west bank of the Nile opposite Luxor. This took us back to the area around the Valley of the Kings and the temple of Queen Hatshepsut, along with a lot of stuff we did not see on the ground. (75 Pictures)	After the balloon ride, we returned to the ship to join our non-airborne companions for more normal morning activities. First, we visited the El-Shohada Primary Mixed School, a recent departure from all-boys and all-girls schools. The mixing is still not complete, as you can see, because the boys and girls are still in different parts of the classroom. (34 Pictures)	We went directly from the school to one of the most impressive temple sites in Egypt - the Karnak temples (70 Pictures)	After taking a break for lunch and a visit to a papyrus place, we toured Luxor temple, dedicated to the got Amun-Re, his wife, and their son. Luxor temple faces Karnak, and was originally connected to it via the avenue of sphinxes. The site of this temple was used long after phaeronic days, and there are frescoes from Roman times and a Mosque that is still in use. (44 Pictures)	These shots were taken on our last day in Luxor, and the next morning at the airport for our flight to Cairo. There are a couple of pictures also in Cairo on our last night. (17 Pictures)