Egypt Page 2

Ramses is my homeboy
Posted Sunday, March 1, 2009

Luxor goes by many names: City of the Dead, Necropolis of Thebes, World’s Largest Outdoor Museum, Capital of the Touts, Where Citizens Don’t Count and Where Chris Had His Only Bad Meal in Egypt. I would not recommend the pigeon -- a popular dish called Hamam Mahshi -- the next time you’re in Egypt. I would, however, recommend seeing this warm city on the Nile filled with green fields, tall mountains, brilliant monuments and shady politics.

We started our day visiting the Valley of the Kings: a nest of tombs hidden in a canyon far from the Nile. It’s the resting place and treasure trove of my homeboy Ramses among others. In some instances the tombs dive hundreds of feet at steep angles into painted caverns where the riches of the kings, and sometimes the kings themselves were buried.

Sealed away from the elements for thousands of years the elaborate wall drawings still burst with color. I’d show you some pictures, but it’s illegal to take photos in the tombs.

<Ahem>

Afterward we checked out the other spectacular sites in the area.

The Ramesseum:

The Temple of Hatshepsut:

The Tombs of the Nobles:

Medinat Habu:

and the Colossi of Memmon:

We finished the afternoon lounging beside the Nile as a parade of Feluccas floated past before the pigeon dinner -- Tiff had Tagen ferakh bol khodar -- and beers at the King’s Head Pub.

A quick rant: The new governor has been clearing out whole villages in order to make the sites in the area more tourist friendly. I suppose Tiff and I are the beneficiaries of this new tourist-friendly Luxor, but it doesn’t exactly sit well with the villagers or us. While hiking around the Tombs of the Nobles we encountered a limestone carver, who told me he lost the home his family had lived in for generations under the new governor. He then tried to guilt me into buying his carvings (which were quite good), but that doesn’t diminish the fact that something wrong happened here. But I guess that’s to be expected from a country whose president poses in posters like a mobster.

But enough seriousness. I’ll leave you with this video as we head out to see the Karnak and Luxor temples.

-cmg

Breaking teenage hearts
Posted Sunday, March 1, 2009

Photo please? We’re leaving Luxor tonight, which will break many hearts in this town. Tiff was a prime attraction today along with the temples of Luxor and Karnak. At one point I had about 20 teenage boys ask me if they could take pictures with Tiff. How could I say no?

So after seeing three temples and five tombs yesterday, we limited ourselves to two temples and five beers today. We started at the Karnak Temple, a behemoth of a place with columns that left you feeling like you were walking through a redwood forest. It also featured a row of Tar Heel sphinxes that had Tiff jumping for joy and some darker chambers that caused me to lose my mind.

We enjoyed a few beers by the Nile before heading over to Luxor Temple.

We finished the day with dinner by the Nile, while waiting for our plane to Aswan, our last stop in Egypt before heading to Jordan.

- cmg

Sailing the Nile
Posted Monday, March 2, 2009

On our first day in Aswan, we took it easy. Needing a break from tombs and temples -- even as amazing as they are -- we rented a felucca for the day and sailed down the Nile. Our felucca -- essentially an Egyptian sailboat with hand-painted decorations -- sported a Bob Marley sail and a pretty laid back crew. We cruised down the Nile and around the many islands here in Aswan for five hours, stopping for lunch, to hop on a camel to see a monastery on top of a dune and to stop at a relocated Nubian village. We paged through one couple’s wedding album (one photo had her in it twice with a sword in the middle and islands floating in the sky) and I pestered a baby crocodile with a stick. But we spent most of the day napping and watching the shoreline glide past.

I’d post more, but we’re heading off to Abu Simbel tomorrow ... at 2:30 a.m. It’s an amazing temple near the Sudanese border, but you have to get there by police escort, hence the early departure. Ma’asalama.
-cmg

Ma’Asalama Egypt
Posted Tuesday, March 3, 2009

It’s been a long last day in Egypt. We got a 2:30 a.m. wake-up call so that we could visit the temple of all temples: Rames the II’s crib at Abu Simbel. The four dominating statues of Ramses II (that’s little me below them) look out over Lake Nasser at this temple located near the Sudanese border -- a four-hour drive by minibus from Aswan. Because the road is mostly desert and so many tourists travel to the temple, it is forbidden by law to drive without a police escort for fear of an attack. So Tiff and I and 600 of our traveling buddies motored down to Egypt’s southern tip before sunrise. The temple of Ramses II and that of his wife Nefertari were worth any minor inconveniences and worthy of accolades beyond my skill level.

After returning from Abu Simbel, we kicked back by the pool and watched the feluccas coast past before one last Egyptian sunset.

Some observations about Egypt before we go.

CALL TO PRAYER: Five times a day, beginning at 5 a.m. the speakers mounted on buildings across all Islamic cities come to life with the Call to Prayer. Many people ignore it, some rush to the nearest mosque and some stop right where they are to pay tribute to the religion of Islam. At first this practice was kind of unnerving, but now we find it soothing as we anticipate each session of the devoted.

CALL TO BAR: There isn’t one. The Islamic world does not serve alcohol. If you’re looking for a beer, find the nearest tourist attraction.

MCDONALDS: There are signs everywhere for this worldwide favorite, but hardly any arches. As far as I can tell, with a few exceptions, McDonalds in Egypt is McDelivery only. And breakfast lasts until 11 a.m. Imagine what that formula would do to the life expectancy in the United States.

SECURITY: If you’re white, it’s non-existent. There are metal detectors at every site and every hotel and most times I walk through with my iPhone and some change in my pocket and it goes off. Most times security only gives me a glance and just waves me through. I’ve stopped sending my bag through the x-ray as well. Nobody seems to care what we have on us. Egyptians do not receive the same disregard.

THE WORLD’S PRESIDENT: Most people assume we are European until we start talking. The few that realize we are American belt out one thing above all: OBAMA. I think our president might be the most popular person in this country. Egyptians say Obama looks like an Egyptian, and they’re quite proud of it. They also like his politics. I burst out laughing when Tiff and I took a camel from a deserted beach over several sand dunes to an old monastery that gets very few visitors only to find the caretaker’s desk adorned with an Obama sticker. It’s not just Egyptians either. Russians, Germans, the English, Japanese, you name it, they all mention Obama. This kind of friendliness is a distinct departure from what we have experienced in past trips.
-cmg

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