ASWAN - Egypts southernmost city

After our trip to Philae island, we swung by Aswan's Northern Granite Quarries. As I hopped out of the van, I dropped the camera which shattered on the ground at my feet! Oh no! I took this photo without even being able to see what I was pointing at!

The Quarry itself looks like something from another planet, similar to the Granite Dells of Prescott, Arizona. But it is the massive Unfinished Obelisk that draws visitors here. Believed to have been commissioned by Queen Hatshepsut, if it had been finished the Obelisk would have stood 42 meters high and weighed 1168 tons!!

Knowing how tough granite is, one could not help but be impressed imagining workers laboring relentlessly with primitive tools to chisel this thing from the ground. Deep channels cut through the earth on both sides as workers made room for their own bodies in order to continue their work. It must have taken years! It would be your career. Can you imagine – standing there everyday chiseling away at this stone, progressing so slowly you'd wonder if you were doing anything at all. Unreal!

Aswan is a cool city, and if I come back to Egypt on my own this is where I plan to make my base. Our hotel, the Isis, is up against the Nile and very close to the suk, or bazaar, so perfectly positioned in my opinion. There's a poolside bar serving Sakara beer and we lounge around, Kathryn in her vintage 1930s bathing suit.

Felucas ply the water, as they have for thousands of years. Holy crap! I just saw a guy drink out of the Nile! Hanging out from his boat, he just drank water that our book has warned not even to bathe in! The bacteria count is so high you can get diseases just from getting it up your a$$! And this guy ingested it! I guess if you're acclimated!

Check out the short video below!



Milad took us out into the suk and showed us some of the shopping area. I found an old man carving brass plates with incredible scenes of Egypt's temples, or famous paintings like Ramses II in his chariot. Amazingly, he was doing it from memory! No pictures, no drawing on the plate, just a tiny hammer and chisel and his mind. And they were remarkably accurate. While we were there, he he was working on a plate of Abu Simbel and I really wanted it, and he said if I came back the next day he would have it finished.

Milad took us to a fast food shop where I got a couple sandwiches of some highly spiced meat. They were delicious, but shortly after eating them, my stomach problems started! Of course, when I ordered some french fries to go with them, the guy simply reached in and grabbed a handful...ugh...

Tomorrow we were off to Abu Simbel and I HAD to have another camera. With little option, I found a small shop selling electronics. After at least 30 minutes of haggling wherein we were given drinks, food, etc., I bought it for roughly $200. I'm sure it was about $150 camera, but this was an emergency!

The next night, Kathryn and I returned to the suk alone, turning the opposite direction than we went with Milad. Again, Milad seemed surprised that we ventured out on our own. While many of the shops sold the same old junk, we saw plenty that stocked interesting and unique items. However once again, the annoying vendors lessened my pleasure. Still, I suppose that's part of the experience. I saw one shop of traditional Nubian masks that I truly wanted to look at, but by then I'd had enough of the hassle.

One guy practically begged us to come into his place and as incentive presented us with a pair of tiny scarabs. At first I refused and explained that the last time someone had handed me something as a gift, he then demanded money for it. And if it happened again, my response would be less than civil. He said, no really, this is a gift. So we kept them. I looked around his shop,and though there were cool statues and such, there was nothing I wanted to keep, so we left him disappointed, but impressed with his integrity.

I find it very strange that they really believe if they offer you something at a low enough rate, you will buy it. They seem not to understand that you may simply not want what they are selling. I did want that hand carved brass plate, but when I went back two days later, the old man had still not finished it. He tried to interest me in the ones he had, but I wanted the Abu Simbel plate, especially after having visited the place. But that is another story...

The Duty Free Duo at the Temple of Isis

Excerpt from Mark's travel journal: It's 6:30 am Monday morning, April 6, and I am writing this as I lay on the bed staring out the window of the train at the lovely countryside rolling by. Lush green palm trees abound, and the Nile gleams in the morning sun. Two men try to coax a pair of oxen in a field while overhead, a hot air balloon drifts over distant cliffs.

This compartment is ridiculously small and barely accommodates our luggage and us. I've never been on a sleeper train before though, and I'm rather impressed with how the chairs 'morphed' into beds and such.

Dinner was barely edible. I think they were breaded pork cutlets, but it was cold and ridiculously tough. Kathryn didn't eat hers so I stashed it and a biscuit for breakfast.

Last night while sitting in the train station, a couple walked up to me and said, “You work in the Vilseck Post Office, don't you?” When I stared flabbergasted they smiled and said, “Don't worry, we're customers.” What are the odds?

While standing on the platform, a prison train rolled slowly by, the cars blackened, the windows barred. Prisoners bellowed out of the windows or stretched forth their hands, laughing gleefully as startled passengers jumped.

Breakfast consisted of bread and jellies. Glad I saved that nasty meat for a little protein.

We bought a bottle of wine with dinner and tipped our steward about 5 pounds for bringing it. We also tipped him at breakfast for some juice that neither of us wanted. So I was rather surprised when he demanded more baksheesh as we departed. When I refused, he actually went and got Milad, who explained it was like a ‘thank you’ for service, like putting the beds up. I said I already gave him a big tip, but that was for something else, you see. Okay, nobody gets more than 1 pound at a shot now.

Oddly enough, when we were getting off the train, this guy presented us with a roll of toilet paper! I asked Milad about it, but he seemed greatly confused. Public toilets in Egypt don't provide toilet paper, so we decided he was actually being gracious. Still, its pretty damn funny!

We didn't sleep well, and haven't had a shower since yesterday morning, and being Egypt – it's HOT. The plan is to set up in our hotel, relax a bit, then head out to Philae island in the afternoon. But when we reached the hotel, the rooms were not ready. Our options were to change our itinerary and do the island tomorrow while taking the felluca ride today or leave for Philae immediately. Still chaffing from yesterday's visit to the pyramids, I wasn't willing to trust changing my itinerary. Hell, Indiana Jones goes whole adventures without a shower! Let's leave immediately!

Our first stop was the high dam, and while an important structure to the Egyptian people, as a tourist site it's pretty lame. I get the feeling that the Egyptian government requires tour companies to come here so they can collect ticket money from tourists. The thing was completed against all predictions in only two years, and they celebrate yearly with festivals and song. It also created the largest manmade lake in the world, and if you're lucky you might see a crocodile basking on its shore.

Now, the building of this dam flooded ancient Nubia, and many ancient sites vanished forever. But a few survived through the efforts of UNESCO, the Egyptian Government, and countries around the world. One of these is the Temple of Isis, moved stone by stone to Aglika Island which was relandscaped and renamed to match the original site, Philae Island. We arrive at a decrepit pier where Milad haggles for a boat to take us over to Philae Island. Operated by a Nubian peasant, we motor among islands of heaped stone, passing along the way the remaining peak of the Temple's original location.


We rounded a bend in the river and the temple loomed into view. The graceful columns of the Kiosk of Trajan stretched high into the sky, followed by the massive walls of the Temple itself. It is gorgeous!

It's hard to describe the feeling of leaping off a boat onto an island housing a ruined temple from a “lost” civilization. I've been reading tales of adventures like this my entire life, and now I am actually living it.


The Temple has been vandalized numerous times, most despicably by Coptic Christians in the 4th century. Considering the animal headed gods to be demons, they defaced most of the figures, hacked off every phallus symbol they could find, and carved their own crosses into the walls.
But they couldn't destroy the majesty of the place nor dampen the awe visitors have felt for ages.

Napoleon also vandalized the place, his men carving their names upon the walls, and even listing their various victories.


Milad kept up a running commentary around the site, proving once again his knowledge of his topic and his passion to share it. Of course, I can't remember much of it! ;^) But I did tape a lot. The basic gist of the story is - Osirus' brother, Set, being jealous of the both King's popularity and the love of the beautiful Isis, murdered his sibling and hacked his body into pieces, scattering the parts all across Egypt. Isis set off in search of her husband, collecting the mutilated parts, finding at last the heart on Philae Island. Here, she spread her wings above him, breathing life into Osirus again, and here she erected this temple in his honor.


Osirus lived long enough to sire a son, Horus who eventually made war against Set for his treachery. Osirus, being dead and all, reigned as King of the Underworld and judge of the dead. Isis enjoyed the longest and most wide-spread worship of any Egyptian deity, lasting long into the 5th century. Some scholars believe that early Christians created the cult of the Virgin Mary to supplant Isis among their new converts.

The large columned courtyard played host to the yearly celebrations commemorating Osirus' resurrection. Every inch of the temple is covered and images and hieroglyphics. Though the Christians and later Muslims hacked up many of the gods, their forms stand out in sharp relief, and there are simply too many to destroy them all.

The carvings mostly show the same stories – Kings making offerings to various gods, ships transferring Kings to heaven, etc. I am not entirely convinced that Egyptologist know the whole story. The Rosetta stone – which is in the Louvre in Paris, but which we saw a replica of in the Egyptian museum – contained the same paragraph written in 3 languages, one of which was hieroglyphics. Since the other two were somewhat know, this allowed scholars to begin to decipher the ancient pictorial writings. Still, some of the explanations make little sense to me, and I just get the feeling there is more yet waiting to be discovered.

Gods are often pictured with various heads. Milad explained this had to do with a certain aspect of the god, almost like an adjective.
For instance, a cow head represents mothering – i.e. the drinking of milk. So any goddess represented in a mothering state, may be featured with a cow's head.

After our tour, we poked around an our own for 45 minutes or so. Here's an excerpt from Kathryn's journal describing our adventures: Our guide left us so we began looking into every room because – we have to! We began at the structure built by Hadrian. Nearby a small off-limits temple affords a low stone with a Greco-Roman relief of Poseidon.
Milad is surprised to find that we went near this stonework. Hmpf! Are we simple American travelers who look at only what is shown us? Hah! Certainly, the second room floor that Mark found is on no tour! Of course, he must find a small passage that no one is in. Of course, we must go in. Of course, there is a hole in the ceiling. Of course Mark must hoist himself up into it. Of course he has a flashlight! Of course he discovers bats in it. Yes, of course I stay below, and of course I forget that we had to stoop to get into the passage, and of course I smash my head on the doorjamb!


Construction on the temple complex continued with many Kings and even Roman emperors adding their own touch over the centuries. I feel certain though, that Caesar, Anthony, and even Augustus, must have once stood where I am standing!

RETURN TO GIZA

As many great things as I can say about this tour, this second trip to the pyramids was disappointing. The Guide books recommend a half-day at the Pyramids, which is what our itinerary promised. While that may be satisfactory to your average tourist – for those truly interested in history and\or archeology (like us) - it is simply not enough. I'm not saying this to denigrate the tour, only so that if you are one of those people, you can prepare accordingly. We were very glad that we visited twice, about seven hours in all. In fact, we almost went back on our last afternoon, but I was really too tired to deal with the crowds. And that is the only down side of visiting here; the constant bombardment by merchants of various type, whether souvenir or service.

Stopping for lunch after the museum, we did not arrive at the Pyramids till after 1pm. Unbeknownst to us, the complex closes at 5, so we really did not have much time. Milad began by explaining the different dynasties and talking about Cheops, the Pharaoh who constructed the Great Pyramid. He also gave us some specifics: The Great Pyramid towers over 455 feet and contains an estimated 2.5 million blocks with an average weight of 2.5 million tons, though some weigh up to 15 tons each! Once, polished limestone covered both of the larger Pyramids, but later peoples scavenged much of it for use in mosques and palaces. The stuff still gleams from the top of Kahfre's Pyramid, though, and along with its being built on a hill, helps make it appear larger than Cheops's, though in fact it is 12 feet shorter. The third pyramid, built by Mycerinus, is still encased in granite, laboriously brought from Aswan 1700 kilometers away.

Above the entrance to the Great Pyramid that we entered yesterday is another jagged hole. Milad tells us that this was a false door, and when someone tried to gain entry through there (back in 870 AD, if memory serves me, but don't quote me on that!) a huge block of stone dropped from the ceiling, crushing the intruder and sealing the opening forever. Milad said this was merely an accident, but don't try and tell Indiana Iacampo that wasn't a booby trap! ;^) Didn't this guy ever see Raiders of the Lost Ark?

I found it interesting that though modern archeologists searched for years for the entrances, ancient thieves had long ago found their way inside and plundered all the treasure.

THE FUNERARY SHIP

This was one of the highlights of the whole trip for me, and I didn't even notice it on our first visit, focused as I had been on getting inside the pyramids.


While cleaning away sand from the pyramids, workers discovered a pit capped with 42 massive limestone uprights. Upon excavation they discovered 1224 pieces of wood clustered on the bottom! This was the funerary ship of the king, designed to sail his soul to the heavens. Painstakingly rebuilt, it now hangs in its own museum directly above the site where it spent 5000 years underground.

To me, this was mind-boggling. The entire ship was intact, except for one oar that was broken, and even it is still on display. It is literally SEWN together on the inside with ropes. The outside planks are single lengths of cedar each 42 meters long! The entire ship was 43 meters long, 6 meters wide. There are two cabins on board, the larger theorized to be where the body of the Pharaoh would be housed on its journey across the Nile. There were two steering boards as well as ten oars, manned by five men each. Five other pits yawn about the complex where other ships once lay hidden.

An old man latched on to us in the museum, and while you certainly don't need a guide, he did give us a good tour with fairly accurate information. A glass case contained a set of original knots from the ship – so you are looking at pieces of rope that are 4600 years old! Unbelievable! Five other pits yawn about the Pyramid complex where other ships once lay hidden. Their real function is unknown, but it is thought they might be funerary ships used to convey the deceased Pharaoh and his retinue across the Nile.

Check out this short Video!



It's funny, as I write about an Indiana Jones inspired tour – but much of my love of history stems from these films. Specifically, there is a line I have quoted my whole life from Raiders that echoed constantly through my head as we traversed this ancient land. Indy has threatened to blow up the Ark and Belloq calls his bluff. He says, “We are merely passing through history. This...this IS history.”

CAMELS AGAIN


In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, after their car is blown up, Indy and Sallah are looking to steal some mounts. When Sallah suggests camels, Indy vehemently forbids this. So one can surmise Indy's not so fond of these “ships of the desert.” We however, find them delightful, and besides,
Kathryn had bought and worn jodhpurs for this purpose alone, so we told Milad we wanted another camel ride.

He took us out to a panoramic outlook where you can see all 9 pyramids on the Giza plateau at once. Even if you don't want a camel ride, be sure to visit this outlook. The view is spectacular.

Milad arranged a ride for us, but I got a better deal yesterday negotiating on my own. Still, plodding through the sand toward the distant pyramids, with turbaned Bedouins on every side was a blast, and the ride yielded some of my favorite photos of the whole trip.
It also wasn't as long as we were expecting, but we still didn't know that the complex shut down so early, and we had to get back in time to visit the Sphinx.

THE SPHINX


By the time we got down to the Sphinx, an iron gate barred entrance to the compound. I couldn't believe it. I had passed up our close up view yesterday to ensure I got tickets inside the pyramid, and now they've locked us out. Milad redeemed himself for the short camel ride by arguing with a guard who eventually directed us to go around and come in the exit. This took us through a many columned structure which is Cheops's funerary complex, basically a mummification center. Milad said the sphinx himself is some sort of mummification deity.

Some folks find the sphinx less impressive close up. I thought he was magnificent.
A sense of majesty and timeless mystery surrounds him. No one really knows what function he served. Three tunnels cut through his body, but they don't go anywhere. Some theorize that they were dug by looters searching for gold. Called Abu al-Hol in Arabic – roughly translated as “The Terrible One” - the ancient Greeks dubbed it the Sphinx after their own riddle asking mythological monster. Of course, their Sphinx had wings and a woman's head, but who am I to point these things out.

I had wanted to go back to the Great Pyramid and film a bit with "Indy" talking about the booby-trapped entrance, but Milad told us due to the late hour, the guards would not allow people to go that direction. Again, we were disappointed, especially when we left this historic site to go sit in a smoke shop for more than half an hour!

Though tempted to partake of the sheesha or water pipe just for the experience, the bad cough I'd developed due to Cairo's heavily polluted air plus my natural repugnance toward smoking in general kept me from it. It did smell nice though. At the table next to us, I watched a guy exhaling more smoke than I would have believed a person could hold in their lungs. You'd have thought it would have caused spontaneous lung cancer!

On our way to the train station, we swung by a papyrus shop, lured by the notion of viewing how the ancient paper was made. I was determined not to buy anything, but the demonstration with the man actually taking the plant, crushing it up by hand, then pressing it together right in front of us, intrigued us. And the paintings, reproductions of actual tomb drawings, were exceedingly beautiful. In the end, we bought two, but I drove such a hard bargain that I think even our salesman was impressed.

Finally, we headed off to the train station to board our sleeper car for the next leg of our journey.

Join us next time as we visit THE TEMPLE OF ISIS

Quest for the Ancient Kings - Part 3 - The Egyptian Museum

THE TOUR BEGINS



Our itinerary listed a half day at the Pyramids followed by a half day at the Egyptian Museum. Let me say right up front, that our idea of a half day did not match theirs!


Expecting to head straight to the Pyramids, we donned our Adventure Gear. Kathryn felt a little self-conscious in her Jodhpurs, but I explained that these people are actually still riding horses, literally down the main streets. .
If anyone will understand that these are not just 'silly looking pants', it is the Egyptians. And I was right. Problem is, we didn't go to the Pyramids, but headed instead through the horrific Cairo traffic to the Egyptian Museum.

I have traveled now on five continents, and dozens of countries. I used to think the drivers in Italy held the top spot for least likely to obey the law. But Cairo takes the cake. I don't think there are any traffic laws. I read that traffic lights had only recently been instituted, and they haven't really caught on. I think I saw two on our entire trip. Many of the roads have no lane markings, but it doesn't really matter because drivers pay no attention even when they do. A three lane road might have as many as seven lanes of traffic on it! Horns blare constantly, though it sincerely seems more of a “hey, I'm here” honk than a “Bleep you, asshole!” Dodging among the cars are pedestrians of all ages and sizes, and we were amazed at how close our driver came repeatedly to running down various children.

Adding to the mayhem are donkey pulled carts, horses, and even the occasional herd of sheep.
During the night, only about half the cars seem to have headlights, yet the pedestrian traffic is just as fierce. Buses have a man housed in the doorway yelling where they're headed and people hop on and off without the vehicle ever actually stopping. Despite all this, I only saw one accident the whole time.

THE EGYPTIAN MUSEUM OF ANTIQUITIES

We arrive unscathed at the museum, and while allowed to take photos around the grounds, we must turn in our camera before going inside.
The museum is awesome, housing nearly 140,000 artifacts, not to mention the crowded basements where the exhibits are literally sinking into the floor, requiring excavation yet again! Many of the display cases themselves are antiquated, and fit the feel of our 1930s trip perfectly

We head directly to the Tutankhamen exhibit where our guide Milad proves himself thoroughly knowledgeable and enthusiastic about his topic. We see many magnificent pieces, including his throne, the famous gold mask, various beds, weapons, and chariots.
Something I found particularly interesting - In an effort to thwart thieves, the casket was enclosed in a succession of rooms, or crypts, like those little dolls that you open only to find a smaller one inside. Each one was constructed around the one before it, and each was elaborately decorated, even though theoretically they were never supposed to be seen. Though I couldn't take pictures, check GOOGLE images for some close up shots.

Many images captured Tutankhamen hunting with his bow from the back of a chariot, and from the number of chariots entombed with him one might surmise this was a passion of his. For many years, scholars have debated over the young King's sudden demise – was he assassinated, poisoned, etc? Recently, using modern technology, they scanned his mummy and learned he had a broken leg that had developed a severe infection. Some now speculated that perhaps he fell from his chariot while hunting, broke his leg, and died from the subsequent infection.

We visited the Royal Mummy Room, and though I've never been impressed by dried out corpses, Kathryn wanted to go. It's a separate fee, but if my money goes to help support this fabulous museum, than it's well worth it. And we are on a Quest for the Ancient Kings, after all! Here lie about 20 of them; Ramses II was there, having ruled for 67 years! How old was he? His skin was very red, where most of the others were black. One had been bleached almost white. Milad said the different chemicals used in mummification causes the color variations.

We saw so many magnificent pieces that they kind of blur for me. One that sticks out is the unfinished bust of Nefertari, who even in cold marble was truly beautiful. Also a statue of Ramses II that had Horus crouching on his shoulder as a falcon advising him. The significance of this statue arises from the unusual fact that when staring directly at it, you cannot see Horus. This image also appears on the Egyptian 10 pound note.

We saw a statue of a man and his wife where the man sported a 1970's porn-star style mustache! Milad says a mustache is very unusual in Egyptian art. Another statue of note represented a scribe sitting cross-legged with his writing implements in hand. Scribes wielded great power in ancient times, demanding respect even from the Pharaohs. There were rooms in the palaces reserved only for the scribes, where even the King was forbidden to enter.

Upon leaving and while waiting for our van, a cop approached and chatted a bit with Milad. Milad gave him some baksheesh. I had noted this back at our hotel as well, when our driver gave a bit of money to the traffic cop. I asked Milad about it; he said it's just part of their culture, everyone tips everyone else, it's just a way of saying thanks. Interesting.

Climbing into the van, we headed to next week's tale: BACK TO THE PYRAMIDS!

Quest for the Ancient Kings - Part 2 - Inside the Pyramids

Fully refreshed, we set out the next morning for the Pyramids. Feeling self-conscious, we opted out of our “adventure outfits”. Still foreigners stick out – especially when one of them is a mega-hot redhead – so it didn't take long for the first tout to descend upon us.

It starts with them just hollering at you, trying to establish contact. "Hey Mister! Mister! Hey! Hellooooo!!! Mister!!" Kathryn can just put her head down and soldier on; I can't seem to ignore someone shouting at me. Now, they've got your attention and they want to talk. They want to find out what it is your looking for so they can start their sales pitch. If it's an item, they can collect a commission from guiding you into a shop, a commission which is tacked onto your bill, incidentally. If it's a service, they or some relative of theirs can provide it. And they simply refuse to believe that someone would rather walk when they can ride!

People kept asking me, “Where do you come from?” Well, Americans haven't been all that popular in that area of the world for a while, so at first I answered the question literally.

“Ich komme aus Deutchland,” which means I come out of Germany. True enough. Then came the inevitable, “Do you speak English?” Which required some stretching of the truth - “Nur ein bisschen” or “just a little.”

Of course, there was the occasional tout who actually spoke German, but on the whole this ploy worked to shorten many an encounter. In truth though, these encouters were interesting experiences. We started out very leery of these guys, but the fact is they are merely trying to make a living and the majority of them are offering a valid service.

Egypt is a poor country and tourists are viewed as walking wallets. With some families surviving on $90 US a month, it's hard to begrudge these guys their sales pitch. They can't advertise except by “hawking” their wares, and they offer a real service. While there are undoubtedly crooked dealers running all the rip off scams the books warn about – I believe the majority are just trying to make a living. They are tenacious though, and it was their persistence that got on my nerves. They believe if they offer something at a low enough price, you'll finally buy it. If I don't want it, I don't want it, even if it's free!

Have you seen Slumdog Millionaire?
First, if you haven't - get it, watch it NOW! My time in Egypt reminded me of this movie; I saw it on the plane ride home, and though I handed out baksheesh (tips) pretty liberally, if I had seen that film before I went to Egypt, I'd probably have given away twice as much. These people are poor, and a dollar tip makes a real difference to them. Even the 1 Egyptian pound, a mere .25 cents US was appreciated - most of the time!

We followed a sign that took us down through the village of Nazlet as-Samaan. This is not the same entrance as Taxis or buses will drop you, and there are more touts here then the other route. These people depend on tourist for their livelihood, and the new fence going up around the Pyramid Complex has grave implications for their ability to make a living. Since I already knew I didn't want anything, and I can't be coerced or bullied into anything, I good naturedly haggled with them, interested in the art and practice of it for when I did want something. How can you learn if you don't try? Books are one thing, but as Indy himself says in Kingdom of the Golden Skull - If you really want to learn, "ya gotta get out of the library!”

A huge line stretched from the ticket complex, but for reasons I can't explain, we were waved to the front. Entry to the complex cost a mere $10 American, and moments later we were inside.


It's hard to describe what it is like to suddenly BE someplace that you've always DREAMED of being. I must say, having entered the complex through both gates, this small isolated entrance was by far the most dramatic. You walk in and BAM! There squatted the enigmatic Sphinx, sternly guarding the massive Pyramids that towered behind him. Their sheer bulk is startling – for over 4000 years they were the largest man made structures on Earth.

Unfortunately, of all the incredible places we've visited, this was the hardest one to actually EXPERIENCE. What I mean is, it's difficult to find a moment to just “soak it in”. There are thousands of tourists and touts, and you can't find five minutes to contemplate the majesty of the wonders before you without someone breaking into your reverie to try and sell you some useless bit of junk.

Now, I may have unwittingly added to this fact myself, though from all other accounts, this happens to everybody. As stated earlier, this first visit, we did not wear our adventure clothes, which means I had no hat and my bald head was exposed to the brutal Egyptian sun. Almost immediately, a guy came up selling head cloths, starting at $25. Totally not interested. But, I had spoken to him, so he kept at it. As the sun blistered my bare skull, I thought, gee it would be nice to protect myself. Despite his protestations that his children would now starve, he let me have the headdress for $5. However, this now marked me as a guy who might buy something, and we were continually assaulted by merchants. Interestingly, the one technique that worked best for getting them to relent: saying Thanks in Arabic. Kathryn learned this immediately (she is so very talented) and my best phonetic spelling is “shoo-kran” with a slight rolling of the 'r' if you can manage it.

Entry inside the Pyramids themselves is restricted to 300 people a day, divided into morning and afternoon. Getting inside being our main goal, we single-mindedly headed for the ticket booth. The books both describe ticket kiosks by each Pyramid, but this was not the case, and we had to head to the main entrance, quite the hike across the complex. Further, the afternoon tickets go on sale at 1300, and the tours start lining up early, so we wanted to make sure we a good spot before some tour guide bought 100 tickets for his bus!

Interestingly, while waiting in line, some girls came up and asked to take Kathryn's picture, and then had other pictures made while standing with her. And she wasn't even wearing her Jodhpurs!

I'm amazed at how many people visit the Pyramids and yet do not go inside. They'll tell you it costs too much, or it's too hot and cramped, or their friends told them not to bother cause there's nothing inside. But, ya know, it's the PYRAMIDS!! How can you NOT go inside if they'll let you!! The percentage of people on this planet who have actually walked in this space is miniscule! You enter a special club just going inside...

Entry to the Great Pyramid of Cheops, or Khufu as the Egyptians call him, costs $20 US. Chephren's Pyramid cost only $6.


We went in Chephren's Pyramid first, the Great Pyramid not being open yet. On the way over, a camel rider started his spiel. As we really did want to ride a camel, we started negotiations. The deal I wish we had acted on, was 50 Egyptian pounds ($10) for an hour ride around the entire complex, payable at the end. I told him maybe, so he actually sat and waited for us outside the pyramid. He even let us take a picture with his camel without charging us anything!

You are not allowed to take your camera inside, so be prepared to hand them over. For a westerner, giving up your electronic equipment to a guy with questionable hygiene sitting on a rock seems fairly insane, but fortunately the Guide books had prepared me for this. What's unfortunate is Kathryn had not read that section, and put up quite a fuss! They will expect their baksheesh when you come out, but one or two pounds will suffice.

You enter bent almost double, and the tunnel slopes steeply upward. Guide books warn of the strenuous climb, and the claustrophobic conditions, but it's really not that bad. Admittedly (and modestly) I'm in great shape, and I enjoy crawling on my belly through caves – but STILL – it's simply not that extreme. Kathryn does no exercise to speak of, and she had no problem. Because of the closeness and the crowd, there doesn't seem to be a lot of air, but bottom line – you're inside a structure that was built 5000 years ago – a spot where very few people have tread. This makes a little discomfort worth the while. I will say, though, if you are extremely overweight and have trouble bending over, or have asthma, you probably really should pass.

Now, with all that build up, there really isn't anything to see. The thrill is simply in being inside one of the Wonders of the World. You climb a steep passageway and enter a small chamber where the body was actually entombed. And...that's it. The body's not there, though the sarcophagus is. An old, wizened Egyptian lurking inside said some things like 5000 years old, and shown his flashlight into the sarcophagus, and then of course wanted his baksheesh.

When we came out, our friendly camel wrangler had indeed waited, so we accepted a ride from one Pyramid to the next. This distance is readily walkable, but we haggled him down to a total of $8. You'll pay more for 5 minute ride at the zoo, and there won't be a 5000 year old edifice within spitting distance! We rode together, and I must offer a word of warning for young ladies. Some riders will try and scurry up behind a woman. Do NOT let this happen. The gait of the camel produces a VERY sexual contact between the two riders.

Mounting a camel in itself is very interesting. They are tall animals, so they are sitting on the ground when you climb aboard. Then, they stand in a way which puts
the back end considerably higher than the front, and one must lean backwards in earnest to avoid being precipitated over its head. Mounting behind someone else is an exercise in athleticism, and even our guide smiled begrudgingly and said, “you very strong man!”

Plodding through the desert sands with the Great Pyramid of Cheops literally 10 yards away, was an experience I will treasure forever. As the camel knelt before the entrance, I could imagine the ending of a week long odyssey through a journey in which Bedouins harassed us with gun fire and swords fights at hidden oasis. Yes, I watch too many movies!

With a wave to our driver, we began our climb up a path constructed thousands of years earlier to a chamber cloaked in mystery....and then we were beset by a bearded Bedouin harassing us with cheap trinkets!

After the usual pleasantries, this guy said he wanted to give Kathryn a little gift, in appreciation of us coming all the way from Germany to visit his country. Kathryn didn't want to accept, but I said, oh take it. As usual, she was right. Moments later this guy is following us, wanting 20 Egyptian pounds for this tacky paperweight. (about $5) I tell him we don't want it, he says how much will you pay? I said, I don't want it. He comes down to 15. I say, here's 5 (roughly $1). No, no, cheap, cheap.

Now, I'm annoyed. I try to hand this piece of junk back, he won't accept it, yet still demands money. I say, “You can take this back, or I can throw it on the ground.” He took it back. But, to his credit, I had given him $1, so he gave me a pack of 10 postcards – actually a screaming deal from what they sold for elsewhere.


The entrance to the great Pyramid is a jagged gash torn into the monument. It felt like walking into a cave because initially you stay upright as you wind your way into the interior. About 20 yards in a passage slopes down to an unfinished chamber deep beneath the earth. Unfortunately this was closed, though I had really been looking forward to exploring it. My Rough Guide reads: “There's nothing to see, but the nerve racking descent is worthy of Indiana Jones!!!!” You can imagine my disappointment.

The shaft upward is again narrow and steep, requiring you to bend double for the entire climb. At the top of the passage, the ceiling shoots 24 feet into the air. Directly ahead is another blocked passageway that leads to the so-called Queen's Chamber, though archeologists say it is unlikely a queen was ever entombed there. On either side, a ramp continues upward to the King's Chamber. There are strange markings on the wall here, like the teeth of a bulldozer, or the holes used in blasting. Also, along the sides are niches that resemble scaffolding supports.

The low door to the King's Chamber forces one to crawl, and someone pushed a flashlight into my hand as I went through. (yes, I had my own, but the place was lighted! They did this merely to facilitate baksheesh.) The chamber is large, and within you can see just how perfectly the stones are fitted together. There is no mortar, just a thin line where the stones meet, the cracks barely discernable. It was slightly disconcerting imagining the thousands of tons suspended over our heads...

We descended much slower, trying to soak in the atmosphere. These are the 'bleeping' pyramids!!! We've seen images of this place our whole life, and its always been this PLACE, not somewhere you would ever actually be standing. Much of this trip for me felt like this – almost unreal, like I was watching myself on a TV set. Real people don't get to go these places...these places only exist on TV or in adventure novels...

By this time, the heat and lack of water started taking a toll. Though tempted to take a longer camel ride, Kathryn had packed her Jodhpurs specifically for this purpose, so we decided we'd wait till we came back the next day properly attired!

Come back next week for Part 3, and I’ll tell you all about it!! Plus, the Sphinx, The Egyptian Museum, and a 4600 year old ship that looks like it could still take to the water!

Quest for the Ancient Kings - The Journey Begins

Of all the wonders of the ancient world – the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Lighthouse of Alexandria, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus - only one has survived the millennia and 5000 years later still commands awe in those who are fortunate enough to stand in its shadow.

Despite Egypt's many treasures and ancient temples, the Pyramids of Giza remain the magnet that draw tourists here. Since their construction during the 25th Century BC, visitors have gazed in wonder at these massive edifices and speculated as to their origins. We got our first glimpse of them flying into Cairo, and even from 1000s of feet in the air they were impressive. Our next view came as we drew back the curtains of our 8th floor room in the Husa Pyramids Hotel and saw them looming over the city.

Egyptologists know more about their creation than sensationalist speculations of Alien influence would have one believe. And more evidence comes to light each year, such as the discovery of camps for armies of workman, and huge food distribution centers. It is now believed that the builders were not the slaves depicted in old films and novels, but a highly organized work force brought in from the farms during the annual spring floods.

Being the topic of countless books, documentaries, and debates, theorizing over the purpose or construction of the Pyramids is way beyond the scope of this Blog. Type “Pyramid construction” into the GOOGLE bar at the bottom of this page for a quick search of a billion or so documents!

HOW IT ALL STARTED or WHY ARE YOU DRESSED SO FUNNY?

“Look, it's Indiana Jones!”

I turn at the excited cry and wave, much to the delight of the huddled family of tourists. I didn't dress this way for the attention – I dressed this way cause I’m a Geek, and it seemed appropriate to visit Egypt's ancient monuments dressed as everyone's favorite Adventuring Archeologist.



Actually, it was Kathryn's idea! Can there be any doubt that we were made for each other?

We'd both always wanted to visit Egypt – I mean, who hasn't? - and it remained high on the list of places we felt we MUST visit while living in Europe, but the unrest of the area made us hesitant. In fact, right before we left, terrorist attacks in Cairo prompted the US embassy to issue a travel warning to Americans heading for Egypt.

So while always a nebulous goal, we never made any concrete plans...

And then came Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull!

Piggybacking on the release of the fourth film in this popular franchise, Expedia launched “The Summer of Indiana Jones”, offering a variety of tours based on the travels of the whip-wielding adventurer. I've been a HUGE Indy fan since the release of Raiders of the Lost Ark – in fact, I saw the film 17 times during its original theatrical release – so with one of the tours embarking to Egypt (Sallah lives in Cairo, and the whole Market place\Marion in the basket sequence takes place there)...how could I resist!


I've owned the official Fedora for years, and I have a few Indy-esque shirts, so when Kathryn suggested I wear my Indy gear, I thought that might be fun for a few photo ops...but that's not what she had in mind!

For any of you who might live in a cave, the Indiana Jones adventures take place in the 1930s. Kathryn planned to base our entire trip on this era! EBAY is a miraculous place! You can literally find anything there if you search long enough. Kathryn went to town and began amassing a sizable collection of vintage 1930s wear – dresses, hats, shoes, even a bathing suit! Our itinerary included 3 nights on an upscale cruise ship floating down the Nile, and envisioning us waltzing the night away under the stars, she also acquired me a vintage suit, separately tracking down vintage shoes and even suspenders!!

But she didn't stop there! Indy couldn't be caught traveling with some floozy! (Okay, there was Willie in Temple of Doom!)Inspired by a photo of Bessie Coleman – one of the first female pilots – she adopted the official outfit of all adventurers from Gertrude Bell to Doc Savage! Jodhpurs and high boots!


PREPARATIONS

It wasn't all frivolous shopping. I bought a couple guide books; Lonely Planet Egypt (which every tourist in Egypt seemed to have tucked under their arm) and Rough Guide Egypt, which I'd never used before but found both enjoyable to read and full of useful info.




Based on what I read there, I bought mosquito netting for the bed – which we never used – deet containg repellant to ward off malaria infested mosquitoes – which we rarely applied – and water purification tablets – which, surprise, we didn't need. We also got a series of immunizations just to be on the safe side.

If we had gone deeper into the country or stayed in less nice places, these things may have been necessary, but if you're sticking to the main tourist route, such precautions are probably overkill. However, our table mates on the cruise ship were eaten alive in their Cairo hotel, and even our guide, staying in the same Aswan hotel as us, was tormented one night by mosquitoes.

The books proved extremely useful in matters of culture and etiquette. We learned not to eat or offer money with our left hand, how to dress so as not to offend, what and when to tip, and what foods to avoid. We also learned about the most common scams, how to handle touts, lessons on bargaining, and to expect some things that would normally give a westerner pause – like turning over your camera before entering certain tombs and temples.

At last, the day of departure dawned! With all the last minute details, we didn't get to bed till midnight, and we had to be up again at 3am to make our 6am flight out of Nuremberg, so by the time we reached our hotel, extreme fatigue had settled in. Rather than venture out into the stifling heat, we relaxed at the rooftop bar, sipping Sakura beer and gazing at the man made mountains in the distance.

We had arrived a day early, and though our itinerary listed a half day at the pyramids, we decided to venture out there anyway on our own; our reasoning being what if a half day is not enough time? The pyramids are a major reason we came here, we wanted to go inside, we wanted to ride camels, etc. and if we didn't get enough time there, we would be massively disappointed.

A guy named Meena had met us at the airport and as he loaded us into the van that would transport us to our hotel, he left us with one piece of advice. "Don't take a taxi!" With that admonition in mind, and with our bartender's assurance that the pyramids were roughly 45 minutes by foot, we determined to hike out there the next morning...

THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES IN PART 2 - INSIDE THE PYRAMIDS!!

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