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Blogs from Saqqara, Lower Egypt, Egypt, Africa
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The Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid at Dahshur
Published: January 26th 2013Africa » Egypt » Lower Egypt » Saqqara
January 24th 2013
Groan, yet another early start this morning for our flight back to Cairo. Wake up call at 6.00am, breakfast at 6.45am and ready to go by 7.15am. Ahmed accompanied us to Aswan Airport and facilitated our check-in. In fact he printed our boarding passes yesterday so we were all seated together for our flight back to Cairo. I can't remember if I recorded that we were seated all over the plane for our flight from Cairo to Luxor? Ahmed asked us if we had enjoyed our trip to Upper Egypt. When we said that we had had a great time he asked us to encourage our friends and acquaintances to travel to Egypt. We have been so well looked after here in Egypt that we wouldn't hesitate to tell anyone who has been thinking about visiting ... read more
February 22nd 2012
The best thing about Abu Simbel is it is situated 40 km from the Sudan border. I love places which seem faraway and Abu Simbel fits that criteria. A supposed police convoy is necessary to travel there from Aswan. We tourists collect together at a certain point and the police meticulously check all the cars, mini buses and coaches. Recording all the details. Finally we line up all ready to go, I’m expecting something out of a war movie. Hummers, soldiers and guns, but alas no I forgot for a moment I was in Egypt. These people couldn’t run a chook raffle. The first bus is waved off and then shemozzle. The vehicles jostle for positions as we squeeze out the gate. The fast vehicles passing the slow as we drive up the main street. Luckily ... read more
April 26th 2011
When I returned from my year abroad in Cairo, way back in 1995, I was bursting to explain my life-changing experience to anyone who wanted to listen. I had had all these amazing moments in Egypt, and was sure others would be excited to hear about them. However, I quickly realized the only thing most people wanted to know: had I seen the pyramids? I guess the pyramids do sorta trump most things. Even life-changing experiences... One of course can't visit Cairo without seeing the pyramids. The most famous, those at Giza, are basically in the city - the suburb of Giza laps at the very base of these "wonders of the ancient world". On a clear day, you can even see them from various points in the city proper. As part of our Easter weekend ... read more
Gunga- A Memphian visits the real Memphis
Published: November 2nd 2010Africa » Egypt » Lower Egypt » Saqqara
November 2nd 2010
Saqqara was the necropolis of the pharaohs who ruled from Memphis starting around 3,100 BC. It is the burial place for kings of the 1st. and 2nd dynasties. The Step Pyramid is the first built in Egypt. It was built for King Djoser by the genius architect Imhotep. He was the first to build stone tombs in honor of a king. The courtyard is vast ( about the size of 4-5 football fields) with a corridor containing 40 stone columns- the first stone columns ever built! Part of a wall has a frieze of rearing cobras- to be honest- very cool. There is a lovely small and sweet museum- well lit, air conditioned, well labeled in 3 languages, and well ordered with jaw dropping dates attached to many firsts in architecture. To be truthful I was ... read more
Saqqara, Dahshur, Memphis, my second little side trip in Egypt...
Published: March 4th 2010Africa » Egypt » Lower Egypt » Saqqara
February 27th 2010
My second day in Egypt...after a needed night of sleep...my second mission, discovering the ancient pyramids of Saqqara, Dahshur as well as the ancient Memphis. I'm allergic to huge tour groups. So I went on the internet to try to figure out how much to pay for the taxi ride. First taxi...was a joke and I left him after 200 meters. Second taxi was interesting...didn't speak any english....my arabic is obviously less than basic. I show him a note of 100 egyptian lira and he said ok.....repeated few time the itinery...still ok...the lowest I found on the internet was more like 150-200 for info. It became pretty fast obvious that he never took tourists there...well, good for him, I offered him a glimpse of his own country. But after few minutes, he started the meter....guess he ... read more
