Blogs from Egypt, Africa - page 11

I wasn't as enthusiastic about our visit to Coptic Cairo as other portions of our trip. Let's face it, I'm an ancient Egypt fanatic, but I'm not as knowledgeable about more "modern" times there, and I hold a huge grudge against early Christians and their depredations against those incredible ancient monuments. However, there are some very meaningful locations that are worth a visit. Coptic Cairo was the stronghold of Christianity in Egypt until the Islamic era and encompasses many Coptic churches and historical sites, and the drive there crosses many interesting parts of the city. Our first stop, walking past the Greek Church of St. George and the Babylon Fortress ruins was the Hanging Church, so called because it was built above a gatehouse of the Babylon Fortress. The land surface has risen since the Roman ... read more

Our first morning in Cairo, we had the first of what turned out to be daily incredibly early wake up calls. The reasoning was twofold. First, it would avoid the worst heat of the day and, second, it was supposed to give us a head start on the heavier crowds. It succeeded on the first account, but on the second it seemed to fail miserably. We always seemed to arrive at the most crowded time, and everyone seemed to leave around the same time. After a couple of experienced I began to wish we'd set out a little bit later and have some time to ourselves at the monuments. We were told that the main season hadn't started yet. I hate to think what it is like in the middle of the heavy tourist season. Anyway, ... read more

The Royal Jewelry Museum houses major jewelry pieces and art acquisitions of the dynasty of Mohammed Ali and his descendants, who ruled Egypt for nearly 150 years from 1805 until the Egyptian Revolution of 1952. Following the Revolution, the jewelry left by the Royal Family was kept secure and unseen until a 1986 decree by President Mubarak was issued to assign Princess Fatima Al-Zahra'Palace in Alexandria as a special museum to house those pieces. I have attached photos of some of my favorite pieces. The Library of Alexandria was the most famous in the ancient world, home to an unsurpassed collection of manuscripts, codices and many thousands of papyrus scrolls. The Library’s destruction is a matter of historical debate. The Roman historian Plutarch blames an out-of-control fire set by Julius Caesar in 48 BC, while other ... read more

Today was a pretty relaxed day. We took the train from Cairo to Alexandria. upon arrival we took a bus tour through part of the city. Stopped to photograph the citadel then on to a seafood restaurant for lunch. Alexandria is much smaller than Cairo, only 5 million population and at first look seems to be cleaner. It was founded in 331 BC by 25-year-old Alexander the Great. Where the citadel stands now, was a towering Pharos lighthouse, marking the ancient harbour's entrance. It was one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and its Great Library was considered the archive of ancient knowledge. Unfortunately, the Pharos collapsed and the Great Library was torched. Part of the ancient city disappeared under the sea and part under the modern city, so there are few visible remains of ... read more

We flew back to Cairo Tuesday the 17th. So here we are. Unbelievable. Never thought I’d ever see them. One of the chambers was open for visiting but I didn’t go in. Our PD told us there was nothing but an empty chamber, you had to down very steep stairs, there were no paintings or carvings and it was a like a sauna. I regret it now. I had always imagined that the pyramids were in the middle of the desert. Well they were when they were built. Now the city of Giza is right there. The Great Pyramid of Giza is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the Giza pyramid complexbordering present-day El Giza, Egypt. It is the oldest of the url=https://en.m.w... read more