Sleepy Hollow Trip to Egypt

Quiet morning and packing. Friday is a day off for Muslims. Beautiful breakfast spread with Easter egg breads and decorations. Two hour vivsit to the market with its narrow alleyways for last minute shopping. Located next to a major mosque with a lot of passage. The evening was spent on the Nile on the one of the river cruise boats. Buffet dinner and music. We enjoyed some of the local music and dancing, especially the belly dancer and twirling dervich.

Last nigth in Cairo… We will be on our way home early (4 AM call!)  Wonderful memories from an unforgetful trip…

A late morning departure was enjoyed by all. The morning visits centered on the Citadel, the location of the famous Alabaster Mosque. Barefoot entry was compulsory. The colorfully decorated domes and walls were a testament to Islamic art and architecture. Many groups including local children from an Islamic school were visiting the mosque. The boys wearing yellow shirts showed off their English and were thrilled to pose for a group picture with some of our students. We continued on to the Sultan Hassan, one of the oldest on the African continent. Although it has the reputation of being cursed, it is a madrasa where Islamic education is provided for boys and girls. Some of the students were sketching the architecture of the mosque as we walked by. The mosque’s muezzin gave us a demonstration of the calls to prayer he sings to the believers five times a day.

We flew back from Aswan to Cairo via Luxor. On the way back from the airport, we stopped by one of the traditional quarters of Cairo. Some of the oldest religious institutions are located there. We visited the Abu Serga Church where the Holy Family is said to have hidden from King Herod. We also saw the old Ben Ezra synagogue which has a very small community since the expulsion of Egyptian Jews by Nasser following the Suez Canal Crisis of 1956. The Hanging Church which is located in the Coptic (Egyptian Christian) sector was our next stop. The narrow alleyways with decorated doorways are still inhabited and correspond to the description made by Egyptian author Naguib Mafouz who was awarded a Nobel Prize in Literature in 1990.

Early ride to the western bank of the Nile by motor boat to reach a local school that houses preschool as well as early elementary grades. Some of the young students were still walking to school in blue shirts and backpacks (most of them without any supervision). The children were delighted to demonstrate their knowledge of English. One of the classes had prepared two songs for us with the accompaniment of their teacher on the accordion. Teachers were able to mingle with local educators from both genders before returning across the Nile.

The next visit was that of the modern Aswan Dam built with Soviet funding under Nasser in the late 1950s, following his nationalization of the Suez Canal. The dam created the largest fresh water lake in the region, Lake Nasser which spans 50 kilometers and displaced many local Nubian villages and their inhabitants. It provides electricity for most of Egypt and is considered a potential terrorist target. As a result, security is very tight.

Back on the Nile, we visited Philae Temple which was moved to an island due to the impact of flooding. It is dedicated to the Goddess Isis and is set in beautiful landscaped bushes that were in full bloom. Carved messages in two languages on one of the walls commemorated the famous battle of Fashoda between French and British troops that faced each other in an attempt to wrestle the control of Egypt (the Brits won).  A stop by the Aswan granite quarry showed the origin of many of the monuments and structures that grace the old temples.

That afternoon we headed back to the water, first on a felucca (local fisherman’s boat with lateen sails), then on a motorboat north toward the first cataract. Views were spectacular. We were serenaded in English and French by local boys who came alongside the boat on Styrofoam floats and held on for a free ride. Although we looked very hard, we never saw any Nile crocodile (much to our disappointment!) We reached a Nubian village where we disembarked and were quickly ushered into an empty schoolroom by the local teacher. He proceeded to teach us Arabic numbers and letters through whole group repetition which seems to be a common way for students to learn in the region. We then meandered through the village, dodging camels and donkeys which are the most common form of transportation. We did see some live specimen of alligators (one of them a pet!) and enjoyed shopping for local products including spices. Some members of the group opted for beautiful henna tattoos while others practiced their haggling skills at the local shops.

The return on the water by night was cool and pleasant with many travelers enjoying the breeze from the roof of the boat. We bypassed Elephantine Island, location of the Agha Khan Mausoleum.

Another busy day visiting temples along the Nile River on the way to Aswan. The Horus Temple is the best preserved ancient temple in Egypt. Several statues of the falcon god are in perfect shape. The ceiling of the temple still bears the soot from oil burning lamps used by the priests. The high walls are now nesting areas for the local birds. An early return to the ship allowed for some much needed pool and relaxation time as we sailed north. The visit of the Kom Ombo temple in the late afternoon and cooling temperatures was enjoyed by all. The ship continued its voyage to Aswan which we reached during the night.

Daring members of the group got an early (5 AM) start to go on a hot air balloon trip. After a short crossing of the Nile during which tea, coffee and snacks were served, we took a mini-bus ride to the launching site through sleepy small villages with houses made out of mud bricks. We rose up to 1,500 feet and spent about 45 minutes admiring the Valley of the Nile and the encroaching desert. The experience which was a first for all group members was well worth a couple hours of sleep. After landing on the rocky desert soil, all participants were given certificates. A short ride back and we met up with the rest of the group by the colossi of Memnon. The visit to the Valley of the Kings was a hot one, not only due to the sun, but because the tombs were small and with little ventilation, but the colors were vibrant and most of the designs were intact. King Tut’s tomb was also available for a visit. Some members of the group faced the challenge of steep and lenghthy staircases that led to the oldest tomb found so far, that of king Thutmos III. The difference in hieroglyphics was stunning, very stylized and with little depth. Queen Hatsetsup ’s temple was another worthwhile feature, especially since it is the only one dedicated to a queen. The night visit of the Necropolis in Thebes was a treat, not only because it occurred when the breeze cooled the hot desert air, but because the night lights brought out some beautiful features.

After a short flight to Luxor mostly over the desert, we landed safely and made our way to the local Secondary School for boys where we were welcomed by the staff and a select group of students in the library. We were offered refreshments and listened to some students present their school in English, then had an opportunity to visit some classrooms and a computer lab. Students dressed in light blue shirts which are part of their uniform were eager to speak and share their knowledge of English. The computer lab had prepared a multi-media presentation on spiders in our honor.  The visit was quite a contrast from life at Sleepy in terms of available means, but the students we met were just as motivated and thrilled to have us visit. The school is sponsored by UNESCO.

After checking onto the M/S Nile Admiral cruise ship anchored on the banks of the Nile River, it was time to explore Karnak and Luxor temples, both dedicated to gods of ancient Egypt. Karnak is simply overwhelming by its sheer size, not only in terms of area, but also for the height of its columns and statues. No picture can describe it, you simply have to be there! Luxor temple is located in the town itself and encompasses not only the ancient temple, but also a mosque and a church built within its complex. On the way back to the ship, we passed several horse-drawn carts containing young Muslim brides and their families. A relaxing evening onboard the ship was welcome respite after a long day, but part of the group returned to Karnak for a sound and light show.

We just got safely back from our cruise. Lots of news and pictures are waiting to be posted. More updates due later on today.

Today was a busy day… We saw the three pyramids at Giza, right outside of the city of Cairo. They came out of the smog, quite a contrast against the giant modern metropolis (22 million people). All monuments are under tight security and those of us who attempted to stray off the main path were quickly whistled at and rebuked. Some of the most daring members of the group attempted their first camel ride. Quite an expedition! The consensus was that few would be willing to follow the famous Sahara trade routes of old times under such conditions! A visit to the famous sphinx did not resolve the question about his nose loss…  After a stop at Memphis to see the colossus of Ramses II, it was off to the step pyramids, the oldest of the region. On the way back to Cairo, we stopped at a carpet weaving training school where we were introduced to different weaving styles and to the young children (mostly girls) who were being apprenticed. The last stop was at a jewelry store where we had to opportunity to have Kartoushes created using hieroglyphics… A long and exciting day! We will be up early in the morning to catch the plane to Luxor.

Please Note: The next connection may not be until next week as we are not sure about access availability while on the Nile cruise. Be patient, more to come!