The Egyptian Ankh is considered the ‘Key of Life’. The loop of the ankh is believed to represent the river Nile, and the cross, the path of the sun from east to west symbolizing renewed life and immortality. Like the life giving floods of the Nile, the Ankh is supposed to represent regeneration, regrowth and […]
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Watching the sun slip quietly behind the trees in this beach resort we have escaped to for R’s birthday (and our anniversary), it seems like an anticlimax to not have the sea reflect the explosion of copper and gold that is so typical of a spectacular west coast sunset. I realise now, how much I […]
Read MoreThe Hypostyle hall in the Karnak temple in Luxor, covers an area of more than 55,000 sq ft. and is filled with 134 gigantic sandstone columns arranged in 16 rows, with an average diameter of nearly 10 feet! 12 in the central aisle with open papyrus capitals, once supported a raised 82 feet ceiling and are now […]
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The art and architecture of the ancient Egyptians is amazing enough. That they could also map the sky, nearly as well as it is done in the 21st century, is simply astounding! A bas relief – the Zodiac of Dendera – that was found in the Temple of Hathor proves this beyond a doubt. This 8 feet […]
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The most interesting aspect of Egypt for me is the abundance of fantastic myths and stories along with a mind boggling array of Gods almost rivalling those in the Hindu pantheon. And the most intriguing among them is the myth of Osiris and Isis. The story of the murder, dismemberment and subsequent resurrection of Osiris (long enough […]
Read MorePast emerald plains and furrowed mountains old, Whose violet gorges snare the wandering eye, The pillared palms day’s dying embers hold, Like shafts of bronze against the crimson sky, And every cloud mirrors its rosy fold In tremulous waves which blush and wander by We float, and feel the magic penetrate, Till all our soul […]
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No history lessons today! There is plenty of that and fascinating details of the salvage and relocation of these amazing temples here and here. This is an account of how we planned our visit. And what we would do differently if we are fortunate enough to return. There are two ways to get to Abu Simbel. Convoys – private and […]
Read MoreIf you are under the impression, as I was, that Tutankhamen was the greatest pharaoh of ancient Egypt, you are very mistaken. The boy king ‘Tut’ barely lived long enough to leave his mark. The fanfare around the discovery of his tomb and all its treasures remains his sole claim to fame. The title of the ‘Greatest Pharaoh’ […]
Read MoreBrowsing through my pre-blog archives distracted me from the big two of China that I have yet to chronicle. So I return to Egypt with this montage from Aswan, where Arabia merges into Africa. Home to the Nubians (from the land of ‘Nob’ or ‘Gold’) whose powerful kingdom once stretched from here to Khartoum in […]
Read MoreThere is no doubt that Cairo’s architectural gems celebrate its cultural diversity. But however awe-inspiring, the essence of Cairo is not to be found in these monuments but in the labyrinth of alleys of the Fatimid city that seem to have changed little since the middle ages. We wandered this warren of narrow streets and crowded […]
Read MoreCairo was everything we were told it would be – messy, ugly and polluted. The streets were crowded and traffic chaotic. But beneath all the grime and chaos there lurked a grace and charm that was beguiling. Cairo is a city of Layers. Over 3000 years of accumulated history melding into a mosaic of fascinating cultures! Predictably, we started our […]
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The Sphinx is even more impressive in reality than it appears in pictures. Unfortunately it is cordoned off and visitors are only allowed to view it from a distance and do not have access to the temple beneath. Still, we were totally overwhelmed by its enigmatic smiling face. The ancient Egyptians considered the Sphinx, the “Sacred […]
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