Our trip began in Cairo where we stayed at the Meridian Pyramid. Although the pyramids themselves were within a mile of our hotel we only saw a vague outline of them because of the smog.
The Sphinx is in bad shape; the pollution in Cairo has done a lot of damage and efforts to shore up the crumbling monument are ongoing.
This royal barge was found buried beside the pyramid of Khufu (largest).
http://homepage.powerup.com.au/~ancient/tut1.htm
This wooden statue of Mitri the scribe is 4400 years old; he has blue eyes!
The statue depicts Ka-aper, the chief lector priest, in charge of reciting prayers for the deceased in temples and funerary chapels. It is one of the masterpieces of the private statuary of the Old Kingdom. This mayor of Saccara is 4500 yrs old- note the hinges on his shoulders. He is carved from sycamore and is the oldest known wooden statue .
No trip to Cairo would be complete without a visit to the huge Khan-al-Khalili bazaar.
The Sphinx is in bad shape; the pollution in Cairo has done a lot of damage and efforts to shore up the crumbling monument are ongoing.
The security police at the Giza Plateau have the latest in hi-tech transportation........
These camels with their riders were sighted at the Giza plateau. The pyramids of Giza are at the edge of Cairo, which is slowly encroaching on their desert site.
The Cairo Museum was a highlight of our trip. http://www.egyptianmuseum.gov.eg/ The rooms devoted to Tutankamen drew the most attention. His tomb which was discovered in 1922, was filled with marvelous things such as 5 golden chariots, gilded furniture, gold jewelry and decorations, colorful fabrics, sandals and gloves and most amazing- seeds which later germinated!
http://homepage.powerup.com.au/~ancient/tut1.htm
The articles from the earlier dynasties were breathtaking. The Narmer Palette, which dates from the time of the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt some 5000 years ago, is one of the first documents of Egyptian history.
This wooden statue of Mitri the scribe is 4400 years old; he has blue eyes!
The statue depicts Ka-aper, the chief lector priest, in charge of reciting prayers for the deceased in temples and funerary chapels. It is one of the masterpieces of the private statuary of the Old Kingdom. This mayor of Saccara is 4500 yrs old- note the hinges on his shoulders. He is carved from sycamore and is the oldest known wooden statue .The triad of Menkaure was intended to represent him with the personification of the nomes, in the presence of gods, especially Hathor. His is the smallest of the three pyramids at Giza. http://touregypt.net/featurestories/menkaurep.htm
No trip to Cairo would be complete without a visit to the huge Khan-al-Khalili bazaar.
Our home-hosted dinner. The son is in the army and the Father is a businessman. Their large apartment building was in the center of Cairo.
Horus, the falcon headed god
While at Aswan, we boarded a felucca for Kichener's Island to see his botanical gardens. After the clamor, gridlock and smog of Cairo, the calm of Aswan was wonderful.
Our home for 4 days was the Hathor, a pristine and most comfortable boat just for the two OAT groups- 32 of us.
We visited the souk in Aswan where we bought dried hibiscus for tea.
This school for girls is run by the Franciscan nuns. They were eager to try their English with us. Three girls to a desk......
The Basra Hotel in Aswan
Peter and Nell Pullon at the Kom Ombo Temple. Much of the temple has been destroyed by the Nile, earthquakes, and later builders who used its stones for other projects. Some of the reliefs inside were defaced by Copts who once used the temple as a church. Crocodiles were raised here and there are mummified samples. There is also a nilometer here which is a cistern connected to the Nile where the level of water could be used to predict the value of crops for tax purposes.
The scenes along the Nile were pastoral and probably have changed very little in thousands of years. There were many tombs carved into the cliffs.
We flew to Abu Simbel early in the morning to see these two temples (and their mountain) that were cut into blocks and painstakingly reassembled above Lake Nasser. The Small Temple was probably completed ahead of the Great Temple and is dedicated to Ramesses' favourite wife, Nefertari. At the entrance stand six 10-metre-high (33 feet) rock-cut statues - two of Ramesses
Small temple at Esna
A great way to get perspective on the countryside outside Luxor
It was great fun bargaining in the bazaars for these lovely dresses- well, it was fun for me at least!!
Jodi, Nell, Bill and Sally Waterman and Pam
We flew to Aswan where we visited both the old and new dams. Fourteen temples and monuments were moved to preserve them from the rising water of Lake Nasser which was formed by the new dam. Ten are in Egypt and four were given to the countries who footed the bill for the big move. Russia loaned Egypt the money to build the dam.
The temple of Philae was moved as Lake Nasser was created. The faces of many of the carvings in temples all over Egypt were destroyed by the Copts as they were considered pagan. Philae means "the end" so named because it definied the southern most limit of Egypt. Begun by Ptolemy II, it was completed by the Roman Emperors .
Edfu, with its Temple of Horus, is 65 miles north of Aswan. It is considered to be the best preserved temple ( and the second largest after Karnak) in Egypt. Started by Ptolemy 3 in 237 BC, it was finished 180 years later by Cleopatra's Father. This temple was buried in sand for 2000 years and the ceiling still has lovely blue color.
The temple of Philae was moved as Lake Nasser was created. The faces of many of the carvings in temples all over Egypt were destroyed by the Copts as they were considered pagan. Philae means "the end" so named because it definied the southern most limit of Egypt. Begun by Ptolemy II, it was completed by the Roman Emperors .
Edfu, with its Temple of Horus, is 65 miles north of Aswan. It is considered to be the best preserved temple ( and the second largest after Karnak) in Egypt. Started by Ptolemy 3 in 237 BC, it was finished 180 years later by Cleopatra's Father. This temple was buried in sand for 2000 years and the ceiling still has lovely blue color.
Horus, the falcon headed god
While at Aswan, we boarded a felucca for Kichener's Island to see his botanical gardens. After the clamor, gridlock and smog of Cairo, the calm of Aswan was wonderful.
The Papyrus Institute in Aswan 
Our home for 4 days was the Hathor, a pristine and most comfortable boat just for the two OAT groups- 32 of us.We visited the souk in Aswan where we bought dried hibiscus for tea.
This school for girls is run by the Franciscan nuns. They were eager to try their English with us. Three girls to a desk......
The Basra Hotel in AswanThis is the tomb of the Shah Aga Khan who died in 1957. His wife, who lived in Aswan until she died visited every day to place a rose on his tomb.
Peter and Nell Pullon at the Kom Ombo Temple. Much of the temple has been destroyed by the Nile, earthquakes, and later builders who used its stones for other projects. Some of the reliefs inside were defaced by Copts who once used the temple as a church. Crocodiles were raised here and there are mummified samples. There is also a nilometer here which is a cistern connected to the Nile where the level of water could be used to predict the value of crops for tax purposes.
The scenes along the Nile were pastoral and probably have changed very little in thousands of years. There were many tombs carved into the cliffs.
We flew to Abu Simbel early in the morning to see these two temples (and their mountain) that were cut into blocks and painstakingly reassembled above Lake Nasser. The Small Temple was probably completed ahead of the Great Temple and is dedicated to Ramesses' favourite wife, Nefertari. At the entrance stand six 10-metre-high (33 feet) rock-cut statues - two of Ramesses
and one of Nefertari on either side of the doorway.
Small temple at EsnaA great way to get perspective on the countryside outside Luxor
It was great fun bargaining in the bazaars for these lovely dresses- well, it was fun for me at least!!
Jodi, Nell, Bill and Sally Waterman and PamThe temple at Luxor
Two obelisks were erected in front of the temple's pylon by Ramesses II in the 13th century BC. In the 1830s, the western obelisk was given to France and erected at Place de la Concorde in Paris. Ramesses II also had erected in front of his pylon six granite statues of himself - two seated and four standing.
Ramses and the god, Sobek (the crocodile) from the Luxor Museum
Valley of the Kings
The Valley of the Kings where excavations are ongoing and laborers carry rubble the same as they did thousands of years ago. This map shows tombs that are known. Most have been ransacked. We visited four tombs; the loveliest wall drawings were in the tomb of Ramses VI. Only some tombs are opened each day. Tut's and Ramses VI are extra $$. Tut is $20,Ramses VI is $10 and by special arrangement with the Supremem Council of Antiquities you can visit Nefertari's for $5000!!
Tomb of Ramses VI
A 3-kilometre-long avenue of sphinxes connected Luxor Temple with the southern end of the sprawling Karnak temple complex to the north
Colossus of Amenhotep III- 60' high and in the middle of a field next to a road!
Our last night in Luxor we tried a waterpipe- sheesha with apple flavored tobacco.
An early morning boat ride to the west bank of the Nile and an elegant "farmhouse" breakfast!
Hot fresh bread for our breakfast
Camels aren't just for the tourists!
Two obelisks were erected in front of the temple's pylon by Ramesses II in the 13th century BC. In the 1830s, the western obelisk was given to France and erected at Place de la Concorde in Paris. Ramesses II also had erected in front of his pylon six granite statues of himself - two seated and four standing.
Ramses and the god, Sobek (the crocodile) from the Luxor Museum
Valley of the Kings
The Valley of the Kings where excavations are ongoing and laborers carry rubble the same as they did thousands of years ago. This map shows tombs that are known. Most have been ransacked. We visited four tombs; the loveliest wall drawings were in the tomb of Ramses VI. Only some tombs are opened each day. Tut's and Ramses VI are extra $$. Tut is $20,Ramses VI is $10 and by special arrangement with the Supremem Council of Antiquities you can visit Nefertari's for $5000!!
Tomb of Ramses VI
Ramesses VI's tomb has a magnificent burial chamber in which lie the broken remains of the large stone sarcophagus. Along the length of the chamber's ceiling are two famous images of the sky goddess Nut which depict both the swallowing and rebirth of the sun disc. This is a replica of that painting.
Nabil Tawfik is an Egyptologist who was our program manager- fabulous guide!!
A 3-kilometre-long avenue of sphinxes connected Luxor Temple with the southern end of the sprawling Karnak temple complex to the north
Colossus of Amenhotep III- 60' high and in the middle of a field next to a road!Our last night in Luxor we tried a waterpipe- sheesha with apple flavored tobacco.
An early morning boat ride to the west bank of the Nile and an elegant "farmhouse" breakfast!
Hot fresh bread for our breakfast
Camels aren't just for the tourists!
The Nile is at its best early in the morning and at twilight................
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