Today part of our group went on an extra excursion. They had to be up at 4 am for a 4 hour drive and several hours at the site and then a return drive. Bruce and I decided to stay behind which was really nice.
We slept until ten, spent some time on the upper deck, had lunch with a few people and basically chilled out. It was wonderful.
Later today we took a small boat ride along West Bank of the Nile.
Bob pointed out some of the sites along the River, such as the Cataract hotel where the likes of Agatha Christie and Winston Churchill stayed.
A traditional feluccaThe old Cataract Hotel
The Nubian boys on board were cute and led us in song and dance.
As the sun set we headed back to our ship taking in the beauty of the River.
Tomorrow we leave the ship and tour Aswan before flying back to Cairo.
Yesterday we had another early start. It gets too hot in the afternoon to tour these ancient places so the earlier the better.
We visited the Valley of the Kings where kings were entombed to avoid issues with tomb robberies. This began in approximately 1550 BC.
Our first stop was the tomb of King Tutankhamun, which was discovered in 1922 by Howard Carter, a British archaeologist. King Tut’s mummy is on display without its wrappings in an environmentally controlled case.
One tomb was a long descent and an equally long ascent. It was not as beautiful as some of the tombs but at the bottom was a sarcophagus and lid.
And another impressive tomb which was an easy walk was covered in beautiful scenes.
The Valley of the Queens is a short drive away and far less crowded. Supposedly one of the most beautiful tombs but it is not open to the public.
We went into the tomb of Titi.
And the tomb of Amun-her-Khepshef with a mummified fetus.
Our next stop was a mortuary temple which we didn’t go into.
We spent the afternoon enjoying the ship and lounging around the pool.
It was a crazy morning. We had to wake at 2 am to catch a flight at 5:30 to Luxor. I had a little bit of a stomach issue and didn’t sleep at all.
Our flight was on time and Bruce took some photos flying over the desert.
Once we arrived in Luxor we were off to Karnak’s Temple. It is one of the world’s largest religious sites and was built over centuries beginning around 1390 BC.
The avenue of the Sphinxes opened in 2021 after over 70 years of excavation.
Obelisks, pylons, and columns each containing carvings telling stories from ancient Egyptian history, stood tall through the complex.
The weather was very warm, in fact, much warmer than Cairo. After our tour, we went to our ship, the MS Farah.
We went to a sound and light show at Karnak Temple last evening after spending the afternoon napping.
The show was entertaining but also brought the history of Karnak Temple in a dramatic presentation.
For dinner, we had lobster and dessert accompanied by live entertainment!
As we traveled to the site we could see the pyramids in the distance. The three main pyramids of Giza are named after the pharaohs for whom they were built: Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure. They were the father, son, and grandson.
Khufu, also known as the Great Pyramid, is 147 meters tall, or approximately 482 feet.
Bruce and I did not go into the pyramid and those who did, said it wasn’t worth it. All they saw were butts.
We stopped at an area where several people were going to ride camels.
Part of the Giza Pyramids is the Sphinx which was part of Khafre’s pyramid complex.
We also got snookered by a vendor who dressed us like Lawrence of Arabia.
After lunch at an Egyptian restaurant, we headed to Memphis the first capital of Egypt during the reign of King Narmer during the first dynasty around 3000 BC.
A huge statue of Ramses II was found at this location.
Nothing much remains of this noble city but the museum also has a large alabaster Sphinx.
Our next stop is Saqqara which is an active archaeological site. It is where a famous step pyramid is located. It was originally erected as a single-level tomb but as the ruler wanted his wife and then children to join him in the afterlife, levels kept being added.
It was a long day and luckily it was overcast so it didn’t feel as hot. At one point we even felt a drop of rain. Our guide Bob said that it was a first in three years.
This took place at what he called the building where they mummified the bodies.
We began our day with a light breakfast at the hotel. It was quite a spread but we didn’t really have time to eat since we were meeting at 8 am.
All the Avalon people met our guide in the lobby and headed out in a big bus.
We passed Tahrir Square on our way to the Egyptian Museum.
We drove through Cairo Downtown.
We finally arrived at the Egyptian Museum. This is the old museum. The grand opening of the new Grand Egyptian Museum was today.
This is the oldest archaeological museum in the Middle East.
The Narmer Palette shows early hieroglyphics.
The statue below depicts King Khafre (Khefren to the Greeks), the builder of the second-largest pyramid at Giza. It was found in the valley temple of his pyramid complex.
Behind the King’s head is a falcon, which is the god Horus.
The Cairo scribe is carved and painted. It was discovered in 1893 and depicts the person who recorded and preserved the history and stories about Egypt’s culture.
So many amazing statues and artifacts dating back as far as 5000 years ago.
Rahotep and his wife Nofret were discovered in 1871. They are among the most famous statues of individuals not considered gods or kings. They are almost in perfect condition.
Some other statues at the museum.
We spent approximately three hours in the museum. Our guide Ihab or Bob, gave a very thorough and informative talk.
Bruce and I had some water, a mango smoothie, and a crepe as we waited to board our bus.
Our next stop was the Cairo Citadel. This is the Muhammad Ali Mosque.
It is an impressive fortress from the Middle Ages and it is a monument in Islamic Cairo.
A copper clock tower stands tall above the outer open courtyard of the mosque.
We needed to remove our shoes to go inside the mosque.
Inside is also the shrine of Mohmmed Ali. Not the boxer but a leader whose dynasty ruled for 150 years and his objective was to modernize Egypt.
After we visited the Citadel we returned to our hotel for a hot shower.
Bruce and I had drinks and pastries before dinner.
We ate at a Peruvian restaurant in the hotel. I had a delicious avocado and fruit salad.
Now it’s time for bed. We are meeting at 7:30 tomorrow to head to Giza.
For 140k points transferred from Chase and booked through Air Canada, we were able to get business class seats on Egypt Air. The out-of-pocket expense was an additional $150.
Our seats were roomy but with a bit less privacy than some of the other business class seats on different airlines. However, it is the only direct flight from JFK to Cairo.
Like other airlines, they provide a travel kit that includes everything from socks to a toothbrush.
Our dinner was served on linen tablecloths or more like a linen napkin. We had salmon and avocado for an appetizer and I had some beef dish for the main course.
After dinner, they shut off the lights, leaving only stars over our heads.
I wasn’t able to sleep but watched a movie and read my book.
Arriving in Cairo, it looked like any major metropolitan area from my window.
Our Avalon Waterways representative was waiting for us with a visa and helped us navigate through customs and security.
He then turned us over to a driver who drove us the 30-minute ride to the Fairmont Hotel.
It was only 7:30 am but they were able to get us our room by 8:30. It is lovely.
We have a view of the Nile from our window.
And the bed was very comfy. We took a five-hour nap. Our tour starts tomorrow so we are relaxing and enjoying the hotel.
Tonight we ate Asian cuisine. It was a lovely restaurant and our table looked out on the Nile.
Bruce had Pad Thai and I had sushi. Bruce was not a big fan. He compares every Pad Thai with Nana Noodles in Delray Beach.
They did an impressive presentation of my sushi. Smoking!
For dessert, we shared ice cream. And off to bed because tomorrow will be a busy day!
I’ve been waiting over 20 years for this trip and it’s finally here. Egypt has always been on my bucket list.
We started off by flying to New York to spend two nights with my bestie. We’ve been friends for 70 years.
Luckily we have loving, patient husbands who will hang around as we reminisce our entire lifetime.
So we went to an Irish Pub for lunch but most of all we had good, quality time together talking and laughing.
Harold drove us to JFK and I noticed some color in the trees. We don’t get any of that in South Florida.
After a bit of a fiasco with TSA, we are TSA pre check and gold track, we were still subjected to a rigorous inspection. Bruce even had to take his boots off and they had to go through the scan. I guess we look like gray terrorists!
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