A COW, A CAT, A VULTURE – A GODDESS?

Posted on October 19, 2012 by Brigitte Nioche

The sun was setting on a day I never wanted to end. The ruins of the temple started to throw their shadows on the long alleys before them, and as they had done for thousands of years would soon disappear into the night.

Since we had visited Abydos, (the site of Seti’s Temple) in the morning, we arrived after 3 o’clock  giving us less than 2 hours to see, Dendara, the temple of the goddess Hathor. Located about 50 miles north of Luxor and 2 miles from the Nile

Face of the Goddess Hathor

She is associated with love and music, and seen as a cow, a cat and a vulture – her story  is often contradictory and covers many believes. But her temple confirms her beauty and the influence she had – and with the following pictures I want to take you on a walk to show you what she left behind.

Walls and Columns in Entrance Hall

The decoration on the ceiling of the entrance hall has been cleaned only half to show the difference between how an American team found it and what it looked like after it was cleaned.

This entrance is all that is left of a building that was standing next to the Temple

Remains of Mud Buildings near the Temple

God of Good Humour – maybe his statue means that he lived here too?

When the warm glow of the sun on the ancient ruins  had disappeared and I saw a tall man walking towards us –

his dark complexion contrasting with the white turban he wore  – I knew it was closing time and he  was waiting for us to leave. He was ready to close the gates – but for me he did not just close the gates of the Temple, he ended a beautiful day and with it my visit to Egypt. This had been my last day!

More from Egypt soon

  Brigitte

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Weekly Photo Challenge:Big

Posted on October 14, 2012 by Brigitte Nioche

BIG – In Ancient Egypt things were big, and the statues of Ramesses II (1303 BC – 1213 BC) are no exception – this one is located in Memphis in a small museum specially built for  it. After more than 3000 years it still makes humans look like ants.

Posted in Egypt, Pharaohs, Tourism, Travel | Tagged | 1 Comment

GASOLINE – FILL IT UP!

Posted on October 11, 2012 by Brigitte Nioche

Our  tank was empty – we needed gas, and the only gas station anywhere near was the one located in the small village of Gorna, where we were passing through. There were cars in front of us waiting to get gas. I think we were about fifth in line.  We were worried that they would run out before it was our term. But we were lucky, our term came. But we were told that we could only have  a few gallons. This was a surprise, we are used to saying   FILL IT UP!  But when we were at the pump, and saw the drums where the gasoline was stored, it made sense. They were not very big, and their rusty outside, and dents did not look reassuring. But needing gas, we did  not care if storage tank was rusty, dented, underground, on the ground, or in a ditch – we needed gas. Isn’t it funny how all our IFS and BUTS disappear when necessity calls?

                                                       

BBBBBBBB

Gorna is a small village on the West Bank, near Luxor.

More from Egypt soon

     Brigitte

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CARPETS MADE IN EGYPT

Posted on October 3, 2012 by Brigitte Nioche

The day we visited the Step Pyramid in Saqqara, and had lunch at The Saqqara Palm Club, nobody really felt like leaving the bus when it stopped in front of a big yellow building. Everyone was hot and tired. It was around  3.30 pm by then and we were all looking forward to getting back to the hotel – but being part of a tour the choice is to go along or sit in the bus……….I was glad I went along!

We entered the building by the lower floor where we saw children as young as seven and as old as 17, sitting on looms weaving carpets. With my western trained mind ‘child labour’ was my first thought – it wasn’t so. These children were orphans which had been taken off the streets, and had been given a home here. This was a Carpet School

Photo Steve Ott

And for a few hours a day, part of the children’s education is to learn weaving carpets from the older craftsmen who work here. – Their little fingers tied each new knot effortless, and quickly, following a pattern hanging in front of them.

                                                   

After seeing how these carpets are mad, the only thing on everybody’s mind was  how can I buy one I didn’t need a carpet, but I was as keen as everybody else to go  upstairs were hundreds of carpets were waiting for us  – piled up, rolled up, and hanging on walls.

Photo Steve Ott

It made it hard to  find the right one (I needed one after all) – “Sorry I am so slow making up my mind, but they are all so beautiful.”

And with a friendly grin the young salesman answered,” Ok – is what I do – you want more to see?”

“Yes, can we look at that stack over there?” And when Ismal held up the next one, I felt as if the bright, happy colours and its natural fauna design had all the sunshine of Egypt woven into it.

Photo B. Nioche

No, I am not using it as a  carpet, it has become a  wall-hanging, brightening up my office and my days. Here some close-ups of the work

Detail of Carpet

Detail of Carpet

Detail of Carpet

More from Egypt soon

Brigitte

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PHOTO OF THE WEEK – LOVE AND HEARTBREAK

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Brigitte Nioche

Photo Steve Ott

LOVE and HEARTBREAK  have no passport and no nationality, therefore they live everywhere!

More from Egypt soon

      Brigitte

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GIZA — LOOK WHAT IS WAITING FOR YOU

Posted on September 19, 2012 by Brigitte Nioche

Empty chairs – beautiful empty chairs all waiting for events to come, for people to sit on them and admire the  beautiful garden of the Mena House Oberoi Hotel. which is located near the Pyramids in Giza, near Cairo.

Photo B. Nioche

– and if you like the garden  – take a  look  inside of the Hotel – it is like stepping into One Thousand and One Nights! – a magic moment –

Photo Steve Ott

and the magic does not stop here, because your room is a room with a view – a view of the Pyramids.

Photo B .Nioche

So to take a seat on these chairs, or to walk into the golden glow of the hotel, or look at the Pyramids from the balcony of your room, here is the information you need:

Mena House Oberoi, Pyramid Road, Giza, Cairo -Email: reservations.menahouse@oberoihotels.com

More from Egypt soon

      Brigitte

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NEFERTITI – QUEEN OF EGYPT REBORN A 100 YEARS AGO

Posted on September 14, 2012 by Brigitte Nioche

If you are in Berlin between December 6, 2012 and April 13. 2013,  you can meet the Egyptian Queen Nefertiti, the wife of Pharaoh Akhenaton (1353 -1336 B.C.)

Today on  December 6, 2012,  in honor of the centenary of the discovery of the famed bust of Queen Nefertiti The Neue Museum in Berlin will open its exhibition  “In the Light of Amarna – 100 Years of the Find of Nefertiti”  It was on December 6, a 100 years ago, that a German excavator unearthed the 3,300-year old limestone bust.

Queen Nefertiti has been Berlin’s top tourist attractions since 1924 when her beautiful bust was first displayed – something that will certainly not change in the future because beauty never loses its appeal! Millions of visitors pay homage to her every year, but this year it is not just the visitors to the museum, but the world at large.

Enjoy your visit

                                    Brigitte

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MUSLIM WOMEN’S CHOICE

Posted on September 11, 2012 by Brigitte Nioche

Photo by Steve Ott

         It was the PAST  –   for some it is the PRESENT –  will it be the

                                                          FUTURE?

Photo by Steve Ott

                                                       ONLY TIME WILL TELL!

More from Egypt soon

      Brigitte

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VISITING EGYPT IS SAFE AGAIN!

Posted on September 4, 2012 by Brigitte Nioche

Photo by B.Nioche

Since the Revolution in 2011 we were warned not to travel to Egypt because it was dangerous. We heard stories about tourists being kidnapped, harassed and pictures on the television of gangs battling in the streets made us believe it – and to an extend it was true.

But now it is  September 2012. Egypt has had its elections. It has a new President and there have not been any reports of vilance or disturbance. Already in March of this year when I visited Egypt (Cairo, Luxor, Abydos) all was quite. I saw nothing and no one who made me feel uncomfortable. On the contrary, everyone I met was polite, friendly, and above all grateful that I had come.

I think it is time to put our fear aside – going now or soon you will profit from lower prices and shorter lines. The new Tourism Minister Hisham Zazou just confirmed that in the first six months of 2012,  500,000 German tourists have visited Egypt,  a 33% increase over the same period last year.

Do we scare easier than the Germans?  Of course not, we just have to get our facts straight – pack our suitcases and go and see what the Pyramids really look like.

Photo by Steve Ott

Bon Voyage!

Brigitte

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PHOTO OF THE WEEK – MUD BRICKS

Posted on September 2, 2012 by Brigitte Nioche

Hearing about MUD Bricks I am sure you don’t think of something that will last a long time. But as this wall of Mud Bricks in the Temple Complex of Karnak in Luxor tells us, they do. We don’t know exactly how old this wall is but it probably dates back to the 18th Dynasty (1550 B.C.)

Mud Bricks are made of clay, mud, sand, water and to hold it all together straw was mixed in –  baking them in the sun for 25 days did the rest. I wonder if the bricks we make today will last for thousands of years?

More from Egypt soon

  Brigitte

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