CAIRO – VIBRANT, FASCINATING, MYSTERIOUS

Posted on August 26, 2012 by Brigitte Nioche

Majestically and powerful the Nile winds its way through Cairo, embracing two islands, Zamalek (Gezira) and Rode, and like a ribbon it ties together the beauty and mysteries of the city.

Cairo, also called “City of a Thousand Minarets, was founded in 969 A.D. and is today the largest city in the Arab World, with a population, including the greater metropolitan area, of about 20 million people.

And on a clear day,  you can see the Pyramids, and when you see them for the first time your heart will beat a little faster!  – They will forever connect Cairo to Ancient Egypt, and they are still today the main attraction for visitors coming to Egypt.

Photo by Steve Ott

I could go on and on talking about Cairo, but as the saying goes a picture is worth a thousand words, therefore, I will now show you the city instead of talking about it.

Photo by Steve Ott

Photo by Steve Ott

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo by B.Nioche

Photo by Steve Ott

Photo by Steve Ott

Photo by B.Nioche

Photo by B.Nioche

Photo by B.Nioche

Cairo has one thing in common with New York – it is a City that never sleeps!

More from Egypt soon

Brigitte

 

 

 

Posted in Cairo, Egypt, Tourism, Travel | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

PHOTO OF THE WEEK – END OF A DREAM

Posted on August 20, 2012 by Brigitte Nioche

Photo taken by Steve Ott

This is the end of a journey – hopes, dreams, expectations and experiences are now memories all packed in our suitcases – ready to be taken home, where we will cherish them and treat them as gifts nobody can ever take away from us.

More from Egypt soon

     Brigitte

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GODS ARE BIGGER THAN HUMANS

Posted on August 18, 2012 by Brigitte Nioche

I never thought of myself as short, but while visiting Egypt I felt that I wasn’t even there when I stood next to a statue of a God or a Pharaoh.

The Pharaohs saw themselves as Gods and the size of the statues built in their likeness confirmed to their subjects that they were. Here are some pictures to show you how insignificant we are compared to the deities of Ancient Egypt.

In front of  Ramses II in the Temple of Luxor. The temple was built around 1400 B.C, by Ramses II and Amenhotep III.

Photo taken by Steve Ott

Abu Simbel are two massive rock temples in Nubia, Southern Egypt built in 1257 B.C. by Ramses II. They were dedicated to the sun gods Amon-Re and Re-Horakhte. The size of the statues, yes, they are Ramses II again, make any mortal look tiny, tiny, tiny…..

Photo taken by Steve Ott

The Colossus of Memnon are status of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. They were standing at the entrance of his Mortuary Temple (3400 B.C.,) – now long gone – but his status are still standing telling us that he was bigger than life.

These status at the Ramesseum have lost their heads, but as you can see even a head alone is much bigger than me.

More from Egypt soon

   Brigitte

Posted in Egypt, Luxor, Luxor. Valley of the Kings, Pharaohs, Tourism, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

PHOTO OF THE WEEK – REACHING FOR THE SKY

Posted on August 14, 2012 by Brigitte Nioche

The leaves of this  palm tree, living in Karnak between the ancient stones of a broken temple, are like  human beings – some reach for the sky and others are quite content being close to earth.

More from Egypt soon

Brigitte

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BROKEN PIECES STILL TELL A STORY

Posted on August 11, 2012 by Brigitte Nioche

Did you know that of all the artifacts discovered in archeology pottery is what tells us the most about the daily life of our ancestors?

Here are broken jugs found in the living quarters of the pyramid builder, next to the Pyramids. They were used by the workers to hold their beer.

Beer was the prefered drink of Ancient Egyptians. It was consumed by all,  pharaohs as well as  ordinary people. But the Egyptians did not invent beer but learned the art of brewing from the Sumerians  (4000 B.C. ) the worlds first known brewers.

Personally I am grateful to whoever invented beer, because it is my prefered drink too – maybe that’s because I am German?

More from Egypt soon

Brigitte

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

PHOTO OF THE WEEK – WINE – PLEASURE OF THE PHARAOHS

Posted on August 3, 2012 by Brigitte Nioche

These pictures  of different wine jugs carved into the walls of a temple at Medina Habu are telling us that the Ancient Egyptians already liked wine


More from Egypt soon

                                                                                                           Brigitte

Posted in Egypt, Food, Pharaohs, Travel | Tagged , | 3 Comments

SAQQARA -THERE IS MORE THAN A PYRAMID AND SAND

Posted on July 29, 2012 by Brigitte Nioche

When thinking of Egypt, we see images of the desert, yellow sand, a burning sun, and dryness. Especially at Saqqara where the Step Pyramid, the first pyramid ever built, is surrounded by sand as far as the eye can see. But going there,  there was a  surprise –  The Saqqara Palm Club.

After visiting the Step Pyramid it was around 2 pm and very hot. When our air-conditioned bus stopped and we were asked to step outside, I did not want to leave and face the heat again. But we had no choice, we were going to have lunch. Following our tour guide we went towards a door which looked like the entrance to a monastery.But  it was not a monastery. It was more like an Oasis, with lush vegetation, beautiful flowers, and the most beautiful swimming pool surrounded by palm trees.

Now I did not regret having left our  bus – besides the coolness and calm, there was a wonderful buffet waiting for us with different meats cooked on the barbecue, vegetables, salads and freshly squeezed strawberry juice, of which I drank 3 glasses.

After lunch, while taking a walk through the gardens I came across Kermit. He asked me why I  had to get back onto the bus, why I could not stay a  little longer?  I asked myself the same question, but could  not come up with an answer –  I suppose it was because the bus was waiting for us!

More from Egypt soon

     Brigitte

Posted in Egypt, Food, Tourism, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

PHOTO OF THE WEEK – LIVING WITHOUT A DRYER

Posted on July 23, 2012 by Brigitte Nioche

Even in the Center of Cairo not everybody has a Dryer – Fortunately they have plenty of  sunshine

More from Egypt soon

Brigitte

Posted in Cairo, Egypt | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

BES – GOD OF GOOD HUMOUR

Posted on July 22, 2012 by Brigitte Nioche

It must have been meant to be that on my last day in Egypt, at the Temple of Dendara, when I needed something to cheer me up,  I met Bes.

Bes, is not a person but a little, grotesque statue of an ugly, fat, and bearded gnome who is sticking out his tongue, with prominent genitals.  I couldn’t help but laugh when I was told that he is the God of Good Humour worshipped by the Ancient Egyptians.

Obviously he hadn’t lost his magic, because when I left the temple my nostalgic sadness about leaving the next day was gone.

But besides cheering people up he also was  the protector of women and children, and often a statue of Bes was present when a woman gave birth – (certainly a time when you  need all the help you can get).

Maybe if WE had a God of Good Humour we would all feel better?

More from Egypt soon

Brigitte

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

PHOTO OF THE WEEK – COCA COLA – UNIVERSAL BLISS

Posted on July 16, 2012 by Brigitte Nioche

         Where there is life – there is Coca Cola!


This picture was taken in a small village near Luxor – the two women are waiting to serve the next customer a cold (?) Coca Cola!

More from Egypt soon

                                    Brigitte

Posted in Egypt, Food, Islam, Luxor, Muslims | Tagged , | 4 Comments