Egypt

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After exploring Turkey, we then flew to Egypt to spend time first in Cairo and the near vicinity. There we visited the city, Giza (the great pyramids) and Saqquara (the first pyramids dating back over 3000 years ago). We also toured the Egyptian Museum in Cairo with its mind boggling collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts and mummies including everything found in the only tomb not to be looted by grave robbers, that of King Tutankhamun. Next, we flew to Abu Simbel to see the temple carved out of solid rock that the U.S. helped to relocate to save it from flooding during the building of Lake Nassar.

Finally, we took a cruise on The Nile River from Aswan to Luxor to explore the many temples and monuments built along its shores. We all know Egypt is spectacular thanks to all the documentaries and movies. However, to see the sites in person is simply amazing! How did an ancient culture design and construct such tremendous pyramids, temples and tombs?! Further, the wealth that must have existed is incredible. Remember, King Tut was a young king who reigned only 9 years (from age 9 to 18) and look at the incredible treasures found in his tomb. Imagine if we had found intact the tomb of any one of the great pharaohs (like Ramses II who ruled 66 years and built the first of the Giza pyramids).

Lastly, Cairo itself is a vibrant town of some 16 million people. It's considered safe (yes, even at night) and offers incredible diversity. Imagine sitting on your hotel balcony looking down at The Nile and watching traffic zoom by - cars, buses, donkey carts, taxis - not to mention individuals in Western garb, Muslim dress, Arab dress, etc., etc. We did it on the evening prior to our return to the U.S. -- simply amazing!

Our thanks go to Medhat Sabry, our guide throughout our time in Egypt. He was a wealth of information, "knows the ropes" and, to top it off, is a fun person with whom we got to explore the country. Thanks again (and we'll be saving some more chocolate for you, Medhat!)!!

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GIZA/SAQQUARA

	GREAT PYRAMID, GIZA THIS PYRAMID IS 430 FEET TALL AND IS COMPOSED OF 2 MILLION BLOCKS OF LIMESTONE WEIGHING FROM 2.5 - 11 TONS EACH
	SMALLER PYRAMID, GIZA
	GREAT PYRAMID IN FOREGROUND; SMALLER PYRAMID IN BACKGROUND
	GREAT SPHNIX, GIZA (WITH SMALLER PYRAMID IN BACKGROUND)
	"TOURISTA"
	STEP PYRAMID, SAQQUARA THE OLDEST PYRAMID IN THE WORLD BUILT 2800BC
	VIEW OF CAIRO & THE NILE FROM OUR BALCONY AT THE CAIRO HILTON
	SUNSET OVER CAIRO & THE NILE FROM OUR BALCONY AT THE CAIRO HILTON

ABU SIMBEL

	MINOR TEMPLE THIS TEMPLE IS ADORNED WITH 4 STATUTES OF RAMSES II AND 2 STATUTES OF HIS QUEEN NEFATARI (CARVED OUT OF SOLID ROCK)
	A CLOSER VIEW (WITH LINDY IN THE PICTURE FOR PERSPECTIVE)
	MINOR TEMPLE INTERIOR OF THE TEMPLE WITH ORIGINAL PAINT (OVER 3,000 YEARS OLD!)
	MINOR TEMPLE BAS RELIEF CARVINGS WITH ORIGINAL PAINT
	GREAT TEMPLE THE 4 STATUTES OF RAMSES II ARE GREATER THAN 60' TALL
	A CLOSER VIEW (WITH LINDY IN THE PICTURE FOR PERSPECTIVE)
	INTERIOR OF GREAT TEMPLE
	INNER CHAMBERS IN THE GREAT TEMPLE

CRUISING THE NILE

	OUR CRUISE SHIP "NILE SONESTA GODDESS"
	SAILING ON A FELUCCA (A MORE TYPICAL NILE SAILING CRAFT)
	OUR "FEARLESS LEADER" IN AFRICA, MEDHAT SABRY!
	NUBIAN ENTERTAINMENT TROUPE ON BOARD THE NILE SONESTA GODDESS
	ED JOINING THE SHOW!
	FARMLANDS (SUGAR CANE & DATES) ALONG THE NILE BETWEEN EDFU & LUXOR
	A LOCK ON THE NILE (WHICH WE TRAVELED THROUGH)
	"CLEOPATRA & YASSAR ARAFAT" ATTEND THE ORIENTAL COSTUME PARTY ABOARD SHIP
	SUNSET ON THE NILE

ASWAN/EDFU

	APPROACHING THE ISLAND OF PHILAE
	TEMPLE OF ISIS AT PHILAE DEDICATED TO THE GODDESS ISIS BUILT 100BC - 100AD
	TEMPLE OF ISIS AT PHILAE COLUMNS ADORNING THE OUTSIDE OF THE TEMPLE
	KOM OMBO TEMPLE OF KOM OMBO DEDICATED TO HORUS, THE FALCON-HEADED GOD & SON OF ISIS
	KOM OMBO ORIGINAL PAINTINGS ON TEMPLE COLUMNS
	EDFU TEMPLE OF HORUS BUILT 200BC - 100AD
	EDFU INNER COURTYARD OF THE TEMPLE OF HORUS
	EDFU WALLS OF ONE OF THE NUMEROUS INTERIOR ROOMS IN THE TEMPLE OF HORUS (EVERY SQUARE INCH OF WALL & ALL PILLARS INSCRIBED WITH HORUS & ISIS)

LUXOR

	COLLOSSI OF MEMNON ENTRYWAY INTO ANCIENT LUXOR THE ANCIENT CAPITAL OF EQYPT LOCATED ON THE WEST BANK OF THE NILE BUILT 1500BC
	TEMPLE DEDICATED TO QUEEN HATSCHEPUT CARVED INTO SOLID ROCK IN 1500BC QUEEN HATSCHEPUT WAS HERSELF A PHARAOH & NOT MARRIED TO ONE; HENCE, SHE IS BURIED IN THE VALLEY OF THE KINGS-NOT THE QUEENS VALLEY
	CLOSE-UP OF THE UPPER LEVEL OF THE TEMPLE DEDICATED TO QUEEN HATSHEPUT NOTE: THE QUEEN IS DRESSED AS A MAN; EVEN BEING SHOWN WITH A BEARD
	TEMPLE DEDICATED TO QUEEN HATSHEPUT ORIGINAL PAINT
	VALLEY OF THE QUEENS WHERE OVER 100 TOMBS OF QUEENS (WIVES OF PHARAOHS) HAVE BEEN UNCOVERED
	VALLEY OF THE QUEENS ENTRANCES TO MANY OF THE TOMBS
	COURTYARD OF KARNAK TEMPLE LARGEST TEMPLE IN EGYPT BUILT 1500BC - 500AD
	KARNAK TEMPLE HALL OF COLUMNS (132 COLUMNS EACH 6'-8' IN DIAMETER)
	KARNAK TEMPLE TWO GIANT GRANITE OBELISKS THE TALLER ONE IS OVER 100' TALL HOW DID THEY CARVE THEM?? HOW DID THEY ERECT THEM??
	KARNAK TEMPLE SMALLER OF TWO OBELISKS (LINDY IN THE PICTURE FOR PERSPECTIVE)
	KARNAK TEMPLE INSCRIBED COLUMNS
	AVENUE OF THE SPHINXES A 3.2KM PAVED STREET WHICH CONNECTS THE KARNAK TEMPLE TO THE TEMPLE OF LUXOR
	TEMPLE OF LUXOR
	TEMPLE OF LUXOR STATUTES OF RAMSES II INSIDE THE TEMPLE
	TEMPLE OF LUXOR INNER COURTYARD OF THE TEMPLE