Egypt, the land of pyramids, mummies and much more....!

What a breath taking view! All nine pyramids were standing magnificently with the sky as the backdrop and the vast stretches of sand as their base!
What a breath taking view! All nine pyramids were standing magnificently with the sky as the backdrop and the vast stretches of sand as their base!

The camel riders had joined us by now and after capturing as many scenic beauty of the place, we trotted off to our bus reluctantly to leave for the next destination. We were on our way to see the Sphinx, the oldest and the first amongst the lot seen around Egypt. All the pyramids and the sphinx were located in the same Giza area of Cairo.
The Sphinx is the national symbol of Egypt. It is located to the north east of the Khafre Valley Temple.

And now for more historical facts and details about the pyramids and Sphinx!

The pyramids of Egypt at Giza were built during the 4^th Dynasty (about 5000 years ago) and are the oldest and only ones remaining intact till date. The three great pyramids and the six smaller ones are located in the same area, on the left bank of the Nile in Cairo.
The Giza pyramids were built by three pharaohs - Cheops (or Khufu^*), Chephren (Khafre^*) and Mycerinus (Menkaure^*) - during the second half of the third millennium B.C.
The Pyramid of Cheops is 230.364m square at base, 137.18m height (originally 146m) (It is the tallest pyramid which is now destroyed on the top). As many as 2.5 million limestone blocks weighing between 2 tons to 15 tons have been used in its construction. The limestone blocks were brought from the hills at Tura in Luxor on the opposite side of the Nile, a distance of about 600 kms from Cairo.
It took about 20 years to complete the work because the labourers could work only four months in a year. There were only three seasons in those days- 1) The flood season, 2) the agricultural season and 3) the harvest season.
The Great Pyramid of Khufu was the greatest of the Egyptian pyramids, which served as burial places of the pharaohs, particularly during the Old Kingdom. They were built around 2700-2500 BC.
The pyramid of King Chephren is behind Khufu's and the pyramid of King Mycerinus is in front. The three smaller pyramids in the front were built for King Mycerinus’ three wives.
A vast portion of information has been gathered/verified from the web,courtesy-

Egyptian Papyrus papers (blank/plain paper and blank sheets), Papyrus outlines, Paintings/wall pictures, Personalized, Gold and silver Cartouche, silver Cartouches with gold letters.

Extensive information may be obtained from the above web site.

The Sphinx-
It is the most famous and possibly the oldest surviving structure in the whole of Egypt. It is also the national symbol of Egypt. The majestic beast is carved from one vast block of limestone. The beautiful Sphinx is 240 feet long and 66 feet tall with the body of a lion and a human head thought to be that of the Pharoah Khafre. It is believed that Khafre's workers shaped the stone into the lion and gave it their king's face over 4,500 years ago.
There happens to be a myth surrounding the nose of the sphinx that it was blown off by the troops of Napoleon. Several destructive forces converged on the Sphinx through the centuries before Napoleon came to Egypt, including the iconoclastic ardour of Mohammed Sa'im al-Dahr, a fanatical Muslim, who damaged the ears and nose of the Sphinx in 1380AD. He was lynched by the locals after the act. Then it is believed that the Mamluks used the monument as target practice. The charge against Napoleon is particularly unfair because he brought a team of savants to Egypt to study its rich lore and civilisation.
The true origins of the sphinx are not known. Some scholars believe that it was built by Khafre, who built the largest of the three Pyramids of Giza, others argue that it was already in place when the pyramids were built. Some claim that the monument was damaged due to water eroding vast portions of the structure, but this seems improbable because the Giza area has been pretty dry for the last 6,000 years. The riddle of the Sphinx still remains and it is unlikely its origins will ever be revealed.
For more information about the sphinx you may visit the following site-
//http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/sphinx1.htm

Now it was time to leave! Our guide had included shopping in our itinerary for the day! It was mutual benefit! While we Indians with a passion for shopping got an opportunity to unstring our purse, our egyptologist could make a few pounds by means of commission from the shops he led us to! He took us to an Egyptian perfume shop where, he said, we could get the most original perfume made from natural oils that were alcohol free. We could choose the fragrance of our liking from the various collections stored in big jars and they would be mixed with the odourless oil base to produce exotic range of perfumes!
A major part of our day was spent in this place, almost 2 and a half hours whereas we were allotted about half an hour to forty minutes only! Of course we were the losers (in terms of money and time) while our guide had a hay day doing roaring side business by means of commission! Well, no regrets, the perfumes were worth the buy though they were a bit expensive!

The Perfume Shop-
First, upon entering an Egyptian perfumery, the guests are handed a shopping list. This is common practice in Egypt, and makes it easier to take down notes while the guide in the perfumery explains their wares. Then the guests are offered a drink. There is a variety to choose from Egyptian favourite teas like mint tea, hibiscus tea (kerkadeh) and aniseed tea (anis).
The perfume factory guide invites the guest to sit down and begins explaining the list of aromas. He usually begins with the single natural oils such as their famous lotus flower, papyrus or jasmine oil, the first two being the national flowers of Upper and Lower Egypt. Jars of oil are passed around, and the guest is encouraged to put a drop on a small area of the arm, rub it and smell it. As all these oils are 100% natural oils without alcohol to dilute them, they are fresh, strong and not at all cloying.
Then the guide goes through a list of aromatherapy oils that have medicinal qualities. An oil like mint only requires two drops in hot water to clear a stuffy nose! Oils like sandalwood are so strong they require a carrier oil like eucalyptus before application.
Finally, the guide takes the guest through the list of essence blends, explaining that though most blends are branded in the West and take on names like Tresor and Poison, they are actually very similar to what can be bought in an Egyptian perfumery. It can take from 5 to 25 flowers to make one such blend.
Egyptian perfume oils are not exported and therefore rare to own. Whether the accompanying guide gets commission from the sale is not the point. The Egyptian perfumes smell more exotic than any other mass-produced scents off the shelves. And the oils certainly last longer.
Legend describes ancient Egyptians as having crafted unique and gorgeous perfume bottles to collect the tears of those grieving the loss of the Pharoah.There are hundreds of perfume shops in Cairo, as Egypt is a major source of perfume oils for the Parisian market. The industry is as old as the pyramids.
When the tomb of the young pharaoh Tutankhamun was opened, among the luxurious contents found within were various beautifully crafted jars and containers. One particular jar was discovered to contain a perfumed unguent, still radiantly fragrant after so many centuries.Unguent is the classical word used to describe what modern English-speakers might better understand as an ointment or a solid perfume. Egyptian perfumes were very different in texture from the liquids now considered "perfumes".

More info can be obtained from the following site-
//perfume.suite101.com/article.cfm/egypt_perfume_factory_with_its_exotic_scents
Pictures-
1) Demonstration at the perfume Shop!
2)Preparing the perfumes as per our choice!
3)The Egyptian perfume bottles on Display at the shop!

Hi Malathy
Nice write up & very snaps. I've to read one more time to understand better.!!
Thanx for sharing.Regards.
chitra

The perfumes seemed to have entered the wrong channels! Now our tummies were rumbling! Oh My! We were hungry! We all got into the bus and our next destination was of course an Indian restaurant by name- Tandoori’. It was here that we had the best food since two days! It was real Indian and we were extremely thankful for having had the luxury of this place when we were really starved!



The Tandoori Restuarant!

Having satisfied our gastronomical demands, once again we got into the bus for a visit to the museum.

4)The Egyptian Museum is situated at Tahrir square in Cairo. It was built during the reign of Khedive Abbass Helmi II in 1897, and opened on November 15, 1902. It has 107 halls. At the ground floor there are the huge statues. The upper floor houses small statues, jewels, Tutankhamon treasures and the mummies.
The Egyptian museum comprises many sections arranged in chronological order
1. The first section houses Tutankhamon’s treasures.
2. The second section houses the pre-dynasty and the Old Kingdom monuments.
3. The third section houses the first intermediate period and the Middle Kingdom monuments.
4. The forth section houses the monuments of the Modern Kingdom.
5. The fifth section houses the monuments of the late period and the Greek and Roman periods.
6. The sixth section houses coins and papyrus.
7. The seventh section houses sarcophagi and scrabs.

Ilites who would love to make a virtual tour of the museum may click on the link below which leads to the appropriate website. It has a whopping collection of pictures of the artifacts and relics and also a lot of info too!
Egypt: Tutankhamun Collection: Jewelry and Ornamentation

No cameras were allowed inside. Normally it would take a whole day if we had to take a look at all the artifacts and collections displayed there. Our guide took us to the important areas of the museum and explained about them. Of course I being crazy about details was not very happy about the limited time spent there. But these are little compromises we have to make when we are going in a group. There was a confusion in this place in buying the entrance tickets! Our guide had paid the correct amount for all the 39 of us but while receiving the tickets he did not count properly and there was a shortage of 7 or 8 tickets. So some time (about 15 minutes) was already lost in going to the ticket counter and getting the remaining tickets. So I do not know how much each ticket cost us!

There was a reason for this hurry. A sound and light show was an added itinerary for the evening which was not in the original schedule. That was at an extra cost and my son was not interested. So I too decided not to go for it and instead made arrangements for visiting Aruna. If I could not meet her today then I would never be able to meet her during this visit! The next morning we were vacating the hotel once for all to leave for Aswan by the night train! The day had visits to various places about which I shall discuss tomorrow!
To know about my rendezvous with Aruna, please click the link below-

http://www.indusladies.com/forums/il...tml#post511099

23^rd December 2008-
This was our last day in Cairo! We would be chugging off to Aswan by train tonight! But the day was young and we had it all for ourselves! Our first place of visit started with the ‘Papyrus Shop’ followed by ‘Cotton Shop’, to ‘The Citadel’ and finally to the ‘Khan-El-Khalili Bazaar’ before stopping over for lunch. It was the last day for Indian cuisine! Tomorrow, we would be in the Cruise Ship and would have to satisfy ourselves with Continental food!
The Papyrus Shop-
This was an interesting place of visit to start the day with. We had a demonstration of how the papyrus (paper) mat is prepared using an aqua plant by the same name. On this mat paintings of ancient Egyptian arts are done.
About how paper came into being-
Egyptians invented the processing of Cyperous Papyrus marsh plant to papyrus sheets. The word "paper" is derived from the word "papyrus". Papyrus plant, a triangular reed which symbolized ancient lower Egypt was light, strong, thin, durable and easy to carry, and for thousands of years, there was nothing better for the purpose of writing. The earliest documented papyrus comes from Egypt's 1st Dynasty, but it may have been used as early as 4,000 BC. It's use continued until about the 11th century AD.
Papyrus continues today to be made from the papyrus reed that grows in freshwater marshes along the river Nile, though today this growth is rare and controlled. The plant grows to a height of about ten feet. After harvesting, the outer fibers are peeled away and the core of the stalk is sliced into very thin strips that are as broad as possible. The best of these strips comes from the center. These strips are next soaked in water to remove the sugar content. Then the strips are pounded and the water drained away, after which they are placed side by side, overlapping slightly. A second set of strips are placed at right angles to the first, again overlapping slightly. Next, this raw papyrus sheet is pounded once again, and left under a heavy weight (usually a stone slab) to dry for approximately six days. The remaining sugar within this concoction seals the strips together. After drying the surface of the sheet is polished to a smooth finish.
To know more about papyrus, please visit this site- www.touregypt.net/featurestories/papyrus.htm
In the picture, one can see the paintings displayed on the wall behind the man who is demonstrating. the smallest size of one such painting (14 by 18 centimetres) would cost about Rs.225/- (22.5 L.E). I purchased 4 of them and it cost me 90 L.E. Again we had the advantage of group purchase and got 10 % discount.All products are genuine here.
Pictures-
1) demonstrator holding a papyrus stem!
2)A Ready to paint Papyrus mat!

The Cotton Shop-
In this shop we could purchase original Egyptian Cotton garments, be it formal shirts, T-shirts, pants or women’s wear. 10% discount on buying 3 T-shirts was offered on selected range. The prices seemed quite reasonable. If any one wants to have a collection of genuine Egyptian cotton clothes, then it is a must visit shop. Since we went as a group, we could bargain for discount on all clothes.



Address-
Flower Cotton

57, El Holl Street,
Nazlet El Seman,
Pyramids.


The Citadel-
It is the largest citadel in the Islamic world which was built in the 14^th century for protecting the city from enemies. Mohammed Ali built a mosque inside the citadel during the 18^th century. This mosque is also sometimes referred to as the Alabaster Mosque due to its extensive use of that stone on some of the exterior walls and other surfaces.

When we reached the site of the citadel strong winds carrying sand particles were blowing all around and we had to cover our faces and eyes to protect ourselves! This was the time I realized why the Arabs dress the way they do!

Recent excavations demonstrate that, in order to build the mosque on top of the pre-existing structures, some ten meters of rubble was filled in. Muhammad Ali, who was more eager to build modern factories than religious foundations erected this mosque as a monument to himself, where he is buried. The mosque, the largest such structure built during the first half of the 19th century, is more impressive at a distance than close up.
Originally, the planning of this mosque was assigned to Muhammad Ali's French architect, Pascal Coste, who probably would have built it in the local Mamluk style judging from his interest in Cairo's traditional architecture. However, for some unknown reason, Muhammad Ali changed his mind and hired a Greek architect, Yusuf Bushnaq, to design the mosque on a plan similar to that of the Mosque of Sultan Ahmad in Istanbul (known as the Blue Mosque).
Built between 1830 and 1848, the long time it took to complete this monument may be due to its size, gigantic by Cairo's architectural standards. That, combined with its prominent location and its profile of domes flanked by a pair of slender high minarets, contribute to its prestige. The Egyptians themselves place a great deal of pride in this monument.
Within the mosque are two pulpits. The larger one of wood is decorated with gilt ornament, and is original. It is said to be one of the largest in Egypt, incorporating significant gold in its decorations. The smaller one of alabaster was a gift from King Faruq, dating to 1939. The mihrab, or prayer niche, is made of Egyptian marble. It is rather simple, but very beautiful at the same time.
Pictures-
1)A view of the mosque/citadel
2)The original pulpit!

The Khan-El Khalili Bazaar-
This was a wonderful shopping area! We could compare it to our own Burma Bazaar or Delhi’s Sarojini market. Rows and rows of shops selling varieties of Egypt’s wares ranging from perfume bottles to crystals to garments to souvenirs et al! The concept of time was lost! Our guide had warned us that we should ask at one-tenth the price of what was quoted! Of course, we found out that it was not possible in all the shops for such a tough bargain, especially we being foreigners. But we could make a deal at considerably cheap prices!
Now, as I saw the first picture I remembered something! Wherever we were in Egypt there was a cordon of security personnel provided near the tourist buses and sites. The presence of these men made us feel comfortable and safe all through our journey. As soon as our bus parked near a place these men stood guard near the bus till we left the place. You can see one such security staff in the left corner of the picture.
Pictures-
The shopping lanes!

Our lunch was delayed by nearly 2 hours because three of our group members turned up forty five minutes late from the Khalili Bazaar! Waiting in the bus, the rest of us were breaking our heads as to what would have happened to them. We tried them over the mobile frantically but there was no reply. ‘Could they have been kidnapped?’ ‘Would they have lost their way?’ ‘What would have happened?’ All unnecessary thoughts running through our minds!
Our guide was getting restless and irritated. After all he had a great responsibility. His job was at stake. It was not possible to search the whole market place since it had various exit points. We were also unfamiliar with the place. AN…..D it was a lo…..ng, endless wait! Every passing minute seemed like hours! One amongst our group said in a worried voice-“ What if they have lost their passport or valuables and are looking for it?”
Suddenly someone shouted-“ There, I can see Mr…… coming!” We all jumped in excitement! Now we could see all three of them! They walked casually towards the bus! They were unaware of the chaos in the bus! As soon as they set foot on the bus our chief organizer pounced on them angrily! Tempers ran high while the trio were apologetic realizing that they had kept us waiting. and had also been a cause of tension. The only lady amongst the three pleaded, “Sorry! My watch is set to Indian time and I misguided them!!!!!” My goodness Lord! What could we say after this! Later we learnt that their phone did not ring at all though we could here the caller tune from our side!
It would be incomplete if I do not say a word about our guide’s conduct amidst all this commotion. All his anger and irritation vanished as soon as he saw the trio! Either he was a well trained guide who knew how to behave with his country’s guests or he was relieved that they were back safe! He was fully composed while a lot of us were seething with anger inside, first, we were hungry like a starved lion and two, the traffic flow would be heavy and there would be time only to stuff the food hurriedly and rush to the railway station to board the train for Aswan! The lunch was to be at 3.30 PM and we could have it only at 5 PM!
We had to be at the station by 7.30 PM at least since the departure time for the train was 8 PM. So we rushed through our dinner and once again boarded the bus for one last time!
We were in the station half an hour earlier! Even the station looked some what Indian what with the crowd and noise! Of course it was a small station like that of some town in India. As we waited for the train to arrive the youngsters in our group were in their best form making full use of the time, playing dumb sheraz.

At about 10 past 8 PM the train arrived and it was time for us to say good bye to Cairo! Now off to Aswan after a good nights sleep in the train! Let us all assemble at Aswan station! Good night for now!
Pictures-
1) A view of the station as the train arrives.

2) The inside view of the coupe
The wash basin within the coupe! (When the lid is closed, it acts as a table top!)
3) The seat and the foldable dining unit fixed on the opposite wall!
4) Breakfast is ready!