Transcript Egypt Riddles in the Sand

Chapter 24
Egypt
Riddles in the Sand
Egypt
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Pyramids
Sphinx
History
Culture
Nile Cruises
Suez Canal
How Travellers Get There
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Air carriers
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Egyptair - MS- connections
CAI –
Connect through Europe
Cruise lines
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Alexandria
Port Said
Traveller Info
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Documentation
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Passport, visa
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Visas can be obtained at major points of entry –
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But recommended to obtain from Egyptian embassy or consulate before
arrival to avoid being refused entry
Health concerns
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www.voyage.gc.ca
Water, sun, heat,
Sanitation NOT to Canadian standards
See physician prior to departure
IAMAT
www.iamat.org
Best time to travel
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Winter
Traveller Info (cont.)
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Currency – Egyptian Pound
Language – Arabic
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English & French in principal resort areas
Islamic customs
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www.xe.com
Work Week – Sun to Thurs
Dress – conservatively
Respect religious / social traditions to avoid offending
local sensitivities
Drink bottled water
When to Go
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Peak
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Dec – April
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Spring
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Shifting sands
Fall
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Sept – Nov
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Book early for cruises
Bargains available
Avoid Ramadan
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Modified hours and closures
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shops & restaurants
Getting Around
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Cruise
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Nile - “up” is south; “down” is north
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Plane
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Fly south – cruise north
5 – 7 days
Hotels operate most cruise ships
Major cities
Road conditions poor
Getting Around (cont.)
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Train
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Camels, donkeys, horses
Felucca
Road conditions poor
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Car WITH driver
Cairo
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1st class
Subway
Best option – escorted tours
Cairo
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Museums
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Egyptian museum
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King Tut
Mummies, Sarcophagi
Islamic Art
Mosques
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Ibn Tulun
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El Azhar
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Built 876-879 AD – Cairo’s oldest, intact mosque still in use
oldest Islamic University founded in 970 AD
Sultan Hassan
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bronze doors inlaid with gold and silver, marble paneling
Cairo (cont.)
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Citadel of Salah al Din
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Built between 1176 and 1182 AD
panoramic view of Cairo
Alabaster Mosque
Coptic Quarter
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The Hanging Church - al-Mu'allaqua
4th C, built over the southern gate of the fortress of Babylon
Dedicated to the Virgin Mary
14th C wall-painting of the Nativity
Cairo (cont.)
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Cairo Tower
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187m
views of the city from all sides
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topped by revolving restaurant
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Khan el-Khalili
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Souk largely unchanged since 14th century
Spices, perfumes, gold & silver
carpets, brass, copperware,
leatherwork, glass
Giza
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Great Pyramids
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Cheops
Built 2650BC
Sound & light show
Sphinx
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Lion’s body and man’s
head
73 m long and 20 m high
Early morning - best time
to visit
Sakkara – (Saqqara)
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Ride on horseback from Giza
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Step Pyramid
 King Zoser
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 Built 27 C BC
 Imhotep- architect
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Memphis
 One of the oldest cities
 Ramses II
Luxor
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Temple of Luxor
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East bank
2 pharaohs built temple
dedicated to Amun Ra
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Amenhotep III
Ramses II
Temples of Karnak
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East bank
Greatest worship area
Moon Deity
Oal- Karnak – the Fort
Avenue of the Rams
Luxor (cont.)
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Seat of power 2100–750BC
 Former name - Thebes
Both banks of Nile
 City of Living – east
 City of the Dead - west
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Tombs of Valley of the Kings
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Tombs of Valley of the Queens
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West bank
New Kingdom
Carved in rock faces of
valley
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Queen Nefertari
West bank
New Kingdom
Carved in rock faces of
valley
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Tut-ankh-Amun III
Ramses III & VI
Amenhotep II
Aswan
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Ancient frontier town
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Aswan High Dam
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Distinct African atmosphere
Old Cataract Hotel
Souk
One of largest dams
Built to avoid Nile floods
3600 m long – 40 m wide
Lake Nassar
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World’s largest artificial lake – 5250 km²
Aswan (cont.)
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Philae Island
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Reassembled 500m from original site
Sound & light show
Temple of Abu Simbel
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Salvage began in 1963 – due to High Dam
Relocated on plateau facing sun
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Rameses II & Nefertari
Elephantine Island
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Largest of the islands
Sinai Desert
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Mt. Horeb
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www.geographia.com/egypt/sinai/mtsinai.htm
Considered the peak that Moses climbed
“Path of Moses” – 4,000 steps – about 3 hours to climb
St. Catherine’s Monastery
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www.orthodoxwiki.org/St._Catherine's_Monastery_(Sinai)
Foot of Mt Sinai
Also called Monastery of the Transfiguration
Built 527AD
Alexandria
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Founded by Alexander the Great
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Pharos –
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Legendary lighthouse
Cruise port
2nd largest city in Egypt
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331BC
225km from Cairo
“Pearl of the Mediterranean”
http://alexandriaegypt.com
Accommodations -Resorts
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Mersa Matruh
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http://www.middleeast.com/mersamatruh.htm
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300km W of Alexandria
Rommel’s Cave
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Sharm El Sheikh
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www.sharm-el-sheikh.com
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Ritz Carlton
Casinos, clubs, restaurants
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Hurghada
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www.hurghada.com
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20km beaches
Shipwreck diving
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Canadians should follow advice of local authorities and use caution when travelling to the
Sinai region. www.voyage.gc.ca
Accommodations (cont.)
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Sell up! – Four Seasons, Hilton, Sonesta
Marriott Cairo
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Mena House Oberoi
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Royal palace built for opening of Suez Canal 1869
Gardens
1869 – Hunting palace – later turned into hotel
Closest hotel to Pyramids of Giza
Cruise ships on Nile
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3,4,7 night
Luxury 5 ‫٭‬cruises
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www.sonesta.com/egypt_nilecruise/page.asp?pageid=16724
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Culture, Customs and Conduct
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Use right hand, not left
Little personal space
Baksheesh
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Mosques
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Expected tips
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Must remove shoes
Women must be covered
Most Egyptians are
conservative Moslem or
Coptic
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Bread – aysh
pita
Ful - beans
Tahini, hummus
Lamb, chicken
Grilled pigeon
Dates, figs
Ahwa – coffee
Mint Tea
Stella beer
http://touregypt.net/Culture.htm