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