Santa Yourself - Turn yourself into a dancing Santa

Santa Yourself - Turn yourself into a dancing Santa

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This funky card is created by Pauline, Tuck, & David.
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The Egyptian Museum of Antiquities - Cairo

The Egyptian Museum of Antiquities Cairo

The Egyptian Museum of Antiquities was first built in Boulak. In 1891, it was moved to Giza Palace of "Ismail Pasha" which housed the antiquities that were later moved to the present building. 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.

On the ground floor there are the huge statues and sarcophagi. The upper floor houses small statues, jewels, Tutankhamun's treasures and the royal mummy room, which contains 11 royal mummies that are inside special showcases, which have a small electronic devices to control the humidity level around the mummies at all times. The mummies belong to royalty of the 20th Dynasty like King Ramses III, King priests of Amun and three Queens. To enter this area you have to pay a separate entrance fee and are not allowed to take photos. An adjacent room, which is free to enter has mummified animals and birds including a very large crocodile.

One of King Tut's Beautiful Thrones

King Tut's Gold Middle Coffin
He is holding a flail in his right hand and
a crook in his left hand, symbols of his kingship.

A separate room holds King Tut's personal effects - the jewellery and ornaments that went into his sarcophagus with him. His funeral mask is more beautiful than you expect. Made from gold and inlaid with, carnelian, lapis lazuli and turquoise. Tutankhamun is wearing the nemes, a white and blue striped linen headdress pulled close around the head, fixed over the forehead, a vulture and a uraeus serpent rise from the forehead and represent the two guardian deities of Upper and Lower Egypt, Nekhbet and Uadjet,which when shown together symbolize sovereignty over unified Egypt.

it is truly stunning and you can walk right around the glass case, thus see the mask from all angles. Tutankhamun's gold coffin is made of solid gold and weighs 110kg, and is unbelievably beautiful.

The jewellery alone would be worth many kings ransoms, everything is stunning. It's quite dimmly lit in this room, which is essential for the preservation of the displays, but makes photography very difficult, especially since flash isn't permitted.

The few photos I took didn't come out very well. The mask is very dull looking because of the reflections.

Ushabi - Small Statues inscribed with magical spells to assist in
the afterlife .

The halls outside this room contain leopard-skin shields, still in good condition after 2300 years.The walls are lined with many ushabtis, small doll like objects said to hold the spirits of the servants, soldiers and farmers who would cater to the Pharoah's needs in the afterlife. There is a folding bed with quite modern looking hinges, a golden chariot, gold shrine and various ornate thrones.

The 1st floor has a large atrium with the larger exhibits including a massive pair of statues of Rameses II and Amenhotep III and his wife Tiye. These are actually best viewed from the 2nd floor. There is also a collection of stone sarcophagi of the Old Kingdom and many large statues too numerous to list.

We didn't see a lot on the first floor, as we ran out of time.

Limestone Statue of Prince Rahotep and his

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Wife Nofret

Heavy Black Granite Statue of Goddess Isis

Wooden Statue of Anubis - Guardian of the underworld who guided the deceased or initiate into the Double Hall of Truth and checked the balance on the Scales of Justice during the "Weighing of the Heart" ceremony.

Hatshepsut - The Queen who Ruled as a Pharoah in the 18th Dynasty

Old Cairo

The Hanging Church in Old Cairo

Carved Marble Pulpit in Hanging Church

The Old Roman Fort Walls

St Sergius The Oldest Church in Old Cairo

The Sign to Entrance of St Sergius

Entrance Below Street Level To St Sergius

Old Cairo also called Coptic Cairo - as the name suggests, is the oldest part of Cairo. It is believed that there was a settlement here as early as the 6th century BC. Later, the Romans built a fortress here which is known as Fort Babylon. Some of the Roman fort's walls still exist today.

After the spread of Christianity throughout Egypt, the area of Old Cairo became a Christian stronghold, with as many as twenty churches built within an area of just one square mile. Now only five remain, along with the earliest mosque ever built in Egypt. After the fall of Jerusalem in around 70 AD, the area saw an influx of Jews, and it's here where Egypt's oldest synagogue, Ben Ezra is located.

Apparently, the term Coptic is a corruption of the Greek word Aigyptos, which means Egyptian. Aigyptos springs from the Ancient Egyptian "Ha-ka-Ptah" which means "the house of the Ptah". From that came the Arabic word "qubt" or "qibt", and from there it was translated to Copt.The modern use of the term Coptic refers to both the Egyptian Christians themselves, and the last stage of the Ancient Egyptian language.

The Coptic Church is based upon the teachings of St Mark, who brought Christianity to Egypt in around 50 AD. St Mark was one of the four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) and the gospel of St Mark is the oldest gospel.

The Hanging Church

The Hanging Church or its Egyptian name, El-Muallaqa dates back to 4th century, el-Muallaqa is the oldest Christian church in Cairo. This Coptic Church is within the old Babylon fortress and is called the 'Hanging Church' because it is built on top of a Roman gate and reached by a stairway that leads to the courtyard.

It was destroyed in the 9th century, and rebuilt in 11th century. The interior of the church features three vaulted aisles, inlaid ivory & bone altar screens and a beautiful, carved marble pulpit which is supported by 13 pillars which represent Jesus and the disciples. There is also a collection of a hundred plus icons in the church that date back to the 8th century.

Abu Serga Church (St Sergius)

The Church of Abu Serga (St Sergius) is another 4th Century church, (rebuilt in the 10th-11th centuries over the original church) dedicated to Saint Sergius and Bacchus. They were warrior saints and were executed on the orders of Maximian, the Roman Emperor. The Church is said to be built on the spot where Joseph, Mary and the infant Jesus Christ, rested in a cave at the end of their journey into Egypt.

There is a crypt below the curtained off sanctuary which contains part of the original church where it is said the cave the Holy Family lived in once was Unfortunately, this area was roped off due to the presence of subterranean water. The church exposed roof beams over the nave, a raised area for the choir and galleries It is considered the oldest of Cairo's Christian churches.

Although Old Cairo contains a number of Christian churches and monuments, most of the really ancient Christian churches of Egypt are to be found in the isolated monasteries of the Eastern Desert. What is believed to be the world's oldest monastery, St Anthony's, was established in the middle of the fourth century AD by the Red Sea coast in the Eastern Desert in Egypt.

City Of The Dead

Photos taken from the Bus Window as we drove Past The City of the Dead

The City of the Dead, refers to the vast cemeteries on the outskirts of Cairo and was originally the burial place chosen by former rulers of Cairo and is filled with the graves of Fatimids, Abbasids, Ayyubids, Mamlukes, Ottomans. The area also houses some 5 million plus poor urban Egyptians and other immigrants who inhabit the area out of necessity, due to a huge housing shortage problem in Cairo.

The Egyptians don't see the cemeteries as exclusively for the dead. They see them as a place where life begins, a bit like in the time of the Pharoahs. The cemeteries built in the City of the Dead are quite different to from western cemeteries. Traditionally, Egyptians buried their dead in room or small house like “burial sites” the mourning family actually lived in them during the long mourning period of forty days.

It is not a romantic place to live, but one with poor sanitaion, garbage smells and little electricity, but the homeless have adapted the house like tombs to their needs are are content to have a roof over their heads.

We did not visit the City of the dead, but drove past it and learnt a small bit of its history from Ayman our guide.

If I ever go back to Egypt I would like to actually wander through the City of the Dead. It contains so much history.

If you click on the photos they should open into bigger ones so it is easier to see the detail.

The Khan El Khalili

A Narrow lane in The Khan El Khalili

One cannot write about the sites of Egypt without mentioning the famous Khan El Khalili market. On entering the Khan El Khalili you feel all your senses come alive and you are kind of transported back in time as the Khan has a decidedly medieval atmosphere. It is one of those absolutely must visit places - generally not once either, it drwas you back time after time ... it certainly casts it spell on those who 'dare to venture within its labyrinth of alleys'.

Besides the very obvious shopping, it is a lively and colourful sprawling labyrinth of a market with what seems like zillions of narrow cobblestone alleys, zillions of people and zillions of products for sale that spill out into the narrow lanes from the tiny shops, so that people pass each other by walking sideways. A couple of the main laneways are quite wide, but they are an exception.

The Khan is the perfect place to idle away a few hours and quite a few dollars. It is a bellydancers mecca, and you could go nuts with the buying and I am sure many do! I was very conservative. I only bought 6 hipscarves, and placed an order for 7 saiidi dresses for our troupe, then decided to buy 2 more saiidi dresses for myself. That was it!. I did indulge in the lovely silver jewellery ... after all I adore silver and it is quite cheap. So 3 bracelets, a necklace and 3 rings later. I stopped myself from anymore looking.

The shop and stall holders assail you with .. 'let me help you spend your money', 'excuse me you dropped something' and when you turn to look the man will clutch his heart and say something like 'mt heart just dropped at your feet'. The Khan folk are happy, funny and helpful. Of course they will ask you to 'just look, no pressure to buy' but the charm will generally be turned on to try to get you to buy something. I found it wasn't in your face hassling or pressure at all, not like some countries I have visited. it was just a fun and pleasant experience.

On one visit, I got sick of shopping and the rest of the girls were still going crazy in the bellydance shops, so I just stood out in front of the alley where the shop was and watch all the happenings out in the street. Two shop owners stopped to talk to me, and offered me a stool and a cup of tea. They were just interested to know what I thought of Egypt and where I was from.

After about 45 minutes and the girls were still shopping, I decided to go back to Ali's friend Tarek's shop, but knew I would get hopelessly lost. One of the shop owners offered to call Ali, so that Ali could come and get me. Which Ali did. But these friendly and kind men didn't even ask me to look at their goods, just happy to chat. They also told the girls when they finally came out that I had returned to Tarek's shop.

During my several visits to the Khan, I only purchased a few trinket/tourist things as small gifts. A couple of pewter pens, a beautiful pewter jewllery box with Isis on the lide ( for me of course), a handful of fridge magnets, coasters, 3 pretty compact mirrors. and a couple of other knick knacks. But it is the perfect place to shop for whatever you want as memorabilia of Egypt. The traditional coffee houses are great and the 'shisha' (hookah water pipes) quite yum! Of course I had to try it! If I had, had room in my suitcase, I am sure I would have bought a Shisha pipe thing home, but they are a bit big. I just loved the atmosphere and din't feel that I had to buy things. It was a wonderful, cultural, colourful experience and a place that pulsed with life all the time.

Coffee House - Drinking Coffee and Smoking Shisha in The Khan

The Khan has quite a long and colourful history, it dates back to 1382, when Emir Djaharks el-Khalili built a large caravanserai (A caravanserai, means home/hotel or shelter for caravans....khan in Arabic) in Cairo because it was a meeting place for traders from all points of the compass. These Trading markets provide facilities for the storage and sale of goods and animals and the revenue they generated not only supported the market but also, the mosques and madrasas in the city.

The term Khan is a actually a Persian word but due to the foreign rulers at the time of establishment that is the term that came into use. Wikala ( the term for warehouse) is the Egyptian term for caravanserai. But the Khan El Khalili is a world heritage listed site so it and the name is here to stay!

One of the wider Streets of the Khan El Khalili
(That is me with the orange jacket on)

The Awesome Pyramids

The Pyramids of Giza, The sun is just beginning to set.

We have all seen books, photo's, and TV programs about the pyramids, but believe me until you actually stand in front of them you cannot understand their magnificence, they are totally awesome and take your breathe away. To actually be able to touch these ancient monuments is humbling and uplifting at the same time. They may have lost their original smooth surfaces and be crumbling, chipped and broken in places, but stand before them, touch them then close your eyes, and you will see them as they once were. Extraordinary monuments to a great an ancient civilisation.

The Pyramids of Giza are over 4500 years old. They were built as the burial places for the Kings Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure, three Pharaohs during the Old Kingdom (4th Dynasty).

Each pyramids at Giza has a name; "Khufu's Horizon", Khafre is Great", and "Menkaure is Divine." As divine places, all the pyramids are believed to have had names, even the small ones, and there are over 100 pyramids scattered around Egypt.

They were not the first pyramids, but are the most recognized and held in great awe by most people.

Some Egyptologists believe it took 10 years just to build the ramp that leads from the Nile valley floor to Khufu's pyramid (the Great pyramid), and 20 years to construct the pyramid itself. It is estimated that over two million blocks of stone were used to build Khufu's pyramid each weighing approximately 2.5 tons, and the heaviest blocks, that were used as the ceiling of Khufu's burial chamber, weigh an estimated nine tons.

Egyptologists believe that gradually sloping ramps, built out of mud, stone, and wood were used as transportation causeways for moving the large stones to their positions up and around the four sides of the pyramids.

The Sphinx

Khufu's son, Khafre, built not only his pyramid but also the world recognised Sphinx. The Sphinx represents Khafre reborn as the sun god. A sphinx is considered a guardian statue of great power. Carved out of a natural limestone outcrop, the Sphinx is 19.8 metres (65 feet) high and 73.2 metres (240 feet) long.

Menkaure's tomb is the smallest of the 3 large Giza pyramids, and near to Menkaure's tomb are 3 small pyramids (tiny when compared to the 3 large ones) which belong to the queens.

The Giza pyramids are the only remaining example of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

They are located across the River Nile from Cairo on the West Bank. But can be clearly seen rising above apartment blocks on the outskirts of Cairo.

At night there is a sound and light show at the Pyramids which is worthwhile seeing. The Pyramids and spinx look quite ethereal lit up, and booming voices tell the story of the Pyramids and Sphinx.

Part of the history of the Sphinx is told on a Stele called the Dream Stele. Tutmosis a son of Amenhotep II had a dream while he was out on a hunting trip, he stopped to rest under the head of the Sphinx, which was buried up to the neck in sand. He soon fell asleep and had a dream in which the Sphinx told him that if he cleared away the sand and restored it he would become the next Pharaoh. After restoring the Sphinx to its former glory, he placed a carved stone tablet, with the dream carved on the tablet, (now known as the Dream Stele), between the paws of the Sphinx. The restoration of the Sphinx and the text of the Dream Stele very likely was meant to bestow legitimacy upon his unexpected kingship., as he was not next in line and he had somehow ousted his older brother.

I don't know where the Dream Stele is now, as i didn't see it but we were unable to get very close to the Sphinx as they are doing some restoration work.

The Pyramids Lit up at Night