Never has there been such fierce competition. After some Classical Pursuits trips, we have few or now entries for our contests. But even while we were in Egypt, it was clear that a handful of travellers were snapping away with visions of photographic fame dancing through their heads. Five esteemed […]
Tag: Egypt/Jordan 2010
Reflections on Egypt trip
I have been home for nearly a week now and my mind keeps going back to the final encounter we had with three incredibly bright and annimated Egyptian university students. Thanks to our great American-in-Egypt go-between, Cathryn Goddard, our last afternoon was spent back at the lovely lounge of the […]
Nov. 1: Alexandria to Cairo
Here is the Last Breakfast all of us will be together – from our hotel terrace in Alexandria. The potential for Egypt can be seen everywhere, but the probability and even the possibilities seem somewhat dismal. Here along the corniche of this beautiful bay are crumbling buildings. The size and […]
Oct 31: Alexandria
A day full of many treasures, the consummate of which was undoubtably The New Library in Alexandria. The fact that this marvelous structure and its amazing contents and Programs ever happened it nothing short of miraculous. Encourage readers to have a good look at www.bibalex.org and really poke around. It […]
Oct 30: Aswan to Alexandria
Up at 3:30 am for flight from Aswan (in the far south of the country) to Cairo and the drive to Alexandria (in the north). Traffic is equally crazy, but the temperature has dropped radically. We even had a little rain on the way. Visited fascinating catacombs that combined in […]
Oct. 29: Aswan
Briefly, because we leave very wary tomorrow for Alexandria….Temple at Philae dedicated to Isis, the Aswan High Dam, a papyrus gallery and transfer from lovely boat to equally lovely hotel on Elephant Island. We are all happily tired and decided to postpone our last book discussion in favour of a […]
Oct 28: Abu Simbel
We flew to Abu Simbel and back to Aswan today, the site of two magnificent temples. The one with these four colossal statues is the Temple of Ramses II. The entire site was moved across the Nile and to higher ground between 1964-68 when the High Dam at Aswan was […]
Oct 27: Edfu and Kom Ombo
This is a late temple. You can see the king being anointed by the goddesses of both Upper and Lower Egypt (represented by their different headdresses). The king (one of the late Ptolemys) shows, by the combined headdress, that Egypt has been united. There is much more that could be […]
Oct. 26: Luxor/Thebes and traveling south on the Nile
Photography was prohibited in the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens, so no way to share the jaw-dropping beauty and sophistication of the wall paintings. This pic os of our esteemed discussion leader David Schmitt taking a moment to limber up before the next climb. It is […]
Oct 25: Luxor
Yesterday ended with an animated debate about the nature of Ahmed, the patriarch of the family in Palace Walk, followed by an impromptu party in the hall. An early morning flight over the desert to Luxor landed us at the Temple of Karnak by 8:30 am. This is the site […]