Friday, November 30, 2018

SOUVENIRS IN EGYPT

Egypt is souvenir heaven with almost every market and site selling trinkets to tourists. The only downside to purchasing souvenirs is that most places do not post prices or you are required to haggle for one. Between my two trips to Egypt, I have bought many souvenirs but would have purchased that much more if shopping was an easier experience. The only two places I have visited that posted prices and sales people did not chase you around were the Isis Papyrus Museum and Store in Luxor and the University of Cairo bookstore in Aswan. 

My Egypt Collection
Top Shelf: Bowl with pyramid and Saharan sand, Egyptian pin, stuffed camel,
Arabian head piece, belly dancing scarf, Nubian dolls, alabaster blue sphinx
Second Shelf: Horus book ends, books purchased online and in Egypt
Third Shelf: Bottle, cans, juice box; picture collage from 1st trip; Collectors edition book
Bottom Shelf: Belly dancing outfit and more books

The following are examples of souvenirs one can purchase while touring Egypt along with some recommendations. 

Postcards

Postcards are one of the more popular souvenir items and can easily be found at most places in Egypt. On my first trip, our tour guide helped us obtain two very nice sets of postcards - one at Abu Simbel and the other outside the Roman Catacombs in Alexandria. For my recent journey, I was able to purchase good quality postcards at the Le Meridien Pyramids hotel and then, at the Valley of the Kings, our tour guide showed us an excellent postcard set with CD that we were able to buy for 100 LE (about $5.60 USD). Unfortunately, the postcards I purchased at Abu Simbel during my 2018 trip were horrible quality - blurry images and thin paper. 

I recommend that one purchases postcards at Valley of the Kings and Abu Simbel since you are not allowed to take pictures inside the tombs and temples. However, ask your tour guide for help in selecting the postcards since they generally know where to buy the better quality ones. 

Books 

Books are another item that make a great souvenir. On both trips, I visited a bookstore branch of the University of Cairo located in the market stalls by the Unfinished Obelisk in Aswan. This is a really nice store selling books on a myriad of topics in several languages. The store also sells postcards, toys, bookmarks, and miniature maps. Another great aspect of the store is that all items have a fixed price and no haggling is required. Between my two trips, I have purchased about 15 books covering Ancient Egyptian history, temple art and architecture, and history of the Coptic Christians. 

NOTE If you intend to purchase books, remember to pack lighter so you do not exceed the airline weight limit on luggages. For my 2018 trip, all the books I purchased were hard cover and they added about 10 pounds to my luggage. 

Papyrus Paintings 

Papyrus paintings are a popular souvenir item and can be found basically anywhere in Egypt. The only issue is that the paintings sold in some markets are not genuine papyrus but rather made of banana leaves. On both trips, we were taken to the Isis 2 Papyrus Museum and Store in Luxor which makes and sells genuine, quality papyrus paintings. I have purchased three paintings from the store - a painting of the Pharaoh Ramesses making an offering to the goddess Isis, a map of Ancient Egypt, and a painting of the Tree of Life and Knowledge. The paintings sold at the store range in price from less than a hundred dollars to some costing more than a thousand dollars. 

NOTE When in Egypt, talk to your tour guide or hotel manager to get recommendations on where to purchase authentic papyrus paintings. 

NOTE The papyrus paintings are rolled and placed in a cardboard tube so they are easy to carry and transport. I highly suggest placing the tubes in your carry-on luggage so they do not get crushed because the cardboard is not that strong. 


Cartouche

A cartouche contained the inscribed name of a king or queen and it was oval shaped and enclosed by a rope styled border. In Egypt, tourists can purchase a personalized cartouche as a unique keepsake in a variety of formats - necklace, engraved on a shirt or sweatshirt, etc. These items are available on board the Nile cruises, in some hotels, and markets. During my first trip to Egypt, I purchased a cartouche as a necklace on board the Nile cruise as recommended by my tour guide. The cartouche was made of silver and was approximately $25 with the chain costing an additional $20. On my recent trip, I visited the jewelry store on board the Nile cruise interested in purchasing a second cartouche necklace but they were too expensive. The sales person was offering a white gold cartouche for about $550 with the chain costing an extra $150. Some of my tour mates purchased colorful shirts and sweatshirts engraved with a cartouche and while they were nice, I prefer the cartouche as a necklace.

The silver has tarnished over 8 years.
Essential Oils 

During my first trip, our tour guide took us to a perfume and essential oils store which seem to be very popular in Aswan. It was not a pleasant experience since the sales people were extremely assertive and the essential oils were a bit pricey considering the quality and quantity per bottle. In order to get the sales people to leave me alone, I did a ‘buy three get one free deal’ purchasing 4 bottles of essential oils that I will definitely never use. My recent tour guide offered to take us to an essential oils store but I declined given my previous experience and then, in a later discussion, he stated that many times the oils sold in stores catering to tourists are not the best quality. 


Rugs

Carpets are another interesting souvenir one can purchase in Egypt. On this recent trip, my tour mates and I had the opportunity to visit the Akhnaton Carpets School in Giza. The first floor of the building serves as a school for children to learn the trade of carpet weaving and said children and their teachers gave us a short demonstration. Then we were guided to the second floor that was filled with tons of rugs of all shapes and sizes. While the rugs were beautiful, most were a bit expensive for my budget. A small square that was meant to serve as a coaster cost almost $30. From my experience, stores that cater to tourists tend to have higher prices so if interested in a rug, visit one for the locals. 




The above items are just a sample of some of the souvenirs one can purchase while in Egypt. I have also bought a belly dancing outfit, stuffed toy camel, Nubian dolls, hibiscus tea leaves, notebooks, and a necklace made of camel bones. I purchased the belly dancing outfit in an Aswan market for the Nile cruise’s Egyptian night and I will never forget how I spent about 20 minutes haggling with the seller for a decent price. In the end, I paid $35 for the outfit and determined that I have no haggling skills. The Nubian dolls and necklace I purchased at the Temple of Philae and both are amongst my favorite souvenirs. As for the hibiscus tea leaves, on my recent trip when we had some free time, our tour guide took us to a local market in Aswan that sold a variety of teas, herbs, and spices. 

Nubian dolls



Necklace made of camel bones

Aswan herb and spice market
Coptic Christian prayer beads



Wednesday, November 7, 2018

THE TEMPLE OF EDFU

HISTORY 

The Temple of Edfu is located in ancient Upper Egypt between the modern cities of Luxor and Aswan on the west bank of the Nile River. The temple is the second largest in Egypt and took approximately 180 years to build with construction starting in 237 BC by Ptolemy III. The location was selected on the believe that it was the site of the infamous battle between the gods Horus and Seth - Horus exacting revenge on Seth for having murdered his father Osiris. The Temple of Edfu melds traditional Egyptian elements with Greek influences and was built to honor the triad of Horus, Hathor, and their son, Hor Sama Tawy. 

FAST FACTS 

The temple’s main structure is comprised of a main entrance, a courtyard, and a chapel. 

To the west of the temple is a mamisi (birth house) where the annual Festival of Coronation was held to honor the divine births of the god Horus and the Pharaoh. 


The pylons at the entrance of the temple stand at 118 feet high and are decorated with battle scenes of the Pharaoh Ptolemy VIII. These pylons are amongst the tallest in Egypt. 


Beyond the pylons is an open courtyard adorned with columns topped with floral themed capitals. In the courtyard, one finds two black granite statues of Horus each with a height of 10 feet.




After the courtyard, there are two hypostyle halls with the second called the Festival Hall. This hall led to another referred to as the Hall of Offerings which in turn led to the Sanctuary, the holiest section of the temple. The sanctuary was surrounded by various chambers and chapels. 

The shrine that carried the statue of the god. 



The French archeologist Auguste Mariette discovered the Temple of Edfu in the 1860s.

VISITING THE TEMPLE AT EDFU 

I have visited the Temple of Edfu twice and it is one of my favorite temples because I simply love the walls filled with thousands of hieroglyphs that share stories of Ancient Egypt, the gods, and so much more. Unfortunately, both visits have been short with the most recent trip providing almost no free time after the guided tour. This is definitely one temple I could easily spend two to three hours just walking around enjoying the beautiful architecture and art. I highly recommend that if possible to arrange a visit without a tour group so you can spend adequate time at the site. 


The Temple of Edfu is a large temple and the crowds are always massive since the site is a standard item on most Nile Cruise itineraries. Independent travelers can visit the temple later in the afternoon to escape the heavier crowds since it seems that most Nile Cruise tour groups arrive in the morning. On my first trip to Egypt, my tour group traveled to the temple via a charter bus but on this recent journey, since we were just a group of 8, we took a horse and carriage. The horse and carriage ride was absolutely wonderful since we rode through the town of Edfu passing by markets and homes and seeing the Egyptians in action headed to work and school or selling food items and home goods. It was also an enjoyable ride since it was a cool, sunny morning and the gentleman leading our horse was sweet and did not chase us at the end for extra tip. Another aspect that made the carriage ride enjoyable was that our tour guide arranged everything so we did not need to haggle for a good rate. 

The temple itself offers some wonderful photo opportunities. The main pylons are almost complete and serve as a great background for a picture. Inside the courtyard one finds the granite statues of Horus which generally have a line of folks waiting for a photo opportunity. One thing I enjoyed was taking hundreds of pictures and videos of the walls engraved with hieroglyphs and images of the pharaohs with the gods and goddesses of Ancient Egypt. 






NOTE The ground at the Temple of Edfu is relatively level so those with mobility issues should not have a problem walking around the site. Portions of the temple interior are poorly lit so one needs to be cautious when walking. 

NOTE I noticed on this recent trip that the vendors at the temple were very assertive. They are stationed at the entrance/exit. If you are with a tour guide, he will help you navigate through the market.

NOTE My tour mate Alicia is an equestrian and owns several horses. She believes that the horses were in good condition, no sores or bad feet. Some horses were skinny but otherwise appeared to be healthy. 


Wednesday, October 31, 2018

LIFE IN EGYPT

Egypt is so much more than sandy deserts and stony temples and tombs. It is a country steeped in history where one gets immersed in a world of fascinating traditions, wonderful people, and amazing sights. Cairo to the north is a fast paced vibrant metropolis with the old and new melding to create a beautiful artwork of the ancient intertwined with the modern. In the heart of the city, one sees rustic, historical buildings, temples, and markets while the outskirts are home to modern, western influenced apartments, stores, and entertainment centers. Driving through Cairo, one hears the traditional songs of the Egyptian people played alongside modern Arabic pop music. The streets are filled with elder gentlemen dressed in galabeyas (tunics) while the younger crowds don brand name jeans and sneakers.











Southern Egypt is just as beautiful with its rolling sand dune hills, cooling desert breeze, and amazing blue skies. Since Aswan and Luxor have less traffic than Cairo, and thus substantially less pollution, the night skies are filled with twinkling stars and the bright moon. Markets come to life with the vibrant colors of fabrics, fruits, and flowers and the scents of spices, perfumes, and incense. The Nile flows lazily around boulders while the islands that dot the river are adorned with a multitude of singing birds and beautiful plants and flowers.
















Sunday, October 21, 2018

EGYPTIAN MUSEUM IN CAIRO

HISTORY

The Egyptian Museum of Antiquities located in Cairo is home to the world’s largest collection of Pharaonic relics with an estimated 150,000 artifacts on display ranging from the predynastic era through the time of Graeco-Roman rule. The first efforts to create a national museum was in 1835 by Mohammed Ali as a means to ending the rampant looting of archaeological sites. This would lead Auguste Mariette to form the Antiquities Service in 1858 which in turn established a permanent collection of artifacts in Cairo. Mariette dedicated the remainder of his life to the museum and would eventually be first buried in the museum’s garden. His remains were then moved to the home of Khedive Ismail in Giza as were the museum’s collections. In 1902, the collections were returned to Cairo and housed in the museum’s current location by Tahrir Square. 

VISITING THE MUSEUM 

The Egyptian Museum is a two storied, pale pink building situated near the famous Tahrir Square. The museum has a small garden in the front where one comes across various stone monuments and a memorial to Mariette and other great Egyptologists. Once inside, visitors are greeted with two floors filled with statues, furniture, jewelry, funerary masks, coins, papyrus, mummies, and more. The exhibits inside the museum are arranged in chronological order with the second floor also containing the special exhibits of the Treasures of King Tutankhamun and the Royal Mummies Hall.   

A statue of a sphinx in front of the Museum.

A statue paying tribute to Mariette.

The current museum will soon be replaced by the new Grand Egyptian Museum which is being built in Giza near the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx. This museum has faced multiple construction delays but it is expected to open in 2019. 

When I first visited the Egyptian Museum in 2010, I was impressed by two things: 1) the amazing collection of interesting and beautiful Ancient Egyptian artifacts 2) the condition of the museum. Some of the items I came across did not have a caption explaining the artifact and some parts of the museum had rather poor lighting. Unfortunately, things were worse during my second visit in 2018. I noticed that sections of the museum were rather dark, some exhibits were missing items since artifacts are being transferred to the new museum, and the building itself had a rather dreary feel to it. Also, on this recent journey, I saw that the museum gift shop is now a series of vendor kiosks situated at the exit. Unlike the vendor kiosks found at other sites, these were more like stores in that there was no haggling and the items seemed to be of better quality.

As I write this post, I am at a loss as to what advice I can provide in regards to visiting the Egyptian Museum. The other day, I came across pictures showing tourists walking through empty exhibits as more items are transferred to the new museum by the day. I do know that the Treasures of King Tutankhamun and the Royal Mummies Hall are still open but it is hard to find information as to what other exhibits still contain items. I do highly suggest that if you plan on visiting the museum, try to make a trip without a tour group. The benefit of going to the museum with a tour group is that your guide can provide information on the artifacts but the tour will last only an hour or two and there is insufficient free time. During my two visits, I was only given about 30 minutes of free time which is definitely not enough to run to the Royal Mummies Hall, Treasures of King Tutankhamun, and other exhibits not toured with your group. 

NOTE I do recommend purchasing the photo pass to take pictures of the amazing artifacts throughout the museum. The only two locations where photos are not allowed is the Royal Mummies Hall and the room containing the most valuable of the Treasures of King Tutankhamun which includes the famous golden mask. 

NOTE The Royal Mummies Hall contains partially unwrapped mummies! You will be able to see their facial features, nails, and on some, their hair. These mummies may be considered graphic for some so proceed with caution. Also, there is an additional fee to visit this exhibit.


Menkaure triad.

Statue of the Pharaoh Khafre.


King Tut's throne.

King Tut's canopic jars.