Egypt (Part 1): June to July 2008

Pyramids of Giza

Pyramid of Khafre

Great Pyramid

Close up of limestone blocks

The Sphinx with the Pyramid of Khafre in the background

Closeup of the Sphinx

The Step Pyramid of Djoser

Another view of the Step Pyramid of Djoser

The pyramid complex of the Step Pyramid of Djoser

Views from around Cairo. This was taken early in the morning and traffic was already fairly congested. It only gets worse throughout the day.

Views from around Cairo.

Views from around Cairo. This is an example of how to get around property taxes. As long as the facade of the building is unfinished, the property isn't taxed. The different units inside are completely finished and inhabited.

Views from around Cairo.

Views from around Cairo and crossing over The Nile

Views from around Cairo.

The Nile

Views from around Cairo at night

A view of The Pyramids of Giza at night

Another view of The Pyramids of Giza at night

Yet another view of The Pyramids of Giza at night

I like this picture because The Great Pyramid almost looks like there is lava flowing down and the Pyramid of Khafre is backlit by the light show that played nightly at the pyramid complex.

Views from around Cairo.

The Hanging Church, Cairo

Al Azhar Mosque, Cairo - This was the first Mosque established in Cairo in the year 970 AD and completed in 972 AD.

Al Azhar Mosque, Cairo

Khan el-Khalili in Cairo, is a Bazaar from the 14th Century AD that is still in operation.

Khan el-Khalili, Cairo

The Ancient Roman Amphitheater, Alexandria

The Ancient Roman Amphitheater, Alexandria - A decapitated sphinx

The Ancient Roman Amphitheater, Alexandria - a faceless sphinx

The Ancient Roman Amphitheater, Alexandria

The Ancient Roman Amphitheater, Alexandria - an example of the beautifully preserved mosaics

The Ancient Roman Amphitheater, Alexandria - a close up of the mosaic

The Ancient Roman Amphitheater, Alexandria - another example of the mosaics

The Ancient Roman Amphitheater, Alexandria - a close up of the mosaics

The Ancient Roman Amphitheater, Alexandria

The Ancient Roman Amphitheater, Alexandria. Spectators were given tickets, and like today those tickets corresponded to a row and seat. Seen here is an example of a seat identifier.

The Ancient Roman Amphitheater, Alexandria

The Ancient Roman Amphitheater, Alexandria. The Romans built and excellent road system and even more than 2000 years later the roads are still well preserved.

Alexandria Palace, Alexandria

Pompey's Pillar, Alexandria. Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus was one of Ancient Rome's greatest generals. He was a one time rival and one time ally of Julius Caesar and along with Caesar and Marcus Licinius Crassus formed The First Triumverate. He was ultimately killed at Pelusium by a solider of the Ptolemies, an act that infuriated Caesar even though he and Ptolemy were no longer allies.

Pompey's Pillar, Alexandria

Pompey's Pillar, Alexandria - a sphinx

Pompey's Pillar, Alexandria - a close up of the sphinx's head

Pompey's Pillar, Alexandria

Pompey's Pillar, Alexandria - a sphinx

Pompey's Pillar, Alexandria. Egypt was one of the first Christian counties and remained so until the Arab Conquest of the 7th century AD. The main Christian religion in Egypt is the Coptic Orthodox Church and the Copitc language is the closest language that exists to the Ancient Egyptian language.

Pompey's Pillar, Alexandria - a statue of a scarab beetle.

Pompey's Pillar, Alexandria

Alexandria

Qaitbay Citadel

The Quay in Alexandria

The (new) Library of Alexandria

Alexandria. After Alexandria, we drove back to Cairo before flying to Aswan.

Pharaonic Village, Cairo. It is a living museum meant to show visitors what life was like in a typical Ancient Egyptian village.

Pharaonic Village - Osiris

Pharaonic Village - Isis

Pharaonic Village

Pharaonic Village - Akhenaten

Pharaonic Village

Pharaonic Village - Hapi

Pharaonic Village

Pharaonic Village - I believe she is chafing wheat

Pharaonic Village - building a reed boat

Pharaonic Village

Pharaonic Village - glass making

Pharaonic Village

Pharaonic Village - making jars out of alabaster

Pharaonic Village

Aswan

Aswan - The Sofitel Legend Old Cataract - our hotel.

Aswan - the view from our hotel room

Philae Temple, Aswan

The Broken Obelisk, Aswan. At some point during it's carving, it developed a crack and was abandoned.

The Broken Obelisk, Aswan

The Mausoleum of Agha Khan

A camel we saw on our way to the Nubian Village, Aswan

Nubian Village, Aswan

Nubian Village, Aswan - these people were kind enough to let us into their house.

Nubian Village, Aswan

Nubian Village, Aswan - they had a pet crocodile

Nubian Village, Aswan

After checking out of our hotel in Aswan, we boarded a ship that would take us north to Luxor.

Sailing on the Nile from Aswan to Luxor

Kom Ombo Temple, The Nile on the way to Luxor

Kom Ombo Temple, The Nile on the way to Luxor - Sobek

Kom Ombo Temple, The Nile on the way to Luxor

We took a "calesh" to Edfu Temple

Edfu Temple, The Nile on the way to Luxor

Edfu Temple, The Nile on the way to Luxor - it was interesting to see that even over 2,500 years later, some of the colors were still preserved.

Edfu Temple, The Nile on the way to Luxor

Our cruise ship at night.

Colossi of Memnon - these are two huge statues of Amenhotep III

Colossi of Memnon

Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, Deir el-Bahari

Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, Deir el-Bahari - Anubis

Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, Deir el-Bahari - representation of the night sky

Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, Deir el-Bahari

Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, Deir el-Bahari - Anubis

Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, Deir el-Bahari

Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, Deir el-Bahari - Osiris

Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, Deir el-Bahari

Australia: June 2009

Egypt (Part 2): June to July 2008