Cairo - December, 2009

December 21 - while Adam and Natalie and Blake and Janelle were off doing their sightseeing marathon, we got in some gym time and some R&R. Later in the afternoon we met the kids at the Khan and showed them some of Dale's bargaining prowess, as he bartered for some scarves for the ladies. Back to the JW for a quiet evening.

December 22 - a great day for golf. Janelle walked with us as Blake, Dale and I managed to hit a few golf balls around the course. Adam and Natalie came out and walked the last couple of holes with us and then joined us for lunch. We met up again with them in the lounge where all three plane crews were hanging out. The party was well on its way with Mel and Nikki mixing drinks for David, Robin, Rod and Yves. We squeezed in enough chairs for the eleven of us, and joined in the merriment after which we left them for a quiet dinner with the kids.

December 23 - Natalie was up early for her flight back to England to spend Christmas with her Grampa. We were sorry to see her go, and were even hoping that will all the snow storms in the UK that her flight would be postponed for a day or two - but no luck. We finally buckled down and answered a few emails and got caught up with things. In the evening we went out with Blake and Janelle to catch the famous Giza Pyramid Sound & Light Show. Seems like we spent a bit of time in the 60's with the entertainment - but the venue was awesome!

December 24 - the boys had a flight out to El Gouna, so we met Janelle in the lounge for lunch after a lovely game of golf. Hard to see it as reality when one is golfing on Christmas Eve day. We again met up with all the crews in the lounge before heading down to the very festive buffet downstairs. It was great fun, with the girls bringing out all sorts of Christmas hats for some very goofy photos.

December 25 - Merry Christmas. We were not moving at top speed this morning, so decided to take it easy before heading back to Cyprus. We met Adam for breakfast then took our time packing up. Definitely a slow day.

December 26 - Back in Cyprus for one day of mega loads of laundry and catching up on the computer. Dale is off to work tomorrow, so will fill you in on all that later.

Take care, and hope you're not exhausted after reading about our hectic adventures.

Merry Christmas and lots of love,

Laurel and Dale

Luxor - December 2009

December 19 - Luxor - another 6am breakfast so that we can pack it all in again. Off to Valley of the Kings and went inside the tombs of Ramses III, Ramses IX and Queen Hatshepsut. Again, having Ahmed as our guide was so much more interesting and informative.

The info site - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valley_of_the_Kings

The photo site - http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=valley+of+the+kings+egypt&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=sgE2S9DtLqeI4ga6spGqCA&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CCUQsAQwAw

The next stop is the Al-Deir el Bahri Temple - Queen Hatshepsut's Temple - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deir_el-Bahri

Having a guide is always worth it - even if he takes you to an Alabaster factory. Dale had to be ruthless with his bargaining skills, but we found out later that he did well. After lunch we ended up going into a Government Store, where there is no bargaining, and no hassles. We talked to one of the Professors from the University, and he gave us an education in fake vs genuine artifacts, and there we found out that Dale got a fair price for our little pieces of Onyx and Basalt - in spite of the fact that our guide was probably getting a 50% commission.

December 20 - we got to sleep in until 7am as our tours were to start at 8:30am. We did have to pack up and leave our suitcases in the lobby as we were flying back to Cairo at 5:40pm. This gave us plenty of time to visit Karnak and Luxor Temples as well as the Luxor Museum where there was a fantastic display of some sculptures recently unearthed at Karnak. Luxor is also rebuilding the Avenue of the Sphinxes which was a 3km path from Karnak to the Luxor Temple.

Here are some great photos of Avenue of the Sphinxes - http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=avenue+of+the+sphinxes&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=Rws2S-XHLsPU4Qay-4iqCA&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CBIQsAQwAA

Plus some for Karnak Temple- http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=karnak+temple&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=ows2S4T8LcvQ4gbO9ayqCA&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CBIQsAQwAA

And some for Luxor Temple - http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=luxor+temple+egypt&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=SQw2S4byJ9Od4QbZu62qCA&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CB0QsAQwAw

The info on Karnak - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karnak

And the info on Luxor - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luxor_Temple

And off we go to the airport and back to Cairo, where we met up with Adam and Natalie at the JW. They had big plans for the next day to see the Pyramids at Giza, the Khan el-Khalili, City of the Dead and Garbage City.

To be continued . . .

Photos of Beau Soleil - Nile Cruise - December 2009

Nile Cruise - December 2009

December 18 - we set our alarm for 6am as we only had from 7-8:30am to see the Kom Ombo Temple. We happened to go ashore the same time as an American family and were invited to join them and their guide to the temple. Ahmed was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable, and he managed to fill the time with loads of info and history. We joined them again downriver at Edfu to see the Temple of Horus. We took a very rickety horse-drawn carriage to the temple and had a lesson on reading hieroglyphics. Back on the boat for tea and lots more discussion with Ahmed, followed by a very necessary nap (one needs to digest this much info). A very interesting day - and dinner was as excellent as the night before.

Here is the info on Kom Ombo - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_Kom_Ombo

And a great photo site - http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=kom+ombo+temple&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=W_s1S8bHA4Oy4QaZpr2qCA&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CB4QsAQwAw

This is the info on Edfu Temple - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edfu

And again, a great photo site - http://images.google.com/images?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=&q=edfu+temple+egypt&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=Kfw1S6i7DpOA4Qbwp6mqCA&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=5&ved=0CCkQsAQwBA

To be continued . . .

Aswan - December 2009

December 16 - Aswan - we hit the ground running. We were met at the train and whisked to our hotel (Marhada Palace Hotel) for a quick stop then on to the sightseeing. Our first stop was a granite quarry of the Unfinished Obelisk. We got the amazing story of how they quarried the obelisks at a later date. Our next stop was the Philae Temple. This historic temple was moved to its present island to save it from the flooding of the Nile when the Aswan Dam was built. It was a major project taken on by Unesco and Egypt.

This is a good site for the story - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philae

Here is a great site for photos -

http://images.google.com/images?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=&q=philae+temple+egypt&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=_eI1S4PcJZP-4Aba_uXKCw&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CCMQsAQwAw

We were then taken to see the new dam - it was interesting, but could have passed.

Here is some info on that - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aswan_Dam

Unfortunately the winds didn't favour a trip to Elephantine Island, which I had wanted to see, but it was still a lovely Felucca ride. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephantine

We did get a great view of the Nubian Village.

Here are some great internet photos of Feluccas -

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=felucca+on+the+nile&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=UOU1S6abIZCu4Qax2OCqCA&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CCYQsAQwAw

Bedtime was early as we were expecting a wake-up call at 2:30am for our trip to Abu Simbel.

December 17 - We were picked up at the hotel at 3am for a rendezvous with a convoy of other buses and cars for a police escorted trip across the desert to Abu Simbel. Unfortunately, the convoy didn't even leave until 4:40, so it was an interminable time in the bus. We found out later than one could fly to Abu Simbel! My recommendation - never mind the price difference - it would be worth it! Don't forget, one still has the return journey in the bus. However, having made the journey, it is another truly remarkable feat of monumental moving.

Here is a great photo site -

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&resnum=0&q=Abu+Simbel&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=PfM1S4etHIvS4QbZg8iqCA&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CBQQsAQwAA

And of course the usual Wikipedia site - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Simbel

We arrived back at our hotel at 1pm and were taken to the Beau Soleil - our lovely cruise ship, where a very welcome lunch awaited. We got unpacked and still had a couple of hours to wander around the markets in Aswan before setting sail during dinner at 8pm.

To be continued . . .

Cairo - December, 2009

December 1 - 12 - Christmas parties abound in the first couple of weeks in Cyprus as many of the ex-pats return to the UK or wherever home is for Christmas. Unfortunately, Dale got called out last minute for some CRM training in Zurich from the 7th to the 11th, so he missed a few.

December 13 - Since Dale was supposed to be home for almost two weeks, the idea was to take a little vacation before Christmas. Imagine, going to Cairo on his days off when he practically lives there the rest of the year. But we had plans.

December 14 - After breakfast with Adam and his good buddy/co-pilot Blake, we rushed downtown to get our train tickets for the next day. We didn't quite make it by 2:30 which is when the office was supposed to close, but being Egypt, there was no problem. We then gave MJ Crouch a call, and popped in for a visit. A couple of hours later and after a lovely dinner (Neil made it home too), we dropped in to David and Jacqueline's to help with their annual packaging party. 160 gift bags for Sudanese children - double last year and I believe double the goodies. And everyone there was Canadian plus one American. What are the odds? I wonder if we can make it again next year! What with all the fun and goodies and good works, it is worth a try.

December 15 - After breakfast with the boys it was time to get out onto the Golf course. My lessons from our last trip to Cairo seemed to still be helping, but there was no keeping up to Adam and Blake and Dale. By the time I had a nice relaxing hot-tub, it was time to pack and catch our train. I am so glad we gave ourselves some extra time - the traffic - even by Cairo standards was horrendous. We hit bottle-neck after bottle-neck to the point of distraction. Thankfully we still arrived in plenty of time, plus apparently and certainly unbeknownst to us, the train is usually late!

The train itself is another story. Back in the 60's it was certainly First Class and quite luxurious, but at least nowadays it is still comfortable if a bit tired. Dinner and breakfast left a lot to be desired as well, but we had been eating too much anyway. As it was the sleeper train, we got all tucked in and comfortable in our bunks for the 12 hour ride.

To be continued . .

Malta - Nov. 29, 2009

Sunday -

After a lovely swim in the nice heated pool we managed another huge breakfast before catching the bus into Valletta for the Sunday Market. The Markets over here are quite similar in that they are very large and well attended - with everything from soup to nuts with the kitchen sink thrown in for good measure. I found a couple of nice Maltese Cross pins for my collection.

We were finally able to go inside St. John Co-Cathedral since it was Sunday and open for services. It is a beautiful church, but still not quite as ornate or lavish as the Church of St. Paul's Shipwreck.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._John's_Co-Cathedral

With a little help we also found the St. John Hospitallers Museum that I had looked for on Friday. I got some great pictures of the period costumes and scenes depicting their life and work. It was well worth searching out.

http://www.imalta.com/travel/attractions-malta/valletta.htm

Since the gate of Valletta is home to the bus terminal, we jumped on a bus to Mdina. Again our 47 cents got us there in about half an hour. Mdina was the capital of Malta in medieval times and housed the aristocracy in their ancestral homes and palaces. The Citadel there is another beautiful walled city with very impressive streets and gardens in and around it. We also traipsed afar into the suburbs of Rabat which is part and parcel of Mdina.

http://www.maltavista.net/en/list/photo/496.html

http://www.maltavista.net/en/list/photo/516.html

Thank goodness for comfy walking shoes, or we would never have seen as much as we did. Another successful day.

Monday -

Another visit to the gym before breakfast, then a wander around St. Julian's where our hotel is situated. We found a lovely beach five minutes away, which shouldn't have been surprising, since the Malta coastline has the most bays and inlets of any island I have ever seen. I am sure that every citizen has a view of the sea. Our flight home went smoothly and included another lovely lunch. All in all, a wonderful little holiday.

Love,

Laurel

Malta - Nov. 28, 2009

Saturday -

The hotel has a great gym, apparently the best equipped in the country. What a good way to justify the huge breakfast included with our room.

The long expensive bus ride (45 min., 1.16 euros) took us to Cirkewwa to catch the ferry to Gozo. Another shorter bus ride to Victoria (20 min. and the usual 47 cents) and we were at the Citadel. Everything is made out of the same golden stones, which are very impressive, not to mention beautiful and again, so clean. After visiting the Cathedral and its museum we walked around the streets and ramparts. These offered great views of all the outlying towns and villages, each with their own massive churches.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria,_Malta

Here is a lovely aerial view -

http://www.planetware.com/picture/victoria-citadel-m-gozcit.htm

Having missed the hourly bus to Ggantija, which we were assured was a very important stop, we decided to grab a taxi and then bus back. This is the one and only time we felt done in. We wouldn't have minded the 8 euro taxi fare had it not been for the 8 euro entrance fee. Now I do realize the historical significance of the Ggantija temples, but after all the historical sites we have visited since being over here, this was by far the most expensive with the least to offer. This youtube video makes it look way more impressive than in real life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYswsAtXRfY

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ġgantija

They did throw in a visit to the local windmill which they have done up into a lovely little museum. It explained the importance of olive oil, bread and wine to the region and to the local surrounding islands, including Cyprus. Very interesting.

Before catching the bus back to the ferry, I did manage to taste another local rice dish made with peas, beans and tomatoes. Delicious. That and a lovely swim at the hotel and I was done in for the night.

To be continued . . .