cruising lake nasser with egyptraveluxe

We started our tour on Wednesday afternoon ,crossing the lake to the shore where we could spot three sites. The first was the oldest among them as it dates back to the reign of both kings, Tutmoses lll and his son Amunhotep ll which is around 1400 BC. The temple of Amada was rescued by the French team once they had come up with a sophisticated plan to transfer the temple before the water to reach. First of all they built a track meanwhile , they had sawn the temple up from the base then managed to chain and left over a flat car in order to drag it across that track. They were able to bull it at least for 1.6 KM ,then it took the lake less than three month to cover the original site. Amada temple is an outstanding one with it's vivid colours and scenes as well as the amount of the Nubian graffiti which represent their tribes and soldiers on their way to fight the Roman garrisons northward. In addition to the interesting offering scenes.The second temple at Amada site was El Derr which was built by king Ramasess ll, around 1300 BC. El Derr is an exact miniature of the great Abu Simble, where you see the battle scenes and the typical offering scenes.Our last visit at Amada site was to the tomb of penth "pentu". Pentu was a high official appointed at that area by king Ramsess vl and was rewarded by the king two precious silver vases.Then we couldn't miss the wonderful sunset at the hills of this nice area of Egypt. Then ship moored the whole night at Amada siteOn Thursday morning Prince Abbas had moored next to Qaser Ipriem and we all assembled at the top deck in order to watch that unique site.

Qaser Ipriem used to be a hill about seventy meters high before Lake Nasser to surround and turn to an island. The title of the site means the primer palace; Ipriem was derived from the Latin word prime while Qaser is the Arabic word for palace. Qaser Ipriem area was among the most fertile areas of lower-Nubia as the Nile used to flow next where it is found and it's soil used to be enriched by the annual floods ,that allowed It's dwellers to benefit from these features and supply the countless travelers and pilgrims all facilities required from accommodation , food, drinks and so on. Qaser Ipriem's hill was the primary signal to Egypt for all pilgrims and travelers and due to that it used to have all means of comfort and conveyance to attract all caravans and all fortification. We are still able to see the ruins of the Nubian fortress which is around 700 BC and the royal chapels of the 18 &19 dynasties which are between 1400 & 1300 BC beside the Coptic cathedral which was built after 500 AD. Most of the finds of Qaser Ipriem are displayed at both the Nubia museum and at the Coptic museum. Then the ship continued sailing to Abu Simble site.

Before midday everybody almost gathered on the top deck to attend the charming approach to the great site of Abu Simble then Prince Abbas played a very impressive music belongs to Vangelis. Nothing was much more impressive in our travels than the approach to Abu Simble



The Great Abu Simble and the Small Abu Simble were both saved by the UNESCO as well as by many countries which supported Egypt and the human heritage. The Great Abu Simble was transferred between 1964-1968 to a much suitable spot, enough high from Nasser lake. Originally the great temple was carved out of sandstone hill exceeds 45 m in height which the lake could cover all within few years .The UNESCO experts had to build a surrounding coffer-dam around the two temples which two concrete domes on the new locations then both temples were dismantled and assembled within these four years. While searching for perfect location for the great temple the UNESCO organization had the challenge of trying to keep the unique alignment with the sun which the great Abu Simble had been to have. The ancient Egyptians had to study where to find mathematically and astronomically a certain spot where it can receive the rays twice a year to shine on the face king Ramesses II on both occasions his birthday and his coronation. That phenomenon used be witnessed on the 21of February and on 21of October yearly before to be moved as the sun used to reach innermost room of the temple across the pillared halls and the vestibules to through it light on the statue of king which is among the four statues of the holy of holies at sunrise twice a year. While all efforts and the high budget "exceeded 50 millions USD" presented by most of the world they could not find the correct angle to keep the alignment or the original dates so they missed a day from each and became the 22second from each month.
The giant Abu Simble had a great impact on our southern neighbors who had never seen such as a gigantic structure ever even they believed king Ramsess to be no man his temple is a creation of god therefore that pharaoh had been deified over there.

We enjoyed the visit to Abu Simble and also we attended its famous sound and light show. Then on morning of the following day we flew to Cairo to continue our tripe for another four nights.

cruising lake nasser with egyptraveluxe

ships or the Nubian cruises sail between Aswan and Abu Simbel for 3 and 4 night journeys through Lake Nasser to discover the Legends of Nubia and the majestic temples and ruins of the region, a cruise holiday on Lake Nasser allow unforgettable experience of dining by candlelight on board the cruise mooring beside Abu Simbel temples the Egypt’s best treasure after the Great Pyramids of Giza .
the names of these ships are:
1-M S Jaz Omar El Khayyam
2- MS Eugenie Lake Cruise
3- MS Kasr Ibrim Lake Cruise
4- MS Movenpick Prince Abbas
5- MS Nubian Sea Lake Cruise
6- MS Tania Lake Nasser Cruise
7- MS African Dreams Lake Cruise
Sailing lake Nasser on board of one of these ships is the most enjoyable way to reach these temples . they are most famous cruise-ships in lake Nasser and among the best ones in Egypt. These massive cruise- ship has unique features as it has larger cabins than other lake cruisers and giant deluxe suites ,also an outstanding design allow all cabins to enjoy the view with extra ordinary space in the surroundings of each , a large dining room and an impressive lounge- bar, a smart ship-managers and a qualified crews. On my last trip we had done the four-night itinerary on one of them and we all enjoyed it so much.
Our first visit was to kalabesha temples ,we sailed early morning, Tuesday to kalabesha site where we could reach three main temples. All of it were transferred miles northward to original location therefore The new kalabesha had become the nearest site to the high dam. It's main temple was saved by West-Germany between 1961-1963 as they dismantled the whole temple into 13000 blocks then assembled the whole temple in a new spot . Originally The current temple was built during the 18th dynasty which is around 1400 BC, as we can read some royal names belong to that dynasty such as the cartouche of Amenhotep ll, while the rest of the main temple dates back to the Greek and the Roman dynasty . The foundations of kalabesha dates back to the old kingdom which is around 2600 BC. The outer-gate or the pylon was most probably founded by Octavian Augustus as we can spot the emperors names in most of the sanctuary .The Hypostyle hall or the colonnade is famous of it's columns with their unique composite capitals which each of it is different with capital style. The temple was dedicated to large number of Egyptian gods who had been worshiped by both Egyptians and Nubians including god Merwel or Mandulis who was worshiped by Nubians of Egypt as the sun-god RA and in some other cases was associated with Horus .












Temple of Kalabesha was a basic station for the Egyptians and the Non-Egyptians on their way to accomplish the pilgrimage to Isis temple at Philae then passing the other Egyptian temples such as Komombow and Edfu while heading to the holy-land of Abydus. Many of these pilgrims used to leave their foot-prints on these holy temples to sign to their visit, while some others used to incise their texts and some graffiti on these temples. Also early Copts or Christians of Egypt while Roman torture ,had sheltered in most of the deserted temples and tombs as we can see their marks on walls of Kalabesha as they converted some parts of the temple to a church.







The second temple at Kalabesha site is Bait El Wali Temple which is much older as it dates back to 1200 BC, the 19th dynasty, specifically to the reign of king Ramasess ll .The title of the temple is Arabic and means house of the saint which indicates to the fact that the Copts had been using it as a monastery for a long time as they incised their crosses on it's walls. On the gate of Bait El Wali we could see next to the titles of Ramasess ll , a praise to king Senusert l as being him the first conqueror to Nubia in 1900 BC.


A praise to king SenusertI "May the sun rise on his soul in the Orion"





As it is so traditional to Ramasess ll , the temple of Bait El Wali represents all of victories of Egypt over the Hittites and the Nubians in general . Among the most interesting carvings some are found on walls of the ruined hall of pillars where you see the victorious pharaoh is smiting some of his enemies in their fort and on the opposite wall the pharaoh is depicted while receiving spoils of war from Nubian delegations. The rest of carvings are about offerings of gods and most of it are found in the inner part of the temple.


The chapel of Qertacy

Our third stop at Kalabesha was to view a Roman chapel known as chapel of Qertacy . This chapel which is around 2000 years old, has a lot of resemblance to what the Roman emperor Trojan built at Philae temple except the Hathoric columns which are special feature for Qertacy chapel . Then we passed the cancer tropic while sailing to Wadi EL Sebuaa.








We started our visit to Wadi El Sebuaa at morning of Wednesday. New Wadi El Sebuaa is a recent site, as the original was covered with lake Nasser . Wadi El Sebuaa has three main temples, the first and the main was built by king Ramasess ll and with many similarities to most of his temples as it shows all of his famous wars, in addition to the general offering scenes. The most outstanding feature for Wadi El Sebuaa is the avenue of sphinxes that bear the facial features of the pharaoh himself .The title of the temple had been inspired to locals from that avenue as it means the valley of lions .This temple is carved out of sandstone as most of the temples of the Nubian desert and also had been used later by the Copts who left their graffiti and their crosses . An interesting scene made on blaster found at the sanctuary, represents Saint Peter while being surrounded by the ancient carvings and the cartouche of king Ramasses ll.







Then we walked the distance between temple of Wadi El Sebuaa and our second temple here which is called the temple of Dakka. The recent title for this temple was created by the Nubians who used to live around and it meant "scorpion". The temple keeps it's unique pylon which is the highest ever you can find in this area of Egypt, the pylon, most probably was rebuilt by the Romans. The open-court is totally ruined while the interior is well preserved. The outermost hall was built by the early Greek dynasty while the inside halls and rooms were founded by a Nubian dynasty as we can read the cartouche of king Erkamen. The sanctuary was rebuilt by the Romans in so low standard. The temple was dedicated to goddess Tefenut and god Shu ,in addition to Merwel and different other gods. While our third temple for this morning was El Mohareq temple which was relocated by the Unesco next to Dakka. The temple was originally built by the Greek dynasty and dedicated to god Serapies ,then was restored by the Romans. The Title of the temple means "the burnt one" and may that refer to the war between the Romans and the Nubians where the second team burnt the temple. El Mohareq temple was our last visit at Wadi El Sebuaa . then we never missed the wonderful sunset at the hills of this nice area of Egypt. Then Prince Abbas contioued it's sailing towards Amada.

cruising lake nasser with egyptraveluxe

As a tour guide since 1993 Among my best trips ever, within the Egyptian historical lands, was a trip to the Nubian Desert identified as The Golden Nile. It included all of the fantastic temples that Egypt built about three and half thousand years ago for the use of the ancient Egyptians and the Nubian tribes who were passing our borders .The nations so often called "Nubians " were bordering our southern provinces a lot of them were from north of Sudan or lower Nubia .The massive Egyptian desert between Egypt and Sudan had some famous routs of trade and the Nubians were dealers and suppliers of African goods and specially gold, therefore they had the title Nebu which means in the hieroglyphics the ones of gold. Lower Nubians and ancient Egyptians had always mutual relation in too many aspects including commerce and defense while middle and upper or southern Nubians in our intermediate periods started to be competitors. Generally the history of Nubia describes the Nubians to struggle against the wild nature, the droughts, the no unity and the continuous raiding and sacking between the Nubian tribes. Nubians generally had never created agricultural societies and were mostly gatherers and hunters. The earliest finds from Nubia is from its pre-historic or cave-people around 3000 BC and from some nomadic settlements who had a great interaction with the Egyptian civilization.






In the year 1960, the Egyptian government started to build it's new dam to fit with needs of the Egyptian industry and the sudden increase of the population .The cooperation between Ussr and Egypt resulted having the High-Dam built .The High-Dam is 111 m high from the bed of the river Nile, 3500 m in length and 1000 m in width, therefore it was counted the biggest dam ever been built during the sixties. Due to building the massive dam on the southern borders of Egypt an enormous lake was founded. Lake Nasser stretched between Egypt and Sudan with 500 km in length, 50 km in width and 60 m in depth. Nasser Lake which was created artificially was the reason beyond the rescue campaign launched by the unisco in the early sixties. The rescue campaign was a response to the call of Egyptian and Non-Egyptian archeological organizations and in some few years more than thirty countries worked together to save 22 ancient temples south dam from the reach of the lake. Unfortunately time did not permit saving them all so five were left behind.











In less than a decade, the unisco succeeded to rescue and transfer 17 temples northward to their original location then had it all assembled in four sites which are Abu Simble, Amada, Wadi el seboa and Qaser Ibrim. Once the whole campaign succeeded, Egypt had another travel attraction added to its unique treasures. By the end of the eighties, Lake Nasser had started to catch the attention of archeologists, Egyptologists, Bird-watchers and environmentally concerned travelers. Due to uniqueness of nature in and around the lake ,it witnessed too many fishing competition as lake Nasser species of fish are extraordinary with their size "Nile – Perch can grow to 70 kg per fish" as well as giant Nile - crocodiles more than 8 m long are found. The actual reason behind the unusual size and fast growth that represent Lake Nasser creatures refer to the rich deposits of silt and minerals which is annually enhanced per each flood.

No trip to Egypt is complete without at least one visit to a koshary restaurant. These Egyptian "fast food" restaurants offer only one thing: koshary (macaroni, lentils, rice, chick peas and fried onions smothered in spicy tomato sauce). El-Tahrir is considered one of the best. The marble floors here are kept immaculately clean and it is hassle-free. Simply order at your table and pay on the way out. Koshary comes in three sizes and each table provides two bottles - one contains hot chili sauce and the other is a garlic, lemon and spice mix. Soft drinks are available too. Abou Tarek is one of the most famous restaurants in Cairo, if not the whole of Egypt. It's not the sort of place you go to for a lingering, four course meal, because it really serves only one thing: koshary. Koshary is the best contender for Egypt's national dish, and it's certainly the food that Egyptians living abroad miss the most. Koshary is a carbohydrate bomb: a mixture of different types of pasta, mixed with lentils, chickpeas, fried onions and a sort of tomato salsa. You then season it to taste, with a combination of chilli sauce and a surprisingly fiery lime juice and garlic concoction. It's fast food at its best: cheap, filling, and surprisingly tasty. While you can get koshary on pretty much any street corner in Cairo, the koshary at Abou Tarek is particularly tasty. There's a high turnover of customers, so it's always freshly made, and pleasingly moist. As befits this no-frills dish, Abou Tarek restaurant is a simple affair: long metal trestle tables, with a splash of greenery about the walls. Service is very quick, and the staff are used to tourists and are pretty welcoming. The only choice you have to make is whether you want a small or large dish of koshary, and what the best drink is to counteract the burning throat induced by a reckless dollop of chilli sauce!

Tomb of Karakhamun found by Egyptian-American team!

An Egyptian-American expedition has found the burial chamber of a priest named Karakhamun (TT223). The tomb dates to Dynasty 25 (c. 755BC) and was uncovered during conservation and restoration work on the west bank of Luxor.

Farouk Hosny, Minister of Culture, announced this discovery today and added that the restoration work of this tomb is part of a much larger initiative, known as the South Asasif Conservation Project (ACP). The el-Asasif area is a very important site, which contains nobles’ tombs from the New Kingdom as well as the 25-26th Dynasties.

Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), said that the team found the burial chamber of Karakhamun at the bottom of an 8m deep burial shaft. The chamber is in very good condition and contains beautifully painted scenes. The entrance to the chamber is decorated with an image of Karakhamun and the ceiling is decorated with several astrological scenes, including a depiction of the sky goddess Nut.

The leader of the expedition, Dr. Elena Pischikova, said that the tomb of priest Karakhamun was discovered in the 19th century in an unstable condition. It continued to deteriorate, and only parts of it were accessible to visitors in the early 1970s. It later collapsed and was buried under the sand. Dr. Pischikova’s team rediscovered the tomb in 2006 and has been carrying out conservation work since then. She believes that the tomb of Karakhamun could be one of the most beautiful tombs from Dynasty 25 because of the preservation of the color and the unique quality of the scen
The tomb is located at Qurnet Murai, south Assasif, on the west bank of the Nile opposite to Luxor, and belonged to a priest named Karakhamun. It dates to the 25th Dynasty (the Reign of Shabaqo, circa 700BC) and is referenced as TT223 (Theban Tomb 223). The el-Assasif area is a well known archaeological site, containing nobles’ tombs from the New Kingdom, as well as the 25-26th Dynasties.
Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), said that the team discovered the burial chamber of Karakhamun at the bottom of an 8m deep burial shaft. He added it is in very good condition and contains beautifully painted scenes.

the ceiling is decorated with several astrological scenes, including a depiction of the sky goddess, Nut.
The ceiling of TT223 is decorated with several astrological scenes, including a depiction of the sky goddess, Nut. - Image courtesy the SCA
The entrance to the chamber is decorated with an image of Karakhamun and the ceiling is decorated with several astrological scenes, including a depiction of the sky goddess, Nut.
Ancient Egyptian Priest Karkhamun

Not much is known about Karakhamun. There is no information about his family, and he himself did not seem to have any important administrative positions. His priestly title, First 'k Priest, does not signify any particular importance.

Yet Karkhamun's tomb consists of two spacious pillared halls and a five-room burial chamber, and is the largest tomb excavated at the South Assasif Necropolis so far. This suggests he had close connections to the royal court or family.

As we know only little about his life, the tomb's dating to the 25th Dynasty – or Nubian dynasty, when Egypt 's rulers originated from the Kingdom of Kush – is based largely on the priest's Nubian name.

“The tomb's architectural features as far as they are known also confirm this date. Karkhamun's serpentine shabti is of a Nubian type with facialeatures that suggest a pre-Taharqo date, probably Shabaqo,” writes the South Asasif Conservation Project (ACP) on its website.

Check Related Content
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* Tomb of Ken-Amun is First Ramesside Tomb Discovered in Lower Egypt
* Ancient Egyptian Father and Son Tombs Discovered at Saqqara
* Four Ancient Egyptian Cemeteries Discovered at El-Lahoun in the Fayoum
* Fourteen Graeco-Roman Tombs Discovered at the Bahariya Oasis, Egypt

TT223 Discovered Thrice

After its initial discovery in the 1820s by Wilkinson, Hey and Burton – and again in the 1940s by Lepsius – the tomb of priest Karkhamun at Assasif was left open and unprotected. It was photographed in the 1970s by Eigner. Some time after Eigner's visit, its ceiling collapsed and the tomb became buried once more by the sand.

It was considered 'lost' until in 2001 archaeologists started exavating what was a mere crack in the sand, and found wall carvings with a life-size figure of Karkhamun in front of an offering table.

In 2006, an Egyptian-American team lead by Dr. Elena Pischikova started carrying out conservation works at the tomb as part of the ACP.

Because of the exceptional preservation of colour of the wall paintings, and the quality of the scenes, Dr Pischikova believes “the tomb of Karakhamun could be one of the most beautiful tombs from Dynasty 25.”
Get your private tour to this tomb with an Egyptologist guide Here

Ramadan&Eid Al Fitr in Egypt

The month of fasting known to the Muslim world is coming to an end. With less than 24 hours to go we eagerly wait for the sun to set and for the four days of festivities of Eid El Fitr to begin
Ramadan, is a month where Muslims world-wide fast from sunrise to sunset, (are not allowed to consume any kind of food or beverage during sunlight hours), this strict act of discipline is to remind them of their blessings, to relate to those less fortunate of themselves, as well as time for reflecting on one’s acts and behavior for the past year. This month is special and sacred to Muslims because they are able to ask for forgiveness and erase their sins for the past year. Hence, the celebration of being ‘purified’.
How is Eid El Fitr (or the small Eid) celebrated?

Days before the end of the fasting month, families go out and buy Eid clothes, to wear on the first day of the feast. For Non Muslim’s the best way to interpret the act is as new clothes that you receive for Christmas or wearing your Sunday best. Traffic in Egypt after Iftar and the Taraweeh Prayers is always manic! People will be shopping for gifts and clothes.

Ladies of many house holds will be preparing and baking traditional desert, (which is HIGH in calories, but very tasty) to offer visitors. The desert is called ‘Ka’ak’, which means cake in English. It doesn’t look or taste anything like the cakes you may be familiar with. Each Arabic speaking nation has its own unique way of making it. In Egypt is best described as a cookie/biscuit made out of semolina and stuffed with ground dates, nuts or some times Turkish delight. On the outside it is sprinkled with powdered sugar.

On the dawn of the first day of the month after Ramadan, (Shawal), there is a special prayer, most commonly known as ‘Salat El Eid’ (Eid Prayer). “Eid prayer is performed in congregation in open areas like fields, squares etc or at mosques. No adhan or iqama (call) is to be pronounced for this Eid prayer, and it consists of only two rakaʿāt with additional 6 Takbirs. The Eid prayer is followed by the khutbah (sermon) and then a supplication (dua) asking for forgiveness, mercy and help for all living beings across the world. The khutbah also instructs Muslims as to the performance of rituals of Eid, such as the zakat. Listening to the khutbah of Eid is necessary (wajib) i.e. while the khutbah is being delivered, it is haraam to talk, walk about or offer prayer. It is then customary to embrace the persons sitting on either side of oneself, whilst greeting them. After the prayers, people visit their relatives, friends and acquaintances.

The greeting that is said to those celebrating Eid is ‘ Eid Mubarak’, (Blessed Feast), ‘Eid Saeed’ (Happy Eid) or ‘Kul Sana Wa Inta Tayib’ (Happy New Year).

Traditionally after the prayer families will go to the cemetery to pay their respects to their deceased family members and then go home to enjoy breakfast together. Once home, families either exchange gifts or give money. Children often receive money from their adult family relations; this is known as ’Eideya’. People will go and visit relatives, neighbors and friends often taking with them ka’ak, other deserts or gifts.

On the second and third day of Eid families usually go out for a meal. In most cities the restaurant or meal of choice would usually be fish. The reason for it is because for a whole month egyptian’s have avoided eating it because it’s salty and would make them feel very thirsty the following day and it would make their day of fasting more difficult. Another popular out would be to go to the cinema, to watch the newly released Arabic movies for the feast. A word of warning to those whom may consider venturing outside their front doors, the food courts, cinemas and arcades in the Malls will be busier than ever!

Now a days fewer people spend time visiting relatives and go away for the Eid vacation. Popular vacation spots are Alexandria and the beaches along the Red Sea. I personally try to avoid the popular vacation spots because, it will be overly crowded. When I go away, I like to go somewhere, where I can relax in peace and not have to worry about bumping in to colleagues, students and other people I know.

During the Eid most shops, banks and all businesses are closed for the first three days of the feast, much like Christmas and New Years in the West and Europe. If you aren’t going away and intend on staying in town, then I suggest you do your shopping before the holiday begins.

For those of you who celebrate Eid, I wish you all an Eid Mubarak and for those of you who don’t, just enjoy the time off!

Ramadan&Eid Al Fitr in Egypt

The month of fasting known to the Muslim world is coming to an end. With less than 24 hours to go we eagerly wait for the sun to set and for the four days of festivities of Eid El Fitr to begin
Ramadan, is a month where Muslims world-wide fast from sunrise to sunset, (are not allowed to consume any kind of food or beverage during sunlight hours), this strict act of discipline is to remind them of their blessings, to relate to those less fortunate of themselves, as well as time for reflecting on one’s acts and behavior for the past year. This month is special and sacred to Muslims because they are able to ask for forgiveness and erase their sins for the past year. Hence, the celebration of being ‘purified’.
How is Eid El Fitr (or the small Eid) celebrated?

Days before the end of the fasting month, families go out and buy Eid clothes, to wear on the first day of the feast. For Non Muslim’s the best way to interpret the act is as new clothes that you receive for Christmas or wearing your Sunday best. Traffic in Egypt after Iftar and the Taraweeh Prayers is always manic! People will be shopping for gifts and clothes.

Ladies of many house holds will be preparing and baking traditional desert, (which is HIGH in calories, but very tasty) to offer visitors. The desert is called ‘Ka’ak’, which means cake in English. It doesn’t look or taste anything like the cakes you may be familiar with. Each Arabic speaking nation has its own unique way of making it. In Egypt is best described as a cookie/biscuit made out of semolina and stuffed with ground dates, nuts or some times Turkish delight. On the outside it is sprinkled with powdered sugar. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ka’ak)

On the dawn of the first day of the month after Ramadan, (Shawal), there is a special prayer, most commonly known as ‘Salat El Eid’ (Eid Prayer). “Eid prayer is performed in congregation in open areas like fields, squares etc or at mosques. No adhan or iqama (call) is to be pronounced for this Eid prayer, and it consists of only two rakaʿāt with additional 6 Takbirs. The Eid prayer is followed by the khutbah (sermon) and then a supplication (dua) asking for forgiveness, mercy and help for all living beings across the world. The khutbah also instructs Muslims as to the performance of rituals of Eid, such as the zakat. Listening to the khutbah of Eid is necessary (wajib) i.e. while the khutbah is being delivered, it is haraam to talk, walk about or offer prayer. It is then customary to embrace the persons sitting on either side of oneself, whilst greeting them. After the prayers, people visit their relatives, friends and acquaintances.

The greeting that is said to those celebrating Eid is ‘ Eid Mubarak’, (Blessed Feast), ‘Eid Saeed’ (Happy Eid) or ‘Kul Sana Wa Inta Tayib’ (Happy New Year).

Traditionally after the prayer families will go to the cemetery to pay their respects to their deceased family members and then go home to enjoy breakfast together. Once home, families either exchange gifts or give money. Children often receive money from their adult family relations; this is known as ’Eideya’. People will go and visit relatives, neighbors and friends often taking with them ka’ak, other deserts or gifts.

On the second and third day of Eid families usually go out for a meal. In most cities the restaurant or meal of choice would usually be fish. The reason for it is because for a whole month egyptian’s have avoided eating it because it’s salty and would make them feel very thirsty the following day and it would make their day of fasting more difficult. Another popular out would be to go to the cinema, to watch the newly released Arabic movies for the feast. A word of warning to those whom may consider venturing outside their front doors, the food courts, cinemas and arcades in the Malls will be busier than ever!

Now a days fewer people spend time visiting relatives and go away for the Eid vacation. Popular vacation spots are Alexandria and the beaches along the Red Sea. I personally try to avoid the popular vacation spots because, it will be overly crowded. When I go away, I like to go somewhere, where I can relax in peace and not have to worry about bumping in to colleagues, students and other people I know.

During the Eid most shops, banks and all businesses are closed for the first three days of the feast, much like Christmas and New Years in the West and Europe. If you aren’t going away and intend on staying in town, then I suggest you do your shopping before the holiday begins.

For those of you who celebrate Eid, I wish you all an Eid Mubarak and for those of you who don’t, just enjoy the time off!

the valley of the queens

The Valley Of The Queens

The Valley of the Queens, in Arabic Wadi al-Malakat, in ancient times was called Ta Set Neferu, a phrase that can mean The Place of Beauty and also The Place of Royal Children and Wives. It was used in the New Kingdom as a burial place for several royal wives, princesses, and princes. It is a lovely place, this small, Ushaped wadi, curving south and west. Rugged limestone cliffs jut upward, their strata turning and twisting in dramatic contrast to the horizontal beds of other Theban hills.

There is a small cave at the base of these cliffs and when it rained, water would pour into it and then flow through the valley. (The watercourse follows the left side of the modern road and footpath.) Some Egyptologists believe it was this feature that caused the valley to be selected for royal burials: the cave represented the womb of Hathor, the celestial cow, and water meant fertility. Burial here would by a physical symbol of rebirth in the afterlife.The valley’s floor rises only slightly and is covered with undulating hillocks into which tomb entrances could easily be dug.


About ninety tombs have been located in the valley, some of them simple pit tombs, others with corridors along a straight or L-shaped axis with small side chambers. A few, mostly from the reign of Rameses II, have pillared halls, stairways as well as corridors, and large burial chambers. Those of Dynasty 20 are more like the smaller, late New Kingdom tombs in the Valley of the Kings: nearly-level corridors, with an occasional side chamber, leading to a small, rectangular burial chamber.

The three tombs in the Valley of the Queens that are open today are of the latter type. At least ten of the tombs begun in the valley were never finished, probably because poor quality bedrock forced workmen to rethink their plans. That same poor stone meant that heavy layers of plaster had to be applied before walls could be decorated. Some of it fell of its own weight;more was destroyed by occasional flash floods. Well over sixty per cent of the tombs known today are anonymous because such damage has erased evidence of names or titles.

There was continued activity in the valley after the New Kingdom: small tombs continued to be dug, and in the fourth century AD, a Christian monastery called Dayr Rumi was built. Its broken walls can still be seen to the right (west) as one enters the valley from the parking lot. Excavation of the Valley of the Queens was undertaken by Ernesto Schiaparelli of the Egyptian Museum in Turin between 1903 and 1906. His work was highly successful and most of the named tombs we know today, including the famous tomb of Queen Nefertari, were discovered by him and his staff.

More recently, French archaeologists have been working here to clear away the rubble and overburden that covers the limestone bedrock. It is the only part of the Theban Necropolis to be so thoroughly explored. Three tombs are currently open in the Valley of the Queens, all from the reign of Rameses III, whose memorial temple lies only a kilometer away, at Madinat Habu.

The tombs are similar in content and style, while their simple architecture and decoration offer an interesting contrast to the more complex monuments of that king in the Valley of the Kings— and indeed, to the more heavily-decorated tombs of the officials and courtiers who worked as tutors, wet-nurses, and compatriots.From 1995 until 2003 a fourth tomb was also open to tourists, that of Queen Nefertari, principal wife of Rameses II. It is considered by many to be the most beautifully painted tomb in all of Egypt. But it is now closed because of concerns for its protection.

islamic egypt

the advent of Islam early in the seventh century A.D. ushered in a new era and Al-Fustat, the first Islamic capital of Egypt marked a definite turning point. The Islamic intellectual revival, particularly in the natural sciences and philosphy, was accompanied by new styles in architecture which still developed under the various dynasties that ruled Islamic Egypt- the Omayyads, the Tpulounids, the Fatimids, the Ayyoubids, the Mamelukes, and finally the Ottomans.




# Mosques

# Islamic Buildings

# Islamic Monuments

Mosques:



Mosque of Amr Ibn al-Aas: Founded by Amr Inb al-Aas in 642(21H), north of the site of thre Roman Fortress of Babylon, it is considered to be the earliest mosque in Egypt. Simple in design, its present plan consists of an open sahn ( court ) surrounded by four riwags, the largest being the Qiblah riwag with marble pillars.



Al-Aqmar Mosque: Built in 519 H. (1125 AD) by the Al-AMer Bi-Ankham Allah, this mosque is in Al-Muezz Li-Din Allah Street. It is one of the rare Fatimid buildings that still retains its beauty and elegance. Its stone facade teams with Kutic decorations and inscriptions.



The Mosque and Madrassan of Sultan Hassan: Bulit in 1356 AD. It was started at the orders of Sultan Hassan Ibn Qalawon as a mosque and madrasah to teach the four schools. It is composed of an open court, surrounded by four iwans for the four schools.



Mosque of Al-Mu'ayid: This mosque was built in 1420 AD, adjoining Bab Zuweilla. Al-Mu'ayid, a Circassian prince, had been imprisoned in that place where he pledged to build a mosque should he gain his freedom. When he became Sultan, he built this mosque whose minaret rises above Bab Zuweilla.



The Citadel of Salah Al-Din: The Citadel was built in 1183 AD along the lines of a medievel fortress. It has a well, 90 meters deep, known as Bir Youssef, to provide the citadel with water in times of siege.



Other Mosques:





* Mosque of Ahmed Ibn Tulun

* Al- Azhar Mosque

* Mosque of Al-Hakem

* Al Seleh Tala'e Mosque

* Mosque of Aq-Sonqor

* Mosque of Imam Hussein

* Mosque and Dome of Imam Al-Shafei

* The Madrassah and Dome of Al-Mansour Qalawon

* & many more.....................................







Islamic Buildings:



Islamic Arts Museum: Located in Midan Bab al-Khalq, it is regarded as the largest museum of Islamic arts in the Middle east. It houses 80,000 rare ancient relics from the dawn of Islam until the end of the Ottoman period. It comprises two new rooms housing textiles, rare gold and silver coins, as well as royal medals. The museum also has a library with valuable books on Islamic civilization, and a collection of rare manuscripts of the Quran, including the largest copy of the quran in Kuflic script on gazelle skin.



The Manial Palce Museum: In Al-Manial, overlooking the Nile, it was the private residence of Prince Mohammed Ali Tewfic. Its architecture is a mixture of Persian, Moroccan and Turkish styles. In a corner of its spacious garden is the Manial Palace Hotel.



Beit al- Kreitleya: Built in 1631 AD. It is named after its last owner, a lady from Crete. The Government turned it into a museum with the name of Gayer Anderson, its supervisor.



Other Islamic Buildings:



* Bab al-Sar

* Bab al-Fattouh

* Beit al-Sehemi

* Wikalet al- Ghouri

* Khan Khalilii Bazar

* Beit Gamai al-Din al Zahabi







Islamic Monuments:



The Agha Khan Mausoleum( shown to the left): Agha Khan was the late leader of the Ismalii sect. The tomb, a masterpiece of Arab Fatimid architecture, on the west bank of the Nile opposite the Catract Hotel, houses a coffin of white marble.



Mosque of Abul Abbas al-Mursi: It was named after Abul Abbas, a disiciple of the great Hussein al-Shazli.



Mosque of Sayed al-Badawy: It is one of the most important Islamic landmarks in Egypt, outside Cairo, because of its large size, elegance and fine architecture.



The Fortress Of Salah al-Din on Pharaoh's Island: This fortress, built by Sultan al-Din al-Ayyoubi towards the end of the 12th century AD, lies about 60 kilometers north of the town of Nuweiba and 8 kilometers south of Taba, on Pharaohs Island to protect the Gulf of Aqaba against foreign invaders and to safeguard the pilgrims and trade route. There are also towers to house carrier pigeons, which were used for relaying messages in the Middle Ages.



The Tomb of Al Nabi Haroun: It lies in Al-Raha plain in Catherine Valley, near Jabal Sifsafa.



Other Islamic Monuments:

* The Fort of Qait Bay

* Mosque of Ibarahim al-dessouky in desouk

* Mosque of Abdul Rahim al-Qena'i in Qena

* Mosque of Al-Fouly in Minya

* Mosque of Abul Hagag in Luxor

* The tomb of Al Nabi Al-Saleh

cleopatra

The world of Cleopatra, which has been lost to the sea and sand for nearly 2,000 years, surfaces in this new exhibition, Cleopatra: The Search for the Last Queen of Egypt, making its world premiere at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. Organized by National Geographic and Arts and Exhibitions International, with cooperation from the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities and the European Institute for Underwater Archaeology (IEASM), the exhibition features never before seen artifacts, and takes visitors inside the present-day search for Cleopatra, which extends from the sands of Egypt to the depths of the Bay of Aboukir near Alexandria.

The Exhibition Galleries

Introduction Theater
A four-minute movie opens the exhibition. Visitors are introduced to the parallel stories of Dr. Zahi Hawass and Franck Goddio, who are leading searches for Cleopatra VII from the sands of Egypt to the depths of the Mediterranean Sea.

As soon as the movie ends, visitors encounter a statue of a Ptolemaic queen, perhaps Cleopatra. Visitors also begin their audio tour, provided to every guest as part of the exhibition experience and narrated by the "voice of Cleopatra," who leads visitors through her life and times.

Ruins of Alexandria after Earthquake and Tsunami
Next, visitors are transported to the site of the ruins of ancient Alexandria, lost beneath the sea centuries ago. Here, Franck Goddio is leading an underwater excavation to recover artifacts from Cleopatra's empire. Beneath the walkway, visitors can see amphora from the 5th Century B.C. along with other artifacts.

Canopus
Another submerged city discovered near Alexandria, Canopus had a dual personality. It was a religious center as well as a decadent playground for Alexandrians, comparable to modern-day Las Vegas. This gallery focuses on the city's identity as a site of religious pilgrimage. Artifacts include representations of Osiris, god of the Afterlife, and ritual implements used on the boat procession from Canopus to Heracleion that was held annually in his honor. This gallery also contains artifacts that illustrate the indulgent side of Canopus.

Heracleion
The most dominant artifacts in this gallery space are two 16-foot tall colossal figures of a Ptolemaic king and queen from the Temple of Amon at Heracleion. Each new pharaoh, including Cleopatra, was crowned in the ancient city of Heracleion. This gallery highlights the city's role as the place Cleopatra and all of Egypt's rulers were invested with the power to rule the empire and its strategic position on the Mediterranean coast, where various war objects on view illustrate how it provided Egypt's main line of defense against foreign invasion.

Alexandria
Visitors journey into the ancient city of Alexandria, where Cleopatra's palace once stood. Featured objects reflect everyday life in Ptolemaic Egypt. Key pieces in this room include a statue of the High Priest of Isis and a sphinx with a head that represents Cleopatra's father, both from her private temple at her palace. Also on view is the massive stone head of Caesarion, Cleopatra's son.

The Beauty and Power of Cleopatra
Here, visitors gaze upon a larger-than-life headless sculpture of a female body, dressed as the goddess Isis that represents a queen from the Ptolemaic period. They also see the only known example of what scientists believe to be Cleopatra's own handwriting on an original papyrus document.

Search for the Tomb of Cleopatra and Marc Antony
Entering this gallery, visitors are transported to the temple complex at Taposiris Magna, about 30 miles west of Alexandria. Here, Dr. Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt, is leading a search for the tomb of Cleopatra and Marc Antony. The gallery introduces artifacts recovered from this ongoing search, including an alabaster head believed to represent Cleopatra.

The Legend
The final gallery is devoted to images of Cleopatra through the years in art and popular culture. Artists have tried to capture the essence of Cleopatra in a multitude of art forms throughout history, from paintings to films. But so far, the real last queen of Egypt has eluded everyone.