Monday, November 29, 2021
Useful Information on Egypt Trip Planning
Thursday, November 25, 2021
Al Fayoum
Wednesday, November 24, 2021
Day Trip To Alexandria
I decided to take a day trip to Alexandria for a little change of pace and also see what this port city is all about. From Giza where I am staying, the trip takes about 3 hrs each way depending on traffic, so my guide and I had an early start to try and maximize the day. We set off at 7 am.
Alexandria is located in Northern Egypt by the Mediterranean sea and was founded by Alxender the great in 331 BC. It was the site of one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world, the Pharos lighthouse and also the legendary library of Alexandria, unfortunately both were torched down. At the time, Alexandria was the most vital cultural center that attracted scholars, scientists, philosophers etc.
Having a guide really helped me appreciate the historical significance of Alexandria. We visited the main attractions of the city which include:
The catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa - huge necropolis and and royal cemetery.
Tuesday, November 23, 2021
Visiting The Egyptian Museum in Cairo
Saqqara, Egypt
Internet was down yesterday so I couldn't update the blog but here I am now. Yesterday I went to Saqqara with a guide from the guesthouse that I am staying at and got to see the oldest pyramid in Egypt.
Saqqara is the oldest archeological site in the country where nobles were laid to rest when Memphis which is close by, was the capital of ancient Egypt. One of the highlights of Saqqara is the step pyramid of Djoser which is the oldest pyramid that is essentially the prototype from which other pyramids like the famous Giza pyramids were built. This pyramid was built by Imhotep who is one of the first recognized architects in history and it stands at 60 meters (200 feet).
There is so much history to be found at Saqqara and I am glad that I went with a guide because it helped having someone explain the significance of certain areas.
After exploring Saqqara we headed to Memphis to check out the open air museum that has the famous colossal laying statue of Ramses II who was one of the most powerful pharaohs that ruled Egypt during it's golden age. I can't even begin to imagine the work that went into making this statue, it's truly remarkable.
That's it folks! It was a day well spent and I am glad I got to learn a lot of Egyptian history. I am just summarizing everything as I could not possibly remember it all. Watch out for the next update as I have more adventures coming up.