|
|
|
|
|
|
Route Map through EGYPT. The red line represents 3000km travelled in 2006 and purple line 3000km in 2007. |
April 07, 2006. Birqash Camel Market. |
Egypt's largest camel market. |
1000's of camels .... |
... are brought up from Sudan... |
...to this market to be sold. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
100 of camels are sold every morning. |
|
|
|
Ruby had to hold on to one camel. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Traders haggling over the price of camels. |
Abdeen Palace in Cairo. |
Bread delivery. Hands free riding. Don't want any sudden stops. |
Mosque of al-Ashraf Barsbey. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Looking toward Al-Ghouri Complex. |
A Mihrab (prayer niche) |
Minbar (Pulpit) |
Looking down onto Sharia Al-Muizz Li-Din Allah Street. |
In the center of Khan al-Khalili Bazaar. |
Mosque of al-Azhar |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mosque of Sayyidna al-Hussein. |
Bab an-Nasr (Gate of Victory) - square towers. |
Old northern wall north of Khan al-Khalili. |
Mosque of al-Hakim. |
Bab al-Futuh (Gate of Conquests) - rounded towers. |
Mike is getting a haircut in Cairo... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
...and a shave. |
Koshari - specifically Egyptian dish of pasta, rice, lentils & tomato sauce, toped with crispy fried onions. |
April 10 & 12, 2006. Khafre Pyramid. |
Second largest Pyriamd in Giza. |
The Sphinx and Pyramid of Khafre in the background. |
The Sphinx. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Sphinx dates back to 2500BC. |
View of the Giza Plateau. |
Entering from the south. |
Camels in the Desert. |
Us looking very touristy. |
Pyramid of Khafre - just 15m shorter then the Great Pyramid. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
The summit remains intact showing the limestone casing. |
Pyramid of Menkaure. The smallest of the three main Pyramids. |
Top of the Great Pyramid. |
Us going for a 3 hr Camel Ride through the Pyramids. |
Mike standing at the base of the Khafre Pyramid. |
Huge stones that were used to build the Pyramids. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Side view of the Sphinx. |
Head of the Sphinx Profile. |
Frontal view. |
Saqqara. Stepped Pyramid. |
Colonnaded corridor of 40 pillars. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Burial Site. |
|
Pyramid od Djoser, prototype for the pyramids of Giza. |
Built for 3rd Dynasty King Djoser. |
Tomb of Mereruka. |
In the distance Sneferu's Bent Pyramid at Dahshur. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Egyptian Museum in Cairo. |
April 12, 2006. The Nile River and the city Cairo in the background. |
Cairo at Sunrise. |
April 13, 2006. The Nile River south of Asyut - East Bank. |
Donkey's carrying Sugar Cane. |
Mike trying sugar cane with a local farmer. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
New Egyptian Licence Plates Number 14. |
Ruby New Licence Plate Lucky 13. |
April 14, 2006. Luxor. Avenue of Sphinxes leading from Karnak Temple to Luxor Temple. |
Side Entrance Pylon to Karnak Temple. |
Avenue of Sphinxes leading from Karnak Temple to the Nile. Main Entrance. |
Row of Sphinxes. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Temple of Amun, dedicated to the king of the gods. |
Temple of Ramses II. |
Great Hypostyle Hall. |
This hall was supported by 134 gigantic columns. |
|
Great Festival Temple. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Central Hall built by Tuthmosis III. |
Granite Obelisk. |
Walking toward the 8th Pylon. |
Statue at the 8th Pylon. |
View of Granite Obelisk. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Great Festival Temple. |
Papyrus Columns. |
|
Overall view of the Karnak Temple. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
View of the Great Festival Temple. |
Carvings. |
Open Air Museum. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Colossus of Ramses II. |
|
Sacred Lake. |
Priests purified themselves in the holy water. |
|
Granite Obelisk. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Detailed view of the top of the Hypostyle Hall Columns. |
Baboon in the Temple of Khonsu. |
Temple of Opet. |
|
|
Avenue of Sphinxes leading from the Karnak Temple to Precinct of Mut. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Main Entrance coming from Precinct of Mut. |
Luxor Temple. |
Avenue of Sphinxes leading to the entrance of Luxor Temple. |
First Pylon of Luxor Temple. |
Ancient discarded stone toes. |
Pink granite obelisk. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Statue of Ramses II. |
Court of Ramses II. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Abu al-Haggag Mosque built on top of the Luxor Temple. |
|
Colonnade of Amenhotep III. |
Papyrus Columns. |
View of Luxor Temple and Mosque at sunset. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Papyrus Columns at Luxor Temple. |
House Boats lining the Nile River in Luxor. |
Mandy Book Shop. She is everywhere in the world. |
Sunset over the Nile River. |
Luxor West Bank Sunset. |
April 15, 2006. Colossi of Memnon. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Colossi of Memnon soaring 18m into the sky. |
Enthroned Statue of Amenhotep III. |
Inside the Tomb of Roy. |
Wall paintings inside the tomb of Shuroy. |
Tombs part of the Nobles. |
Paintings were in excellent shape. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Another tomb with a skull and mummy. |
The Ramesseum. |
Mortuary Temple of Ramses II. |
|
Osiride Columns. |
Hypostyle Hall. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
The hypostyle hall roof is supported by tall columns. |
Mudbrick Stores. |
Vaulted mudbrick magazines, used for storage, workshops and living quarters. |
Head of the Colossus of Ramses. |
|
Temple of Medinat Habu. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mortuary Temple of Ramses III. |
|
|
Military campaigns are recorded in the detail on the temple pylon. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Colourful reliefs depicting religious festivals. |
Massive columns with deep carvings and colourful reliefs support the temple. |
|
Hanging out with Claude and Natalie. Cyclists from Switzerland. |
Traditional Egyptian Food prepared at the camp. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Valley of the Kings. |
Tomb of Ramses III. |
Entrance to the Tomb. Also known as Tomb of the Harpists. |
Tomb of Tuthmes III. |
Dug 30m above ground, reached by a metal staircase. |
Tomb of Siptah. One of the longest in the valley stretching 106m into the rock. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tomb of Siptah. Lighly coloured bas-reliefs decorate the walls. |
View into the Valley of the Kings. |
Tomb of Thutmes IV. |
First use of yellow background in Valley of Kings. |
Burial Chamber. |
Typical ceiling painting in Tombs. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hatshepsut Temple. |
Hatshepsut Temple at the foot of a sheer limestone cliff-face. |
Chapel of Anubis. |
Limestone Cliff behind the Temple. |
Brightly coloured murals, including a relief of Tuthmosis III making offerings to the sun god. |
Statues of Hatshepsut. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Upper terrace decorated with Osiride statues of Hatshepsut. |
Queen Hatshepsut. |
|
|
Taamiyya - Delicious deep-fried patties of fava bean paste and herbs. |
Egyptian Registration for the Motorcycles. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Egyptian Insurance for the motorcycles. 10 Egyptian Pounds for two (2) months insurance. |
Valley of the Queens. |
Typcial Tomb paintings in the Valley of the Queens. |
Valley of the Queens. 80 tombs have been discovered in this area. |
View of Deir al-Medina. Village for the craftsmen, servants and labourers working on the royal tombs. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Climbing the up the mountain range on the West Bank. View of Valley of the Queens. |
Steps leading up the mountain. |
View of Luxor, the Nile River and adjacent desert. |
View from the top of the mountain. |
View of the Valley of the Kings. |
Descending the mountain. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Remains of an ancient village. |
We had climbed along this ridge. |
Walking along the ridge. |
View of Hatshepsut Temple, Temple of Tuthmosis III and Temple of Montuhotep II. |
Hatshepsut Temple and limestone cliff face. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hatsheput Temple. |
|
|
|
|
|
