June 2005 · Middle East Trip
David & Noel Coory's Journey to Egypt
Israel
First Look
Overall Impressions of Egypt
- Ancient wonders standing proudly through millennia.
- Rich history visible in everyday surroundings.
- Chaotic traffic but surprisingly organized movement.
- Warm hospitality despite cultural differences.
- Fascinating blend of old and new.
- Deeply rooted traditions shape daily life.
- Magnificent pyramids inspire awe and curiosity.
- Vibrant street life full of energy.
- Intense desert heat dominates experiences.
- Strong religious and cultural identity.
- Colorful markets and persistent local vendors.
- Extraordinary archaeological treasures everywhere.
- Contrasts between luxury and simplicity.
- Nile River sustains life amid desert.
- Friendly guides enhance cultural understanding.
- Unique architecture reflects ancient civilization.
- Memorable sights at every turn.
- Tourist-focused economy visible throughout.
- Authentic local experiences beyond attractions.
- A captivating and unforgettable destination.
AN EARLY WAKE-UP CALL
Life In The Shadow Of The Mosque
We are both woken up with a sudden jump this morning, at 4 am, by a thunderously loud Moslem call to prayer. It comes through our hotel window from the huge Mosque tower outside that dominates our view. You can see the speakers on the tower in the picture below.
It is extremely loud, and in the peaceful quiet of 4 am in the morning, even more so. Probably this hotel is cheaper than normal because of this.
Still no sign of wholemeal bread on our trip. It’s been all white so far. But we haven’t looked around any supermarkets yet. In fact we haven’t seen any supermarkets anywhere in the Middle East, although there must be some.
In the whole week we are in Egypt we never see one, just markets with open sacks of raw foods. This is probably why there are no obese people. Also nobody seems to be sick, or limps, or uses a walking stick.
CROSSING THE NILE
Into The Ancient Land Of Tombs And Pharaohs
After breakfast we meet our guide George, the same one we had yesterday, and our driver at 7am. This early start is to avoid the mid-day heat. Today we are crossing to the other side of the Nile, to the ancient burial cities, to see the famous underground tombs, Tutankhamen, etc.
As we drive southward to the nearest bridge across the Nile, we see a new face of Egypt. Workers out in the fields, hoeing crops, and clearing irrigation ditches from the Nile. We see their donkeys tied up, standing patiently under trees near by.
A TIMELESS NILE SCENE
Life Along The River Through The Ages
Out on the nearby Nile, traditional sail boats are being paddled along, as there is not a breath of wind. A very peaceful and timeless rural scene, It has probably not changed in thousands of years, apart from the unsightly power lines and telephone lines here and there which spoil the beauty of it all.
FROM GREEN VALLEYS TO DESERT HILLS
Following The Nile Into The Land Of The Pharaohs
We now cross the Nile River, over a long bridge which I note on the van speedometer as being 800 metres in length. The Nile water looks quite clear, not muddy like Australian rivers.
The land on either side of the river is irrigated by canals from the Nile and is quite green. This greenery extends from 5 to 10 kilometres inland on either side of the river. Beyond that is just pure desert. Once we cross the river, we head back northward and then turn inland, to the desert hills of the burial and mummifying city of the ancient Egyptians.
INTO THE DESERT OF THE TOMBS
Exploring The Barren Hills Of Ancient Egypt
When we arrive and get out of the van, it is hot already, and only about 8 am. It is hotter out here in the desert than in the town, which is cooled by the nearby river. Also out here in the desert the light colour of the sandy soil reflects the sun’s heat, similar to snow.
We have to leave the van in the parking area, then we and other tourists who are arriving, are trundled up into the tomb area in the light brown hills in a road train with little carriages pulled by a small engine.
Nothing grows out here. It is pure desert. Totally barren. Quite a unique place for a New Zealander to be.
THE TOMBS OF THE PHARAOHS
Ancient Chambers Hidden Beneath The Desert Hills
Unfortunately no photography is permitted, because of the damage that the ultra light of the flashes may do to the paintings, so I have included some photos from the internet.
HIDDEN BENEATH THE HILLS
The Secret Burial Places Of Ancient Egypt
In some of the deeper tombs with narrow passageways, the air is very stale and it is a huge relief to get back out into the fresh air again afterward, despite the steadily increasing heat.
The Egyptians began burying their dead in these hills, which are shaped like natural pyramids when they found that their other conspicuous man-made pyramids were being continuingly raided by tomb robbers. So they would bury their dead here in the hills and then conceal the entrance ways. You can see more entrances up on the hillsides that have been uncovered.
THE TEMPLE OF QUEEN HATSHEPSUT
Ancient Beliefs Carved In Stone
Next George leads us to a big, impressive, non-hidden mortuary monument in honour of Queen Hatshetsup. It is built into a hillside in an equally impressive setting.
The hieroglyphics in the mortuary temple are very well done, and very clear. Here is one of a child drinking from the teats of a cow. It is amazing how these paint colours have lasted so many thousands of years. This bird below has been particularly well done.
These hieroglyphic pictures are actually a form of written language and our guide explains what many of them mean. Maoris use a similar message system with their carvings.
The messages in these burial places here concern the journey that takes place after death. They tell of the spirit body travelling along a certain underground river and then coming to a place of judgement. This is done by weighing the person’s heart against a feather. The idea is that it is better to have a light, loving heart, rather than a heavy, tense, sad or unkind heart.
This next picture is the view out from inside Queen Hatshetsup’s temple monument, looking down over the tombs area. In the far distance you can see the green region that is irrigated from the Nile.
This next picture is the view out from inside Queen Hatshetsup’s temple monument, looking down over the tombs area. In the far distance you can see the green region that is irrigated from the Nile.
THE BUILDERS OF THE TOMBS
Exploring The Ancient Workers' Settlement
Next we are taken to see the ruins of the homes of the workers who built these cities of the dead. The roofs have gone from the ancient stone houses, but you can still see all the walls. They look rather like an old maze.
We also see some Egyptian workers involved today in restoring these tombs. Here is a picture of some of them in a shelter. They don’t appear very energetic which is not surprising in the 49°C heat.
GIANTS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD
Standing Beneath Colossal Egyptian Statues
LIFE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE
A Glimpse Of Rural Egyptian Homes
Many of the peasant houses out here in the countryside have walls made of stone and a thatched roof made of sugar cane stalks. Here is a picture of one by the roadside. As I get out of the van and take the picture, I hear the sounds of the family inside, talking and moving around.
“As I get out of the van and take the picture, I hear the sounds of the family inside, talking and moving around.”
A VISIT TO THE COPTIC CHURCH
Discovering A Different Side Of Luxor
George lives nearby, and as Noel and I want to walk back to the hotel through the back streets of Luxor, George dismisses the driver and then leads us inside his church. It is very ornate.
A CRAFTSMAN OF LUXOR
Watching A Gold Cartouche Come To Life
Normal tourist shop practice is to put the name of your loved one into a cartouche in Egyptian hieroglyphic writing. This is done by sending the blank cartouche of your choice to a tradesmen to have the hieroglyphic letters welded in, in raised gold lettering. The prices quoted us in the shops so far, for the size Noel wants have ranged from US$160 to over US$200.
As George leads us from the church, through the fascinating back streets of Luxor, we walk past some very unusual and ornate apartment buildings. Look at the one below with its different balconies.
It is hot, but compared to the desert tomb area we have just come from, it is quite bearable.
George takes us to an extremely old house. Some of the houses here are over 2000 years old, and made entirely of mud bricks. This two storey one below is right next to George’s cousin’s house, which is the blue one.
His cousin agrees to make a cartouche for Noel while we wait. George negotiates a price of US$81. Noel readily agrees to this and then chooses a blank. George’s cousin then selects the tiny hieroglyphic letters and prepares them for brazing. I think Noel decides to put Rana’s name on it and also an Egyptian good fortune emblem.
FAREWELL TO GEORGE
New Friendships And A Bargain Lunch
As we say our final goodbye to George, he expresses interest in the Mormon Church that I had discussed with him yesterday. So I give him the www.lds.org website. He appears to me to be just the type of person to become a Mormon. Sincere, educated, religiously inclined and ambitious. He is also about the right age and could well serve a mission for two years. He plans to travel to Romania shortly to study another overseas language.
Before walking back to our hotel, Noel and I decide to have a lunch at a local restaurant. As it turns out, there are two restaurants side by side. Both the owners come out, arguing over who should have us and bargaining with us.
BACK STREETS OF LUXOR
Beyond The Tourist Areas
Many of the streets are very narrow and some of the areas can only be described as slums. Most of the streets are just hot, brown sand tracks. Sometimes they are paving stones. Like Lebanon and the Arab areas of Israel, and unlike the main tourist streets of Luxor nearer the Nile, there is a lot of garbage in the streets.
RETURNING TO THE HOTEL
A Well-Earned Rest After A Long Walk
A WALK THROUGH LUXOR BY NIGHT
Personal Faith And Discipline On The Journey
A SAIL ON THE NILE
An Unforgettable Evening With Captain Fox
This evening, about 5.30 pm, we decide to attend the Sound and Light show at the Karnak Temple we visited yesterday. We also decide to go for another walk first. As we leave our hotel room we see a striped orange and black gecko in the hotel hallway
As we walk alongside the Nile, we decide to accept an offer from a Felucca owner for a ride on the Nile in his boat Moon Rivar, for US$4. Feluccas are ancient Nile sail boats. They are quite big, about 18ft (6m) long and about nine feet (3m) wide.
The boat owner calls himself Captain Fox, and he has a boy with him as an assistant. Captain Fox turns out to be quite a character. He is small and lively and speaks almost no English. There is no wind out on the Nile, but Captain Fox assures us that the wind will rise when the sun has set. What he says sounds plausible, but I think now that he might have been telling us a fib.
So Captain Fox and his boy lead us down to the river and across a very skinny gang plank over the water into his boat, one of many Feluccas moored there. They then untie it and begin to row us out across the river, using 9 foot long 4” x 3” planks of wood as oars.
Both Captain Fox and his boy eventually exhaust themselves rowing. They are sweating heavily. The sun has now gone down but no wind comes up. So we rest a while near the opposite bank. Finally Captain Fox signals with a towel for a tug boat to come and tow us back. Eventually a tug boat comes, towing three other Feluccas back upstream, so we tie on to it and sit back and enjoy the ride.
I offer to take a photo of Captain Fox. He is delighted and puts his arms around Noel and I. He insists that I send him a copy of the photo of the three of us, him, Noel and I. He has his boy write his Luxor address in Arabic on a piece of paper.
Captain Fox gives Noel and I several sweat soaked hugs after we take his picture. He seems a very happy man. He loves my jandals and tries them on. He then asks me if I will swap them for his slip-on shoes. I try on his shoes but they are nowhere near as comfortable as my jandals, so I reluctantly say no. He seems disappointed.
The tug tows us up river a bit further than where we started off. Captain Fox then casts off and we drift down stream to our mooring area. It is surprisingly cool out on the river. We don’t realise this until we cross the narrow plank, and climb up the bank to the footpath again and the heat hits us. It is now dark
Captain Fox spoils his favourable image a little, by asking us for another US$2 for the tow boat. We give him an extra dollar. Whether he will be charged extra by the tug boat we don’t know. He certainly didn’t give the tug boat owner any money. He gives us another hug, this time with his head down against our hearts. Then shakes our hands and calls an interpreter to tell us that he is sorry there was no wind.
A HORSE CARRIAGE TO KARNAK
Racing Against Time Through The Streets Of Luxor
It is a surprisingly jerky ride in the carriage, and rather unpleasant, due to the action of the horse as it trots along. I suppose people put up with this world wide for centuries before cars were invented.
True to form, our driver tries to persuade us to let him take us home again after the show. “I wait for you outside.” “What you doing tomorrow?” “What your names?” I think Egyptians must be the world’s most persistent hawkers. We are beginning to dread the hassle of walking all the way back home (about 5 kms) down this busy tourist street alongside the Nile.
THE KARNAK LIGHT SHOW
Ancient Pharaohs Come Alive After Dark
We buy our tickets to the Sound and Light Show and enter the Karnak Temple complex. It is very hot inside. The rocks and pillars and carvings have soaked up heat all day from the mid-summer sun and are now pouring it out into the night air, like a night storage heater. They are very warm to the touch.
We are part of a large group of tourists. The first half of the show is a walk through the temple as key monuments are lit up by powerful lights and various Pharaohs introduce themselves and the achievements of their reigns, over loud speakers.
The second half of the show sees us all sitting up on a high stepped balcony, on cushions on stone seats. Fortunately it is not so hot sitting up this high. Noel tells me afterward that he learnt a lot of Egyptian history from the show, especially the last hour, but I kept nodding off.
We decide to take an old Peugeot 504 taxi back to our hotel. We negotiate a 10 Egyptian pound fare. The driver’s name is Rajab. He also agrees to pick us up tomorrow morning, Sunday at 5.55 am for our hour long, 6 am to 7 am, part attendance of the three hour Coptic Church service.
David & Noel Coory · Middle East Trip
June 2005 · Tauranga, New Zealand to Singapore and beyond Redesigned with care · Original travel diary preserved