Paris and Cairo

1/18/18 Our wake up call was at 3:15 a.m. We were handed bagged breakfast (mostly bread) and bussed to Cairo for a flight south to Luxor. Our luggage went to the boat, but the bus took us to Karnak Temple, a very large complex with 6 major gates. This temple was built by Ramses the Great. His likeness is everywhere. The gates are lined on both sides with sphinxes with rams heads, then they open up to columned courtyards. Entrance to Karnak Temple a columned courtyard Every area narrowed down to a wide passageway, and they opened up again to another columned room. There were 6 gates that opened up to 6 entried areas. Sometimes, there were side rooms. As you proceed toward the back of the temple, you approach the last room which was the prayer room. a side room A friendly Egyptian The cartouche of Rameses II - it is everywhere (two suns, mountain, Nile, King on his throne, staff) more columns the ceiling of the columns ...

1/17/18 They let us sleep in until 6:00 this morning.  Breakfast, and on the bus by 8:00 a.m.  We headed to the pyramid builders' tombs on the northern side of the Giza pyramids.  Dr. Hawass met us there and explained to us that all of this area was under sand and was discovered by his team in 1990.  Since then, they have continued their digs.  The findings show, in great detail, that about 10,000 to 20,000 Egyptians worked under a government project to build the pyramids.  They worked 3-4 months out of each year.  It took approximately 36 years to build the Great Pyramid.  The workers were treated well.  They were provided good food (including large amounts of meats) and good medical care.  There were NO Jewish slaves (so don't believe the movies).  The Jews lived in the northern Sinai area and Jordan, not in Egypt.  The average lifespan of the workers was 30-35 years.  The Royals and the upper level workers...

1/13/18 Had breakfast and Christopher picked us up at 10:45 for the airport.  I really enjoyed Christopher during our stay in Paris.   After waiting for our flight, we boarded for a 4.5 hour flight to Cairo--a much nicer airplane (we actually got fed).  We landed at 8:30 p.m. Cairo time, met up with our tour company, and had to wait for more passengers (6 in all) coming in from other places.  The ride from the airport to the Mena House Hotel in Giza was about an hour, and the craziest drive I have had in a long time---even New York City taxi drivers were calm compared to this.  All I did was suck air the whole time, and all the driver did was laugh every time.  Of course, he put me in the front seat and every else behind us. The Mena House Hotel is the finest in Egypt.  And it is spectacular.  It was originally built as a private house in 1859.  In 1879, a rich family from the US or Europe bought the property and turned it into ...