Sunday, January 16, 2011

Egypt - Interesting


Our arrival in Alexandria....isn't it so pretty.  Here we joined a tour to travel to Cairo to see the Pyramids, Spinx and Egypt Museum - Tutankahmun's Treasures (Sorry no photos of Museum). 


We are now on the bus seeing the real Alexandria.  Have to remind ourselves that it is very dusty as we are in a desert...hence the lack of colour.   The other shock we had is that we travelled in bus convoy with armed vehicles front and back.  Also a security guy on each bus....we did notice that he was armed. We stopped half-way at a check point.  The guard was with us the entire day.  We had a three hour bus ride to Cairo and three hours turned into longer on return due to the heavier traffic.  A long day.


Just love this photo....I actually took this one.


The litter appears.


Had to take this as it appears to be sugar cane in the shop.  We have fields of it around where we live.


The pyramids of Giza....we are here and how awesome they are.  To withstand all this time. 

This is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.  Egyptologists believe that the pyramid was built as a tomb for Pharaoh Khufu and constructed over a 14 to 20 year period concluding around 2560 BC. :-0
The Great Pyramid stands at 146.5 metres tall and was the tallest man-made structure in the world for 3800 years.


The tourists have arrived.


One of the many aggressive camel ride owners and people selling their wares at the base of the Pyramid.
We were warned before hopping off the bus that these people are very aggressive.....we all thought 'yeah, yeah'.  Well they are.  As soon as our feet hit the ground there were people in our faces selling us trinkets, coins, postcards, camel rides etc.  We soon learnt to say 'NO' and keep on moving without looking at who was talking to us.  This camel rider actually chased us up to a second level of rocks as our friend we travelled with tried to be a little polite.  WRONG.  Another thing if you take a photo of the cute and innocent kids that sitting so cutely on their donkeys and smiling be warned ..... as soon as that shutter clicks they are off their donkey and chasing you for money.


The view of Cairo from the Pyramids....yes....we are right on the city's doorstep.  I really thought the Pyramids were out in the desert by themselves.


A view from the bottom to the tippy top.


One of the guards standing behinds the roped off area.


Next stop the Spinx which is walking distance of the Pyramids.  Another wondrous sight to see in my lifetime.


The two amazing sites together.


Now this is a view that is not shown very often.  This is all around the base of the Pyramid....as well as all the animal poo.  

So in all ...... I glad that I have been to visit but disappointed at the respect that is shown to these great structures.  Not somewhere I will return to.  But it is something that if you get the chance you have to see.



I had a fascination for the licence plates.  I think I just really love the wonderful script letters.



This I took for my friend in New Zealand whose partner owns a Honda car parts yard.  Great use of space.


A lot of the units look like this.....unfinished.  Apparently, everyone moves in when there is one thickness of brick work instead of the two or before the top is finished.  If they move in when it's unfinished they don't have to pay Government Taxes.


Lots of different loads seen on the roads.  Crazy, crazy traffic....travelling only about 20 cm distance from one another.  There are lanes marked but not one uses these lines.  Horns are honked to say I am coming through and I will come through and people just move on over.  I must admit no-one aggressively honks the horn or hangs out the window and abuses anyone.  Amazing......everything is very fast and hectic but it all seems to work. 
Too scary for me....so glad we were in a big bus.


A colourful building amongst all the drab.


The Nile river as we crossed over a bridge on the way to the Egyptian Museum.


Now this is the Pyramid that I am glad we live beside.
Walsh's Pyramid.....Nature built.....922m high.



5 comments:

  1. I've heard a lot about Egypt, its one place I was seriously planning on going once. But once I did my research decided not to go because of the things you mentioned there. I agree its a big shame really.

    But still great to see, and great oppourtunity!

    Would love to see your pyramid up in Gordonvale oneday!

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  2. Terrific photos Wendy but I guess it makes us realise that we do live in the lucky country. My Dad "visited" the pyramids during the wall and they made a huge impression on him. He bought home a beautiful tapestry with the Sphinx on it and it hung on our lounge room wall for all my life.

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  3. Would LOVE to see the pyramids! The people nagging you to buy something reminds me of our visit to Rome....this guy kept sticking stuff in my face and I finally told me to go away...he then proceeded to tell me to go away!
    And taking pics of kids and them chasing you for money...that happened to us in Peru. I gave them change and of course they knew how much it was....good training I would say as they kept yelling no no no not enough....more! They wanted DOLLARS! Smart kids eh? LOL! Such a shame for so much litter and half finished buildings to be in what could be a remarkable tourist area of Egypt. Interesting car picture too! :)

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  4. That was so interesting and informative Merry, I agree to see the Pyramids and Sphinx would be wonderful as would the Tutankhamen exhibition, just not sure I could put up with all the rest of it.

    Love ll your piccies, that camera must have been working overtime :)

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  5. TYFS all your lovely photos-you certainly packed a lot in. I am in two minds about Egypt, I always wanted to go and then went off it, now I am not sure!
    Linbyx

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