Trip To Egypt, Fall, 2004

The Trip To Egypt, 2004

Jim Hayes' Web Pages

Egypt Home
Day 1, Egyptian Museum, Cairo
Day 2, Pyramids and Sphinx At Giza
Day 3, Dahshur (Bent and Red Pyramid),
Day 3a, Sakkara (Stepped Pyramid)
Day 4, Abu Simbel
Day 4a, Aswan
Day 5, Philae Temple
Day 5a, Kom Ombo Temple
Day 6, Edfu Temple
Day 6a, Esna Temple
Day 7, Luxor, Medinet Habu, Village of Deir El Medina
Day 7a,Temple of Hatshepsut
Day 8, Valley of the Kings
Day 8a, Valley of the Queens, Luxor Museum
Day 9, Luxor, Tut's Tomb
Day 9a, Temples of Karnak and Luxor
Day 10/11, Cairo, Museum, Manial Palace, Churches and Mosque

Day 4, Abu Simbel

Jan's Notes Jim's Photos And Comments

11/1/04
Luggage out in hallway at 1:30. a.m.
Noon for luggage
Check out tonight
Breakfast boxes.
Wake-up call 1 a.m.; leave at 2 a.m.!

11/2/04
Napped from 7-12
Up & out by 2 a.m. for flight to Abu Simbel

To airport
Cairo is 1,040 years old.
12% unemployment although government reports only 8%

Foreign language & computers help you get a job and many graduates from college must live w/parents or take low job. Gap b'n. poor & rich growing; less middle class.

Abu Simbel
Southern most part of Egypt, 30 miles from Sudan. Population of A. Simbel is 1500 w/2 visiting doctors & 2 schools. Jobs are airport workers & 2 gas stations. Lake Nasser=largest man-made lake in the world split b'n. Sudan & Egypt.

Ramses II
Land of Nubia (were enemies)
Attack to south
Built to scare enemy 1224 B.C.
Line of seated baboons because they worshipped the sun; baboons first animals up so they appreciate the sun so they are holy. Everything was colored. Earthquake caused collapse of 1 of 4 of the giant seated statues. Lake formed at the time of A
wan Dam & submerged Nubian land.

Egyptian police physically moved them-reluctant! Had to move 20 temples but lost 2 of the smallest that were unfinished. UNESCO collected money world-wide although greatest amount from the American people. So to thank us, gave us 1 temple, Temple of Dendur in the Met in NY. Now they want it back!

The mountain was moved in its entirety. The original space is under water. Built an artificial mountain. Four seated figures are all Ramses wearing the double crown; royal children between the legs.

Inside: ceiling has vultures; first room on right-gods & goddesses on throne. Giving offerings; last one artist's sketch still there incomplete; war scenes showing off by Ramses. He's the biggest. Center room has 4 square pillars; scene duplicated right & left; holy site. Common Egyptians not allowed into holy site. Priests only to maintain mystery & power; all have an altar with ark; finest Lebanese cypress made altar. Hidden inside was shrine w/solid gold statue; from time to time priests visit villages w/shrine. Wife of Ramses II is Nefertari=most beautiful of Nubian ladies; Ramses II=19th Dynasty.

On wall on other side is god of fertility; only civilization where this god is male; look for erection. Not seen as erotic. Ramses shown giving incense for this god. End of temple are 4 seated figures: 1) God pitar==night 2) crown of 2 feathers-most important of all Egyptian gods is Amun Ra the Sun and source of all life. Terror to Egyptians. Created other gods. 3) Ramses 4) local god.

Ramses places self equal to other gods! 2x/year 10/22 & 2/22 sun at 9:20 a.m. hits face of Ramses & goes down. Most important. Dates of his life for Ramses II. Originally the dates were 10/21/ & 2/21; lost a day when they moved the temple to higher ground due to the dam. Temple of Nefertari dedicated to Hathor who is shown as a cow or woman with cow's ears. Nefertari was Nubian; create peace by marrying woman from the enemy.

Aswan: Nubians; there are 3 million & 0 crime. Here you are allowed to specify race in job & Nubians in high demand due to honesty. Nubian culture has own language but no alphabet; just sounds.

Japanese import sand for their porcelain; high silica content. Nubians are the link between African & Arab; black skin w/Arab features. 1896 old "low" dam; Aswan dam; high dam better electricity in the 1960's.

We look pretty alert for a group awakened at 1:30 in the middle of the night for a flight to Abu Simbel!

Consider the fact that these statues were moved here to prevent their loss under the lake created by Aswan dam. Pretty impressive, even for a culture that built the pyramids.

Aki tells the story.

The gatekeeper at Abu Simbel. A classic Nubian, dark but without classic Negroid features.

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The Trip To Egypt, 2004 Jim Hayes' Web Pages Egypt Home Day 1, Egyptian Museum, Cairo Day 2, Pyramids and Sphinx At Giza Day 3, Dahshur (Bent and Red Pyramid), Day 3a, Sakkara (Stepped Pyramid) Day 4, Abu Simbel Day 4a, Aswan Day 5, Philae Temple Day 5a, Kom Ombo Temple Day 6, Edfu Temple Day 6a, Esna Temple Day 7, Luxor, Medinet Habu, Village of Deir El Medina Day 7a,Temple of Hatshepsut Day 8, Valley of the Kings Day 8a, Valley of the Queens, Luxor Museum Day 9, Luxor, Tut's Tomb Day 9a, Temples of Karnak and Luxor Day 10/11, Cairo, Museum, Manial Palace, Churches and Mosque	Day 4, Abu Simbel

Jan's Notes	Jim's Photos And Comments
11/1/04 Luggage out in hallway at 1:30. a.m. Noon for luggage Check out tonight Breakfast boxes. Wake-up call 1 a.m.; leave at 2 a.m.! 11/2/04 Napped from 7-12 Up & out by 2 a.m. for flight to Abu Simbel To airport Cairo is 1,040 years old. 12% unemployment although government reports only 8% Foreign language & computers help you get a job and many graduates from college must live w/parents or take low job. Gap b'n. poor & rich growing; less middle class. Abu Simbel Southern most part of Egypt, 30 miles from Sudan. Population of A. Simbel is 1500 w/2 visiting doctors & 2 schools. Jobs are airport workers & 2 gas stations. Lake Nasser=largest man-made lake in the world split b'n. Sudan & Egypt. Ramses II Land of Nubia (were enemies) Attack to south Built to scare enemy 1224 B.C. Line of seated baboons because they worshipped the sun; baboons first animals up so they appreciate the sun so they are holy. Everything was colored. Earthquake caused collapse of 1 of 4 of the giant seated statues. Lake formed at the time of A wan Dam & submerged Nubian land. Egyptian police physically moved them-reluctant! Had to move 20 temples but lost 2 of the smallest that were unfinished. UNESCO collected money world-wide although greatest amount from the American people. So to thank us, gave us 1 temple, Temple of Dendur in the Met in NY. Now they want it back! The mountain was moved in its entirety. The original space is under water. Built an artificial mountain. Four seated figures are all Ramses wearing the double crown; royal children between the legs. Inside: ceiling has vultures; first room on right-gods & goddesses on throne. Giving offerings; last one artist's sketch still there incomplete; war scenes showing off by Ramses. He's the biggest. Center room has 4 square pillars; scene duplicated right & left; holy site. Common Egyptians not allowed into holy site. Priests only to maintain mystery & power; all have an altar with ark; finest Lebanese cypress made altar. Hidden inside was shrine w/solid gold statue; from time to time priests visit villages w/shrine. Wife of Ramses II is Nefertari=most beautiful of Nubian ladies; Ramses II=19th Dynasty. On wall on other side is god of fertility; only civilization where this god is male; look for erection. Not seen as erotic. Ramses shown giving incense for this god. End of temple are 4 seated figures: 1) God pitar==night 2) crown of 2 feathers-most important of all Egyptian gods is Amun Ra the Sun and source of all life. Terror to Egyptians. Created other gods. 3) Ramses 4) local god. Ramses places self equal to other gods! 2x/year 10/22 & 2/22 sun at 9:20 a.m. hits face of Ramses & goes down. Most important. Dates of his life for Ramses II. Originally the dates were 10/21/ & 2/21; lost a day when they moved the temple to higher ground due to the dam. Temple of Nefertari dedicated to Hathor who is shown as a cow or woman with cow's ears. Nefertari was Nubian; create peace by marrying woman from the enemy. Aswan: Nubians; there are 3 million & 0 crime. Here you are allowed to specify race in job & Nubians in high demand due to honesty. Nubian culture has own language but no alphabet; just sounds. Japanese import sand for their porcelain; high silica content. Nubians are the link between African & Arab; black skin w/Arab features. 1896 old "low" dam; Aswan dam; high dam better electricity in the 1960's.	We look pretty alert for a group awakened at 1:30 in the middle of the night for a flight to Abu Simbel! Consider the fact that these statues were moved here to prevent their loss under the lake created by Aswan dam. Pretty impressive, even for a culture that built the pyramids. Aki tells the story. The gatekeeper at Abu Simbel. A classic Nubian, dark but without classic Negroid features.