Aswan

Between Cairo and the Nile River, there is an ancient yet modern city named Aswan. In the olden days, it used to be a trading area and this practice has continued to current days. Aswan is still an important trading center for Egypt and other African countries. It is one and half-hours away from Cairo by flight but if one were to take the train, it would take more than ten hours. On this day, we woke up early to catch our flight at 6am.

We reached Aswan around 8am and our guide brought us to visit the Aswan High Dam. A major project that took eleven years to complete, this large dam accounts for 80% of the electricity consumption in Egypt. One cannot help but to agree that the Nile River has its modern days’ talents as well. After this, we visited the ancient red granite quarry whereby we learned of how the quarry operates in the past and I was deeply touched by the hard work and difficulties that the quarry workers faced. On a different note, I was pleasantly surprised to come across three books relating to Egypt in Chinese language in a small shop nearby and I happily purchased them.

Next, we enjoyed lunch onboard a cruise ship. Hundred of ships that vary in different sizes are berthed here. Amenities onboard each ship contains hundreds of cabins, a restaurant and café. There are even swimming pools onboard some of the larger cruises and it resembles a floating five stars hotel! We will be staying onboard the cruise for three days and that includes a New Year countdown party to welcome 2010.

To be honest, I was most looking forward to this part of the trip but I was greatly disappointed once we went onboard. The cabin assigned to us was near the engine room and I am sure that the engine sounds will keep me awake at night. Thus, we insistently requested for the person-in-charge to change a cabin for us. Upon several requests, we finally got our wishes and were assigned to a lower level cabin, near to the employees’ resting room. There was no beautiful scenery here but it was very quiet.

Late afternoon, we drifted along the Nile River in a small boat for 40 minutes and it was a pleasant experience, as we get up close and personal with the seagulls. Upon returning to the cruise, I sat on the deck to start blogging while taking pictures of soaring seagulls and the beautiful sunset!

Sailing along the serene Nile River with its beautiful scenery, I indulged in a beautiful night.

Museum

Today is the third day of our tour in Egypt. The weather is glorious with bright sunshine but there is a slight chill in the air.

In the morning, we visited a mosque, which was built on a hill in the Islamic district of Cairo. This mosque was built in the Middle Age and its exterior looks majestic. The interior design looks as luxurious with the support of four pillars and a semi-circular roof, giving the air of the sacred and solemnity. The entrance of the Mosque faces northwest and there is a carving of sunrays on the door. This symbolizes prosperity and rebirth.

After our visit to the Mosque, we proceed to the archaeological museum and according to our tour guide; this is one of the must-see places in Egypt. This archaeological museum contains the collection of the main legacy of the Pharaohs and truly presents the essence of the Egyptian tombs. Security is very stringent and we can see guards on duty in every corner. Our guide explained in detail the history of Egypt but I was more interested in the Pharaohs burial items, the mummies, gold masks and the queen’s jewelries. In the end, I was disappointed as we were only left with thirty minutes to explore on our own. Even though there were some frictions with our guide during the tour, I understand later that he was just maintaining the professionalism of his job.

In the evening, we came to an old bazaar and I requested the guide to give us two hours to explore. To me, regardless of visiting a site of attractions or shopping mall or bazaar, it is all about experiencing.

After all, the popularity and consumption patterns of a country can be observed from such shopping areas. In this bazaar, there are all kinds of famous spices, handicrafts, traditional and modern apparels and accessories etc. I took many lifestyle shots and hope that I can share with everybody.

At night, we boarded a river cruise berthed at the Nile River. It was a great experience to have our dinner onboard as the scenery was mesmerizing and the food was good, thus, improving my mood for the day.

Alexander

The buildings with broken tiles, litters on the ground, an over abundance of vehicles that makes traveling difficult and the incessant sirens of car horns in the ancient city of Cairo gave me a false impression of the capital of Egypt.

However, the scenery along the way to Alexander changed my opinion of Cairo. We traveled on a modern expressway with views of high technology areas, high-class golf courses and soon-to-be developed luxurious residential areas, lining up both sides. Although there are rooms for improvement, if Cairo continues to develop healthily, this could become a desert oasis!

The city of Alexander faces the Mediterranean Sea and resembles a Greek-style city because it was built by the Macedonian King, Alexander. It has the air of a metropolitan city. We traveled by car from Cairo and the journey was approximately 3 hours. Due to the distance of travel and this being a day trip, we have a packed day ahead.

Our first stop at Alexander brings us to the mausoleum of Kom El Shouqafa, which was discovered in 1900. The mausoleum is a blend of Roman, Greek and Egyptian architectural features and is one of the most complicated and most balanced in yin-yang elements that I had ever came across in my years of traveling. Even though this underground mausoleum is not big, its sophisticated designs are delicate and detailed.

The King’s grave lies at the center of the mausoleum and there are hundreds of complex looking graves of different sizes surrounding the king’s grave. This mausoleum comprises of three levels and looks spectacular. I was unable to take pictures, as cameras were not allowed. Unfortunately, I was also unable to conduct any Fengshui research as compass is prohibited. Nonetheless, with the memory of the mausoleum tour, our guide and I drew a blueprint of the catacombs.

Around 3pm in the afternoon, we enjoyed lunch at a restaurant that faces the Mediterranean Sea. The scenery is beautiful and I took many pictures. Thereafter, we visited the spectacular Palace and Grand Garden. The Grand Garden is a few times bigger than the Botanical Garden and gave one the impression of being in paradise.

Our last stop in Alexander brought us to the Ancient King’s working office. It has since been transformed into a five star luxurious hotel. A beautiful public relations consultant gave us a short hotel tour before we made our way back to Cairo. We finally arrived back in Cairo close to midnight. It has been a long day and after dinner, I fell asleep shortly.

Pyramids

The Pyramids in Egypt is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It is as prestigious as the world famous India’s Taj Mahal and the Great Wall of China. The reason why these places are so mysterious and intriguing is because to date, no one can determine how people in the olden days built them.

Cairo is the capital of Egypt and is full of mist in the morning. We had travelled out to the pyramids early but the queue at the entrance is already swarmed with people. Due to the great mist, we were unable to see the pyramids in full view but one can still feel its magnificent presence.

We had to walk very near to the architecture before being able to see its vague outline. I stood at the north entrance of the pyramid with my compass to determine the directions and as expected, it is sitting in the South and facing the North. This year marks the 30 years milestone for the wedding anniversary with my wife. Our guide joked with us that only sincerity, which is strong as gold, can achieve such a milestone and the pyramids are the best evidence. Amused, I could not help but to lament that our relationship is simply beyond words.

Our guide mentioned that the pyramid faces off four directions, meaning that the pyramid is made of four planes, converging at the tip. I always had the impression that the pyramid has three surfaces but discovered otherwise when I opened a crystal shop in 1994. At that time, I still retained some reservations but after witnessing the pyramid in person, I was finally convinced.

Towards the North of the pyramid, there is an entrance to the tomb, whereby tickets are required. I was intrigued to explore part of the pyramid and the tombs that lie within. After all, part of my profession relates to the placement of tombs. Being a foolish tourist, I was disappointed to find that the tomb contains a narrow walkway that eventually brought me to a somewhat square room that contains one coffin. I understand from a guidebook later that tomb raiders created the path that I took to the tomb.

Nevertheless, I discovered a great secret! The caves are a natural miracle created by the mixture of deposition of volcanic lava and granite. Unfortunately, photography is not allowed and thus, I am unable to share with you here.

There are much confusions and unsolved mysteries with regards to the construction of the pyramids. It is almost impossible to imagine how people can lift a rock mountain that is tens of thousands in tons from a flat ground to build the pyramid and perhaps, it may be easier to accept the explanation of a volcanic mountain being reformed into the pyramid. Though this explanation does sound more feasible, it is still a speculation.

Moving on, there are actually three pyramids in the area but due to time constraint, we are unable to visit all. We certainly hope that there will be a chance in the future to revisit!

An Expedition to Egypt

My impression of Egypt has always been that of a faraway land but ever since my trip to India last year, I decided to visit the mysterious yet exotic Egypt to discover her secrets.

When I was young, I read about the mysterious pyramids, the ever-famous Suez Canal, the magnificent Sphinx and various alluring attractions. I look forward to visiting these places of interests and attractions, in particular, the Suez Canal. The Suez Canal is an amazing work of technology that connects Europe and Asia for water transportation and this brings the term “When East meets West” into mind.

At 6am in the morning, my wife and I finally arrived at Cairo. The traffic at Cairo is just as erratic as India’s; the only difference lies in the absence of cows wandering freely on the roads. Another similarity that I spot between Egypt and North India is that both destinations are founded on desert terrains.

Thereafter, we enjoyed a traditional Egyptian breakfast at a café and tried the ‘Falafel’, also known as ‘Tamiya’, which is a delicious deep-fried snack made from beans. We were told by the tour leader that this is an authentic Egyptian meal but I find the taste very much similar to what I tasted in Indian restaurants in Singapore. Both Egypt and India are countries that are rich with spices. Thus, that probably explains the similarity in both cuisines when it boils down to color, smell and taste.

Many friends who had visited Egypt also urged me to discover the beauty of Egypt and to visit the mesmerising Mediterranean Sea, alluring Red Sea and mysterious Nile River. Despite these beautiful landscapes, I believe Egypt still has room for improvement.

Egypt contains age-old history yet, is a modern world in itself. Their ways of living is different and intriguing. At this point in travel, one certainly has a whole new experience. For those who are planning for an overseas tour, Egypt may be a brilliant choice for you!