Crowded streets of cairo – traffic can take some time to clear

Check-in in the hotel was fine, and we had some comfortable rooms, not very large or anything, but comfortable. The hotel has a lot of greenery inside, and seems to spend a lot of time on maintenance of the landscaped gardens.

Oasis Hotel in Giza in Egypt – the security at the entrance to the hotel

Oasis Hotel in Giza – the rocks arranged in a pattern

Oasis Hotel in Giza – View outside some of the rooms

Oasis Hotel in Giza in Egypt – Garden inside the hotel grounds

Oasis Hotel in Giza in cairo – a corridor in front of the rooms

Oasis Hotel in Giza – the swimming pool, very inviting

And then we encountered the question of tips. This is one of the points that really bothered us. Right at the beginning, when we got our travel itinerary, it was mentioned there that the concept of tips is almost like a compulsion, with the tips providing a comfort to the people employed in the travel industry who otherwise get low salaries. The same was mentioned by our travel managed from Sakkara, and the rate of the tips was supposed to be $6 per person per day for the days when you are on land, and $8 (American dollars) for the days when you are on the Nile cruise (3 days). For a group of 8 of us, on a 9 day trip, the amount of tips that we paid was itself a fairly large amount.
The next day we would do some local travel inside the city of Cairo, see the various places to see such as the Citadel, the mosque within it, and the famous local market known as ‘Khan el Khalili’.

Location of Amer Fort on Google Maps:

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If you are visiting the fort for the first time, it is recommended that you take a local guide; else, since not many of the buildings are marked, you will be at a loss to figure out what some of the older structures inside the Fort are. And there are a number of different palaces, halls, gardens, and other locations inside the Fort complex. Make sure that you do visit the Sheesh Mahal (Palace of Mirrors) inside the Fort.
The Fort is divided into 4 sections, with access to each of the sections from a central location through a staircase, or through a wide enough pathway. When you enter the Fort through the main gate, the first place you reach is the Jaleb Chowk, the main courtyard. Here, in the past, when a returning army would return to the city, they would be paraded in this Chowk. There is also a famous temple inside the Palace called the Kali Temple (with enormous silver lions). The fort is constructed of white and red sandstone.

View of elephant and mahout near the Amber Fort in Jaipur

Boundary wall on the hilltops near the Amer Fort in Jaipur

Ramparts of the Amber Fort in Jaipur

Musicians on the walls of the Amer Fort near the entrance

At one of the many gateways inside the Amber Fort in Jaipur

View of the Diwan-i-Aam – the public audience hall inside the Amer Fort

An ambulance inside the Amber Fort in Jaipur

View of the huge courtyard inside the Amber Fort in Jaipur

People inside the Amber Fort – with some wonderfully carved buildings

View of a wonderfully carved doorway inside the Amber Fort in jaipur

View of canons outside a doorway inside the Amber Fort in Jaipur

The board for Diwan-i-Aam inside the Amber Fort in Jaipur

The hall between the pillars inside the Diwan-i-Aam the Amer Fort in Jaipur

The carved pillars inside the Amber Fort in the Jaipur

Cross section of pillars inside a hall in the Amber Fort in Jaipur

Carvings in the shape of a flower on the wall of the Amer Fort in Jaipur

Darkened view of a room with a view of the window inside the Amber Fort

View of a slightly older section of the Amer Fort in Jaipur

Overhead view of the garden inside the Amer Fort in Jaipur

A windows lattice work inside the Amber Fort in Jaipur

The outer edge of the walls in the Amber Fort in Jaipur

View of an entire housing community (town) viewed from the Amer Fort

View of one of the Halls inside the Amer Fort in Jaipur

Doorways in the wall inside the Amber Fort in Jaipur

Tourists inside one of the halls (between the pillars) in the Amer Fort in Jaipur

Security personnel inside the Amer Fort in Jaipur

Pigeons on the walls and windows inside the Amer Fort in Jaipur

Trees inside the courtyard in the Amer Fort in Jaipur

Description:
Stonehenge is a site about which there is still some lack of clarity as to the actual purposes, but there is talk of association with druids, as well as a relation with the worship of older deities; and there were alternative reasons as well, such as it being an astronomical observatory. Given the supposed existence of burial sites in the area, there is the concept that maybe Stonehenge was actually a burial site for people from the higher strata in society of that time.

Construction:
Stonehenge shows the large stones still placed, but there has been damage in the past. Some of the stones in the past were used for other construction such as for roads or for homes (and even from visitor contact in the present, as a result of which visitors were prohibited from contact with the stones in 1978). When the structure was built, it would have been a massive engineering effort, with a huge amount of manual labor having been needed to make it happen. It was constructed in 3 phases, with the first phase (approx 5000 years ago) being a bank and ditch arrangement (called as a henge) (and digging of the ditch would not have been an easy task, using wood and animal antlers). Even removal of the dirt taken out during digging would not have been an easy task.
The second phase (around 4000 years back) was the construction of the first stone circle (which can now be seen as the inner circle) ; these stones where the bluestones were carted in from the mountains 240 miles away (with no clear answer as to how these 4 ton stones were dragged from the mountains to the site through land and over water).
The third and final phase (as visible now) was the construction of the outer ring, using the much larger sarsen stones (weighing 50 tons each). These stones were got from a place that was only 20 miles away, but would have still required a huge amount of effort to get them from the mountains, since there was a high obstacle at one part of the journey. There was a hole made in the ground, the stone was slowly leveraged over the hole and then lowered over the hole with stones filling the bottom of the hole.
‘The Heel Stone’ this special stone lies just outside the main entrance. It is a rough stone, and is also known as “Friar’s heal” or “Sun stone”. When one stands within the Stonehenge, facing north east through the entrance towards the heel stone, one sees the sunrise above the stone at summer solstice. A simple explanation for the name HEEL might be that stone heels or, leans.

Myths:
Since there is no clarity as to the actual purpose of the stones, there are many stories dealing with the construction. What could be some of the reasons for the stones ?
First, there was the concept that the stones were constructed as part of some prayers for the Druids (but there are doubts regarding the timelines). Next, you bring in King Arthur, where, according to Geoffrey of Monmouth, the rocks of Stonehenge were healing rocks, called the ‘Giant’s dance”, brought from Africa to Ireland for their healing properties, wishing to erect a memorial to the around 3000 nobles, who died in battle with the Saxons & were buried at Salisbury. The stones of giant’s ring were originally brought from Africa to Ireland by giants.

Location of Fatehpur Sikri on Google Maps:

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Fatehpur Sikri was Akbar’s act of faith, and also his folly, since it showed that even an emperor could not use all his might to fight against nature. Fatehpur Sikri was a city build by Akbar as his royal city, in homage to the saint Salim Chishti who lived in Sikri, and who ordained that a son would be born to Akbar (after Akbar had lost his earlier children). Duly after this, Salim (later to be known as Jehangir) was born to Akbar and Jodha Bai in 1569. In 1570, Akbar decided to start building his city, and this was born the complex of Fatehpur Sikri. However, water is essential to sustain any population, especially for a royal city.

The vast center courtyard of the Fatehpur Sikri compound

The architecture of the city was incredible, since there was a confluence of different building influences including Islamic, Hindu, and Jain building concepts. It was supposedly in this city that Akbar started evolving the concept of a religion that encompasses beliefs from different religions – this was known as Din-i-Ilahi (but which died out after the reign of Akbar).
Fatehpur Sikri is very impressive, including the Buland Darwaza, one of the largest gateways in the world, and which leads to a steep flight of steps on one side. There is the grand Jama Masjid to one side of the white tomb, there is the Panchratna Mahal, and there is the grand and yet simple tomb of Salim Chisti, to which religious pilgrims from multiple religions still come to seek favors and tie knots on the wall.

The marble tomb of the saint Salim Chisti at Fatehpur Sikri

Close up of the wooden gate of Fatehpur Sikri

Beehives on the huge arch of Buland Darwaza at the main entrance to Fatehpur Sikri

Parts of the building get illuminated by light bursting through windows in Fatehpur Sikri

The structure is built of red sandstone, with even the tomb being built of the same material, it was later that it was converted to being white marble. It is supposed that the saint helps childless couples, and hence families without children pay a visit to the shrine and pray their for their wish for a child to be granted.

A shaft of light through a window in a dome in Fatehpur Sikri

A long beautiful corridor inside Fatehpur Sikri

People walking in the corridor around the central tomb in Fatepur Sikri

Devouts laying a sheet on top of the shrine in Fatehpur Sikri

After we spent some time admiring the place, paying our respects at the tomb, we set off back to Delhi (there is a side road that connects back to the main Delhi-Agra highway) and reached there around dark, well satisfied that we had a good trip and enjoyed 3 UNESCO World Heritage monuments.

Many more photos of the Agra trip at this location.

Location of the Taj Mahal on Google Maps:

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And so we entered the complex. In the beginning of the complex, you cannot see the white structured tomb, you are in a small lane with some trees and smaller structures on both sides that seem to be used as offices by the Archaeological Survey of India. You can see a Gateway, a tall structure through which you pass. As you move towards the Gateway, you can see the white marble construction of the tomb through the Gateway and finally start to get a glimpse of the structure that draws a huge number of crowds every year.

A zoomed image of the Taj Mahal as visible from the Agra Fort

A glimpse of the Taj Mahal through the small outer gate

A diffused view of the outer gate of the Taj Mahal compound and a water fountain

As you are crossing the Gateway, there is a huge rush to get a photo where people can pose with the Taj in the background; given the queue for this act, we decide to move on and not spend the 10 – 15 minutes needed to negotiate this queue as well. As soon as you cross the Gateway, you see a beautiful site, with water pools and fountains leading towards the structure of the Taj Mahal, and green lawns on either side. The whole appearance, seen in numerous photos, looks incredibly beautiful (the photographer in me was hoping for a chance to get a shot when there would not be a tourist visible, but no chance. The only way would have been to come at a time when tourists were not allowed (not possible), or to take numerous shots from the same location so that I could paint out each tourist one by one inside Photoshop Elements – I did not think that this worth the effort).

A view of the area in front of the Taj Mahal – greenery, fountains

A large number of tourists in front of the Taj Mahal in Agra

Another view of the Taj Mahal in Agra with a glimpse of buildings to either side

As you reach the complex of the wonderful white structure, you cannot help but admire the magnificence of such a construction, and the amount of love that would have been in the eyes of an emperor to construct such a monument in the memory of his dead wife (who died when bearing their 14th child). The Taj Mahal (description on Wikipedia) was constructed over a 22 year period by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his dead wife Mumtaz Mahal, and is known the world over. The structure was started in 1632 and completed in 1653, and is now a UNESCO World Heritage monument (although it is under threat of damage from pollution). Shah Jahan was also famous for some of his other buildings such as the Red Fort in Delhi, and the extensions done to the Agra Fort, but construction of the Taj Mahal in white marble was a remarkable new effort at that point of time.
The main white structure of the Taj Mahal is built on a raised platform, and the actual tomb of the empress is in a lower section of the structure (now closed off to the public, with a fake tomb at the ground level); the body of the emperor is buried right next to the empress, and destroys the symmetry of the whole structure. There are 4 minarets surrounding the central dome, inclined slightly outward so that in the event of an earthquake, the minarets will fall away from the dome. Since the raised structure is actually a tomb where prayers are also held, it is forbidden to wear shoes. The complex is open from 9 AM – 7 PM, except on Friday when it is only open for 2 hours in the afternoon for Islamic prayers. During tourist seasons, there can be long queues to get inside the tomb so be prepared to wait, or go there early.

A beautiful angular view of the marble structure of the Taj Mahal

A side view of the Taj Mahal along with the raised platform on which it is built

View of the side of the Taj Mahal along with the minaret to the side

A minaret of the Taj Mahal, half in shade and half in light

Next to the tomb, there are other structures, and the Yamuna is visible from the backside of the monument; however, consider the magnificence of the monument, most people will ignore the other structures and concentrate on the main monument. Next part of this series will contain the trip to Fatehpur Sikri.

An angular view of the Palace next to the Taj Mahal

The once majestic Yamuna river next to the Taj Mahal

Many more photos of the Agra trip at this location.

Hotel Atithi in Agra on Google Maps:

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We reached around noon, and after resting for some time, decided to move towards Agra Fort (description on Wikipedia). We took a local conveyance from the hotel rather than taking our own vehicle, and it was a pretty short distance. Agra Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage monument, and is fairly well maintained. The fort was the headquarters from which most of the Mughals ruled over their vast kingdom, and remains an imposing structure. It is also well frequented by tourists on holidays, so you would need to spend a bit of time in a queue when entering, but after that initial wait, it is perfectly fine inside (although the entry rates are so low that a huge amount of people are always visiting). We had taken a guide when we were entering the fort, and he explained the various palaces, buildings and other structures inside the fort to us.

Tourists walking from the outside gate to the inner gate of the Agra Fort

A view of the well maintained main gate of the Agra Fort along with a huge lawn in front

A beautiful green central square inside the Agra Fort

We really enjoyed the fort, and it took us a couple of hours inside; we saw the separate palaces for the queens and princesses, as well as saw the section where the emperor Shah Jahan was confined, when he was usurped by his son Aurangzeb, locked up inside the fort with a view across the river to the Taj Mahal (the burial spot for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal). This specific location was cordoned off from public view and nobody was allowed to enter.

A small tomb in the courtyard of the Diwan-e-Aam in the Agra Fort

A sample of the architecture of one of the inner buildings inside the Agra Fort

Beautiful building in the Agra Fort

The brightness of the sun over the Agra Fort

The sun peeking through the outer fence of the Agra Fort

Tourists gathered around one of the fountains in the Taj Mahal complex

After exiting the fort, we decided to head over to the Taj Mahal (it was now late afternoon), but the huge queue over there (especially since we did not know whether mobile phones and other possessions were allowed inside) caused a bit of wait. Finally we had to call off the visit since there was no chance that we could get inside (the queue was expected to take another hour, and closing time was in 30 minutes). We decided to visit the Taj Mahal the first thing the next morning.

Many more photos of the Agra trip at this location.

The still remaining tall structure of the St. Augustine Church in Goa, now in ruins

Base platform of the ruins of St. Augustine Church in Goa

Next up, we visited the 2 side-by-side churches called the Dom Basilica Church, and the Se Cathedral. Both of them look real difficult. To reach there, the parking is located on the road next to the Dom Basilica Church and there is a short walk through a path lined with trees on both sides.

People braving the rain to go the Dom Basilica

Downpour outside as visible from the Dom Basilica in Goa

The Basilica of Bom Jesus or Basilica of Good Jesus (Portuguese: Basílica do Bom Jesus) is a World Heritage site located in Goa, and also holds the mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier, with the church name referring to the infant Jesus. The church construction was started in 1594 and completed in 1605 when it was consecrated by Archbishop, Dom Fr. Aleixo de Menezes. The church is also famous since it holds the remains of the Saint Francis Xavier, who founded the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) along with St. Ignatius Loyola. The remains of the Saint attract a huge number of visitors, especially once every 10 years when the body is made available for public viewing (last done in 2004). The inside of the Church was very beautiful and solemn, although sections of the Church seemed like a Spanish villa with an inner courtyard having a garden.

The body of St. Francis Xavier in the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Goa

View of inner greenery of the courtyard inside the Dom Basilica in Goa

Statue of saint inside the Dom Basilica in Goa

Next to the Dom Basilica (across the road) is the Se Cathedral, also known as the Sé Cathedral of Santa Catarina, is dedicated to Catherine of Alexandria, and is a huge and beautiful building, with some excellent indoor structure and very beautiful outdoors. The Cathedral was built starting in 1562, completed in 1619, and consecrated in 1640, and was built to celebrate the victory of Portuguese under Afonso de Albuquerque over a Muslim army in 1510 (which led to the conquest of Goa), and was named after Saint Catherine since the day when victory happened was on the day of the feast of Saint Catherine.

Beautiful view of the Se Cathedral from outside with greenery

Inside the Se Cathedral in Goa

Chandelier hanging from the roof of the Se Cathedral in Goa

Sculpture of Jesus Christ on a cross inside the Se Cathedral in Goa

After spending a couple of hours at these 2 beautiful churches, we moved on, visiting a Hindu temple, the famous Shri Mangueshi Temple, Goa. It was drizzling slightly, so there was some amount of mud and ditches, but the inner compound of the temple was relatively much cleaner. We went inside the temple, said our prayers, visited the tower, and then moved on. By this time, we were ready for lunch, and we were also enticed by the prospect of visiting a local spice plantation. These are large tracts of land on which spices are grown organically, and they also give you an organic lunch and a trip around the plantation where you can see their growing habits and learn about which spices grow on which plants along with seasons. It was pretty exciting to go there. The trip to a spice plantation can however cost you around Rs. 400 per head to go inside and do the trip.

Exterior architecture of the Mangueshi Temple in Goa

After the spice plantation, it was back to the water. We were not interested in visiting the Miramar beach since we were running short of time and light in the sky, and so we headed to a different type of beach, called Dona Paula. The place is a expensive and luxurious place to live, and is named after the daughter of a Portuguese viceroy who threw herself off the cliff when she was refused permission to marry a local fisherman. However, this is not a typical beach, more of a beachfront and where there is an observation tower located at a height from where you get a good view. You typically do not work along sand with water next to you.

After all this, we were attracted by the notion of a 1 hour cruise on the River Mandovi. There are these numerous water cruisers (not very attractive) which carry you aboard and for a one hour cruise for Rs. 150. You sit on plastic seats, with a local band providing the music or can go to the open upper deck (but since it is night, you do not see anything much). Having done this cruise, I can say that you will not miss much if you do not do this cruise.

On board entertainment on river cruise in Goa – boring

Many photos of Goa at this location.

History of Luxor: Luxor was a very famous part of Egyptian history, being earlier known as Thebes, the capital of the New Kingdom. The city started becoming more important in the time of the 11th dynasty, when the town became a big town with important people living in it. It also became a center for religion, art, and the wise. As the Pharaohs who were based here became more powerful militarily, the city became famous even outside Egypt. However, as things rise, they also fall, and it was during the time of the Late Period that Luxor started losing its power, as the political center of Egypt shifted to cities in the north. But, since the city was the center of the powerful god Amon-Ra, Thebes never lost its religious influence, even upto the time of the Greeks when Egypt became less powerful.

Location of Luxor, Egypt on Google Maps:

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Places to visit in Luxor: When you have a location that is so full of history, it is good to know more about the places to see, so that you can draw up your own list. Luxor primarily has 3 different regions for the purpose of tourism; temples and others inside the City of Luxor on the East side of the Nile; the famous town of Karnak just north of Luxor; and the old city of Thebes, (called Waset by the ancient Egyptians), which is on the west side of the Nile across from Luxor.

The City of Luxor:

The Luxor temple does not take very long to visit, and can be visited in a period of around 1 hour. The Temple is situated in the center of the town, and was built by the New Kingdom Pharaoh Amenophis III. It looks really spectacular. The hours are 9am – 6pm and admission is 20 Egyptian Pounds.

We talked about Luxor being a large museum by itself, but as for an actual museum, you have The Mummification Museum. It provides visitors with an understanding of the ancient art of mummification, and answers all the questions you could ever have on this topic. Who knew that reptiles, birds as well as humans were mummified?! (Wikipedia)

The Luxor Museum houses many of the relics found at the Theben temples and necropolis on the west bank. The museum comes highly recommended because it will enrich your experience when you visit the rest of the sites. (Wikipedia). The museum was inaugurated in 1975.

The city of Karnak:

As you move north of Luxor, you get to a view of the magnificent Temples of Karnak (Wikipedia). In ancient times, the area around Karnak was actually known as Ipet-isut, which means ‘The most select of places’. The temple complex of Karnak was built over a time period of 1500 years and was the most important place of worship in ancient Egypt. The site is huge, measuring 1500 x 800 meters, and is a spectacular complex of sanctuaries, kiosks, pylons and obelisks, all dedicated to the Theban gods. The most spectacular view of this entire complex is the Hypostyle Hall in the Precinct of Amun-Re, a hall area of 50,000 sq ft (5,000 m2) with 134 massive columns arranged in 16 rows. The main deity was the god Amun, head of the Theban Triad; with the name of the complex being derived from the nearby modern village of el-Karnak, some 2.5 km north of Luxor.

Ancient Thebes (West Bank):

Crossing the Nile to the West of the city of Luxor lies the necropolis of ancient Thebes. Because there is so much to see and so much ground to cover, guided tours usually enter 3 tombs at the major archaelogical sites.

The Valley of the Kings: Names so because of Kings (Pharaohs) being buried here. This is where the pharaoh’s were buried and hoped to meet their Gods in the afterlife. Most famous because of the tomb of the boy Pharaoh, Tutankhamun’s tomb was discovered in the 1920′s and had remained almost untouched when it was found. However, King Tut was a minor Pharaoh, having lived for only a few years (he dies when he was around 18-19), and his history was also almost eradicated by the second pharaoh who came after him. These tombs have all suffered looting over the ages, and hence when King Tut’s tomb was found untouched, it was a marvellous find. These tombs contained those of the 18th to the 20th Dynasties, and were not like the earlier pyramids, but were cut into the rock and were more difficult to find and rob.

The Valley of the Queens: The Valley of the Queens lies at the southern end of the necropolis. This is where the queens and their children were interred. Only four tombs are open to the public in the Valley of the Queens and if you had to choose just one, it would have to be Queen Nefertari’s tomb, which is the most decorated ones, apparently because she was the favorite queen of the powerful Ramesses II. Tickets are limited to just 150 a day and you are only allowed in for 10 minutes, but it is worth the effort.

The Colossi of Memnon: Two giant statues make up the Colossi of Memnon. Most visitors get a glimpse of them on their way to the Valley of the Kings but it is worth a stop to see them up close.

How to get to Luxor: Since Luxor is so much on the tourist map, it is very well connected through flights, trains and taxis from most places, including from Cairo. Inside Luxor, you can even take a hot-air balloon ride (link)

Blogs / external articles:

1. Which monuments (Tombs / Temples) in Luxor are available when (link)

2. UCLA project related to Karnak (link)

3. Virtual Tourist (link). Detailed overview of the temples and other places in Luxor.

4. A detailed description of Luxor (link)

Even in ancient times, during the late Dynasties of the Greek and Roman periods, the area drew tourists, and has been doing so ever since. Today Luxor is well equipped to accommodate tourists with many hotels and in general a tourist industry ready and willing to serve the people from many countries that descend on this area of the Nile Valley every year.

5. Details of the Valley of the Kings, including the pharaohs buried there (link)

The Egyptian belief that “To speak the name of the dead is to make him live again” is certainly carried out in the building of the tombs. The king’s formal names and titles are inscribed in his tomb along with his images and statues. Beginning with the 18th Dynasty and ending with the 20th, the kings abandoned the Memphis area and built their tombs in Thebes. Also abandoned were the pyramid style tombs. Most of the tombs were cut into the limestone following a similar pattern: three corridors, an antechamber and a sunken sarcophagus chamber.

6. Valley of the Queens (link)

The Tomb of Queent Titi (Tomb 52): She is probably the queen of a 20th Dynasty. She is depicted with the sidelocks common to the Egyptian young of the period and in the presence of the gods Thoth, Atum, Isis and Nephthys. In the next chamber the queen is shown making offerings to Hathor the cow, and in the last chamber the gods Neith, Osiris, Selquit, Nephthys and Thoth.

7. Description of the Colossi of Memmon (link)

Due to an earthquake in 27 BC, these statues became known for a bell like tone that usually occurred in the morning due to rising temperatures and humidity. Thus they were equated by the early Greek travelers with the figure of Memnon, the son of Aurora who’s mother, Eos, was the goddess of dawn. To be granted a song meant that you were very much in favor of the gods. Visitors came from miles around to hear the music, including Emperor Hadrian, in 130 A.D. The Roman emperor Septimius Severus, seeking to repair the statues in 199 AD, inadvertently silenced them forever.

8. Guide to Luxor (link)

9. Wikipedia link of Luxor (link)

ater, the city was attacked by Assyrian emperor Assurbanipal who installed the Libyan prince on the throne, Psammetichus. The city of Thebes was in ruins and fell in significance. However, Alexander the Great did arrive at the temple of Amun, where the statue of the god was transferred from Karnak during the Opet Festival, the great religious feast. The grandeur of Thebes would still remain a site of spirituality, and attracted numerous Christian monks in the Roman Empire who established monasteries amidst several ancient monuments including the temple of Hatshepsut, now called Deir el-Bahri (“the northern monastery”).

Videos of Luxor on Youtube:

Luxor at night – Karnak – Hatshepsut

Egypt 2007 – Luxor King and Queen valley, Hatshepsut, Karnak

Temples in Luxor Egypt 2003

Karnak Temple Luxor Egypt

The Valley of the Kings, Luxor, Egypt

Colossi Of Memnon & Queen Hatshepsut’s Temple

Shopping Market Bazaar In Luxor Egypt

Valley of the Queens, Luxor, Egypt

Hot air ballooning over Luxor in Egypt

Luxor at night

Egypt (Eyewitness Travel Guides) (Paperback)

The Rough Guide to Egypt 7 (Rough Guide Travel Guides) (Paperback)

Global Treasures LUXOR Egypt – DVD

Cairo, Luxor and Aswan, 3rd (Cadogan Guides Cairo, Luxor, Aswan) (Paperback)

(Photo taken from Flickr)

Abu Simbel on Google Maps:

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Over the ages, the temples were lost to the sands of time, with sand covering them up; it was only in 1813 that Swiss orientalist JL Burckhardt discovered the top of the main temple, and it was only in another visit in 1817 that the Italian explorer Giovanni Belzoni (with whom Burckhardt had shared information about the visit) managed to enter the temple, and it was after that visit that the temple became famous among tourists. One curious fact is about why the temple is named ‘Abu Simbel’. This is apparently because there was a young boy who would guide the early discoverers to the site, and the temple got named after him.
The main view that people have of the temple is of the rock-cut façade where there are the four colossal seated figures of Ramses. This facade has impressive dimensions, being one 119 feet wide, and 100 feet high, and the colossal statues themselves are 67 feet in height. At the top of the pylon, is a row of stone baboons, (known as Watchers of the Dawn), with them being shown with their hands raised in adoration of the (rising) sun. The Egyptians believed baboons played a role in helping the sun god Ra defeat the darkness of night and so were believed sacred to the worship of the rising sun.
Another interesting fact about the design of the temples was the fact that they were designed to catch the rays of the sun on 2 specific days of the year – on February and October 20, the rays of the sun would get inside the depth of the temple and in a wonder of design, shine on the sculpture on the back wall, with just the exception of statue of Ptah (the god connected with the Underworld who always remained in the dark). There is no complete clarity on the reasons for these 2 dates, with supposition being that these dates are the king’s birthday and coronation day respectively, no confirmation though. When the temple was moved to prevent it from going underwater, this link was maintained.

How to get to Abu Simbel: Given that it is one of the most visited tourist site, there is a well defined way of getting there.

By flight: This is a less taken option, but there are flights from Cairo and Aswan to Abu Simbel. Egypt Air (http://www.egyptair.com) provides flights on this route.

By car: Because of security issues, foreigners cannot travel by car.

By bus: There are twice a day convoys that go from Aswan to Abu Simbel by coach or minibus, with police escort. These can be booked in advance, either through your travel agent, or through the hotel where you are booked.

Blogs / Articles:

1. Detailed view of Abu Simbel, including details of the temple (Wikipedia)

The complex consists of two temples. The larger one is dedicated to Ra-Harakhty, Ptah and Amun, Egypt’s three state deities of the time, and features four large statues of Ramesses II in the facade. The smaller temple is dedicated to the goddess Hathor, personified by Nefertari, Ramesses’s most beloved wife (in total, the pharaoh had some 200 wives and concubines). The temple is now open to the public.

2. Many photos at virtualtourist.com (link)

3. Travelblog.com (link)

4. Egypt’s Abu Simbel (link)

There are two temples in the complex. The larger one is dedicated to Egypt’s three deities (Re-Herakhty, Ptah, Amen) while the smaller temple is honored to goddess Hathor. As you enter these temples, you can see Ramses’ statues all around and for you to understand, Pharaoh Ramses has over two hundred wives and concubines.

5. catswhistertours.com (link)

Memories of Abu Simbel will linger with me for a long time, not least because the visit entailed a 2.30am start and a long coach drive through the desert to reach the site just after dawn broke. Like many equivalent sites in Egypt I felt I was just part of a mass tourism production line with quality of information and the overall visitor experience somewhat mediocre. Compared to this the quality of information etc., at a typical Historic Scotland site is on a different (higher) level, but that said the climates are not comparable and Egypt is not Scotland.

6. The Abu Simbel Relocation (link)

Lost once to the sands of the desert, Abu Simbel was almost lost for a second time when the construction of the Aswan High Dam threatened to submerge the site under the waters of Lake Nasser. The Egyptian government along with UNESCO and a team of engineers, scientists and archaeologists worked for four years to relocate the monument 200 feet from the original site.

7. Hotels in Sbu Simbel (link)

Nefertari Hotel Abu Simbel – This hotel offers comfortable accommodations and quality services to Abu Simbel travelers. It is situated along Antonion Ayouyo Street near T Lake Nasser. The city center is merely 2 kilometers away and the Abu Simbel Airport is merely 3 kilometers away.

8. Description of Abu Simbel by Professor Yasser Metwally along with photos and videos (link)

Between the legs and on each of their sides stand smaller statues of members of the royal family. The smaller statues of relatives were probably, for the first southern colossus: Queen Nefretari by the left leg, the king’s mother, the great wife of Seti I, Muttuya by his right leg, and Prince Amenhirkhopshef in front. For the second southern colossus, Princess Bent’anta stood by the left leg, Princess Nebettawyby the left, and one unnamed female figure, probably that of a lesser royal wife named Esenofre.

9. Description of the temple (link)

Four colossal 20 meter statues of the pharaoh with the double Atef crown of Upper and Lower Egypt decorate the facade of the temple, which is 35 meters wide and is topped by a frieze with 22 baboons, worshippers of the sun and flank the entrance. The colossal statues were sculptured directly from the rock in which the temple was located before it was moved. All statues represent Ramesses II, seated on a throne and wearing the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt. The statue to the left of the entrance was damaged in an earthquake, leaving only the lower part of the statue still intact. The head and torso can still be seen at the statue’s feet.

Photos of Abu Simbel: No Photos allowed inside the temple.

1. At the door of Nefertari (Ramses wife) temple in Abu Simbel, Egypt right before sunrise (link)

2. Photos of the temple and relief paintings (link)

3. Photos of Abu Simbel at travelphoto.net (link)

4. Abu Simbel Photos at trekearth.com (link)

5. Large photos at this blog (link)

6. Photo Gallery of Abu Simbel at National Geographic (link)

7. Photos at Fotosearch (link)

8. Photos inside the temple at Abu Simbel, some beautiful photos (link)

9. Links to more photos at Infohub.com (link)

10. Photos of Abu Simbel with description (link)

Videos about Abu Simbel at Youtube:

See Abu Simbel in Egypt – Things to do before you die – BBC

Travelogue about Egypt by John Sawyer

Abu Simbel Two Temples Egypt

Egypt’s most famous temple, a clip from “King Tut, Ramses and Me”, a free Intrepid Berkeley Explorer video of time travel in Egypt

Aswan/Abu Simbel

Global Treasures – ABU SIMBEL – Egypt

Some books / Videos:

The Mysteries of Abu Simbel: Ramesses II and the Temples of the Rising Sun (Paperback)

Global Treasures ABU SIMBEL Egypt:

National Geographic: Engineering Egypt (2007)

Historic Print (S): The sixty-five foot portrait statues of Ramses II, before rockhewn temple of Abu Simbel

Luxor Illustrated: With Aswan, Abu Simbel, and the Nile (Paperback)

Abu Simbel Posters:
1. Ramses Temple and the Nile Shoreline at Abu Simbel Photographic Poster Print by David Boyer, 56×42
2. Night View of the Temple and Statues at Abu Simbel Photographic Poster Print by O. Louis Mazzatenta, 64×48
3. Large Statues in Temple at Abu Simbel Photographic Poster Print by Eliot Elisofon, 24×32
4. The Temple of Re-Herakhte for Ramses II, Abu Simbel Photographic Poster Print by Robert Harding, 16×12

Angkor Wat on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

Places to stay: In Siem Reap, you can find many places to stay, at all price ranges, starting from ‘guesthouses’ that offer basic facilities at $10 per day to the luxury of hotels at $200-$300 per day. Some places to stay are:

Luxury:
Grand Hotels d’Angkor
Le Meridien Angkor
Ankor Palace Spa Resort
FCC Angkor

Mid range:
Bopha Angor Hotel
Passaggio Hotel
Auberge Mont Royale
Molly’s Malone Guesthouse
Ankor Discover Inn

Guesthouses (the most economical):
Naga Guesthouse
Earthwalkers
Garden Village
Angkor Thom Hotel
Mommy Guesthouse
Royal Hotel
Red Lodge
Angkor Thom Hotel

How to get to Siem Reap:
Siem Reap is the access point for getting to Angkor Wat. You can fly there directly from regional hubs such as Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore.

External articles / sites / blogs:

1. Sacredsites.com (link)

During half-millennia of Khmer occupation, the city of Angkor became a pilgrimage destination of importance throughout Southeastern Asia. Sacked by the Thais in 1431 and abandoned in 1432, Angkor was forgotten for a few centuries. Wandering Buddhist monks, passing through the dense jungles, occasionally came upon the awesome ruins. Recognizing the sacred nature of the temples but ignorant of their origins, they invented fables about the mysterious sanctuaries, saying they had been built by the gods in a far ancient time. Centuries passed, these fables became legends, and pilgrims from the distant reaches of Asia sought out the mystic city of the gods. A few adventurous European travelers knew of the ruins and stories circulated in antiquarian circles of a strange city lost in the jungles. Most people believed the stories to be nothing more than legend however, until the French explorer Henri Mouhot brought Angkor to the world’s attention in 1860. The French people were enchanted with the ancient city and beginning in 1908 funded and superbly managed an extensive restoration project. The restoration has continued to the present day, excepting periods in the 70′s and 80′s when military fighting prevented archaeologists from living near the ruins.

2. Map of Angkor Wat (link)
3. UNESCO World Heritage site (link)

Angkor is one of the most important archaeological sites in South-East Asia. Stretching over some 400 km2, including forested area, Angkor Archaeological Park contains the magnificent remains of the different capitals of the Khmer Empire, from the 9th to the 15th century. They include the famous Temple of Angkor Wat and, at Angkor Thom, the Bayon Temple with its countless sculptural decorations. UNESCO has set up a wide-ranging programme to safeguard this symbolic site and its surroundings.

4. Translation of Maurice Glaize’s 1944 guide (link)
5. Holiday in Angkor Wat (link). With some great pictures.

Angkor Wat is an amazing place! The temple, the long galleries of detailed bas-relief carvings, the steep stairs, the history! Since it’s rediscovery in the 1800s, (with the exception of the civil war period) this historic temple has received a steady stream of visitors.

Photo Gallery:
1. molon.de (link)
2. National Geographic (link)
3. Sacred Destinations (link)
4. pbase.com (link)
5. Images of Asia (link)
6. VietVisionTravel (link)
7. Photo Indo China.com (link)
8. Photo Gallery of Angkor Wat (link)
9. On Flickr (link)

Videos on Angkor Wat from Youtube:

Angkor Wat BBC Documentary Description Video Siem Reip

Digging for the Truth: Angkor Wat – Part 1

Digging for the Truth: Angkor Wat – Part 2

Digging for the Truth: Angkor Wat – Part 3

Digging for the Truth: Angkor Wat – Part 4

Digging for the Truth: Angkor Wat – Part 5

ANGKOR WAT – FIRST EXPEDITION TO CAMBODIA 1880/81