India and Nepal

Coming September 2009!

Indian - Delhi, Agra, Fatehpur Sikir, and Jaipur
Nepal - Kathmandu and flight around Mt. Everest

Amman & the Dead Sea

Amman & the Dead Sea

Last day of the trip. I can’t believe how fast this all went. It only seems like yesterday we were on the flight to Cairo.

Today was another full day in Jordan. We visited four sites. I have to admit, I was the most excited about the Dead Sea.

• Amman Citadel
• Jordan Archaeological Museum
• Roman Amphitheatre
• Jerash
• Dead Sea

Amman Citadel
The Hill of the Citadel (Jabal al-Qal'a) in the middle of Amman was occupied as early as the Neolithic period, and fortified during the Bronze Age (1800 BC). The ruins on the hill today are Roman through early Islamic. The name "Amman" comes from "Rabbath Ammon," or "Great City of the Ammonites," who settled in the region some time after 1200 BC. The Bible records that King David captured the city in the early 10th century BC; Uriah the Hittite, husband of King David's paramour Bathsheba, was killed here after the king ordered him to the front line of battle.

In ancient times, Amman with its surrounding region was successively ruled by the then-superpowers of the Middle East: Assyria (8th century BC), Babylonia (6th century), the Ptolemies, the Seleucids (third century BC), Rome (1st century BC), and the Umayyads (7th century AD). Renamed "Philadelphia" after himself by Ptolemy II Philadelphus, the city was incorporated into Pompey the Great's province of Syria, and later into the province of Arabia created by Trajan (106 AD). As the southernmost city of the Decapolis, Philadelphia prospered during Imperial times due to its advantageous location alongside Trajan's new trade and administrative road, the Via Nova Traiana.

When Transjordan passed into Arab rule in the 7th century AD, its Umayyad rulers restored the city's original name of Amman. Neglected under the Abbasids and abandoned by the Mamlukes, the city's fortunes did not revive until the late 19th century, under the Ottoman empire. Amman became the capital of the Emirate of Transjordan in 1921, and of the newly-created Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in 1947. Greater Amman (the core city plus suburbs) today remains by far the most important urban area in Jordan, containing over half of the country's population or about 3 million out of 5 million people.
In the Citadel, beside the Jordan Archaeological Museum, three important structures can be viewed:

The Byzantine Church
The remains of a small Byzantine Basilica. Corinthian columns mark the site, which is thought to date from the 6th or 7th century AD. Unfortunately, we didn't get any pictures of the site. I'm not quite sure how that happened.

Temple of Hercules
About 100 meters south of the church is what is thought to have been the Temple of Hercules, today also known as the Great Temple of Amman. The temple was built in the reign of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius (161-180 AD). In ancient times, the center piece in the temple was the statue of Hercules himself. It would have been amssive and impressive. The picture on the right is a replica of the right hand of the statue. In the background you can see a window. This is a standard sized window. There is even legend that the statue spoke. I wonder if the statue's voice sounded familiar to anyone?

Umayyad Palace Complex
The most impressive building of the Citadel is known simply as Al-Qaser (the Palace), which dates back to the Islamic Umayyad period around 720 AD. Its exact function is unknown, but the building includes a monumental gateway, cruciform audience hall and four vaulted chambers. A colonnaded street runs through the complex and to the north and east, ruins of the palace grounds are visible.

Jordan Archaeological Museum
Of everything there were two exhibits that caught my eye the most in the museum – the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Ancestor Statues.

Below are replicas of what the Dead Sea Scrolls would have looked like when hammered into copper by the original craftsman. The elements have taken their toll on the true Dead Sea Scroll. Each original scroll was highly corroded and had to be carefully dismantled to be read. Portions of the scrolls are available for viewing at the museum and unfortunately, the “NO PICTURE” sign was accessorized by a very large, grumpy man. My English skills were well in tact during that portion of the tour. But, I did snap a few pics of the reliplicas.

The second exhibit to catch my eye was the Ancestor Status. Approximately 30 of these enigmatic and appealing statues, ranging between 2 and 3 feet in height and looking rather like kindly extraterrestrials to modern eyes, were discovered in 1983 and 1985 during road construction on the outskirts of Amman.

When found, the statues had been deliberately buried underneath the floors of uninhabited houses, echoing the widespread neolithic practice of burying important family members (such as clan heads) under the floors of their own homes. The Jordanian statues were most likely fashioned for ancestor worship, painted and adorned, and revered in a special place by the community. When no longer needed or remembered, the figures were eventually disposed of by symbolic "reburial." Although it is difficult to prove such a theory, it is consistent with what is known about in the Far East, Europe, Africa, etc.

Petra

November 2

What a day! It was a long hike in and a longer hike out! But well worth it. We only ended up seeing about half of what there is to see at Petra. I need to go back and spend a day or two just walking, looking, and climbing. Especially when my husband isn’t half dead. I have to give him credit, bless his heart, sicker than sick and he trooped right through the day! He even managed to get on a horse while having digestive issues.

About Petra…Rekem is an ancient name for Petra and appears in Dead Sea scrolls associated with Mount Seir. The name Petra was assigned at a later date. Petra changed ownership several times throughout its history. Under Nabataean rule, Petra rose to her full strength and the centre of the Nabataean caravan trade. Perhaps the most remarkable of all Nabataean achievements is the hydraulic engineering systems they developed including water conservation systems and the dams that were constructed to divert the rush of swollen winter waters that create flash floods. These early aqueducts were discovered during in the Siq (Gorge or Canyon) excavations.

Originally, we were suppose to take horses throughout all of Petra but due to the treat of rain we were required to go on foot. But! We were able to ride the first mile or so and I loved every second of it. Since I had experience riding before, the guide pretty much let me take over and just stayed near me. Even had my nag (older female horse), suspiciously named “Mickey Mouse” at a trot for a while. She didn’t seem to mind it and I got to go back and forth a few times while waiting for the rest of the group to show. While riding "Mickey Mouse" we past the first set of ruins - The Obelisk Tomb and Bab as-Siq Triclinium!

The Obelisk Tomb and Bab as-Siq Triclinium

The Obelisk Tomb and Bab as-Siq Triclinium is two separate monuments, stacked on top of each other: the Obelisk Tomb (upper) and Bab as-Siq Triclinium (lower). The four great obelisks of the Obelisk Tomb, with a figure in a niche in the center, guard a rock-hewn cave containing burials.

The lower half, the Bab as-Siq Triclinium, functioned as a dining room (triclinium) where feasts were held in honor of the dead - a practice that was also common among the Romans. The interior is a single room with rock-carved benches on all three sides.

Across the road from these monuments is an inscription in Nabatean and Greek, recording that Abdmank chose this site to build his tomb. This may or may not refer to the tombs across the road.

The Siq

Wadi al-Mudhlim (the Siq) itself begins where the path drops sharply down. The entrance to the Siq was originally marked by an ornamental arch; it collapsed in 1896, but its decorated abutments survive.

The Siq is not technically a gorge, as it was formed not by erosion but tectonic forces, which caused the the rock to split dramatically in half. It was only then that the waters of the Wadi Musa flowed in and the winds blew through the newly-formed gap, gradually rounding the sharp edges into smooth curves. Today, the Siq is a meandering path between beautifully-colored sandstone cliffs about 150m high on each side. Occasionally the path widens enough to allow in warm sunlight and even a tree; other times it becomes so narrow (as little as 2 meters apart) that the stone seems to block out virtually all heat, light, and sound.

Along the way are some small niches, shrines and carvings to investigate, and running alongside the length of the Siq are water channels carved by the Nabateans to provide water to the city of Petra. Anticipation builds as the walk goes on, and the end of the Siq is a dramatic moment - planned that way by the Nabateans to impress their visitors. The gorge narrows, and the soft curves of the Siq frame a sunlit strip of an extraordinary sight: the Treasury.

The Treasury

The Treasury was probably constructed in the 1st century BC. As its design has no precedent in Petra, it is thought that it was carved by Near-Eastern Hellenistic architects. What is scene today is only a small glimpse of how grand the Treasury, and most of the other buildings, was in its day. Up close you can visibly see small, cubes but out of the rock face. Each of these cubes has “feet” inside of it. These forms are in the interior and exteriors. Originally, these held the marble facades that covered the outside and inside of the buildings. I should note, there is no marbe in the immediate area. I was all brought in at a great cost.

The purpose of the Treasury remains something of a mystery. One thing that is fairly certain, however, is that it was not a treasury. In reality, the Treasury is generally believed to be a temple or a royal tomb, but neither conclusion is certain.

The tomb/temple got its popular name from the Bedouin belief that pirates hid ancient pharoanic treasures in the tholos (giant stone urn) which stands in the center of the second level. In an attempt to release the treasure, Bedouins periodically fired guns at it — the bullet holes which are still clearly visible on the urn.

When the first Western visitors arrived at Petra in the 19th century, a stream ran from Siq and across the plaza. The stream has since been diverted and the plaza leveled for the sake of tourists.

I’m sorry to disappoint, but there were no secret walkways, Crusade era monks, or Harrison Ford present then day we visited.

Some of the other buildings, faunta, and such....

Taybet Zaman

October 31 (Part 3)

After arrive in Jordan we were in for a 3 hr bus trip to our accommodations near Petra. Nothing is more excruciating then 3 hrs in a bus after a flight crammed in the middle seat! But…we survived and arrived at our hotel: Taybet Zaman. This is the hotel I had been waiting to stay at the entire time.

A little about the hotel….Below the Desert Highway in the Taybet Mountains lies the old Jordanian village of Taybeh. Once a lively village near the sacred mountains of Petra, it was almost deserted as a living community during the 1960's when its inhabitants moved toward modernization.

After much debate about what to do with the old village, the former Mayor of Taybeh, Abu Firas proposed turning the village into a tourist hideaway, thereby creating a partnership with the local community. The end result was a recycled village, owned, rebuilt, and run by the locals, keeping the community and its heritage alive and spurring growth.

Taybet Zaman was restored with respect to authenticity of materials, environment, and regional style resulting in a preservation of culture, recycling of materials, and an experience its guests will forever remember.

And remember it forever we will. You really feel like you are walking around an old village – there are small gardens here and there where they grow herbs and some of the foods they use and at night, you can hear the animals off in the distance.

While there we decided to use the opportunity to check out the Turkish Baths. It was an “experience”. For those who don’t know…The Turkish bath is the Middle Eastern variant of a steam bath, which can be categorized as a wet relative of the sauna. A person taking a Turkish bath first relaxes in a room (known as the warm room) that is heated by a continuous flow of hot, dry air allowing the bather to perspire freely. Bathers may then move to an even hotter room (known as the hot room) before splashing themselves with cold water. After performing a full body wash and receiving a massage, bathers finally retire to the cooling-room for a period of relaxation. The weird part of the experience was the full body wash and massage. Let’s just say, I’m glad my husband was there. You’re topless during the bath and it was a guy giving it. My husband stayed in the room with me the entire time without even a hint from me that he should stay. Had the “I am the husband!” look on his face. It was funny. While I did feel odd about it all I was incredibly relaxed. Would I do it again? Maybe…if my husband was there.

After the bath we went to our rooms, cleaned up, and off to DINNER! This was, by far, the best food of the entire trip! I was in heaven and had 3 large plates of food. There were two tables covered in Middle Eastern/Mediterranean Salads. I tried every single one of them. I probably should have stopped there. Then I started on the hot food tables…you name it and it was there. The best fish I’ve eaten anywhere (in the Middle of the Desert!), incredible lamb in a buttery yogurt sauce and ox tail…yes I ate ox tail and I liked it! After that I saw the freshly made falafel. Orgasmic! There was also a dessert table with French inspired pastries. I had far too many other delicious foods to add something in my stomach that wasn’t local. I am now on a mission to find a falafel recipe and make them just as good myself.

Unfortunately, we had two problems though:

1. My husband became VERY ill that evening. I blame the Hooka the night before. He looked pretty bad by the he finished and we went back up to our room
2. We only stayed one night.

The next morning we were packed up and were off to Petra….and finally had the opportunity to really see the landscape. I can’t imagine living here! The terrain is majestically terrifying. I couldn’t help but remember back the Bible stories I learneda as a child about the Israelites leaving Egypt. They would have gone through this land and crossed similar terrain. You would really have to be desperate in my opinion to do that. Just the bus going up and down the hill was a bit harsh…I can’t imagine moving thousands, if not millions, of people and all of their households over this. A much tougher breed than me!

Review of Cairo

First Impression: Stinky
Best Memory: Seeing the Pyramids and the Sphinx
Worst Memory: Observing the Poverty
Food Review: Not my liking. Overly spiced.
Return Trip: Yes! I want to see Upper Egypt and spend more time at the Museum in Cairo
Lessons Learned: Bring more American junk food

Dinner Cruise & Hooka

October 31 (Part 2)

My last event in Cairo (except leaving) was the Dinner Cruise down the Nile. Translation – the Blue Haired Little Old Lady Cruise down the Nile. The next tour I take with this group I’ll buy everything ad hoc. Half of the extra (Light Show and Dinner Cruise) were really just not worth it.

Dinner was tasty enough on the cruise. Entertainment was nice as well. Only one problem – I apparently had another affliction besides translation and reading issues – a big giant stamp that says PICK SARAH TO GET UP AND MAKE A FOOL OUT OF HERSELF! No less than four times I was drug out of my seat and pulled in front of everybody to do some dance or something.

Of the night, I did manage to get a video of this guy before he also drag me in front of everyone. At the end of the video you can hear me protesting not wanting to go up in front of everybody - AGAIN!

And now, the hooka. My husband has been nuts for ages to smoke a Hooka. He did a few time in college and decided it was the coolest thing ever. So, when in Cairo....Brian smoked on the Hooka for about an hour. He made himself sick! I took two puffs and decided that it wasn't my thing. The woman in the background is Kimberly.

So there's Cairo for you.

Coptic Cairo, Churches, Mosques, and General Insanity

October 31 (Part 1)

Yet another insanely busy day

• Coptic Quarter (Black Cairo)
• Christian and Jewish Quarters of the Old City
• Hanging Church
• Ben Ezra Synagogue
• Mosque of Madrasa of Sultan Hassan
• Citadel of Mohamed Ali
• The Bazaar

Coptic Quarter

The area know today as Coptic Cairo was settled as early as the 6th century BC. When it was originally settled (pre-pyramids) it was known as Kmt (Keme) which means Black. Over time the word changed into Coptic. The meaning of the world also changed from Black to Old. So essentially Coptic just means Old.

Eventually the Romans, recognizing the strategic importance of the region, built the Babylon Fortress in the area. The area was at the time at the mouth of an ancient canal that once connected the Nile to the Red Sea. The Holy Family visited the area during the Flight into Egypt. Following the spread of Christianity in Egypt, numerous churches were built in this part of Cairo to celebrate the Holy Family’s visit. At one point, as many as twenty churches were located within an area of just one square mile (only five have survived). After the Romans and Christians the Muslims eventually took up residence in both Coptic Cairo and the rest of Egypt.

One thing of note that is generally ignored throughout most of the Western World. When the Muslims originally settled in Egypt, they purposefully did NOT destroy the churches and synagogues in place. In their eyes, these were sacred buildings and those worshipped in them were not infidels but simply had their focus on a prior prophet.

Hanging Church

Saint Virgin Mary's Coptic Orthodox Church also known as the Hanging Church (El Muallaqa) is one of the oldest churches in Egypt and the history of a church on this site dates to the 3rd century A.D.

The Hanging (The Suspended) Church is named for its location above a gatehouse of Babylon Fortress, the Roman fortress in Coptic Cairo (Old Cairo); its nave is suspended over a passage. The church is approached by 29 steps; early travelers to Cairo dubbed it "the Staircase Church." The land surface has risen by some 6 meters since the Roman period so that the Roman tower is mostly buried below ground, reducing the visual impact of the church's elevated position. The entrance from the street is through iron gates under a pointed stone arch. The nineteenth century facade with twin bell towers is then seen beyond a narrow courtyard decorated with modern art biblical designs. Up the steps and through the entrance is a further small courtyard leading to the eleventh century outer porch.

Needless to say, the church and the entry was beautiful, as was the service. I've been too several services across different denominations - Protestant and Catholic and now wonder, why did all of the symbolism die such as it did? There was something almost mystical about this service. Everyone in the room was entirely transfixed on what was going on. Simply breathtaking.

My apologies for the imperfections in the photograph. As services were taking place, I did not want to use a flash or anything that would disrupt the worshippers.

Ben Ezra Synagogue

The Synagogue of Ben Ezra was originally named El-Shamieen Church, and is situated behind the “hanging church”. The Synagogue once had an old copy of the Old Testament, and it was said that Ezra the Prophet (Al-Azir) had written it.

It is believed that the site of the Synagogue was where the box of Baby Moses was found. ”. In the Encyclopedia Britannica, a Synagogue is described as “A prayer place for the Jews”. In old Greek it means: “The usual place where the Jews assemble to receive religious teachings and to worship” Some of these Temples were built close to a source of water, as much as for protection from any attack, not just for ablution!

The Ben Ezra Synagogue was originally a Christian church that the Copts had to sell, to the Jews, in 882A.D in order to pay the annual taxes imposed by the Muslim rulers of the time, and therefore Abraham Ben Ezra, who came from Jerusalem during the reign of Ahmed Ibn Tulun, bought the church for the sum of 20,000 dinars.

Through the centuries, the Synagogue received extensive restorations and renovations until it reached its present state. The present building dates back to 1892; the original one had collapsed and a new one was built, echoing it.

It would seem that through the course of my trip I kept having hearing and English issues. This time I also seemed to experience an inability to read. So, the No Photographs translated to be very sneaky and don't use the flash. No flashes were used in the photography of the Synagogue as to not damage any of the surfaces.

Mosque of Madrasa of Sultan Hassan

This mosque is considered one of the largest, not only in Cairo but in the whole Islamic world. It is also full if intrigue and mystery. During its construction and subsequent reconstructions many "accidents" occurred to the high profile individuals involved.
The Mosque of Madrasa of Sultan Hassan is very typical of warm, arid climates and is comprised of 4 mains parts:

• Courtyard (Men and Women enter through different gates)
• Prayer Chambers for Men
• Prayer Chambers for Women
• The Sahn (Interior Courtyard for Cleaning)

The design of this Mosque and smilar Mosques in the area helps provide a natural cooling system for the worshippers inside. On the day we visited, the exterior streets and Courtyard were around 90F. Inside of the Prayer Chambers it was easily 20F cooler.

For more on the Mosque of Madrasa of Sultan Hassan see >> http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/hassanmosque.htm.

The last place we visited to day was Citadel of Mohamed Ali. No, not the boxer!

The Mosque built by Mohamed Ali sits within the Citadel established by Salah ad-Din. The area where the Citadel is now located began it's life not as a great military base of operations, but as the "Dome of the Wind", a pavilion created in 810 by Hatim Ibn Hartama, who was then governor. Between 1176 and 1183, Salah ad-Din (Saladin to Westerners 1171-1193 AD), an Abbasid Ruler, fortified the area to protect it against attacks by the Crusaders, and since then, it has never been without a military garrison. Originally it served as both a fortress and a royal city. The actual Mosque of Mohamed Ali is the largest such structure built during the first half of the 19th century.

Between this the Mohamed Ali and the Hassan Mosque, I think I actually prefer the appearance of the Hassan Mosque. It is very apparent that the Mohamed Ali Mosque was built for the primary purpose of demonstrating wealth. It’s really sad actually. The Hassan Mosque is simple and beautiful as it is.

Enough of my complaining about overly done opulence. When we arrived at the Mohamed Ali Mosque they were has just begun Friday prayers and we had to wait for them to finish – no big deal. In the mean time, our guide was able to procure for us a visit into a neighboring mosque within the Citadel - Mosque of Al Nasir Mohammad Ibn Qalaun. This Mosque closely resembled the same architecture as the Hassan Mosque from earlier in the day.

Finally, we were admitted entrance to the Mohamed Ali Mosque. I was really surprised that in neither the Al Nasi Mosque nor the Mohamed Mosque that the tourist women were not required to cover ourselves as we had done in the Hussan Mosque (the “Obiwan Kenobi” pic as my husband calls it). The inside was just stunningly opulent. Everything was carved, painted, and gilded in gold. To me, it looked more like a gothic church.

A couple items of note in the Mohamed Ali Mosque:

1. The domes. I really wish I could have taken better pictures – must buy a better camera. These domes act as a natural air conditioning system for the Mosque. When we arrived hundreds (if not more) people had just exited the building. By all accounts it should have been stifling hot inside and it was actually quite pleasant.


2. The minbars. I didn’t get any good shots of these at either of the previous Mosques. Basically, the minbar is the equivalent to a Christian pulpit. On Fridays and on special Holidays a short speech or benediction is given. Most mosques have several as speakers and sound systems are a relateively new technology. In the old ways, each smaller minbar would directly repeat whatever was said at the larger minbar.

So that’s it – Coptic Cairo, Churches, Mosques.

The Bazaar

After we finished up we headed over to the Cairo Bazaar. I now fully understand how the woulrd bazaar came to be in English. We were only allotted 1 hour and I’m still debating if I am thankful or not for that. I have never seen so many merchants trying to sell there goods. Some are more polite than others but you have to be rude and push past most of them.

Of particular note, one of the women in our group (Kimberly) is an avid belly dancer (I wish I could be that graceful) and wanted to purchase a costume in Cario. She isn’t a small woman so we were in and out of several shops looking for one that would fit her well. We finally came across one shop that claimed they had larger sizes. Well, in the course of her trying to try the top on the shop owner invited himself into the changing room with her and grabbed her only bra covered breasts and commented that they were quite nice. He was promptly removed from the dressing room and given a very dirty look and talking to by my husband. We did pick up a few trinkets at the bazaar but nothing too fancy. And on a happy note, Kimberly did find a belly dancing costume at another store, it fit her correctly, and she escaped without being groped.

All That Glitters...

October 30 (Part 4)

Government Jewelry Store, Perfumes, and Papyrus...

I told you it was a busy day. So after we finished at the museum we were off to a series of stops. From the reading I had done, most of the jewelers in Egypt sell fake gold, gems, etc...Duh. Seems the only reputable ones are those run by the Egyptian government. So, you aren't getting as good of a price but from my reading, the quality is much better and guaranteed. We might have spent a wee bit of money.

A few of the trinkets we purchased

4 pairs of earrings


2 Pendents. Unfortunately, none of the pics I've taken seem to have turned out. This is the best one.

1 Nefertiti pendant for my grandma. Again, I need a new camera! Can't get detail up close. It just gets all blurry!

1 Ruby (yes...ruby) Ring


We also purchased a handfull of carved scarabs for random gifts, a jewelry box for my mom, an Anubis idol (it looks like Squirt!), and a few other things that shall remain anonymous for the time being.

After finishing up at the Government shop we went over to the Papyrus store. The process for making papyrus is really cool. We didn't buy any. And then off to the Perfume Shop. I was a wee bit excited about that one. All of the scents are directly from the flower. We purchased 4 scents total - in rather large quantities. One very musky one for my husband's mom, Papyrus Blossom for me, and then Mint and Lavender Oils. All in all - a good shopping trip.

Giza Light and Laser Show

I think I just had 45 minutes of my life taken from me! I didn't expect much and the Light and Laser show came with the package. I'm glad I didn't expect much. What I did learn is that I need a much better camera as mine can take NO picture in the dark. But, just to share the mind numbing experience, I found a slimmed down verion on Youtube for your viewing pleasure....

Giza Light and Laser Show

Museum of Egyptian Antiquities

October 30 (Part 3)

By the time we reached the museum I was seriously looking for a bed.

The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, unfortunate, didn't allow any cameras inside of the museum. You actually had to check them at the gate and they would xray and do pat downs to ensure you didn't have any on you. We were able to get a few pictures of the exterior of the museum and the gardens though!

We spent most of our time exploring the treasures of King Tut it with the tour group. Very neat. All of the gold and to think that was what was spent on a young king. Hard to believe what it was for a longer lived king.

Before, I go on....A little bit about King Tut and the curse....The curse of the mummy began when many terrible events occurred after the discovery of King Tut's tomb. Legend has it that anyone who dared to open the tomb would suffer the wrath of the mummy.

The hype began when Lord Carnarvon, the person who funded the discovery of King Tut’s Tomb, died shortly after the discovery. Not only did the death of Carnarvon get all the people in an uproar but other stories began to surface as well. One of the prominent stories is that a cobra killed Howard Carter's (explorer who discovered King Tut’s tomb) pet canary after the discovery of King Tut's tomb. The other story is that Lord Carnarvon's dog howled and dropped dead at two in the morning when Carnarvon died.

Did King Tut's Tomb really unleash a curse? New findings are showing that bacteria on the wall of the tomb might have been the cause of the curse. The bacteria would release spores into the air allowing it to be breathed. This in turn caused people who came into contact with these spores to become ill.

Essentially, imagine at your house would smell like after you'd been gone for a week....a month...a year...10 years....1000 years...See what I mean? Curse? No Curse? Who knows. But like many mysteries, generally there is a plausible solution.

So, back to the Museum...of the things we saw the one that stuck the most in my mind was Tut's underwear. HA! I'm weird. Essentially it was two triangles with a belt. The front one was a bit smaller. The back was larger, tucked up between the legs and then folded into the "belt" in the front. It made me giggle.

There were tons of other exhibits within the museum. I'd like to go back one day and spend a few days in there just looking and reading!

Giza Necropolis - The Sphinx

October 30 (Part 2)

After we finished up at the Pyramids we headed for the Sphinx today. Unfortunately, a lot of the area is blocked off now due to new excavations.

The Sphinx had its origin in the Old Kingdom and is associated with the solar deity Sekhmet, who also was the fierce war deity and protector of the pharaohs. Generally the role of sphinxes was as temple guardians; they were placed in association with architectural structures such as royal tombs or religious temples.

What names their builders gave to these statues is not known. The name Sphinx was taken from Greek Mythology.

The Sphinx Complex is divided into three separated but integrated pieces:

• The Sphinx
• Old Sphinx Temple
• New Kingdom Sphinx Temple

Fist, the Sphinx herself. I had no idea how massive the Sphinx was and no idea how much detail was actually put into it. If you look very closely at the head of the Sphinx you can barely see the colors it was originally painted with. I cannot imagine pain lasting 10 years, let alone thousands of years. Unfortunately, our camera isn't the best and we could get a clear shot of the paint. But we did get plenty of the Sphinx herself!

After we walked around the Sphinx for a while our guide collected the group into the Old Sphinx Temple. The New Kingdom Sphinx Temple is currently under excavation and tourists are not permitted in the site. We were able to snap a few shots of it. The day we were there we saw at least one hundred individuals digging.

The structure of the Old Sphinx Temple is relatively simple. An almost rectangular building with a dual entrance in its east façade, its main area is an open courtyard, which like the courtyard in Khafre (Builder of the Second Pyramid) Mortuary Temple, has a number of huge pillars in front of which 10 collosal statues of the king were positioned. The Mortuary Temple and associated buildings were first dedicated to the burial rights of the deceased Pharaoh (e.g. mummification and ceremonies). After the burial was completed, the temple was used to pay homage to the Khafre.

While at the temple we had the opportunity to see a snapshot of the mummification process. Unfortunately, this means that Brian (my husband) has now declared himself a deity and Pharaoh over his kingdom. Once Brian was resurrected from the dead we explored the remainder of the Mortuary Temple. The temple interior was designed to be as opulent as possible. In several places you can still see the remnants of the polished red granite. These portions looked just like a granite counter top in a kitchen. Again, I don't think current craftsmanship of granite counter tops would last more than a hundred years.