Egypt

Pyramids aside, Luxor is probably the next most common stop on Egypt’s tourist trek. With two simply amazing temples within a stone’s throw of any hotel in town, and numerous valleys filled with the hundreds of tombs many thousands years of age, it’s easy to see why we were anxious to squeeze in as much as we could in our day and a half in town.

We started at Karnak, a short caleshe (horse-driven carriage) ride out of town. You can quickly get lost wandering around Karnak’s multitude of carved columns, admiring the hieroglyphics and images, some of which still display scraps of the original blues and yellows and reds. With its bold, primary colours, the temple must have looked quite garish in its youth, but I prefer it now with the limestone exposed and faded colours, leaving more to the imagination.

The temple as it now stands is easily one of the most impressive sites in Egypt. Large sections of the temple, however, have not been reconstructed, leaving instead heaps and heaps of limestone blocks strewn around the site. It's simply a massive jigsaw waiting for the next set of overseas-funded archeologists to arrive and progress. That said, many blocks have been looted over the years and used in local buildings, so some jigsaws will never be complete!

For Monday morning, we had arranged a hot air balloon ride to take in Luxor from the sky. We had an early start at 5am to get there, but after crossing the Nile and taking a short bus ride, we were rewarded with a skyline full of hot air balloons beautifully illuminated by the early morning sun.

The Colossi of Memnon - two 60 feet high statues of Amenhotep III. Hot air balloons are a fairly recent addition to their 3400 year old vista....

“Is it your first time in a hot air balloon?” asked our flight captain, eliciting nods from most of the passengers on board. But rather than offering the reassurance we were all looking for, he gave the international standard ‘humourous’ response: “Great. It’s my first time too!”.

Somehow, given the fact we knew almost nothing about the safety record of our Egyptian operator, we weren’t laughing. But the captain seemed to know what he was doing as he changed two 50 gallon propane bottles and tested the four burners, and before we could get too nervous about the combination of gas and fire we found ourselves gliding across the sugarcane field that served as our launch-site.

And, of course, the view from the balloon was spectacular. To the west (in the direction of the tombs), the sky was clear, while to the east (over Luxor) was still a little hazy. Contrary to the sales pitch, the balloons do not fly over the Valley of the Kings, but you still enjoy a very nice view over Luxor, the Nile, and the temple of Hatshepsut.

After our second breakfast, we headed out of town to the Valley of the Kings with a guide and driver in tow. There are actually 63 tombs in Valley of the Kings, of which 11 are currently open to visitors. Our entrance tickets entitled us to view three tombs, and we relied solely on our guide to recommend the most worthwhile. Generally, you should aim for the Pharaohs with the longest reigns because work on the tomb lasted the duration of the reign. As a result, the tombs associated with the Pharaohs with the longest reigns are the most elaborate. Unfortunately, the tomb of Ramses II (who reigned for 66 years) has been closed for some time, but at our guide’s recommendation, we stopped by Ramses I, Ramses III and Ramses IV.

Photography is not allowed within the tombs, so Lloyd adopted this surreptitious approach.

Unlike the temples whose colours have mostly faded through millennia of sun exposure, the tombs have – in many cases – maintained much of their original veneers. In some cases, it seems as though the painting was freshened up only yesterday, and it is Christian, Roman or Greek graffiti that litters many of the monuments.

We couldn’t snap within the tombs, but here is an example of some graffiti at Luxor and Philae Temples.

Finally, we enjojed getting a little closer to the the temple of Hapshetsut. We’d seen it that morning from the hot air balloon and it is a very enjoyable site to visit given its very complete (reconstructed) exterior. This was also the site of the 1997 massacre of tourists which resulted in the massive deployment of tourist police, watch towers and metal detectors at every attraction we visited.

We rounded out an extremely busy and long day with dinner at 'Genesis', a self-proclaimed British Pub that turned out to be the most surreal dining experience of the trip. While we loved the quirky, seasonal decor, complete with giant inflated Santa, two cages crammed full of live birds some of which have the run of the place, the food was absolutely diabolical. We actually witnessed Rog's dinner being delivered as a take out by another vendor which resulted in his meal probably being the best of the bunch. Mine was untouchable. Simply avoid at all costs!

We wished we'd made a faster 'Exodus' from 'Genesis'....

Overall, we had a great time in Luxor. Understand, though, that tourism IS the economy here which means you’re never far from the next Egyptian seeking to extract the maximum amount you're willing to pay. There’s no such thing as the ‘going rate’ for a taxi or tour or postcard. Rather, prices are set according to where you come from, how well dressed you are and – perhaps most importantly – what hotel you’re staying at. Occasional bartering can be fun, but – as independent travelers – its omni-presence was wearing to say the least. With no way to know the fair price, we knew only that the offered price was inevitably grossly inflated.

With Lloyd turning 37 today, there was no better way to convince ourselves that we’re still young than a visit to a couple of 5,000 year old pyramids! And so we spent the day visiting the pyramids at both Saqqara and Giza, which allowed us the opportunity to see how the pyramid concept developed from a stepped version to the smoother pyramids that we all associate with Egypt.

The stepped pyramid on the left – the first egyptian pyramid - was built more than 4700 years ago for Pharoah Djoser, whereas the famous Pyramid of Khufu on the right was built about 200 years later.

The pyramids are, of course, among the most recognizable images on the planet, with only David Beckham and Princess Di ranking higher according to my highly scientific survey. So it’s only when you get up really close to these massive monuments (and I’m talking about the pyramids now) that you come across anything unexpected. For some, it’s simply the scale, as the true size of the pyramids can only really be appreciated when standing at the base looking up. For others, and I’d put myself in this category, it’s the massive sandstone blocks. Some of these boulders are taller than me!

From a distance, the pyramids look quite smooth but up close they are quite clumsy looking because the original, smooth limestone veneer that once covered the boulders has eroded over time. Exposed, the engineering accomplishment is almost unthinkable, and you can’t help but wonder at the monumental arrogance displayed by Egypt’s long, long-ago narcissistic leaders.

The contrast with Cairo today is also unavoidable. It would take a good deal more time in country to uncover just how this nation capitalized on the intellectual advantage it clearly enjoyed all those years ago. For Cairo is a dirty, chaotic city where thousands of public servants idle the hours away presumably with purpose but with little visible achievement. Monuments for which we paid hefty entrance fees were frequently strewn with litter while employees allowed themselves to be disturbed to check tickets only on their own schedule. Tourist police seemingly erected false barriers which would mysteriously be removed with the help of a little baksheesh. To the tourist, Egypt appears a corrupt country with little pride, even less discipline and – perhaps worst of all – a complete lack of care. It seems impossible to me that today’s Egypt would be capable of the pyramids. Further, I don’t believe the notion that Egypt has yet to regain the greatness it enjoyed several millennia ago is lost on its population.

We had a fabulous day, nonetheless, thanks in large part to the extremely knowledgeable guide that Roger had arranged.

To celebrate Lloyd’s birthday, we splashed out tonight and took Roger and girlfriend Ellen to the Hyatt’s 42nd floor restaurant. We thought the revolving restaurant, with impressive 360° views over nighttime Cairo, would be a treat. In fact, we suspect that the almost imperceptible motion of the rotation left us all a little nauseated, but couldn’t isolate the effect of the motion from the menu prices which probably also had the same effect. Unfortunately, the food itself did little to redeem the restaurant (with steaks cooked incorrectly, lukewarm vegetables etc), and it was a good thing we had chocolate cake back at Rog’s apartment to console ourselves.

On the left, Lloyd with one of his two chocolate birthday cakes. This one was generously donated to the Lloyd Thyen Chocoholic Fund by my Mum. The other was a ‘hiking cake’ baked by Rog’s following his Mum’s recipe. Lloyd was in chocolate heaven! On the right, Roger had to lend his brother a jacket to get into the restaurant.... chic, no?

On Friday, we intended to get out and explore Cairo, but our plans were stilted when Lloyd got more than he bargained for at the Four Seasons Brunch Buffet. Within a few hours, he was curled up in bed experiencing excruciating stomach cramps and chills that left him shivering violently from top to toe. In between emergency – and I mean emergency - visits to the bathroom, we piled on as many layers as we could find to try and stop the chills while Roger rushed out to the local pharmacy and returned to administer local ‘miracle cure’ Antinol.

Of course, we should have expected it. Most people who come to Egypt experience ‘Mummy Tummy’ (aka Cairo Quickstep or Pharoah’s Revenge), and it can knock you out for three or four days. I had it so bad back in 1995 that my strategy this time was simply not to eat (woohoo! I might be able to fit into my bridesmaid dress after all!). The Antinol seemed to do the trick, however, and the worst of Lloyd’s sickness passed within 24 hours. While we lost two days intended for Cairo exploration, at least we’d be able to pick up the trail on Sunday morning, with our flights down to Luxor.

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The third of three dive locations in our world trip (no, we don't count the white shark dunking expedition), I was looking forward to the Red Sea and yet was reserved in my enthusiasm, as both Vietnam and Papua New Guinea had been such (relative to normal) disappointments. Diving with my brother, our local resident connection in Egypt, would be a bonus and make the trip, regardless of conditions, yet I still hoped for some luck with good conditions. As the locals would say, I would have my wishes "In sha Allah". And I did! Learning of Jacquie's rendez-vous with Roast Beef dinners and other home comforts, I was initially "Red" with envy but the Red Sea was doing her best to console me!

The Red Sea delivered on its promise of clear visibility, vibrant sea-life and interesting coral and rock structures! The water was exactly as normal – 73-74 degrees Fahrenheit. Of course I failed to do any research on this fact and was greeted to a chill diving in with a meager 3MM shorty, but my enthusiasm warmed me enough to get me through at least the first 60+ minute dive in the fabled Ras Mohammed aquatic park off the southern tip of the Sinai peninsula.

Sunrise from our room at the Crowne Plaza Sharm

An amazing collage of fish lit by the afternoon sun

Booking two boat dives with the dive operator at the hotel earlier in the day, I took for granted that in this dive mecca we would be on a dedicated dive boat. The delay of over an hour in the parking lot of the marina, waiting first on the majority of remaining passengers as well as the local authorities permission introduced me to two things in Egypt: 1) the Russian tourist hordes; and 2) Egyptian efficiency. Neither of which seemed too bothered with timeliness, politeness, nor appearance. Picture if you will a boat of six scuba divers trapped with more than a dozen babushkas, half in thong bikinis, most smoking, all loud, and none less than 200 pounds of Slavic flesh. No, I did not take any pictures. You should thank me for this. I still have flashbacks. Or are they "fleshbacks" . . . . ugh!

Menu from the Crowne Plaza restaurant. Avoid the Fattouche ("Arabic Herpes") . . . I think the cook/translator was Russian!

Luckily the undersea world did not disappoint! Typically an escape from reality, jumping off this boat took on more meaning given its inhabitants, but if we had been alone in a zodiac, the topography, visibility and abundant life would still have impressed. Roger and I settled in as good dive-buddies, and for possibly the first time in our lives, I think we have a common hobby that we both enjoy, do well and can enjoy together. Probably has a lot to do with the fact I can't talk so much underwater . . . In any case, we had a very good time diving off the boat and enjoying the Red Sea. I would have to count my first blue-spotted stingray and a couple of pockets of glass-fish as highlights of the dives, along with the wonderful visibility and great buddy.

We saw a few schools of glass fish - these were in a cave

Back at our hotel later in the day, we decide to opt for a night dive, as well as booking an early morning dive (0630AM) to catch one more dive prior to departing the Crowne Plaza, Sharm el Sheikh (where by the way, if you claim my brother as a friend, you can get 50% off the dive. This WILL come in handy . . .). I figure – hey I'm in Egypt and don't know when I might return, so let's dive, dive, dive! The night and morning dives are shore dives, but since all dives in the Ras Mohammed preserve must be accompanied by a local diveguide, they cost about $100 each. Ouch! We even have our own kit, so there is no rental fee in that number! Steep is a nice way of putting it, but in Egypt, it seems there are all kinds of systems in place to get your money out of you and into local hands. In any event, use the "Roger Discount" and some of the pain can be alleviated. Despite the costs, we enjoyed the night and morning dives, and I was very surprised to find that the house reef was, well, beautiful! Again, the visibility was excellent, there were wonderful coral and rock formations, nice sandy patches and a healthy diversity of fish life. Aside from floating Russians, we saw some great fish including some cute (as always) anemone fish and a very large Napolean Wrasse.

Clowning around with some anemone fish. No Nemo here!

My first sighting of a blue-spotted stingray

After more than 5 months travelling with Jacquie, this had been our first time apart for more than a few minutes. After 3 days, I was eagerly anticipating her arrival and excited to start sharing Egypt with her. I missed sharing her so much in fact, I emailed from the hotel in the morning after our dive before hitting the road. When Roger's cell phone rang, just before we prepared to enter a cell dead-zone in the Sinai desert, and Jacquie was on the line, I must admit there was a moment of worry: was something wrong in Bridlington? Was she sick? Are her parents fine? Instead of having any concerning news, she simply asked (rhetorically),"You do realize I don't fly in to Cairo until TOMORROW!?"

OOOPS! We're run our entire trip to a precise and wonderfully executed itinerary, and somehow we all missed the fact that the portion for Egypt had Jacquie coming in one day earlier than was the case. After my initial disappointment, we did realize that, hey – one more day of diving!!

I've never seen so many clams everywhere. Some beautiful blue

Here's Rog over a coral head

Quickly detouring, we head north up the coast of the Red Sea to a small town called Dahab. It is well known for diving, mostly for a site called the "Blue Hole" (gee, never heard that one before . . .) at which numerous divers have died over the years attempting to dive to her 70 meter (~230 foot) deep arch. Roger calls in a favor to his dive instructor Hussein, and before we arrive at our lovely little hotel in Dahab called "Daniela", we are set to pick up tanks and head out to do some shore diving on our own. Since I'm a qualified divemaster, and Hussein is training Roger as a DM, we are able to avoid the heavy additional fees of a dive-guide with Hussein's help! Our cost per dive plummets quickly, to about $10 each per dive – the cost of air fills here. Dahab is a quaint little resort, mostly a dive location, so the amenities and services are less than in Sharm. If you're looking for good but crowded diving and a nightlife to go with it, try Sharm. If you want a quieter scene, with fantastic shore dives, less crowdeed diving, and the prospect of "camel diving" (getting a camel to bring your dive kit to certain hard to reach shore spots for you), then Dahab is the place.

Here's Nemo! Sleeping snug in his anemone.

A nice yellowhead moray eel peeked out of the rocks for us at night

Rog and I spent a quality 16 hours in Dahab and fit in 3 fantastic dives at 2 dive sites enjoying a bit of afternoon and early morning solitude at "the Canyon" and some great structures diving "the Islands". After enjoying our extra dives (at about 10% the overall cost of Sharm and 110% the quality), we headed off for our return trip across the Sinai via a mountain pass close by Saint Catherine's monastery, the fabled place of Moses' climb of Mount Sinai, at the base of which he saw the burning bush, before taking a hike up the hill and finding "fifteen, no ten . . . ten commandments" (please reference Mel Brooks' comedy, "History of the World: Part I"). The drive was fantastic, with gorgeous mountain scenery and endless wind swept terrain and desert scenes that reminded me very much of the desert southwest.

Roger and I preparing for an early morning dive in Dahab. We're the only ones here!

A lionfish and a grouper hunting in the dim morning light

A busy day to be sure, but one of the most diverse, starting with dives in the Red Sea, and finishing with picking up Jacquie in Cairo shortly before midnight, just in time to start celebrating my 37th birthday! A guy couldn't ask for a better birthday gift.

Roger and I practicing buoyancy - great diving, great fun! Thanks, Bro!

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