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Kamis, 03 April 2014
FLYING ON A WING AND A PRAYER TO EGYPT
PART ONE: My Egyptian Adventures
And so, we were here at last, in Egypt, and very soon would board the cruise boat that would take us on a memorable adventure down the Nile River.
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It was with some confusion and a certain amount of trepidation that I found myself at the check-in counter of Egypt Air in Toronto on March 13. There had been no clear advice on the meet-up so I got there 3 hours ahead of flight time and waited. I had no idea of who I was to meet but I spotted a young woman with reddish blond hair who was carrying a back-pack and talking on her cell. I figured she might be one of us, and she was. This was Linda, who was to be one of my travel companions on this special media trip to Egypt courtesy of Egyptian tourism.
We waited together at the check-out area, and when nobody else showed up, we decided to go through to the boarding gate. We sat a while and Linda made some calls to the Montreal office of the trip organizer. He assured us that our contact, Marko was on his way by car from Montreal. Trouble was, there had been white-out conditions in Toronto when I had landed the night before, and I knew by TV that the highways were choked with snow and traffic.
Then I spotted a gentleman carrying a back-pack and camera equipment. He looked like a journalist, so I asked him. Yes, he was Yves, from Quebec. And where were the others? There were supposed to be six of us and we wondered if any of the others had arrived.
Once on the plane, Linda got seated next to another man who was with our group. He said that one of the women had herself bumped to first class. But where was Marko?
It was still a puzzle as I stepped off the plane 11 hrs later. Would I be abandoned in the Cairo airport? (Some of my friends had expressed this worry before I accepted this trip!) But no, there they were: Linda. Yves, the illusive Marko and the other two journalists. We were met by a handsome Egyptian tourism rep., Peter, who escorted us to the visa office and then to the boarding gates for our ongoing Aswan flight.
An hour later we touched down in Aswan and from the moment I stepped off the plane I felt that, at last, my adventure in Egypt was more than just a dream.
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ASWAN
We were met in the airport at Aswan by Hanan Eldeeb, an Egyptologist who would be our guide through all the ancient sites along the Nile River. First stop: to view the High Dam. This dam is one of the most important achievements in the 21st century in Egypt. The Dam was constructed between 1960 and 1970. The Dam is 3,830 metres long , 980 metres at the base, 40 metres wide at the crest and 111 metres tall. About 11,000 cubic metres per second of water passes through the dam per second. The Nile valley and delta benefit from this because due to an absence of rainfall, Egypt�s agriculture depends on irrigation and the high dam at Aswan releases water into the irrigation canals so it has had a significant impact on the economy. I was amazed at the size of the dam which separates the upper and lower Nile. Before the dam was built the Nile River flooded every year in the late summer. The dam provides protection from floods and droughts and helps increase agricultural and electricity production and provides employment.
Unfortunately, the dam flooded a large area and submerged several archaeological sites. Over 100,000 people had to be relocated and some of the archaeological treasures were moved as well.
One of these important archaeological sites is the Temple of Philae. Our Egyptologist guide suggested that we should rest up and have lunch and then we would visit this unique temple on an island in the Nile. But first, we stopped by the gravel quarries to see the enormous unfinished obelisk that lies in situ in the quarry. These gravel quarries produce all the red granite used in the building of many ancient structures. The unfinished obelisk, left where it was because the granite cracked marring it, was discovered in 1922. It would have weighed over 2.3 million pounds making it the world�s largest piece of stone ever handled by man.
Before we left to board the boat that would be our �home�for the next three days, we stopped to see the monument of the Arab-Soviet Friendship that commemorates the completion of the Aswan High Dam. The monument is dedicated to the Soviets who provided technicians and heavy machinery in the building of the dam. The coat of arms of the Soviet Union is on the monument along with the coat of arms of Egypt. This towering edifice was the work of Russian sculptor Nikolay Vechkanov.
Before we left to board the boat that would be our �home�for the next three days, we stopped to see the monument of the Arab-Soviet Friendship that commemorates the completion of the Aswan High Dam. The monument is dedicated to the Soviets who provided technicians and heavy machinery in the building of the dam. The coat of arms of the Soviet Union is on the monument along with the coat of arms of Egypt. This towering edifice was the work of Russian sculptor Nikolay Vechkanov.
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(photo by Yves Ouellet)
NEXT: The Temple of Philae
Selasa, 11 Maret 2014
I HAD A DREAM...
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I had a dream, that one day when my novel Shadow of the Lion was published, I would go to Egypt especially to visit the city of Alexandria which I had done so much research about -- from it's beginnings and through the dynasty of Ptolemy Soter, Alexander's illegitimate half-brother who help build the city and brought Alexander's body there to be buried.
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I've had this dream to visit Egypt for many years. As a youngster I knew about Egypt from Bible stories, and later through the research for my historical fiction novels. A friend and I had made a pact that once my novel was publisher and she had obtained her Master's degree, we'd hop a cruise ship in Greece and sail there, to Alexandria. Little did I know then that suddenly one day I'd get a phone call from Montreal offering me a trip, all expenses paid for, to go with a travel writer's delegation. The purpose is to interest people in travel to Egypt and this 'gift' was given to me by the Egyptian Tourism.
The Valley of the Kings
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It hardly seems real yet, that in just a few days from now I'll actually be sailing on the Nile and viewing all those magnificent ancient edifices that I've read about in history books and novels for so many years!The itinerary is spectacular: from a Nile Cruise to a visit to the Valley of the Kings, the pyramids at Giza and the Sphinx as well as a few days at a luxury spa resort on the Red Sea. And then a return to Cairo to view the museums and even visit Memphis. (Yes! I'm goin' to Memphis....Egypt, that is!)
And as a special treat for me, (because I happened to mention Shadow of the Lion and my research), they have arranged a two day escorted trip for me to visit Alexandria!
Cartoche with Alexander's name.?
I can hardly believe it! Will I wake up and find out this really IS just a dream? For sure, it's a dream come true and I am so excited about this wonderful opportunity. I just know it's going to be one of the most magical mystery tours of my traveler's lifetime and I very grateful to the Egyptian Tourism, especially to Mr. Mostafa Sallam, the Consul director of Egyptian Tourism in Canada. Shukran, Mr. Sallam, I truly appreciate the special honor of going to your country to write the stories that will attract others who might have had the same dream as me!
Rabu, 06 Juli 2011
VISITING ANCIENT GREECE
New Acropolis Museum
I can not understand people who come to Athens and fail to visit the Acropolis or the new Acropolis museum. This museum is one of the most outstanding displays of artifacts and well worth taking the time to visit, even if you're not a history buff. In my opinion, if you've come all the way to Greece on holidays, you should at least spare a little time to visit ancient Greece as this history is such an important part of the Greek culture and psyche.
The new Acropolis Museum is more than just a museum, it's a link between present and past. It's treasure include more than 50,000 pieces unearthed in excavations around Athens. And one of the amazing things is about it is walking over the plexi glass floors and viewing below you several eras of Greek life from Byzantine, to Roman, to Classical and Hellenistic. The way the exhibits are displayed is also a beautiful thing to see. As many times as I've viewed these exhibits in the old Acropolis museum, to see them in their new, modern spacious exhibition halls is breathtaking.
So, if you're in Athens, don't miss out on this experience. You won't forget it and it's impossible not to feel the positive energy around you as you come in touch with Athens past.
Temple of Olympian Zeus from the Acropolis
Theatre of Dionysus
There are sights to see below the Acropolis too. I love the little theatre of Dionysus, and if you get chance, go to a drama or music performance at the Herodian (Theatre of Herod Attica - Roman period). 
The Agora
And don't forget the agora -- ancient Athens meeting place. One of my favorite temples there is the beautiful Temple of Hephaestion. I never grow tired o browsing the pathways around the ruins or visiting the little museum in the Stoa of Atticus. On my very first visit to Athens, when I let my feet take me walking, I found myself in the agora. As I stood there, it was as if a curtain had been lifted and I saw it as it had been. It was an overwhelming deja vu experience and I began to cry, overcome with emotion. Since then I have had a special draw to this ancient meeting place, as if I had truly 'been there' in the past. Maybe that's why, when I've written about it in my historical fiction novels, I can 'see' it so clearly. These ancient monuments have a very special meaning tome and I'll never get tired of visiting them.
Today I went to the Benaki Museum mainly to look at artifacts from the Bronze Age 3200 - 1000 BC, the Classical period 5 - 4 BC) and the Hellenistic period 3rd C BC)
Macedonian gold treasures at the Benaki
The Benaki also has an excellent Museum of Islamic Art that is worth a visit. While you're over there in Thission visit the Keramikos which is where the elite of ancient Athens were buried just outside the city gates. There's lots of museums and sights to see around Athens so when you come for a visit be sure an take yourself around. If you're pressed for time you can always hop on and off one of the tour buses or the little red train!
I'm going to visit the Bronze site of Mycenae and the ancient theatre and Asklepion of Epidaurus tomorrow.
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