Exploring the Ancient Cities


www.summittoursegypt.com


Well it was a long plane ride as usual, 11 hours in the air, 2 hours delayed, and a 6 hour lay over.


Went to the great pyramid in Cairo and then inside the one beside it. I had to almost crawl to get to the inner chamber; and I'm told the Great Pyramid is a smaller passage. The air inside was hot and lacking in Oxygen. There was a feeling in the chamber that reminded me of the underworld in Belize. I also saw the Sphinx and was a little surprised it was so small and made from a single stone. I also graced the step pyramid and its large empty courtyard. The stone and the temples leading to the pyramids are very attractive.


Old Cairo, the roman era churches were next on the schedule. The Christian church still had plenty of energy in it, very solemn. I believe it is still being used. The Jewish Synagogue has a grand alter of white marble, but it didn't have much energy resonating. Later I walked the ridiculously large bazaar with shops and many ally ways. I asked what the Mosque that was being used there looked like inside. I was taken to a room with a large silver cage took up the majority of the room. I was told that they believed the lost head of the Prophet's grandson was deep beneath the ground there. I walked around the cage and was overwhelmed with the feeling of great grief and sadness. I left the room immediately for fear of crying out or conjuring a spirit.


Journey down the Nile river. Sick, very sick, probably from the Dome at the street Bazaar in Old Cairo the other day. The Heat doesn't help matters any. They say the local bacteria is causing me to dehydrate and I am already no good in the heat. (39 C) I go out for an hour then sleep for 2. Kum Ombo, a temple to two gods that took 400 years to build. You can see that the Romans had a hand in the architecture. On the left Horus, the falcon god. On the right, Somamba, the crocodile god. Lots of recordings on the walls; calendars, rituals, etc. Even the Mummy of a crocodile to represent the god of death.


Stopped in at Ed-Fu. It's not on the Nile, but must have been before they built the dam. A very large and almost complete temple. The front opening is big enough to carry a ship through and the room just beyond it is big enough for two. An Alter with an Ornamental ship (Horus') is laid deep in the temple, while rooms for each god surround it. There is even a room that lists the perfumes; how to make and how to offer.


Entered the “Valley of the Kings”; no cameras allowed. Some sites are open, others closed for restoration. The tombs are wide and tall, but only strait tunnels not very deep. Then to the temple of Queen/King Hatshepsut. She took the thrown by circumstance and claiming her father was Amon. (Amon is a supreme god; story sound familiar?)


The Luxor and Karnak temples are huge. It is stunning to stand in a hall of over 100 sand stone pillars. The temples are east to west as would be expected. Amon is the Major god of these temples; though there are two other gods here. From here you can see the sun set on the Valley of the Kings. I can't help but wonder how shiny this place was before the sand wore it down. Amon is a phallic god and as the story goes was replaced by Aton, a solar god, and then brought back to worship until Moses reinstated Aton and left Egypt. Moses is a common Pharaoh name.
There is an addition in the Luxor temple that tells the story of how again, Amon impregnates a woman to give birth to a Pharaoh. This time it is a Greek who successfully rules with this story.


St. Catherine’s’ is a wonderful monastery beside the Burning Bush, Moses’ Well and Mt. Sinai. It has been lavished with the support of all the ages. The three major religions all come here to pray. This area is cool even in the day and the Hotel near by has a great view of the sunset.


Finally Petra, just like in Indiana Jones. There isn't much inside the main Temple. Just 3 large and empty rooms, but they wouldn't let me inside; suspicious!! The gorge is not big enough to drive tanks through either. There is a large village with houses, tombs, temples, and a theater for business.


Great Pyramid

2nd Pyramid

Sphynx

mini Sphynx

Imhotep Pyramid

Nobel Tomb (Aswan)

Kum Ombo

Entrance for 2 Gods

Sacrifice for 2 gods

Ed-Fu Temple

Front Entrance

Close up

A ship being brought in

Inner Sanctuary

Temple Hatshepsut

Front Entrance

Veiw from the Temple

no idea

Temples Karnak

Road of Ram head Spynx (Amon)

143 Pillers

God Amon

Alter to Amon

more "Ram Road"

in the Temple of Luxor

looking back at Luxor (a Mosque on top)

Burning Bush

St. Catherine Monastery

Monastery Garden

Large gorge into Petra

A light half way down

The Temple

Court of Justice

Roman Coliseum in Jordan

My Friend and I