-US dollars are taken in EVERY country without question
-English is widely accepted
-KFC, Starbucks, Burger King and IKEA can be found in every country
-A kind genuine smile is always appreciated
—Strangers are simply friends you have not met yet
-Everyone has challenges
-We need to help and teach one another
We sadly left our beautiful Viking Mars today. A bit exhausted, tired and not quite ready for the flight home. Nonetheless we left the ship, bus to the airport and all ready for our first flight home. Athens to Munich is a brief 2.5hr flight. Followed by a quick 1.5hr layover, then a 11.5 hr flight home.
See you again soon!!
Photos of our last meal!!
Final sunset!!Fancy shrimp!!1Tom’s HalibutSuann’s Carbanera Raspberry cheesecake!
Haifa is a mixed city-where all religions are welcomed new and old.
Last night we returned from 13 hour excursion at 8:00pm. This morning we needed to be on the pier at the bus at 5:45am!!
Eyes barely open we set off on this mornings excursion, we chose to go to the sea of Galilee, Nazareth and Church of Multiplication.
We set out to discover with our guide Isaac, to view ancient Jewish and Christian sights during a tour around the Sea of Galilee. All of Israel only 35 miles wide and they have 9.5 Million people. Israel boast a democratic country of which, most all people are Jewish. We embarked on a scenic journey through the Israeli countryside as we ascended to the southern Golan Heights and passing Mount Carmel. We passed over the Jordan river. Within the Jordan and Africa plates, The Dead Sea (440 Meters below sea level) and the Sea Galli (220 meters below sea level), are actually pockets of water within the two continental plates. Underneath the Dead Sea is a block of salt- the water is 34% salt!!! We took photos overlooking the very foggy Sea of Galilee. Across the sea is the city of Tiberius. Near here is the spot of the six day war in 1967.
Next we visited a Kabutz community – our guide described what it was like to live in a Kabutz community- three principles: 1- no private property at all- 2- every decision taken in a democratic way – 3- everyone contributes as much as he can, gets as much as he needs. In general after the 6 day war in 1967- a Kubutz no longer truly exist.
Then, we stopped along the banks of the River Jordan at Yardenit, site of Jesus’s baptism by John the Baptist. And now the universally recognized center for all Christian’s baptisms in the world. Most religions agree on jesus being baptized in the Jordan river.
along its storied shores to Capernaum. Passing thru Tiberius- a natural hot springs area. Tiberius is the step-son of Agustus. We learned the ancient history stories of Capernaum- a very rich town and center for merchant trading, exporting goods to Europe.
This ancient fishing village is the site of several archaeological finds, including the ruins of a 4th- or 5th-century synagogue “The White Synagogue” built from limestone upon the foundation of an earlier temple and a residence that was the reputed home of St. Peter. They found pottery with an image of a fish- the first image of Christianity at St. Peter’s house.
We had lunch in Magdala. The town where Mary Magdalene came from. It is famous for its fish pools. They had pools where the fisherman would keep their fish until they sold them as there was no other way to preserve them.
In Tabgha, we wanted to visit the Church of the Multiplication, named for the miracle of loaves and fishes that occurred here. This was after the sermon on the mount. We just drove by the church:( it’s Sunday- that’s why they would not let us visit.)
We drove thru the village of Cana in Galilee!! Were the first miracle of Jesus turning the water into wine was from. We took a photo of the church commentating the event.
We had one last scenic drive thru much the relatively new town of “Upper Nazareth” which began forming in 1960’s. It is up in the hill from the old Nazareth in the valley. In old Nazareth we saw The Church of the Annunciation. And got a good photo from the bus!!
We lastly stopped at Mount Precipice to see the amazing view of the Israeli Jezee’el valley.
MOUNT PRECIPICE: Bible quote “They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff. But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.”
Interesting information:
Widow’s Mite coin- made from copper poor people gave to the church. Also know as a “lepton”, the coins were issued by King Alexandra of Judea and was the lowest valued coin in use during the Lifetime of Jesus Christ. The contribution of two such small coins was given by a poor widow to the Temple. Found at archaeological excavations in Jerusalem.
The Lesson of the widow’s mite is presented in the Synoptic Gospels (Mark12:41-44, Luke 21:1-4), in which Jesus is teaching at the Temple in Jerusalem. The Gospel of Mark specifies that two mites (Greek lepta) are together worth a quadrans, the smallest Roman coin. A lepton was the smallest and least valuable coin in circulation in Palestine, worth about six minutes of an average daily wage. In the story, a widow donates two small coins, while wealthy people donate much more. Jesus explains to his disciples that the small sacrifices of the poor mean more to God than the extravagant donations of the rich.
Interesting information:
The Jerusalem cross is a large cross with small cross in each corner. Jerusalem is represented by big cross- in center is Jesus himself- the small crosses Mark, Matthew, Luke and John. (His evangualiats) or meaning the four nails in Jesus body’s. Another meaning, when his body taken off the cross there were four wounds, big cross represents wound in chest.
Capharnaum (Capernaum) was the thriving town on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, where many events in the early life and public ministry of Jesus Christ took place, Jesus chose five Apostles from Capharnaum; fishermen Simon (Peter), Andrew, James and John, and the tax collector Matthew. He performed many miracles here, notably the healing of the paralytic lowered through the roof of Peter’s house, and the feeding of the five thousand with just a few loaves and fishes. Jesus preached the famous *I Am the Bread of Life” discourse in the Capharaum synagogue (Jn 6:35), and delivered the Sermon on the Mount from atop a hill in the nearby Korazim Plateau, just 2000 meters away.
The evangelist Matthew actually calls Capharnaum “His own city” (Mt 9:1), Jesus’s adopted hometown, after Nazareth. When the Gospels tell of Jesus entering or leaving the house, they are usually referring to St. Peter’s family home, here in Capharnaum, where Jesus often stayed.
Capharnaum at that time was also a key transit point between the lands of Herod Antipas and those of his brother Philip; it earned substantial revenue from taxes and import duties. In the succeeding centuries, the town was an important pilgrimage center for the early Christians, but in the aftermath of the 746 AD earthquake, Capharnaum began to fall into ruin. The town had completely faded by the sixteenth century; accounts at that time only mention the nearby ruins of Khirbet el-Minyeh.
Re-discovered in the late nineteenth century, the site of Capharnaum was acquired by the Franciscan Friars of the Custody of the Holy Land in 1894. Throughout the twentieth century, friar archaeologists excavated and brought to light again many of the ancient ruins of this Holy Place – including the house of St. Peter.
Because of their work and guardianship, it is possible for us today to visit the place where Jesus spent most of his time while here on earth.
Star of David: The six-pointed “Star of David”, known from biblical times as “David’s Shield”, became a symbol of Judaism only as recently as the 18th century. It is now the central motif in the flag of the State of Israel. What a dramatic decoration!
Star of Solomon: The five-pointed “Star of Solomon”, the seal on the signet ring of King Solomon, was purported to have mystical properties in medieval and renaissance times.
Morning view of the Sea of Galilee Yardenit, site of Jesus’s baptism by John the BaptistSt. John’s house Mount Precipice to amazing view of the Israeli Jezee’el valley.
High above Haifa, brilliant blooms spill down the side of Mount Carmel, a site significant in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. This place is also meaningful to those of the Bahá’í faith, who travel here from afar to see the Hanging Gardens of Haifa. We are told, the beautifully landscape of flowers and topiary, arranged around wide, elegant mountainside stairways and plazas, creates stunning geometric designs. We are told that from Mount Carmel’s tabletop summit, one could take in the breathtaking terraced gardens against the expansive backdrop of the city below and the Mediterranean beyond. From our veranda on the ship we were able to take on some of these magnificent sites! Tom brought his good binoculars so we could view from our stateroom!
For our shore excursion today, Simon is our travel guide- he has quite a diplomatic personality! We are planning on Visiting the cities of Jesus’s birth, death, and resurrection. We are going to witness the legacy of Jesus in two of Christianity’s most important cities Jerusalem, and Bethlehem. I will provide an account of our experience. The history of this area is well documented depending on your source of information and personal beliefs.
Our first view was that of the Mount of Olives, and its panorama of the Old City. We drove thru philistine country to arrive in Canna. We saw the Garden of Gethsemane and visited the Church of All Nations; and walk into Jerusalem’s Old City. We found the Western Wall, where forever Jews insert written prayers into the mortar’s nooks. I wrote my note last night in preparation. From here, we view the Temple Mount, crowned by the glittering Dome of the Rock, sacred to Muslims. Follow the Via Dolorosa—or “Way of Sorrows,”/“the burden of humanities sins” the road that Jesus walked while bearing the cross—to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the site of Christ’s crucifixion, entombment and resurrection. We then continued to Bethlehem for exterior views of the Church of the Nativity, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a major place of pilgrimage for Christians. A SOLID WALL OF SLOW MOVING PEOPLE GREETED US 😦
The Western Wall is part of the Jewish Temple to survive the Roman destruction, the Divine Presence has never departed from The Western Wall.
Built to support the western side of the Temple Mount, it is known as the Western Wall (in Hebrew, HaKotel HaMa’aravi), it is the most sacred structure of the Jewish people. Its ancient stones stand testimony to a glorious Jewish past, a proud heritage and an extraordinary national rebirth. It is a focus of Jewish longing and prayer for redemption and renewal.
Next stop: Bethlehem is in the Palestine authority. The grotto where Christ was born is here. It is said at Christmas time the line is three hours long to visit the grotto. Today the line was very long, so we got to see the inside of the church and the entrance and exit to the grotto.
Fifth and Sixth stations of the cross were marked on the wall of the Via Dolarosa path in the old city. I was able to touch the stone where Jesus rested on the wall and took a photo.
Church of the Holy Spulchre where crucification and resuscitation took place. And where Jesus’s body was placed to prepare for burial. Red stone of anointing of Jesus’s body prior to burial is in this church. I was able to touch the stone and say a special prayer.
We had a fabulous lunch at an Arabic restaurant. And shopping experience.
At the Olive tree hotel purchased Star of David for Isaac for his Bar Mitzva in September.
Bethlehem at the Church of the Nativity is where the PriestIt was such an overwhelming day. I don’t think I have all of the facts exactly correct and it was spiritually moving. We will have to catch you up on the details that are not included here later. Jerome spent 25 years translating the Bible from Greek to Latin. And a relic from the cradle where Jesus was said to be born under the statue of Mary. The Church of Saint Catherine Vircini Et Martiri. It was such an overwhelming day. I don’t think I have all of the facts exactly correct and it was spiritually moving. We will have to catch you up on the details that are not included here later.
Ending our visit at the Church of the Nativity! It was an emotionally/spiritually overwhelming day. Walking in Jesus’s foot steps, touch the wall and where he was prepared for burial was overwhelming. The church of the Nativity…………. we will have to catch you up on the details when we get home.
If I do my post the blog every night – I worry that I’ll get behind and never catch up.
Haifa/ Israel Mount of Olives West wallThe Church of the Holy SepulchreChurch of the Navitity
It has been said of Egypt’s exhilarating capital, “He who has not seen Cairo has not seen the world.” Certainly, the heart of the nation beats with an unbridled passion in this city made prosperous over millennia as a stopover for Sahara caravans on trade routes to Byzantium. Amid the stimulating strum(horns!), the insistent beauty of everyday life reigns here, with the serene Nile sliding through like an entrancing serpent. The Capitol of Egypt, Cairo’s very age mesmerizes; its monuments have stood here for more than 5,000 years.
For today’s excursion we chose to explore all of Egypt’s Historic Highlights. AHMED- AMED IS OUR GUIDE- He has a degree in egyptology and archeology from the university of Cairo. We knew this would be a long excursion- we just didn’t fully realize we would be off the ship and ready to go at 5:30am!! Our ship has been docked at Port Said since 5pm yesterday. Our room is on the port side- and this port was quite lively ALL NIGHT LONG!! Music loud thumping music!!! We got up at 4:30am to be off the ship, thru passport control, customs and be on the bus. It was an interesting and informative 3.75 hour drive to our first stop. This morning we are traveling in an armed convoy of busses. We departed Port Said and travel to Cairo where we first visited Sakkara. A vast, ancient burial ground. Sakkara features numerous pyramids, but is best known for the Step Pyramid of King Djoser—the oldest known of Egypt’s 110 pyramids, built by Imhotep in 3100 BC. Next, we continued to Memphis —the capital of ancient Egypt. Here, we explored what remains of the original white-walled city, and view the statues of Ramses II from 1300 BC made of limestone and the Alabaster sphinx, 1400BC.
Then, after we enjoyed an outdor BBQ lunch at a local hotel, we visited the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx. One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, constructed by the ancient Egyptians around 2650 BC, (480 feet high) it remains to be one of the most mesmerizing monuments in the world ftoday. Cleopatra was 45 when she assessed the throne on the tallest building (480 feet high) on earth until the Eiffel Tower was built!! The three great pyramids were created out of solid rock. The great pyramid is made out of 6.5 million tons of limestone rock. 1997 three archeologists including Mark Leonard decided to build a pyramid of 20 meters high- each piece of stone would be 4 tons they had lots of challenges- the pyramid got to 10 meters tall using modern day equipment! The entrance to the second pyramid was discovered in 1970. The architect who built the second pyramid was said to have built the great sphinx. There were no camels in Egypt during the time the pyramids were built!
The Sphinx is below grand level and has had some damage over the centuries. It is a recumbent lion with a human being head. The nose of The Sphinx was either used for Roman target practice or worn from weather depending on who you believe.
Interesting facts on Egypt:
-There are currently 22 Million people in Cairo. 1,000 people per square kilometer!!
-our guide informed us that day camel meat in Egypt.
-He also informed us that his children like to eat a camel burgers at McDonald’s!
-Literal meaning of Ciro in Arabic is “The Conqueror”
-Arabic is the official language/English second
-Most people are Soonie Muslim
-Ramisis the 2nd – was the greatest
-Cairo’s Egyptian Museum Will be a must see for our next possible visit
-Egyptian falafel made of fava beans!!
-Cartouche is the traditionalEgyptian jewelry
-no thank you= let shuchran
-salam allegro – peace be with you
-income: Suez canal, tourism, oil
-60% of the population of Egypt makes less than $30 a day
-the best investment in Egypt is in real estate
-40% of Cairo lives in slums
-“CC” is the current beloved Egyptian president because he is working on the poverty situation and subsidizes pita bread
-today is a hazy sandstorm day
-sandstorm days can last for 50 day
-it is said that for every 5 dates in the world, one is grown in Egypt
-Egypt is the third largest producer of dried tomatoes in the world
Information: Ramses II The Great, Is regarded as one of the greatest and most powerful pharaohs in Egyptian history During his remarkable reign of around 66 years, he accomplished many things.
Alongside having 90 children, he fought in multiple wars and even achieved one of the earliest peace treaties in world history!
He built extensively throughout Egypt, building cities, temples and monuments such as his administrative capital of Pi-Ramesses in the Nile Delta, the Abu Simbel temples in Nubia, and the Ptah Temple here in Memphis.
More statues of Ramesses II survive than of any other pharaoh, including the masterpiece that you see before you. This enormous statue was carved in limestone and towered over 10m high.
The Alabaster Sphinx in Memphis!Ramses IIStep PyramidGaza Pyramids!Sphinx
Tom has always wanted to sail thru the Suez Canal due to the engineering marvel and to travel thru a desert on a ship! We have been waiting outside the Suez Canal since 4am for our turn to sail thru. Apparently there were 95 ships to exit the canal prior to our sailing thru!
The Suez Canal completed in 1869, is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to theRed Sea through the Isthmus of Suez and dividing Africa and Asia.
The 193.30 km (120.11 mi) long canal, is 79 feet deep and is a popular trade route between Europe and Asia. There are 8 major bends and several lakes in the canal. There are also several dredges continually working within the canal. This sea-level, single-lane waterway has no locks, and two main lakes allow north- and southbound ships to pass each other: Ballah Bypass and Great Bitter Lake. Along this historic waterway, stark desert lsands stretch into Egypt and an occasional giant mound of sand appears on its banks, dug from the canal. This morning when we entered the canal, in the section that they are working on the widening, many of the Construction workers did the very cute dance with their back howe’s swinging them all around and up and down, waving at us! We were delighted this morning to have breakfast outside and watch the construction of the widening of the canal. We have spent the last three days, looking at Desert from land on the buses and now we get to see it from the canal! Small patches of swaying palms are fed by canal waters. Nearby lies the town of Ismailia, known as the “City of Beauty and Enchantment,” which was built to serve the canal’s construction and maintenance. The Suez Canal is owned by the Suez Canal authority. There were several areas of the canal where we were able to visualize movable bridges that cross the canal from side to side. The Suez Canal was funded through a joint effort between France and Egypt 52% from France 44% from Egypt.
At one point, we noticed an unusual road leading to the canal and we learned that the road went under the Canal in a tunnel!! The Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel is a 1.63-kilometre-long (1.01 mi) car tunnel under the Suez Canal at Shallufa. The tunnel is named after Ahmed Hamdi, an Egyptian engineer and general killed in action during the Yom Kippur War. Thinking that Israeli defense forces (IDF)would not be able to defend Israel on the holiest day of the Jewish year, the Arab states coordinated a surprise attack on Saturday, October 6, 1973, Yom Kippur. The war ended 18 days later, on October 24, 1973, when a ceasefire was declared.
All ships are required to have at least one pilot on board when navigating the canal. Ships pay $7 per ton to pass the canal. On the fated day March 2021, the pilot was on board a very large container ship. The Abagail ship got stuck in the canal – due to the “bank effect”. The ship was sideways – and the water took control of the ship- the ship got stuck on the bank of the canal. Overall it took over 7 days to get it loose from the bank.
Today around noon we were cruising under the Friendship Bridge in the Suez Canal. The bridge was given to Egypt by the Japanese. We also noticed several areas were there appear to be parallel canals. I was able to capture image from Google maps.
We learned during our lectures today that the Statue of Liberty was originally destined to be a lighthouse to welcome visitors to the entrance to the Suez Canal! It was to face Europe and welcome the foreigners home! The statue was not a gift from France, but rather the 1876 US exhibition helped raise the funds for the statue. The statue 100% French construction, the base 100% American made and funded!
Arrival to the entrance of the CanalHappy boy!The Friendship bridgeBridge on the canal- view from our lunch table!!Google maps showing split in the canal!
Egypt’s seaside resort of Sharm el-Sheikh is often called the “City of Peace” for the number of international peace conferences held here. Its location, where major bodies of water meet, has transformed from a modest fishing village into a major port. However, “Sharm,” as it known by locals, is renowned for its unrivaled scuba diving among vibrant coral, dramatic rock formations and reef walls. It should actually be been known for being the most clean city we have ever been out on this trip. Absolutely pristine roadways, landscape and buildings for miles!! The surrounding desert, too, though less colorful, exudes its own stark beauty.
For today’s shore excursion we chose to go snorkeling with “Moose” our guide who actually works on the ship and is from this area of Egypt! We are excited to see different fish and coral and witness the Underwater Beauty of the Red Sea on a snorkeling adventure!
We departed the pier with the utter complete scrutiny of the: police, armed guards, undercover guards (with their “uzzis” visible) X-ray, and pat down’s. So now I have officially seen up close and personal the most “uzzi” guns in the last 48 hours than I ever have in my entire life!!! Then back on the bus where our very kind guide attempted to give us the complete history of Egypt in 20 minutes!
We did have an armed guard with us for the day. Then we rode to Naama Bay and sat around for a while.
We were all surprised to learn that two snorkel boats from other companies that went out earlier this morning, got in an accident on the reef. Apparently they did damage to the reef, and the boat and had to send out the Egyptian equivalent of the Coast Guard to save them. Therefore, our snorkel trip was canceled! We were so disappointed.
Viking to the rescue! As we were headed back to the ship, we received a call that we were able to board a underwater submarine to view the tropical fish on the reef. This was an absolutely unexpected and fun experience.!!
We were able to view the colorful Red Sea tropical fish, intricate coral formations and exotic marine life for which the Red Sea is famous. Underwater sightings included : grouper, trigger fish, and hundreds of other rainbow-colored species. At the conclusion of our submarine session we were treated to a rare sighting of a poisonous lion fish at the pier. And our guide was kind enough to stop long enough for us to put our feet in the Red Sea! Following the last two days of 13 hour tours- more hours on a bus than we can count, we were happy to return to our beautiful ship! The weather today is extremely hot, humid and there is so much (smog/fog/??) that we can not see the neighboring mountains, this is what caused the boating accident this morning . Our guide said this was the first time in 25 years that he has seen this weather phenomenon.
-Today we are on the Asian side of Egypt on the Sini area
-Today is forecasted to be 99F with 70% humidity
-there were devastating floods here in 1996- destroying both the America Marriott and Sofitel hotels (which were buried in 170 Meters of water)
-Rain historically comes only every 16-17 years to this bay
-Moses was said to have receive the 10 Commandments at the local monastery in this town ( St. Catherine’s).
-this area is renowned for it’s scuba and snorkeling
-Egyptians believed face makeup had healing powers
-1982 is when this area was liberated and now they are a peaceful country
Our “Beach camel”!!!From the Red SeaWe put our feet in the Red Sea!!Famous positions Lion fish!!
Apparently all my photos are not attaching to my posts!!so I’m only thru if to add three today. Hopefully this will work!
Following yesterdays early morning wake up call, we were actually OK with waking up before the sun and doing it again today! We are going to Luxor!!
Again, we attended lectures on sea days, and listened to the informative talks to educate ourselves. Our veteran egyptologist for our tour today is Hanna. She has multiple degrees in egyptologist and is fluent in both the spoken and written Egyptian language.
Egyptian pound (EGP) 30.9 to $1 USD
Luxor is set on the east bank of the Nile River and once served as the capital of Egypt’s New Kingdom. Today, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site lined with beautiful colonial hotels and some of the world’s most ancient and significant ruins. Many consider this city, watched over by graceful single-sailed feluccas plying the Nile, one of the world’s great open air museums. The sprawling Temples of Luxor and Karnak on the east bank are linked by the ancient Avenue of the Sphinxes. On the west bank, in the Valley of the Kings, lie the tombs of Egypt’s great pharaohs. The Arabic language is the most common spoken here. Shocran- “thank you”-
Lalala- “no”, meyameya- “I’m doing fine”, Habebe- “my dear”. Cartoonsh- is named for cartridge after bullet. The French deciphering the Egyptian hieroglyphics.
Kings and Queens of Egypt is the name of our tour today.
Today we had a 3.5hr bus ride thru the desert to arrive Luxor (city of palaces), site of ancient Thebes, to see the Temple of Karnak and the amazing Valley of the Kings tombs. Arriving at Luxor that straddles the Nile and starts our exploration at the Karnak temple complex. Dating back to about 2050 BC, it was the largest and most important sanctuary of ancient Egypt. Today, Luxor is strewn with temples, pylons, obelisks and the great Hypostyle Hall, with 16 rows of 134 columns. We were truly blessed to be able to take this tour today. Although we prepared as best as possible, we were overwhelmed with the sheer size and amazing towering columns!
Following the Temple of Karnak we were utterly and completely spoiled, honored and blessed when we boarded the Dahabaya sail boat on the Nile river! We cruised the Nile while dinning on Egyptian delicacies!! Yes, PINCH ME!! Se sailed to the Nile’s west bank and enjoyed the views from both sides of the Nile.
Next, we traveled to Valley of the Kings, home to the tombs of 63 Egyptian pharaohs.We first had an exclusive tour of the Queen Nefertiti tomb to see the beautiful paintings and Hieroglyphics. The Tomb has been completely raided of all the artifacts, leaving just the paintings on the walls. They were amazing!!! This was so incredible-words fail. But I can tell you about the horrid heat!!
Following a brief bus ride to the Valley of the Kings, we enjoyed another private viewing of the 446 foot-long tomb of SETI I, who’s 11 chambers are connected by tunnel. So not really completely private- maybe private with 2,000 of our newly acquired friends. And still completely indescribable to begin to share our experience today. We were able to see all the tombs, ruins, hieroglyphics and view King Tut’s tour.Tutt’s sarcophagus.
Yes, down (150 steps) to the Tutankhamen, the most famous archaeological discovery of the last century. This tomb was discovered in 1922, it took 10 years to categorize it and remove the artifacts. for anyone interested there is a fabulous to National Geographic series on the finding an excavation of his tomb. We should not have been surprised to see that everything that we saw in the National Geographic special was actually available for us to see you today.
Interesting facts:
-There are 107 Million people in Egypt today. Five factors that affect Egyptian economy: 96% live on or near the Nile and delta. The rest of the country is desert!
-Tanks passing thru the Suez Canal
-best gold in the world- fine quality-Nubia- land of gold
-Egyptian cotton – from the north of Egypt, Oil- fields around the eastern borders
-Tourism- each 1 Million tourists provides 200,000 jobs
-Contemporary Egypt- prior to 1952 was ruled by their King then the revolution changed all that. Poverty, illiteracy and disease are the three main political issues.
-386 square miles on the top of Africa- politically part of the Middle vs East. Earliest and first recorded civilization.
-There are more than 700 different hieroglyphs in the Egyptian alphabet
-Egypt only 7% of the total land can be cultivated. Mostly desert and oasis. Not even a camel was seen for the first 3.5 hrs of driving!! we saw hour after hour of poor people living around tributary’s and deltas that lead to the Nile. Most of the families were living in homes that were not completed so they would not have to pay taxes, and working the land literally with donkeys and handcarts. We saw very few powered vehicles. We saw many animals working with the farmers on the land. And when we saw schools of children, it was only boys. We surmised that they were going to school.
One of 1,000 photos from Karnak!From inside Queen Neferitires tomb!King Tut’s tomb!SETI I
Tom is most excited to see through the narrow tear in the red rock in Jordan known as Petra, near the Serian/Africa rift. Located near Jordan’s only coastal city Aqaba, (15Million people) which is set amid coffee-colored desert hills. With its central location between Africa and Asia, it has played a significant role in the region’s trade for thousands of years. Today, its prosperity rests in its position as the sole port of the nation and in its pristine dive sites. The city’s history, too, draws inquisitive travelers. In 1917, T. E. Lawrence (known as Lawrence of Arabia) led troops here in the Battle of Aqaba. The white-robed English ally helped the Arabs run the Turks from the city’s fortress during a camel charge.
Petra was founded in the year 312 BC as the capital of the Nabatean Empire. This makes it over 2300 years old, and one of the oldest cities in the world, based on it’s precious access to water in wells. The Nabateans absorbed culture and were completely motivated by spices specifically frankincense. Petra is one of the largest royal tomb complexes in the world, with approximately 1,000 individual tombs identified to date.
The valley in which the city is found is known as Wadi Musa (Moses Valley), because of a legendary connection to the Biblical prophet. It is said that Moses struck the rock at Petra and water miraculously spouted from the ground, providing a drink for the thirsty Israelites. (We now know of the underground cistern system that was present prior to the destructive earthquake in 363 CE.)
Trying to make sense of the Nabataeans through the Bible: slide
The countries of Israel, Egypt, Saudi’s Arabia and Jordan all four corners meet near the port town of Aqaba, Jordan
I’m going to give the end of the story first. It’s absolutely hot and humid today! I believe the temperature was well over 100°. We walked over 5.5 miles and I was overwhelmed with the heat. I actually drink a real sugar, Pepsi, and I felt better! We had a fabulous trip, and you will see that Sarah and I were able to do ride a camel !! It was a three hour bus ride both ways both both ways to ways to get to Petra!!
Petra City Carved in Red Sandstone we were completely overwhelmed to marvel at one of the ancient world’s most astonishing sights: the rock-hewn city of Petra. One of the new Seven Wonders of the World (2007), Petra is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sculpted into cliffs and rocky mounds 3,200 years ago at the height of the prosperous Nabataean culture, it was once a bustling trade center that controlled ancient routes between Arabia and the Mediterranean. We set off on foot to explore, approaching via the half-mile-long narrow siq, a gorge surrounded by towering walls that block out the sun. At the end of the slim passage, marvel at the Khaznah, or Treasury, the iconic facade carved into a 130-foot cliff. Only 15% of Petra has been excavated.
They called it the treasury because they thought the top of the outside of the tombs were made of silver. They started shooting st the top because they thought that it was made of silver- but it was not.
They actually painted the front of all of Petra when building.
Nabatean Technology- who built Petra
The cube distems of the Nabatean have perfect right angles.
Where did this technology come from?Did the Nabataeans learn their stall durine the heyday of Babylonia and Ausyria? Perhaps they learned some of their skill from the pete cleoutien Ariesuto were creating basic waterworks during the Iron Age. They learned from the original crude cisterns.
*After proceeding for twenty-five minutes between the rocks, we came tog place where the passage opens, and where the bed of another stream coming from the south joins the syk. On the side of the perpendicular rock, direetly opposite to the issue of the main valley, an excavated mausoleum came in view, the situation and beauty of which are calculated to make an extraordinary impression upon the traveler, after having traversed for nearly half an hour such a gloomy and almost subterraneous passage asl have described. It is one of the most elegant remains of antiquity calating in Syria, its state of preservation resembles that of a building recently finished, and on a closer examination I found it to be a work of immense labour”
-Burckhardt Thavels in Syria and the Holy Land published in 1822
The New Petra Archeological Museum recently opened – funded by The current king of Saudi Arabia
The current Jordan river is now only small stream.
Lawrence of Arabia and Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade came (1999!) were both filmed here!
Jordan has a history of accepting refugees from all countries. Jordan home to Jordan river. Shore of the Dead Sea is here. The black iris is the national flower.
We were proud to walk on the same path that Moses asked permission to use after leading the Israelites out of Egypt. Petra caves!Welcome to the outskirts of Petra The path to the treasury reminded us of the Narrows in Zion national park And reminded us of the Hoodoos in Bryce CanyonBeautiful Jordan valleySo incredible!Our first peek at The Treasury What an incredible site!My new best friend!!The girls took an brief ride and photo stop!A store in a cave!!The amphitheater that seated 4,000!!Impressed with the architecture!!Bruce and Sara with the kid who sold them the plaqueSuann checking out the Roman and Jordanian coins found in Petra!Caper plantBeautiful JordanAmazing Jordan handmade plate!Typical images from the bus Lots of roadside camels!!
Todays post is on something I learned about yesterday- the Agal. I have never known the name of this Arabian accessory, and I learned about it yesterday! We saw many varieties of them as well. Where there is a historical significance to the Agal- today is is more of a fashion statement.
The agal is traced in Semitic and Middle Eastern civilizations based on old Babylon artifacts such as Elamite coins and figures and even in ancient Arabian kingdoms.
Why do Arabs wear agal?
The agal, once a simple rope that doubled as a camel hobble among Arab Bedouin, now functions to hold the keffiyeh in place on the head. The gold and silk wrapped around strands of wool (originally either made of camel or goat hair) indicate wealth and elite status.
Today the different Agal’s can mean the area of Saudi’s Arabia you are from, the type of animals you keep, your state of wealth, or simply something to just match your outfit!!
We noticed in the original Lawrence of Arabia movie he wore two Argal’s stacked on each other, or possibly doubled over itself!!
Today we visit Jeddah, (The Gateway to Mecca), the second largest city in Saudi’s Arabia! Tourism is new to Saudi Arabia. The first tourist visas were issued in September 2019! We were welcomed by passing by the Jeddah Light, which is an observation tower, port control tower and active lighthouse.
In April of 2022, we took a zoom course offered thru OSHER -(older adult learning) with Santa Clara University. During this class we learned, about the History, Culture and potential future of Saudi Arabia. The current king is King Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud. In early 2019, the government named Princess Reema bint Bandar, as its first female ambassador to the US.
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
• 2nd largest oil reserves in the world
• 830,000 sq. miles in area – 5 times bigger than California
• Population 34 million • GDP $1.8 Trillion (PPP*) *GDP PPP (purchasing power parity) is gross domestic product converted to international dollars using purchasing power parity rates.
We learned about Shale and the oil influence to the world of Saudi Arabia. On our Antarctica expedition we met a man who is an drilling engineer- he was able to describe some of the multilateral drilling methods currently being utilized. We learned about the Oil wars and the Persian Gulf. We also learned about how Wahhabism has been Saudi Arabia’s dominant faith and they believe in the literal interpretation of the Koran. Additionally, Strict Wahhabis believe that all those who don’t practice their form of Islam are heathens. We learned about the Saudi influence in the world and their belief that they are Islam’s caretaker. We learned about the different sanctions of Saudi’s: the Bedouins, their Nomadic life, We are happy to share our course o notes if anyone is interested!!!
We never actually believed we would visit Saudi Arabia- and yet- here we are!!! Interesting to note when we signed up for shore excursions for Jeddah, there were only two choices. One for both men and women and one for just Women. Of course I am so curious- I needed to attend the one for women and Tom is going to the other.
There is an entire story about how it took us a couple of weeks of stress to get our visas!! In the end- VIKING came thru and the night before we left for Jeddah- my VISA was finally issued!!! Once again, we are in a very industrial port and we are not allowed to walk on the dock. Shuttle busses are taking passengers from the ship to the terminal passengers clear customs/immigration, this process took Approximately 10 minute per person!! There were 4 people in line in front of us we were in line FOREVER, then we boarded our tour busses. As we were aware, ALL alcoholic beverages in the bars and restaurants have been secured and the ship is not allowed to serve alcohol to anyone while in port. It will be interesting to see how long it takes this evening to restock the shelves in the bars.
TOM:
A City Full of Culture Spanning Centuries
Tom and Bruce first viewed Jeddah through the ages during a panoramic bus drive, in the afternoon. Sara and I were on a morning tour. Tom and Bruce went on a a stroll through its historic Old Town.
Their tour began in modern Jeddah, leaving the port by motor coach for a journey along the famed Corniche, a coastal roadway next to the Red Sea lined with parks, sculptures, upscale restaurants and cafés and more. Tom was really interested during our class to learn about the culture and eager to learn on the tour today. Tom and Bruce disembarked in Al-Balad, Jeddah’s historic city center and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for a guided walk through its ancient streets. They admired the well-preserved Red Sea architectural style of its buildings, a beautiful mix of coral masonry and ornate woodwork adorning their facades. They were interested in seeing the outside of the private galleries and museums, then visited the bustling old market, where traders and travelers from the east and west have gathered for centuries. They made a breif photo stop at the Old City Gate, before returning to our beautiful Viking Mars.
Historic Jeddah From a Female Perspective was the name of our tour today. Jeddah: Established in 1933, currently 5M people live in this port city. There are no people from any different cultures in the Jeddah. They say they are all one people. Education is free and has the right to join schools with lots of private and international schools. All students get monthly allowances depending on their major. Medical care is socialized. The government supports the citizens, but does not support property- government pays the interest in private loans. There are no homeless as all are provided for. No crime!! They believe that all crime is based on drugs- that are banned. All women who do not have someone to take care of them are provided for.
Tour of the old town started with the welcome arch made from stones shells and mud from the Red Sea- no nails or wood.
Suann and Sara were able to glimpse into the lives of Saudi women during the women-only excursion through the historic city of Jeddah. I knew before we joined the tour that I would NEVER survive in Saudi Arabia and geared myself up not to say, wear or do anything to get in trouble! The ship recommended we cover up from head to toe- we were scrutinized to be sure: shoulders, elbows and knees were covered and we were ready to join our female guide. We left modern Jeddah with our guide Selma (a public relations coordinator & works with an affiliate of the Mayo Clinic), from the port by bus for a journey along the famed Corniche, a coastal roadway next to the Red Sea. We disembark in Al-Balad, Jeddah’s old city center and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for a very hot sweltery stroll through its ancient streets. We were able to gain insight into the lives of women while admiring the beautiful mix of coral masonry and ornate woodwork that adorn the building facades. We were honored to visit a private home and speak with its female residents, discovering more about their lives. One women greeted us with traditional bridal wear! We began our education in the child room- the father will at the call to prayer in the the babies right ear. There is a shorter call to prayer in left ear. At seven years old the child starts to pray after initiation of a prayer party.
Tree gum called Mastic is smoked over the purified cups prior to putting in water. We went to a game room to learn traditional Saudi Games (Carrom) that were popular in the past and re-surfaced during COVID. There was also a sari room where we saw all the different traditional garments and go to put them on!! Coffee room was the best!! Dates, coffee and traditioal pastries. We also learned about what the women wear at each stage of their lives. Special outfits for puberty…and even a sports Abaya!! Women have been allowed to drive for the past five years. Men can have up to four wives- they must be treated equally.
Next we walked thru the bustling old market area where we had free time to search for the perfect memento. We also had a photo stop at the Old City Gate, before return to Viking Mars with a deeper understanding of the lives of Saudi women. this tour was so incredibly informative!!
Here is a slide from our course on the Saudi Vision for 2030
Jordan LightOriginal Gate to Jordan Typical Saudi CoupleInteresting art on the street Our welcome to learning about the lives of the Saudi womenSpecial selfie- she is wearing a traditional women’s wedding dressLearning about the culture of purifying silver water mugs I got to try on some of their garments!!Traditional family games!Learning about traditional Saudi coffee with sweet date treats!Traditional Burqa Modern day Saudi women’s wear In the main square24 karat gold!!Beautiful beach fronts Main mosque in Jordan Art work/sculptures throughout the townBread sales man?
suannschutt 