We are all up and raring to go….specially Audrey who didn’t sleep all night, but we will wear her out today. First stop breakfast at the hotel
The incredible hostess who handled us and 200 Korean tourists all at once
We are picked up by our driver and Egyptologist guide. Jordan definitely kept her on her toes and she answered every one of his 500 questions!
First stop, the Egyptian Museum. Egypt’s National Museum was originally built in 1902. It has never been updated with temperature controls to help preserve the artifacts; so Egypt is building a new museum in Giza near the pyramids. It has had several construction delays over the years – the revolutions in 2011 and 2015 and finally COVID, but the project is back on. Most of the pieces that are now housed in this museum in Cairo, will be moved to the new museum.
This is a replica of the Rosetta Stone. It was found in Egypt in 1799, but when the British defeated the French in Egypt in 1801, they took possession of the stone- so now it is housed in the British Museum. And of course they hope to get the Rosetta Stone returned to them when the new museum opens. Good luck on that – just ask the Greeks how successful they were in getting their stolen antiquities returned.
Oops – what I posted yesterday was not actually a replica of the Rosetta Stone – it was another stela. I have replaced the picture with the real replica.
This statue of King Tut’s grandfather and grandmother and their three daughters was carved out of a single piece of limestone.
This is the side of the statute. It will not be moved to the new museum.
The Egyptians of this period (approx. 2500 BC) spent their time preparing for their afterlife. They built their sarcophagus and tombs in preparation for leaving this life and moving on to their next life.
Upon death their heart was left in the body, but the lungs, stomach, intestines and liver were removed and preserved in these special containers.
The brain was removed and discarded it as they didn’t feel it was needed in the afterlife.
This carving of a pharaoh was carved out of a single piece of wood.
And here are some of Jordan’s pictures from the museum
And on to the next stop, the Islamic Quarter
A stop for lunch
And finally on to the Bazaar
Middle top: Notice the old rotary phone and the standing phone with the mouthpiece
This was a crazy scene of people, junk and some beautiful hand carved pieces.
Time to face the rush hour traffic and head back to the hotel
Evidently very few people carry insurance on their cars as it is quite expensive- so they think nothing of running into each other. Two lane roads hold 6 lanes of cars, bikes, mopeds and motorcycles and people!
Tomorrow the pyramids and camels. I gotta get some sleep.
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