Don’t Leave Egypt Until….

Spend your time in Egypt wisely, and don’t leave without seeing the Unfinished Obelisk located in the northern region of the ancient stone quarries of Aswan. The obelisk was never finished likely due to a flaw in the stone. In order to see the obelisk, you have to climb the quarry. The climb is not difficult, but caution should be exercised. The reward for the effort is great.

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Don’t leave Egypt without seeing Philae. Sail there on a small boat.

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Don’t miss visiting the Philae Temples and the temple cats.

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Don’t leave Egypt until you stand …..

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and sit where Cleopatra and Caesar stood and sat….

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Do see the sun high in the sky as they did.

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When you wave goodbye to Philae,

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say hello to a Nubian village.

Don’t leave Egypt until you greet the Sphinx and

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get really close to the Great Pyramid.

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Before leaving Egypt, see for yourself, firsthand, the damage done to some antiquities for personal gain….for example, this hole blasted in the side of the Great Pyramid.

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Stay and try to line up the Giza pyramids. You may not be successful. I wasn’t, but don’t leave Egypt until you try.

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And, by all means, don’t depart this country until you see the Sphinx and the Great Pyramid together. This sight is unforgettable.

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Leaving Egypt before you find a gathering of camels is not permitted.

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Don’t leave without shouting a howdy to the Step Pyramid.

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Don’t neglect to visit Esna, one of Egypt’s small towns that is right on the water. Esna is located on the west bank of the Nile, about 33 miles south of Luxor. Some parts of the town are currently undergoing modernization,

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but for the most part, many of the traditional ways of living still play a large role in Esna life. Local merchants still sell fabrics to brides;

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some merchants sell spices, and

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some wash and press garments the old fashioned way.

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For most, life continues as it always has,

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except around the excavation of the temple at Esna. The temple site is under exploration. You can see by the water mark on the far wall how flooding of the Nile and the subsequent deposits of silt filled the temple and how the current town seems to have grown right on top of the ruins of the ancient site.

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The temple is small, but wonderful.

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Some of the colors that ancient Egyptians were so fond of can still be seen.

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Don’t leave Esna until you catch sight of pharaoh dancing…that’s right, here’s pharaoh letting his hair down and enjoying himself.

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Don’t leave Egypt until you get your tour guide to take you to see the Colossi of Memnon. The two giant stone statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep have stood in the same place since 1350 BCE.

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Going on to Memphis is a must, and when you get there don’t leave until you see the enormous, limestone statue of Ramesses II. More statues of this pharaoh survive than any other Egyptian pharaoh. The one in Memphis was found in a field by a farmer. The story I heard goes the farmer was traumatized by his discovery, thinking the statue was the Great Ramesses returned from the dead.

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Don’t leave Egypt until the concept of time begins to change for you. Don’t leave Egypt until you have fallen in love with the people and the country. Don’t leave Egypt until you make as many memories and connections as you possibly can make. Don’t leave Egypt until you find yourself wishing you could stay longer….the beauty and wonder of travel.

Next stop…a short junket to Israel.

Love, the Unseasoned Traveler