Friday, 21 September 2012
Wednesday, 19 September 2012
Beware the ill tempered donkey
What feels like a long time ago, I mentioned a couple of contrasts that we had seen whilst traveling. Having been fortunate enough to be able to travel quite alot, we have seen some quite striking contrasts. Contrasts of excess and poverty, of power and hopelessness, of old and new.
Writing this I sit by an infinity pool 24 floors up, with a ski slope, some man made islands and the tallest building in the world in sight, after two weeks exploring countries where the average monthly salary would barely pay for a night of accommodation in the hotel whose roof I sit on. While I am very fortunate to have had the opportunities I have had, the excesses that surround us make me feel a bit sick. How is it that so much of your life is decided by where you are born and to whom you are born?
Arriving in Egypt, after the relative peace of Eastern Europe, was quite a shock. The heat, the noise, the hassle and the dust strike you and, sooner or later, can really get to you. With a diabolical arrival experience, where the taxi driver fell asleep multiple times, tried to increase the price, attempted to push sell tours, took us (deliberately) to a different hotel and stopped to run errands, our patience was tested early. Although keeping in mind that the hassle is a part of the cultural fabric of Egyptian society, and also that it is a product of the post revolution tourism downturn caused desperation, allowed us to keep smiling, we were well and truly sick of being treated as walking wallets every step that we took outside of our hotels.
Our first stop in Egypt was Cairo, where we visited three of the pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx and the Egyptian Museum. The museum has a truly amazing and voluminous collection that, largely due to the absence of labeling and signage, is easy to get lost in exploring. During the revolution, a centre of which was the adjacent Tahir Square, concerned citizens formed a human chain around the museum to protect it. Unfortunately a number of items had already been stolen.
From Cairo we travelled down to Aswan by overnight train. With overcrowding, continuos illumination, unusable disgusting toilets and people watching us sleep, it is not an experience I would recommend. From Aswan we visited the Temples of Isis and at Abu Simbel. While both were great, the latter was one of the highlights of our visit to Egypt.
After a ride on a camel (my one was called Lulu), a visit to and meal in a local Nubian village, we boarded a felucca and sailed (slowly) down the Nile towards Luxor. After a couple of days, all bar one (the one being unwell and asleep) of our tour group took the opportunity to get off the boat and visit a local temple. I think a simple reflection of how the pace of modern life leaves us poorly able to handle slow, low stimulation, times.
In Luxor, a town that grew dramatically on the back of tourism, the impact of the downturn is particularly evident. Hundreds of boats line the Nile, waiting for someone, anyone. Horses, with carriages eagerly attached, line the streets. In 2010 some 12 million tourists visited Egypt, in 2011 only 2 million visited. In 2012 unemployment hit 12 million.
From Luxor we visited Karnak, Luxor Temple and the Valley of the Kings. To get to the Valley we boarded donkeys, taking our trip wide transport list to: donkey, camel, felucca, train, bus, mini-van, taxi, plane, ferry, motor boat, 4wd, paraglider and car. Unfortunately, following a local kid galloping past and whipping my donkey, my donkey freaked out and bolted up the road, with me failing in trying to slow her down, she bolted at a gutter and threw me off. Bloodied, and with a shoulder feeling quite askew, I remounted and rode to the Valley, where the donkey's owner offered lemon juice to clean the graze. By the time we get home, the donkey will have become a possessed champion bucking bull, which fired lasers beams out its eye, which after riding for 8 seconds threw me off.
After another overnight train, and a largely wasted day in Cairo, we ventured out to Dahab in the southern part of the Sinai region. The journey, which was meant to take eight hours, took 12 hours, thanks to an abundance of check points, driving in convoys and with police escorts.
A number of people, on learning that we were going to Egypt, asked us why, told us that it was not safe and even questioned our sanity. This was not surprising or unexpected as most only have the limited and (due to the nature of perceived audience demand) somewhat unfair press coverage the country receives to go on. A visit to the country gives a more complete picture, a picture of an interesting and enlightening place, a picture of desperate but ultimately warm people, a picture of a country in transition. The police escorts, checks points and convoys are not without cause or reason but are not simply a reflection of risk. In our visit, we did not feel unsafe.
After a very pleasant night in Dahab, and leaving our fantastic tour guide behind, we boarded a bus then a ferry and continued our tour in Jordan.
In Jordan we visited the enchanting desert of Wadi Rum, the amazing hidden city of Petra and spent an afternoon floating in the Dead Sea. In a couple of days, before we leave Dubai for Africa and Mt K, I will post some photos of Jordan.
Writing this I sit by an infinity pool 24 floors up, with a ski slope, some man made islands and the tallest building in the world in sight, after two weeks exploring countries where the average monthly salary would barely pay for a night of accommodation in the hotel whose roof I sit on. While I am very fortunate to have had the opportunities I have had, the excesses that surround us make me feel a bit sick. How is it that so much of your life is decided by where you are born and to whom you are born?
Arriving in Egypt, after the relative peace of Eastern Europe, was quite a shock. The heat, the noise, the hassle and the dust strike you and, sooner or later, can really get to you. With a diabolical arrival experience, where the taxi driver fell asleep multiple times, tried to increase the price, attempted to push sell tours, took us (deliberately) to a different hotel and stopped to run errands, our patience was tested early. Although keeping in mind that the hassle is a part of the cultural fabric of Egyptian society, and also that it is a product of the post revolution tourism downturn caused desperation, allowed us to keep smiling, we were well and truly sick of being treated as walking wallets every step that we took outside of our hotels.
Our first stop in Egypt was Cairo, where we visited three of the pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx and the Egyptian Museum. The museum has a truly amazing and voluminous collection that, largely due to the absence of labeling and signage, is easy to get lost in exploring. During the revolution, a centre of which was the adjacent Tahir Square, concerned citizens formed a human chain around the museum to protect it. Unfortunately a number of items had already been stolen.
From Cairo we travelled down to Aswan by overnight train. With overcrowding, continuos illumination, unusable disgusting toilets and people watching us sleep, it is not an experience I would recommend. From Aswan we visited the Temples of Isis and at Abu Simbel. While both were great, the latter was one of the highlights of our visit to Egypt.
After a ride on a camel (my one was called Lulu), a visit to and meal in a local Nubian village, we boarded a felucca and sailed (slowly) down the Nile towards Luxor. After a couple of days, all bar one (the one being unwell and asleep) of our tour group took the opportunity to get off the boat and visit a local temple. I think a simple reflection of how the pace of modern life leaves us poorly able to handle slow, low stimulation, times.
In Luxor, a town that grew dramatically on the back of tourism, the impact of the downturn is particularly evident. Hundreds of boats line the Nile, waiting for someone, anyone. Horses, with carriages eagerly attached, line the streets. In 2010 some 12 million tourists visited Egypt, in 2011 only 2 million visited. In 2012 unemployment hit 12 million.
From Luxor we visited Karnak, Luxor Temple and the Valley of the Kings. To get to the Valley we boarded donkeys, taking our trip wide transport list to: donkey, camel, felucca, train, bus, mini-van, taxi, plane, ferry, motor boat, 4wd, paraglider and car. Unfortunately, following a local kid galloping past and whipping my donkey, my donkey freaked out and bolted up the road, with me failing in trying to slow her down, she bolted at a gutter and threw me off. Bloodied, and with a shoulder feeling quite askew, I remounted and rode to the Valley, where the donkey's owner offered lemon juice to clean the graze. By the time we get home, the donkey will have become a possessed champion bucking bull, which fired lasers beams out its eye, which after riding for 8 seconds threw me off.
After another overnight train, and a largely wasted day in Cairo, we ventured out to Dahab in the southern part of the Sinai region. The journey, which was meant to take eight hours, took 12 hours, thanks to an abundance of check points, driving in convoys and with police escorts.
A number of people, on learning that we were going to Egypt, asked us why, told us that it was not safe and even questioned our sanity. This was not surprising or unexpected as most only have the limited and (due to the nature of perceived audience demand) somewhat unfair press coverage the country receives to go on. A visit to the country gives a more complete picture, a picture of an interesting and enlightening place, a picture of desperate but ultimately warm people, a picture of a country in transition. The police escorts, checks points and convoys are not without cause or reason but are not simply a reflection of risk. In our visit, we did not feel unsafe.
After a very pleasant night in Dahab, and leaving our fantastic tour guide behind, we boarded a bus then a ferry and continued our tour in Jordan.
In Jordan we visited the enchanting desert of Wadi Rum, the amazing hidden city of Petra and spent an afternoon floating in the Dead Sea. In a couple of days, before we leave Dubai for Africa and Mt K, I will post some photos of Jordan.
Saturday, 15 September 2012
Some more more? photos of Egypt
With today's post there are five sets of photos of Karnak and Luxor Temple, both sites in or near the city of Luxor. Luxor, with an absurd embarrassment of ancient wonders, is also the gateway to the Valley of the Kings. Unfortunately, cameras are not permitted in the Valley.
The Temples of Karnak are, in a country that does impressive sites with a high level of regularity, amazing. The scale, detail and level of preservation are something to be seen. The Great Hypostyle Hall, filled with 134 towering columns, is large enough to fit both St Peter's Basilica and St Paul's. Some of the columns and parts of the overhanging structuring have original, 3000 year old, painted scenes still visible.
Luxor Temple was largely built during the time of Amenhotep III and Ramses II, about 1390 to 1213 BC. Some parts of the complex appear to be much newer, dating from Roman times. Shadowing the entry is an impressive obelisk, the partner of which stands in Concorde Square in Paris. Part of the complex is overlooked by a mosque, built much later, from which Brenda received much attention from a group of teenage boys (I am confident they weren't looking at me). While in the most part they were respectful, it made for an interesting visit to be watched, and taken photos of, throughout.
In time (hopefully) Karnak and Luxor Temple will be connected by an avenue, three kilometers long, lined with Sphinxs, as it was in ancient times. The small section that is restored is a pretty unique sight.
From Dubai I will post the last few photos of our time in Egypt, my reflections on our visit (if I get round to writing them) and some photos of Jordan.
The Temples of Karnak are, in a country that does impressive sites with a high level of regularity, amazing. The scale, detail and level of preservation are something to be seen. The Great Hypostyle Hall, filled with 134 towering columns, is large enough to fit both St Peter's Basilica and St Paul's. Some of the columns and parts of the overhanging structuring have original, 3000 year old, painted scenes still visible.
Luxor Temple was largely built during the time of Amenhotep III and Ramses II, about 1390 to 1213 BC. Some parts of the complex appear to be much newer, dating from Roman times. Shadowing the entry is an impressive obelisk, the partner of which stands in Concorde Square in Paris. Part of the complex is overlooked by a mosque, built much later, from which Brenda received much attention from a group of teenage boys (I am confident they weren't looking at me). While in the most part they were respectful, it made for an interesting visit to be watched, and taken photos of, throughout.
In time (hopefully) Karnak and Luxor Temple will be connected by an avenue, three kilometers long, lined with Sphinxs, as it was in ancient times. The small section that is restored is a pretty unique sight.
From Dubai I will post the last few photos of our time in Egypt, my reflections on our visit (if I get round to writing them) and some photos of Jordan.
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