Egypt: Pyramids, the Sphinx, and So Much More
by Midge Kramer

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We flew from the New York/Kennedy airport and arrived in Cairo the following day. Some of us were fortunate enough to see the Pyramids from the air. What a thrill! The others, however, really didn't miss much because, when we arrived at our hotel, we were fortunate to look out the window and there they were - the Pyramids! What a sight.

Our first evening together found us at a typical Egyptian restaurant. While everything was tasty and most enjoyable, the best part was getting to know each other and discovering that we really liked each other and enjoyed each other's company. The trip was getting off to a great start.

Our first wonderful and exciting night was spent viewing the sound and light show at the Pyramids and the Sphinx -what a beautiful, thrilling and incredibly wonderful way to kick off this trip.

We arose early the following morning to venture out to the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities. WOW! The treasures of King Tut, the mummy museum, and the incredible knowledge of our guide, Walid, made this an experience that we'll all remember for the rest of our days.

Next, it was back to the Pyramids and the Sphinx for an up-close daylight viewing. Some of us opted to take a camel ride right in front of the pyramids and a couple of adventurous folks even climbed up and into the Pyramid of Cheops! Another WOW! We all shared the "Pinch me" emotion. Was this really happening or were we dreaming?

We bid farewell to Cairo and flew to Aswan where we saw the Aswan Dam and the Temple of Philae. The Temple of Philae was dedicated to the goddess, Isis (the wife of Osiris and mother of Horus). These three characters dominate ancient Egyptian culture. Once again our guide, Walid, provided a wealth of information and made these stories of ancient Egypt come to life. We were learning so much, and all of it was fascinating. It is amazing to see how incredibly well the etchings and carvings of these ancient structures have withstood the ravages of time. Everything appears much as it did when the Temple was first built.

The Nile! We were all thrilled at the prospect of cruising down the Nile River. Our excited group boarded our boat, the Tamr Henna, and cruised "down" the river. Since the Nile is one of the few rivers that flows south to north, I guess that means we cruised "up" the river. The Nile is wide and calm, and as we cruised, we watched the local people working in their fields or fishing from their small boats. It all seemed too good to be true. Are we dreaming or are we really cruising the Nile River?

Early the next morning, we headed toward another amazing structure, Abu Simbal. Built around 1200 BC, this is one of the most impressive structures in all of Egypt. Four colossal statues (72 feet in height) of Ramses II adorn the temple's façade. An earthquake in 27 BC toppled the head off one of the statues. The head lies on the ground in front of the monument and towers over the shoulders of most of the visitors. Abu Simbal is another example of the awe-inspiring talents and skills of the ancient Egyptians. How privileged and humbled we felt to stand in front of this amazing feat!

We were all fascinated with the Temple at Kom Ombo, which was built during the Greco-Roman period, sometime between 332 BC and AD 395. This unique temple is actually a double temple. It has two perfectly symmetrical sections: one dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile god, and the other to Horus, the falcon-headed god. Once again, we were amazed at the perfect condition of the etchings. Our visits to these ancient temples was now enhanced by the fact that, due to the wonderful and complete descriptions given by Walid, we were beginning to understand the meaning of some of these carvings. We recognized the cartouches (the symbols signifying the names of individual pharaohs), the individual gods we were looking at, and so much more. I guess we were beginning to feel a bit smug by now!

Our evenings on the boat were great fun. We dined together, recounting the many wonderful experiences of the day and enjoying the camaraderie of the group. We enjoyed a variety of entertainment each evening as well. One night the show included a "whirling dervish," a man who spun around and around and around for 20 minutes as he raised and lowered circles of brilliantly colored cloth and twisted it this way and that. For those who shy away from rides at amusement parks or things that spin, this particular bit of entertainment was probably best viewed before dinner rather than after! Then there was the belly dancer, another bit of local color and talent.

Another highlight was our Egyptian dress up night. Every member of the group got into the spirit of things and dressed up for the fun. There was a wide variety of indigenous costumes which provided great photo opportunities. We enjoyed lots of laughter and, best of all, each other's company.

Our boat docked, and we all hopped into horse-drawn buggies and headed toward the Temple of Edfu, which is the most complete and best preserved temple found anywhere in Egypt. It had been totally buried under the desert, except for the very top of the pylon entrance. A small amount of stone had been removed from the exposed part, but when the temple was excavated, it was found to be in near perfect condition.

Many of us felt we should be contributing to the local economy and supporting the local merchants. We did an excellent job of it! Our shopping excursions ranged from the finest jewelry stores where some of the group purchased magnificent "adornments," to stalls alongside the temples, to merchants hawking their wares on the street. There were also visits to a perfume factory, an alabaster factory, and a papyrus shop. In addition to the amazing experience of seeing Egypt, many of our group came away with their black belt in shopping!

We'd already viewed the Sphinx, the Pyramids, Abu Simbal, and the Nile. What could possibly match the incredible experience of seeing these things? The answer: The Valley of the Kings! We'd all read about the amazing tombs to be found here (in particular that of King Tut and its astounding treasures), but seeing them in person and walking into these awesome tombs was surreal. Carved into the rock and sandstone, they descend hundreds of feet into the earth. One moves from chamber to chamber toward the final resting place of the sarcophagus. In addition to the ingenuity and enormity of the task of digging the tombs, one of the biggest surprises of moving through the rooms is the richness and brilliance of the colors that jump from the wall and assault the senses. It is as though they were painted just a short while ago.

Another highlight in the "Valley" is Deir El Bahri, the Temple of Hatshepsut. Queen Hatshepsut was the only woman pharaoh of Egypt. She was a powerful woman who ruled Egypt for more than 20 years. During her reign, she managed to stabilize the Egyptian government and commissioned the building of many structures that were superior in their architectural advancements even by today's standards. Deir el Bahri in Luxor is still considered one of the world's most beautiful temples.

With temperatures reaching 116 degrees, our now hot and sweaty group visited Karnak Temple. This is really a complex of temples, built over a period of 1500 years. It is overwhelming in its size and beauty, having a total circumference of more than 2.5 miles. The highlights of Karnak Temple include the Avenue of the Sphinxes, the largest surviving obelisk in Egypt, and the Great Hypostyle Hall with 134 columns. Some felt that the refreshment shop (with its cold drinks!) was the highlight of this temple.

The Temple of Thebes in Luxor was our final temple. This has always been a sacred site. After Egypt's pagan period, a Christian church and monastery were located there, along with a mosque (built during the 13th century) that continues to be used today.

Luxor was the final stop for some of our group. We bid them a sad but fond farewell as the remainder of the group headed for Sharm El Sheikh, the resort area located at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula on the Red Sea. What a delightful place! Although it was almost midnight when we arrived at the beautiful Conrad Hotel, we were greeted by musicians and dancers who welcomed us to this beautiful spot.

The Red Sea is a gorgeous azure blue. It abounds with magnificent sea life and brightly colored coral reefs. Some of us had the privilege of diving in the sea, where we saw mammoth turtles, sting and spotted rays, lion fish, gargantuan moray eels, Napoleon fish, and so much more.

The next day, we went to the Monastery of Saint Catherine at the foot of Mount Sinai. This is home to the smallest diocese in the world and is the oldest Christian monastery still in existence. It also houses the richest collection of icons and precious manuscripts. Of course, no day's outing would be complete without a stop to do some shopping. We stopped at a Bedouin village along the way where we purchased trinkets, fossilized sea shells, and geodes. Whew, we managed to slip in one more shopping experience!

We were saddened that this exciting trip was over and that this terrific group of individuals would be heading in separate directions. Although nothing had been pre-arranged for our last night, we decided to have one final dinner together. We ate at a marvelous restaurant and recounted the many wonderful things we'd seen and done together. Everyone agreed that the trip had far exceeded expectations: The pyramids and the sphinx were more impressive than anticipated, and the treasures of the Egyptian Museum were extraordinary and far more beautiful than any photos would have had us believe. Every temple was better preserved than we'd imagined and the etchings, colors, and grandeur of each boggled the mind. And how could we have anticipated the sense of awe and the humbling effect of entering the tombs of the kings and queens of Egypt? And who would have anticipated how much we'd all enjoy each other's company? In fact, on that final night together, we agreed that it was such great fun traveling together that we would plan another trip, perhaps down the Amazon, and all travel together next year!

Our group leader quickly wrote the following poem to sum up the collective emotions of our group:

We left for Egypt, our eager group, with great anticipation,
There'd be lots to see and much to learn on this very exciting vacation.
We hadn't met each other when we left from JFK,
We were quite polite and a bit reserved - that lasted about one day!

In Cairo we saw the pyramids, and camel rides had us all grinning.
We saw the treasures from King Tut's tomb, but that was just the beginning.
Now our group was growing closer, Carol, Maureen and Kelly,
Sammie and Tobi, Charles and Mac, Val, Bill, Mark and Shelley.

We said good-bye to Cairo then flew to Aswan Dam,
Vicki and William, Gaila and Med, Guide Walid, Karen and Pam.
We were really excited to board our boat to go cruising down the Nile,
We'd see villages, temples and fishermen, perhaps a crocodile.

By now our group is getting tight, each of us making new friends,
If this trend continues, who knows what will be, before our journey ends?
Up the Nile sailed Bob and Midge, Alan and Mary Jane,
The whole group stood on the top of the ship and watched the Esna Lock drain.

In Luxor we went to the tombs of the kings, they're quite an amazing feat.
Our group got soggy as we trekked about in 100 degrees of heat.
As we bid farewell to some of our friends it made us feel sad and bleak,
But we're resilient, we quickly recouped as we headed for Sharm El Sheikh.

We stayed on the Sinai Peninsula surrounded by the Red Sea,
We went to St. Catherine's, relaxed and we swam, we did it all with much glee.
Alas, all good things must come to an end but for this group it's really quite clear.
For us it is just the beginning, we'll all meet again next year!

( For more information about planning group travel to Egypt, contact Wings Tours at
Wings Tours, OSSN Allied Supplier Member at 410.771.0925 or wingstoursusagtb.net.)