Ming Tombs Tour
I took a tour. We went to the Ming Tombs. I was really surprised how similar the Ming Tombs were to the Egyptian Pyramids in concept. Both cultures tried to hide the graves. Both cultures buried friends and family with them as well as material possessions they would need in the afterlife. We spent a couple of hours there with a really good guide.
Asia 2011 Itinerary
Okay, I’m going back to Asia for another two months. You might ask what I’m going to do when I go there. Well, I intend on going to Laos, India, Australia and Bali for starters. Sometime in the next week or two I intend to start booking flights with Air Asia to move me around the Asian continent. I plan on spending a few days here and a few days there and a few days somewhere in between. My goals are to spend some time in about 8-10 different counties while I’m there. If I get to ten, the count may be up to 100 countries that I’ve visited. Here’s hoping… So why do I want to spend time outside of the United States? If you have to ask that question then whatever answer that I give probably wouldn’t satisfy you. But I’ll try – the Pyramids of Egypt, Chichen Itza, Pompeii, Mont St Michel, the Great Wall of China, Petra, the Taj Mahal, Stonehenge, Machu Picchu, St Peter’s Basilica, the Egyptian Museum, Dubrovnik, the Uffizi Gallery, Hong Kong, the Sistine Chapel, Angkor Wat, the Louvre Museum, the Canals of Venice, St Mark’s Basilica, the Kremlin, Chambord Chateau, the Acropolis, Jerusalem and Hagia Sofia. If the mere mention of any of those terms creates a stirring of any kind inside of you then realize that there are some people in whom that stirring is more intense. I’m one of those people. The ticket is paid for. The money is in the bank for the trip. Now I all I have to do is stay alive.
Giza Pyramids Pic 34
Camels really are everywhere in Egypt. Along with donkeys, mules, oxen, and other beasts of burden.
Giza Pyramids Pic 33
These are some of the seller stalls at the Pyramids at Giza. It’s really coll haggling with the guys who run the stalls here. They are really nice guys, they just want all of your money. You can get a ton of stuff (junk) for $50 to take back to your family, neighbors and friends. You can also get real antiquities (not here) for Big Bucks. You can also go to jail if you get caught with real antiquities. Somehow, the Egyptian government had a change of heart about all of the antiquities that the western world was taking out of their country and putting in the museums in Paris, London, Rome and the U.S. Now they just sell tourist stuff.
Giza Pyramids Pic 31
The Giza Pyramids are a must see in Egypt. There are 3 main pyramids right outside of Egypt. All told there are something like 100 pyramids discovered so far. The number is in dispute (how could that be?). The three main ones are at Giza, outside of Cairo. You can get a good tour for $30-60.
Egyptian Antiquities Museum
A must see in Cairo. They are building a new one near the Pyramids in Giza. In 1990 they said construction would start in 1992. In 1992 they said construction would start in 1994. In 1994 they said construction would start in 1996. In 1996 they said construction would start in 1998. In 1998 they said construction would start in 2000. In 2000 they said construction would start in 2003. Egyptian Time. Go figure…
Me at Saqqara
How many Pyramids are there in Egypt? More than I have time for. But I tried.
Me at Pyramids Pic 9
Your basic tourist. Your basic Pyramids.
Me at Pyramids Pic 6
I’ve seen some really, really good shots that people were taking at the Pyramids. Mine were OK. They made the point.
Me at Pyramids
I’ve seen some really, really good shots that people were taking at the Pyramids. Mine were OK. They made the point. There are places to visit and there are places to visit. Egypt is on my Top 10 list. Not Cairo, not the Pyramids, not the desert. Egypt. Give yourself a month, at least. It’s cheap. It’s historical. It’s Arabic. But, most of all, it’s unique.
