In late October - early November 2004 we went one week to
Egypt. We visited 3 locations: Cairo, Hurghada (Al Ghardaqah
on the map) and Luxor.
In Cairo we saw the Pyramids, Sphinx, Memphis, Sakkara, The
Citadel with the The Mohammed Ali Mosque and The Museum of
Egypt Antiques.
In Hurghada we used the time to relax :-)
In Luxor we saw the Karnak- and Luxor Temples, Valley of the
Kings, The Deir el Bahari Temple and the Memnon Colosses.
Pyramid View
When we ordered the vacation, we ordered "pyramid view"
in Cairo... This is the wiev from our balcony.
The pyramid on the photos is Chephren's pyramid.
The upper photo shows part of the hotel's garden.
Egyptian Dance
The first night in Cairo we went on a dinner-and-dance
boat tour on the Nile. Luckily we shouldn't do any
dancing :-) We saw belly dancing, and a traditional
Egyptian male dance.
The two photos to the right of the male dancer shows a
dance that lasted ca. 10 minutes. He wored two very colorful
"skirts". All the time he was spinning around himself.
Elements from the dance was that he took off the outer skirt,
fold it and threw it with high presicion to a helper.
Another element was that he "juggled" and made formations
with the round trays as seen on one of the photos.
The Citadel
Since 810 the area, where the Citadel is located today, has
been used as a get-away for govenors for 300 years.
But the place is a very stragetic area where it is possible
to overlook Cairo. Between 1176 and 1183 Salah ad-Din let a
royal recidence and military installations build on the site.
The most striking building at the Citadel is The Mohammed Ali
Mosque. It is designed by the Greek architect Yussuf Bushnaq
and is build in the period 1830 - 1857.
The mosque is also know as the "Alabaster Mosque", as the
lower part is covered with alabaster.
