Category Archives: ArchitectScapes
More Vegas
It is a relaxed day – off to a late and slow start. It is April – spring everywhere, but already the onset of summer in Vegas. It is about 90 degrees at 11AM. We decide to walk the strip and admire the splendor of the casinos.
Top picks are:
1. Venetian for its canals and the designer shopping
2. Bellagio for its glass sculptures, the fountains, the greenhouse… this place has a lot of stuff packed in on place
3. MGM Grand for its white lions
4. Caesar’s for its fantastic restaurants
5. Luxor for a bit of a historical detour in the maddening city
6. Wynn for a round of golf!
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Tagged bellagio, canal, casino, las vegas, lions, mgm, venetian
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Vegas, Baby
Las Vegas – the sin city, is a tremendous amount of fun. Everyone says “Do Vegas right” – but there is no one way of doing it right. There is stuff for everyone and then som e more for what your wildest imaginations have never thought of.
I
have been to Vegas many a times, but this is the first visit with my wife – and Vegas never disappoints as a romantic spot. A glamorous hotel, a few shows, candle light dinners, poolside fun – these is the minimum that you can expect on the Las Vegas Strip – We are at one of the newest properties – the Planet Hollywood towers – intended as timeshare condos, the building opened up just 3 months ago. It is very modern and swanky! Life is good after a long flight.
The car rental is a big pain – particularly because we went on for the cheapest rental available at Fox – they are located off the off airport rental center and that’s how they avoid the taxes. The other thing you have to be aware of is that there are no “free hotel shuttles” from the airport to the hotels – that adds to the cab business in the city – and a ride to the strip hotels won’t set you back by more than $15-20.
Its been a long day after work, so lets catch up with Vegas tomorrow after a night’s rest!
Tags: ArchitectScapes, CitiScapes, las vegas, planet hollywood, strip, Top Things to Do
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The Valley of Kings
It has been a superb cruise so far – If last evening’s temple of Karnak is a precursor for things to come, I am all ready for the finale.
Oh and by the way, last night was our first on the Oberoi Philae and after a sumptuous dinner, we were pleasantly surprised when after the dinner, the entire crew of the boat burst out into singing and dancing to celebrate our honeymoon. there was cake and champagne, and a lot of merry was made until the late hours of the night.
Hence, the sloppiness this morning is apparent – we were ordered to report for breakfast at 5AM so we can leave the ship by 6 and be at the Valley of the Kings before the heat wave can strike us out of action. We pack some breakfast and head out along with our group and Tariq still in charge of the affairs. The valley is located on the west banks of the Nile and is about an hour and half drive away from the docks – and is further consists of a west valley and an east valley. This area has the largest concentration of tombs of pharoahs and as recently as 2006, new tombs have been excavated. Egypt’s most famous pharoah, Tutankhamun was also buried here and his tomb was found as it was when he was buried.
The valley is dominated by the peak of al-Qur
n – it has a pyramid shaped appearance, and perhaps, thats why the pharoahs chose the area as a suitable burial ground. Most of the tombs are cut into the rock – it is a limestone valley. There are a number of tomb sites – but only a handful of them are open for public viewing – the notable tombs are those of Ramses III, Hatsepshut and Tutankhamun.The heat in the valley is killing and it is only 8 AM and we are sweating like anything – luckily there are water and Coca Cola vendors around and we are not left thirsty.
We ventured into a few of the open tombs and particularly the tomb of Ramses III was striking – it was splendid to see how well preserved the structure was. The dry heat of the valley’s climate has helped preserve the tombs for centuries – it is a thrilling experience to see history so up, close and personal. the image on the left is from Ramses III’s tomb – it depicts the famous scene of a goddess swallowing the sun – as an anecdote to nightfall, and on the other end she is seen giving birth to the sun in a sign of daybreak – thereby completing the everyday circle.
It’s superb decoration, rich colors, engravings and the artistic styles make for a sight to behold.We spent a good couple of hours going around the tombs and appreciating the arts.
The valley is also home to alabaster rocks – these stones have found usage in many daily artifacts since ancient times and a small scale industry thrives on them right here next to the valley of the kings. We stop by at a local alabaster workshop and see first hand how the stone is carved into decorative souvenirs and table lamps etc.
A short hop away is the Deir El Madina or the valley of the artisans – a trip to the valley of kings is incomplete without paying tribute to the folks who helped create the wonder that ancient Egypt is. It is a humbling feeling to walk through the valley of artisans – each family was allocated a small area to live in – not measuring more than 70 sq. ft.These artisans also believed in an afterlife – and gave all of their energies and efforts into building hte best monuments so that they can have a great after life.
Another stop on our itinerary today is the Madinet Habou – a temple built by Ramses III in Necropolis. It is a relatively small temple and shares a lot of architectural similarities with the temples at Karnak – our guide didn’t have much to say about the temples, and it was a quick stop. We stop by at a refreshment shop at the temple – and have our favorite Guava juice. On our way back to the boat, we make another quick stop at the Colossi of Memnon which are two massive statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep. Interestingly, the statues are shown in a seated position facing east. The statues are damaged beyond recognition – but it still doesn’t prevent the tourists from taking out the cameras and clicking away.
Tags: amun ra, ArchitectScapes, CulturalScapes, egypt, EgyptianScapes, king tut, luxor, oberoi, ramses, temple, valley of kings
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Ancient Temples – Karnak @ Luxor
The Temples of Karnak are famous the world over – and it is billed as a highlight of our cruise. It is therefore natural to be excited about being here, and soaking in thousands of years of history in one glimpse. The temple complex is said to be the most visited tourist spot after the pyramids at Giza.
At about 4:30PM all our fellow passengers assemble in the mail lobby area – and are rather quickly and efficiently divided up into groups of 10-14 people and armed with a local guide. Our guide is named Tariq – he is a young guy, touching his 30s, recently married and lives in Cairo. He is about 5’5″, athletic, well attired, sports black sunglasses and fluent in English. He takes command and we follow his lead into a small bus. It is 38C outside and we are glad that the bus has a functioning AC .
The temples are about 10kms from our dock – and it is about a 20 minute drive. Along the way we encounter some VIP movement, which prolongs our journey. At the temple, we are greeted by throngs of tourists – it feels
like a country fair – I estimate that there are about 5000 people at the site.Nevertheless, we are enchanted by the ambiance, and by the exemplary architecture in front of us – It is an imposing structure – like a fort, the external wall is perhaps more than 300 feet wide and there is only one entrance. It is flanked by a statue of Cleopatra on the left and two huge guards on either side. A large obelisk in the front completes the entire picture – this is one of the largest obelisks ever constructed and stands almost 30 meters tall (about a 100 ft.). What immediately strikkes us is the straightness of the structure. as if a plumb bob was hanging out of the sky. It is a pretty picture under the artificial lights at night.
The outer facade belies the huge inner courtyard and even larger structures hidden inside. The scale of the architecture is simply mesmerizing. What is again apparent is that the ancient Egyptians spent their lives building huge temples for their Gods in the belief of an afterlife – while spending their lives in almost complete penury. This is in direct contrast to modern day consumption dictated by capitalist ideas – present day consumption (with accumulated debt) is rewarded today.It is estimated that almost 30 pharoahs contributed to the building of this great temple.
The temple is dedicated to Amon-Ra, who was the most powerful of the Gods – imbibing virtues from the sun god and other natural elements. The word “Tutankhamun” literally means “the living form of Amun”. Inside the temple, there are innumerable columns richly decorated on the top ends. Unlike th
e monuments in lower Egypt that are made up of limestone, the temples of Karnak are made up entirely of sandstone. the sandstone was transported from Silsila about 100 miles south of Luxor. The main hall inside the temple is known as the Great Hypostyle hall – it has 134 columns that represent the papyrus flower. The columns are linked through architraves – each weighing more than a 100 tonnes – it is still a mystery how these were lifted to such great heights and how they were arranged in perfect symmetry. The pillars themselves are richly carved and decorated with Hieroglyphs. Each pharoah added his own set, according to his beliefs, and recorded his own history of the era.
There is an unfinished obelisk in the compound – it lies flat on the ground and provides a good photo opportunity for innumerable tourists to touch its tip.
Outside the temple, there are several avenues of gods and goddesses – the main avenue is lined with rows of ram headed sphinxes. It links the precinct of Amun with the main temple.
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Tagged amun ra, egypt, karnak, luxor, oberoi, pillars, temple
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Luxor – the ancient city of Thebes
The city of Luxor seems friendly. Unlike Cairo, it is not overwhelming to step out into the streets. 
We are certainly pleased not to be harassed by people trying to sell us cheap memorabilia. Perhaps it is also because we are close to the Nile docks, and not at major tourist attractions. A sign outside a shop promises not to hassle us, so we walk straight in. True to their word, the owners do not bargain – a refreshing change indeed.
As the site of the ancient Egyptian city of Thebes, Luxor has frequently been characterized as the “world’s greatest open air museum”, as the ruins of the temple complexes at Karnak and Luxor stand within the modern city. The Philae offers a well organized tour to the temples in the evening when they can be seen under the lights and it should be an excellent photography experience.
For now, we venture more into the small town of Luxor. It seems to be a modern city, but it is at once striking to see that the economy depends heavily on tourists. We spot a Pizza Hut and a KFC, and they are about the only restaurants open in he mornings near the docks. There are a lot of shops that sell trinkets and gifts from Egypt, as well as Alabaster stone artifacts and as this picture on the right shows, tourists can shop for all luxury brands under one roof and at huge discounts. And yes, they have the quality.
Egypt of course is famous for its papyrus as well. Papyrus was first manufactured in Egypt as far back as the third millennium BC. Nowadays, it can be bought off the streets, in big and small shops and is a favorite artefact for travelers.However, not all papyrus sold in Egypt is an original hand made piece of ancient paper. We are tempted to buy papyrus paintings and make our way into a shop in hte local bazaar – just steps off the docking location. The shop is rather large – something not apparent from its much smaller outer facade. Papyrus paintings are hung all around and clearly the shop caters to the whims and appetites of the tourists. The owner is courteous and we have a rather long conversation in broken English on the art of papyrus making. In the god old days, all papyrs was hand made – but after tourists infested Egypt in large droves, a small cottage industry took shape up north near Alexandria that automated the process. The synthetic papyrus is cheaper, stronger and the colors hold up for a lifetime. In contrast, the hand made papyrus is a dying art and very few artisans are helping keep the tradition alive. It was only revived in the late 1960s as a way to protect the ancient art forms. In short, tourists should look for the following tips wile buying papyrus:
1. It should be fairly opaque
2. It should have a criss-cross pattern
3. It should have a memory – so that if you crumble it, it regains its original form
4. Real papyrus is hand painted – to test this, apply a little water to the edges of the color to check if it comes off – if it does, you are looking at a real hand made painting.
Our shopkeeper is courteous enough to tell us about these minor details – perhaps we are his first customers for the day and he is eager to make a deal. This reminds me of the small shop owners in India – they routinely give a good discount to their first customers in anticipation of good business for the rest of the day. We are pleased by the artwork and buy up almost 10 paintings, in different sizes – they will make excellent gifts for family and friends.
It is a hot afternoon – the temperature is almost 90 degrees F (33C) and we make our way back. Back on the boat, we are served a sumptuous lunch, we meet some new folks on board and just relax and wait for the heat wave to die down.
Tags: ArchitectScapes, ArtefactScapes, CitiScapes, CulturalScapes, egypt, EgyptianScapes, ferrari, karnak, luxor, papyrus
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The Hidden Cairo
Day 4 in Cairo
Cairo is often known as the city of a thousand minarets – notably for its Islamic architecture. Isla
m might be the dominant religion of the state, yet 15% of Egyptians are not Muslims – they are Coptic Christians and Jews. This is exciting because as a traveler one can experience a variety of cultures and do away with the stereotypes that are thrown at us everyday. the hidden gem in Cairo is known as Coptic Cairo – a part that belongs to the Coptic Christians. Back in the 5th century, Coptic Christians developed a dramatically different understanding of Christianity – the exact differences are still disputed, but I understand that they Celebrate Christmas on the 7th of January which corresponds to 25th December in the Julian calendar. This is all fascinating for us, only because we have never heard about such differences in a predominantly Islamic state. I have known that Christianity flourished in the Middle East before the 15th century or so, but to experience it in person will be a unique experience – we are really looking forward to an excellent day out exploring the not much talked about parts of Cairo.
We are now pretty bored of our usual elaborate breakfast at the hotel and don’t care much about the fresh fruits and juices – it is striking how quickly we take certain luxuries in life “as a given”. Two days on our own in the city has emboldened us today – we hire a cab for a one way trip to Coptic Cairo. It is a short ride and leaves us poorer by EP50.
The cab drops us off at what seems like a heavily barricaded part of the city. This is what is also known as the Old Cairo. It is suddenly apparent that the Coptic part of Cairo is heavily guarded and it may not be an entirely peaceful co-existence – although no sectarian violence has been reported, it is apparent that these folks live a separate life within Egypt. It is estimated that there are about 50-60M Coptic Christians wo
rldwide.
We get off from the cab and start walking towards the barricaded area. Suddenly, a well built man springs up besides me and demands to see my passport. I refuse. A short period of nervous conversation ensues. Seeing the argument a cop comes towards us – he explains that the guy is an unmarked cop and for security reasons I needed to show my passport. They ask us if we have ever been to Israel – I reply in the negative and for some reason they are relieved. They shake my hand, apologize and disappear as suddenly as they appeared.
We move ahead to another surprise. Our driver from the 2nd day owns a souvenir shop right outside the Ben Ezra synagogue. We tell him that we will shop after we are done with the sightseeing.
The complex is pretty huge – and consists of a number of monuments. The entire place is very well kept – and renovated periodically to preserve the ancient treasure. This is quite in contrast from the Islamic monuments that have been left to degrade on their own. Our first stop is the Hanging Church. The actual monument dates back to the 8th century, but legend has it that a church has existed here since the 3rd century. The church is dedicated to Saint Virgin Mary and it is believed htat hte first family lived here for a while. The church has numerous holy icons and the most famous is a painting known as the Monalisa of Egypt, which shows the virgin Mary, Jesus and Moses. There are a number of helpful volunteers who enthusiastically guide us around the church and explain the historical significance.
Just outside the hanging church is the Ben Ezra synagogue – it lies in a labyrinth of bylanes below the ground – ancient remains of houses can be seen all around – some of them are still occupied and there are a number of shops. Bargain shopping is always fun – but I guess the Jewish qu
arter is less inclined to reduce their prices. At one point, one shopkeeper told me that he will sell me a trinket for a million dollars – just because I had quoted a bargain price that was not to his liking. I didn’t buy it. The synagogue itself is well kept – in the ancient times the ground floor was for men and the upper floor was for women – this practice is now discontinued. In the 18th century, a number of Hebrew manuscripts and writings from the Quran were found in the store of the synagogue dating back all the way since the 8th century. They are secular in nature and depict life in Turkey, Europe, Russia, and India etc.
Outside, we stop for a quick brunch and shop for some trinkets at the local market. We wander through the local bazaar – and take a short taxi ride to the Nilometer. This unique piece of art, architecture and utility was rendered obsolete after the construction of the Aswan Dams controlled the flooding of the Nile every summer. In the Pharaohnic times, the government imposed taxes on farmers based on the level of the Nile – higher the level, better the rains/floods, and more the crop and hence higher taxes. Not many people visit this part of Cairo’s history – the attendant at the Nilometer gives us a private tour before it closes for the day at 4PM.
We tak
e a walk along the banks of the Nile and head over to the hotel to pack and take the Sleeping Train to Luxor. We hail a taxi from the Nilometer and settle with the driver for EP60 for the ride – but on reaching hte hotel he asks for EP300. It is not before the hotel concierge intervenes and settles for EP90 for the trip. I dislike it when locals try to rip off tourists. I am sure that it happens in all parts of the world, but it just leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Later in the evening we will head out towards the Giza railway station.
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Tags: ArchitectScapes, ArtefactScapes, cairo, church, CitiScapes, CulturalScapes, egypt, EgyptianScapes, giza, jesus, sleeping train, synagogue
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Cairo – old and new
Day 3 in Cairo
Cairo – Al Qahira – it means the Victorious City
While yesterday was a beautiful introduction to the pyramids in Giza, we are now headed towards the city of Cairo. The promise of a city in the middle of a desert, thriving for a few thousand years, gets us excited to leave the hotel early. Just like yesterday, the breakfast is excellent – well, it is the exact same menu.
Feeling more adventurous, we debate whether we should take the subway into the city. It is a 20 minute taxi ride to the subway and another 40 minutes to Cairo. In a couple of days we plan to go to Luxor via the sleeping train. Since we decided to keep our options open, we did not reserve tickets in advance – we ta
ke a cab and head towards to the Giza railway station, book our tickets and catch the subway to Cairo. The ticket office is not more than 80 sq foot. It has 2 windows and one of them is covered with a giant air conditioner. The roof is made of an asbestos sheet and the only door has a huge lock on it. Talking in bits and pieces of English, we gather that the office opens at 11AM. Since it is only 8:30 in the morning, we decide to make a move to Cairo and book our tickets from there. In the frenzy, we extend our cab for a full day tour of Cairo for EP180.
Our first stop is the Egyptian Museum.The facade is beautifully done in a shade of peachish red – and there is heavy security. The entrance fee is a cash only proposition – EP60 per person – so we head into a nearby hotel to withdraw a bunch load of cash – we anticipate all transactions from now on will be cash only. The security is tight – there are at least a 100 policeman around the periphery of the museum and it feels like going through airport securit
y to get into the museum. The scene inside is chaotic – poor labeling and poor presentation makes it one of the more unattractive museums. Although the sections are clearly labeled, the artifacts in each section carry no description for the audience to understand their significance. (October 2009). For example – the Egyptians excavated more than 4000 items from King Tut’s tomb – all of them are labeled with numbers, with little or no descriptive information on the significance of the item. We are really disappointed ot note that the original Rosetta stone is in The British Museum, and the original boats used by the Pharaohs have been neatly shipped out to other countries as well. There is a separate mummy section where the mummies have been preserved – but it costs another EP100 per person for access.
We take a quick stop at the Egyptian museum cafe to fill ourselves up with a light brunch and head over to the Cairo railway station. We are lucky to get a cabin @ US$60 per person – however the booking officer in
sists that we pay in US$ or Euros. After much deliberation and a small bakhsheesh we convince him to accept Egyptian Pounds. The train leaves from Giza tomorrow sharp @8PM.
Next, we decide to venture into the ancient market of Khan-el-Khalili and the area known to westerners as Islamic Cairo. This is perhaps oxymoronic, as 85% of Egyptians are Islamic and Islam pervades all aspects of life in the coutry. Nevertheless, this is perhaps the old city of Cairo where life goes on as it would have been a few hundred years ago – albeit with modern amenities like electricity and cars. The by lanes are small and the market has a bustle like the old towns in India – Chandni Chowk in Delhi or Varanasi. The vendors sells everything from pita bread, to glass bangles, spices, scarves, women’s lingerie, Egyptian porcelain (sometimes made in China), cotton etc. We have some roadside lunch – falafals and kebabs – and go on to admire the Al-Azhar mosque.
The Al-Azhar mosque was the first mosque in Cairo and is associated with the Al-Azhar university – the second oldest standing university and a center for Sharia law and Sunni theology. The architecture is a blend of domes and minarets – a combination that came about through the mixing of Ottoman and Malmuk styles of architecture. The carvings are still sharp – because most of them have been rebuilt time and again. The mosque has an easy feel to it – the people are friendly and women are allowed inside – quite in contrast to other countries and mosques. Some sections of the mosque, though, are closed for non-Muslims. The archways on the doors are beautifully designed, and have been restored periodically to preserve the original structure. Shown here is the double archway to the entrance of the mosque.
It is only about 2PM and the day has been exhausting already – the heat really saps into your system and it is important to remain hydrated at all times. We keep drinking water and make our way to a restaur
ant. Our driver takes us to a high end buffet place – EP80 per person. we settle for a largely vegetarian meal – the fruits and the salads are just perfect – I am sure the Nile delta makes a difference in the quality of the natural food and fruit. At the restaurant, I am amused by the menu – take a look at it – the non alcoholic section of this restaurant had us in splits - humor yourselves. The less said about the local english, the better.
In Egypt it is expected that you pay for your driver’s meals – or at least expected of the tourists. Though the driver’s meal was half the price. Talking about our current driver – he was born and brought up in Cairo and has 4 wives – several kids and grand kids. He is extremely jovial and cracks a joke every now and then. He has officially adopted my wife as his daughter.
make our move towards the Cairo citadel. This is where Barack Obama gave his historic speech just a few days ago. The roads around the citadel seem to have been paved recently in honor of Obama’s visit. Meandering through the bylanes, we drive through the “City of the Dead”. This is as unique to Cairo as the pyramids are to Egypt.
The City of the Dead stretches north to south in Cairo. To the uninitiated, it is a graveyard, but to thousands of 
Egyptians, it is home. In the picture on the right, the city of the dead is in the foreground. People just continue to live amidst the burial grounds. Legend has it that the earlier tribe just buried within their houses and so the tradition continues. But one look reveals that the city is no more than a slum today. The residents live amongst the tombs without access to water or a roof over their heads – which is not a problem since it hardly rains in Cairo. The roads are no more than 6-8 feet wide and navigating through them requires a skillful driver. The city of the dead opens into a vast expanse of wide roads and carefully manicured gardens and lawns with modern sprinklers. For the first time I can see local Egyptian couples walking hand in hand and shying away from others. The citadel seems like a nice place to bring a date for a nice romantic evening – albeit an expensive one as the entrance fee is about EP40.
Inside the citadel are sweeping views of Cairo – one can look all around the city – although the dense smog prevents ou from looking too far and distant objects are hazy. Nevertheless, the air is purer up here. The courtyard is dominated by the Mohammad Ali mosque – a huge structure perched on the summit of the citadel. The citadel also houses the National Military and Police museum. The complex strictly closes at 5PM and everyone is ejected out – so make sure you leave ample time to enjoy the citadel.
We head back to the hotel – and to spend some time at the local market in Giza to pick up some trinkets and souvenirs. The Oberoi Mena house is a stone’s throw away and we decide to get dinner there. As we enter, we realize that the hospitality of the Mena House Oberoi is clearly superior to other 5 star places around. For a change, the lobby is a no smoking zone and the staff is extremely courteous. The hotel is actually just at the base of the pyramids and has a golf course as well. The Indian restaurant at the hotel has fixed seating times as it is accompanied by a live ghazal show. We have an hour to kill, and we hang out by the swimming pool. As we enter the restaurant at about 9:30 PM, we are also joined by the owner and chairman Mr. P.R.S. Oberoi and his wife – he is a Sikh as well. While we did not see any other Indians, it was refreshing to see Sikhs around. The ghazal performer was good and took requests from the audience adding a personal touch to the atmosphere. Mr. Oberoi’s PS sat next to us and we hit up a conversation. We are taking their cruise down the Nile in a few days and she promises to send in a word about our arrival. We are thrilled.
We walk back to Le Meridian and it has been quite an enriching day. We are pleasantly surprised to see a wedding cake – obviously someone at teh hotel was paying attention and we certainly appreciated the nice gesture.
Tomorrow we await more.
Tags: ArchitectScapes, cairo, cake, citadel, CitiScapes, CulturalScapes, egypt, EgyptianScapes, giza, islam, menu, mosque, oberoi, pyramid, sikh
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The Great Pyramids
Day 2 in Egypt – after a real good night’s sleep, we are eagerly looking forward to walking up to the Pyramids and getting an early start. The afternoon heat can be quite sapping and we plan to take it easy then.
The breakfast at the hotel is quite a surprise – it is elaborate and tastes good too. Perhaps it has something to do with locally grown produce – i suspect it is “green”. There is a large variety of fresh juices – guava, melon, watermelon, orange – well supplemented with sausages, ham, eggs, cereal, hash browns, – fresh fruit and a whole lot of other stuff I cannot remember. We spot another Sikh couple from Atlanta walk in to the dining hall – they nod to us and come over for a brief chat. We pack some hash browns for the day and head out for our sojourn with history.
Although the pyramids are less than a mile away, we decide to hire a cab for the day – the guy promises to take us to the monuments at Saqqara and Dahshur as well – for EP165 it is not a bad deal. 
We reach the pyramids before the tourist buses can make it – and enjoy a brief moment of quite admiration. It is a bit disappointing to note that there are no boards/plaques/commemorative stones that outline a succinct history of the pyramids – and most people have to resort to guides or travel books to figure out the historical perspective. No two guides tell the same story, so the monuments are doubly perplexing and enigmatic at the same time. The locals do not waste a moment to sell you their stuff – or to ask you to pose for pictures with their camels, or try the traditional headgear etc. — All of this come s at a cost – also known as “bakhsheesh” – and ranges anywhere between EP10 and 50. A polite “no” will not drive them away – so one has to be stern in order to enjoy their day out.
The Pyramid of Giza was built for King Khufu – and is a testament to ancient architecture – With 3million blocks of stone, each weighing 3 tonnes – the monument is colossal. The pyramid complex is huge – so in hindsight taking the cab was a wise decision. One of the pyramids has a giant hole on its north facade – legend has it that one Sultan Othman tried to destroy the pyramid, but gave up after a year of trying. One can go inside the pyramids, but it is restricted to a few hundred people a day and if you can manage to get the tickets early. We decide to go inside the pyramid at Dahshur – to skip the long lines of tourists at Giza. Next stop was the Sphynx, with its broken nose. The statue is huge and is awe inspiring. Numerous legends surround its construction and partial destruction.
Ancient people did believe in supernatural occurrences and their lives revolved around appeasing the natural powers. Hence the construction of elaborate temples and deities, and a firm belief in afterlife – that led to the construction of these giant monuments. The Pharaohs and the subjects all believed in the superiority of afterlife – where all people possessed a soul and could be welcomed into the company of the gods -and made it the ultimate goal of human existence. From an economic perspective, construction activity created a number of jobs for the local population and they were quite 
dedicated workers. Even the laborers believed they could have the company of gods in afterlife if they worked without malice.
Next we trek up to Saqqara – about 30 kms south of Cairo – it is most notable for its step pyramids – the earliest known pryamids that perhaps served as prototypes for the smooth faced pyramids built in Giza. We have a quick lunch at the base of the pyramid – it is a tented restaurant and surprisingly even though it is 40 C outside, we hardly feel the heat in the tents – the manager welcomes us with music and we dance our way inside. It is back to falafals, kebabs, guava juice and pita bread as we get a taste of local cuisine away from the city. We make it to Dahshur before sunset – to take a look at the bent pyramid – and to visit the inside of another pyramid – there are no tourists here and I just pay EP5 to the guy manning the entrance of the pyramid as bakhsheesh. (there is an official ticket required to go inside) the complex. The inside of the pyramids are predictably narrow – with 3 small chambers – 
most of hte artefacts have been taken out and the rooms are largely empty. It can get a bit claustrophobic and it is advisable to stay out if you cannot handle the steep access way down the pyramid shaft. It is certainly worth a visit specially if you are on budget travel and dont want to spare the extra money to see the interiors of a pyramid.
Our last and final stop for the day is the light and sound show at the Pyramids of Giza. This is not to be missed under any circumstances. For photographers, I suggest using a camera with a tripod with a long exposure time to capture incredible pictures of the Pyramids. 
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Tags: ArchitectScapes, cairo, CitiScapes, CulturalScapes, egypt, EgyptianScapes, giza, Landscapes, pyramid, sphynx
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Romancing in Egypt
This feels like a dream come true – an Egyptian honeymoon. It has been a whirlwind scramble from across the globe to get to Cairo – I have been in Lake Tahoe, Chicago, Hong Kong and New Delhi the last 4 weekends – I am hoping this will be a relaxed outing as compared to the life changing events in the last few weeks. Since this is a travel blog, I will spare the readers the details – so back to Cairo.
We board Etihad from New Delhi – it is a 3+ hour flight to Abu Dhabi – a layover for another 3 hours, and a 3+ hour flight to Cairo. There are no direct flights which would have saved us a few hours. The flights themselves were uneventful – the airport at Abu Dhabi is a pleasure to sore and tired eyes though. The international terminal 1 is an excellent piece of interior design – the roof stand on a central pillar that rises from the ground and forms an enclosed structure like a shell – the shell is then divided into a lower and an upper foyer with ample large open spaces. Large hexagons are pained all across the pillars and roof – so they at once look like a part of the whole. The net result is that it is easy to navigate from one gate to another – without walking for miles to reach any other part of the airport.
The airport at Cairo is by all means a contrast to the one at Abu Dhabi. The immigration process is leisurely, the people are somewhat friendly, and the building is in a dilapidated condition and the maintenance leaves much to be desired – notwithstanding that Cairo is high on the tourist map and the second busiest airport in Africa (after South Africa). In the absence of walkways, planes are neatly parked planes on the tarmac – and we take a bus to the terminals.
We cant help notice that everyone around us is smoking – much to my chagrin indoors. This seems to be the favorite activity around and is not looked down upon by the locals. Our luggage arrives smoothly, and we are off to the city. Unlike as in the US, the luggage trolleys are free of charge – supported by ads.
It is Oct 6 and apparently it is a holiday in Egypt to commemorate the beginning of the 4th Arab-Israeli war in 1973 – the war lasted 20 days and restored pride in the Egyptians. After much deliberation in 1978 Israel returned the Sinai peninsula back to Egypt and the countries made peace.
A man comes up to us and addresses me as “Maharaja” or a king – I wonder if it has to do with my turban – which was once a symbol of royalty in India. He is quick to arrange for a ride to our hotel in Giza. Damage: 150 Egyptian Pounds(EP) or $30. Since it is a national holiday, the highways are deserted. It takes us about 40 minutes to get to the hotel – on a regular day the same ride would take about 2 hours. We check -in to the Le Meridian and are given a corner suite with an excellent view of the pyramids – well, only when the smog clears up!
First impressions:
1. Smog – too much of desert sand mixed with polluting cars blanket the entire city.
2. Cars – all brands, all makes, all years – anything goes as long as it has 4 tires. I can spot a Maruti 800, Alfa Romeo and Porches.
3. Tourist Police: Seems to be everywhere – we feel safe in spite of not knowing the language.
4. Language: Everyone seems to speak or understand a bit of English – so getting around is not a problem.
We are too tired to wander out of our hotel – so we just call it a day during mid afternoon.
We wake up to hunger at around 9PM and are delighted to find that there is a nice marketplace nearby – we venture to savor some local Egyptian fare – falafals and kebabs! The eateries are open till late inthe night and offer a good sampling away from the modernist hotels. The marketplaces remind me of eateries in New Delhi and the like. At a nearby restaurant, we sample some lentil soup, pita bread, falafals and kebabs, along with home made mango juice. To a starving man, everything is just excellent – the real test of food will start tomorrow and I am eagerly awaiting!
The day is off to a fantastic end!
Tags: abu dhabi, airport, ArchitectScapes, cairo, CitiScapes, CulturalScapes, egypt, EgyptianScapes, giza, maharaja, pyramid
Also posted in CitiScapes, CulturalScapes, EgyptianScapes
Tagged abu dhabi, airport, cairo, egypt, giza, maharaja, pyramid
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Lighthouse – or a lifehouse
A lighthouse is a reflection of hope – for the captain, it means the shore is near. This one is on the edge of the coast off Point Cabrillo in Northern California.
f5.6, 70mm, shutter 1/200. and a graduated filter in post processing.
Tags: ArchitectScapes, california, lighthouse, pacific, Seascapes
