Results tagged “Tombs” from Eurasia 2012

A day of tombs and temples today. And a 4:30am start :(

First stop, after a forty minute coach ride, was the Valley of the Kings. No cameras allowed in there (xray bag checks) so left them on the bus. The ticket gives you entry to three tombs of your choice (except for Tutenkamen which is extra). Our tour guide recommended doing Ramses III, IX and IV, so that's what we did. They were pretty awesome, although someone said they'd been restoring the paintwork on them to make them look shinier. Will need to see if that is true.

Next stop, round the side of the mountain, was the temple of Hatshepsut. This temple is a very unusual design with ramps and terraces. Unfortunately not much is original - about eighty percent has been restored by a Polish team. Quickly explored that one.

A short hop to our next temple - Habu Temple. This one had some very deep heiroglyphics, and some beautiful paintwork.

A very quick stop at a couple of statues, that I must look up the significance of (one of them was cracked in an earthquake and the wind passing through it made it sound like it was whistling).

Back across the Nile to Karnak Temple. This was by far the most crowded place we have been to on this trip. An avenue of rams head sphynxes, a one hundred and thirty four column room, and two whole obelisks were the highlights of this huge temple complex. At one point one of the armed guards of the place beckoned to Dad and me to follow him to see a part of the temple that was normally fenced off. We tried to tell him we had no change (well I had enough change for two more toilet trips in the country so was saving that) but he said come anyway. Of course he wanted a tip anyway didn't he, so I gave him and the other dude a few of the pens that I brought along.

Just before twelve we drove to the airport and off we went back to Cairo. Sadly on the wrong side of the plane to see anything in Luxor or Cairo (and the plane was pretty much completely full except for the seat next to me), but could see the Red Sea and the Gulf of Suez off in the distance.

Got back to the hotel mid-late afternoon and did some photo backups for the parents. Also got all my videos and all my resized photos onto memory sticks that the parents will take home as a backup (my masters take up far too much space..hrmm).

Went with Jan and Howard to dinner at Thomas' again.

Then back here to blog and bed. Was going to wash my hair but think will leave that til London.

Distance covered on the GPS: 650.3 km
Steps walked: 17216
Photos on the Canon: 253
Photos on the Sony: 59
Videos: 3
EGP Spent: 17
USD Spent: 50

Have I ever mentioned that I should become an alcoholic? Seriously, I'm so much more relaxed about *stuff* including the parents :)

Celebrating my wedding anniversary - without the sweetie :(
Photo by Mum

Today was our "off" day, a day entirely to ourselves.

Except because of the traffic yesterday what they did is reschedule our visit to the Garden Tomb til today at 9am. So at 8:15 we all met and trundled up the hill, almost getting lost but finding it in the end and getting there right on time.

Jaffa Gate

Jaffa Gate

Tram just outside the city walls

And it turned out to be one of the coolest places on the trip. Firstly there were no churches on top. But also because while this *could* have been the place of Jesus crucifixion and burial, the guides (who were volunteers from the UK on two or three month trips here) were strongly pointing out that we don't *know* this, but what does it really matter, the fact is Jesus died, was buried and was raised *somewhere* around here, and this *may* be the place but it doesn't really matter. I really liked this and it was a really nice experience.

The Garden Tomb entrance sign
Photo by Dad

Possible location of Golgotha

Jesus was buried in a tomb probably like this one

The sort of stone that could have sealed the entrance to his tomb

Wine press in the garden
Photo by Dad

Mum, Dad and me outside the garden tomb

The garden tomb

After this, everyone scattered in all different directions.

I joined the parents and Leslie and Jill and we meandered through the Damascus gate to go find the Tower of David museum.

Damascus Gate - outside

Damascus Gate - inside

OK meandered is not the right word. The parents charged through the bazaars and Jill and I were drifting behind thinking "dudes, chill, we're in no rush". Whatevs.

So we got to the museum and it was actually pretty cool. We didn't really spend any time looking at the exhibits, but it was cool walking around the ramparts, and we got to see several flyovers of various military aircraft (it's their Independence Day here).

Tower of David Museum entrance

Phasael Tower - built as part of Herod's Palace

Dale Chihuly glass in the entrance of the museum

Tower of David citadel

View towards the Temple Mount from the Phaseal tower

The Dome of the Rock

Tower of David citadel
Photo by Dad

Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Top of the tower

Tower of David citadel
Photo by Dad

Tower of David citadel

City walls

Tower of David citadel
Photo by Dad

C-130 Hercules flyby

Military flyby

Corridor in the citadel

The Dome of the Rock - a cutaway model

Mosque in the citadel
Photo by Mum

After that we found a place to have lunch which was actually a lot like other places we've had lunch in terms of setup with getting food and dessert. One of the staff brought a Melbournian staff member to our table to say hello - he was a volunteer staying here for *six* months!

After lunch we thought we might do the ramparts walk but two different signs said 1 shekel or 16 shekels but there was a big group ahead of us trying to convince the guys they'd paid with another ticket so we decided it was all too hard and left. On the way back to the Jaffa gate we heard all this noise and looked over the side and there was this *huge* parade of young people coming down the road. They were on a peace march and were from all over the world. It was a pretty cool thing to watch and wave to the guys and shout Aussie Aussie Aussie to the people carrying Australian flags :)

Jaffa Gate

Tower of David

Youth march

Youth march
Photo by Dad

Next Mum and Leslie decided to go back to the hotel, and Jill and Dad and I decided to wander through the city again. We thought we might head for the Zion Gate or the Dung Gate but really weren't sure how to get to either, so just wandered. When we got to the south-western part of the city we found a sign that said Wailing Wall lookout so went to that and all the people from the march were there! It was pretty cool.

Walking through the old streets of Jerusalem

The Wailing Wall
Photo by Dad

From here Dad decided to go off and find Absolom's Pinnacle while Jill and I decided to go back to the hotel. We went out the Dung Gate and even found a herd of goats and their shepherd which was pretty cool. But the road we wanted to walk on didn't have a footpath so we decided to head back up to the Zion Gate, walked around the outside of the city wall, then headed back down when we found a path.

Dung Gate

Just some goats crossing the road (out hotel in the background)

South-west corner of the city walls

South-west corner of the city walls

So got back to the hotel and bought myself an hour of internet, but a miscommunication meant I kept the sweetie up a lot later than he was planning... sorry sweetie! but it was nice to see him and blogged about five blog entries. Then people came down to the lobby as well and were talking to me and buying me beer and I was copying files for them.

Dinner, chatting, blogging, bed!!

Distance covered on the GPS: 15.9 km (all walking!)
Steps walked: 17989
Photos on the Canon: 164
Photos on the Sony: 50
Videos: 2
NIS Spent: 65