deepblueyonder: A few photos of Cyprus + EGYPT!

So many photos to sift through, so many amazing sights and experiences in such a short time - EGYPT IS FABULOUS!! And definitely worth the effort of being an independant traveller.

But first, on the way to Egypt from Turkey, we stopped in Paphos, Greek Cyprus for a few days - still a troubled island with Nicosia, the capital, still divided North to South. Otherwise Cyprus was unremarkable.

Stepping into the Turkish north, we actually felt more at home. This cathedral was converted to a huge mosque after the 1974 Turkish land grab.

At last after a further two nights at sea we reach Egypt - our pilot minutes before stepping aboard at Port Said and demanding initially $100 in ‘baksheesh’!

Finally we step ashore after all formalities completed and ‘tips’ paid. That is a mosque, not an oil refinery.

It took us a while to get Deep Blue comfortable in the endless wakes from passing ships and pilot boats (the worst!) on the only place to stay at the mouth of the Suez canal.

We could then bus down to Cairo - and be befriended by Tennis Star Amir and his uncle.

I stepped into the huge Sayyidna al-Hussein mosque in Islamic Cairo, whilst Brenda made friends outside.

The classic Great pyramid shot - our carriage awaits with one of the many 'tourist police' much in evidence.

The Sphinx has been over-restored, but is no the less impressive...

... It’s a myth that Napoleon took the nose!

The Cairo archaeological museum was truly overwhelming - crammed full of countless Pharoanic treasures - this the highlight, which I had so wanted to see ‘in the flesh’!

Next stop Luxor for 3 nights - young Ali was both charming and a young crook!

The sheer vast scale, beauty and power of the huge Karnack temple complex cannot have justice done to it by mere photos

The awe-inspiring engineering and design includes this illuminated, decorated store room.

Some interesting and tongue in cheek local advice! Drugs are illegal in Egypt.

35 The almost equally impressive temple of Luxor …

… has it's main collonade guarded by these two colossi of Ramses II …

… and is connected by a THREE km long avenue of ram headed sphinxes - WOW! One gets the real idea of what ‘ancient’ really means here.

Re-visiting Luxor temple at night.

We met in person Ramses I (founder of 19th Dynasty, died 1294 BC), in the very excellent, small Luxor museum.

What DID Queen Nefertiti see in Amenhotep III (Akhenaten)? Apart from his vast wealth and the fact he was a Pharaoh???!

The vast tomb and temple complex of queen Hatshepsut (died 1458 BC), who ruled for 27 years is truly awesome, just next to the Valley of the Kings (no photos allowed inside there).

Our private guide, Mohammed was an extremely knowledgeable Egyptologist and showed us here the depiction for the queen Hatshepsut of the transportation of her 330ton granite ‘needle’ monilith, from Aswan, down-stream, to its home at Karnak where it still remains, looking as though it was carved yesterday.