| Author | Message | ||
     Jon Bodsworth Junior Member Username: jon_b Post Number: 54 Registered: 09-2002 Posted From: 62.139.14.166 |
I arrived here in Luxor last night after an excellent four days in Cairo. Highlight so far has to be getting to Abu Rowash for the first time. A fascinating site with the very dramatic ruined pyramid of Djedefre. The climb down the slope into the 'pit' is awesome. JD's recent posts made it all the more interesting. And talking of Djedefre I also saw that intriguing Sphinx from Abu Rowash that is part of the exhibition of items in the Cairo Museum basement. Lots of photos of both of course. I was glad to get inside Menkaure's Pyramid for the first time and I also revisited the inside of Khufu's twice. Khafre's is closed. I spent a lot of time in the Ante-chamber of Khufu's and took lots of photos. I also made some measurements which rather surprised me. Also measured the block outside the Pyramid entrance. I'll be posting... I'm off to Abydos and Dendera tomorrow. You get a police escort but security issues don't seem to be as bad as they were last time I was here. Jon B | ||
| Janine Williams Senior Member Username: janine Post Number: 482 Registered: 09-2002 Posted From: 66.26.58.62 |
Jon: Thanks for keeping us posted. Wish we were there with you. By the way, ( a little bit after the fact on this, since you have already been to Khufu twice), did you notice any pronounced scratches on the wide 21½ inch channels for the portcullises? On the other hand the chamber is so destroyed, there are probably hundreds of them. Maybe that's not a good question, unless there is a real gouge...(which would mean that the AEs were clumsy portcullis droppers and I lose the debate with JD  - with whom I usually agree, but in this case I don't. (Sure hope you don't find a single scratch!) Whatever...that is just nonsense...Enjoy it all! We'll be glad when you're back. Janine | ||
| J.D. Degreef Senior Member Username: jd_degreef Post Number: 584 Registered: 02-2000 Posted From: 80.236.150.204 |
Dear Jon, Glad your trip goes smoothly, and can't wait to see your no doubt excellent pics soon ! And your "surprising" measurements, which will force me to redo all the calculations...  JD | ||
| Ritva Senior Member Username: ritva Post Number: 414 Registered: 09-1999 Posted From: 212.246.56.235  |
That's right, Jon, just rub it in, eh? Enjoy, but keep your eyes open for lions.... | ||
| Su Bayfield New member Username: su_bayfield Post Number: 33 Registered: 10-2002 Posted From: 62.64.208.115 |
Hi all, I've just got back from a fantastic three-week trip to Egypt, where I was travelling with two women friends. Jon, I hope you're having a great time in Luxor. Well done for getting to Abu Rawash. We were told by the SCA that we would not be able to go there as it was very definately closed - even with special permissions! So we didn't even bother to try. Never mind, it's a good idea to leave something for next time. We were also told by the SCA that Abusir was open and no problem - so we wouldn't need permission. When we got there we had a terrible time trying to get into the site, which the antiquities inspector said was not open to any visitors at all. We managed to talk our way in eventually, but he was not happy! We visited most of the other pyramid sites in the Cairo area, (except Zawyet el-Aryan and Mazghuna) including South Saqqara and the Sekhemkhet pyramid at North Saqqara. The Serapeum is still closed but many of the Saqqara Old Kingdom tombs are now open. We were also taken to see the Dynasty I mastabas just beyond the Antiquities Inspectorate. There is a great deal of excavation going on at Saqqara at present - a very busy place. We then spent 5 days in the Faiyum visiting most of the Graeco-Roman temples and town sites - though some of them have few visible remains. The highpoint of the Faiyum was the remote Middle Kingdom Temple of Renenutet at Medinet Madi, which is half buried by sand and a very romantic location with some interesting reliefs. Next we travelled from Beni Suef up through Middle Egypt to el-Minya where we spent 5 days. Had two whole days at Tell el-Amarna - somewhere I've wanted to visit for years. The Antiquities Inspector there gave us a guided tour of the whole site from one end to the other, including both the northern and southern tombs (which are incredible), but unfortunately we didn't get to the Royal Tomb, which is now only accessible by Jeep. The wadi track is so bad that even a 4x4 can't make it and it takes the best part of a day to walk there and back. We saw many of the Middle Egypt sites - including some right off the beaten track, such as el-Hiba, Speos Artemidos and Tihna el-Gebel as well as Tuna el-Gebel and Beni Hasan. I feel so fortunate to have been able to visit these at last. In Faiyum and Middle Egypt we had to have a police escort with us the whole time (in Faiyum the Chief of Police came everywhere with us). We were not even allowed to go out to eat in the evening without a security man in our car and a truckload of armed police in front of us if we drove anywhere. This meant we had to feed them too and it got to be quite expensive, but they were sometimes helpful as they knew how to find some of the places we weren't sure about. I'm now busily updating my website with many more photographs from Lower Egypt and the Faiyum, before starting on the Middle Egypt section. It's going to take a while though! Su www.egyptsites.co.uk | ||
| J.D. Degreef Senior Member Username: jd_degreef Post Number: 609 Registered: 02-2000 Posted From: 213.177.158.50 |
Incredible trip, Sue ! Looking forward to seeing your pics ! JD | ||
| Ritva Senior Member Username: ritva Post Number: 444 Registered: 09-1999 Posted From: 212.246.56.235 |
Hello Sue, even more pictures to your already fantastic site? I can't wait! | ||
| Bruno New member Username: ben_the_vizier Post Number: 36 Registered: 09-2002 Posted From: 194.65.14.76 |
Really an incredible trip, Su! I too can't wait to see more amazing photographs! Bruno |
