Category Archive for Egypt
Travel Talk Tours Egypt review: Luxor’s ancient ruins! Karnak Temple, Nubian village dinner, Dahab beach resort.
“All the old paintings on the tombs
They do the sand dance don’t you know
If they move too quick (oh whey oh)
They’re falling down like a domino…”
Walking like an Egyptian, while in Egypt: goal unlocked, thanks to Travel Talk Tours!
Yukiro and I were invited to join their Felucca and Red Sea Odyssey tour, which took us to Egypt’s major archaeological sites. In our first review, we saw Giza’s pyramids and the Great Sphinx (the mythological creature with the head of a man, and body of a lion).
On the second day, we encountered more sphinxes… but this time, they had ram-heads and were sitting in a row!
At the end of Day 1 in Cairo, we boarded the Travel Talk Tours bus along with about 30 millennial travelers. We drove to Luxor, and spent the night in a nice hotel. The next morning, our tour group got up early to see the magnificent Karnak Temple.
Read on to see this fabulous cult complex dedicated to ancient Egyptian gods. We’ll also take you to a Nubian culture dinner, and hang with Bedouins in the beach town of Dahab.
Karnak Temple Complex sits on the east bank of the Nile, in Luxor (the city formerly known as Thebes). This spiritual site was dedicated to the god Amun-Re, but you’ll find tributes to other Egyptian gods and goddesses throughout.
A succession of pharoahs built the temple from the Middle to Late Kingdom (around 2055 BC to 100 AD).
There’s so much about Egypt that simply can’t be conveyed in photographs. The immensity of Karnak, for one: I was overwhelmed by the size and scale of these ancient monuments.
I learned from my guide that Karnak is the largest religious site ever constructed, spanning 200 acres. (We didn’t even get to see it in full, as travelers can only access the Precinct of Amun-Ra; the other portions are closed to the public).
Thankfully, we had our Travel Talk Tours guide to show us the most fascinating parts of Karnak.
It doesn’t get much Gother than this: a wall of carved Ankhs! The Egyptian hieroglyphic is the symbol of life, and much-loved by Goths.
(I kept my face shaded from the sun with this Tenth Street Hats wide brimmed hat.)
This headless mummy-statue is extra Goth, clutching a double-ankh in his arms as he crosses into the land of the dead.
I felt like I was in a fantasy, standing beneath hieroglyphics and obelisks dating back thousands of years.
The tallest obelisk in Egypt once stood at Karnak, erected to honor Queen Hatshepsut. (My white halter resort dress is by UK Swimwear.)
There can be quite a lot of tourists at Karnak. We recommend going to the back areas, where there are fewer people and fascinating ruins like these.
The complex is filled with a diversity of artistic styles and architectural features. Hieroglyphs are carved all over. (Incredible how we didn’t know how to decipher the ancient writing until the discovery of the Rosetta stone.)
I hailed the hieroglyphics with my Alex Streeter Marquise scorpion ring, a design inspired by the Egyptians. My nail art is from Glam Nail Studio.
Our Travel Talk Tours guide struck a great balance between sharing historical information with us, and then giving everyone free time to explore and take photos. I let my imagination run free as we wandered.
These friezes in the Precinct of Amun Re have withstood centuries.
With primitive tools, the ancient Egyptians had the capacity to build structures that remain impressive today. Karnak features the first pylon, or giant gateway, and a wide variety of sandstone statues, pillars, and bas reliefs.
Feeling tiny next to this row of statues, honoring Pharoah Ramses II as Osiris, god of the underworld.
The song “Walk like an Egyptian” by the Bangles ran through my head, as I admired these carvings (they show people bringing offerings to the gods).
Karnak stands out for its Avenue of Sphinxes, which dates back to the era of Ramses II. This line of ram-headed sphinxes represents the god Amun. Each holds a small pharoah between their paws, symbolizing their protection.
One of my favorite areas was the Hypostyle Hall in the Precinct of Amun-Re. There are 134 of these gigantic columns, each intricately carved and arranged in a 50,000 square foot hall.
Yukiro and I took a million photos at Karnak Temple: it was one of the most impressive sites we visited on our journey. It’s not possible to grasp the full experience unless you come here for yourself — and I hope you do!
Throughout all of their tours, Travel Talk gives you the opportunity to join optional excursions, which span a variety of interests (food, culture, outdoors). Yukiro and I opted to do most of them, which we recommend. Who knows when you’ll be in Egypt again; best to make the most of it.
When we were in Aswan, we were excited to join a homestyle dinner in a Nubian village. We rode an Egyptian boat to get to Soheil Island, where the community is based.
At night, the weather drops — so pack a light jacket and layers for Egypt. We sailed on the Nile and passed this lit-up mound. It’s the Tombs of the Nobles, a burial site in Aswan from the Old and Middle Kingdoms that is still being excavated.
After walking though the village, we received a warm welcome from the Nubians. They’re descended from the ancient Nubians that lived along the Nile, in what is southern Egypt and Sudan today.
Nubia was one of the oldest civilizations in Africa, and they had an important trading role with the ancient Egyptians.
In the early 1960s, close to 50,000 Nubians suffered displacement due to the construction of the Aswan High Dam. They were forced to leave their traditional villages, which would be flooded, and resettle north.
However, the Nubians have proudly rebuilt their community here, and hold tight to their heritage. At the dinner, we got to meet the local children, and hear about the village’s lifestyle and traditions.
As you can see in this house, the Nubian colors, buildings, and handicrafts are distinct from the Egyptians.
Everyone eagerly awaited the signal for us to help ourselves to the spread of food, home-cooked by the Nubian family. The harira soup, with lentils a fresh lemon slice, was outstanding. We devoured the mixed rice, vegetable curries with okra and herbs, salads, and mandazi.
The Nubian feast was the best meal we had during our time in Egypt. The village cats certainly agreed, and gathered around in hope of food.
At the end of our tour, we joined a Bedouin cultural dining experience. At Dahab, we piled into the back of a four wheel drive, and drove through the desert to an area surrounded by sandy hills and stars.
We sat around the fire, and drank hibiscus tea. Then, we helped ourselves to a spread of food from the back of a truck. The Bedouin people then played music on traditional instruments, and showed us how to play games (such as lying down with a cup of water on your forehead, and standing up without spilling it).
As you can see, we enjoyed a variety of places and activities through Travel Talk Tours. A typical tour simply takes you to the ancient ruins. However, our journey also included a relaxing stop in Dahab, a southern Egyptian beach town.
After a lot of time on the bus, it was a relief to unwind at Dahab Paradise resort. I had never heard of this part of Egypt, and wouldn’t have made it here without the tour.
I felt like Cleopatra as I lay poolside, with palm trees and looming hills in the distance. (Under multiple layers of mineral sunscreen, a giant hat, and an umbrella of course!)
Dahab is known for its excellent diving and snorkeling, especially at Blue Hole. The other members of our tour group took part in optional activities like a Jeep safari, quad biking, camel rides, and snorkeling in the coral reefs. We Goths were to happy to relax at the hotel, and watch 1980s horror movies in our room!
Cheers (with a glass of Egyptian wine) to Travel Talk Tours for opening our eyes to the many wonders of Egypt.
“Ay oh whey oh, ay oh whey oh
Walk like an Egyptian…”
Did this photo diary make you keen to visit Egypt? More from our journey to come soon, including the Valley of the Kings and Abu Simbel! If you have questions about anything at all, feel free to leave a comment in this post and I’ll let you know my thoughts right away.
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Egypt group tour with Travel Talk Tours! Great Sphinx, ancient pyramids of Giza, Djoser step pyramid.
Meow! Hello, Sphinx-y!
Did you miss me? I’m back to blogging, after an unforgettable journey in Egypt with Travel Talk Tours.
Yukiro and I spent twelve days in Egypt, on a Travel Talk group tour with other young travellers from around the world. What a moment to finally stand in front of the Pyramids of Giza, one of the Seven World Wonders!
On the first day of the journey, we walked in the footsteps of the ancient Egyptians, and saw magnificent sites like the pyramid of Djoser. Read on for our “queens of the Nile” adventures in and around Cairo.
I wore a red Keipsule dress for the occassion. I’m shading myself from Ra (the sun god) with my Gottex Belladonna hat from UK Swimwear; see more styles below.
While Egypt’s tourist areas are safe to visit, this is not the easiest country to navigate. Thankfully, Yukiro and I could lean on Travel Talk Tours, as they took care of every arrangement for us (hotels, transport, activities, restaurants, guiding).
We joined their 12 day Felucca Odyssey and Red Sea tour, along with about 30 other millennial travelers aged around 18-35. Travel Talk offers a variety of customization options, so you can tailor the trip to your preferences. For instance, you can choose to do a Nile cruise for a few days, or sail and sleep on a Felucca. (Or lounge in a Luxor hotel, as we queens did!)
When I arrived at Cairo International Airport, I immediately spotted a team member holding up a “Travel Talk Tours” sign. He helped me buy the visa on arrival ($25 US), and breeze though customs. Then, he drove me to the Oasis Pyramids hotel where everyone was staying.
The next day, I filled up on pita, falafel and vegetables for breakfast. And then, it was off to see the Great Sphinx of Giza!
Even if you’ve seen the Sphinx a thousand times in photos and videos, nothing comes close to being here in person.
Our guide told us how the statue depicts a mythical creature with a human head (probably the pharoah Khafre) with a lion body. Can you believe this magnificent beast was sculpted during the Old Kingdom, almost 5000 years ago?
I’m wearing a silk dress by Keipsule. Click the images below if one of these red dresses catches your eye:
We learned that the Sphinx didn’t actually lose his nose to Napoleon Bonaparte’s cannonballs. There are many tales of how the nose and beard went missing, but nobody knows the truth… except perhaps the mysterious Sphinx himself.
(I’m wearing these exact Oliver Goldsmith 1970’s sunglasses.)
Our Travel Talk Tours guide got everyone entry tickets at each ancient site, which again let us relax and enjoy the experience. You could opt for extra tickets as well, such as to go inside the Pyramid of Khufu. (We did, although no photos were allowed… it was a steep, hunched walk up several ramps to see the sarcophagus in the King’s Chamber.)
Some of the people in our tour opted to take a camel ride through the Giza plateau. Everyone else went to this viewpoint of all three pyramids. You can tell I’m stunned by this powerful sight: the triad of Menkaure, Khafre, and Khufu.
Even Yukiro looks small beneath the Great Pyramid of Giza. Also known as the Pyramid of Cheops, it’s the largest and oldest of the trio, rising up 148 feet.
Why the triangular shape? Some think this represents the sun’s rays, or the primordial mound from which Egyptians believe life originated.
To this day, archaeologists aren’t certain how the ancient Egyptians built the Pyramids. Just look how immense each stone block is compared to me… did the Egyptians have remarkably advanced knowledge, much like the Rapa Nui of Easter Island? Or perhaps aliens gave a helping hand?
(My foldable wide brimmed sun hat is this Gottex Belladonna by UK Swimwear. My heart purse is by Lola Ramona.)
Yukiro and I have globetrotted to many places together, and Egypt ranks among our most epic trips. We got to know our fellow tour-mates over the 12 days; many were from the UK, New Zealand, and Australia, and everyone was around our age.
Since I was a child, I’ve been fascinated by ancient Egyptian culture. Mummies, devious queens, cat worship, books of the dead… such a mysterious and advanced civilization!
We dressed with Egyptian occult flourishes in honor of Anubis, jackel-headed god of the underworld. Yukiro displays spider rings and a Goth Sixh top by h.Naoto.
I wore my new Alex Streeter Marquise scorpion ring; his silver design with a black stone is part of his Egyptian jewelry collection. My blue and gold hieroglyph nail art is by Glam Nail Studio.
We were in Egypt in late February to March: it’s a great time to go, as the weather is not too hot, and there aren’t many tourists around.
It’s best to wear outfits that cover your shoulders and knees; my leggings by Charli Cohen were perfect for the occasion. Of course, I lived in sunglasses and a big hat. My large bag by Lola Ramona was handy for carrying bottles of water and hand sanitizer.
Striking geometric poses in front of the Pyramid of Khafre or Chephren, the second tallest of the three. You can see remains of the original Tura limestone casing at the tip of the triangle.
While you’re in Cairo, you must go to the outskirts to witness the first “step” the Egyptians took in building the pyramids…
Close up on my Marquise scorpion ring by Alex Streeter Jewelry, and Egyptian symbols gel nails by Glam Nail Studio.
While the Giza pyramids tend to overshadow it, I was impressed by the step pyramid of Djoser. It dates back to the 27th century BCE, and stands 60 meters high. Imhotep, the Pharoah’s vizier, was the architect behind this stepped structure.
The pyramid stands in the necropolis of Saqqara. We loved wandering around and popping into the tombs of other kings and wives, which are covered in impressive hieroglyphic carvings.
Imhotep’s architecture draws upon light, shadow and shapes for maximum drama.
Our Travel Talks guide took us to see the excavations at Sakkara, including a deep trench. In the distance, you can see the points of Cairo’s pyramids.
Goths tend to be quite fond of Egyptian culture, perhaps because of our shared interest in death rituals. The pyramids were built to help the king ascend to eternal life. And the Egyptians mummified both humans and animals, using techniques that we still cannot replicate today.
The video game “Assassin’s Creed” has a Tombs in Saqqara quest, which is rather accurate to creeping around in real life.
The various burial chambers are decorated with wall carvings. This one shows servants bringing offerings to the deceased (boy, those giant cupcakes look delicious).
Feeling like Lara Croft – Tomb Raider as I explored these ancient passageways of the dead.
The Tomb of Unas Ankh contained three trapdoors to deter tomb raiders. The walls are inscribed with ancient Egyptian texts about life after death.
When you’re here in the flesh, you can spot details that you rarely see in textbooks and documentaries: such as this curving ankh!
The ankh symbolizes eternal life, and is often found in modern Gothic aesthetics (the character Death in The Sandman comics wore a silver ankh necklace).
Our guide pointed out this scene of a doctor attending to his patients: he’s using a scribe to prescribe medications on papyrus! I wonder why the sick are bent over… perhaps they hurt their backs while trying to move the heavy pyramid stones?
Other glyphs showed scenes from everyday life, such as hunting, sailing, dancing. Some of the bas-reliefs are still colored with the original pigments.
Outside, Yukiro got into a situation that involved a donkey ride… Let’s just say, I took this photo with the man cut in half on purpose!
Powering up from the sacred geometry. (Yukiro found a number of sand monsters around Djoser’s pyramid, on Pokemon Go).
The entrance to mortuary complex looks remarkably modern.
I’m being photobombed by a souvenir vendor… they’re all over Egypt’s landmarks. If they approach you, simply say no and walk on.
Inside the narrow doorway, you’ll find these colonnades. Architect Imhotep designed the 20 columns to look like bundles of reeds from the river Nile.
I still can’t believe how much we saw on our first day with Travel Talk Tours! (You can find out more about our trip, and many other experiences worldwide, on their site.)
A final Hail to the Sphinx. Can you answer his riddle: “What is the creature that walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon and three in the evening?”
If you enjoyed this dispatch from Cairo, then your jaw will drop when you see what we did next… stay tuned for more from Egypt, as well as France and Lebanon!
LA CARMINA
