Cleopatra’s Needle stands on the north bank of the River Thames on the Victoria Embankment, central London. It is an ancient Egyptian obelisk and one of a pair. The other one now stands in New York. The name Cleopatra is inappropriate as they were made hundreds of years before Cleopatra’s reign. The obelisks are made of [more...]
The Step Pyramid at Saqqara, the Pyramid of Zoser, is the oldest known free standing stone structure in the world and the first of the Egyptian Pyramids. King Zoser’ name was Netjerykhet. The name Zoser was given by New Kingdom visitors to the monument, thousands of years later. The original name of the Step Pyramid [more...]
Is the Pyramid of Kufu (the Great Pyramid of today) really one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World? Actually, no. It was the Pyramid of Khafre, the second largest pyramid at Giza which was the Great Pyramid of the Seven Wonders, even though smaller in both height and volume than the Great Pyramid of Kufu. [more...]
Alexandria is the second-largest city in Egypt, and the country’s largest seaport. It was once home to the largest library in the ancient world. Today It is home to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina (the new Great Library of Alexandria). In ancient times, Alexandria was one of the most important of the world’s cities. It was founded in [more...]
Well, I guess if you have read my two previous articles, you may be figuring out that I have a love affair with Cairo. Some guys have other women in their life, but I have a whole city. Since this is about Khan el-Khalili, I will begin with a question. How can an Egyptian market lead [more...]
A lesson on taking a taxi in Cairo. First, if you can avoid them, do so. The Metro is fast and reliable. But, if you have to take a taxi in Cairo, here are a few pointers. A taxi is the most expensive method of getting around. It is very easy to get a taxi in Cairo, [more...]
Cairo is the capital and largest city of Egypt. Cairo (the Triumphant City) was founded in 969 AD. Then a few years later, I showed up. That aside, Cairo is located on the banks and islands of the Nile River in the north of Egypt right at the beginning of the Nile Delta. West of the city, [more...]
Well, yes, they are in the desert. And if you angle the camera just right, from one particular vantage point, then you can avoid the landscaping, the golf course, the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant and other items that cluster around the feet of these grand ancient monuments. A very good casino, swimming pool, night clubs and [more...]