Cairo

We arrived in Cairo Nov 13 to a luxurious 40-storey hotel (Grand Hyatt). That's the mirror in my room and this is the only photo of me you will see. Following is a small selection (only 117!) out of the nearly 500 photos I took. As a result of the culling, you will not see all the sites or antiquities we visited, but I think these are the best or most interesting photos.

Cairo Hotel

The beautiful pool gives an indication of the decorative pretensions of the hotel. Quite a culture shock after the student-type hostels of my last visit 25 years ago.

Nile Morning View

A view of the Nile, the heart of Egypt, in the morning smog of Cairo (est. pop. 17 million).

Locust

Locusts started showing up everywhere, even high up on the hotel. Apparently there were millions shortly after we left Cairo.

The Pyramids of Giza

From left to right are the pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure, pharaohs of the 4th Dynasty (2613-2494 BC). The smallest pyramids on the rights were for wives of Menkaure. The pyramid of Khufu is the largest at 140 m high but Khafre's looks larger; it is slightly nearer and on higher ground.

The Sphinx

At the foot of the causeway of Menkaure (from his pyramid to his mortuary temple) is the Sphinx, though it is not certain it whether portrays him or another pharaoh. It is carved directly from the rock and is 20 m high, 57 m long.

The Step Pyramid at Saqqara

At Saqqara is the Step Pyramid. Designed by the vizier Imhotep (later worshipped as a god of healing for his medical skills) as the tomb of the Pharaoh Djoser, it is the first pyramid (c. 2667-2648 BC). In the foreground is a much later, smaller pyramid that has disintegrated to some extent (not as well built).

Pharaoh Djoser

At the foot of the Step Pyramid is a 'serdab' chamber that contained a statue of Djoser so his 'ka' or soul could return to it and look out. The statue has been moved to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and replaced by this replica.

The Bent Pyramid at Dashur

Pyramids were also built at Dashur. The angle of the Bent Pyramid was changed part way through construction, presumably because the builders realised that it might collapse if built at the steeper angle. This area was until recently designated military (closed) so unlike the other monuments is not yet crowded with tourists.

The Red Pyramid at Dashur

After the Bent Pyramid was abandoned the Red pyramid was built, and like the former, was never used for its intended purpose of burial place of Pharaoh Sneferu, Khufu's father. The entrance is visible part way up. Several of us went in; there is a long, steeply slanted, low passage down to several chambers with massive corbelled ceilings. As with most places, photos were not permitted inside.

Guard

The guards were more than happy to pose - for money. They haven't really caught on to telephoto lenses though. Since there are few tourists at Dashur as yet there were no vendors, who are mostly highly aggressive and "in your face" at the other sites.

El Alamein

After a few days in Cairo, we took the Desert Highway to El Alamein on the Mediterranean coast, arriving near sunset.

Marina

This is a resort area where many people from Cairo come in the summer. The town, called Marina, was deserted when we were there since it was wintertime.

British Cemetery

El Alamein was the site of a famous WWII battle. Because the terrain makes travel possible only in a 25-mile wide area (with sea on the north and the Qattara Depression on the south), this was the last point at which Rommel's Afrika Korps could be stopped in their push to Cairo. The Allied Eighth Army succeeded so well that they pushed the Germans right out of North Africa, but the cost was 11,000 soldiers dead at El Alamein alone. This is the British cemetery.

German Memorial

The German memorial is the burial site of 4,280 German soldiers killed in the battle.

German Memorial Interior

The centre of the memorial is open to the sky and holds this obelisk.

El Alamein Hotel

After El Alamein, we continued on some 50 km to the west to a beautiful new Mövenpick spa resort. One of the dining rooms looked out onto this indoor pool and there were several outdoor pools.

El Alamein Beach

The beach was lovely but the waterline itself a bit rocky. It was cool and quite windy but then it was still early in the day when we left, on our way to the oasis Siwa.