Egypt - Museums

With the history of Egypt being so, so old there are now 3 museums devoted to housing all the artifacts, sculptures and information that has been gathered over the years, and they are still trying to gather answers to some of the mysteries, and secrets, that the ancient Egyptians left behind.  It would take weeks to properly look at the displays on offer so here a few highlights of what we saw.

Now known as the Old Museum in Cairo, a lot of the most popular artifacts have been moved to the GEM (Grand Egyptian Museum) but there are still some very interesting pieces eg:  Rosetta Stone replica.  The inscriptions on this stone took years to interpret but once the code was cracked, it unlocked so many answers to life in Egypt, thanks to Napolean Bonaparte and his fascination with Egyptology, who was instrumental in getting it interpreted.

One of the more interesting exhibitions was the one devoted to mummies Thuya and Yuya who lived in about 1400 BC.  Their tomb was discovered in 1904 and due to some high quality mummification, their bodies were in very good condition.  A few bits of their furniture were also found and was considered the richest tomb discovered in the Valley of the Kings before Tutankhamun’s tomb.

Speaking of which, around 1320 BC the young king of Egypt, Tutankhamun, was buried in the Valley of the Kings, near Luxor.  He had an unexpected death at the prime age of 19 years and was hastily buried.  In 1922 his tomb was discovered, thanks to a young boy who found the steps to it.  It took 10 years for a British archeological team to clear his tomb and conserve all its contents, which are now all on display in the museum but will soon be moved to the GEM. 

Late last year, part of the GEM opened to the public and when it is fully finished, it will be the largest museum in the world devoted to one culture.  WOW!  What a well laid out museum and beautifully designed (by an Irish company who won the tender) that captures the essence of Egyptology.  The public wanders up 4 areas devoted to: 1 Royal Image; 2 Divine Houses; 3 Gods and Kings; 4 Eternal Life.  Once you reach the top of these sections, you are lead to a view of the Pyramids of Giza (photo above) and then it is divided into 3 areas – Society, Royalty and Religion throughout the timeline of Egypt (see photo below).  

It was a great day to wander around an air-conditioned museum and the temperature has finally hit 40 degrees but the mind is boggling with all this fascinating information regarding Egyptian history over the past 3-4 millenniums!

This was my favourite statue of King Khufu's (one who built the big pyramid) grandparents King Huni and Queen Meresankh I.  NB:  Queen is higher than the king as she was the one who actually 'ruled the roost' and had the king right under her thumb!  You can find this in the old museum.

Egypt - Pyramids

The only great wonders of the ancient world to be still standing – The Pyramids of Giza but did you actually know that there are at least 118 pyramids in Egypt?  Some look like mounds of sand and dirt.  We got to see a few of the main ones both at night and during the day, but I didn’t get to see the nighttime show.

Whilst we were waiting for a sound and light show to start in Giza, we were fortunate to see the sunset behind the pyramids and then were treated to a historical recount about the pyramids with some dramatic music and lighting.  After that the tour guide took us to a restaurant for a delicious buffet meal of the finest Egyptian cuisine, including some yummy koftas and for dessert, basbousa (sweet semolina cake soaked in syrup).

Thank goodness that it starting to be the quiet season in Egypt for tourists so there were no queues at the pyramids.  It was hard enough to compete with the searing heat without having to deal with lots of people gawking at me!

Let’s see if we can recall the history relayed to us, which was a lot!  The pyramids were built to be elaborate tombs for pharaohs and were designed to protect the pharaoh’s body and possessions, ensuring a safe passage to the afterlife.   The three main pyramids at Giza were built from roughly 2550 to 2490BC by Pharoaoh Khufu, the largest one originally towering at 147 metres (top fell off), 2.3 million blocks each weighing 2.5 to 15 tonnes.  His son, Khafre, built the second one which looks taller, but it was built on higher ground and the smaller one was built by Khafre’s son, Menkaure.  These weren’t the only pyramids built in this family, Khufu’s Dad built one further away which is referred to as the Broken Angle Pyramid which is alongside one that is called the Red Pyramid.

To this day, it is a mystery as to how the pyramids were actually built but they do know that the many blocks were transported by barge along the Nile River over the 30+ years it took to build them.

In front of the great pyramids stands the Great Sphinx, the oldest of Egypt’s colossal statues which was carved out of one block of limestone.  With a length of 72m and a height of approx. 20m, it is also the largest.  It represents the kings with the body of a lion, in a clear demonstration of his power.  I took quite a liking to him, giving him a wee kiss.

To have a break from looking at pyramids, we visited the Papyrus Museum where there were some beautiful artworks on papyrus, a material similar to thick paper that was used in ancient times for writing.  It is made from the pith of the papyrus plant that grows in wetland areas, particularly around the Nile River.  Widely used to write documents, letters etc but also used to make boats, mats, baskets and sandals.  Of course, Rosie bought a small art piece which will look great framed when get home.

In the Saqqara area of Cairo is the oldest pyramid, the Step Pyramid.  This was built by Djoser, the first king of the Third Dynasty, around 2700BC, and is considered to be a giant stairway that he would climb after being resurrected to join the sun god Ra in the sky.

We were fortunate to be able to go into a tomb that had a lot of hieroglyphics on the walls telling stories of those historical days.

Another lunch of falafels, molokhia (stew made from jute leaves, served with rice) and mahshi (rice-stuffed vegetables) with an Egyptian ‘traffic light’ (strawberry, guava and mango juice) we were escorted back to the hotel for a well-earned swim in the pool!

Egypt - Alexandria

And on to Northern Africa it was.  Thanks, Emirates, for a smooth ride over a volatile airspace into the exotic location of Cairo, Egypt, the largest city in the continent of Africa.

Met by an On the Go Tour staff member, it was an uneventful journey through immigration but another exhilarating ride through the African version of traffic.  Probably a bit more polite than the Chinese but still crazy!  Check out the Egyptian horse float!

First impression of Cairo is that it is like a mammoth archeological site.  Lots of rubble everywhere and rundown buildings, that people still live in.  

There are many different areas of Cairo depicting the social economic lifestyles of the Egyptian people.  Unlike the Asian countries, it was noticeable that there was rubbish everywhere, especially in the poorer areas of the city.  It is actually an occupation of some Egyptian families to sort through the garbage to look for any food, clothing or ‘treasures’ that they could use.  Watching that definitely makes you appreciate your own lifestyle.

The main thing to know about this fascinating country is that throughout history, Egypt was invaded and conquered by numerous foreign powers, so their culture has many different international flavours intertwined in it.  In chronological order Hyksos, Kushites, Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, Romans and then the Arabs put an end to the millennium-long Greco-Roman period. 

This varied culture was evident in our first excursion to the ancient city of Alexandria on a private tour with two young lovebirds from London (recently engaged) and Aymen, a local tour guide who has an extensive knowledge on Egyptian culture and history.  The city was founded by Alexander the Great in 331BC, nearly 1400 years older than Cairo, and it has evolved into a thriving metropolis of 5.6 million with a reputation of being one of the most cultured cities in the world that still has some iconic historical sites to visit.

1.      Qaitbay Citadel – a defensive limestone fort, built in the 14^th century on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, over the ruins of one of the great ancient wonders, Alexandria Lighthouse that had toppled over in an earthquake.  As it was built in a strategic location, it drew the attention of many rulers over the years and has actually been rebuilt many times.

2.      Roman Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa – largest Roman burial site in Egypt where there is evidence of both Roman and Greek mythology for a man, his wife and child.

3.      Pompey’s Pillar – was not actually erected for Pompey the Great but to commemorate Roman Emperor Diocletian’s victory around 298-302AD.  It is more of a reminder of the city’s Roman past and the interaction between Roman and Egyptian cultures.

4.      Ancient Roman Amphitheatre – a 4^th century landmark that was used for close to 300 years falling into ruin after the Islamic conquest.

5.      Library of Alexandria – the new one as the original one was accidentally burnt down during Julius Caesar’s siege of the city in 48BC, and many historical records were destroyed.  We didn’t venture in, but it has the biggest reading area in the world, apparently.

We were also treated to a yummy seafood lunch looking out onto the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea before making the 3 hour trek back to Cairo on the new motorway, which is only 3 years old.

Beijing, China

 First of all, apologies for the delay in the next installment of my adventures.  It is a true story that China does not allow Facebook, or any Google products if you are on a Chinese sim card, which Rosie bought (the Great Firewall of China).  It was quite amazing how many one does use that Rosie has now, had a week off using.  Grant was still able to access most of his apps and I, the vegetable, don’t use any so it didn’t worry me! 

China is the world’s most populated country, and you can tell no matter where you go, there are a lot of people here, and it just happens to be the Chinese school holidays.  They have 2 months off over the Summer so would you believe that the most common nationality of tourists in China during this time is Chinese!  At this stage, we would like to point out that New Zealand children are so much more polite that Chinese children, well most of them are! :)

First impressions of Beijing, capital city of China since 1057BC yet was established over 3000 years ago, and was called Jin City, is that it is quite chaotic.  Coming from the well organized and systematic Japanese, we arrived into the craziness of Chinese driving.  From the taxi ride to the hotel, we counted at least 4 near misses and when you are out walking you need to watch not only the cars and buses, but the numerous scooters and bikes!  The white striped pedestrian lines don’t seem to mean too much, and they also like to use their horn loudly!  We now know why the Chinese drivers are not very popular on the New Zealand roads!  They have a pretty good subway system if you don’t want to navigate the traffic.

So, wits about us at all times as not everything is in English and most of the locals don’t speak our tongue.  There was a lot of gesturing, pointing and sign language to get them to understand what we want.   We were staying near a major shopping street that is for pedestrians only – Wangfujing St and every second building is a mall of some description that has at least 4 floors and 1-2 of those floors is dedicated to food so there is no shortage of finding any food.  They are also open until 10pm each night.

As the Chinese sizing of clothes is like the Japanese, quite small fitting, Grant was able to get some shirts and trousers custom made from Silk Street, a huge 7 floor building with everything imaginable for sale.  Most of the products were knock offs for high ended brands and you bartered with them for a price.  During the negotiations Grant was referred to as a 'buddha' and they wanted some extra money for the extra material they were having to use to make his clothes! LOL!   Fortunately, Grant got his way and didn't pay any extra.

It seemed that every second shop was a restaurant of some description and who knew that Chinese food could be so varied.  Would you believe that not once did we see a wonton or a combination fried rice but we did try as many variations of the food that we could. One of the food outlets that took our fancy was the NotPot, a moving buffet meal on a conveyor belt.  All three of us were in heaven with the amount of food that could be eaten in one sitting.

A definite highlight was the visit to see one of the wonders of the world, The Great Wall of China, a series of stone and earthen fortifications that stretches for 21 000km along the northern border.  The history surrounding this structure is mindboggling.  It dates back over 2,500 years ago when various emperors built it to protect ancient states from nomadic tribes.  Most of the wall was built during the Ming Dynasty 1368-1644.  We went to the Mutianyu part of the wall of which they can have up to 100 000 visitors a day. There is a plaque that states “Once intended to ward off enemy attacks, today it brings together the peoples of the world.  The great wall, may it continue to act as a symbol of friendship for future generations.”

It was also during the time of the Ming Dynasty that the Forbidden City was constructed.  This was the former imperial palace of China and is the world’s largest palace complex, rectangular in shape, and covers 720 000 square metres.  It is surrounded by a 6m deep moat and a 10m high wall.  It is called the Forbidden City because no one could enter it without the emperor’s permission.  This year, 2025, they are celebrating 100 years of allowing the public to view this unique and historical series of buildings.  NB:  The last emperor, Puyi, abdicated in 1912 but was allowed to live there for a certain time.  That was the end of the Qing dynasty and the start of the Republic of China, referred to as 'Modern China'.

Alongside this former palace is the infamous Tiananmen Square, 44 acres and is the biggest square in the world.  With the Forbidden City on one side, the Monument to the People’s Heroes, the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, the great hall of the people, and the National Museum of China flank the other three sides.  Over 100 000 people per day visit both these sites and so you can imagine, security is very, very high.  Instead of looking like a terrorist in disguise, I stayed in the van, as who knows what a stuffed toy vegetable could have hidden inside him?  Fortunately, Rosie and Grant, had a tour guide who suggested “no bags” and that saved them over an hour’s wait not having to get their bags checked but still had a few passport checks.  

One of the emperor’s most important jobs to do was to pray.  Twice a year, depending on the seasons, he would venture to the Temple of Heaven and pray for a bumper harvest.  This was the next stop to see a beautiful temple built in a round shape which is the Chinese symbol for Heaven.  The rectangular shape of the Forbidden City represents earth.

The Beijing Zoo is a must visit.  With it being the school holidays there were many families exploring the vast enclosures to see over 5000 species of animal.  We felt like we were on display as well.  Walking around, we must have looked like unusual specimens to the locals as we got many strange looks.  At one stage we got stopped by three teenage boys wanting our photo with them.  Rosie asked them (via translator) “are you on a scavenger hunt?” and the reply was “No, we are just looking for some animals.” 😊  I guess with Grant towering over everyone, Rosie looking like a leprechaun in her bright, green top and me, a vegetable, we did look a bit out of place amongst the Chinese.

Unfortunately, it must have been naptime for the giant pandas, so we didn’t really get to see them in action, same as the Bengal tiger and polar bear, sound asleep.  The rest of the animals were in full flight especially the monkeys – very entertaining to watch.

For a more modern attraction we went to the venue for the 2008 Summer and 2022 Winter Olympics where they still use the magnificent sporting venues for lots of different events.  They are the only city who has managed to use these venues for both Summer and Winter Opening and Closing Ceremonies.  As with all the places we have visited so far, we ventured up high.  The Olympic Tower gave us a magnificent 360 view of Beijing in the 36 degree heat!  

Then it was over to the ‘Bird’s Nest’ Stadium (capacity 91 000 spectators) which is an amazing piece of architecture and engineering.  Not only could you tour around inside, but you could also have a walk around on top, too.  I was too scared to venture up there, but Rosie and Grant did!

China has 4 things that they are famous for, and we were fortunate to visit a few places to find out some more about them.

1.      Tea.  After a very informative tea ceremony, Rosie was recommended to never drink tea from a tea bag again and after having explained about the benefits of certain types of tea, I am sure that Grant will indulge in a few cups himself (especially the one that helps with gout symptoms).

2.      Jade – national gemstone (just like us but different colours) symbolizing purity, beauty and grace so yes, Rosie bought a bracelet and some earrings.

3.      Silk – we were given an explanation about the silkworm cycle and the benefits of products made from silk.  We were persuaded to buy a silk duvet which has warming and cooling benefits and was a lot cheaper than buying one of that quality in New Zealand.

4.      Traditional Chinese Medicine – given an insight into the benefits of their herbal remedies and had the most gorgeous foot massage.

So that is a wrap from Beijing, China.  We could not do it justice in a week but now have some wonderful souvenirs, and memories, from the most populated country in the world.