“If bliss can be described as an exalted state of wishing not to be anywhere else, then this had been bliss.” ~Paul Theroux, Fresh Air Fiend: Travel Writings Car horns were beeping, and morning traffic was in full swing as we headed out on Ring Road to the Giza pyramid complex. It wasn’t Cairo’s traffic that … Read More
“As you set out for Ithaca hope your road is a long one, full of adventure, full of discovery… And may you visit many Egyptian cities to learn and go on learning from their scholars.” ~C.P. Cavafy, Ithaca “I know a short-cut,” our driver was saying as we were headed to Dubai’s International Airport. It was … Read More
The flash of light flew by our cabin window long after the sun had set. Any happenings in the Red Sea were far from our minds as Herb and I were watching Lawrence of Arabia, hoping to finally finish the epic film we had started before visiting Wadi Rum. But when I spotted a light … Read More
“For the moment – an eternity it must have seemed to the others standing by – I was struck dumb with amazement, and when Lord Carnarvon, unable to stand the suspense any longer, inquired anxiously, ‘Can you see anything?’ it was all I could do to get out the words, ‘Yes, wonderful things…’” ~Howard Carter, … Read More
It was almost noon when our bus pulled into the gates of the Hilton Luxor. After a brief stop at the security checkpoint – this was becoming an expected part of our Middle East travels – we headed inside for a lunch break before our jam-packed afternoon itinerary. There wasn’t even time to check into … Read More
Every trip has its unexpectedly wonderful experience, a moment or a place that turns out to be much more than we had imagined. On this journey from Egypt’s port of Safaga, I had anticipated the treasures we would be experiencing in Luxor. But it was what we saw on the three-and-a-half-hour drive getting there that … Read More
“On your right is mainland Egypt, on the continent of Africa. On your left is Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, on the continent of Asia.” Hassan’s words as we were beginning our journey down the Suez Canal echoed in the air like speech bubbles from a cartoon character. Asia? Did he really say Asia? Africa would be … Read More
It’s about an 11-hour journey through the Suez Canal. The 120-mile waterway links the Mediterranean and Red Seas from Port Said in the north to the city of Suez in the south. There are no locks – the two seas are at the same level – and the scenery on either side is a stunning … Read More