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1835 Champollion presented Mohamed Ali Pacha (ruler of Egypt at the time) with a petition to erect a museum to house and protect the findings that were dug up during the excavations. But that was only the start because the discoveries and the artifacts just kept multiplying. In 1890 Ismail Pacha offered one of his palaces in Giza to be the new house for the discoveries. And by 1902 a still bigger place was needed to accommodate the continually increasing monuments and mummies, which at the time reached more than 140,000 items displayed, this was provided by Abbas Helmi Pacha, who raised funds to build the museum.

The last resting place for Egypt’s treasures is the present day Egyptian Museum of Antiquity in El Tahrir Square. But the museum is now subject to threat from the surrounding buildings and heavy traffic causing vibration and pollution. Besides, the museum was built to cater for about 500 visitors per day, supplying adequate natural light and ventilation, but with the increase of visitors from 6 to 7000 per day, the decision to expand was yet again a compelling issue.
The project for a new state-of-the-art museum to chronicle for the world the ancient story of over 7000 years of Egyptian civilization began in 1992 but due to the short in funding was delayed. An international competition was held to choose the building design and was won by Heneghan Peng Architects of Ireland.

Built over 50 hectares of land, and just 15 km south of Cairo, it is located in the shadow of the Great Pyramids of Giza. It is expected to hold 100,000 exhibits making it larger than the British Museum, which holds 80,000 artifacts on display.The project is to cost about $550 million US, and is expected to be finished by 2010. The Egyptian government is hoping to raise $40 million from a current tour of King Tutankhamun artifacts in the United States to go towards funding for the project, but there is also backing from Japanese investors.

The Great Egyptian Museum (GEM) will have capacity for 15,000 visitors a day and house an archeological research institute as well as extensive storage. It is also designed to include an auditorium, a media and a publication centre for books, CDs and video tapes. The creation of a data bank and an Egyptological Library will satisfy the need of many scholars keen on the study of the museum collection.

The GEM is situated at the junction where the fertile valley meets the desert, which for the ancient Egyptians was the land of the after-life. And the most befitting final resting place for King Tut’s mummy and treasures that were discovered in his tomb in 1922. The museum is also expected to exhibit the Sun Boat that was believed to have transported Queen Cleopatra’s body, which now stands in its own museum near the Pyramids. On August 25, 2006 the 83 ton statue of Ramases II was moved from Ramases Square in Cairo to the Giza Plateau, in anticipation of construction of The GEM. The Statue of Ramases II, estimated to be approximately 3,200 years old, will be cleaned and touched up, and will be situated at the entrance of The GEM by 2010.

But the most striking aspect of The GEM is its glowing façade and giant triangular entrance way! Constructed of translucent alabaster, it is designed to allow the light to penetrate the inside of the museum by day and will be illuminated to glow by night too. The angled roof of The GEM is aligned with the neighboring Pyramids, forming a line from one edge of its roof extending to touch the tip of the largest of the pyramid and the other edge points toward the peak of the smaller Khefre Pyramid. The Design plans and landscaping of The Gem are perceived through light and vision. Through out the site of the museum light plays a dramatic role. The color of light changes gradually between Sun and shade, the exterior and the interior, between day and night.

About the Author:
Gawhara Hanem
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Egypt Tours

Copyright © EgyptHasItAll.com

Many people have come to Egypt armed with a travel book, “Lonely Planet” or maybe “Rough Guide”, only to be disappointed with their trip. Sure these books give you a lot of good information, but don’t explain or clarify everything, and certainly don’t provide advice in dealing with problems, so it’s not advisable to rely on them solely.

The first and most important step you need to overcome is to dispense any preconceived notions. The experience you are about to embark on will be like no other. A journey into a different place in time, the operative word being “different” of course! With that out of the way, every encounter will be an adventure all on its own, so relax and enjoy yourself!

To get things started let’s do some history! Egypt has always been recognized for being the world’s most ancient existent state. Being at the crossroad between the Middle East and North Africa, this unique geographical location, has invariably made Egypt the bridge between Asia and Africa. Egypt also overlooks the Mediterranean so linking it to Europe too. Over the years this land has been occupied by the Greeks, the Persians, and the Romans. And during its conquest by the Arabs it was ruled by the Fatimids (969-1171), the Mamluks (1250-1517), and the Ottomans (1517-1798). It then went through 150 years of occupation by the French and British colonial rule until the revolution of 1952 that finally returned the power to Egyptian hands. But every new rule that came along, rather than destroy what had been conquered, opt for building a new city, just upwind from the old one. This makes Egyptians of special nature as they have acquired throughout the years the customs and habits of the different regions the country belonged to. Egypt has been cited in the three holy books and has been witness to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Indeed, one of the joys of Egypt is that its historic areas are still vibrant, living spaces and not open-air museums. The physical remains of a thousand years of history, being conquered and reconquered by different groups, are the bare essence of its charm. The past here is more a state of mind than a historical fact and that, ultimately, is the way in which Egypt is truly overwhelming.

One of the first things that will arrest your senses, beside the heat, is Cairo’s chaotic rhythm of the traffic and people. Egyptians seem to be a rowdy lot, but they never miss an opportunity to laugh at a joke. Nor do they miss on an opportunity to lend out a hand or point out directions; even with very broken English everyone is eager to improve their English regardless if they know the answer to you question or not. Egypt is a safe country, since tourism is a highly valued industry and security is high especially around busy touristic areas. Street crime is rare and the crimes reported in the press would be family dramas or con deals of some sort. So open you eyes and mind, and if you’re organizing your own excursions be prepared for the occasional swindle.

“El salamo Alaikom” (or peace be with you) can be used all day as a verbal greeting. And before any form of social interaction, as a basic code of etiquette, greetings are expected, even to perfect strangers. Like in most Mediterranean countries, Egyptians are emotional by nature, loud and use their hands and faces to complete the theatrical effect of the words. If you’re male don’t be surprised if another man holds your hand or forearm. Egyptians are comfortable with less personal space between them and the person they are talking to, a show of intimacy. Unlike in the West this is in no way associated with homosexuality. In general Egyptians are a conservative people. Egypt being over crowded, with people living in very high population densities they are accommodated to this forced proximity. It is hard to decided whether, despite or because of this crowding, there is segregation by gender, which can be seen in having two queues (one for men and another for women) or separate cars on trains.

‘Baksheesh’ is an integral part of any Egyptian workers life. As wages are low, workers rely on tips from foreigners and locals alike. But since you’re a foreigner, many poor people will consider you rich no matter what part of the world you come from, so stock up on change. It also helps to learn the phrase “la shokran” (No thank you). You can also use the same phrase with someone who is trying to sell you something, and if you forget “la shokran,” just say it in English, and walk away. It definitely works better than “emshi” (go away), which appears as advice in some travel books because it could be taken as an insult. Guide books also warn travelers of the hassle of buying from local shop owners. This is an exaggeration. Yes they may call for you to come into their shop but a firm and polite “la shokran” is more than enough to do the trick. All the same you should be prepared to bargain for anything you buy, and don’t get abusive to the trader, he’s only trying to feed his family. It’s easier to haggle with your currency and credit cards out of sight, and stored separately from your Egyptian pounds (LE), if you can show you have just a few LE on you. Souvenirs are better bought from Khan El Khalili (the old bazaar in the Islamic district), at better quality and prices.

It is advisable to arrange for a private guide. This can easily be arranged through your hotel, and is not at all expensive. They are very useful at the Cairo Museum since many of the artifacts are not labeled and the place is enormous, they can save you time by showing you all the relevant exhibits. Besides it’s a fast and sure way to learn from an Egyptian first hand about the country and the life style of its people.

Although Egyptians dress in a modern manner, they are conservative even in their attire. And not all women are veiled. Even though some women are veiled for religious reasons it is still a matter of choice. Egyptians can accommodate foreigners dressed skimpily, which is not a good idea though if you dislike being ogled at. There is no need for women to cover their hair, shoulders and legs. Nonetheless longer, loose clothes will protect you from the sun as well as show your respect for local customs. Since the floor of most of the sites is either sand or uneven stone it is advisable to wear sensible footwear too.

Please don’t drink from the tap water! You can shower and wash your teeth with it but bottled water is cheap and plentiful so use that for drinking. And don’t forget to drink enough, in this heat it is easy to become dehydrated. Always carry around enough, you maybe charged outrageously for a bottle at temples and sites. There’s a lot of Sun in Egypt so make sure you always have a high factor Sun protection on. It’s also useful to travel with a medical- kit. Include plaster, safety pins, antiseptic cream, diarrhea and headache tablets.

The hotel front desk is a reliable place to stop and ask about any query. It is also the best place to book or just ask for advice for an excursion like a felucca trip (sail boat in the Nile) for example or camel/horse rides at the Pyramids. They know the best taxis and tour companies, and will be happy to assist you, saving you time, money and hassle. With most hotels you can arrange to keep safe some of your luggage free of charge (or at a very low cost), if you are on a multi-centre holiday and intend on returning to your first hotel before your departure.

On another note it is also useful to know that internal flights must be booked and confirmed in advance. The conversion rate is far better in Egypt, so don’t exchange all your $, £ and Euro at home. Exchange enough to get you along on the first leg of your trip, and exchange the rest when you get to Egypt. Don’t forget to always have enough change for the “baksheesh”.

Relax! You do not need to take any more precautions in Egypt than you would traveling to most Western countries. People are very kind and respectful. No question that it’s a different culture, but that doesn’t make it wrong, just different and a truly amazing experience at that.

About the Author:
Gawhara Hanem
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Egypt Tours

Copyright © EgyptHasItAll.com

With all those unique diverse coastlines, deserts and mountains, and the added plus of sunny good weather almost everyday of the year; Egypt makes the perfect playground for Extreme Sports.

Extreme tourism is becoming ever more popular, and as opposed to traditional tourism requiring significant investments in hotels, roads, etc., extreme tourism requires much less jump-starting a business. Extreme tourism overlaps with extreme sport. The two share the main attraction, “adrenaline rush” caused by an element of risk mostly due to the relatively higher number of inherently uncontrollable variables, such as weather and terrain. As in any sport, it requires a certain degree of fitness, skill and with sufficient respect for safety guidelines, not much more is required for anyone to enjoy them.

Some of these sports include surfing, snowboarding, sandboarding, kitesurfing, bungee-jumping, BASE jumping, kayaking and rock climbing. Considering that the media is credited for defining what extreme sports are as well as popularizing them, many of these sports were made popular by the televised X Games (championship competitions sponsored by the cable-television network ESPN). The first X Games (then called the Extreme Games) were held in 1995 in Rhode Island. This television coverage brought extreme sports and their participants more into the limelight, boosting the number of enthusiasts as more people became aware of the growing number of extreme sports.

Being more of an individual sport, participants constantly challenge their creativity to produce new, more daring maneuvers and techniques. This assures the development and evolution of newer extreme sports. Some extreme sports combine the techniques and physical skills of two or more sports such as kitesurfing (surfing & using a giant kite), sandboarding (skateboarding & snowboarding on sand) and the more extreme sky surfing (sky diving & snowboarding).

Although surfing first came to see the light in Egypt as late as 1995, it is kitesurfing and sandboarding that are capitulating Egypt as an extreme sports holiday destination. While sandboarding maybe considered by many a new addition to extreme sports, there has been evidence that it was first invented by ancient Egyptians who surfed down golden dunes of sand on planks of hardened pottery and wood. The added advantage of sand being that, sand never melts, so as long as your snowboard is waxed you can extend your surfing season. With the variation of shifting the body weight to the back in sandboarding to reduce friction on the front, sand also provides a much nicer surface to fall on than snow, also making for an ideal environment to learn boarding skills.

Normally you’d have to go far into the desert to reach the large dunes, well not in Siwa! 100 meter high dunes are five minutes from the tarmac. Further into the desert it is believed, that the western desert of Egypt has some of the largest and steepest dunes on the planet. While it was first popularized in Siwa it is now available at Wadi El-Rayan (in El Fayoum) and in Gharb Sohiel (in Nubia, Aswan). And of course for a more “X-treme” experience the board can be powered with a kite, combining sandboarding and kitesurfing.
An unforgettable experience into the unknown will have to include trad climbing Mount Sinai. It was on Mount Sinai that Prophet Moses received the Ten Commandments from God. Built in the 6th century at the foot of this mountain, is one of the oldest continuously functioning Christian monasteries in the world, St. Catherine’s Monastery. There are bolted routes and granite boulders to be tackled, but as the area is huge there are always lines that have never been pioneered before. The finger cramming cracks that run hundreds of meters up, take you to an endless mesmerizing view of the magnificent desert. Mt. Sinai can also be trekked on foot. Because of the daytime heat, the trek starts at night and the strenuous ascent takes about 3 hours. On reaching the summit one is gratified by the birth of a new day, with its hypnotizing change of hues of sunrise on the horizon, illuminating the tops of the surrounding mountains.

Today Egypt is the No. 1 windsurfing destination worldwide. It has become a Mecca for European windsurfers because the weather and wind conditions are almost always good. Although at present, kitesurfing is starting to replace the more traditional windsurfing. Powered by a kite as opposed to a sail it doesn’t need much wind, nor high surf, and is much easier to master in a few lessons, making it very addictive. But the wide spreading popularity of kitesurfing is mostly attributed to it providing instant gratification as people want to learn a new sport and be pro the next day.

Egypt is inching slowly yet steadily, on to the map of “X-treme” sports. With the almost perfect weather all the year round and the many unchartered spots, just waiting to be explored and discovered.

MARGINALIA
1. Extreme sports have always been associated with “adrenaline rush” caused by the element of risk. It has been proven that medically speaking the rush or high associated with the activity is not due to adrenaline being released as a response to fear, but due to increased levels of dopamine, endorphins and serotonin because of the high level of physical exertion.

2. As compared to the huge waves of the Pacific Ocean breaking on coral reefs, the huge dunes of the Siwa desert always have a sharp reef bottom (fossilized coral).

3. It has been said that mapping the sea of sand is impossible, since it is always moving. In fact major dunes don’t move, they may gain or lose a few meters in height every year. The actual possibility of the dune going anywhere for the next century is highly unlikely.

4. BASE jumping is by far the most dangerous of all the extreme sports. In BASE jumping, parachutists jump from artificial and natural structures at heights between 90 and 1100 m. (The name BASE comes from buildings, antennas, spans [bridges], and earth [cliffs and waterfalls]—the four launching points for jumpers.) Because the launch heights are low compared to those in traditional skydiving, the parachutes used in BASE jumping are specially designed to open quickly. Also adding to the danger is that wind can easily blow a jumper into a rock face or other nearby surface. Most law enforcement agencies prohibit BASE jumping, but even where the activity is legal, only competent skydivers should attempt jumps.

About the Author:
Gawhara Hanem
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Egypt Tours

Copyright © EgyptHasItAll.com

Story telling is as old as age! It was probably the first means of entertainment long before the media existed or even paper and books. But every culture has managed to chronicle and save some of its heritage by writing them down, or in some instances just painting or chiseling them on walls.

The Egyptians were one of the earliest civilizations to kept record in writing their everyday lives. However, the earliest preserved story written dates back from the Middle Kingdom, and because most of their literary tradition was oral or spoken, it was never written down, so the works that have actually survived are fewer than be expected.

From autobiographies and mythological tales to folk and fairy tales the ancient Egyptians made journals of it all, on papyrus paper, walls or even slabs of stone. My personal favorite is the Legend of Isis and Osiris. The story tells of the good and benevolent King Osiris
who was murdered by his wicked brother Seth due to jealousy and hatred. The corpse of Osiris was thrown into the Nile and his faithful wife Isis searched until she found him and hid him in the marshes of the Delta. Through magic, which she practiced and mastered, Isis became pregnant. Isis gave birth to their child Horus, who became the heir to his father’s throne and avenged his father Osiris. Horus became the king of the gods of the underworld.

There’s also the oldest Cinderella story, but in the ancient Egyptian version the glass slippers are “rose red slippers”. And from the Ptolemaic period there’s “The Seven Years of Famine” which was discovered on the rocks of the Island of Sahal in 1890 by Charles Wilbour. But the oldest and most popular tales of Egyptians was the story of Sinuhe. This story was preserved in six papyri and two dozen ostraca. This biography tells of Sinuhe who fled Egypt to Western Asia after the assassination of King Amenemhat Ι. After many years Sinuhe returned to his homeland when he was pardoned by King Senusert Ι and reinstated at the royal court.

The fairy tale of Setne Khamwas, a son of Ramesses ΙΙ tells of his fascination with the magic texts of the past brought him to an encounter with the ghost of a long dead magician in his tomb at Saqqara. In a story within a story, he learned of an episode of the magician’s life. On the golden shrine of Tutankhamun, was the story “The Book of the Cow of Heaven” (or “the Destruction of Mankind”) which tells of the sun god, Ra, who was confronted with a rebellion of mankind, so he sent his “eye,” Hathor, or in a later version, Sekhmet, down to earth in the form of a lioness, which proceeded to devour men. When Ra called her back she refused, so he had to trick her. One night he created a red colored beer that looked like human blood. Sekhmet drank it all and became intoxicated and so in this way Ra saved humankind.

“The Turquoise Amulet” was a story of a maiden who loses a hair clasp in the form of an amulet of turquoise. This is one of the stories that helped to give Snefru the title of The Good King, for it shows his good nature and his willingness to please others, something other pharaohs would not dream of doing. Another story that was written on the Harris Papyrus which is housed in the British Museum is “The Doomed Prince”. When it was first discovered the story was complete, but since then, the papyrus has been partly destroyed and the end of the story has been lost. This story may also be known by the title “The Crocodile, the Snake and the Dog” because it tells of a prince who was fated by the gods to die by the Snake, the Crocodile or the Dog.

The tales are many, and are all fascinating and captivating. During the course of the next few posts we’ll rediscover their charm, also getting an insight into a culture that built its civilization on stories of the gods.