The Faiyum Oasis is about two hours drive from Cairo and a favorite weekend getaway for Cairenes to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. After we picked up supplies from Carrefour at Festival City, we made a quick lunch stop at a local falafel joint. We couldn’t read the menu but from the …
Festival City Mall We were attracted to it like a moth to a flame. Even if we wanted to, we couldn’t escape a trip to Festival City, a massive modern mall in New Cairo. We found out about the mall because we were looking for a Decathlon to buy a pair of convertible pants for …
Shopping in Cairo – Festival City & Sharia Khayamiya (Street of the Tentmakers) Read More »
We visited Muhammad Ali Mosque with our guide, Hanan, on a Friday. In every mosque, there is a sermon or khutbah every Friday after the mid-day prayer, during which time mosques are closed to visitors. This was just the first reason that we scheduled our visit to the mosque in the morning. The second reason …
During the Pharaonic times when Ancient Egyptians believed in a polytheistic religion with thousands of gods. Today, Egypt is nearly 90% Muslim. How and when did this change in religion take place? It is fascinating to explore Egypt’s long history. It is a turbulent and every-changing complex history of invasion, times of peace and prosperity …
The Egyptian Museum Since we conceived this trip, I have been looking forward to visiting Egypt’s newest and grandest museum, The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM). GEM will be the largest museum in the world, containing more than 100,000 artifacts from Ancient Egypt and the complete Tutankhamen collection. It should have opened in 2013 but it has faced many …
The Egyptian Museum & National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) Read More »
Pyramids of Giza & The Great Sphinx No visit to Egypt is complete without seeing the pyramids and the Sphinx. The Great Pyramid of Giza is the last remaining of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The pyramids are often recognized around the world as a symbol of Egypt and its ancient civilization. The …
I have been captivated by Ancient Egypt since I was a young child. In my elementary school library, there was a small section about Ancient Egypt consisting of no more than 20 books. I must have been in second or third grade when I discovered it and spent several months huddled in the corner of …
Ever since I first visited South Africa, I have dreamt of living here. It is the kind of place that exudes something magical that captures your imagination and etches itself into your memory with the otherworldly beauty of the land and the unbreakable spirit of the people. The vast and rugged land is strikingly beautiful …
During our month in South Africa, I have been reading Nelson Mandela’s autobiography, “A Long Walk to Freedom”. I share the interesting, significant and funny parts of the book with the rest of the family during our long drives through the ever scenic, ever changing coastal roads, endless highveld and bushveld savannas and majestic mountain …
On a cold and wet day, we made the trip to the Cradle of Humankind, about 50 km outside of Johannesburg. AY and I have been talking about this museum for months, so there was no way we were going to let the weather stop us. When we arrived, the place looked totally deserted without …
