Greetings to you all

Thought this week we would have something different. Will be back to Drouseia next week.
Whilst we were out here on a fact finding trip to living in  Cyprus, we were able to have a day trip to Egypt.
We were going to visit the Cairo Museum, the Pyramids and the Papyrus factory. Taking in the life out there, the excitement of all this history around, the traffic, which is horrendous, thought we had seen some driving, but nothing like this!!
We flew out in the early morning and then were  hustled onto our coach. Soon we were off to the Museum, unfortunately I don't have any pictures from here, as we were not allowed to take any.
Driving along in our coach was heart stopping, the traffic. Donkeys in the road with cars, buses you name it all trying to get passed each other. Horns blaring away, don't drink much but a stiff brandy and coke would have gone down nicely!!
The museum was fantastic to look around, although you really need a much longer time to get round everything. This place with it's statues, mummies, coffins, treasures, and areas set out as they would have been in times gone by. The huge rooms, the aromas from scents to mustiness. I could go on and on. I had been lucky enough to see the Tutankhamen exhibition with my parents, when we stopped off at Port Said many years ago as a teenager, when we were sailing home from Africa. We had a trip around and to the museum. This exhibition was something out of this world. The vibrancy of the colours of the mask, and the ceremonial clothing, the chariots and Tut's sarcophagus. The whole thing just took your breath away. I have always loved the ancient Egyptian history, so to go again and see it was a dream.


                                       

                    From when I remember coming here before the countryside around the Pyramids has certainly been built on. The town is practically on top of the.
Sun and sand to be expected. Well, we arrived on a dull grey day, but we did have the sand. I loved walking around and seeing the fantastic architecture of these monuments. What they achieved in creating along with the sphinx all those thousand of years ago, it's mind blowing, and to have stood all that time, maybe a crumbling block here and there, but I cannot see some of our monuments lasting like this.

      

                          
        A lot of walking around, and being touted to buy souvenirs,
We did not climb up inside this time, I had done it the first time round, and climbing up a wooden ladder with your head stuck nearly up somebody else's bottom in the dark did not appeal the second time round. When you got to the top it was just a cave like room with nothing to see. All the artefact's are of course in the museum.
Thought I would enclose the picture of the camels having a break from carting tourists up and down the road. I rode one  before when I came with my parents, which ran off with me and had the camel keeper shouting at it to stop. Just wish I had the photo still. Thankfully I did not fall off!! Settled for one of me standing next to one.

                 

 A rather nice policeman on his camel.

The poor old Sphinx is slowly going to need a nose job soon. Time is starting to tell.

It's amazing the different colours of stone that you see in the face. One of the spectacular times is as the sun is rising or setting to bring out the colours from different angles.

We had lunch at one of the top Cairo hotels, what a place. Will have to win the lottery to go and stay there one day. When I was here before we had breakfast at the Nile Hilton, now that was posh back in those days. Sprinkling fountains with water lilies floating around  in the ladies rest room. Made you wish you could bathe your feet in the cool water after all the tramping around, but no such luck.

Whilst looking around the pyramids we were befriended by an Egyptian wanting to take our photo. Said he knew how to use the camera although we did wonder at the time if we would see it again! But true to his word I was sat down and a headdress put on to make me look more authentic.

what do you think!!

Here is someone who rather fancied himself in time gone by

And another camel

Driving along to get to the hotel where we were having lunch you see a lot of unfinished houses. 

We stopped off for a beautiful buffet lunch at one of the hotels facing the Pyramids. It was lovely to be able to sit down for awhile and just take everything in.

They had beautiful grounds around the hotel but time was short to really wander around. Everything you do is to a time scale, but that is how it has to be. Maybe we will get to go again sometime for a little longer. Did manage to get a picture of the flamingo's in the hotel garden.

The Papyrus factory was very interesting to see. How the papyrus is made, and then looked after until it is ready to be used.

Here is a scroll we had made for us.

                                               On the left the writing says 'Klaus' and the right 'Sheila'

This weeks picture from Cyprus has to be

                                                   

              Thought we would have a spider. Looks like it could have been something from Egyptian times of days gone by

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The fishing boat is slowly taking shape. I am working my way across ( I  think!) filling in where needed. Might just get it ready for the fishing season!

                                                                    

Hope you will join me again next week and that you are still enjoying catching up with me.