I swear I’m going to need a double foot transplant after this trip! Once again I’ve been blessed by the gods of weather, as the heavy rain that was forecasted for all day never materialized, so although it was noticeably colder than yesterday, I was able to keep walking up and down Rome without a… Continue reading Musei Capitolini, Colosseum, the Vatican
Villa Borghese, Centro Storico, Trastevere
Surprise! I am in Rome! The first item on my list was to visit the Galleria Borghese, a gorgeous palace and museum inside of the great park of Villa Borghese, which happens to be just next to my hotel. I had read online that the tickets sell out, and not only that, but they seem… Continue reading Villa Borghese, Centro Storico, Trastevere
The Egyptian Museums
Oh, the joy of getting up in my own time, having a leisurely breakfast, and being in charge of my day! Today is my last day in Egypt, and also the only free day I get to be in Cairo. My goal for today was simple: to see the two Egyptian museums, the old one… Continue reading The Egyptian Museums
The Pyramids, Memphis
Getting to Cairo was a nightmare! After having got up really early for the Abu Simbel excursion, the evening flight (which was late enough on its own) was delayed, and between one thing and another I crashed at my room at nearly three in the morning! And they expected us to leave at seven! (They… Continue reading The Pyramids, Memphis
Abu Simbel
Remember how I said at the beginning that I did a lot of research only to come to the conclusion that all basic Egypt package itineraries are the same? The one thing they differ in is whether or not they include a visit to Abu Simbel. The temple of Ramses II at Abu Simbel is… Continue reading Abu Simbel
Temple of Philae, Aswan
When I woke up this morning -at seven, an hour that felt like 11AM after the last couple of days and what awaits me tomorrow- we were docked in Aswan, the capital of Southern Egypt, the gateway to the desert and the Nubian civilization, and the last leg of our Nile cruise before we fly… Continue reading Temple of Philae, Aswan
Temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo
Nothing like an intense day of traveling to appreciate a good night’s sleep! Last night our ship docked at Esna at around 7:30PM to cross the locks, and imagine how much traffic there is on the Nile that we didn’t get to cross until one in the morning -I was obviously fast asleep, woke up… Continue reading Temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo
Temple of Hatshepsut, Valley of Kings, Karnak, Luxor
Okay, so a bunch of my predictions from yesterday came true right off the bat: they did run us ragged (I can barely stand and it’s only 2PM of the first day), and we did have to get up very early (so early that I won’t even say how early, in the hopes that when… Continue reading Temple of Hatshepsut, Valley of Kings, Karnak, Luxor
Arrival in Egypt
I’ve missed writing on this blog, although I realize the last time was just earlier this year. In any case, it’s time for a new adventure, as I am typing these words from an airplane on its way to Luxor, Egypt. It will be my first time in Egypt, my first time in Africa, and… Continue reading Arrival in Egypt
Santa Chiara, Museo Archeologico, Palazzo Reale
Okay, I cannot take another step! But on the upside, I got to see a lot of stuff today! Today I took things a bit slower in the morning, after the time pressure yesterday, with the side effect that the buffet breakfast at the hotel was a true gauntlet -I had to wait for a… Continue reading Santa Chiara, Museo Archeologico, Palazzo Reale