Today we marvel at the sailing felucca on the Nile, experiencing a rich blend of history and serenity
As we were on Elephantine Island in Aswan today, there has been a fair bit of travel on the Nile as part of our day, which truly enriched our experience in this historically vibrant region. During this day, there was a visit to some wonderful tombs of various officials from various time periods of Ancient Egypt, showcasing the fascinating architectural designs and intricate hieroglyphics that tell stories of their lives and legacies. Each tomb revealed unique details that gave us insight into the rituals and beliefs surrounding death and the afterlife in ancient civilization, which I will cover in future posts.
While on the western bank of the Nile, I caught sight of this rather peaceful traversal of the great river…
Sailing the Nile
Sailing a felucca is a truly ancient tradition that is still active these days, attracting both locals and tourists who wish to experience the beauty of the Nile in a unique way. On this day, many travelers traversed the river, their eyes filled with wonder as the sun glinted off the water’s surface. A good breeze filled the sails, making their progress not only swift but also quite efficient, as laughter and conversations filled the air. The gentle rocking of the boat, combined with the stunning views of the ancient temples and lush riverbanks, creates an unforgettable experience steeped in history.
Anticipating another visit to the Grand Egyptian Museum, excited to see the difference of a year in its development.
As we’ll be going to the Grand Egyptian Museum tomorrow, and I need to make sure I have packed for early luggage collection, this is a bit of a shortcut installment.
It’s almost a year ago that I first got to see the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), which was prior to the completion of all the installations. I vividly remember the awe I felt as I roamed through the partially finished exhibits, eagerly anticipating the full reveal of this magnificent cultural landmark. A notable absence last year was the Tutankhamen collection, which we did get to see in its previous location. That being said, I had the chance to explore other fascinating artifacts that offered a glimpse into the rich tapestry of ancient Egyptian civilization.
According to what I have been told, the new installation of Tutankhamen’s treasures is nothing short of spectacular. The museum’s curators and designers went above and beyond to create an immersive experience that highlights the grandeur of Tutankhamen’s treasures. Some have described the new exhibits with such enthusiasm, indicating that it looks like you almost cannot see the case due to the care they took with lighting design. This innovative approach not only elevates the artifacts themselves but also serves to enhance the overall viewing experience, making visitors feel like they are truly stepping into the past.
I’m sure I will also get this view, spectacular in and of itself…
A GEM of a View
With the expert guidance that we will get tomorrow from Dominic Perry and the Ancient Word Tours team, I am eagerly anticipating the day, as I finish up this post. More from me tomorrow!
The journey may be lengthy, but it’s rewarded with a fantastic Chinese meal in Egypt at China Red restaurant.
As I have arrived in Egypt, I thought there would be nothing better than have this installment focused on my experiences here. Be forewarned that this post is not what you might expect to see about Egypt.
After spending most of the last 24 hours either in airports or airplanes, there was nothing that I wanted more than to feel clean again after a shower. Next on the menu, literally, was to decide on a nice dinner. Staying at the Le Meridien at the Cairo airport, I did have the choice of 4 different restaurants with cuisines ranging from Lebanese to pub food, and Chinese. As I expect to eat plenty of middle Eastern cuisine over the next week plus, I chose China Red, the Chinese restaurant. I was not disappointed!
The atmosphere is great and welcoming and the menu is appealing, as it has focus and doesn’t try to serve everything, the way many American Chinese restaurants do. After I placed my order for a Sakkara Gold beer and some food, I was also provided with a basket of kroepoek…
Kroepoek
Kroepoek are deep fried crackers made from a starch and a flavoring, which in this case was prawn. They are very airy, as they expand tremendously during frying with lots of air pockets.
Next I had ordered some shrimp spring rolls, which were delicious…
Shrimp Spring Rolls
Of course, they were really hot on the first bite, so be careful; their flavor and consistency was wonderful! I ate these with my soup, which was a West Lake soup…
West Lake Soup
This is one of those fantastic Chinese soups that has a smooth, velvety feel when eating it and has a great balance of egg whites, tofu, chicken, vegetables, and mushrooms. This chef really understands how to create an amazing combination of flavors with none being overpowering the others.
I completed this meal with a fantastic beef and seafood stir fry, of which I forgot to take a picture; the smell was so good that I dug into it immediately, after which I realized my error.
In total, a fantastic meal at a reasonable price with attentive service. I highly recommend China Red for your next time in Cairo!
The nature of travel filled with the joy of discovery and connection. Iceland captivates me with its stunning landscapes and resilient culture. The post highlights the unique Icelandic horse.
We all travel for a variety of reasons, and none of them are without their merit. For me, the act of visiting a location away from home is a blend of discovery, connection, and a general sense of curiosity that I have. Over the years, my reasons have evolved from checking off a list of sights that I can say I have seen; nowadays, I like to slow down my travel pace so that I can enjoy the people, the place, and the overall mood that envelops me.
One of the countries that I have come back to a number of times is Iceland. I’m drawn to its rugged landscape, its flora and fauna, and its wonderful people who embody a spirit of resilience and warmth. The uniqueness of this country’s geographic features, from its towering glaciers to its bubbling geothermal hot springs, fascinates me endlessly. Each visit feels like stepping into an entirely new world, where the elements shape the environment in ways that are both striking and serene.
Of course, one cannot mention Iceland without alluding to the many stunning waterfalls that dot its landscape, each cascading down rocky cliffs in a breathtaking display of nature’s power. From the magnificent Gullfoss to the delicate Seljalandsfoss, there are countless opportunities for photographers and nature lovers alike to capture the magic these sites hold. Today, I’m sharing part of Iceland’s fauna, highlighting an animal that thrives in this harsh yet beautiful environment…
Icelandic Horse
The Icelandic horse is a truly unique breed, having evolved from the ponies brought by the island’s Norse settlers during the 9th and 10th centuries. Adapted to the harsh Icelandic environment, these horses exhibit remarkable resilience and strength, allowing them to thrive despite the island’s challenging climate. The breed has a unique characteristic in its gaits; in addition to the walk, trot, and canter/gallop, it has two additional gaits: a lateral ambling gait (tölt) and flying pace (flugskeið). The tölt is a natural gait for the Icelandic horse that is present from birth, providing a smooth and comfortable ride, which has endeared these horses to riders of all skill levels. The flying pace, on the other hand, is a specialized gait that is taught and used in races; not all the horses will learn this pace, as it requires specific training and talent. This diverse range of gaits not only showcases the physical capabilities of the Icelandic horse but also highlights the deep bond between rider and horse, as they navigate the stunning landscapes and rugged terrains of Iceland together.
This particular photo came about during a photography group trip under the guidance of Loren Fisher. Some of the participants had asked to get the opportunity to capture some shots of Icelandic horses, which led to our stopping by the side of the road next to this meadow filled with vibrant wildflowers and lush green grass. Trying to attract the horses’ attention with clumps of grass didn’t work, so I switched to simply talking to them in a soft, reassuring tone, which eventually brought them closer to the fence. As I spoke to them, I observed their curious nature and gentle demeanor, and it was heartwarming to see their large, expressive eyes focus on me. This gorgeous animal was definitely my favorite of the bunch, with its sleek mane flowing in the wind and a curious spark in its gaze. It seemed to sense the moment, and after a few moments of hesitation, he obliged with this amazing pose, making the photograph truly special and capturing the spirit of the wild Icelandic horses beautifully.
Insights from a walk around Boston Seaport with a camera’s eye view. We catch the Art Deco United Shoe Machinery Building at 160 Federal Street as a highlight of this image.
Sometimes our travel doesn’t need to take us very far to cause us to have interesting observations. For this installment, the travel was just my commute to work, and the opportunity to walk around the Boston Seaport area with camera in hand.
Here’s one of the views from my saunter…
Boston Skyscape
What caught my attention, as you can well imagine, is the shining roof of the art deco building. This building is located at 160 Federal Street in Boston, and was built in 1930 as the United Shoe Machinery Building. At 24 floors, it actually was the tallest office building in Boston for 20 years. As you can tell, it is no longer that.
What really attracted me to this skycap was the contrast of varying styles and eras of building construction. It’s always interesting to see how architecture evolves and how differences can come together. Sounds like a great concept for many other facets of society.
This week we highlight a photo from Jokulsarlon Lagoon taken during a rainy August 2022 visit.
In the most recent Travel Tuesday post, we visited the wonderful city of Brno. As I was working on (finally) putting together my photography web-site, I started with a test gallery page for Iceland. Thus far I’ve put 13 of my images from the various trips to this great country with many more to come!
That gave me the idea to post this one…
Jokulsarlon Lagoon
This is from an August 2022 trip, and as you can probably tell, it was raining pretty steadily during our visit to Jokulsarlon. Given the tricky conditions (and the amount of people at the site, I decided to also take a couple of iPhone shots. This is one of those photos, which I kind of like. There are definite coloration artifacts, which are a little too early for blue hour (especially in August).
Just as a heads up, if you visit the web-site, it’s still doing some unpredictable things, plus there are some pages from the demo site that I’m using as a starting point. Plus many links will become active when I add many more galleries, as well as some shop pages. Lots to come!
This week’s Travel Tuesday highlights a whimsical umbrella art installation in Brno, Czechia.
After the rather sunny image in last week’s installment of Travel Tuesday, it’s time to prepare for a little rain. Or rather, it wasn’t really raining during that day in Brno, Czechia, when I captured this week’s image, but everyone was prepared!
Here’s that abundance of preparation…
Let it rain!
This rather fun, whimsical art installation in one of the main shopping streets in Brno is definitely a great way to bring a little color. With this splash of shades from these umbrellas, one cannot help but smile! It certainly made me smile and look up for this photo!
Reminiscence of a work trip to Israel and getting to visit Apollonia National Park. A great location with stunning views.
After last week’s visit to wonderful Scotland in our installment of Travel Tuesday, it’s another opportunity to visit a warmer climate. This week’s photo goes back just over 9 years, when I had just started working for Red Hat. My first work trip took me to the warmth of the Mediterranean coast in Israel.
Here’s a photo from that visit…
Apollonia National Park
As I was staying in Herzliya and had some time on my first day, I walked up to Apollonia National Park, which is just up the coast. This site has been occupied from around the Persian period (500 BCE) and prospered during Roman rule. The remains of a Roman villa were excavated in 1980.
During the Crusader period, a fort was constructed, the remains of which are still evident across the entire site. It’s a great location and with the gorgeous blue Mediterranean Sea, you just can’t go wrong.
Traveling through Scotland we find a memorable location on the Isle of Mull. Idyllic scenes abound!
After visiting the desert climate of Egypt in last week’s Travel Tuesday, I’m taking you to a country with a bit more rainfall. Scotland might be known for getting more than its fair share of nimbus clouds, but during our trip there in 2013, the weather was nothing if not delightful. During our week and a half there, we may have seen about 45 minutes of showers. We brought so much sunshine with us, that some of the locals asked us to stay longer!
Here’s a sunny moment from that trip…
Mull Idyll
There’s nothing better than finding little gems just off the road, where the water cascades amidst an ocean of greens. This lovely spot was on the Isle of Mull during the early part of our journey. A wonderful island with great single-track roads and plenty of opportunity to brake for sheep (they don’t leave the road for a mere car).
Growing up in the Netherlands there were plenty of locations I had not visited until much later, such as Kinderdijk and Leiden. Here I make up for one of those in 2011.
Even though I grew up in the Netherlands, there are a number of locations that I never visited; or is it because I grew up in the Netherlands. One of these was Kinderdijk (until 2022), which was no surprise to our Dutch tour guide, as all of us in the Netherlands can see windmills just about every day. Similarly, it was not until 2011 that I visited Leiden.
Here’s an image from that visit…
Molen ‘De Put’
Visiting my cousins in Leiden made for a very nice walk around the city and just an all-around great time. Of course, one of these cousins lives in Australia, so she traveled the farthest! During the walk we came across this windmill, named ‘De Put’.
Another windmill, you say! This one is actually a replica that was rebuilt in 1987 and sits next to the Rembrandt Bridge. The original windmill was built in the early 17th century and was captured in an etch by Rembrandt, who lived in Leiden in his early life. So, definitely somewhat special!
