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Egypt is one of the world's most interesting and fascinating travel destinations. It is probably the world's oldest civilisation having emerged from the Nile Valley around 3200 B.C. Travelers have been visiting Egypt since early Roman and Greek times. It has also been the destination of many famous archaeologists and treasure hunters. |
SOME CHARMING PLACES IN EGYPT
| | CAIRO
Rising from the shimmering desert heat, Cairo is an intoxicating blend of cultures, history and peoples, which has fascinated travelers from earliest times. Much has been written and said about this incredible city, but to experience it for oneself, is to take home everlasting memories of the city known as "the Mother of the World".
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Several pyramids and the Great Sphinx are located on the desert plateau marking the boundary of Giza, a suburb of Cairo. In Egyptian the site is known as "El-Ahram" (the pyramids). The specific purpose of these pyramids was to provide a place and means by which the dead Pharaoh would rise to the sky and join with the sun. The pyramid was also believed to be the mineral concentration of the sun's rays of light. Another hypothesis is that the Pyramids and the Nile represent Orion and the Milky Way; thus focusing the strength and power of heaven to Egypt. The best known pyramids are the tombs of the 3rd and 4th Dynasty Pharaohs: (the largest) Khufu, Cheops in Greek; Khafre, Chephren in Greek; and Menkaure, Mycerinus in Latin. Also, of course, there is the Great Sphinx.
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| | | | | | | | LUXOR
Luxor is at the north end of the section of the Nile and has a major airport, where you often arrive to embark on your cruise. A bustling, modern city, you don't have to look far to see the monuments of both ancient Egyptian and other, more recent civilizations. It boasts two temples, Luxor and Karnak, and was known in ancient times as Thebes. Shopping facilities are extensive here, with silver, gold, cotton goods, leather goods and spices among the best bargains to be had.
The West Bank of Luxor is considered to be the City of the Dead as well as the Town of the Other Life with it numerous monumental sites. The Valley of the Kings is one of the most important places where the tombs of the Royal Family are situated. There is also the temple of Queen Hatshepsut, the Valley of the Queens, Habo Temple and more funerary temples and tombs.
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| | ASWAN
Aswan is situated at the south end of the section of the Nile plied by the cruise fleets, and just upriver is the First Cataract, the old Aswan Dam, and further, the High Dam. Aswan used to be the border-trading city for Egypt and adjoining Nubia, and the rest of southern Africa and a high percentage of Aswan's population are of Nubian descent. It still represents a major commerce centre, and some very pungent spices from the south can be obtained in the bazaars here.
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| | ALEXANDRIA
Founded by Alexander the Great in 332 BC, Alexandria is the largest port and second largest city in Egypt. In addition to beautiful beaches and Mediterranean Sea breezes, Alexandria is home to a wealth of history and culture. Here you can find the Roman Amphitheatre and Catacombs as well as Pompey's Pillar and the Museum of Graeco-Roman Antiquities, which tell of Alexandria's rich and glorious past.
The Alexandria of today is a popular summer resort with the locals and an escape from the hustle and bustle in Cairo during the winter months. There are beautiful gardens at the Montazah Palace and wonderful views from the Fortress of Quait Bay, which was built on the site of another of the "7 Wonders of the Ancient World" (long since destroyed), the Lighthouse of Pharaohs.
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