Maʿal-salāmah مَع السَلامة

Categories: Accommodations · Cairo · Egypt · Giza · Luxor · TravelTags: · ·

“With Peace” in Arabic and a formal expression of goodbye. I say goodbye – it has definitely been one incredible and breathtaking experience to visit Egypt. Manial Palace, a former royal residence. was built for Prince Mohammed Ali Tawfiq, a descendant of Egypt’s famed ruler Mohammed Ali, and the uncle of King Farouk. It was constructed between 1899 and 1929. During this trip, I stayed at the Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at The First Residence. Though the hotel (there are two Four Seasons Hotel in Cairo) may have been built nearly 20 years ago, it maintains a timeless appeal and…

Karnak & Luxor Temples

Categories: Architecture · Egypt · Luxor · TravelTags: · · · · 1 Comment

Luxor is often called the world’s greatest open-air museum and there might be nothing in the world that compares to the scale and grandeur of the monuments that have survived from ancient Thebes. After the pyramids of Giza, Karnak is Egypt’s most important pharaonic site. Excavations over the years have gradually uncovered the original structure of the temple complex, which was built over a 1,300-year period. Luxor Temple is an elegant example of Pharaonic temple architecture. The temple was largely completed by the 18th-Dynasty pharaoh Amenhotep III and added to during the reign of Ramses II in the 19th Dynasty.

Thebes

Categories: Architecture · Egypt · Luxor · TravelTags: · · ·

Modern Luxor grew out of the ruins of Thebes, once the capital of ancient Egypt’s New Kingdom (1550–1069 BC). The Temple of Hatshepsut rises out of the desert in a series of terraces that merge with the sheer limestone cliffs behind. Discovered only in the mid-19th century, and still being restored by the Polish Mission.

Luxor

Categories: Architecture · Egypt · Luxor · TravelTags: · · · ·

Luxor has the greatest concentration of ancient monuments in Egypt. An hour’s flight from Cairo, one can spend a week here, although I was only able to spend a full day. The remote, barren Valley of the Kings was the necropolis of the New Kingdom pharaohs. The dramatic corridors and burial chambers are adorned with symbolic accounts of the journey through the underworld and ritual paintings to assist the pharaohs in the afterlife. The Valley of the Queens lies to the southwest of the Valley of the Kings and holds the tombs of many royal wives and children.

Cairo

Categories: Architecture · Cairo · Egypt · TravelTags: · ·

Set on the Nile River, Cairo is a mega-city of of more than 20 million people, making it the most populous city in the Middle East and the second most populous in Africa — and it feels like it. The capital of Egypt is not an easy city, as it is loud, clogged and frenetic – and it might take a while to get used to the cacophony. But it is a small price to pay to experience the energy of the Mother of the World.

Egyptian Museum

Categories: Art · Cairo · Egypt · TravelTags: · ·

I debated about waiting for the later half of 2020 to visit Cairo as the $1 billion state-of-the-art Grand Egyptian Museum will open (the opening date has been pushed back on multiple occasions), however the timing to visit now worked better for me. Nevertheless, the current Egyptian Museum, founded in 1858, has on exhibit one of the most extensive collections of important artefacts with more than 100,000 objects, including the glittering treasures of Tutankhamun and other great pharoahs.

Giza & Saqqara

Categories: Architecture · Egypt · Giza · TravelTags: · · · · 1 Comment

For nearly 4,000 years, the extraordinary shape, the perfect geometry, and sheer size of the Pyramids of Giza have invited tons of questions and awe. The last remaining intact Wonder of the Ancient World is indeed a sight to behold. No other monuments are so instantly recognized around the world, yet only a few realize that there are at least 115 further pyramids spread across 70 kms of desert. Covering a 7km stretch of the Western Desert, Saqqara, the huge necropolis of the Ancient Egypt Capital of Memphis, was an active burial ground for more than 3500 years and is…

24 Hours in Vienna

Categories: Architecture · Austria · Europe · Food · Library · ViennaTags: · ·

I am back in Vienna for 24 hours before I catch my flight back home. I had nothing specific planned for this stop over and decided to just play it by ear. I came upon the Österreichische Nationalbibliothek or the Austrian National Library. It’s State Hall is one of the most beautiful library halls in the world and is the biggest Baroque library in Europe.  There were a couple more of restaurants that I was not able to visit when I was in Vienna a couple of months ago that I wanted to try. First stop for a late breakfast…

Doviđenja, Montenegro

Categories: Accommodations · Europe · Food · MontenegroTags: · · · ·

“Thank you, Montenegro“ Montenegro did not disappoint. It had a very scenic coastline studded with charming villages. More importantly, I was able to get my much needed R&R. The food on the coast of Montenegro is similar to Dalmatian cuisine – lots of grilled seafood, garlic, olive oil and Italian-style dishes. The restaurants below are notable not only for their food – but most also provided great scenery to go with your meals. My first hotel stay was in the town of Perast at the Iberostar Heritage Grand Perast. Originally built in the 18th century as the largest palace in…