Monday 20 November 2006

A 4:00 AM wake up call started our day as we flew south to Luxor (originally Thebes).

Observation: I had more issues going through security at the various museums/sites than I did at the Cairo airport.

Upon landing in Luxor, we hit the ground running catching our coach (bus to you Yanks) to tour the temples at Karnak and Luxor.

The Temple to Amon-Ra at Karnak, to me, was the most impressive site I visited (Amy’s was Ramses II’s temple at Abu-Simbol, but more on that later). The temple complex was built and expanded over the course of 2000 years, overseen by over 30 pharaohs and exceeds 240 acres in area. The most impressive part was the Hypostyle Hall and its 134 hieroglyphic covered columns reaching over 75 ft. in height. Include the two still standing obelisks and this site was simply amazing. I really could have spent all day here.

I wish we would have seen the Luxor Temple first today. While its large statue of Ramses II and its Avenue of Sphinxes leading up to its entrance was impressive, it just paled in comparison to Karnak.

After a morning of touring these two facilities we checked into our Nile cruise boat, The Royal Serenade, for the start of our 5 day Nile cruise. At it turns out the people in our group are the only ones on board, which will make it even more enjoyable.

Sunday 19 November 2006

FULL day!!

We started with a trip out to Giza to see the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx. Seeing the Pyramids up close is like seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time. You are awestruck and the photos you take can not do the experience justice. Then throw in the fact that they are over 4000 years old and man-made, and well…. You get the point.
We didn’t go into the tombs, but we did get several vantage points of the complete complex (ok… how many of you knew there were more than three pyramids here?? Anyone?? Anyone?? Bueller?).
The Great Sphinx was next. Again… everyone has seen pictures of it, but one cannot really describe the feeling of actually standing next to it.

Part of our tour included a camel ride. At first neither of us was going to do it, then I was and Amy was just going to take pictures. Amy was talked into standing next to me and having our Egyptian handler take the pictures. Then she was talked into sitting on the camel with me… “just for a picture”. Raise your hand if you know what happens next. As soon as she sat on… UP with the camel and away we went. Honestly…these might be the best pictures taken of our whole trip.

That afternoon we visited the ancient city of Memphis (sorry no Elvis sightings) with its large fallen statue of Ramses II and Alabaster Sphinx.

We then travelled west into the desert to visit the necropolis of Saqqara. Located here is the oldest stone structure in the world, the Step Pyramid of Djoser dating back to 2600 B.C. While Amy chose not to, I ventured down a 40” x 40” shaft into a tomb of another smaller pyramid.

Saturday 18 November 2006

Walk like an…..

Today we arrived in Cairo (at 2:00 in the MORNING!! Thankyouverymuch) for the start of our first long holiday, a tour of Egypt and the Upper and Lower Nile. We decided on a completely guided tour and it was a great decision. Sonia, our tour guide and Egyptologist, was excellent, as was our group which only numbered nineteen.

Cairo is a zoo, and it becomes evident that they REALLY like to honk their horns as they drive, mainly because the concept of lanes on the roads doesn’t exist. While Amy was already exposed to it from her travels in Malaysia, I was caught off guard by the broadcasting of Islamic prayer from the mosques.

We started our holiday with a tour of the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities. Like the Louvre, one could spend a week wandering through all the rooms. Cameras were not allowed sadly, but the obvious highlight was the treasure room of Tutankhamun. While I have learned to respect time and history more since living in London, there is something to be said for viewing pieces that are over 4000 years old.

Saturday/Sunday 11-12 November 2006

Remembrance Day and Remembrance Sunday

Basically this is similar to our Veteran’s Day, a remembrance of those that gave their lives during wartime conflicts. Poppies are worn and displayed every year as an act of this remembrance.

On Saturday we went to Westminster Abbey to view the Field of Remembrance which is a display of thousands of small crosses adorned with a poppy and carrying a name of a loved one lost in war. On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month (signifying the day World War I ended) there is a two-minute period of silence. After this Amy and I walked over to Trafalgar Square where another ceremony had just ended, but the poppies that were laid in the fountains still remained.

Remembrance Sunday is the nation’s official ceremony held at the Cenotaph near Parliament. After the Queen lays the first poppy wreath, there is another two-minute silence followed by a parade of veterans that present a wreath at the Cenotaph as they march past.

I tried to attend the ceremony but the crowds prohibited me from getting near the Cenotaph. It was still quite a feeling being in the shadow of Big Ben as it struck eleven followed by the traditional silence. Standing next to me were two sisters between 55-60 years old who were there to watch their FATHER walk in the parade afterwards. A very moving experience.

Friday 10 November 2006

Amy had a crummy week at work, so on days like this we seek “comfort food”. On our way to the Texas Embassy Cantina for a “Southern” Fried Steak (Translation: Chicken Fried Steak), we stopped in a couple of pubs. One of those was over 200 years OLDER than the Alamo (keeping with a Texas theme), but you’ll have to stay tuned to this blog to see my reviews.

I knew better… really I did, but couldn’t resist the urge to order BBQ brisket. One would think that if Texas is in the establishment’s name that they would KNOW to SLICE the brisket, not serve it up in a chunk like a piece of roast. File this under lessons learned.

Wednesday 08 November 2006

The De-Americanization of Ray

After five months away, here are a few things I noticed myself doing differently on my week long visit home.

1. The sun angle was one of the first things I noticed. It was nice feeling the sun shining down from overhead.

2. Ignoring pedestrian crosswalk lights are a lot more difficult with the five WIDER lanes found in downtown Houston. It also helped that the first street I crossed was one way traffic coming from my right. I have become quite the aggressive street crosser (just ask Amy) when walking in Central London.

3. Not having the correct payment because tax was NOT included. The states should REALLY do this… really.

4. Waitstaff look at you funny when you respond with a “Cheers” when they bring you a drink.

5. Even though I only ride my bike on the streets in London, when driving I found myself pulling into the wrong side of divided roads only twice. I won’t bring up the fact that I hit a car in the parking lot my first day driving in five months.

Saturday/Sunday 4-5 November 2006

Upon returning from opposite ends of the globe, we joined Amy’s friend Dana-Leigh and her husband David at their home southwest of London for a very warm welcome home (more on that later…).

Saturday afternoon we toured one of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew at Wakehurst Place giving us the opportunity to enjoy the fall colours and giving “someone” a chance to capture a few new park bench photos (coming soon to a blog near you). The weather has cooled considerably since we both left last week and jackets were a must.

That night we attended a Guy Fawkes/Bonfire night where on (or about) 05 November the British celebrate the foiled Gunpowder Plot of 1605 with fireworks and huge bonfires complete with effigies of Guy Fawkes and the Pope.

Okay… here’s your history lesson for the week. Guy Fawkes is Britain’s most notorious traitor. He, along with 12 other Catholics attempted to strike back at Reformation and the Church of England by plotting to blow up Parliament, as well as, the King of England by placing 36 barrels of gunpowder under the House of Lords. Fast forward…. blah, blah, blah… plot is spoiled, conspirators are captured, the king is saved, long live the king… and on the following day celebratory bonfires were lit to honour the safety of the king. It’s been a tradition ever since.

If two Our Lady of Mt. Carmel graduates can’t have fun watching Catholics burned in effigy with the taunts of “Burn them!!” - then where can we have fun?

As I type this (Sunday night) the skies over central London are filled with fireworks from several locations.

“Remember, remember the 5th of November… Guy Fawkes, the only man to enter Parliament with honest intentions.” This was really just a traditional British party weekend, complete with carnival grounds, bonfire and fireworks. It was all done in good fun.

Ray is back from Texas having spent a week catching up with family, friends and errands. He managed to bring home 10 pounds of assorted candy sours and a few other necessities from the good ol’ USA. I think this will keep him stocked until we return for Christmas!

Wednesday 1 November 2006

That “Cha-ching” you hear is our British Airways Joint Frequent Flyer account going into overdrive as on Friday 27 October I jumped on a plane an flew 11 ½ hours to Houston while on Sunday 29 October Amy hopped on one and flew 13 hours the other way to Hong Kong.

So far I’ve fulfilled my garlic buffalo wing and BBQ brisket fixes and purchased close to 10 lbs of cherry and green apple sours to bring home, as well as, Nyquil and other “U.S.” pharmaceuticals.

Side Note: Was watching a "Haunted" London television show on The Travel Channel yesterday and noticed that the "expert" on the ghost stories concerning the Tower of London was the EXACT same Yeoman (Beefeater) that we had giving our tour when the kids were here for their visit. How cool is THAT?