Egypt Pics

[onster]

We went to Azhar Park (Great views of the city) as well as The citadel today Im too tired to write up history so if anyone is intereseted you can google the citadel in egypt for the history . For now pics....




Ticket..12 lE for four adults, so $2 or so...


Dad and me at the entrance...


view

[onster]

more azhar, mosques outline

cool flower

[onster]

Now on to the citadel...amazing. all i can say.

[onster]

El Naser Mhamood Ibn Qalawoon Mosque (in citadel)

Friendly attendant, Ramadan told me he would pose like Omar El sherif (if u know who he is )


very comfy chair

[onster]

mosque details

lilbro in mosque with citadel behind him


lion fountain on top of citadel. All these thigns are made of carved alabaster by the way.

[onster]

Mosque of Mohamed Ali (also in citadel)

washing station for prayer in Mohamed Ali mosque. Details on that = wow.


inside the mosque. so pretty.

[onster]

one of the massive crystal chandeliers inside. WOW.


He is buried inside this structure in the mosque.

Put the camera through the woodwork and took this picture. His tomb.



By the way the reason the whole mosque is made of hand carved alabaster is because when it was made (took 18 years to complete) there was no electricity and if you light a match or torch the alabaster all lights up (reflects well).

[onster]

Have more pics but gtg now. Hope u enjoyed these.

[wdawson]

looks like a very interesting place....great pics

[glasslass]

Thanks for sharing! The alabaster is beautiful!

[Stacer]

Wow, those are awesome pics. The mosques are absolutely beautiful.

Someday I'll visit Egypt...

I've seen alabaster, I've touched alabaster, but what the heck is alabaster?

[Love4himies]

Wow, Egypt looks beautiful, and those alabaster statues are gorgeous.

Thanks for taking the time to post pictures, onster, I just love looking at them and dreaming one day I will be able to visit.

[onster]

Thanks guys Im definately not the best photographer and really this is just a sample of the kajillion pics I took...too much of a pain to resize them and upload on my relatively slow connection. Wish I had a better cam to able to get details in the darker places..pics turned out too dark :sad:

stacer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alabaster for what alabaster is.

A few more pics...

Sign for Mohamed Ali Mosque-- tells u when it was built..

Sign for Gawhara Palace Museum. The King who lived in the citadel had many many wives over the years but the youngest and most beautiful was apparently Gawhara (which means gem) to which he made this palace.

He was paranoid about being assasinated. This big mirrors are on every floor and alligned in such a way that they reflect off each other and looking from the top floor onto the mirror there u can actually see all the way to the front steps of the palace! ridiculously cool.

[onster]

U know how the mona lisa's eyes follow u? Well there was this painting of him (mohamed Ali Pasha) where not only did his eyes follow you, but it seemed like his whole body shifted from the throne in your direction!!! I wish I could have taken a pic but cameras were restricted :sad:

ANyway...here is his throne. No pics were allowed but the guard liked me so he let me turn off my flash and take a quick photo. Notice how it is so short and so wide.....the king was fat and short, lol. It was a gift from france I believe. 24 karat gold plated I think?



Mohamed Ali Pasha

[onster]

For the guys...

there was also a military and police museum. I have a few pics of artillery and things but havent resized them yet....german tanks and things like that!

One area used to be a prison and this is my brother and dad peeking into the cells.



U would find scenes like this showing u how things worked back in the day



The MOST notororious women in Egypt. Rayya and Sekina were murderers in Alexandria, Egypt. More than 30 women and young girls were murdered for their jewelry after being lured by these 2 women. A special leutenant was assigned to the case dealing with the dissappearances of all these women and the first break in the case occureed when a plumber reported finding a head and other body pieces when digging for lines. After that it was all down hill for these two and their gang as more and more bodies were uncovered. They were the first women in Egypt who had the death sentance carried out on them. What I dont understand is why any woman trusted these 2!! They just look creepy. yikes.

[onster]

To end this on a light note...

where there are cats, onster will seek them out
By this time I was exhausted it was 4pm or so and the sun was beaaating!!!


A cool statue for the horse people...statues like these are found all over egypt (in the middle of main streets/roundabouts) to commemorate important people. This is Ibrahim Pasha.

[onster]

Kodak was at the citadel too

Photo anyone?

I thought these were cool. If I wasnt afraid my parents would have suffered from heat stroke I would have posed for one...give them to you on the spot. Would have liked to pose as a bedouin girl maybe? That is what the girl in the middle of the middle row is dressed as.



What a great day. Tomorrow were taking a break. Still have to go to the pyramids among other things.


I have a lot more photos and will be posting them on FB when I get back to Canada...if anyone is on FB and wants to see the whole slew pm me with ure details (as I have super duper crazy privacy settings on FB and u wont find me) and Ill add so u can see them when I add them.

Im glad u liked the photos and its my pleasure to share the history of my country with u all. Egypt today has a alotttttt of problems, almost makes me want to cry. ......*sigh*....such a beautiful people, burdened with so many problems. Yes it is has its problems yes I can fixate on the smog, on the corruption..or I can look past that at the amazing history and at the great laugh and wit that strangers like Ramadan, the attendant, shared with me literally making my heart smile. Many egyptians who live abroad say they never want to come back to egypt as "ewww its so dirty" "so backhward"....well I say different. Egypt is in me, it is who I am. I will take what I learn from my beautiful second country, Canada, and hopefully bring it back to Egypt just as I try take the beautiful qualities of the egyptian people ( immense generosity, kindness to strangers, wit) to Canada..........


Sorry Im rantibng its 3am. Really should go to bed. Have a date with my gramma tomorrow morning

[Love4himies]

Thanks again, onster. Female serial killers I can think of some crimes that should have punishments like what you pictured

[Byrd]

OMG Talk about bringing back memories!!!

I so love Azhar Park.

If anyone is looking for info on the Mosque of Mohamed Ali and the Citadel look up The Alabaster Mosque, that's the "street name" for it. It is an absolutely amazing place, I would really love to go back to it, spend more time there, maybe next trip.

I also agree with your last comment, yes it's dirty, yes it's a little backward, but you won't meet a friendlier people anywhere in the world!

[Frenchy]

WOW onster ! Thank you for those fabulous pictures , I love the Mosque So grandiose and full of details , must be amazing to be there !

Originally Posted by onster

Tomorrow were taking a break. Still have to go to the pyramids among other things.

ohhhh I can't wait to see ! Pics pics pics !!!

[Byrd]

LOL Frenchy, you're too funny.

[Frenchy]

Originally Posted by Byrd

LOL Frenchy, you're too funny.

I never got to travel , and probably won't (couldn't bare leaving the dogs ) but if I could , I would love to visit those places , so full of history and beautiful , majestic buildings

So now at least I get to see some awesome pics !

[Jim Hall]

great shots onster the citadal and mosgue are amazing thanks for the tour is great seeing pics of your dad and you

hows onnie and bunduk doing?

[Rick C]

Thanks for the visit to Egypt.

I have a client in Cairo and an open invitation to visit him and his wife, which we might do in the next few years . . . . looks interesting.

Rick C
www.goldentales.ca

[rainbow]

WOW.....what history.

I thoroughly enjoyed all the photos and the mosques are so beautiful. And got a giggle out of Ramadan posing as Omar El Sharif.

I am like Frenchy and would never be able to see any of this in person so a great big for sharing your pics with us.

[jiorji]

so pretty!! I love those earthy colours


but 1. you forgot ...ME!!! why did you leave without me??? and 2. No Mozilla pictures??

[Byrd]

Frenchy, I have tonnes of pics, write me anytime if you need a dose.

Rick, DO IT!!!! If you can travel Egypt with a local it's the best way, so much better (and cheaper) than in a tour group.

[growler~GateKeeper]

Awesome pics Onster

Cool about the mirrors in the Gawhara Palace Museum were you allowed up to the top to see the effect yourself or was that off limits?

It's great when a country can preserve local history/custom and allow the public to take a step back in time to see what it was like

[krdahmer]

Awesome pics... and thanks for the story telling... hope you're keeping cool!!! Can't wait to see more!

[onster]

cool re: ure clients Rick C...what do u do? Im assuming proffessional photographer? (cuz ure photos are the best!)

hehehe jiorji unfortunately I couldnt have any stowaways but u (and everyone) are welcome to visit/come to Egypt with me one day..like Byrd says its best with a local ..not that i can truly be considered a local but theres my cousins, our driver etc

Jim Onnie and Bunduk are fine, apparently they are settling in well. I miss them but am still enjoying the holiday.

Thanks all for your comments.

Sorry I didnt post after, my mom actually sprained her ankle at the citadel so we didnt do any sight seeing after that till she heals. We went to a great egyptian restaurant called abou el sid..sooo yummy and great atmosphere..u can get a feel for it by visiting the website http://www.abouelsid.com/..its pricey by egyptian standards but ok by canadian ones (15-20 dollars per person). I definately reccomend it to anybody visiting Egypt and wants to give egyptian food a go. The Omm Ali (almost like a warm bread pudding with filo pastry, nuts, cream etc) was to DIE for...and i dont even normally like Omm ali. mmmmmmMMmmmm.

Yesterday was the main egyptian day off (friday) so we all went to a big mall here, city stars, and ate at one of my uncles favourite restaurants, on the border (mexican grill)...i believe its an american chain? was good though...we took up 3 tables!!

Today in about an hour or so were taking a plane to the city of Sharm El Sheikh where my brothers live and work (mobro and B)...Ill get to meet my bros egyptian kitty Uro for the first time . Sharm is not a place for history but for great snorkelling & beaches...Ill try to take pics of the fishies (but I dont have an underwater cam)