Health & Harmony
with Joanna Castle
Spirited Journeys
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Spirited Journeys » Ancient Egypt
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We arrive in Cairo, then fly directly to Aswan to begin our journey. Our three days in Aswan will be filled with adventure. After checking into our hotel on the Nile we will travel by motor boat to Philae, Temple of Isis and a visit to the Nubian Museum. We will end our day with drinks at a hill top cafe overlooking Aswan, the Cataracts and islands of the Nile.
We cross the Nile and ride by camel into the desert to visit a 5th century Coptic monastery. We board Feluccas as the sun begins to set - the best time of the day to sail the Nile. An early morning bus ride into the desert to visit the magnificent Abu Simbal, built by Ramses II for his beloved Queen Nefertari. We safely wander the streets of Aswan and discover the bargains in the colourful old bazaar, have drinks on the terrace of Agatha Christie's Old Cataract Hotel, ride in a Calesh along the Cornish or simply lie by the pool overlooking the Nile.
Three days and nights sailing the Nile on a luxury Nile cruiser, wonderful ***** cuisine and evenings of dancing. Be Cleopatra for a night! Suntan on the top deck as we sail, stopping to visit the temples of Kom Ombo and Edfu. We end our Nile journey as we sail into Luxor.
We are picked up at dawn for an optional Hot Air Balloon ride over the valley of the Kings and Queens. What a thrill as we soar up into the sky, then come down again gliding over the tops of palm trees. As the sun rises everything turns pink. We visit the Luxor Temple and Luxor Museum, experience "Sound and Light" and a walk through time at the awesome Temple of Karnak. We move to the west bank and the Valley of the Kings and Queens. You will stay in a great little hotel I discovered on the west bank of Luxor. It is run by a wonderful village family who will prepare typical Egyptian food for you during your stay. Flood lit Habu Temple, the Funerary Temple of Ramses III, is just across the road from our Habu hotel, where we will spend four days.
While enjoying cool drinks on the roof terrace, we watch the timeless life go by. We will wander through a village to locate the various tombs of nobles, then to the village of the workmen who built these tombs for these mighty Kings and Queens. We will enter several tombs of ancient pharaohs and the jewel in the valley, Queen Nefertari's tomb. Awesome is the only word for this magnificent restoration. Also located in this area is the Colossus of Memnon and Temples of Ramses II. There will be time to wander in the village, sit in cafes, early morning walks in the desert, or just relax on the roof terrace. A day trip is planned to the Temple of Osiris at Abydos and to Dendera, the Temple of Hathor.
We base ourselves on the Island of Zamalec for our three days in Cairo. A day in the countryside to visit the oldest pyramid - the Step Pyramid at Saqqara. Then to the the Giza Plateau and the grandeur of the pyramids. A horse or camel ride away stands the wise old Sphinx. We will explore Old Islamic and Coptic Cairo, the Cairo Museum and the vast Khan-Kahili Bazaar. My experience as an aromatherapist has led me to the best parfumers in Cairo. Discover the Bazaar with me and see how to bargain for the best prices.
The Home of The Berbers. We travel into the Western Desert to visit the home of the Siwa Oricle. Alexander The Great consulted this oricle to determine if he was God! There are 30 000 date palms and 75 000 olive trees in the oasis. The Shaly, the village square has an etherial look about it. Swim in Cleopatra's pool, one of the many in the oasis. We stay in a unique eco tourism lodge.
Read Joanna's article 'A Journey to Ancient Egypt', which appeared in Rennaissance Magazine.