The train to Luxor from Cairo 1-27-13

We have not had the best access to internet while we are away. It is expensive and we have to pay by the hour. We have gotten access several times, but sometimes even though we pay, we get kicked off the internet while we are using the services. Our days start very early, some as early as 5am and we are usually busy sight-seeing until dinner time at the hotel. We are soon hoping to get some rest, but none of us want to waste a minute napping when there are so many wonderful sights to see.

The train station in Cairo.

Waiting in a coffee shop for the train.  We met a family while there.  They were from Alexandria and traveling to Aswan for a vacation.  All of the children were playing on IPhones, IPods, and cell phones -- Just like the kids at home.

(Below)  We are not really sure about the accommodations on the train, the entire train car has to share two bathrooms at the end of the car.  It will make it hard if we have to go in the middle of the night.  I walked through once and felt like I should be surfing :)

The "Honeymooners" Actually the anniversary couple, Randy and Diane Myers, and my mom

June Cozart on the left (in white).

Renee Goddard "Whose been sleeping in my bed?"

I claimed the bottom bunk!

We traveled to Luxor by train last night. The evening was short. The train was due in the station at 8:00 pm but was 45 minutes late. The train pulled into the station at 8:45 and we finally loaded. Our entire group was in the same car, Renee and I were in number 1/2, Mom and Joyce Rush were in car 3/4, and these two rooms connected. We were immediately served dinner once the train left the station, and then the porter turned down our beds. It was difficult to sleep, the train moved a lot and we would make frequent stops. We all tried to rest. I woke up several times and would fall back to sleep quickly. We had two restrooms at the end of the train car for the entire train car to share, it think there were ten sleeping cabins in each car. Our wake up call was a knock on the door at around 7am. We were almost immediately served breakfast (three different sweet rolls, cheese and coffee). Once off the train in Luxor they bussed us to our hotel to freshen up before we started our day.

First we went to The Valley of the Kings and went into three different tombs. It cost extra to go into the tomb of King Tut so only a few went in. The artifacts are in the Egypt Museum and we saw all of them two days ago, the only thing that is still in the tomb is his mummy.

 

(Above - the hotel in Luxor)

(Below - the restrooms in the lobby of the hotel-  much better :)

(below - outside of the tomb of King Tutankhamen)
Becky Henthorn Moyer

(Below - June Cozart and Renee Goddard)

Jennifer Eller and Renee Goddard

All the artifacts are in the museum in Egypt, only the mummy is in the tomb.

We went on to visit two other places, and went shopping in a store where they demonstrated how they carve the alabaster.

After returned to our hotel for the day (around 3 pm) we took a carriage ride through the streets of Luxor. It was a wonderful and relaxing experience to travel through the market places while in a horse and carriage. We also saw more ruins and part of our ride was along the Nile River.

In our hotel this evening we were treated to an Egyptian show with bellydancers along with male dancers. It was nice to have the authentic experiences in Luxor. Tomorrow our tour guide, Mustafa, has a special Egyptian lunch establishment for us to visit.

The Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx

1-25-13

The Pyramids

Our morning began with a trip to the Pyramids. We paid the extra money to go inside of the Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops). We were not allowed to have cameras inside the pyramid, but it was a wonderful experience. We had to walk bent over through the first part of the passageway, and then we were able to walk upright. It was a long climb, but once we reached the top, it was an open tomb. I got to lay inside of the sarcophagus, everyone was quiet, and when people came up with their flashlights, they were surprised. My cousin Becky Moyer did it to me first. What fun. We got some good pictures, but we had to be quick because we were hounded by peddlers when we were out of the bus. We had people with us, an armed guard, our guide, and a representative from EO (Educational Opportunities, the company we booked our trip with).

Our first look at the Pyramids from the bus

Posing with the Wetzel Chronicle!

After leaving the first pyramid, we were bussed to the second, and we got the panoramic pictures from this angle. It is just amazing to look around the pyramids and see the city just out of the view from the camera. It is really close to the city. And Cairo is a huge city.

The third pyramid we visited we were able to ride the camels. What an experience.

From the third pyramid we were bussed to the Sphinx. We got a view of all three pyramids and the Sphinx together, and the Sphinx is smaller than we thought. WHat you see on tv is not always reality, they portray the area as desolate, not right next to a big city. One direction you are facing the Sphinx, and you turn 180 degrees and you are facing a Pizza Hut!