That's because in 1922 this tomb was discovered with its treasures intact. While its chaos can be exasperating, it can also be a rewarding challenge for the adventurous traveler. In reliefs from the reign of Akhenaten we see Aten — the sun — shining down on everything. Rick Steves sails beyond Europe, exploring the historic and cultural wonders of Egypt. After the museum, Cairo's characteristic old quarter is a colorful celebration of today's Egypt. It's Cairo. It was one of eight nesting boxes and coffins that protected the pharaoh's body. Posted by Rosemary. The neighboring pyramids are likely those of Cheops' son and grandson. Heba: OK, and this is okra with tomato sauce… Luxor's charming riverfront promenade welcomes strollers enjoying the cool of the early evening. OK, we've worked up an appetite. A few years ago, I enjoyed a wonderful trip to Egypt. Daughter: Sometimes on Friday or Thursday we watch, on the TV, Netflix — we choose an English movie. RICK STEVES EGYPT: YESTERDAY & TODAY sails beyond Europe, exploring the historic and cultural wonders of Egypt. Posted on April 10, 2013 April 12, 2016 by Rick Steves The Khan el-Khalili Hustle A part of any visit to a poor country like Egypt is aggressive hustling when exploring a tourist market. In the fabled city of Alexandria, Rick brings viewers into a wonderland of back lanes and introduces a traditional shisha (hookah) experience. Luxor's a busy port for river-cruise boats. So, these are beautiful paintings of the afterlife. Rick: Heba, this is so beautiful. For coronavirus (COVID-19) travel information, This is the Nile, and the vast majority of Egyptians live along its banks. After guiding ships from across the Mediterranean safely into port for 15 centuries, in about the year 1300, an earthquake hit, and it tumbled into the sea. Rick: Beautiful. Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. Tarek: This is sawabe' Zainab — "Zainab's fingers." We're starting in the north, on the Mediterranean coast, in Egypt's second city. The Coptic quarter comes with high security. We'll explore the back streets local style, help chisel a tombstone, greet the ancient [Great] Sphinx, marvel at King Tut's gold, drop in on a mosque…. The most famous tomb in the valley is of King Tutankhamun — a.k.a. Exploring the Nile Valley from north to south, we see the highlights of Egypt. Standing in the middle of the city, it's evocatively floodlit and welcomes visitors in the evening. It was built over many centuries throughout this "New Kingdom" period, when most of the great and famous kings ruled. Rick: So how do you say — in France, you would say, "bon appétit" — There's more intensity around the adjacent shrine, believed to contain a sacred relic: the head of Al Hussein ibn Ali, a grandson of the Prophet Mohammed. Today it's a stop for every tour group and the merchants are standing by…. Home / Blog; Posted on December 19, 2019 October 6, 2020 by Rick Steves. In a mosque, men and women worship separately. While Egypt is predominantly Muslim, today about 10 percent of the country is Christian. The towering front wall proclaims the power and greatness of the pharaohs. Akhenaten replaced all the gods of the Egyptian pantheon with one all-powerful being, the sun god, whom he called "Aten.". After two lazy days, we reach the city of Aswan, the last major port on the river. Alexandria was named by Alexander the Great, who founded it in 331 BC. Popping into its busy market, you find a colorful bazaar that serves both locals and tourists. This grandest of all pyramids — 700 feet long on each side — was built 2,500 years before Christ. While Alexandria sits at the delta, where the Nile flows into the Mediterranean, we're heading south, to Luxor, about 500 miles upstream. These days, Aswan is most famous for its massive dam. Rick: That's very difficult. Queen Cleopatra ruled Egypt from here — when the city rivaled Rome as a cultural and intellectual capital of the Mediterranean world. Plus, get free shipping with $50 order. Rick's 2013 Egypt Trip: Blog Posts & Videos Egypt — Something Different for a Change This "seated scribe" recalls the importance of the educated elite in the court of an often-illiterate king. Teeming Cairo, straddling the Nile, is the capital of Egypt and one of the leading cities of the Muslim world. Until next time, keep on travelin'. Walking through neighborhoods like this, you gain an appreciation for how just making ends meet is a daily struggle for millions in a teeming city like Cairo. The burial chamber walls are remarkably vivid for their age. Scenes crescendo in beauty as they glide gracefully by either side of the boat. In Luxor, we explore the pharaohs' tombs and temples before sailing on a timeless felucca. Slathered in hieroglyphs — prayers and symbolism — it was all designed to boost the pharaoh into the next life. Rick: Zainab's fingers? This grand entry was marked with a pair of soaring obelisks. This portrayal of geese from 2500 BC is perhaps the oldest surviving painting. Rick: I think so. It's famed for its tombs and temples, which were mostly built between 1500 and 1000 BC. It's a wonderful, exciting and incredible country and we had a great time on both of our trips. Join Rick and his team of travel-savvy teachers every Monday night on Zoom as we explore Europe (and beyond) together. video description. We finish our evening just down the street at Tarek's home, joining his family for dinner. These are reminders of a pent-up tension in Egyptian society. Here is a collection of blog posts and videos he took while on this trip. Not as big as Cairo, it faces the Mediterranean, has milder weather, and feels a bit more European. And gated social clubs in a place like Egypt provide a refuge where the wealthy can live in a parallel world, protected from the gritty reality of the streets. So it was always about protection. Back outside, complementing the scene, is the mysterious [Great] Sphinx. Watch Queue Queue. The key to this kind of sightseeing? Rick: That looks great. Monday Night Travel . What ever he can not do himself, he will find the right people for you and make sure things happen as planned. Experts guess that with 10,000 laborers hard at work, it took 20 years to build the pyramid of Cheops. It was to ensure that all those valuables made it safely into the afterlife. Tarek: Family movie, yes! Adults can retreat to the no-kids zone to play a quiet game of croquet with friends they've been socializing with here with since childhood — or just to watch from the peaceful terrace. And Alexandria was famously home to perhaps the greatest library in the ancient world. Again and again, pyramids were looted, and pharaohs were waking up in heaven with absolutely nothing. Rick Steves Egypt: Yesterday and Today (120 words) In this hour-long special, Rick Steves sails beyond Europe, exploring the historic and cultural wonders of Egypt. The wonders of Egypt await your visit. I'm Rick Steves. If your leader is a god, you question nothing. The distinctive clanging stokes local appetites. This structure — which marked his tomb — is a "step pyramid." I scouted this shoot a few years ago but things got too tense politically to recommend travel there, so I put the shoot on hold. Tarek: This is fried calamari from the Mediterranean, too, and fried prawns. During the time of Akhenaten, people were portrayed looser, more intimately. Cairo is intense. Another long passage leads deep into a chamber, where you find more well-preserved paintings surrounding an empty stone sarcophagus. The classic street food here is koshary: lentil, rice, pasta, garlic, and tomato sauce, all mixed together into a quick and cheap treat. So, we have moussaka… Alexandria is one of the great cities of the Mediterranean. Heba: Yes, in common with us and the Greeks. These were the glory days of the pharaohs. Then, when the Ottoman Turks took Egypt, it became a bustling Turkish bazaar. For me, no visit to Alexandria is complete without venturing into its ramshackle market district. What are these? Until next time, keep on travelin'. Tarek: …and have fun! A highlight of the museum's collection is a section filled with King Tut's treasures, from his splendid coffin to his jewelry. Religion permeated Egyptian society. Cairo, straddling the Nile, is the biggest city in North Africa and the biggest in the Middle East. This beachside café has a relaxed vibe — not unlike other Mediterranean towns I've enjoyed. The interior is welcoming and airy, with space for hundreds of readers to sit in its main reading room. While the ancient lighthouse guided friendly ships in to Alexandria, centuries later this fort was designed to keep enemies — like the Ottoman Turks — out. Three-wheeled tuk-tuks weave through the action. But — apart from this ancient Roman theater, which dates from the fourth century — very little survives. The son of Akhenaten was Tutankhamun, perhaps the most famous pharaoh. The hand-stitched canvas sail artfully catches the breeze. Portolan. Egypt has over 5000 years of history and this is the man who can explain it all for you. Season 11 Episodes It's hard to walk by this place without enjoying at least a taste. Exploring the Islamic quarter creates a montage of memories. Bargaining is expected in Egyptian markets; treat it as a game. Rick Steves' Europe. Reliefs show pharaohs wooing the gods with rituals and offerings. As I've done in Turkey and elsewhere in the Middle East, I occasionally enjoy this traditional and very social form of smoking. We're riding one farther upstream for a look at the most scenic stretch of the Nile. King Tutankhamun around the year 1300 BC had his organs inside this beautiful alabaster box and that was also inside a wooden gilded beautiful box that had the surroundings of the four goddesses for protection. Khan Al-Khalili is the megamall of medieval bazaars. Preparing to Film Dinner in Alexandria, Egypt. Shukran. So is it normal for children to speak English and Egyptian [Arabic]? Rick Steves' Europe. Can you give me please a tour of this beautiful Egyptian meal? This first-ever towering stone structure is more than just a grave marker. Welcome to Egypt. The trip upriver takes you by natural beauty and seemingly ancient scenes interrupted only by modern cruise boats. Ruling around 1400 BC, he was considered history's first monotheist. The Nile is still the lifeblood of the city, sprawling endlessly on both sides. The Egyptian, or "Coptic," Church actually predates Islam by six centuries. Jackals stand guard, and here, a god presents two ankhs — the symbol of life. FB Twitter Reddit. Rick: So today we claim this is Egyptian. Which is hammered and then it is woven and then we press it in a pressing machine or stones to get those beautiful papers. It comes with first-class security. The hustlers can be intense and annoying — or fun, depending on your approach. It was built with Soviet technology and money back in the Cold War. Tarek: This is "denise" [sea bream] from the Mediterranean. Cairo, Egypt: The Egyptian Museum. And this energy will carry us to some of Cairo's greatest sights and most vibrant neighborhoods. Watch the full episode: At nearly 10, 000 feet, the Zugspitze is Germany s highest mountain. Scenes like this are why many come to Egypt — and why many don't. Comments. Rick: Shisha. Thanks for joining us. In the teeming metropolis of Cairo, Rick climbs to the center of a pyramid, greets the Sphinx and marvels at King Tut's gold. Luxor, straddling the Nile, was for many centuries the capital of ancient Egypt. Here, two lonely statues herald a long-gone temple. Rick: Rokak. Hey, I'm Rick Steves, venturing beyond Europe to a land where there's no shortage of serendipity. While a city of about half a million people today, Luxor feels like a tourist town with its riverfront hotels, shops, and the ancient temples gathered along the Nile. Heba: …very delicious, and this is Egyptian beef with onion sauce, and this is of course, rice, and this is, then, rokak… Posted on December 20, 2019 October 6, 2020. There's fresh bread, very fresh poultry, olives straight from the desert, and something I noticed everywhere: friendly and inviting people. RICK STEVES' EUROPE offers a fresh perspective on the best travel advice, including where to stay, what to see and how to get around in Europe. The faithful believe that when Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus escaped Herod by fleeing to Egypt, this very spot is where they took refuge. Towering before us are the tombs of three great kings, or "pharaohs." Tarek: …and delicious! Hi, I'm Rick Steves, sailing beyond Europe this time. Heba: Actually, if they're in an international school, yeah. The smaller ones? We're in Egypt. Traveling to Cairo in a few weeks and want to see some sights. Here, where the desert meets the Nile, the lush ribbon of green is a reminder of how fundamental this river is to all life in Egypt. As the sun sets, palms become silhouettes, ensuring memories created are never forgotten. Peace. And ancient Egypt — that's what draws the tourists. Evening's a great time to visit. I sure hope Cheops was satisfied. With the constant beeping of passing traffic, its center is a carnival of commercial life. It's a jam-packed city of over 20 million. I find that simply venturing a few blocks away from the tourist-friendly bazaar — suddenly, the tourists are gone, and I'm swallowed up in a completely local scene. A remarkable thing about ancient Egyptian art — and society as a whole — was its stability. Allan, we are also interested in Egypt. …eager to charm you into a little shopping. What is the fish? American Public Television 55 Summer Street Boston, MA 02110 P: 617-338-4455 F: 617-338-5369 info@APTonline.org ©2020 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | I make a point to explore a variety of neighborhoods. Rick: This is a beautiful scene. Rick: This is tahini? see our FAQ. We'll hoist the sail for an unforgettable felucca ride. Wonderful people. I think you're on the right road. Rick: A lot of people in the United States, they'd say this would be a "hookah" or a "hubbly-bubbly." I sleep at in an international-class hotel. In this program, we'll sail much of it and visit many of its greatest sights. In the southeast corner of the Mediterranean, Egypt is one of Africa's largest countries. The pharaoh's mummy was put in this stone sarcophagus. By about 1500 BC, pharaohs stopped building pyramids and began hiding their tombs instead. Ancient Alexandria was home to two of antiquity's greatest sights, neither of which survive: a huge library, and an awe-inspiring lighthouse, one of the wonders of the ancient world, built in around 300 BC. This ancient art is so well-preserved because most of it was hidden away for 4,000 years, dark and dry, in tombs. Travel with Rick on this video guide to Cairo, Egypt, and find out what to do on your next trip. Rick: What is rokak? This valley was all about protecting royal tombs. Never feel sorry for — or obligated to — the merchant. Egypt's ultimate king, Ramses ruled for 66 years — and did a lot of building. Ironically, rather than protecting tombs, the pyramids were actually attracting thieves. Egypt: Cairo & the Pyramids - Video - Rick Steves' Europe For coronavirus (COVID-19) travel information, see our FAQ . The Mediterranean region shares many delicious and similar dishes. Egypt is essentially a big desert, with a lush green ribbon, the Nile River valley, running right through its middle. They're for the wives and daughters. Rick: I just go…? This massive granite sarcophagus was slid down the ramp. Fleets of these provide multiday Nile cruises, which have become a standard part of an Egyptian tour. Daughter: Yeah. Reid Coen, a Rick Steves guide has a small group company called Imprint Tours, he does places Rick does not go to. The mask of Tut looks like his face so his soul could recognize him on his journey to the afterlife. see our FAQ. Massive blocks of apartment flats spring up, many violating building codes, to congest the ever-growing suburbs. Video: Watch "Egypt's Nile, Alexandria, and Luxor," an episode of the Rick Steves' Europe TV show. Built in the year 2001, [its] walls are inscribed with characters of the world's languages through the ages. Nelly: Of course, yes. To visit that temple, tourists catch a short flight from Aswan. With about 20 million people in greater Cairo, it's bursting at the seams and pulsing with energy. With a little effort, you'll find it can be easy to become part of the scene. Sure, the Arab Spring is becoming a bumpy ride. Smaller text Larger text. Today, a 500-year-old fortress marks the spot. Today, they expertly maneuver as tourists leave every care behind, enjoying this scene — essentially unchanged since the time of the pharaohs. Six hundred years ago, it was a caravanserai — a stop on a caravan trade route. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter. Jump to bottom. Sealed away dry, dark, and forgotten for over 3,000 years, they're beautifully preserved. I was there 30 years ago and would welcome a return. A visit to Cairo's Egyptian Museum helps bring the country's many ancient sights to life. This is moussaka; this the stuffed vine leaves… In addition, we've produced a special retrospective episode called "Why We Travel." As the sun gets low in the sky we enter the magic hour. Rick: Bailhana'… I've visited Egypt twice - one independently and last year with a tour group. On this pedestal sat a statue of the top god, Amon-Ra. Shop Our Holiday Sale. They reveal the challenges Egyptian democracy faces today. Smaller text Larger text. Tour Account › Travel Forum › Home / Travel Forum / Beyond Europe / Egypt; Please sign in to post. And here, burrowed into an arid mountain range, is the Valley of the Kings, where mummified pharaohs hide out with their treasures, awaiting the eternity express. Merchant: How are you? It was used once a year for an elaborate festival feast celebrating fertility: fertility of the land, the people, and the kingdom. With Rick Steves, Andreas Clemens, Georg Reichlmayr, Holger Zimmer. Rick Steves shares his extensive knowledge of European history, art and culture. Learn about Rick Steves' small-group tours with more than 40 great itineraries for 2021! Great find! Rick: Anything to make the god happy. The riverbank is lined with characteristic boats ready to ferry sightseers to a world of ancient sights. Long stretches pass by timeless slices of Egyptian life as vacationers have little option but to relax and live at the pace of the steady boat heading against the current of the fabled river. According to my abacus, that's 200,000 man-years of hard labor. Explore Europe with Rick Steves, best-selling travel author and host of public television's "Rick Steves' Europe" and public radio's "Travel with Rick Steves." Memories of so many vivid snapshots of humanity. Merchant: Today 100% discount because today my birthday. Rick: Yeah. Rick: We dip our bread in this? Back then, they believed you could take it with you. Egypt. Karnak was the most important place of worship in all Egypt. Rick: And your kids go to international school? Finally, reaching the burial room, you're hit by the thought that this was the most sacred and precious chamber in the ancient world — silent for 4,000 years, until the arrival of tourism. Along with the Grand Egyptian Museum at Giza, this museum shows off the best collection of ancient Egyptian art anywhere. Here in Egypt, like almost anywhere, there's a big gap between rich and poor. This was the most sacred spot in all of Egypt. Rick: Bailhana' walshifa'! Cairo's mighty Citadel — capped by a dramatic 19th-century mosque — is a reminder that the need for security is nothing new here. While the temple may have been dedicated to the gods, it seems all the statues celebrate the great pharaoh, Ramses II. I love traveling here, but I do it with safety and sanity in mind. Rick: Mmm-hmm! 09/09/20 02:00 AM. What is this one? The Nile still flows as it did for the pharaohs — the lifeblood of civilization then, as today. Welcome to Cairo — Capital of the Arab World. Exploring the Nile Valley from north to south, we see the highlights of Egypt. Heba: It is some kind of pastry stuffed with mincemeat. Tarek: Absolutely, and each country would claim it's "ours." These are the most famous: the Pyramids of Giza. Terms of Service | Privacy. We explore the back streets on a tuk-tuk, drop in on a mosque, haggle with a gauntlet of eager merchants, bake some pita bread, help chisel a tombstone, marvel at King Tut's gold, greet the ancient Sphinx, and climb into the center of the greatest pyramid. Nelly: Tahini, yes… For coronavirus (COVID-19) travel information, Thanks to a heroic effort, in 1968, this ancient temple was cut into huge blocks and relocated to this spot — high and dry for at least another 3,000 years. Cheapy-cheap. Exploring the fabled city of Alexandria, we'll venture into a local market, and enjoy a shisha. For the pharaoh, the most important treasure was his soul, which needed to be free for the ascent to the afterlife. Later, in AD 43, it's believed the Evangelist Mark came to Egypt and established the Coptic Church. The core of the collection, art from the age of the pharaohs, dates from about 3000 to 1000 BC. Saving Cairo and its magnificent pyramids for another episode, we'll visit cities and sights all along the Nile. In addition to its political energy, the city's long been a religious capital. As long as things were going reasonably well, the gods were happy — and it was status quo. In this shop, a man spins delicate strands of flour that will become a favorite local pastry, kanafeh. And it's here that St. Mark introduced Christianity to Egypt — establishing what, to this day, is the "Coptic," or Egyptian, church. But with a good hotel and a good local guide (which you can get cheaper than in London), you have the wonders of this amazing place all to yourself...and 80 million Egyptians. These are the hieroglyphs, one of the most ancient written languages because of which we understood a lot about the civilization of ancient Egypt. The valley is blanketed with yet-to-be-excavated ruins. Marwa: Anything to make him happy. The iconic sights of ancient Egypt — four or five thousand years old — are basically buildings and art for dead people. Terms of Service | Privacy. The pyramid of the pharaoh Cheops is the only survivor of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It's mostly destroyed, in the sea, or buried under today's city. There's something strangely graceful about this chaotic dance of careening vehicles, merchants, and pedestrians. No signup or install needed. She explained how lots of ancient hieroglyphic writing on papyrus survives, and how it helps us better understand the mysteries of the pharaohs. It became one of the great cities of antiquity, with a population of several hundred thousand. With the Nile now tamed, farming in Egypt is possible throughout the year. Sure, the Middle East is in turmoil. Even if you don't understand its long and complicated history, just observing how old and new come together is rewarding to the traveler. Vast as Cairo is, it’s a small world for the traveler when it comes to sights and tourist-friendly stops. Posted by lynnb on 04/11/18 04:52 PM. Luxor's riverfront is busy with boats, big and small. So fried eggplant and tahini, you find this in many countries in the Mediterranean. Plowing with oxen, sowing seeds by hand, and harvesting their crops, they farm as they have through the millennia. What country wouldn't want to claim this as their national cuisine? A short venture beyond the famous sights takes us into a timeless Egypt untouched by tourism. ©2020 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | Heba: Bon appétit, yeah. This holy complex was built around 1300 BC, nearly a thousand years before ancient Greece's Golden Age. Along with minarets, you'll see church spires — especially in Cairo's Coptic quarter. Egypt's heritage goes back twice as far as ancient Rome. 30 years ago, it 's famed for its massive dam these provide multiday Nile,. Worship in all Egypt most of it was hidden away for 4,000 years,,. Side — was built around 1300 BC, pharaohs stopped building pyramids and began hiding their tombs instead is!, many violating building codes, to congest the ever-growing suburbs museum helps bring the 's... To claim this as their national cuisine famous pharaoh it all for you and make sure happen. Discount because today my birthday me please a tour of this beautiful Egyptian meal Rick... 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