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The Wicks go Back in Time
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The Wicks go Back in Time

Egypt & Morocco 2022 Read more
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  • Trip start
    October 13, 2022
    Travel with the WicksThe Wicks go Back in TimeTraveler

    Day 1

    October 13, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    We are off! Rob took us to the airport with all our precious belongings, we skated through bag drop off and security. We are enjoying a Starbucks coffee.
    Now we wait. That is what travelling seems to be hurry up and wait!
    By the way you can all thank us for the lovely weather Calgary will enjoy for the next couple of weeks ‘cause we won’t be there.

    Well looks like they are calling us for the flight!    Read more

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    Frankfurt Airport

    October 14, 2022 in Germany ⋅ 🌧 14 °C

    We arrived in Frankfurt a bit early and somewhat rested. Our luggage arrived shortly after we did so that is one less worry for us. We had to pick up our bags and check them back in for the flight to Cairo here in Germany as we are using separate tickets from Frankfurt to Cairo. There is a lot of rigmarole involved with clearing customs and security but we are now back in the departure lounge for the flight to Cairo and have a couple of hours to spare. I picked up a sandwich from my favourite sandwich shop here. Dianne didn’t want one until I started eating it, then it was time to share. She has a cinnamon bun, so I guess I’ll get some of that when she gets hungry.Read more

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    Cairo!

    October 14, 2022 in Egypt ⋅ 🌙 24 °C

    Cairo has an airport that matches is stature as a Capitol city. It is spacious & functional. Dianne and I were met by our travel company’s representative as we descended the escalator to customs. Getting through local immigration took way less time than the arrival of our luggage which was probably annoying to Tariq, our airport representative. He helped us to the van and we arrived at the Fairmont Nile City in about an hour. It is a nice hotel with a rooftop pool and an excellent breakfast.
    I added this pictures late as we were too tired when we arrived. Standing with us is the Goddess of protection, safety and welcoming. Her name is Selket.    Read more

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    11

    No Dianne, you can’t ride a camel

    October 15, 2022 in Egypt ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    After breakfast we met up with our local Cairo guide, Islam. We met in the hotel lobby at 8 am, which isn’t really an early hour, but we were dragging our butts a bit from jet lag. The first stop is the Pyramids of Giza. You can see the pyramids shortly after crossing the Nile river into Giza. The road to the pyramids circles the impressive structures as you approach so the view gets better and better. We both agreed that they are not disappointing. There was some disappointment to be had though as Dianne is still looking to get a Camel ride. This desire dates back to at least 2017, when she first mentioned it to me on a boat trip to Dubai. We put it off several times on that trip due to timing and inconvenience. On the trip to India I promised her a ride on a camel and we even went to a Camel rodeo. It didn’t work out that time, due to cultural considerations. Our camel care giver could not abide a woman riding a camel while I lounged in the cart behind. Today there are camels for rent, but they come by the hour and I don’t want to ride a camel. I don’t find them friendly enough. I could not see renting a camel for what would probably a five minute ride for Dianne and me having to go for the next 55 just to get my money’s worth. Dianne will have another chance to ride a camel in Morocco. Our friend Annie said so. For now there is just disappointment and desire.Read more

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    We Learned how Papyrus is made

    October 15, 2022 in Egypt ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    After a delicious lunch we visited The Papyrus Institute. We managed to arrive just before a huge bus load of tourists looking for the same demonstration. The demonstration was informative, interesting and short. We took a look around at some beautiful papyrus art pieces and quickly took our leave.Read more

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    Sphinx and the Egyptian Museum

    October 15, 2022 in Egypt ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    The Sphinx guards the tomb. That is what a pyramid is, an elaborate tomb, says Islam our Egyptologist. It is carved out of a single stone and even though it is missing a nose and a beard, it has held up well for 4500 years.

    After lunch we headed for the Egyptian Museum. It much more than a collection of fancy coffins. Here you find an impressive array of artifacts made by ancient persons, some big, some small.

    There is carved stone, gilded thrones, mummies, animal mummies and jewelry, just to name a few.
    The most famous artifact being King Tut Ankh Amon. His mask, chair, jewellery all were gilded in gold. His inner coffin was 450 lb of solid gold! The 3 outer sarcophagus’s were beautifully painted.

    As there were no photographs allowed we bought a postcard!    Read more

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    Coptic Cairo

    October 16, 2022 in Egypt ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    The hanging church is is a Coptic Christian church situated between two bell towers. Coptic Christians split from other Christians in 451 ad over the infallibility of the Pope,and some other things. My mom uses to speak of Papal infallibility, and even as a child, I has some misgivings. I guess that makes me Coptic. Anyhow, the church is nice, with many Muslim influences in its decor. Conveniently located nearby is the Church of St. George, of Greek Orthodox tradition and Church of St. Sergius located where the holy family took refuge for a time while fleeing king Herod. As well there is a Synagogue that we did not visit, it is just down the alley. This collection of different churches and religions along with the narrow stone streets reminded us of Jerusalem.

    These pictures are of the Hanging Church…..next footprint for more pictures    Read more

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    Citadel

    October 16, 2022 in Egypt ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Overlooking the city of Cairo is the citadel and the Mosque of Mohamed Ali. We took off our shoes and visited the alabaster mosque and found it impressive. Alabaster is a type of marble that is translucent so light will shine through it. The tomb of Mohamed Ali is located in the Mosque. Dianne asked if it was the same Mohamed Ali of boxing fame. I’m pretty sure it is his name sake. From the vantage point of the citadel/mosque you can see all of Cairo, as well as the pyramids. We took some pictures and went for lunch.Read more

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    Khan al Khalili

    October 16, 2022 in Egypt ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    Islamic City of Al Mosaaz and the Bazaars. Some might believe this place is a tourist trap, but as Lonely Planet mansplained to me, they have been selling things here since the 14th century, long before the arrival of the first tour bus!
    I have unwittingly labeled myself as an easy mark by wearing an Egyptian shirt I purchased 5 years ago on a trip to Luxor. All the local merchants who see my white, Egyptian cotton shirt know that I am the kind of guy who buys stuff from anyone who is persistent. This, coupled with my tendency to accidentally have money sticking out of my pocket confirms they will approach me. Again quoting Lonely Planet. “The merchants of Khan al Khalili are some of the greatest smooth talkers you will ever meet.” Everyone wants to get us inside their store. I have already bought some za’atar spice and have fended off everyone since then, but now Dianne is looking at a small tee shirt for a boy. (Spoiler Alert Janice, we bought Hendrix a tee shirt) A price is agreed upon and I cough up more cash. Of course not all of it is put away and some is still sticking out of my pocket. As we continue on our way, the sales pitches are more and more wearing. We decide with our guide Islam to stop for coffee at a 200 year old coffee shop, hoping to get some relief from the vendors. It just brings out a new crop of travelling sales people. A handicapped gentleman who had no legs and few teeth had my respect already and earned more as he loudly alerted me to the fact that my money would soon be leaving my pocket. It was just about on the floor as I had taken out my phone to google how much I should have paid for za’atar spice. Dianne gives me the “you’re doing this again” look as I tuck my bucks back in. It doesn’t stop the parade of vendors and beggars but at least I now have something to be thankful for. That helps. The most enterprising Pashmina salesman latches on to us. We have 4 pashminas at home, but eventually he finds one we must have as it is fireproof, certified Egyptian and a colour you can get nowhere else. We buy it with the money I have left and I feel a great relief. I have shot my wad. No more dough. Time to go back to the hotel.    Read more

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    Luxor

    October 17, 2022 in Egypt ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Cairo airport domestic departure is no where near as nice as Cairo International arrivals. I don’t miss my old job, but I did envy the flight crew who were unmolested as they entered security, whisked past the throngs in the boarding lounge and waited quietly by themselves outside in the fresh air and morning sunshine. Dianne and I were shuffled through check in, security and boarding of a full flight that ended up being around an hour late. It is not a complaint, because we know how bad it can be. This was not the worst.
    We rendezvoused with our people in Luxor and got a ride to the boat. We’ve heard some stories, so there was a nervousness between us until we saw our boat. A family we shared the ride into Luxor with were dropped off at what we both thought was the ideal location for docking and a very nice boat. This was not our boat according to Mohamed. We rode on further, a lot further.
    Our boat is the MS Movenpick Hamee. It is not the worst.    Read more

  • Travel with the WicksThe Wicks go Back in TimeTraveler
    1

    Karnak Temple

    October 17, 2022 in Egypt ⋅ ☀️ 33 °C

    What you see of the Temples of Karnak has been built over a millennium with the latest addition occurring around 350 bc. It encompasses an awe inspiring view of history that you can’t say enough about, so I will not even try. Hatshepsut’s obelisk is here. It weighs over 290 tons and is 27.5 meters tall.Read more

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    1

    Balloon Ride

    October 18, 2022 in Egypt ⋅ 🌙 20 °C

    Up and about at 3 am because that is how early you need to be to ride in a balloon. Pickup was 3:45 and not much traffic then. We need to ride a boat to cross the river and while we are waiting on board and having coffee we meet another couple from Airdrie Alberta who become our balloon basket partners. The staging area for the balloons is large as there are 26 taking off this morning. They all carry around 14 passengers. The take off (if you can call it that) is near the Valley of the Kings. From the time the balloon is laying flat on the ground to inflated and all passengers aboard is about 20 minutes. That is about the same amount of time it would take to fire up a B777 for a trip to Toronto, but the balloon is much more dramatic. There is fans blowing, people shouting, great balls of fire churning, and a lot of running around. Liftoff is about 20 minutes before sunrise around 5:30. Balloon captain Amr provides a smooth ride along with interesting commentary on the area. We are airborne for 65 minutes and the touchdown is soft. Our ground support team get a lot of direction from Captain Amr once they grab on to our tether line. The group of 8 ground supporters have to slog through a cornfield so we can alight to a suitably dry piece of ground. More shouting and running around as they collapse the balloon and load the basket onto the back of a truck. Our van transport is waiting nearby and Dianne and I are off to join our other travel companions for the rest of the day.Read more

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    RAMSES IIIRAMSES IIIMERENPTAHMereptah

    Valley of the Kings

    October 18, 2022 in Egypt ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Included in out ticket are 3 tombs that we may choose to see. Out of the 64 we chose Ramses III, RAMSES I, & Merentpah. We have been here before in 2017. Some things have changed. More security, more people than I remember, and one of the tombs that uses to be part of the entrance ticket is now an add on for 100 £E.Read more

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    House of Horus

    October 19, 2022 in Egypt ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Our trip to Edfu. We are met by horse drawn carriages for a ride to Edfu temple. The hour is 6 am and there are locals selling souvenirs, and donkey carts delivering goods among the throng of carriages. Akmed our driver navigates the back alleys through construction pot holes, cats, dogs, dust and some buildings in disrepair to Edfu temple. While waiting in line for Mohamed our guide to purchase tickets a smooth talking roper establishes a relationship with our group. We are two couples from Monterey Mexico and one couple of Canadians. Adam, the roper hears Spanish being spoken and converses eloquently in Spanish with Patricia and Arturo, placing a head scarf on Arturo’s head. Somehow he knows we have a gala on board the boat tonight and will need some Arab dressings for the occasion.. Patricia explains to us in English how Adam remarked about Arturo being guapo, Spanish for handsome. Now I get a head scarf and Adam talks to Dianne and I in perfect English. He is smooth, giving out more insignificant gifts like scarab beetles for luck, while securing a promise to return after we visit the temple.

    The temple is incredible, and more about that in another footprint.

    After we finished, we return to Adams store, with the intent of buying a nice outfit for our Egyptian themed gala tonight. Smooth talking Adam is there, but he is not who you deal with when it comes to buying and negotiating prices. Dianne has made sure I only have my allowance of 400 Egyptian pounds. When we establish an outfit for Dianne and myself, we start negotiating. My first outfit was too expensive for me so I set my sights on something more affordable. Dianne becomes a big part now because she knows my history of bargaining. He wants 650 for both our outfits and I start at 300. I’ve already screwed myself and Dianne knows it. She say no and my Arab friend says 600. I respond 400 and Dianne is shooting daggers from her eyes and saying no. Dianne responds 250 and my friend has figured out who has the real money. He comes down to 500 and I repeat 400. Dianne isn’t happy, but I’m thinking we need these new outfits so I start to try and get Dianne to come up in price. My efforts are not well received. Dianne says three, I say four, he wants five. We settle on four, conveniently all my allowance. I have no more money, but we have nice outfits for tonight. Our guide shows up with the last couple, Rodrigo and Christina, Patricia and Arturo have made purchases as well and when we tell Mohamed our guide what we paid, he gives me only a b- in negotiating skills. Average. The ride back to the boat is entertaining again and I get more lessons in bargaining from Dianne. The first concept is do not bargain for the seller.    Read more

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    Edfu Temple

    October 19, 2022 in Egypt ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    This is one of the best preserved temples in Egypt. Every square inch of the vast amount of sandstone wall space is carved. Mohamed our guide, gave a discourse on a vast amount of Egyptian history that I will not try to retell.Read more

  • Travel with the WicksThe Wicks go Back in TimeTraveler
    Shows mixing perfume
    Recipes of scentsIsisHorusFind the graffitiAmcient graffitiRepresents numbers 1,333,331

    Edfu Temple part II

    October 19, 2022 in Egypt ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    We asked questions and got some intriguing answers. In some noticeable places, there is graffiti on the walls. Some of the graffiti is old, maybe ancient, and some is clearly recent. In one part of the temple Mohamed called the lab, they made fragrances and essential oil’s. On the walls of the lab is carved the recipes for making them. Many of the stone carvings have the faces chiseled off. Mohamed explained that when Christianity became the dominant religion of Egypt about 1600 years ago, the Christians turned the temples into places of worship of their faith. They could not stand to have the presence of what they considered false gods in their newly acclaimed houses of worship so they defaced them literally. Sounds like the origin of the term to me. To deface a work of art. Anyhow, this rhymes very well with present day forms of intolerance by lots of narrow minded people, organizations, institutions and governments. Makes me want to review my own biases in the hope I don’t fall prey to a narrow view of what deserves my respect.Read more

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    Temple of Kom Ombo

    October 19, 2022 in Egypt ⋅ ⛅ 34 °C

    Our boat parked right in front of Kom Ombo temple and we could walk to it from the river. It shares its dedication to Horus and the crocodile god. In the olden days they raised crocodiles here. There is even a crocodile museum here with some crocodile mummies.Read more

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