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Italy and Egypt 2022
  • Rosie Marzouk
Sep – Okt 2022

Italy and Egypt 2022

We will spend 2 weeks in Italy - Rome, Venice and Bologna - before joining friends in Cairo for a tour of
Egyptian wonders and a boat trip down the Nile. On the way home we will spend a few days in Kuala Lumpur. Baca lagi
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    22 September 2022
    Rosie MarzoukItaly and Egypt 2022Pengembara

    Getting ready to leave tomorrow!

    21 September 2022, Australia ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    I’m just setting up the blog to get started tomorrow when we fly off to Rome! So excited. Nothing to say yet, but packing up and all systems go. We’ll be in Italy till October 10 when we fly to Cairo and meet our friends for the Egyptian segment….first a 10 day tour - a couple of days seeing sights in Cairo, then we fly down to Aswan and see many amazing temples and structures as we float down the Nile to Luxor. Then we will spend several more days not on an organised tour when we will be free to do and see things with the help of Amr and his sister Omnia…Should all be wonderful!Baca lagi

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  • Rosie MarzoukItaly and Egypt 2022Pengembara
    At Victor Emmanuel wedding cake
    St Ignatius churchArt - mirror imagePantheon11Our room

    We are in Rome!

    23 September 2022, Itali ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    After the usual 24 hour travelling we are now in Rome, and SO happy. The flights weren’t actually too bad, specially the second long 11 hour one as we had all 3 seats beside the window and could spread out. Arrived about 8am to a beautiful cloudless autumn day, even pleasantly cool. Painless passport procedure - just put through machine, bag out quickly and on to the train.

    Our hotel is in via Cavour, close to Termini the central train station, and we got there about 10. Friendly place on the 4th floor of a building, and we left our bags as too early for the room, and set off wandering. It was just lovely as we wandered the familiar streets. And not as desperately crowded as I have sometimes remembered. Found our way to the Pantheon and had a coffee in our favourite caffe nearby - perfect of course and invigorating, and we also indulged with cannoli. Wended back to the hotel via the Trevi fountain, piazza Barberini and Quattro Fontane as we were ready to shed some of the clothes we have worn for more than a day…

    Now in the room and it is exactly what we love. Spotless and perfect, and we will try and book for the 2 nights when we return to Rome before flying to Cairo. Am delighted to see that quite a few people have already found this blog without me sending a link!!

    We will set off again soon, but suspect that when we return after an early-ish dinner will be too spaced to write any more. Just wanted to check in now that we have arrived in Italy!! Yay!    Baca lagi

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  • Rosie MarzoukItaly and Egypt 2022Pengembara
    1Bar at Piazza Venezia1With "our" waiterMichelangelo's Moses1CaravaggioSurrounded by basil at lunch

    Next Rome report

    23 September 2022, Itali ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    It’s now 4 pm Saturday, and we are back in our room having a little break. So I’ll write up about yesterday afternoon and evening, and this morning as again tonight I think I will be ready for bed. Already I have been falling asleep just now….I think yesterday we were pumping adrenaline, but today has been a bit slower…

    After settling into the hotel we set off again, spotting more famous Roman sights. Along via Sistina to the church Trinita dei Monti at the top of the Spanish Steps, along via Condotti and the Corso, found the Campo di Fiori by a rather circuitous route and then wended back to the Piazza Venezia to our favourite bar and had a drink watching the chaos of traffic and people….perfect!

    Walked back, rather tired by then, but decided to have dinner at our very favourite restaurant, where Amr first discovered in 1982, and where have been on every visit to Rome. Last visit to Italy was 2011, but the waiter - who is one of the brothers who own it - remembered us (Amr actually, everyone recognises Amr!!) and we felt royally welcome. We showed him photos of us there, and with him, over the years! Lovely food as usual - grilled radicchio, salad, pasta and grilled calves liver, followed by tiramisu and with a half litre of house red. We were revived after that.

    But quite an early night - in bed by 9.30 and slept fairly well. Breakfast in hotel - perfectly fine, but Italian pastries don’t match French ones (now I am being picky)…had a hot chocolate there, as was saving my coffee experience for the best coffee shop near the pantheon - La Tazza d’oro. So we set off to conquer Rome again, but this morning have to admit was feeling rather spaced. First we walked down Cavour and up a huge staircase to St Pietro in Vincoli where there is the magnificent Michelangelo sculpture of Moses. Then we continued down, past the Colosseum and lots of wonderful rubble on our way to the coffee shop…more pep after that and we continued on to Piazza Navona via a church St Louis dei Francesi where there is a wonderful Caravaggio painting - the calling of St Matthew.

    Ended up at the Campo di Fiori again which now was filled with markets (last night it was totally cleared, no sign of markets, just the restaurants round the edge) and lots of activity. Sat down for a little lunch to revive and give us strength to walk back here. It has been quite crowded today, quite busy dodging people and managing the cobbled roads. Realise it is Saturday, so lots of weekend visitors to Rome, and we’ve seen quite a lot of tour groups being guided along, and bicycle tours careering through the crowds!! We love it!    Baca lagi

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  • Rosie MarzoukItaly and Egypt 2022Pengembara
    Piazza del Popolo
    1Pre dinner nibbles1Trajan forum

    Addendum to Saturday

    24 September 2022, Itali ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Back from our post siesta outing, and will add it now so that we can be up to date, and not always starting with yesterday’s events! I have to say that I didn’t feel like going out , would rather have curled up and rested, but we knew the predictions for tomorrow and Monday are 100% rain and thunderstorms, so that gave some impetus for enjoying the pleasant weather while it lasted….

    So we set off, and in the spirit of the coming bad weather decided to walk to the Piazza del Popolo via Trinità dei Monti and the Spanish Steps. Fun as the passegiata time was starting, and lots of people walking and socialising. Went to the church in the piazza which has 2 Caravaggio paintings, but Saturday evening mass was on, so we will return another day. Sat in a bar to watch the passing parade - and with my Campari and Amr’s aperol came very generous nibbles, so we indulged and enjoyed and almost didn’t need any dinner. We finally set off back along the Corso joining the continuing passegiata to Victor Emmanuel and along past the Trajan forum to via Cavour where we did stop for a light dinner - salads, and now back and ready to crash…hope weather warnings are exaggerated!    Baca lagi

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  • Rosie MarzoukItaly and Egypt 2022Pengembara
    1

    Another busy Roman day

    25 September 2022, Itali ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    I feel that this blog is rather more mundane than Camino days - I seem to just report on walking round and eating! But walking round of European cities, particularly one like Rome, is walking surrounded by history, and that is what makes it so magic and special….and we do clock up many kilometres….almost as much as some Camino days!

    So today we set off around 9am. The dire weather alerts (as so often happens) did not eventuate. The 100% rain and thunderstorms happened during the night, and this morning was very pleasant, working up to quite warm and sunny by midday. Walked down via Cavour to the area of all the fora ruins, climbed up Victor Emmanuel to the tomb of unknown soldier, up the hill to Marcus Aurelius on his bronze horse, then along to our favourite coffee shop for our morning fix.

    Then we walked via Piazza Navona to the river which we walked alongside, in the shade of the plane trees which are starting to shed their leaves…very peaceful. Being Sunday morning, the huge crowds not yet out, but there were many tour groups being herded along. So we went along to Castel St Angelo and turned in towards St Peter’s. Now there were crowds of course, but that is what happens when you want to enter the basilica. We found the queue and snaked along for about 45 minutes in line, but it is always worth it - such a huge amazing building, peaceful and overwhelming - and big enough not to feel crowded at all.

    Next we returned back along the river, past where we had come out before and walked as far as the Piazza del Popolo where we walked in and had a break at a caffe, a very welcome sit down! Amr had a glass of house wine which he said was Hartley or Paul worthy. I was not yet ready for wine and had a coffee…By this time the wind blew and the clouds gathered and a very light rain fell. When we set off again it was still slightly sprinkling and we actually used our umbrellas..walked up the path to the Borghese gardens above the Piazza, lovely view down and we walked a bit there, but not the day to spend hours in the wet. So we walked in a direct line from there - to Trinità dei Monti, along via sistina, quattro fontane, and the street that continues along after via nazionale but I’ve forgotten the name - till we got to our via Cavour…such a direct route home! We have already walked about 14 kms today, and that doesn’t count going out to dinner soon…

    Well now back from dinner and it is quite a story…Amr had read about an interesting good restaurant he wanted us to try…said it was quite a long walk, so that was ok - we do walking…so we set off, following the Google instructions on Amr’s phone, walking in a direction we’d never been before….we walked and walked, through unknown parts, not terribly upmarket, and I was wondering how it would be returning later in the dark, though most was ok..we passed important looking ruins and wondered where on earth we were…finally we came to the restaurant - quite small - to find it was fully booked and no chance for tonight…annoyingly they wouldn’t even take a booking for another day - said we needed to do it online (Amr had tried before and had difficulty)…so we trudged back, the upside being that we knew the way and it wasn’t late enough to be spooky! And after all that we ate at a little trattoria down the road from our hotel. And with great difficulty we did manage to book online for Sunday Oct 9 when we are back in Rome and the last night before we fly to Cairo. It had better be good!! One last thing - I looked on the map and found that we were out beyond S Giovanni Laterano, and some of the ruins were the porta s Giovanni and the city walls. This evening stroll took up our day’s total to 20 kms!!    Baca lagi

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  • Rosie MarzoukItaly and Egypt 2022Pengembara
    24 hour coffeeomat at our favourite caffe!
    Palazzo Doria Pamphilj1

    Wet Monday

    26 September 2022, Itali ⋅ 🌧 20 °C

    We can finally say it is a rainy day - except even then not all day. I think I’ll give up looking at the predictions…looking ahead it says our 5 days in Venice will be rainy, but we will just see what comes and be optimistic! We set off this morning in very light sprinkling rain, but it did get stronger and we had to put up our umbrellas - very annoying negotiating them along the narrow streets and bumping into everyone else’s - almost tempted to buy one of those cheap ponchos that are now being touted on the streets just for ease of walking!

    So this morning we went to a wonderful art gallery which we had been saving for a rainy day. It is a private collection in a palazzo just off the via del Corso - Palazzo Doria Pamphilj. The building itself is amazing, and the art collection stunning…it has been in the family for many generations (centuries) - the Caravaggio works were acquired before they were special and he was looked on as an outcast! So a great morning, and it was almost sunny by the time we emerged.

    I felt ready for a break of blobbing, but with the improved day we walked along to the piazza del Popolo again to see if the church with 2 Caravaggio paintings was open - but it wasn’t! Must check its hours…so we had a rectangle of pizza each to tide us till dinner, and I meandered back to the hotel, while Amr checked out some shops…..by the time he arrived back it was wet again.

    We have booked to eat at a Hartley recommended restaurant in an alley behind the Piazza di Navona. Should be good.

    Well we are now back from dinner, abluted and ready for bed. The restaurant was called Cul de Sac, and was in a little street with many eateries, and obviously a place for tourists in that location. But it was great! A small place, with a wall decor of wines, and good food. Not many Italians…we heard English English, Canadian English, French…that was just the people round us. I had marinated eggplant and ravioli with citrus flavours, and Amr had a lentil soup and a cod dish…we were both happy! It was totally clear sky with stars…and Amr thought he spotted Jupiter…off to sleep…    Baca lagi

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  • Rosie MarzoukItaly and Egypt 2022Pengembara
    This could only be Rome
    Amr's art shot at the PantheonCaracci and CaravaggioDrinks at Piazza Barberini

    Last full day in Rome

    27 September 2022, Itali ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Not quite the last day, as we have another one before flying off to Cairo in a couple of weeks. But it has been beautiful. Set off this morning without an umbrella, that is how optimistic I felt, even though they did predict a shower between 3 and 4!! It was sunny and cool and perfect. We had our coffee at the usual place (which is 3 kms from hotel) - always need the pep after the walk, then again set off to Popolo to have a last try to see the Caravaggio paintings in the church there.

    Half way there a crisis as I realised I had dropped my trusted and very favourite and useful cardigan - had just slung it over my shoulder bag when I got hot and of course it slipped off…was rather devastated as it is so useful and we retraced our tracks right back to the Pantheon (Amr was very patient with my stupidity!) …no sighting, so sadly walked back still looking just in case….and there it was!! Someone had kindly picked it up and put it on a sign, like on a coat hanger, and I spotted it waiting for me…there is a god!

    Our good fortune continued as the church Santa Maria del Popolo was open, and we had a beautiful visit there and saw the paintings….very happy. Then we climbed up the path to the Borghese gardens, had a lovely wander there, had a sandwich, sat on a bench under the trees and read kindles…so pleasant.

    Walked back again past Trinità dei Monti, and deviated along past the Quirinale Palace and back. The rain at 3 pm turned out to be literally 2 drops - Amr felt one and I felt one - and then the cloud passed. Soon off to dinner at our favourite place of the first night. We call it Abruzzese because that is the region of the food - but think the actual name is Antica Boheme.

    …Now just back from dinner. We left the hotel early, walked up to piazza Republica and down the Via Veneto where all the very posh hotels are, and the American embassy. Ended up in piazza Barberini and had a drink watching the passing parade and crazy traffic - almost as mad as piazza Venezia! Then we walked to our restaurant on via Napoli. It was about 7.30 by then, and we were lucky to get in without a booking. They were busy and it is always so good. We had a wonderful meal - started with marinated anchovies, then Amr had a cod pasta, topped with a zucchini flower, and I had sautéed kidneys, and we had a salad and a half litre of wine. One thing that amazes us is that it is cheaper than 20 years ago. In 2002 we were happy to have dinner for under €80, and these days our dinners are often under €60! And this is comparing euros, not thinking of exchange rates….Anyway, another lovely evening. Tomorrow morning we take a train to Venice at 9.55am…nice and leisurely!    Baca lagi

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  • Rosie MarzoukItaly and Egypt 2022Pengembara
    Emerging from the station
    Our room1111

    Arrival in Venice

    28 September 2022, Itali ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    A very smooth 4 hour train trip to Venice, and we are enchanted as arrival here always makes you feel! We took a vaporetto to Ca’ d’Oro near our hotel as Amr’s bag would be rather hard to drag far…found our little hotel tucked in a small corner. Our room is in a separate building nearby, and thankfully our man carried the big bag up the 2 flights of stairs!! Charming room, looking over a little campo and we are in heaven…

    Set off straightaway as we needed to walk after such a long sit, and wandered and got a bit lost, and found ourselves, walked to S. Marco piazza and along the riva Schiavoni, beyond where the thickest crowds are…it is milling with people in the main popular areas, and very slow moving along the narrow streets…just have to be patient and enjoy. We realise we have only been here in winter when crowds are definitely limited. But it is fun and gorgeous. We found and booked our favourite restaurant - still going strong - where we used to come frequently…asked for an 8pm booking, but could only get 8.30 (glad we thought to book!)…but we will never starve - there are so many eateries everywhere, and specially round where we are staying. It is not raining, and in fact there is high cloud with small blue patches and brightness shining through, making a magic light. Just lovely.

    Now back from a perfect dinner at A La Rivetta…Amr first went there in 1983 and we have been there every visit since and it never disappoints. We have booked again for Saturday. (Paul you will have been there with us in 1991 if you can remember!)…after a bit of a break in our room we set off at 7.30 and walked back to S Marco and through and on past the very expensive upmarket shops and found the route to La Fenice where we have a concert booked on Friday. Then walked further towards the Accademia, before turning back to the restaurant. The Piazza S Marco looked much better at night - less people, and the scaffolding on part of the basilica hardly shows at night…we took some art photos, and Amr did some art canal night photos.

    Got to the restaurant at 8.30 and it was bustling…such fun. To my delight I spotted baby cuttlefish a la griglia on the menu - I guessed it was the Venetian equivalent of my Spanish favourite - chiperones a la plancha, and it was…perfect…Amr had bacalao with polenta, and we had buttered spinach and bean and onion salad…SOO good. And even ended with an amazing panna cotta, with caramel crunchiness scattered over - MasterChef worthy! I think we are going to enjoy our time in Venice.    Baca lagi

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  • Rosie MarzoukItaly and Egypt 2022Pengembara
    S Maria della Salute
    Glass artOur favourite VeroneseAcqua alta in S MarcoClouds and San MicheleAccident and emergencyIdyllic pre dinner drinks3Birthday dinner

    Beautiful Venice

    29 September 2022, Itali ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    We love our room here, with the very Italian decor and enormous four-poster bed…and we feel totally independent - we come and go with no interaction with reception as they are on the other side of the campo…there is a perfect pasticceria just below us with juice squeezed, coffee and delicious pastries. We couldn’t find satisfactory pastries in Rome, but Venice has redeemed the standard of Italy…

    After breakfast we walked to the station along the main route, just to test how far, and how difficult it would be to wheel bags! Venice is not amenable for cripples! Anyway, we decided it wasn’t too bad, and walked back and on to the Accademia where we had booked entry for 10.30. Had a lovely time there, there was a glass exhibit, but all the old works by Venetian masters were what we really loved - lots of Bellini, Tintoretto, Titian and our very favourite enormous painting by Veronese of Feast at the House of Levi…just wonderful with so much funny detail…once we had found that we were satisfied.

    It was a cool morning when we set off, and clear and blue sky…(I don’t think I’ll ever check the weather app again)…!! After the gallery we wandered along to Santa Maria della Salute. Bought a sandwich and ate them on a park bench….we noticed the water is quite high, and walking along to Salute, where the water is the lagoon and not an inside canal, it was lapping over the edge when boats went past…a bit tricky walking…sat and admired the view from Salute and gondolas floated past, with gondoliers singing “funiculi funicula” …only in Venice!…and when we finally got back to S Marco the piazza actually was flooded and they had put up the walkways to walk above the water…it wasn’t very bad, but Amr and I have never experienced the acqua alta before, so it is an experience…just hope it doesn’t get too drastic in the next few days!

    Tomorrow is Amr’s birthday, and we have decided to have his birthday dinner tonight (and that will be his birthday in Oz) as tomorrow night we go to a concert in La Fenice, the famous opera house which was destroyed by fire a while ago, and I have never been inside…so tomorrow we will have a small early dinner before that, and tonight we can enjoy dinner at leisure.

    We have booked a restaurant right near our hotel and right on a canal. Before that we are going to walk along the Fondamente Nuove, and to the Jewish quarter. Just looked out the window and see that it is in fact raining!!! Clouds seem to come and go quickly here - it did sprinkle slightly a while ago, then I saw sun and shadows…we’ll still venture out, maybe with umbrellas.

    …well we did venture out and had a lovely walk to the Jewish quarter, and then along the Fondamente Nuove with a wonderful view over to San Michele, the cemetery island, and with a cloud view showing the very fickle weather here…it rained and it was sunny during our walk…We passed the hospital, with the dock for ambulance boats (as in the Donna León detective books) then we walked back, stopping at a little square near the huge church of S Giovanni and S Paolo for a pre dinner drink…we have noticed that EVERYONE is drinking aperol spritz…it is THE cocktail…wherever we go..! I usually have Campari (which is also de rigueur) and Amr does have an Aperol! So we fit in! Arriving back in S Marco the high tide had receded and the alta acqua boards had been taken down (till the next high tide)..then went to the restaurant for dinner…lovely special birthday dinner, right near our hotel.

    We walk a lot…usually around 20 kms a day…today Amr’s Apple Watch said 20 and mine said 18, but we had been walking together…so who knows…but we are keeping fit and active!    Baca lagi

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  • Rosie MarzoukItaly and Egypt 2022Pengembara
    Birthday portrait with water lapping up over the edge1The Pala d'oroLa FeniceOur concert hall1Birthday dinner

    Amr’s birthday in Venice

    30 September 2022, Itali ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    I had just finished writing up today and it was uploading and somehow it has totally disappeared…don’t know what sensitive part of my iPad I touched, but I have to start from scratch, and am very frustrated as it is after midnight and I just had to add our evening as I had written all the early part of the day in mid afternoon….so now I must try and remember all…GRRRR

    Well, in a nutshell, we had a lovely breakfast in the place that is the ground floor of our building…fabulous eatery that has pastries, yogurt, fruit, granola in the morning and then transforms to pizza, focaccia, bruschetta, paninis by lunchtime and for the rest of the day. Also great coffee, juice (and beer, wine and the eternal Aperol!).

    So after that we set off and walked…this time over the Rialto and into the markets - lovely fish, fruit, veg, cheese etc…then on to the station across that different route, via churches and beautiful buildings. We picked up some figs and buffala mozzarella in a supermarket which is in an ex theatre…a gorgeous building, still with decorated ceiling and beams, with the supermarket plonked inside…very amazing!

    The tide was again up when we returned to S Marco and the boards were up to walk over, but it recedes after a while…we had a drink in the square on the dry side, and waited for our visit inside the basilica. Amr had with great agony managed to get tickets online, as we had observed the chaos and long lines of people waiting…we thought even the people with tickets also had a line - shorted but still a queue…but when we showed up we went straight in to our joy…no waiting at all (and there was an enormous queue of non ticket holders), so it was all worthwhile. Wonderful visit…never ceases to amaze - the mosaics, the gold…we even paid extra to see the Pala d’oro which we hadn’t seen before - a huge ornate sheet of gold and jewels, with enamel pictures…impossible to describe…made as an altar cover…

    Afterwards we walked a bit up the riva Schiavoni, but it was raining by then so we went back to the room for some downtime. The weather pattern seems to be fine mornings and then showery afternoons…(but Amr says the prediction for the next 2 days is fine)…we’ll see!

    Set off for our concert in La Fenice, with a bit of a walk first…the building is beautifully renovated after the fire…very light - white ceilings with peach coloured walls and trim and chandeliers…our concert was in a smaller hall as it was a chamber group - a sextet from Belgium…lovely music - Wagner, Brahms and Schoenberg. We think we may take a tour of the building if we can fit it in to see all the halls.

    Concert finished at a bit after 9.30 and we hoped there would be restaurants still open willing to take new diners..but no problem..a little place just round the corner from the hotel was open and happy and we had a delicious simple meal of pasta (gnocchi for me) and grilled vegetables…Perfect end to the evening.    Baca lagi

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  • Rosie MarzoukItaly and Egypt 2022Pengembara
    1111La Fenice1The chamber concert hallDinner tonight

    Amr’s birthday in Venice

    30 September 2022, Itali ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Another lovely day! Had breakfast at our little place right under us…a fabulous eatery, and very popular…in the morning there is an array of pastries, and yogurt, fruit, granola, and by lunchtime it has transformed to pizza, bruschetta, focaccia, panini - all fresh and very appealing. And wonderful coffee, fresh juice (and wine, beer and the eternal Aperol!)…so we are well placed for food. Then we set off walking - this time over the Rialto and into the markets there (saw the baby calamari that I would love to buy in Oz)…then on to the station via the different route..all very lovely along the endless streets, canals, bridges and campos. I totally depend on Amr as a guide…totally lose my sense of direction in these streets..now learning some of the landmarks on the route to S Marco…!

    The high tide came up again and the walking boards came up in the piazza S Marco…it was receding by the time we got there and we sat on the dry side and had a drink watching the scene till our allotted time to visit the basilica. With great agony Amr had managed to book tickets online as we knew it reduced queuing time to get in, and we had watched the chaos of people trying to enter….so we went early thinking we’d have wait a bit, but to our delight we had immediate access, and were blown away yet again by the magnificence of the building, the gold mosaics just everywhere - quite dazzling. We even paid extra to see the Pala d’Oro which is an elaborate slab of gold and jewels, with enamel pictures…impossible to describe…created as an altar cover (instead of cloth)…altogether a beautiful visit.

    We are starting to understand the weather…it is fine in the morning, and in the afternoon it clouds over, and today it did rain - needed umbrellas - and was more than passing clouds! But never pouring rain. Amr has just told me that tomorrow and Sunday will be fine in Venice! We’ll see.

    Tonight we go to the concert in La Fenice, and we think we’ll have a little late dinner after. Tomorrow we plan to take a train to Vicenza, to have a look round there, and maybe stop off at Padua on the way back. It will be a bit of a break to walk along normal streets for a change - much as we love the alleys of Venice!

    Now back from our evening…the concert was lovely..it was a Belgian sextet (the Phoenix Sextet) playing Wagner, Brahms and Schoenberg…not in the big opera theatre but in a smaller room suitable for chamber music…I think there are 3 halls - the opera hall, the concert hall and the chamber hall…we think we’ll do a tour if we can fit in to see it all. The renovation since the fire is beautiful…very light - white ceilings, peach coloured walls and trim, chandeliers.

    The concert finished soon after 9.30, and I hoped there would still be restaurants willing to feed us…but no problem - a small place just round the corner from the hotel was open (and a few more came after us)…we had a delicious meal - Amr had a veg pasta, I had gnocchi, and we had grilled vegetables…perfect. A good birthday I think!    Baca lagi

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  • Rosie MarzoukItaly and Egypt 2022Pengembara
    Teatro Olimpico

    Perfect day in Vicenza

    1 Oktober 2022, Itali ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

    I hope today’s entry doesn’t disappear, and then appear in both forms twice…the mysteries of the internet…anyway, here’s hoping! We have had a lovely time today - the weather prediction was correct and we didn’t even take umbrellas with us for the day excursion to Vicenza. Got a train at 10.10am…we had to skip breakfast at our favourite place downstairs as it was so busy and the train only goes every hour, so we hotfooted it to the station and had a 45 min train ride to Vicenza. We haven’t been there together since our very first trip in 1987. It is a lovely town with a Roman history and very famous for the wonderful buildings designed by Palladio, the famous architect of the 1700s…full of arches, columns and huge palaces. We bought a ticket which would take us to 4 sites…the first and probably most impressive was the Teatro Olimpico - an absolute amazing theatre designed by Palladio (but finished after his death) and built in the shape of an amphitheatre which had originally been there…it has a permanent set made for the original play performed - Oedipus Rex - with intricate buildings, streets and statues - and perspective…

    Then we went into several galleries, all in these enormous buildings (we got plenty of exercise ascending to the upper floors - each level the equivalent of about 3 normal ones!).. so it was all good and fun…when we were galleried out we sat in the main piazza and had a break. We had had coffee, and I had juice and a croissant when we first arrived, so the chips and nuts they always provide with drinks were welcome, and on the way to the station we had another break while waiting for the train.

    Lovely arriving back in Venice after a day trip, with no baggage! The train both ways was full of people lugging bags and we felt carefree. The train just goes from Venice to Verona, via Padua and Vicenza, and back, but being Saturday there were so many people…

    Now back and relaxed. Amr has gone off to the laundromat to do our accumulated washing as we have time before our booking at a La Rivetta at 9 o’clock. So I am relaxing with my feet up and looking forward to dinner (where we went on the first night - our favourite)!    Baca lagi

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  • Rosie MarzoukItaly and Egypt 2022Pengembara
    The bridge where we met Cass and Henrik
    11Boat entry of La FeniceOne room at the opera

    Sunday, last day in Venice

    2 Oktober 2022, Itali ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    First I have to mention the most amazing thing that happened last night…we were standing on a bridge outside our restaurant waiting to be called in, when a couple came up and she said “I don’t believe it….” I gazed at them blankly, who could know us in Venice?? Anyway it slowly dawned that is was Cassandra Farrell (my ex-niece!) with her husband Henrik who I had never met!!! Of course, they do live in Europe - in Denmark - but what a coincidence…they were in Venice for the weekend, but to be at the same spot in Venice on the same day!!! So that was exciting and fun, and we hope to see them when they come to Oz at Christmas.

    This morning we got going leisurely as no time constraints. A beautiful day as promised - cool to start, and almost hot in the sun by afternoon. First we went to La Fenice to take a tour to see the whole building. Fabulous…you pay to enter and then download an audio guide on your phone (with their wifi) and we went right through the whole magnificent building. It is huge, and much larger then looks from the front, and in fact, if you walk round the little lanes to the canal at the back there is what was originally the main entrance as the nobility would always arrive by water (they would not walk!!)…the main concert hall is stunning…they were working on the stage, presumably setting up for Daughter of the Regiment which is on in about a week…we could view it from the boxes…very rococo and ornate, but somehow not overpowering. It has twice been destroyed by fire, but like its name, it has twice risen from the ashes. (I had not realised that Fenice means Phoenix).

    After that we walked along the riva Schiavoni, through the slow-moving milling throngs, towards the park at the pointy end of the island. Paused for a juice, coffee and pizza slab to keep us going, and then sat in the park with kindles. That was the plan, but Amr decided to look at the Biennale exhibits which are right there. So he happily did that and I happily sat in the beautiful park. Amr says to report that the Australian exhibit had a welcome to country…Wandered back, absolutely stunning light on the sparkling water, and being Sunday it was difficult walking as everyone was out and there were people traffic jams in all the narrow streets.

    Tonight we go to an opera in a palazzo! Meg and Stephen recommended it so that is good for us, and it will be fun…it is the Barber of Seville….what can go wrong! ….and it was fun! We are now back from the opera. Really intimate, about 70 or so people, and a piano, violin and cello provided the music…very spirited and funny. The barber of Seville is a comic opera so they spoofed it up and involved the audience in a fun way, and modified the story to accommodate fewer characters, but it is such a silly and complicated story that even a purist wouldn’t care, and they sang all the good bits!! A great evening. And it was lovely in the palazzo - each act we moved into another room…hard to describe the whole experience, but we are really happy that we went.

    Now all packed up and ready for an early start to get the 9.42am train to Bologna.    Baca lagi

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  • Rosie MarzoukItaly and Egypt 2022Pengembara
    1Anatomy roomCherub with femurOne time lecture room for law

    Settled into Bologna

    3 Oktober 2022, Itali ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Up early to get to the station taking bags up and over all the canal bridges. But not too bad, and when we were nearby we stopped and had yum juice, coffee and croissant. Sorry to say goodbye to the magic of Venice, but I do find now that we are in Bologna it is good to have a bit more space walking the streets! An easy ride on a fast regional train, and a waste of money buying tickets as no one ever checked them (likewise on our trip to Vicenza)! Oh well…we are honest people…and no masks on these trains, though I believe you are meant to on PT…we were told to put them on on the high speed train from Rome….

    Arrived at Bologna just before 12 and staying at the Mercure right near the station, so handy, where we have stayed before. Though early, our room was ready and we were upgraded to a high level with balcony and quite swish! Treated like platinum Accor people, and were given our welcome drink voucher!!

    It is another fine and perfect day, and we walked out in short sleeves, though will probably cool off deliciously in the evening. We walked along the long main street into the old historic centre. Such a lovely city, with colonnades along all the streets - shade from the sun and protection from rain…the colonnades are varied and just delightful - kilometres of them. Wandered round the old part and went into the building which was part of the very old university of Bologna famous for its medical school and went into the old anatomy theatre and the old law lecture theatre. All decorated rooms, and one sculpture is of a cherub handing what looks like a flower to a lady, but on close inspection it is a femur! And inspected several enormous cathedrals, churches.

    The biggest and main one, on the Piazza maggiore is S Petronius …very interesting facade - the bottom half pink marble, and the top is brown bricks. I overheard a guide telling a group that tomorrow is the feast day of S Petronius and everything will be closed (schools etc, not shops) and we saw that tomorrow there is a tortellini festival with 20 chefs each demonstrating their tortellini skills!

    Tomorrow we also plan to go to Modena where Amr wants to visit the Ferrari museum…not my choice, and I will explore the streets and read my kindle while he does the Ferrari bit.    Baca lagi

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  • Rosie MarzoukItaly and Egypt 2022Pengembara
    2Ferrari museum
    Modena cathedralFacade Modena cathedral1Interior2Sorting out the tortellini..1Via dell'indepenza pedestrian zone1Dinner

    What a day to be in Bologna!

    4 Oktober 2022, Itali ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Actually we spent most of the day in Modena. We leisurely went to the station and took a regional train, half an hour’s trip, to Modena. Amr’s first priority was to check out the Enzo Ferrari museum which was a short walk, not in the heart of the city. To see this museum was about an hour’s duration and I happily read my kindle in the garden outside…Amr enjoyed it, and then we set out to see the sights of Modena. It is a small city, and very much quieter than either Rome, Venice or Bologna. No crowds, and no bustle, though a good feeling. They also do arcades along the streets which is attractive…we went to the Piazza Grande where there is the Duomo di Modena - one of the most beautiful we have ever seen (and we’ve seen many along our Caminos!)…the outside is the pink marble of this region and inside it is soft brown brick (I read that it was terracotta in an Italian description - but was a brick effect). It is Romanesque, built in the 11th century, and just lovely. A UNESCO world heritage site. Then we found the markets and loved wandering there (Balsamic vinegar di Modena of course is a specialty, but also tortellini seem to be special…). We chatted with a man at a stall and have found that tortellini are the tiny ones, tortelloni are the medium size ones (like the ones we have in Oz I would say) and the very big ones are tortellacci! Anyway, we had fun there, had some bread and cheese and a coffee/chocolate in a caffe and then headed back to the station, as we remembered the tortellini festival in Bologna, and the festival of San Petronio, the patron Saint of Bologna.

    We got back at about 4.15pm, and had about an hour or so of downtime and then set off to see what was happening. Well, that was when the fun started…we walked down the main street - via dell’independenza - that goes right down from the station to the main square…and found that it had been closed off as a pedestrian area, with side streets leading into it, and it felt as if the whole of Bologna was out and about and celebrating the holiday. Such fun. We made our way to the tortellini area, and found that for €5 you could have tortellini OR a glass of wine, or a gelato, or cheese….and there was a long queue waiting for the experience, so we abandoned that idea, and went into the main square opposite the cathedral where many were gathering, found a table at a bar (you had to be quick, as soon as someone stood up the table was again occupied)…and we found we had a ringside seat for all the festivities, as soon there was singing from the cathedral, and a procession came right round the square. From time to time there was a very noisy banging and percussion din from a nearby building - at first I thought it was part of the action, but we decided it was protests against the religious traditions (in the recent elections Bologna was a centre of left wing sentiment!)…anyway, the church singing continued, and the din continued and it gradually got dark, with very lovely pink clouds…quite magic. Then we set off to find dinner and went down a nearby side street - all the eateries in this central area were buzzing - we again were lucky to get a table in the centre of it all and had a perfect meal (tortellini!), while watching the masses - young, old, families - all out and about!    Baca lagi

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  • Rosie MarzoukItaly and Egypt 2022Pengembara
    "Perche no" fabulous gelateria11

    Wednesday in Florence

    5 Oktober 2022, Itali ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Today we went to Florence. Got a train - splurged on a Frecciarossa - and sped down to Florence in 37 minutes! It seemed to be 90% in tunnels, and not a train ride watching the countryside (I don’t remember such long tunnels when we went north from Rome to Venice on the same route. Anyway, a perfect way to get to the destination. At first we wandered our way to the duomo which is as gorgeous as ever - it is always amazing to behold - and then walked on to the Piazza della Signoria, located where our favourite gelatoria is, along to the Ponte Vecchio before making our way back to the Uffizi.

    Amr had booked entry to the Uffizzi galleries for 11.45…it was a bit tricky booking online, but it was recommended to streamline entry…but it sounded as if it was a guided tour (which we wouldn’t normally do)..but on arrival at the meeting point it turned out that they “guide” met us and gave us tickets so that we could go straight in and not line up…so very good. We spent several hours there, well organised so that you follow on and don’t miss rooms…lovely old masters, and scatterings of the very famous.

    Once finished with our dose of culture, we had a gelato and went and relaxed at another favourite bar on Piazza de la Republica, had a sandwich and tea/wine and relaxed and enjoyed. It was fairly hot by then - another wonderful cloudless day! Wandered round some more, via Santa Croce, Santa Maria Novella and went back to the station to see about trains back to Bologna.

    This time, with no time constraints, we bought cheap tickets (about a third cost of the Frecciarossa) which took us back in about an hour and a half…regional trains, packed full at that time of day and rather fun…we had to change trains at Prato, and ended back at Bologna at just before 7pm. But it was via lovely Tuscan countryside and not nearly so many tunnels!

    Had a little meal at one of the many restaurants here (yum meatballs and salad). A good day.    Baca lagi

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  • Rosie MarzoukItaly and Egypt 2022Pengembara
    A long way to climb up
    San StefanoSan StefanoSan StefanoArcadesPretty park

    Lovely relaxed day in Bologna

    6 Oktober 2022, Itali ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    A relaxed start, and we had breakfast in a caffe at the station - right near us, and wonderful coffee, juice and pastries. Then we made our way into the centre as we had a 10.30 appointment to go up the famous tower. Bologna is famous for towers (like San Gimignano?) and there are 2 famous remaining ones - the due torri - and you had to make an appointment online to go up. We love towers, so we signed up…I must say I assumed that there was a lift as there was no warning for cripples or people with heart problems as there normally is, but when our time came and we started up it was obvious that we had to climb and climb and climb up narrow stairs!!! That is why the timing is strict, as you can’t pass people coming the opposite direction…anyway, once I had my head around it I plodded on! And made it!! It did seem endless, but we knew it would be breathtaking looking down from the top. And it was just amazing…once up there you could take as long as you wanted gazing down at the red roofs of Bologna, and in the distance to the surrounding hills and the Santuario di San Luca. Fabulous, and well worth climbing up the 498 stairs. It was built in the 12th century, has survived all that time. It looks straight, but definitely the smaller tower near it is at an angle…they are a famous Bologna landmark.

    After that we wanted to explore the city along the side streets and places we hadn’t been. I lose my sense of direction very swiftly in all the little streets but Amr is pretty good and we had a map. We have stayed here twice before - in 1991 and 2011 - and it felt rather different and we realised that both those times were in January which is cold and grey (and thank goodness for all the arcades)! So at this time of year it has been cloudless and warm, and all the eateries have outdoor seating and at lunchtime and especially in the evening are crowded and pulsating with life.

    We also came across another wonderful basilica - San Stefano. We usually pop into churches to look as they usually are good, but this turned out to be sensational (found it is one of the highlights of Bologna)…it has a complex of many churches and chapels, and cloisters. Beautiful and looks Romanesque. After more wandering, and a snack we had kindle time in a pretty park…the leaves are starting to colour.

    Dinner tonight in the hubbub of restaurants - we always choose a different one. Good meal. I started with ratatouille and Amr a salad. Perfect as I wanted a veg fix, then we shared a lasagne verde, with mortadella and pistachio! Different and yum! And we got chatting to the couple at the next table (always rather intimately close) - they were Swiss, live in Bern, and she is Japanese.

    We are loving our time here…Bologna is not a tourist destination, though of course there are always some tourists, but basically it is a busy bustling city filled with people going about their business. And its university is famous, and the oldest in Europe. As we walked today we went through the university area and realised it was orientation week - just buzzing, welcome signs, clubs advertising for members and lots of activity…tomorrow is the last full day here…we think we will have a visit to Ferrara, a short train ride away.    Baca lagi

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  • Rosie MarzoukItaly and Egypt 2022Pengembara
    Would have been a lovely facadeMedieval streetMarket stalls being taken down..Pre dinner drinks in the piazza1

    A visit to Ferrara

    7 Oktober 2022, Itali ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    After a leisurely breakfast at the station cafe we hopped on a local train to Ferrara. We have fond memories of doing this from Bologna 11 years ago in early February. It is a very nice town, but we were a bit disappointed that the beautiful pink and white striped marble cathedral is closed for renovation and even the facade all blocked off in the centre…I found the photo from 2011 and it looked so different on a winter afternoon, everyone rugged up (and no scaffolding) - very contrasting from the bright sunlight of today. Also today was market day and there were stalls along every street in the centre (these were clothes stalls, not fruit and veg) so hard to see any building properly. But lots of hustle and bustle and very pleasant.

    We meandered round - there are lots of old old buildings - and when we decided to wander back to the station it was end of school time and happy chaos in the streets as they all headed to buses and trains….and quite a lot of people heading off for the weekend.

    Now back relaxing …we have taken advantage of our spacious room here to do lots of washing - we can hang it invisibly in the open on our balcony, and it all dries very quickly. So a clean start tomorrow when we get the train back to Rome for 2 nights. We had hoped to stay in the same hotel Argentina in Rome once we discovered how handy and nice it was, but when we asked 2 weeks ago for the extra days they were booked out…so we have booked another place, also on via Cavour, just opposite Argentina. It is (dubiously) called Audrey’s Roman Holiday!!! But it sounded nice, so will report on that tomorrow. Tonight we have actually booked a restaurant called Diana where we have been many years ago, and being Friday, and judging by the many people eating out each night, we thought it wise to book. Will report on that too.

    Just have to add that we are now back from Diana (where we had lunch in 1991 with Paul and Omnia) and what a great night! It is now quite a posh upmarket restaurant (maybe it was then, but we don’t remember it like that!)…anyway, it was wonderful. A change from the places we have dined in the last few days, which though fun, were not elegant. Tonight was relaxed enough, but a real restaurant, and the food was fab and it was fun watching the whole place throb! (And it wasn’t much more expensive than the other places, even including a Sangiovese riserva ….we were treated to a Prosecco and amuse bouche on arrival, and then Amr had a bollito misto with a salsa verde (a selection of boiled meat - divine for Amr!) and I had veal with porcini mushroom sauce, and we had grilled vegetables…SOOO good. We prolonged the experience as long as possible, with dessert and coffee (Amr)…an excellent night.    Baca lagi

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  • Rosie MarzoukItaly and Egypt 2022Pengembara
    Room at Audrey's Roman Holiday
    Entrée of artichokes and olives

    Back in Rome

    8 Oktober 2022, Itali ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    After a last walk in Bologna, we had breakfast and went leisurely to the train station. We now know that the very fast trains have secret platforms way underground at Bologna station which we discovered the day we went to Florence. So we zoomed back to Rome, mostly in tunnels till Florence, and then through very pretty countryside (passing Orvieto up on the hill) and got to Rome just after 3pm.

    Went to via Cavour and rang the bell for Audrey’s Roman holidays and no response (a sinking feeling, as we had emailed Giorgio our time of arrival etc)…anyway, all was well, Amr phoned and a minion of Giorgio soon arrived and let us in…there is no actual reception which is why we had told him - and he had asked - exactly when we would be arriving!! So now that we have the keys to all the doors to go through to get to our room we are happy! We have a very nice room - light, spotless and with all that we need, and when we leave on Monday we just leave the keys and close the doors!! Perfect…we will probably never meet Giorgio who also owns other places in Rome, but we are totally independent.

    So we had a walk to stretch after the train, and a drink watching the chaos in Piazza Barberini. It is Saturday, and the whole city is of course so busy. Walking along the Corso was just a sea of people (they turn it into an area pedonale on the weekend), also the Spanish steps area…and there was something on - we think it was a communist or leftist rally as endless numbers of people kept walking by with red t-shirts and banners…all quite friendly and not confrontational!

    Then we have just had dinner at our favourite place for the last time. Have to confess that I wasn’t feeling 100% (a nerve ache in a SI joint area, and general vapours…). Anyway, we enjoyed dinner - I got Amr to eat most of mine which he liked more than his choice, and with fizzy water, wine, a dessert sugar hit and as many pills as seemed useful I hope I will be revived in the morning. Will also do some yoga to stretch the muscles..    Baca lagi

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  • Rosie MarzoukItaly and Egypt 2022Pengembara
    Medici villa
    2Spiral steps we climbed2Impromptu dancing in the street1Porta San GiovanniSan Giovanni in Laterano

    Last full day in Rome, and in Italy

    9 Oktober 2022, Itali ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    We had a reasonably busy day which was good, as I still had the vapours and didn’t feel like doing anything! But once up and doing we had a very peasant day - set off on one of our usual walks along Quattro fontane and sistina to the top of the Spanish steps…then aiming to go to the Borghese gardens, we were sidetracked as the Medici villa was open, and we joined a tour of the garden and palace…huge and lovely, but it almost felt as if we walked up as many stairs as the tower (not 498, but many)…those old buildings don’t do lifts.

    After that we did sit in the Borghese gardens with kindles for quite a while. Then walked back along the Corso to piazza Venezia where we sat in a favourite bar and watched the chaos of traffic and people all out on a Sunday afternoon. There used to be a policeman standing on a stand in the middle of the piazza, with white gloves and a whistle…but they have obviously abandoned that and the traffic miraculously works itself out!

    Back to our room and relaxed till we left for the dinner at the restaurant we couldn’t get into 2 weeks ago, and Amr booked online with great difficulty! It had been recommended I think by a friend of Hartley and it was very good - though I didn’t do justice to it, but Amr did and had a wonderful frittata with chicken livers (I did have some of that) and he had a pasta with pork neck, which I also had tastes, and I had ordered marinated eggplant…all good, and we could easily find it this time, and the walk didn’t seem so long when you know where you are going. On the way we passed a group of dancers doing the tango…

    Now back and ready to leave early in the morning to get the flight to Cairo. Peter and Louise already there, and I think all the others will be arriving tomorrow too!!    Baca lagi

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  • Rosie MarzoukItaly and Egypt 2022Pengembara

    Arrived in Cairo

    10 Oktober 2022, Mesir ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    This will be a short entry, and I have no photos…Amr said he took some at dinner (we should have done one of the whole group). ..but Amr is now asleep, and I will be soon! But we have all arrived and assembled in Cairo. Our exit from Rome was one of the least painful through security ever, and it was an easy 3 hour flight. And arrival into Cairo was very different from memories of arriving even in 2006. They have been busy building and improving infrastructure, and the arrivals hall was modern and easy - not the zoo we remember in former trips. And a tour guide from Bunniks met us as we walked from the plane, (they are allowed inside!) and escorted us through the hoops, and then we were driven to this very beautiful hotel. All the Australian contingent arrived today too…one drama was that Robin lost her passport in Dubai…it was finally found on the plane, had fallen out of her bag, but meanwhile she couldn’t board the connecting flight…so kind Evie stayed as moral support, and when it was finally found they were put on the next flight to Cairo…phew…what an almost disaster…Sally and John, and Angela had gone on as planned…they are all knackered of course, but we met for dinner, and of course Omnia who is joining us for the tour! Peter and Louise arrived yesterday to give themselves a day to adjust! Tomorrow is a day at the pyramids- Giza and Sakkara…so should have lost of photos and more info.Baca lagi

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  • Rosie MarzoukItaly and Egypt 2022Pengembara
    1Sakkara pyramid
    The big one1Shows how enormous each bolder is1

    Cairo - first active day of tour

    11 Oktober 2022, Mesir ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Yesterday was officially day 1, when we all arrived here, and had a welcome dinner, but today was the first active day. We have found that there are 10 other people in our group - we had thought we were a separate group on our own, but the others are fine - Australians - and no problems! Six had come on from a Jordan tour, and the other 4 are just friends…very easy and no ghastly people!! So last night after dinner we were told to assemble at 7.15 in the foyer to start the day! This is to avoid crowds and heat (though we still certainly had crowds) and a bit daunting to the new arrivals after 24 hours of travel…but everyone made it and we had an amazing day.

    Just riding in our bus in the chaotic Cairo traffic is an experience…cars going in many directions, donkeys and horse carts, people strolling through to cross the road….our first stop was Sakkara where the step pyramid is - the oldest pyramid - and Memphis, the original capital of Egypt, where there is a museum with enormous statues of Ramses II.

    Lunch at a restaurant near Sakkara, good, but I just ate the meze which was yum…and we also paid a visit to a carpet making school, where they are keeping the tradition going of making the carpets - cotton, wool or silk. Then the afternoon’s activity was the Giza pyramids and the sphinx. Millions of people of course, but they are all so extraordinary and enormous, that it is a wonder however often you see them….our guide is good, entertaining and knowledgeable and good to be with. He will be with us for the whole tour, not just Cairo.

    It was fairly hot as the day wore on, but now cool in the evening…very pleasant. We met at 7pm with Amr’s friends (Amr and Hesham) and it was lovely to see them…had a drink and little dinner…no one was over hungry and the travellers needed another good night’s sleep…I have left the 2 Amrs talking, as I feel quite ready for bed too, even though my Apple Watch is not satisfied…it doesn’t appreciate trudging on the sand and uneven surfaces round the pyramids etc…! Anyway, all is very good….and tomorrow we don’t start till 8.15 !!    Baca lagi

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  • Rosie MarzoukItaly and Egypt 2022Pengembara
    Muhammad Ali mosque
    111Crazy traffic in a market!

    More great sights of Cairo

    12 Oktober 2022, Mesir ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    Today has been more leisurely as we started off at 8.15 and arrived back at the hotel before 4pm….and it wasn’t hard walking - in fact my Apple Watch will be most upset at the lack of it, as am now very much enjoying downtime feet up on the bed!

    Our first stop was the citadel - which is high up on a hill with a great view over the city, and where there is the Muhammad Ali mosque - a beautiful mosque build by Saladin and a copy of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, though I think I heard is a bit smaller. Then we were taken to the market area, where our guide said has junky souvenirs made in China so to be aware! It was not the market area I had remembered with the Islamic gate and architecture, and I hope Omnia and Amr can maybe take us to that part when we get back to Cairo after the tour. So while we had free time there Amr suggested we visit another mosque nearby, and he and Omnia talked to the man on the entrance…this was not a tourist show mosque, and we women had to go in a separate entrance, and we found we were in a little women’s section, separated with a trellis from the main body of the mosque, and there were many women sitting on the floor, with children or quietly chatting with friends, reading or praying….I think it is a place to escape from the men! Anyway, we did look a bit odd coming in, but we quietly took a place in a corner (Omnia did not come in as she wanted to do some shopping!) and Louise and I sat on the floor. The women were sweet and friendly and made eye contact and we even had a sort of conversation with a girl who was playing with a small child…she showed us photos of different relatives and ended up taking a selfie with Louise and me! A very different experience.

    Then lunch at a nearby very nice restaurant (where you could have light meals) and that was leisurely and relaxing. Then we went off to the Egyptian museum - the new grand museum is still not opening till maybe next year, so this is the one in the city that we have been to before, which still has many exhibits despite many treasures already being moved…it still feels full of stuff! So our guide took us on a tour of highlights which was fabulous- as if you stopped at every showcase you’d be exhausted trying to take it all in. Ended seeing the jewellery of Tutankhamen and also the 2 innermost coffins - amazing stuff, and we arrived back not too overwhelmed, just right! Another great day…BUT tomorrow we will get a wake up call at 3am to leave at 4am to go to the airport for our flight to Aswan!! So an early night tonight, and more adventures tomorrow.    Baca lagi

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  • Rosie MarzoukItaly and Egypt 2022Pengembara
    Temple of Philae
    1Sunset on the Nile

    Aswan…a long and varied day

    13 Oktober 2022, Mesir ⋅ 🌙 28 °C

    Our day started at 3am (or before as Amr woke before then in anticipation..) so we are totally wiped now - 8.45pm - and I won’t write up all the intricacies. Will leave that till we have a leisurely time…but not sure if that is tomorrow as again we get up at 3 to leave for Abu Simbel at 4am (3.5 hr bus ride) but am very excited to see this wonderful temple.

    We flew to Aswan, and immediately boarded a bus which took us via the high dam to the temple of Philae on an island (we get there by boat)…then the unfinished obelisk in a granite quarry (by this time it was very hot), then on to an oil essence shop, where they make the oils to smell nice, to cure illnesses…that was a lovely visit in a cool room, and some people indulged in buying oils…Amr bought some argan oil. Then we were delivered to our hotel for the night - a very short one - and that was utter chaos, but won’t elaborate now! After a bit of downtime mainly trying to get the internet to work, we had a sail in a felucca at 4.45 to watch the sunset. Quite a few people chose not to come as by then they were tired, but the hard core of us did and it was just beautiful - so peaceful and perfect, specially with so few of us!! That is the basics, and we have just had a drink in the bar, where a Nubian band were playing traditional music, and a dancer whirled very spectacularly….will put a couple of photos - there are so many amazing ones - but the very weak internet may not allow it.    Baca lagi

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  • Rosie MarzoukItaly and Egypt 2022Pengembara
    Temple of Philae
    View from our window at Fawltey Towers hotel

    P.S. for Thursday, more photos

    14 Oktober 2022, Mesir ⋅ ☀️ 33 °C

    The temple of Philae was so beautiful, and the felucca sunset sail was lovely. Checking into the hotel where we stayed last night was a Fawltey Towers experience!! Everyone was exhausted from being up since 3am and arriving at a rather nice hotel on an island should have been great - but the chaos was Monty Python! I thought it was funny, but some were rather annoyed…and we were very frustrated as the wifi did not function…but it did come to life eventually and I could publish part 1! Anyway, it was only our home till 4am, as we set off in the early hours again to get to Abu Simbel.

    Now will add more photos.    Baca lagi

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