Yes -- you`ve guessed it . I`m going to bore you with some pics of Cairo/Egypt. Laurence & I ( with the blessing of my wife , I might add ) set off a couple of weeks ago to explore Cairo, the upper Nile Delta & the desert. We took in all the tourist attractions & then hired an Arab + his car most days to go off the beaten track. I`ve combined her pics with mine & between us we got some great shots. I`ll have to be selective as there are so many unusual ones , but I`ll start with the one bit of comfort & luxury we did indulge in --- a trip down the nile. Here we are being waited on :-
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by Ken » 17 Mar 2006 08:51 pmkattaddorra wrote:Another great photo Ken, I'm looking forward to seeing the rest Kat
Cheers Kat. I`m off to Rome now. Will post a few more when I return.
Ken.
Here`s one to be going on with. This was one of the many "way-out" villages we visited :-
Last edited by Ken on 17 Mar 2006 09:09 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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by Ken » 17 Mar 2006 08:53 pmwiccan woman wrote:Ken have a wonderful time are you trying to do the "Round the world in 80 days"
_________________
There is nothing new under the sun
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by Ken » 17 Mar 2006 08:56 pmYes. Just got back from Rome this morning ( see my pics under "Hobbies" --- "Footie" ) & off to Venice next month. Here is a good one taken by Laurence. The broken umbrella was being used by an arab as a water bowl for his camel !
Ken.
Ken.
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by Ken » 17 Mar 2006 09:18 pmWow. After all that editing & shifting posts back here, its time for relaxation. Here`s Laurence & I doing just that ! :-
Ken.
Ken.
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by Black Knight » 17 Mar 2006 09:30 pmOr well on fire as the case may be ! 
Are you sure those things are legal ?
B.K.
Nice pics tho. Keep them coming.
Are you sure those things are legal ?
B.K.
Nice pics tho. Keep them coming.
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by Ken » 19 Mar 2006 12:13 pmCheers Chel & Daffy. Yes. Once we got off the beaten track there was poverty everywhere. We were torn between possibly offending these poor people and wanting to bring back a record. We tried to be as discreet as poss. Here are a couple of typical "homes". One room shared with donkey and chickens. At least they are "detatched" --- we saw much worse.
Ken.
Ken.
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by Wiccan woman » 20 Mar 2006 12:35 pmYes when you look around the world, we really have got to be thankful for what we have, even though sometimes we may feel that it is not much, but it is a hell of a lot more than some !! 
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by Daffy » 20 Mar 2006 03:18 pmWas it safe Ken, or did you feel vunerable while you were out and about? More photos please!! Daffy 
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by Ken » 20 Mar 2006 06:29 pmA bit of both depending on the situation. Laurence & I both had several attempts to get our Arab to take us to a place on the S.E. outskirts of Cairo called "The City of The Dead".At first he pretended not to understand and then not to know where it was , and then persuade us not to go.
Its a huge area the size of Shildon which used to be the burial area of Cairo -- graves , tombs and small roofless crypts. The poor of Cairo have moved in there. These are people with no records of their exhistence.No aid from anywhere -- they scavenge or starve. Some have tunnelled into tombs , others made makeshift "dens" out of palm leaves,bit of wood and cardboard. The whole area is a gruesome mix of the dead and the living.
This will give you an idea :-
When I got our man to stop , this was the only time we`d known him refuse to get out (as did Laurence). I foolishly ventured out & strayed too far from our car. I ended up literally running for my life !I`d been cautiously creeping around between metre high tomb walls , looking over my shoulder & constantly on guard for inhabitants whilst taking loads of pics. I`d completely forgotten about the warning my G.P. had given me about watching out for dogs in Egypt as they carry rabies.
This is the last pic I took before breaking my 200 metre record :-
Ken.
Its a huge area the size of Shildon which used to be the burial area of Cairo -- graves , tombs and small roofless crypts. The poor of Cairo have moved in there. These are people with no records of their exhistence.No aid from anywhere -- they scavenge or starve. Some have tunnelled into tombs , others made makeshift "dens" out of palm leaves,bit of wood and cardboard. The whole area is a gruesome mix of the dead and the living.
This will give you an idea :-
When I got our man to stop , this was the only time we`d known him refuse to get out (as did Laurence). I foolishly ventured out & strayed too far from our car. I ended up literally running for my life !I`d been cautiously creeping around between metre high tomb walls , looking over my shoulder & constantly on guard for inhabitants whilst taking loads of pics. I`d completely forgotten about the warning my G.P. had given me about watching out for dogs in Egypt as they carry rabies.
This is the last pic I took before breaking my 200 metre record :-
Ken.
Last edited by Ken on 26 Mar 2006 06:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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by Ken » 20 Mar 2006 08:49 pmOn a lighter note , here`s one we took as we passed through one of the many quaint little towns we saw-- a fair way south of Cairo but still not far from the banks of the Nile.
Ken.
Ken.
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by Laurence » 20 Mar 2006 09:38 pmKen wrote:When I got our man to stop , this was the only time we`d known him refuse to get out (as did Laurence).
Laurence has more sense than Ken !
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Daffyby Wiccan woman » 21 Mar 2006 02:51 pmKen we passed the "City of the Dead" it is a very strange place and the guide we had did tell us that their government are trying to get the people out of there and into proper housing, but the amount of people living there it will be a very difficult task i think. The whole of Cairo was scary i thought, there was just too many people and you just couldnt move, i dont have that horrible disease where you are scared of crowds but i think i could possibly develop it if i had to live there !!
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trip
by tigerrag » 21 Mar 2006 10:12 pmHello Ken and all
I just popped in to say your photos are fantastic Ken (please don't forget you are not Indiana Jones tsk going into those dangerous places ) looking forward to more.
I just popped in to say your photos are fantastic Ken (please don't forget you are not Indiana Jones tsk going into those dangerous places ) looking forward to more.
- tigerrag
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by Ken » 21 Mar 2006 11:41 pmWelcome Tigerrag & thanks for the interest from all. I wish I`d try to keep these pics in some sort of order now. On our little venture into the desert , we came across quite a few groups of arabs on camels trudging their way from God knows where but here is one with ponies & carts just for a change ! :-
P.S. -- & boy , was it hot when I took that ! How on earth they wear all those long clothes I do not know !
Ken.
P.S. -- & boy , was it hot when I took that !
How on earth they wear all those long clothes I do not know !Ken.
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by Laurence » 22 Mar 2006 12:16 amFrom the barren to the lush . What an extreme ! The day after Ken took that last one , I took this, a bit further South & back within a kilometer of the Nile ....
The land within a few hundred metres either side of the Nile is incredibly fertile. We saw peanut fruit bigger than melons , carrots 50 cms long and cauliflowers so big I wouldnt ave been able to carry one !
Just outside that band is desert for hundreds of miles.
The land within a few hundred metres either side of the Nile is incredibly fertile. We saw peanut fruit bigger than melons , carrots 50 cms long and cauliflowers so big I wouldnt ave been able to carry one !
Just outside that band is desert for hundreds of miles.
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by Ken » 22 Mar 2006 08:41 pmAnother interesting area we got into was the old Khan Khalili bazaar. This is the normal extremity of the "tourist" route :-
but beyond is a vast & fascinating labyrinth where the locals shop for virtually everything.
Ken.
but beyond is a vast & fascinating labyrinth where the locals shop for virtually everything.
Ken.
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by Ken » 22 Mar 2006 11:48 pmFurther inside it became more interesting :-
The local Pizza delivery man ?
Ken.
The local Pizza delivery man ?
Ken.
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by Ken » 23 Mar 2006 01:13 amHere`s Laurence --- bravely making freinds with the locals ??
The truth is that she hadn`t noticed him & these people aren`t too chuffed at being photographed !
Ken.
P.S. Laurence had the black shawl because in some of the areas we ventured to it was necessary to wear it over her head shoulders and bare arms.
The truth is that she hadn`t noticed him & these people aren`t too chuffed at being photographed !
Ken.
P.S. Laurence had the black shawl because in some of the areas we ventured to it was necessary to wear it over her head shoulders and bare arms.
Last edited by Ken on 26 Mar 2006 10:52 am, edited 1 time in total.
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by Graham » 25 Mar 2006 10:56 pmTell you what, Ken, you have done a fantastic advertising job for Egypt with your great photos. Very enjoyable!
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by Ken » 26 Mar 2006 10:48 amWell thanks Graham. We took most pics well off the beaten track , however, where its not quite as colourful,more scary but just as fascinating. I only intended to post a couple of the Khanel-Khalili area but its difficult to decide which to leave out. We were advised not to leave the main street but we did. In fact I think we must have explored every side-street & alley in the area. It was worth it for the experience and the pics.
Here`s another. This shop sold an amazing variety of foods & spices. I can still smell the overpowering but beautiful aroma :-
Ken.
Here`s another. This shop sold an amazing variety of foods & spices. I can still smell the overpowering but beautiful aroma :-
Ken.
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by Chiana » 30 Mar 2006 05:45 pmMy daughter would love to go to Egypt, think I would be a bit worried if she went anywhere she wasn't supposed to.. they are good photos though.
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by Ken » 01 Apr 2006 08:25 amThanks Chiana. Just a couple more of Khan el-Khalili & then I`ll move on.
We saw lots of furs on sale (VERY cheap) , not that I`d ever buy real fur, but these were really gruesome (skins,cushions,stoles, etc). When you examined them close up , they still hade bits of uncured flesh,congealed blood and even bone particles on them !
Ken.
We saw lots of furs on sale (VERY cheap) , not that I`d ever buy real fur, but these were really gruesome (skins,cushions,stoles, etc). When you examined them close up , they still hade bits of uncured flesh,congealed blood and even bone particles on them !
Ken.
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by Firefly » 01 Apr 2006 03:39 pmYuk. how gruesome. fab photos though Ken. Hope you got some more up your sleeve.
Babs
Babs
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by Daffy » 04 Apr 2006 08:44 pmAny more photos Ken, this armchair traveller is looking forward to some more please 
Daffy
Daffy
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by Ken » 05 Apr 2006 10:36 pmJust a couple more of el-Khalili then I`ll move on. Here`s where the locals buy their Sunday best :-
Ken.
Ken.
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by Laurence » 07 Apr 2006 08:22 pmKen has asked me to chose the last el-Khalili one & I gone for the musical instrument one ---
The ones you see hanging are very popular in Egypt . They are called Ouds and originate from Persia.
The ones you see hanging are very popular in Egypt . They are called Ouds and originate from Persia.
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by Ken » 05 Nov 2006 11:29 amIt wasn`t my wife I went with btw 
-- it was my good friend ( & running partner till my recent op.) , Laurence.
My wife would have been far too scared but Laurence likes a good adventure. Yes -- we did have some hairy moments but it was an experience of a lifetime.
This is the scroll I bought from the papyrus factory that you went to :-
It depicts a story too long to tell here. Annoyingly, a few days later we came across an Arab in the desert miles away from anywhere who approached us & offered a selection of these scrolls at a fraction of the price we`d paid at the factory !
Ken.
-- it was my good friend ( & running partner till my recent op.) , Laurence.My wife would have been far too scared but Laurence likes a good adventure. Yes -- we did have some hairy moments but it was an experience of a lifetime.
This is the scroll I bought from the papyrus factory that you went to :-
It depicts a story too long to tell here. Annoyingly, a few days later we came across an Arab in the desert miles away from anywhere who approached us & offered a selection of these scrolls at a fraction of the price we`d paid at the factory !
Ken.
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by Kattaddorra » 11 Nov 2006 04:15 pmWonderful photos thank you ! I really enjoy my armchair travelling on this forum
Katt
Katt
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