I’m sad to say that I haven’t seen Egypt as yet. I was in fact scheduled to visit Alexandria for work, when I had to change plans to be able to shoot a film in Finland. I will never regret the choice, but I really hope I can find a way to get around to seeing this marvelous place, that has excited my fondest imaginations since early childhood.
I think nothing was more appealing to me than ancient history when I was a schoolgirl, and then, I started falling head over heels with writers like Borges, who would continue to awaken Egyptian fantasies in my mind.
There was the Nile, the longest river and Alexandria, home to the largest library on Earth, where the heart of human knowledge was secured, only to be later turned to ages during a fire, there was the Shakespearean version of Cleopatra, the fabulous mythologies and the passion-filled stories of pharaos and demi-gods. Although those worlds are long gone, and Egypt has become a modern, albeit turbulent country, fortunately, the footsteps of the ancient Egyptians and their living heritage are to be found all over the Nile’s Valley.
Today, I decided to share with you some of the most impressive photos and aerial images from Egypt I could find about the web. The mixture of modern cities with unreal pyramids towering over the flat and seemingly endless desert can surely provide some of the best photo opportunities on the planet, but I have also included a few pictures of local people on the streets of Cairo and Alexandria, because people are ultimately all that travel is about.
Other than that, I just recommend you visit the Temple of Karnak, Abu Simbel, and the Temple of Medinat Habu, as these are the top-rated attractions in the country, according to some seasoned travelers I know and the most reputable destination-rating sites.
If you are planning to travel to Egypt soon (lucky you!) you can find holidays to Egypt on www.ulookubook.com, one of the sites offering some of the best deals around.
The official Egypt tourism site offers some great virtual tours, as well as comprehensive information. National Geographic’s Egypt guide is also really cool, including lots of interesting historical info.
- Karnak by S J Pinkney
Featured image by cofiem