Journey to Egypt, Part 8: Luxor Temple

December 26, 2018 Luxor Temple, in the heart of Luxor city center, is much smaller than Karnak, making it easier to see and digest. We visited after dark, around 6:00 pm. Mohamed said it is more striking at night and he was right. Luxor Temple was almost right across the street from our hotel, Sofitel […]

Biblical Layers: Tels in Israel

Dutch Goes the Photo has a weekly Tuesday Photo Challenge; the theme this week is Layer. Israel is full of archaeological layers, called tels. We saw several of these when we toured Israel last month, including Hazor, Meggido and others. These were cities or communities built over time one on top of the other. The […]

Journey to Egypt, Part 6: Coptic Churches & Ben Ezra Synagogue

December 25, 2018 We left the Egyptian Museum ready for lunch. We boarded our bus and headed to Old Cairo, where we would go to a restaurant for lunch and to the Christian Quarter of Old Cairo. At Felfela Restaurant we were greeted by this hookah-smoking dwarf. The restaurant had interesting décor. Our tummies satisfied, […]

Journey to Egypt, Part 5: Cairo Museum of Egyptian Antiquities

December 25, 2018 The Egyptian Antiquities Museum in Cairo is a huge neoclassical building which is home to the world’s largest collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts. The collection contains over 100,000 pieces, so it is said that if you spend just one minute on each piece, it would take over nine months to complete the […]

Journey to Egypt, Part 3 – The Cairo Marriott Hotel: Thursday Doors

December 23, 2018 Located on an island in the Nile River in the middle of Cairo, The Cairo Marriott is huge and opulent. Its décor is beautiful with Arabic influences, including some awesome doors. This post combines a history of this magnificent hotel with Norm’s weekly feature, Thursday Doors. Originally a palace, it was built […]

Journey to Egypt, Part 2: Giza – Pyramids, an Ancient Boat, Camels, & the Sphinx

December 24, 2018 Our first full day in Cairo began with a trip to Giza to see the famous pyramids and the Sphinx. Egyptologists have identified 118-138 pyramids commissioned by ancient pharaohs as burial tombs. The oldest known pyramid is the step pyramid located in Saqqara, which we did not visit. Egyptian pyramid building was […]

Getting our kicks in Missouri: Vacuum Cleaners, Murals and Bridges – Day 8 (Part 2)

After leaving Uranus, we finally arrived at Devils Elbow Bridge. Our AAA guide said, “This 1920s-era bridge takes the original 66 roadway across the Big Piney River. Named for the tight bend in the river, the bridge and adjacent town were (and still are) considered one of the most scenic spots on the route.” After […]

CFFC: Tools & Implements

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge’s theme this week is tools. Old-fashioned typewriter Tools in our garage In a Barnes & Noble restroom Gumball machine at a local restaurant 18th century doctor’s tools spinning wheel glass cup

RDP Monday: Labor

The Ragtag Daily Prompt for today is labor. Labor unions are a vanishing breed these days, particularly in the United States, where corporate interests have instilled negative and often false information about unions in the American public. Several states have busted unions and then became “right to work” states. This euphemism is meant to be […]

Fields of Ancestors

Frank at Dutch Goes the Photo has a Tuesday challenge and the theme this week is field. Last year in May, we took a road trip to the Dakotas. It was our first visit to North Dakota. Fields are ubiquitous in North Dakota – wide fields of planted crops or endless prairie. Some fields harbor […]