Author: Kristin
-
Greek Odyssey
•
We explored the Aegean Sea on a Viking 11-day voyage to important sites of antiquity. We started in Athens, the “birthplace of democracy,” and visited Corinth, Delphi, Thessaloniki, Ephesus (in Turkey), Rhodes, Santorini, and Crete. It was a trip to rememnber.
-
Santorini and Nafplio
•
We arrived in the harbor of Santorini and learned that we could not land because the water was too rough for the tenders to come and take us in. The captain told us he would take us in as close as possible and circle the island, so we could see as…
-
Αντίο to Athens
•
Today, the last day in Athens, we saw some more sights around the city. We started with the Church of St. George, perched on top of Lycabettus Hill, the highest hill in Athens. It was built in the 18th century on the site of earlier churches and an even earlier Temple to Zeus. The church…
-
Kasr Ibrim and Abu Simbel
•
This morning we sailed to the settlement of Kasr Ibrim, the last vestige of Nubian culture in is original location. We were up at 6:15 a.m. to see the settlement, which is perched on a very small island. We had a brief talk about this settlement and took pictures from our ship. It…
-
Sailing to Luxor
•
Kom Ombo This morning we sailed to the site of the ancient trading town at Kom Ombo, which sat on the great caravan route from Nubia. Here we toured the double temple, dedicated to both the crocodile-headed god Sobek and to the falcon-headed god Haroeris (2,200 years old). The two temples are exactly…
-
Luxor
•
Valley of the Kings We have arrived to Luxor and the Valley of the Kings, “the world’s greatest open air museum” and a World Heritage site. This area is called the Theban Necropolis. The Valley is on the west bank of the Nile. It was the burial place of royal figures…
-
Memphis
•
Many of us started the day (at 3:45 a.m.) with a hot air balloon trip over the Valley of the Kings. It was a nice way to end the visit to these historic sites because we could see them all from above. It was also amazing to be one of many balloons…
-
Alexandria
•
Since Alexandria was not included on our tour and it was so close, I stayed an extra day to visit it as well. My guide picked me up at 8 in the morning and we began our 140 mi. drive. Our first stop in Alexandria was the Catacombs of Kom…
-
Karnak
•
Today we started early to visit the Karnak Temple, the biggest temple in the world, covering 200 acres. Actually it is a “city of temples.” In true Tarek style, we were the first group there. The temple was built to mark the birthplace of Amon and took 1,800 years to build. It was…
-
Wadi-el-Sebouna and Amada
•
Dakka Temple Today we spent the morning in Wadi-el-Seboua (Valley of the Lions) exploring the two temples, the Dakka temple, dedicated to Thoth, the god of wisdom and justice, and the Temple of Maharraqa. The area is known as the Valley of the Lions because of the line of Sphinxes that approach…
-
Ancient Nubia
•
This morning, we are in the heart of ancient Nubia, Egypt’s gateway to Africa. We began with a tour of New Kalabasha, site of the Kalabasha Temple, the largest freestanding Nubian temple. This sandstone temple dedicated to Mandulis, the Nubian god of religion, preserves Egyptian and Greek history, both languages are carved…
-
Aswan
•
Today began at 1:15 a.m. when we headed for the airport and our flight to Aswan. When we arrived, we stopped at the Soviet Friendship Monument, the Lotus Flower. It was built to celebrate the money the Soviet Union gave to Egypt to complete the High Dam. Then we visited the High Dam,…
-
Coptic Cairo
•
Old Cairo is a part of the city that pre-dates the Islamic rule of Cairo. There is evidence of inhabitants as early as the 6thcentury B.C.E. Many ruins of Roman fortifications are found in this part of the city. It is believed that the Holy Family stayed here when they were forced to…
-
Giza
•
We headed early to Giza to see the Great Pyramid of Cheops; the Second Pyramid of Kephrine, The Queen’s Pyramids “Hnout-Sin”, the third Pyramid of Mekrenas, the Solar Boat Museum, The Great Sphinx, and the Valley Temple—all about 4,500 years old. This morning exceeded my expectations. Having read about this area for…
-
Cairo
•
We arrived in Cairo after a long flight. Our base was the Nile Fairmont. Our trip included a cruise down the Nile and well as a cruise around Lake Nasser, visits to Giza and Alexandria. The Egyptian Museum of Antiquities On our first full day, we started at the Egyptian…
-
Florence
•
Today was Firenze—the Cradle of the Renaissance. It lies along the banks of the Arno River which runs through it. Florence was built on the site of an Etruscan settlement which became the Roman colony of Florentia in 59 B.C.E. During the Medici period of the 15th and 16th centuries, it became a symbol of…
-
Radda
•
After breakfast today, we went back to the Chianti district to the town of Radda. It was probably the smallest village we visited. A walled, Medieval city, it has been inhabited since the 9th century. Radda is the seat of the League of Chianti. It is the only hilltop member of the League. The 15th century Palazzo…
-
San Gimignano
•
Today we explored the wine country of Chianti. After breakfast, we headed first to San Gimignano, the city with 14 stone towers. The distance was only about 12 miles, but it took about 45 minutes to get there on our bus. Another Tuscan hill town, San Gimignano is known as the “Medieval…
-
Cortona
•
Cortona is another walled Etruscan town about 60 miles from Colle. It took 2 ½ hours to get there. Cortona is the home of Bramasole of Under the Tuscan Sun. Cortona overlooks Lake Trasimino—the lake of three islands, only one of which is inhabited. This is the fourth largest lake in Italy. It is on…
-
Siena
•
Unfortunately, it was raining as we took off for the medieval city of Siena, about 15 miles southwest of Colle. Siena is a gothic, brick hill town that has remained remarkably unchanged throughout the centuries. It is divided into 17 districts, each with its own banner, symbol, and colors. These districts were…