Mohamed

READING,PLAY TENNIS, PLAY CHESS, KNOW GOOD PPLS.,SEE THE OLD AND ANCIANT HISTORIC PLACES IN EGYPT AS LUXOR AND UPEER EGYPT,ALSO MODERN PLACES ON THE RED SEA AS SHARM ELSHEK AND OURGADA,ADMIRE SAILING ON THE RIVER NILE SPCIAL IN SUMMER NIGHTS The Great Temple of Ramesses II at Abu Simbel, Egypt The Temple of Queen Nefertari at Abu Simbel, Egypt The Great Sphinx at Giza, EgyptKarnak TemplesThe ancient name for Karnak was Ipet Isut, 'The Most Select of Places'. Although a major part of the vast site is occupied by the Great Temple of Amun, temples were also built here for other Egyptian gods including Amun's consort Mut and the lunar deity Khonsu - the other members of a triad of gods worshipped at ancient Thebes.The Karnak Temples were progressively enlarged by many New Kingdom pharaohs who added a succession of pylons, courts and halls. Builders included Tuthmosis III (ruled 1504-1450 BC), Amenhotep III (1386-1349 BC) and Ramesses II (1279-1212 BC). temples built on the east bank of the Nile to honor the gods of New Kingdom ancient Egypt. On the opposite west bank was a magnificent burial ground for the pharaohs - the Valley of the Kings. This was the kingdom of Osiris, god of the underworld. From their grand tombs, the pharaohs believed they would embark on a journey that would see them meet the gods in the afterlife and achieve immortalityLuxor TempleLuxor Temple was built in the heart of the ancient city of Thebes, and was connected to Karnak by a 3 kilometer processional way lined with sphinxes. Like most of the Karnak complex, Luxor Temple was also dedicated to the god Amun. Much of the temple core was built by the pharaoh Amenhotep III and then was added to over the years by other kings including Ramesses II. monuments of ancient Egypt. These massive stone structures were built around 4500 years ago on a rocky desert plateau close to the Nile. But the intriguing Egyptian pyramids were more than just tombs for kings. The mysteries surrounding their symbolism, design and purpose have inspired passionate debate. It is likely that many of these mysteries will never be solved The principal builders in ancient Thebes included the New Kingdom pharaohs Tuthmosis III and Amenhotep III of dynasty 18, and Ramesses II of dynasty 19. Ramesses II, known as Ramesses the Great, was a prolific builder enamoured of colossal statues of himself. Temples of ancient Egypt were theatres in which symbolic rituals and festivals were enacted for the gods by the pharaoh and priests.Houses of the godsEgyptian cult temples like those at Karnak and Luxor were dedicated to gods who were served there by the pharaoh and his priests. In return, the gods gave life and order to the land of Egypt. The pharaoh of ancient Egypt was more than a head of state, he was looked upon as a divine link between the gods and his peopleThe rise of the god AmunMany deities were worshipped in ancient Egypt. Confusingly, these often changed or evolved over the long time span of the Egyptian civilization, or were represented in different manifestations. In New Kingdom Egypt, the god Amun became prominent as the greatest of the gods. Regarded as a creator deity, he became assimilated with the sun god Re to become Amun-Re, and was worshipped in Thebes at the mighty temples of Karnak and Luxor. The head of a statue of Ramesses II and an obelisk erected by the pharaoh in front of his entrance pylon to Luxor Temple. Imposing stone columns in the Hypostyle Hall at the Karnak Temple of Amun Walls and columns in the temples were decorated with carved and painted reliefs. Many show the kings interacting with gods, or their military exploits. Temple designKarnak and Luxor temples were built to a design that became common in New Kingdom Egypt. An entrance pylon of massive, twin towers was fronted by obelisks and statues. This led to an open peristyle court beyond which was a columned hypostyle hall. Finally came dimly lit chambers that included the holy inner sanctum that was dedicated to the temple god and accessible only to the pharaoh and priests.As Egypt's political and economic power grew during the New Kingdom era, the pharaohs endeavored to expand existing temples. The temples of Karnak and Luxor show how the kings would often add a new entrance pylon and court in front of structures built by their predecessors. Karnak TemplesThe ancient name for Karnak was Ipet Isut, 'The Most Select of Places'. Although a major part of the vast site is occupied by the Great Temple of Amun, temples were also built here for other Egyptian gods including Amun's consort Mut and the lunar deity Khonsu - the other members of a triad of gods worshipped at ancient Thebes.The Karnak Temples were progressively enlarged by many New Kingdom pharaohs who added a succession of pylons, courts and halls. Builders included Tuthmosis III (ruled 1504-1450 BC), Amenhotep III (1386-1349 BC) and Ramesses II (1279-1212 BC). The spectacular Hypostyle Hall in the Great Temple of Amun at Karnak. It is crowded with 134 towering stone columns, some reaching 21 meters high The sprawling complex of temples at Karnak is the result of generations of builders who expanded and embellished the site for their gods and pharaohs. The remains of Karnak are now the largest surviving religious complex in the world Statue of the great god Amun at KarnakLuxor TempleLuxor Temple was built in the heart of the ancient city of Thebes, and was connected to Karnak by a 3 kilometer processional way lined with sphinxes. Like most of the Karnak complex, Luxor Temple was also dedicated to the god Amun. Much of the temple core was built by the pharaoh Amenhotep III and then was added to over the years by other kings including Ramesses II. Statues of Ramesses II in his Great Court at Luxor Temple The Sun Court of Amenhotep III at Luxor Temple. The columns resemble papyrus bundles symbolic of the primeval marsh from which the ancient Egyptians believed creation unfolded. A head of Ramesses II beside his pylon at Luxor Temple The mysterious Pyramids The Pyramids of Giza are the most famous monuments of ancient Egypt. These massive stone structures were built around 4500 years ago on a rocky desert plateau close to the Nile. But the intriguing Egyptian pyramids were more than just tombs for kings. The mysteries surrounding their symbolism, design and purpose have inspired passionate debate. It is likely that many of these mysteries will never be solved...The rise and fall of the pyramid eraThe pyramids epitomize ancient Egypt, yet the biggest were constructed during a short span of time early in a civilization that was to last almost three millennia. The first large Egyptian pyramid was the Step Pyramid at Saqqara, built during the third dynasty of the Old Kingdom to protect the body of the king Djoser who died around 2649 BCE. It was this feat that heralded the short age of the gigantic stone pyramids of ancient Egypt. The greatest achievements of the pyramid builders were the Pyramids of Giza, built near the capital city of Memphis for the fourth dynasty kings Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure who ruled through 2589-2504 BCE. But pyramid building soon waned as the power and prosperity of the kings of Egypt weakened with the end of the Old Kingdom.Unfortunately, the pyramids became obvious targets for tomb robbers. The Giza Pyramids were plundered long ago of the bodies and anything entombed with them, despite the almost superhuman efforts of the Egyptians to protect the remains of their kings. The Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. When we stand before these Old Kingdom monuments, it can be hard to comprehend their huge size or their great age. The Sphinx and Pyramid of Khafre. The age and purpose of the Great Sphinx are debated, but it was probably part of Khafre's Pyramid complex Sunset behind the Pyramid of Khafre The first large pyramid in Egypt was the Step Pyramid of Djoser. It was built at Saqqara, about 15 kilometers from Giza.The remarkable size and precision of the Pyramids of GizaThe Great Pyramid of Khufu at Giza is the largest of the pyramids of ancient Egypt, and was regarded by the ancient Greeks as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Khufu (Cheops to the Greeks) ruled about 2589-2566 BCE when the Old Kingdom of Egypt was nearing a peak of prosperity and culture. After his death, he was entombed in a pyramid that is astonishing for both its size and mathematical precision.It is often said that the Great Pyramid of Khufu contains 2.3 million stone blocks, although some now question this figure. The four sides of the pyramid are accurately oriented to the cardinal points of the compass. The base has sides 230 meters long, with a difference between them of only a few centimeters. The pyramid was originally 146 meters high until it was robbed of its outer casing and capstone. What was the purpose of the Egyptian pyramids?The people of ancient Egypt believed that death on Earth was the start of a journey to the next world. The embalmed body of the king was entombed underneath or within the pyramid to protect it and allow his transformation and ascension to the afterlife, and a place among the gods.Each of the Giza Pyramids had an adjoining mortuary temple where rituals for the dead king and for the Egyptian gods may have been carried out. A causeway ran to a lower temple near the Nile floodplain that acted as an entrance to the complex. The Giza necropolis also included pits for funerary boats, small subsidiary pyramids and numerous other tombs for the royal family and officials The pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure tower over the Giza plateau in Egypt. The Great Pyramid of Khufu at Giza is regarded as the most massive building ever erected in the world - a remarkable statistic for a construction feat achieved 4500 years ago! The Sphinx and Great Pyramid of Khufu at Giza. The mysterious Great Sphinx presides over the Giza necropolis The pyramid shape might have represented the sun's rays which the dead king would use as a ramp to the celestial realm. Or, it may have symbolized a primordial mound from which the Egyptians believed the world was created.Inside the Great Pyramid of KhufuFrom an entrance just above the base of the Great Pyramid, a cramped Ascending Passage climbs for 36 meters up through the solid stone core to a towering Grand Gallery. This climbs another 46 meters to reach the King's Chamber and the now empty sarcophagus in the heart of this colossal pyramid. The enormous weight that bears down on the King's Chamber is dissipated by a series of ingenious stress-relieving chambers and massive granite beams built above it. The Ascending Passage The Grand Gallery The King's Chamber in the heart of the Great Pyramid holds the now empty stone sarcophagus. This stark room is walled by huge granite blocksHow were the pyramids built?It seems likely that the Pyramids of Giza were not built by slaves but by paid laborers motivated by a faith in the divinity and immortality of their kings. Exactly how the pyramids were built is unclear. It is likely that a sloping embankment was built up to or around the pyramid. The huge blocks would then have been hauled on sledges with the aid of rollers, papyrus ropes and levers. Although most stone was quarried locally at Giza, some had to be transported to the site along the Nile Originally, the Giza Pyramids were encased in lighter limestone that must have gleamed in the harsh Egyptian sun. Unfortunately, this was plundered long ago to provide building materials for Cairo.The kingdom of the god OsirisThe city of Thebes was the site of mighty temples built on the east bank of the Nile to honor the gods of New Kingdom ancient Egypt. On the opposite west bank was a magnificent burial ground for the pharaohs - the Valley of the Kings. This was the kingdom of Osiris, god of the underworld. From their grand tombs, the Egyptian pharaohs believed they would embark on a journey in which they would meet the gods in the afterlife and achieve immortalityWhere kings met godsThe people of ancient Egypt struggled to protect the bodies of their kings. After the pyramids of the Old and Middle Kingdoms were plundered, most Egyptian pharaohs of dynasties 18 to 20 of the New Kingdom (who ruled around 1570 - 1070 BCE) were buried in tombs cut into the solid rock of the Valley of the Kings.Hurghadaknown in Egypt as Ghardaga, was at one time just a simple fishing village. But now, with it's crystal clear water, untouched reefs and a multitude of ship wrecks, it has become one of the best Egyptian tourist destinations.With more than 20 km of hotels along the beach, Hurghada can satisfy the needs of every visitor, from scuba diving to windsurfing to desert safaris. One can choose from the finest 5 Star Hotels to simple Guest Houses, and everything in-between.Hurghada is world renowned as a center for some of the world's best Diving. Within a couple of hours from your hotel you can be amongst a group of islands that are the home to Dive Sites guaranteed to astound even the most experienced divers.. Hurghada was founded in the early 20th century, and until a few years ago, remained a small fishing village. But today, it has gone on to become the foremost tourist resort of the Red Sea coast and an international center for aquatic sports. If it takes place in or on the water you can do it here: windsurfing, sailing, deep-sea fishing, swimming, but, above all, snorkeling and diving. The unique underwater gardens offshore are some of the finest in the world, justifiably famous amongst divers. The warm waters here are ideal for many varieties of rare fish and coral reefs, which may also be observed through glass bottom boats. This area has many fine accommodations, usually offering warm and efficient service. Restaurants are mostly along the main road. While in Hurghada, don't miss the museum and aquarium, with their complete collections of flora and fauna of the Red Sea.Today, Hurghada is known as a party town, particularly among Europeans. Locals and others will tell you that life begins at night in Hurghada, with the many, many clubs. They are particularly frequented by the young, but certainly many others of all ages. One may often find a rousing party centered around the visitors from a tour group taking over the action of a particular bar. They are easy to find along the main street, along with loads of inexpensive and expensive hotels. One of the Local Evening Hot Spots just a bit still too Early It is also a beach resort, where thousands of older Europeans and others come with their families to enjoy the sun and fun of private resort beaches, some all inclusive. Many of these hotels offer so many activities and facilities that one may never need to leave the resort. Often, the larger resorts have zoos, playgrounds, discos, bars, a number of pools and even small theaters Hurghada is also a city under development. Many new hotels and construction are taking place, and we can expect to see some great new hotels, restaurants and other facilities in the near future. Actually this is a busy section of the Red Sea in general. Safaga is just south of Hurghada, and Soma Bay with its beautiful Sheraton is even closer to the South. To the North is El Gouna, a highly organized resort community. Together, these communities and resort areas offer just about everything a visitor might wish for, from raucous parties to isolated scuba diving, with golf, bowling and fishing in between. Islands near Hurghada offer all kinds of fun and excitement. Take a day trip to Giftun Island for snorkeling and a fish barbecue, or view the Red Sea from a submarine! When you're not in the sea you can shop in the boutiques, relax in the luxury holiday villages or visit the Roman Mons Porphyrites (mountain of porphyry) remains at nearby Gebel Abu Dukhan (Father of Smoke). Day-trips or safaris to explore the Red Sea Mountains by camel or jeep are also available. Other nearby islands and destinations include the Shadwan Island (Diving, snorkeling, fishing but no swimming), Shaab Abu Shiban (Diving, snorkeling and swimming), Shaab el-Erg (Diving, fishing and snorkeling), Umm Gammar Island (Diving and snorkeling), Shasb Saghir Umm Gammae (Diving), Careless Reef (Diving), Abu Ramada Island (Diving), Shaab Abu Ramada (Fishing), Dishet el-Dhaba (Beaches and swimming), Shaab Abu Hashish (Beaches, diving, snorkeling, swimming and fishing), Sharm el-Arab (Diving, swimming and fishing and Abu Minqar Island (Beaches and swimming).