Category: Egypt

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Again, surprise surprise, you’re going to need a guide to gain anything from this museum. One approached me outside and offers to take me round for £15 for 1 and 1/2 hours, £10 per hour.

The thought does cross my mind, so I offer to hang around for more visitors to bring the price lower, at which point he tells me the price will not lower he’ll charge us all the same which could equate to £70-80 per hour.
Another example of money-grabbing by the Egyptians, and this guy actually worked for the museum so goes some way to indicating the attitude toward tourism.

Inside the Museum

Once inside the museum is a large circular atrium surrounded by a large rectangle filled with statues and relics.

Photo’s are not allowed.

Heavy statues are on the ground floor artifacts and jewellery are on the second floor.

Left wondering

I spend long enough wondering round to realise you’re really going to gain nothing without a guide, most of the pieces are labelled without dates, dynasties, locations or any over-riding narrative, story-board or reason d’etre.

This is a shame.
As a visitor, I feel that I really gained nothing from the experience. Apart from feeling that the Egyptians were by far the most advanced civilisation and way ahead of their time, which I felt when I walked in, this museum has been tiring and slightly pointless.

This was opposed to the Coptic Museum which was interesting and informative with over-riding structure and narrative. The aim of this museum seems to be to grab money rather than to educate.

Here’s a couple of pictures of what makes the museum famous.

Face Mask of King TUT

Gold Sarcophagus.

If you feel you should visit, you’re going to need a guide (again).

It’s worth the entrance fee but not the time. You could spend hours and learn nothing.

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Now you may think this is a corny name, “Nilometer, sounds like mileometer”. But you must remember, the first Nilometer was in existence in Pharoaic times, possibly before Christ not the other way round.
Duhhh.

The Nilometer in it’s current incarnation has been measuring the height of the Nile since 751 and the Arabian conquest, at which point they build a special dome and masonry housing and began measuring regularly the height of the Nile each season.

This records have been kept for 14 centuries and have spawned developments in other areas on science, notably Brownian motion for those physicists out there.

Walk on by

I arrived at the Nilometer after a hefty jaunt from the Raddison, I was greeted by the caretaker who invited me and another English family in to take pictures at which point he told us the various facts.

Facts

The Nilometer stands 10.4 meters tall and consists of a cubit, or forearms length x16 measurement units. During the year the water would flow in and out of the chamber rising and falling and being measured.

When the water was particularly high, all the surrounding land would be ruined and the government could take action. Also if the water was low and drought ensued, the government could again, lower taxes to prevent unrest.

There’s a scale:-

http://www.waterhistory.org/

which fiscal decisions for the year could be based.

Explore the shaft

Nilometer Shaft

After this, the caretaker allows us to venture into the musty shaft and explore the damp holes. The shaft has been empty since the building of the Aswan dam.

We all come out smiling :)

Outside the Nilometer

This trip cost 10 EP or £1.

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When I arrived in the Old Town area, pretty much everything was closed.

Church of Saint George

After taking a metro into town, which was nearly as hectic as the roads, picking up a map and returning, this was the first place I visited.

The Chapel of St. George is devoted almost entirely to St. George as it’s patron in keeping with Coptic tradition with which seems to have fairly strong ties.

They allow photo’s inside, unusually for an Orthodox church, but there is a caretaker making sure things don’t get out of hand.

Church of Saint George

Crypt of St. George

Downstairs is a crypt dedicated entirely to St. George and his dragon slaying abilities, some coloured frescos and stone carvings, stain-glass windows or alter-fronts. Pretty much a shrine to St. George. You are invited to drop a few pennies and help the upkeep of the various George’s and Dragons around the place.

Church of Saint George

Wonder Working Chains

In additional to the normal paraphernalia, the church is kitted out with a 4.2m magical chain. Administered by nuns, it is said that when this chain is attached, it can be a magical cure if venerated and kissed by the patron, with great blessing from George himself.

Particularly mad people and Turks are said to benefit from this most.

Visiting is only on a Friday if you are interested in this particular ceremony.

The church dates back to the 14th Century and has passed between the Roman and Coptic monks.