lifestyle: 12/01/2011

12/28/2011

Valley of the Queens in Egypt

Valley of the Queens in Egypt

Valley of the Queens

Nefertari	There are between 75 and 80 tombs in the Valley of the Queens, or Biban al-Harim. These belong to Queens of the 18th, 19th and 20th Dynasties. These include The Tomb of Khaemwese (Tomb 44): Scenes in Khaemwese's tomb show him being presented to the guardians of the gates to the afterlife along with his father. He is making an offering in the scene, and is dressed in a robe, wearing a necklace and the sidelocks of youth. The Tomb of Queent Titi (Tomb 52): She is probably the queen of a 20th Dynasty. She is depicted with the sidelocks common to the Egyptian young of the period and in the presence
of the gods Thoth, Atum, Isis and Nephthys. In the next chamber the queen is shown making offerings to Hator the cow, and in the last chamber the gods Neith, Osiris, Selquit, Nephthys and Thoth. The Tomb of Amenhikhopeshef (Tomb 55): Amenhikhopeshef was a son of Ramses III and scenses show him with his father and the gods Thoth, Ptah and others. He was probably about nine years old when he died. Scenes show him being presented to various gods, including Anubis, the Jackal-headed god of the dead, by his father, Ramses III. A premature baby was also found in to tomb. This belonged to this mother, who aborted upon learning of Amenhikhopeshef's death. The Tomb of Nefertari (Tomb 66): One of five wives of Ramses II, Nefertari was his favorite and the tomb here has been is said to be one of the most beautiful in Egypt. The tomb is completely painted with scenes though out. In most of these, Nefertari, known as 'the most beautiful of them', is accompanied by gods. She is usually wearing a golden crown with two feathers extended from the back of a vulture and clothed in a white, gossamer gown. Be sure not to miss the side room where one scene depicts the queen worshipping the mummified body of Osiris. Near the stairs to the burial chamber is another wonderful scene with Nefertarti offering milk to the goddess Hathor.

When you visit Egypt, there are so many sites that you will want to visit, the length of your trip will never seem long enough! We often meet people during our tours , that have been to Egypt more than 15 times, and they keep returning to see something new! They ask about this newly discovered site, or some new tomb that has been recently uncovered, or even places that they have heard other people talk about! Here in Egypt, you will always find new sites to visit and enjoy.

The adventure that is Egypt never ends! That is why it is a shame if you come to Egypt, especially for the first time, and miss the grandiose sites, such as the Pyramids of Giza, Abu Simbel or the west bank of Luxor, to name but a few. There are so many travellers who fly direct to Upper Egypt to see Luxor and Aswan, hoping that they will be stumble across the Pyramids as well, and then they realize that they have to travel 720Km to Cairo, where the Pyramids actually are, and end up paying $400 extra to travel and see one site, which is most probably about half of what they paid for their entire trip!

So my advice for you, dear traveller, is to plan well for your trip before you come. Advance planning is the best way to save time, money and effort, and of course to ensure that you get to see the sites that you have been dreaming about for some time.

Try, as much as possible, to visit as many of the places that your trip will allow! There is nothing worse than going home and wishing you had visited somewhere you didn't! We both know that you don't get the opportunity to visit Egypt everyday!

Areas To be Avoided:

AREAS RARELY SEEN AND SAFETY

When travelling through Egypt, you should avoid certain areas, particularly sites located in the centre of the Nile Valley! About 20 years ago there was rising tensions at these sites, Islamic fundamentalists had targeted tourists in order to destroy the tourist industry and the economy. This was part of a larger plan to bring down the government, seize power themselves, and install the political ideas of their own vision, a vision which no more resembles the rules of the Qur’an than the Inquisition resembled the Christianity of Christ.

Some certain incidents occurred during the '80s and the ‘90s; a handful of events took place again targeting the tourist industry. Without for a moment trying to deny the reality of these events, the situation has been blown out of all proportion by the world's press, while the situation in other countries with flourishing tourist industries is far worse, their incidents rarely make headlines. But in Egypt, if anything happens, it becomes front-page news! In the mid
'90s, a widespread, and harsh, government crackdown campaign was implemented to try to stop any threats to tourism and visitors.

This can also be witnessed by the events of late January/early February 2011. Following Tunisia’s lead, the youth of Egypt started to protest, peacefully, for a radical change in the country. They were simply fed up with the corruption of the government; the permanent implementation of the emergency laws; the evil manners in which the police could arrest people (often leading to disappearances and/or deaths); and the high unemployment rate, especially amongst university graduates. These peaceful protests were invaded by paid thugs of the government, trying to suppress the protests whilst allowing the government to look good to the rest of the world, which the world’s press took great delight in covering. Once the protests achieved their aim, with President Mubarak resigning his position on 11/02/2011, life returned to “normal” in the country and the media stopped reporting ... unless an incident was to come alive when it was headline news all over again. Nothing good was ever reported to the people of the world and if too much time had passed since something newsworthy occurred, the media would simply show reruns of earlier events. Obviously this had a bad affect on Egypt’s tourism as potential visitors were scared away all the time, when in reality Egypt was safe to visit. Yet in Bahrain, where protests were dealt with a lot more severely, the talks about reinstating a Formula One Grand Prix were underway even when the country was not at peace!

A trip to Egypt still entails far less danger than a trip to anywhere else in the world. During the realm of the violence in the mid '90s, there were certain areas appointed as not good for tourists. These areas are located in the centre of the Nile Valley, particularly Minya, Asyut and Sohag. Unfortunately these places happen to have some of the most beautiful monuments in Egypt, like the beautiful tombs at Beni Hassan in Minya, the marvellous monasteries of Asyut and the Temple of Abydos in Sohag, not to forget Akhenaten’s ancient city of Akhetaten at El- Amarna, near Minya. In time, all of these sites will be fully re-opened for tourists.

If you still think that you would like to visit these places as an individual traveller, you can! However, be prepared for a police escort with you, as the local police will not let you travel alone in these areas! We suggest that the safest, cheapest and most informative way to visit these sites is through a reputable travel agent.

Listed below, you will find the names, and information, about many of the sites you really shouldn't miss.

Top 10 Places to Visit in Egypt

Top 10 Places to Visit in Egypt

There's no other place in the world that holds more mystery than the country of Egypt. The smell of the mysticism of the ancient Egyptians still lingers over the place. This ancient atmosphere seems to fill its every nook and cranny with secrets yet untold.
1.) Pyramids of Giza

And perhaps there is nothing more mysterious, and more worthy of seeing in Egypt than the esteemed Great Pyramids of Giza. These are the pyramids of Khufu, Kafhre, and Menkaura. These perfectly shaped structures leaves everyone in awe and in wonder about how exactly they were made, considering that the ancient Egyptians had no advanced technology to work with.

2.) Sphinx

And of course, if you're going to go to the Great Pyramids, then you might as well go to the Sphinx. This is one of the most mysterious structures in Egypt. Even now, archaeologists are still arguing about its origin and its purpose, making it the subject of the famous phrase, "the Riddle of the Sphinx."

3.) Abu Simbel

These two temples were built by Pharaoh Ramesses II to commemorate himself and his wife, Nefertari. It's a breathtaking place, and its temples are hailed as one of the most beautiful in Egypt. What's even more interesting about the Abu Simbel is the amount of effort put into relocating and preserving it.

4.) Cairo

And of course, if you really want to immerse yourself in Egyptian culture, it would be best for you to go to the capital city, Cairo. The place is teeming with bazaars and restaurants where you can buy your taste of Egyptian culture. It's surely not a place to miss.

5.) Temples of Karnak

What better way to experience ancient Egypt than to visit the very place where they worshipped their gods. The Temples of Karnak is the biggest site for Egyptian worship. It has a monument to just about every god in the Theban religion.

6.) The Nile River

And of course, you can't miss out on the famous Nile River. It is, after all, what nourished Egypt and turned it into the place of wonder that it is. In fact, what's great about visiting the Nile is that you can take a Felucca and sail down the legendary river, taking in the sights of the city and the sunset.

7.) Valley of the Kings

The Valley of the Kings or Biban El Moluk is the place where Egypt's most esteemed pharaohs were buried. This place is teeming with mummies and undiscovered treasures. In fact, this is the place where archaeologists found one of the most famous mummies of all time - Tutankhamun.

8.) Egyptian Museum

Of course, since it would be unwise to leave the Egyptian treasures in the tombs they were found in, the archeologists put them in the Egyptian museum where they would be put under high security. If you want to learn about Egypt, this is the best place to start. There's no other place with a higher concentration of Egyptian artifacts, and you can even follow the tour so that you can be oriented with the history of each of the artifacts.

9.) Siwa Oasis

Egypt isn't all about temples and pyramids, there's a place where you can just let loose and have fun - the Siwa Oasis. Here, you can take a swim in the cool waters to ward off the desert heat. It is rumored that Alexander stopped here during his great conquest.

10.) Necropolis of Sakkarah

And indeed, you can't miss something as intriguing as a 'Necropolis' or, if translated, a City of the Dead. Here, you will find the less popular pyramids of Egypt, the step pyramids. However, though they are less popular than the great pyramids, they're still suffused with great history and culture.

12/27/2011

Female Orgasm Guide

These days most women want orgasms, but studies show that about 10 percent of women have never experienced an orgasm, and 50 percent of women have had trouble getting aroused at some point. So why are so many women having trouble climaxing? And what can men do to help women reach orgasm?

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12/26/2011

The 12 Business Days of Christmas and Hanukkah Day 1

The 12 Business Days of Christmas and Hanukkah Day 1

The 12 Business Days of Christmas and Hanukkah DAy 1

A gift for every (business) day of the holiday season! Today, Ugg fingerless flip mitts.

Here at Men's Fitness, we don't believe in taking days off when it comes to fitness, but we do believe in taking days off when it comes to work. Which is why we're giving you a 12 (Business) Days of Christmas and Hanukkah gift guide. Every (business) day until December 28, we'll feature a great stocking stuffer or Hanukkah gift for your dad, brother, best friend or just forget everyone and get something for yourself. Snag one of these items, or check out our complete holiday gift guide for more ideas.
Fingerless gloves are hard to pull off without looking like a hipster, but how are you supposed to operate your iPhone/Droid/camera/iPad when you're wearing gloves? Ugg provides a solution with these fingerless gloves with a mitten flap. Once you're done texting, you can fold them over to transform them into mittens and keep your fingers warm. They're made of lambswool with a fleece lining for extra warmth, and leather palms mean you won't lose your grip on whatever ridiculously expensive piece of technology you're handling.

Five Ways to Land Sick Holiday Deals

'Tis the season to spend time with family and friends, drink too much, eat too much and rack up ridiculous amounts of credit card debt.

It's time to evaluate if it's worth breaking the bank in pursuit of that perfect holiday gift for the special people in your life. According to a FreeScore.com survey, 62 percent of shoppers were willing to break their budget if they found the right gift.

But scoring that awesome present doesn't necessarily have to mean digging yourself into a debt hole. We spoke to Tom McElroy, Vice President of E-commerce at NoBetterDeal.com, to learn the insider tips to landing some killer deals this holiday season. He gave us the five things every smart shopper needs to know before they blow their life savings.

1. Cruise shopping comparison sites

Sites like Shopzilla and Nextag a good resources for people looking for a deal. They "pull the pricing information and product descriptions from multiple sites across the Internet and show you where you can get the best value," McElroy explains, but it's the consumer's job to be diligent. "At that point, the customer as to make a decision: Do they trust the company that's listed at the top with the lowest price or do they want to go with a more established firm and pay a little more?" Still, he says when you're starting to look for deals, that's the best place to start.

2. Stay in touch with social media

"The best offers are often the ones that are put out into social media. So if the company has products that you like, become a 'friend' or 'like' that company on Facebook, or get their Twitter feeds. I tend to find that some of the very best deals are coming through social media." He explains, "A lot of times, retailers have excess inventory of something that is just not selling as quickly, so they'll offer some very deep discounts on content through social media."

3. Take advantage of secondary market products

"These are products that have been returned to a retailer or a dot-com merchandiser by the customer. Most of the time, it's buyer's remorse—the customer decided they didn't want it, didn't like the color. Or, maybe they found a better price elsewhere and they canceled the order," he explains. A secondary market retailer, like NoBetterDeal.com, offers returned products that range from brand new to "as is" at reduced prices. Buying products on the secondary marketplace means you can find items in perfect condition at significant discounts, up to 60 percent.

4. Wait until the end of month (or the end of a company's financial quarter)

"I think a consistent trend that I see is that, as you approach the end of the month, or especially, the end of a company's financial quarter, you'll find very, very good deals. Most companies want to reduce their inventory at the end of each month for a wide range of reasons, especially at the end of the year. There are tax consequences to carrying inventory from one year to the next.

5. Make the holidays in January

"As a lot of products come back from the stores or are returned from the Christmas period," McElroy says, "So that's when a lot of really great products become available." On the flipside, McElroy advises you to save cash or gift cards for after the holidays. "If someone's giving you some money or a gift card for Christmas, don't use that the day after, hang onto that and wait 'til early January when a lot of online retailers will start to run specials yet again. That way, people can stretch their dollar a little further."

And one final note...

"As you're buying products that are offered on discount, make sure you check the return policies and the shipping rates," McElroy advises. "Oftentimes you might find an item and the shipping charges are just disproportionate to the price. So there are some sites out there that will merchandise at a very low price—an item that normally sells for $30, they're offering for $15--and you come to find that it's $8 to ship something that only weighs a pound." McElroy stresses double-checking shipping and return policies

The Best 10 Anti-Christmas Movies

see here

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12/25/2011

Best Christmas gifts 2012

Best Christmas gifts 2012

Tradition says that we must treat each other kindly during Christmas. Maybe that is the reason why the tradition of giving Christmas gifts has spread far and wide. By giving holiday gifts, we show that we care about each other.

Ideas

The history of the Christmas gift dates back to 4th century A.D. – the time of Saint Nicholas (later called Santa Claus). Even after so many years, people still find it difficult to find the perfect Christmas gifts for the special persons in their lives. But it doesn’t have to be so hard. One just has to anticipate the coming of Christmas and write down good ideas as they occur. For instance, if your dad is frustrated that his old fishing rod broke during summer vacation, he might forget about it after a while, but it is your job to write it down and remember to buy him a replacement when Xmas comes.

Another good tip when looking for good Christmas gifts is to think of alternatives to the common presents. Here are a few ideas for alternative Christmas gifts:

1. Subscriptions (monthly magazine, journals etc.)
2. Food (gift voucher for restaurants, gourmet food basket, and others)
3. Holiday (gift voucher for short vacation breaks)
4. Personal care (facial treatment, health resort holiday, etc.)
5. Entertainment (cinema tickets, trip to a go-cart track, etc.)
6. Gift voucher for a donation (Check out our Christmas charity list.)

History

Gift giving was common during the Roman Saturnalia. In the 13th century, nuns in France started giving gifts to the poor on the eve of St. Nicholas' Day. Gift giving was soon repressed by the medieval church.
In the beginning, people did not buy expensive Christmas gifts for each other. Gifts could be pieces of fruit or simple toys. The gifts were not wrapped and were just given to each other or hung on the tree since the Christmas tree tradition also became popular.

Gift giving in colonial America was based on class differences, the poor accosting the rich and demanding food, drink, and money. In the 1820's, borrowing from the New York Dutch, the idea of gift giving was transformed to that of parents giving christmas gifts to their children. Moore's poem may have been a contributing factor to the beginning of the commercialization of Christmas. Christmas shopping was encouraged to overcome the depression during the period, 1839-40.

Today, the sales due to the buying of Christmas gifts break records every year. However, some families have started to curb spending, because they think that Christmas due to the unwise spending for Christmas gifts has become too commercialized. The concern about the increasingly expensive tradition of giving Christmas gifts has existed for a long time. As early as 100 years ago, poets and social critics began warning people that Christmas was becoming too commercialized

Santa Claus

Most children know Santa Claus as a big, round, red-cheeked, joyous, old gentleman who delivers Christmas gifts clad in black boots and a red and white suit. But really, who is Santa Claus and where does Santa Claus come from?

The legend of Santa Claus dates all the way back to the 4th century when a child named Nicholas was born. At that time, nobody knew that he was to become world renowned as Santa Claus, but Nicholas soon showed signs of special abilities.

As a grown-up he became bishop of Myra in Lycia, a province of the Byzantine Anatolia, now in Turkey, where, according to legend, he only did good deeds.

One of the deeds later associated with Nicholas as Santa Claus or gift donor took place when he saved a family from poverty one night by throwing money through their window. But Nicholas was capable of much more than that. He could, by the power of God, bring the dead back to life and save sailors from storms. Therefore, Nicholas (later known as Santa Claus) was beatified and initially, was mostly honored by the sailors.

Old santa

At first, Nicholas became a Catholic saint, but during the Reformation hagiolatry was abandoned by the Protestants. However, it was difficult to just drop St. Nicholas due to his popularity; thus, he was portrayed without a bishop’s miter and was named Santa Claus. Coincidentally, Nicolas had died in December, thus, it was now easy to associate him as Santa Claus with Christmas and gift-giving.
That’s how St. Nicholas became known under the name Santa Claus in Europe and later on, also in the USA. His story was spread by the Dutch sailors berthing in New York. They called St. Nicholas “Sinterklaas”, and through translations to American English, he became the American “Santa Claus”.

Christmas Tree Candles 2012

Christmas tree candles represents two things for most people around the world. First, Christmas tree candles symbolizes the Bethlehem Star which guided the Three Wise Men to the manger as stated by the Holy Bible. On the other hand, Christmas tree candles for all represents the search of the Holy Family for shelter before the birth of the infant Jesus. But a Christmas candle can also be found on the window sills of most Irish homes during the holiday season since it symbolizes their welcoming gestures for the Holy Family that was in search for shelter before the Nativity.

There are real Christmas tree candle sets that are available at holiday shops and the like, and these candles are used so as to embellish your living room centerpiece during the Christmas season. These Christmas tree candles go well with real Christmas trees, and you should also consider purchasing real Christmas tree decors such as wreaths and the like so as to add a flavorful serving of the Christmas spirit to your home during the holiday season.

But there are also modern versions of Christmas tree candles, such as the electric Xmas tree candle. These electric Christmas tree candles come in all shapes and sizes, and it is also available in a wide variety of colors. These electric Christmas tree candles are usually bundled with the artificial Christmas lights that can be used to decorate both artificial and live Christmas trees. But if you are planning to decorate your outdoor Christmas tree with these electric Christmas candles and lights, you should consider purchasing the waterproof versions so as to avoid any unnecessary accidents and the like. You should also consider acquiring the services of professional electrical technicians for the task of installing these outdoor electrical Christmas lights and candles on your outdoor Christmas tree.

Christmas cards and greetings 2012

Christmas cards and greetings 2012

AllThingsChristmas offers its 2012 collection of free, beautiful Victorian Christmas cards in pdf format for you to print from your computer, as well as free Internet Greeting Cards you may send via email.

Press to create your own card

Electronic Card

Instead of paper cards, why not send out an electronic Christmas card? Making & sending a Virtual Christmas card is easy. Just follow the instructions at each step.
Press here to create card
You can also print and write your own Victorian Santa Cards

Victorian Santa Cards

Create your own Christmas cards this year! These lovely Santas look beautiful when printed on 8½ x 11 inch cream or white cardstock from your color printer; after printing, just cut in half and fold! Simply select your card and click. A new window will open with your card in pdf format for easy printing. Cards print two per page. If a new window doesn't open after clicking the picture, you will need Adobe Reader which you may download free from the Adobe Website.
For more printing projects, visit our Christmas Printable page which features Victorian Gift Tags & Lists, our Printable Coloring Pages, and our North Pole Gift Tags.

All things christmas card shoppe

Send a Free Holiday eGreeting to someone you love, compliments of AllThingsChristmas. Choose from one of many beautiful designs, then customize your christmas cards here.

The History

The tradition of sending Christmas cards begun in 1843 – about the same time as the first Christmas seal was published. The first Christmas card was produced in England, and the idea was well-received, because the following year, more than 25,000 Christmas cards were sold. However, the first Christmas card provoked controversy in certain circles in England, because the Christmas card pictured a company of people touching glasses and saying “Merry Christmas”. Putting alcohol and holy Christmas in one picture did not please the English citizens then.
For more than thirty years, Americans had to import greeting cards from England. In 1875, German immigrant to the U.S. Louis Prang, opened a lithographic shop with $250, and published the first line of U.S. Christmas cards. His initial creations featured birds and flowers, unrelated to the Xmas scene. By 1881, Prang was producing more than 5 million Christmas cards per year.

Today, Christmas cards come in all shapes and sizes -- from small and simple to big and colorful. The big American producer of Christmas cards, Hallmark, employs a whole army of Christmas card designers who produce new Christmas cards every season. The most popular cards are the old fashioned and nostalgic ones with sledges and pixies, and a big, chubby Santa Clause in a red and white coat.
Since the Internet became widespread in the middle of the 90’s, sending electronic Christmas cards became the trend.

I just watched.....
posted by no_1_christmas_fan 12/25/11 04:52 PM

What you're listening right now?
posted by Home alone 2 12/25/11 04:28 PM

What are you doing Right Now?
posted by Home alone 2 12/25/11 04:13 PM

Many homepages offer easy-to-use digital cards which simple require the user to write an email address, a traditional Christmas greeting wishing for many nice Christmas presents, and finish by clicking “send”. The card arrives in the receiver’s inbox, and the old Christmas greeting tradition is carried on albeit in a modern way.

It is quite easy to make a personalized Christmas card. Here are a few ideas:

1. Glue small fern leaves on a piece of paperboard. Putting them together simulates the look of a Christmas tree, especially if you add a small star sticker or cut-out on the top. The trees can be decorated with small gift packages, i.e. squares made of colored tape which you wrap with cross ribbons in contrasting colors.
2. Even if you are not good in drawing, you can still create beautiful Christmas cards. Cut out Christmas motifs from magazines, preferably colorful ones, and glue them together on a piece of paper (e.g. in several layers). It sounds simple, but you can really make very beautiful and creative cards in no time.

Large picture: Christmas cards

Fastest Cars In The World

http://www.askmen.com/top_10/cars/fastest-cars-in-the-world_1.html

The Irony of Intercourse

For a lot of women in long-term relationships, intercourse is known as the “waiting it out and hoping it’s over soon” portion of lovemaking, according to sexologist Dr. Trina Read, but it doesn’t have to be.

Not much has changed since our grandmothers told our mothers on their wedding night to “Stare at the ceiling and think of England dear. It will be over soon enough.”
Today’s woman, though, can’t admit that the intercourse part of the sexual experience probably isn’t doing it for her

12/22/2011

Fashion United Arab Emirates 2012

Fashion United Arab Emirates

How to Pour a Guinness video

animal attack video

Survival Tips Videos

12/15/2011

THE TEMPLES OF ABU SIMBEL

ABU SIMBEL

Abu Simbel is a set of two temples near the border of Egypt with Sudan. It was constructed for the pharaoh Ramesses II who reigned for 67 years during the 13th century BC (19th Dynasty).

The temples were cut from the rock and shifted to higher ground in the 1960s as the waters of Lake Nasser began to rise following completion of the Aswan High Dam.

The Great Temple is dedicated to Ramesses II and a statue of him is seated with three other gods within the innermost part of the rock-cut temple (the sanctuary). The temple's facade is dominated by four enormous seated statues of the Pharaoh (each over 20 metres or 67 feet high), although one has been damaged since ancient times.

The Small Temple was probably completed ahead of the Great Temple and is dedicated to Ramesses' favourite wife, Nefertari. At the entrance stand six 10-metre-high (33 feet) rock-cut statues - two of Ramesses and one of Nefertari on either side of the doorway

The temples can be reached by road, air or boat. Arrival by boat is achieved by cruising from the Aswan High Dam on a 3-day journey. The author first made the boat trip on the "Eugenie" in January 1995 with the vessel stopping at various relocated temples along the way. In early 1998, the journey was repeated on the "Nubian Sea", but the number of tourists reaching Abu Simbel in this way remains relatively small. A hydrofoil service from the Aswan High Dam to Abu Simbel was re-introduced in 2000 (there was a service in the 1960s) with two return trips per day.

In early 2001, the author was surprised at the increased number of visitors at Abu Simbel at night and for sunrise. Once it was possible to watch sunrise with just a few others. However, it is still a very special time

During a visit to Abu Simbel during February 2002 by means of the re-opened highway, buses were required to proceed in a convoy with arrival at the site a little after sunrise and about 2.5 hours spent at the temples before the return journey to Aswan. A security fence has been erected around the site and the cruise boats are now kept off to the sides of the temple site. A new visitors' centre has been opened behind the temples and vendors are now housed in a line of permanent shops leading to the centre.

A very good Sound & Light show also has been introduced for those at Abu Simbel in the evening. This includes projections onto the two temples showing how they once would have looked. The program is presented in a number of languages with the provision of ear pieces

Tour to LUXOR

Tour to LUXOR

THE LUXOR AREA

The Luxor area of Upper Egypt was the Thebes of the ancient Egyptians - the capital of Egypt during the Middle and New Kingdoms. Today it is famous for its temples and the nearby Valley of the Kings.

On the east bank is the modern town of Luxor. Running alongside part of the river bank and separated from it by the corniche is Luxor Temple. Modified over many centuries, its main pylons, or gates, are on the northern end. In front of them is one obelisk - its companion was given to France and taken to Paris where it was erected in Place de la Concorde on 25 October 1836.

Just south of the temple is the Old Winter Palace Hotel - used early this century by Lord Carnarvon as work proceeded on West Bank excavations and preliminary work on the tomb of Tutankhamun.

At the northern end of town is the sprawling Karnak complex of temples built over a span of about 1,500 years. It is famous for its main Hypostyle Hall with 134 massive columns. One can wander for hours amongst the ruins. Starting at the first pylon, one walks back through time to the earlier constructions toward the rear.

About halfway between Luxor and Karnak temples is located the Luxor Museum - one of the best in Egypt.

The major temples include the Ramesseum - the famous mortuary temple of 19th-dynasty pharaoh Ramesses II. Walking amongst its ruins evokes a special feeling and the fallen colossus shows how even the mighty have fallen. This was the site from which Belzoni removed the famous bust now in the British Museum. Belzoni's signature can still be found carved in stone in a couple of places within the Ramesseum, along with those of other well-known personalities of 19th-century Egypt. Stories of the Ramesseum and the display of the enormous bust of Ramesses

Medinet Habu was Ramesses III's attempt to copy his ancestor. The complex was added to over the centuries following, but it is most impressive and shouldn't be missed. The artisans from the nearby town of Deir el-Medina moved in to the compound when things got unsafe and the construction of Royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings came to a halt. The mortuary temple of 18th-dynasty Queen Hatshepsut is a masterpiece of design and has been under restoration for about a century. It is built into a natural amphitheatre in the cliffs and does not look out of place in the 20th century, even though it was constructed during the early 15th century BC.

Most famous of all on the West Bank is the Valley of the Kings. Although its modern paths detract a little from its atmosphere, it is still possible to feel the link to the distant past - especially when most of the tourists have left earlier in the day. Tutankhamun's tomb is one everyone wants to visit - and should if possible - just to appreciate how small was the area that contained the riches now partly on show at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

However, there are many other more impressive tombs. There is no guarantee which ones will be open during a visit, but try to see those belonging to Thutmose III (the Napoleon of Ancient Egypt), Ramesses III, IV and VI, and Horemheb. That of Horemheb contains examples of how workmen created wall reliefs. The tomb of Seti I is a masterpiece, but structural problems keep it closed these days

Christmas games

For several hundred years, Christmas has been synonymous with playing and Christmas games. It is the time when the family members gather and enjoy competitions and Christmas games.
Here in allthingschristmas.com, we have devoted a whole section to computer games for children. You can visit the page via our Christmas for Kids-section or you can try some of the games here.

Concentration	Dress A Snowman
Find The Differences	Magic Elf

Trim The Tree	Scrambles
Peppermint Checkers	Match the Ornament

f you are looking for ideas for Christmas games to enjoy together with family and friends, we also have some good ideas for you.

Christmas games for children

1. Fill the Christmas stocking
Each team needs a sock, a spoon, a bucket, and some candy.

Divide the children into teams. Ask the children to stand on one end of the living room and hang up the socks at the other end. Place a bucket with candy and a spoon in front of each team. A child from each team shall now take a piece of candy with the spoon, carry it to the sock and put the candy inside. Now the child runs back to his team and gives the spoon to the next child. The first team that puts all of the candy in the sock wins. You can make the competition more difficult by requiring the children to hold the spoon with the mouth.

Large picture: Christmas games

2. Sing the Christmas carol
Each participant receives a piece of paper and a pencil.

All participants write 4 of their favorite Christmas songs on a piece of paper. (Skip Jingle Bells, otherwise everybody will choose that one). When the songs have been written down, each song is assigned a random number from 1-20. When the competition starts, the organizer shouts out a number from one to twenty. If one of your four numbers is called, you have to sing the corresponding song. The first participant who gets to sing all his four songs is the winner. The competition is a lot of fun, because everybody will soon be singing all at once.