NEW 7 WONDERS OF THE WORLD SAGA 6:

A TRIP UP THE NILE

Yes, we took a 3-day cruise up the Nile. 

It was glorious. To see the little communities lining the banks, the agricultural areas and the vistas into the plains and mountains.

We stopped at many sites: the temple that was full of mummified crocodiles 

which we saw at the crack of dawn, The Valley of the Kings, including Tutankhamun's Tomb,

click to see: King Tut's Tomb

the impressive Temple of Karnak in Luxor,

Me

Even the god OSIRIS was excited at KARNAK.

The fabulous Queen Hatshepsut Temple

and finally the Aswan High Dam with the incredible Abu Simbel Temple. 

This temple was resurrected in 1968 by UNESCO from Lake Nasser by being raised 100 feet to be preserved for all humanity. It's magnificent.

We were fortunate enough to see the sunrays pierce through the temple onto the innermost altar.

We found Egypt not very receptive to tourists and difficult traveling. I strongly believe the reason for that is that their religion, Islam, believes the artifacts to be infidel. So not much attention has been paid to them through the many centuries. However, now, they are waking up to the value of the artifacts and monuments which to them is the money that tourism brings.

NEW 7 WONDERS OF THE WORLD SAGA 5:

GIZA PYRAMIDS, EGYPT
(One of Four I've Seen.)


I've always been fascinated by Egypt—her Pyramids, 

It's the only addition to the New 7 Wonders of the World: making it '8'.

click to see: Giza Pyramids

Pharaohs 

and Sphinx.

Little did I think I would ever travel there. However, Ed and I went on a most fantastic journey.

Egypt was sensational! I never even imagined how fantastical it was.

We landed, of course, in Cairo and found it awesome—the crowded streets, the dust, foreign intrigue and the bustling of an enormous city.

One day we were in the Bazaar exploring. All of a sudden a man stood in front of us beckoning us into his tent! We were ready for adventure so we went in, but nervously. Inside it was simply a tent with lots of folded materials on the walls. The Egyptian was talking with us as if we were friends. Another man appeared with tea! But the Egyptian kept talking nonsensical things. All of a sudden, the other man brought out a tray with various colored bottles on it. These we came to learn were perfumes! We were being shaken down for perfume. We made excuses and quickly exited.

We stayed at a exquisite hotel overlooking the Necropolis of Giza with the Pyramids (The Oberoi Mena House)

  ---quintessential Egypt.

We were amazed at the Pyramids. 

Me in front of 480' Khufu (2560BC).

We rode camels at the Pyramids.


We went into the tunnel in the inside of the Khufu Pyramid, the largest. The tunnel was narrow and short. It had few light bulbs and was full of people. 

There was only enough room for one line of people going in and one line coming out. You had to crouch down in several areas. I became very claustrophobic and turned back not seeing the Queen's Chamber. It was too much for me. We did climb up the enormous blocks about a tenth of the way up though.

Ed on Khufu.

We would take day trips to various sites: Memphis, Saqqara and Alexandria.

Next, the Best Excursion of All.

NEW 7 WONDERS OF THE WORLD SAGA 4:

CHICHEN ITZA, MEXICO
(One of Four Wonders I've Seen.)

In 1972, I went on a ship cruise to the Yucatan in Mexico.

Included on the optional excursion list was Chichen Itza!  Well, it was not optional to me. I had to see it.

It's a large pre-Columbian archaeological site built by the Maya civilization. Its heyday was around 600AD. 

click to see: CHICHEN ITZA

It's a glorious site:

Notice the lady bumping down. That was like me!

RATTLESNAKES!!!

A Jaguar

Sacred Jaguar Throne.

My Sterling and Turquoise Souvenir (2 inches wide).

While I was on the cruise ship TIME MAGAZINE did article on cruising. On the COVER was a picture of a cruise ship's deck. I WAS IN THAT PICTURE! Albeit I was only as big as an ant because it showed the entire deck.

NEW 7 WONDERS OF THE WORLD SAGA 3:

MACHU PICCHU, PERU
(One of Four Wonders I've Seen.)

In May of 1988, Ed and I decided to go to Machu Picchu in Peru, one of The New Seven Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage Site!

It's such a storied and mysterious city. It is pre-Columbian, built in the 15th Century. It was unknown to the outside world until 1911, often referred to as "The Lost City of the Incas." It was confirmed that the Spanish did not see Machu Picchu by the fact that the Throne was not desecrated like all the others the Spanish discovered.

click to see: Machu Picchu

The scale from the pictures is deceiving.

Not until you are among the ruins do you really experience just how large it is.

When I first experienced it, it was the most mystical time of my life

  ---a revelation.

We climbed and climbed until exhausted—amazed and fascinated.

It's 8,000 feet in altitude! It was difficult to breathe. In fact, the Peruvian Government makes you stay down in Cusco (half-way up) 70 miles south, the night before.

You arrive via a narrow-rail, switch-back train to the valley below and are bussed to the top.

We were going to stay overnight at the small accommodations facility, but they couldn't find our reservations, even though we had pre-paid in the States months before. We wanted to see it at sunrise, but alas had to return the same day.

NEW 7 WONDERS OF THE WORLD SAGA 2:

COLOSSEUM, ROME, ITALY
(One of Four Wonders I've Seen.)

Seeing the Colosseum for the first time in 1972 was a revelation. It's huge and imposing. 

click to see: COLOSSEUM

Constructed 72-80AD, it's an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire. It is considered one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and Roman engineering. 

It's right in city center with raging traffic.

I saw it again in 1984, when I was studying in Italy. 


WHAT A SIGHT! 


Everyone should experience it.

NEW 7 WONDERS OF THE WORLD SAGA:

NEW 7 WONDERS OF THE WORLD

            ...was a project that  updated the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World concept with a modern list of wonders. A popularity poll was led by Canadian-Swiss Bernard Weber and organized by the Swiss-based, government-controlled New7Wonders Foundation, with winners announced on July 7, 2007 in Lisbon. It was the largest poll in history ever taken with over 100 million votes.

The 'New' list...

And they added an additional one from the 'Ancient' list...

My goal is the see all '8'.

I've seen FOUR!

How many have you seen?

Next, The FOUR.

(Parenthetical)

There's also the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)'s 911 WORLD HERITAGE SITES with 704 cultural, 180 natural, and 27 mixed properties.

Of that list, 45 are in Italy—the most of any country. I've seen fourteen: Venice, Florence, San Gimignano, Pisa, Rome, The Vatican, Santa Maria della Grazie in Milan, Ferrara, Ravenna, Amalfi Coast, Tivoli, Assisi, Verona and Siena.

In the United States there are 21. I've seen twelve of those: Yellowstone, Everglades, Grand Canyon, Independence Hall, Great Smokies, Redwoods, San Juan, Olympic Peninsula, Carlsbad Caverns,  Monticello, Taos Pueblo and the Statue of Liberty.

I've seen thirty-seven additional sites around the world.

I'm so fortunate!