My First Trip To Egypt

Egypt is fascinating to me. It is the root of art and design and some might even say civilization itself. There is so much history in Egypt. As an artist I was always fascinated with hieroglyphics and how art was used as a form of communication. Hieroglyphics are symbols that represented sounds and phrases. Alphabets are symbols that represent sounds and phrases. Look at these words that you're reading. Each letter is in itself a design. And when put next to other symbols, we create words and sentences and paragraphs. Since our mind interprets "s" as "es" and "sss" sound it becomes meaningful to us (instead of just a curvy, wavy, squiggly line). But not all languages use Roman characters. Most Asian languages use an entirely different set of characters. In ancient Egyptian cultures, symbols were used to communicate. In this case, the symbols were pictures - clip art if you will. I am fortunate to have visited Egypt twice. Below are some of my favorite pictures from my first visit to Cairo and Alexandria.

The above statue is outside the Library in Alexandria, Egypt. That is the Mediterranean Sea in the background.

Alexandria, Egypt skyline taken from Fort Qaitbey.

From inside Fort Qaitbey, looking into a stable yard. Fort Qaitbey was built on the foundation of the Lighthouse of Alexandria in the 15th century.

Alexandria, Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea.

Looking up at the ceiling in Qaitbay citadel in Alexandria, Egypt.

View from Cairotel room 707, in Cairo, Egypt - overlooking the Nile and in the distance (beyond the smog) you can see the Pyramids. I wept when I initially saw this and continued to be in awe every time I drew the drapes.

Looking down from room 707 from the Cairotel, in Cairo, Egypt. Notice the makeshift roofing as well as the tidy garden. The Nile River is in the background.

Looking northwest from our room at the Cairotel in Cairo, Egypt, at an apartment complex with the Nile river in the background. Look closely on the horizon for step pyramids older than the infamous three at Giza.
A faluka sailing on the Nile River in Cairo, Egypt. Look again closer - on the horizon there are step pyramids built during the Third Dynasty of Ancient Egypt (27th Century BC).


I wish I could have taken more pictures of common areas like this in Cairo, Egypt... but tourists do not frequent these areas and it was hard enough sneaking this one in! Take note in front of the pile of trash... is a swing set and child's play area. Very typical of Cairo - but rarely seen by locals.
Overlooking a Cairoesque grocery store. Taken from balcony.

First up close view of the Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza in the background.

Me and my gypsy hijab style in front of the Sphinx with Pyramids of Giza in the background.

Sphinx with Pyramid in background. Cairo, Egypt, 2009.

These are entrances used by priests in burial ceremonies that led to temples and the pyramids. They were not accessible for tourists.

For more pictures taken by me in Egypt during January 2009:
http://picasaweb.google.com/affable.artist/20090118Egypt2009#