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Luxor – the world’s largest open-air museum

Gosia — Sat, 03 Aug 2024 16:15:28 +0000

Luxor is also called the world’s largest open-air museum. Indeed, there are so many tourist attractions that you could easily spend a week or even longer here. The city was built around 1400 BC and was better known as ancient Thebes. Observing Luxor and its surroundings, you can imagine that this place must have been very impressive at that time. Even now, despite the fact that several thousand years have passed, you can still feel the power of ancient Egypt. Thebes was an important religious centre as evidenced by the number of religious objects that have survived to this day. In the eastern part of Luxor there’s the Temple of Karnak and the Temple of Luxor. Both are connected by a wide Alley of Sphinxes with a length of about 3 km, along which you can see, as you can guess, the statues of sphinxes 😉 Meanwhile, on the other side of the Nile, in the western part, there are, among others The Valley of the Kings, Colossi of Memnon and the Temple of Hatshepsut. It’s best to start exploring the city from the Luxor Temple, preferably at dusk. The setting sun and interesting lighting create an amazing atmosphere of this place. In front of the entrance to the temple, there’re two obelisks that symbolize the connection between the earth and the gods. In general, obelisks in ancient Egypt were often placed in front of temples and palaces. According to Egyptians’ beliefs, they’re the home of the sun, god – Ra. Just behind the obelisks you can see huge statues of Ramses II. The further path leads through courtyards surrounded by numerous columns. The scale of the Temple of Karnak, also known as the Great Hypostyle, is surprising. Anyway, it’s no wonder, it was built for a century and a half. It was erected in honour of the god Amun – Re. The most impressive is the hypostyle hall – made of 138 columns, decorated in a way that resembles papyrus flowers. The walls of the temple are decorated with numerous pictures serving as information carriers. The drawings of the scarab, which according to Egyptian beliefs was considered the god of the rising sun, are a very popular motif. The complex also includes the Holy Lake, where crocodiles symbolizing the god Sobek and hippos symbolizing the goddess Teoris were bred. Apparently, they were also embalmed and buried in accordance with the Egyptian tradition. A completely different face of Luxor can be seen on the other side of the Nile. Just a few-minute cruise is enough to see a completely different reality. The green fields in the eastern part of the Nile give way to a barren, desert landscape. It feels like Luxor is naturally divided into a vibrant and empty part, devoid of life. The sites on this side seem to confirm this. The Valley of the Kings- a complex of 63 tombs of the pharaohs is located here. Most of them are open to the public. This place makes an amazing impression. Inside the tombs you can see colourful paintings, most often depicting a boat motif, symbolizing death. It’s true that most of the tombs were plundered, but on site, for an additional fee, you can see the tomb of Tutanchamon. It was the only tomb that escaped the thieves’ attention. When Howard Carter and a group of archaeologists saw it in November 1922, they reportedly discovered about 2,000 items inside, mostly valuables. However, it’s hard to talk about the happiness of the team, because they were affected by the so-called the curse of Tutankhamun. Archaeologists began to die in completely unexplained circumstances, which was supposed to be the pharaoh’s revenge for disturbing his peace. Near the Valley of the Kings there’s the Temple of Hatshepsut. A large part of the temple was carved into the rock, and the whole construction makes an amazing impression mainly due to the surrounding views of the Nile valley. The complex is divided into three terraces from which you can admire the green fields on the other side of the river, contrasting with the desert landscape. What’s more interesting, thanks to Polish archaeologists, the temple was made available for sightseeing. When leaving the west bank of the Nile, it is worth visiting the archaeological site of the former temple of Amenhotep III. It’s true that practically it’s impossible to see here the former temples, but there’re still the 18-meter Colossi of Memnon. What’s more interesting, also in ancient times, the colossi were an unusual tourist attraction. As a result of the earthquake in 27 BCE one of them was destroyed in such a way that it made a specific sound when the wind was blowing. This made it very popular with pilgrims from the Roman Empire. Only its reconstruction in 199 put an end to this phenomenon. However, Luxor is not only a great archaeological site. Normal life goes on in the city. It’s worth seeing, for example, in the local bazaar. Here you can see how the residents of Luxor live, not to mention that in the absence of other tourists nearby it’s quite probably that you will be in the spotlight. What’s more interesting, I wasn’t forced to buy goods here, which is so popular in Egypt. On the contrary, the sellers smiled pleasantly and looked with interest, probably thinking what I was actually doing there. It is also worth taking a look at the side streets. The best way to finish the sightseeing tour is a walk on the banks of the Nile, at sunset.

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Albania – north direction

Gosia — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 07:00:14 +0000

Albania has recently become a popular destination. There’re many reasons: beautiful beaches, interesting monuments, good food and even better prices. During my 10-day stay, I managed to visit a large part of this country. I must admit that Albania has enormous potential, which the country seems to have not fully exploited. There is no investment in tourist infrastructure and no waste management. Rubbish seems to be an inherent element of the Albanian landscape. However, the main problem for me was the dramatic condition of the roads, which significantly limited the number of places I could see in such a short time. Despite everything, I believe that Albania is a country worth visiting. First of all, because of its diversity, which is especially visible in the northern part of the country. I started my tour of northern Albania from the castle in Kruja, also known as Skanderbeg’s Citadel. It is a medieval fortress located on a high hill. Kruja is a historical place on the map of Albania and a symbol of the heroic fight against the Ottomans. The city is known mainly because of the figure of Skandenberg – the national hero of Albania. Under his leadership, the fortress withstood the siege of Ottoman troops three times in the 15th century. Ultimately, the Ottomans managed to capture it after his death. The massive structure with a round tower is impressive, but the fortress in its present shape is arises a lot of controversy among Albanians. It was reconstructed according to the design of the daughter of the dictator Enver Hoxha, and apparently its current appearance differs significantly from the original. Inside the fortress there’s a museum dedicated to Skandenberg. Sari Salltik’s Shrine Near the castle in Kruje there’s an interesting religious building dedicated to the Turkish dervish -Sari Salltik, who is said to have brought Islam to the Balkans. This place is located only 7 km from Kruje. A picturesque mountain road unexpectedly ends at the top of the mountain. Right next to the parking lot there’s the entrance to the temple. The small temple is actually located inside a cave. Ther’re quite steep stairs leading to it. The temple consists of a small chapel carved in the rock and a vestibule where you can see the tombs. I didn’t see any tourists there. This place seems to be well – hidden from the mass tourism. This is surprising because the nearby Kruja Castle was literally besieged by tours during my visit. Rozafa Castle Near the town of Shkodër there is another castle known from a rather dramatic legend. Its name – Rozafa comes from the name of a woman who was bricked up alive within its walls. Apparently this was to prevent them from collapsing. The fortress is located on the top of a mountain, where you can see an amazing view of Shkodër. Lake Shkodër Lake Shkodër is the largest inland reservoir in the Balkans. It’s the border area of Montenegro and Albania, while the most part of it is located on the territory of Montenegro. The lake is very popular among tourists due to its picturesque mountain location and the habitat of many bird species. A popular destination for a one-day trip from Shkodër is Lake Koman. Lake Koman is a “side effect” of the construction of three hydroelectric plants on the Drin River. The hydroelectric plants in Koman, Fierza and Vau i Dejës are the largest in Albania and cover most of the electricity demand of the entire country. Even though Lake Koman was artificially created, it delights with its wild character. What’s more interesting, there are practically no tourists here. This is probably related to the lack of tourist facilities, not to mention the poor quality of roads. The asphalt on the route from Shkodra seems to be a distant memory. What is also disappointing is the large amount of garbage floating on the lake, which definitely spoils the overall impression of this place. I cannot understand the Albanians’ approach to these issues, especially in a place with such great tourist potential. Albania – paths One of the most picturesque places in northern Albania is the town of Teth and the Thethit National Park. Even though Teth is only 75 km from Shkodër, it takes 2 hours to get there. However, the long journey is compensated by the beautiful mountain landscapes. The town of Teth seems to be almost at the edge of the world, and it actually looks that way. This is an excellent starting point for hiking in the area. One of the most interesting routes is the trail leading to the Blue Eye – a crystal clear mountain lake. This place is especially visited by crowds in the summer, both by locals and tourists. In addition to bathing in cold water, an additional attraction is watching jumpers jumping into the water from a wooden footbridge. The path to the lake is moderately demanding and it’s itself an attraction of this trip. Another argument that it’s not the destination, but the journey that matters, is the trail to the Grunas waterfall. The 30-meter-high waterfall looks amazing, especially in the afternoon when the sun rays create a beautiful rainbow on it. However, in my opinion, the Grunasit Canyon is much more impressive. The canyon is 2 km long and 60 meters deep. There’s a small bridge suspended between the rocks, where you can cross the canyon. Apparently this is the narrowest part of the canyon, because its walls are almost at your fingertips. On the way back to Teth, in addition to the amazing views, you can also see the isolation tower – Kulla e Negujimit. Such towers were once a kind of refuge for people seeking shelter from bloody ancestral revenge. It’s just a small part of the amazing places I visited in Albania. Find out more here!

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Abu Simbel – Egypt, buried temples and mirage

Gosia — Thu, 16 Sep 2021 05:43:51 +0000

Abu Simbel is one of the greatest tourist attractions of Egypt, right behind the Pyramids of Giza. It’s located on the far southern part of Egypt, just below the Sudan border, actually in the middle of nowhere, or more specifically, in the middle of the Sahara desert, far from any civilization. Reason enough to be here as life here is very different than in the rest of Egypt. Abu Simbel consists of two temples: Ramses’es II and his wife Nefertari’s. The Temple of Ramses is dedicated to the sun gods Amon-Re, Re-Horachte and to Ptah – the god of arts and crafts. The entrance to the temple makes an amazing impression, it’s decorated with huge statues of Ramses II, each of them is 20 meters high. At the feet of the pharaoh, you can see the other members of the royal family: his wife Nefertari and children. The entire temple is about 30 meters high. Inside, you can see numerous reliefs depicting pharaoh’s power and courage. The interior of the temple is quite dark, while during the two days of the year on February 22nd and October 22nd, the figures of the sun gods Amun-Re and (Ra-Horakhty and Amon-Re) are illuminated with sunrays. The nearby Nefertari Temple was dedicated to Ramses’ beloved wife and the goddess of love and beauty – Hathor. It’s a copy of Ramses Temple. At its entrance, you can see four statues representing Rameses II and two depicting Nefertari. More interestingly, this is the only place where the statue of the pharaoh and his wife are equal, usually the wives of the rulers were “placed” in their legs. It means that Nefertari had a very big independence and power. We mustn’t forget that Ramses II had a great weakness for women. It is estimated that he had about 170 children. In the interior of the temple, you can see reliefs depicting Nefertari. What’s more interesting, nowadays the temples are located in a completely different place than they were built. In the years 1964 – 1968 they’re relocated. The need for relocation was caused by the construction of the Aswan High Dam on the Nile, which threatened to flood the temples. The temples were then divided into pieces, which were then placed like Lego blocks on a specially created hill, so that the waters of the artificially created Lake Nasser would not pose a threat to them. The location of the temple of Ramses was also reconstructed so as to obtain the effect of illuminating the statues twice a year. More interestingly, the works on behalf of UNESCO were managed by a Polish archaeologist – Kazimierz Michałowski. The temples in Abu Simbel are not the only reason why you should go here. The amazing desert landscapes and the opportunity to see how people live here, in my opinion, are even a greater attraction than the temples themselves. Characteristic architecture can be seen here. The buildings are topped with domes, which allows for better ventilation. Proper air movement is very important, because the temperature here can reach up to 122°F . Only some of the buildings here are made of brick. In general, you can often see various types of huts or makeshift tents. At first glance, you can see that life here is not easy. In the desert you can see some irrigation systems, but there is no vegetation. So what exactly do people do here for a living? The proximity of the border with Sudan makes the nearby town of Abu Sunbul an important trade center. On the road, you can find mainly trucks transporting various goods. Often you can see the cattle that are brought here from Sudan. Along the road, you can see numerous warehouses, stalls, tires and animal bones – probably cattle that did not survive the long journey. You can see mostly men on the streets, while women can be seen at the bus stops. And finally, one more surprise 🙂 On the way towards Aswan you can see a mirage. The sight made an amazing impression on me, it actually looked as if the rocks were reflected in the water surface. It’s a pity that the photos, unfortunately, do not reflect this phenomenon.

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Northern Israel – Sea of Galilee, Nazareth, Tzafad

Gosia — Tue, 18 May 2021 20:02:25 +0000

Northern Israel is the main destination for many pilgrims coming to the Holy Land. Beyond Jerusalem here are the main points of the Christian religion, known from the New Testament. We started our trip with Nazareth, where Archangel Gabriel told Mary that she would have a son, whom she was to name Jesus. The main purpose of the trips here, is Basilica of the Annuciation – a place where according to the beliefs the annunciation took place. Basilica is one of the most important temples for Christians, right after the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Basilica is huge and significantly different from the temples mentioned above. It’s built in a modern style and its interior resembles more of a fortress than a church. At its main point, there’s the Grotto of the Annunciation. Right next to the Basilica, is the Church of St. Joseph’s. According to the Christian tradition, St. Joseph’s workshop was supposed to be here. While being in Nazareth it’s worth going to a nearby souk – a market that offers local products and souvenirs. Unfortunately, we couldn’t see it because we visited Nazareth in the late evening hours. About 8 km (5 miles) north of Nazareth there’s another important pilgrimage point – Cana of Galilee. Here Jesus performed his first miracle by turning water into wine at a wedding feast. A little further east, on the scenic Galilee Lake you can visit Mount of the Beatitiudes. Visitors head to the main point of the mountain – to the Church of Beatitiudes, the place of Jesus’ sermon. It can be recognised by the distinctive dome. The church is surrounded by a beautiful garden with viewing terraces from which you can enjoy a great view of Lake Galilee. Near the Church of Beatitudes you can visit the Church of Multiplication of Loaves and Fish, where Jesus miraculously multiplied two fish and five loaves of bread to feed the crowds. While being in the area it’s also worth visiting Safed (Tzafat). Safed is located at the height of 3000 feet and is also the highest located city in Israel. It’s the main centre of Kabbalah – Jewish mysticism and one of the four most sacred cities in Judaism (including Jerusalem, Tiberias and Hebron). The Kabbalah, unlike Rabbinic Judaism, is based on reading sacred books between the lines, and the letters and accent of each word has a numerical value that gives additional meaning to words. Indeed, visiting Safed you can feel a specific spiritual atmosphere, different from the other places in Israel. The city is famous for many artists whose works can be seen at a local, elegant market. The dominant colour of the city is blue, which in an interesting way contrasts with white architecture. Additionally, the streets are decorated by numerous sculptures and artistic installations. While walking along the maze of narrow streets, we virtually didn’t see any tourists. Thanks to this, we could observe the life of the residents of this city. Tourist guides advise against visiting Tzafat on Shabbat, which runs from Friday evening to Saturday evening. Then many streets are closed to traffic and a car ride is rather risky then, as local residents throw stones at moving vehicles. Like this post? Check out another one!

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Western Armenia, must – see places, part II

Gosia — Sun, 14 Mar 2021 11:03:48 +0000

The next destination in Armenia, just after the Armenian Stonhenge (which I wrote about in the first part) was Monastyr Tatev. As we’re getting closer and closer, the road became more and more winding and mountainous. On the other hand, visibility decreased with every meter covered, actually directly proportional to the disappearing asphalt on the road. Aside from the fact that we were heading to the most popular monastery in Armenia, it looked like it was one of those places in the middle of nowhere. Tatev Monastery is mainly famous for its spectacular location in the Vorotan Canyon. The initial plan included a ride to the site by one of the longest ropeway (Wings of Tatev), reaching almost 6 kilometers, unfortunately without any visibility, it didn’t make any sense. Personally, I hoped to see even Gavazan’s Column on the spot. The column had been created almost a thousand years before the modern seismograph was developed. It’s made of a pillar placed on a rotary basis. In case of earthquake, it tilts. Unfortunately, the fog in place distorted my perception so that I wouldn’t even notice the earthquake. ? Undaunted, we decided to continue our route to Monastyr Noravank. As the height decreased, so did the fog. Even though we were away from any civilization, more cars could be seen on the road. Amazing landscapes accompanied us to Noravank Monastery. I have to admit, the monastery itself is quite impressive. Not to mention its sacred value, I must say that its camouflage impressed me the most ?. Monastery is located on a hill, and its bright color merges with the colors of the surrounding rocks. Meanwhile, the viewing terrace adjacent to the monastery offers a beautiful view of the Egheknadzor Plain. The next point of the trip was the most important sacral point in Armenia, at the same time the main destination of the pilgrimage – Khor Virap Monastery. The very name of the monastery in Armenian means ′′ deep dungeon′′ and it’s not a coincidence. Khor Virap was the place of the incarceration of Saint Gregory the Illuminator who converted Armenia to Christianity. The interior of the monastery makes an incredible impression, mainly because of its raw decor, dark color of walls, a small amount of light and numerous motive candles lit by faithfuls. Khor Virap, is a symbol of Armenia and can be seen on many tourism advertising materials. However, its fame does’s regard just a place of worship. Khor Virap guarantees the best view of the Armenians’ holy mountain – Ararat. It’s widely believed that Noah’s Ark after the Flood settled at the Ararat summit, that’s why this mountain is an extremely important element of Armenian national identity. It’s shown on the emblem of Armenia and is ubiquitous in the everyday life of the country. It’s presented not only in art or literature, but also in Armenian stores you can find many everyday products with this name. Although Ararat is situated in historical Armenian areas, it is currently within the territory of Armenia’s biggest enemy – Turkey. This fact is the reason for a sense of historical injustice, which is omnipresent in Armenian consciousness. After a visit to Khor Virap, I must say, I didn’t expect Armenia to surprise me with anything else. We had only a 50 km way to Garni Temple, which turned out to be one of the most beautiful in Armenia. I won’t hide that the driving was a bit longer, as we were initially stuck in the middle of the field hanging on a concrete water drain, and then due to some pretty specific terrain conditions we were forced to reduce the speed. On the other hand, I didn’t complain, it was even an advantage, as I could slowly contemplate the interestingly shaped terrain both of the road and its surroundings 😀 Meanwhile, a bit further, after the steppe landscape, the Garni Temple area surprised us with the amount of greenery. The Garni temple dates back to the first century and is the only sacral building unrelated to Christian religion that survived during Armenia’s adoption of Christianity. Right next to the temple is Geghard Monastery. The monastery attracts attention with its interesting location. Supposedly, in the 13th century, the remains of St. Andrew and St. John as well as the relics of the so-called The Spear of Destiny that hurt Christ on the cross, were stored there. The monastery makes an incredible impression not only because of its amazing location, but also its atmospheric interior. It’s also of great sacred value, because it was founded by St. Gregory the Illuminator. In the monastery you can see numerous khachkars, which are stone slabs, commemorating important people or events. In addition to the rich decorations, they also present a characteristic Armenian cross. Most often they can be found in the area of sacred facilities and cemeteries. The last stop was the monument to the Armenian alphabet, founded in 2005 on the occasion of the 1600th anniversary of its existence. The Armenian alphabet was created between 405-406 by a scholar and monk – Mesrop Mashtots and reportedly ranks among the most advanced in the world. Check out the first part here.

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Campeche and Uxmal – two civilizations

Gosia — Mon, 16 May 2016 20:14:31 +0000

Uxmal is the second most – important Mayan city in Mexico, just after Chichen Itza. The city is famous for its architecture and ornamentation. The most surprising is the fact that there’re no drinking water reservoirs in the surroundings and even there’s no evidence that they existed. Probably, potable water was being cached during rains and used in the dry season. The lack of water resources explains the abundance of reliefs presenting Chaca – god of rain. The most representative point is the Pyramid of the Magician, towering over the city. Similarly to Chichen Itza, this pyramid was being used for ritual purposes. During rituals, priests offered still beating hearts of blue painted people, as a sacrifice. The bodies were thrown down the pyramid stairs. Looking at the pyramid, one can imagine this bloody ritual which was intensified by scary Mayas’ appearance. They had flat forehead, squinted eyes and sharpened front teeth. Additionally during rituals, they used natural hallucinogens like peyote (made of cactus) or magic mushrooms. On the west side of the Pyramid of the Magician is the Nunnery Quadrangle, also decorated with Chaca reliefs. Probably it was a military school or palace complex. There’s also another palace, called the Governor’s Palace, adorned accordingly with Chaca images. There’re also another interesting buildings in Uxmal. Uxmal is located in the very center of the Mexican jungle and its unique ambience is created by iguanas which can be seen everywhere. If anyone has enough stories about bloody Mayas’ rituals, close to Uxmal there’s also another interesting place. It’s a post – colonial city – Campeche. It was established in 1540 by Spanish conquistadors in the place of the former Mayas’ town called Ah Kin Pech which means: the place of serpents and ticks. Fortunately, as it may seem Campeche isn’t a tourist’s nightmare. It turned out to be pleasant, baroque city with pastel buildings from colonial times. Empty, colorful streets and old churches make Campeche a unique place. ” order_by=”sortorder” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″]

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