Help with Alexandria/Egypt tours needed.

[scanr]

Thanks for the great comments. Radioactive, give me your

email and I'll shoot it off to you.

We are leaving on the Legend 6/15. Staying an extra three days in Rome.

I would very much appreciate your "novel". Usually do much research and book private tours, but I'm way behind on this trip. Any suggestions appreciated.

 

Thank-you

 

scanr at one.net (@=at, no spaces)

[sea-explorer]

:) sparky 1664 you will have a great time...I notice you are from Kent..I will be going on the Splendor 8-30-08 and am spending 2nites precruise in Dover planning to see Canterbury on 1 or those 2 days...Anything you can advise me not to miss ' date=' you being a local? thanks....[/quote']

 

Hi Kruzin,

I'll be flying home from Venice on 30th.:)

I can't think of much more than the suggestions I made on the Canterbury thread. I think perhaps I forgot to mention the Chaucer Tales, the Ghost tour & perhaps the wall walk with the ruins of a Norman Castle (free) but they are all 'touristy things', rather than hidden gems. Perhaps you might find something that might interest you from this link here though:

 

http://www.canterbury.co.uk/thedms.asp?dms=11&GroupId=2&nv=0

 

I think you'll just enjoy exploring the City within the walls.

 

Don't forget Dover Castle & the underground tunnels used during the war. Also, Deal, just along the coast from Dover is a pleasant harbour town.

 

I have another question for anyone who has visited Egypt. Is it better to visit the museum in the morning/pyramids in the afternoon or vice versa? I know some may depend on which ships are in port & when their tours will be visiting..I'll be keeping an eye on that. I was wonderring about the other logistics, traffic in Cairo, morning/afternoon temperatures etc as well as the busy times at sights. Thanks for any help on this.

[scanr]

We are leaving on the Legend 6/15. Staying an extra three days in Rome.

I would very much appreciate your "novel". Usually do much research and book private tours, but I'm way behind on this trip. Any suggestions appreciated.

 

Thank-you

 

scanr at one.net (@=at, no spaces)

 

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

[sea-explorer]

I'll have a go scanr.

I hope Cat Girl won't mind. Perhaps she's just not around much at the moment.

[Saga Ruby]

Al Cafferty's story of the weather at the Giza plateau had me smiling about my own experience at the Pyramids in December 2006.

 

Before ever arriving in Egypt, I had read all about the vast crowds and hot weather at the site. Imagine my surprise when my guide and I stepped out of the van to chilly air and a dearth of tourists. The only people there were me, my guide, hawkers, and a group of middle-school kids on a field trip. I felt almost alone at one of the greatest tourist sites in the world and was slightly uncomfortable with the chill. Was I really at the Pyramids?

 

A further surprise was when the school kids gathered politely around me, grasping clipboards in their hands. In flawless English, they asked if they could interview me for their class. With my agreement, they proceeded to ask quite a lot of tourist questions, all of which I answered except, "How much did you pay for your trip?" So my memory of the Pyramids is sitting on a piece of ancient boulder, being interviewed by Egyptian school children while I silently admired their command of another language as difficult as English.

 

My profoundly nasty experience with one of the Giza hawkers is a whole 'nuther story, but I choose to remember those charming, educated children so earnestly asking a Texan about her experiences in their country.

 

Sparky, were you able to get Cat Girl's diary out? If not, I'll be the B Team to your varsity.

 

Ruby

[seafun]

If you're still keeping up with this thread, would you please email me a copy of your "report?"

As someone who has typed out my fair share of an Egypt review, LOL :D I'd love to read yours.

I'm at tomr@premier1.net

Thanks!

[sea-explorer]

Hello Al,

Yes it does help, thank you. You have confirmed for me too that it is probably easier to leave from Giza and that a trip to the bazaar would involve going back to Cairo and perhaps cost us more time than we would like. At the end of the day, although I want to have a clear idea of the options, I will probably be advised by the tour company. After all, they know their business. On that note, I have re-considered and also contacted DeCastro. who were quick to respond. Decisions, decisions..help!!:D

 

Ruby..yes, I managed to get the 'journal' to scanr. Again apologies Cat Girl..I do hope you don't mind.

I must thank you too for your book recommendation which I picked up on another thread. :) I have a copy sitting in my basket at Amazon at the moment..waiting for pay day on Friday.;) Hopefully I will be sat out in the garden in the sunshine this afternoon reading 'City of Falling Angels' in preparation for my trip to Venice..another recommendation I picked up from these boards.

I also have on order a 'super elegant':rolleyes: Sunday Afternoons hat..something that is impossible to buy retail in this country..but God Bless EBay!!! Lurking on these boards is costing me a fortune!:eek:

 

seafun..I've also dipped into your thread, with more than a little hint, I must admit, of 'the green eye'. If Cat Girl doesn't come back, I'm sure Ruby or I will sort you out.

[scanr]

I'll have a go scanr.

I hope Cat Girl won't mind. Perhaps she's just not around much at the moment.

Thanks

[Saga Ruby]

I must thank you too for your book recommendation which I picked up on another thread. :) I have a copy sitting in my basket at Amazon at the moment..waiting for pay day on Friday.;) Hopefully I will be sat out in the garden in the sunshine this afternoon reading 'City of Falling Angels' in preparation for my trip to Venice..another recommendation I picked up from these boards.

 

Sparky, are you ordering The Yacoubian Building? I am probably going to get another copy because I donate all my books to the municipal library, otherwise I would have to move into an abandoned warehouse. But that book had a major impact on my days in Egypt. I suddenly understood the culture and the people.

 

Thirty years ago, I was so curious about the "Oriental" mind but couldn't figure out why suicide was an honour, as in Madama Butterfly. Then I read Shogun by James Clavell and it all fell into place. Which is exactly what happened when I read The Yacoubian Building two years ago. And the response I got from the Egyptians when I mentioned that I had read the book opened cultural doors everywhere I went because it was made into a major movie with all the biggest Egyptian movie stars.

 

City of Fallen Angels - big thumb's up from me. I was sorry to see it end. The best point he makes is that Venezia is shaped like a fish on a hook with the railroad station being the fish hook. The huge fire at La Fenice opera house was a great sorrow to me. All those centuries of history up in smoke and questionably so.

 

Track me down on the boards and tell me what you thought of The Yacoubian Building. I'm always available on "Other Cruise Lines," "Saga Rose Greenland" thread. We're a happy group and never anything but friendly and civilized.

 

Ruby

[sea-explorer]

Yes Ruby, The Yacoubian Building, it's next on my list. :)

 

Ah..Shogun, it made a big impression on me too, but I must admit to have forgotten most of it now..it was such a long time ago.;) I'll have to reread it I think. One that I've recently finished that brought home to me for the first time exactly what was involved with footbinding in 19th Century China was Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. Some customs just don't bear thinking about.

 

I'll certainly let you know how I get on.:)

[lambs2]

Thanks Ruby for talking about The Yacoubian Building! I must read it before our upcoming January cruise with a two day stop in Egypt! I was in the middle of City of Falling Angels last year on our Venice to Venice cruise and it added immensely to my enjoyment of the city and our entire first Med cruise!

 

I am in negotiations at the moment trying to book a tour with Nile Blue for our days in Egypt - Alexandria -Cairo and back on Feb. 1 & 2, 2009. We have already booked our hotel - a recommendation from friends who loved it - a room with a great view of the pyramids in Giza at Le Meredien Hotel (a Starwood hotel) and 4-5***. If anyone reading this is on the Jan. 25 th sailing of Jade and would like to join DH and I for a great 2 day tour, please let me know! %he price will be less if we have more people on our private tour!

[Saga Ruby]

. . . a room with a great view of the pyramids in Giza at Le Meredien Hotel (a Starwood hotel) and 4-5***. If anyone reading this is on the Jan. 25 th sailing of Jade and would like to join DH and I for a great 2 day tour, please let me know! The price will be less if we have more people on our private tour!

 

I had lunch at the Meridien after our Giza tour. Just me and my guide. It's a lovely hotel, the lobbies go on forever with cool smooth tile, and it's just on the other side of the Mena Hotel which backs up to the Giza Plateau.

 

I took note of the security arrangements before any car or van entered the driveway of the Meridien. There are pop-up metal posts which stop the vehicle, then the guard walks around the car with a mirror for the underside while his dog sniffs the general chassis. I felt quite safe there and was glad that the safety of tourists is taken so seriously by the tourist industry of Egypt.

 

I'm so glad you enjoyed ". . . Angels." Anyone who has been to Venezia or is going to that great city will enjoy that marvelous story.

 

Ruby

[beautifulbc2]

Cat girl or ?

Can you send me your novel? bcf93@hotmail.com

Thanks!

[Saga Ruby]

Cat girl or ? Can you send me your novel? bcf93@hotmail.com Thanks!

 

On Monday, I sent an email directly to Cat Girl, telling her about the requests on this board for her "novel." I have not heard back yet and hope she is sailing on some marvelous cruise.

 

It has been suggested by Cruise Critic that she post her travel essay and LINK it to these boards. She is in receipt of that note. The original thread was Closed because it became simply a list of requests for copies and I don't know what impact that closure had on Cat Girl.

 

Sparky, I'm going to stand down until Cat Girl speaks up in one form or another, whether to me or somewhere on CCritic. I believe the writer, Cat Girl, should feel free to do with her work as she pleases. This is sort of a "rock, hard place, me" situation. What do you think?

 

Ruby

[cruisemom42]

Another thumbs up for The Yacoubian Building. I loved it. My guide initially wasn't too happy to discuss with me (I think the book exposes a lot about the society and politics that he would prefer to "gloss over" to tourists), but when he realized that I wasn't going to be critical, we had a good chat about it.

 

He even pointed out the "actual" Yacoubian Building (looks nothing like the description in the book) and also the office where the author works (as a dentist!)

[Saga Ruby]

Another thumbs up for The Yacoubian Building. I loved it. My guide initially wasn't too happy to discuss with me (I think the book exposes a lot about the society and politics that he would prefer to "gloss over" to tourists), but when he realized that I wasn't going to be critical, we had a good chat about it.

 

He even pointed out the "actual" Yacoubian Building (looks nothing like the description in the book) and also the office where the author works (as a dentist!)

 

I'm delighted to see that you enjoyed the book. I didn't want to say too much because the book is not always a walk in the park. It does, indeed, discuss Egyptian culture on many levels.

 

I had the same reaction from my guide at Giza that you did - originally she didn't want to talk about it but, as we circumnavigated the base of the Great Pyramid, we began to discuss the book and the movie (I didn't know it had been made into a movie).

 

My Giza guide said that the movie was pulled by the government after 2 weeks. When I repeated that information to the owner of my boutique hotel in Luxor, she sniffed and said that was not true at all. Two people in the same country with vastly differing opinions about one movie.

 

Ruby

[sea-explorer]

I believe the writer, Cat Girl, should feel free to do with her work as she pleases. This is sort of a "rock, hard place, me" situation. What do you think?

 

Ruby

 

I fully agree Ruby. I felt uncomfortable sending on her work, but I also felt uncomfortable when people were asking and I knew I could very easily provide it.

 

I was unaware the other thread had been closed. Now I also know that Cat Girl is aware of the requests, I think it is better left until she comes back.

[Saga Ruby]

I fully agree Ruby. I felt uncomfortable sending on her work, but I also felt uncomfortable when people were asking and I knew I could very easily provide it.I was unaware the other thread had been closed. Now I also know that Cat Girl is aware of the requests, I think it is better left until she comes back.

 

Thanks, Sparky. One hint to those who want her "novel" - Cat Girl is posting quite a bit on a Roll Call for "Enchantment of the Seas" for Sept 20 this year. I noticed she is sending out her essay by request.

 

So those folks who want to read a really fun and interesting travelogue can talk to Cat Girl directly. Her description about being pounded into hamburger meat on a marble slab by Turkish hamman attendants is worth the price of admission.

 

Again, thanks, Sparky.

 

Ruby

[CAT GIRL]

Sorry, guys. My computer crashed. I feel all out of sorts.

Thanks to those who stepped in for me. Give me a day to

get my act together and I'll get to you. I literally got online

about an hour ago.

[seafun]

I can't tell you all how much it tickles me to have shared my observations of my Egypt trip with so many people who tell me they've enjoyed my ramblings! :D

And to have you go so far as to acknowledge a touch of "the green eye of envy," well... gosh, shucks..... :o I can only wish for you that your future trips to Egypt thrill and amaze you as much as mine did for me!

And since Cat Girl seems to be away from her computer for an extended period, LOL, if you should happen to forward it to me at tomr@premier1.net -- I would be eternally grateful. :)

 

Well, not "eternal" like Egypt, maybe, but very grateful nonetheless! ;)

[NautiqueBelle]

Thanks for the great comments. Radioactive, give me your

email and I'll shoot it off to you.

 

Oh Please, could you spare the time to send another "novel". I need to read every word, dear. nautiquebelle@live.com Thanks so very much.:)

[Traveler50]

I would like to read it too. kayweekley@aol.com

[CAT GIRL]

Okay----Patw, Seafun, Beautiful, Nautiquebelle, traveler50

 

you've got mail.

 

Let me know if you didn't receive it. My computer's format is

a little different and I'm still getting used to it.

 

Anita

[juliejoe]

Catgirl - I'd love to read your travelogue.

Thanks!

Julie

juliejoe@swbell.net

[Imelda & Mario]

Please send me a copy too! We are heading to Egypt in October.

rrubo at tampabay.rr.com