Jahr: 2012

Karnak Temple

Veröffentlicht von Andreas

Gerhard and Maria went with a calèche to the Karnak Temple while Barbara and I went for a walk through Luxor to the Mutrania (Bishops House). During the earlier visits in Luxor we stayed in the guest rooms of Bishop Joannes Zakarias (joanneszakaria (at) hotmail.com). But this time he was out for a conference and we did not succeed to contact him early enough. So we found the Boomerang Hotel which is a nice small place to sleep and rest in a quiet road close to the train station and close to Luxor Temple.

Luxor

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After having been to Luxor already several times we thought of some other „events“ and places to go, or just to walk through town and promenade along the cornish. A calm promenade along the Nile Cornish is IMPOSSIBLE! Every meter, every second some Egyptians „welcome“ you with their commercial interest! Of course, there are almost no tourist! But after telling them that I am not interested in a Feluka ride, in a ride with the calèche to the Egyptian market (Only today, very cheap,…) and what else they offer, every additional offer is just hassling! Barbara and I walked to the Bishops House (Mutrania) to see if there is anybody at home. In earlier visits we liked to stay there in the guest rooms and enjoyed Bishop Joannes hospitality. Really a calm place right at the Cornish to rest from the tourist program. After we did not succeed to contact him before we were happy to meet Suzi, the cook. She immediately recognized us and invited us for tea. Whenever you want to stay with …

Theben West

Veröffentlicht von Andreas

Again with the little rest of gas Juliana drove us to the other side of the Nile. Gerhard and Maria wanted to see Hatschepsut Temple and the Valley of the kings. Barbara and I wanted to climb the mountain and cross from the Hatschepsut Temple to the Valley of the King as we also did in January 2010. We succeed and again enjoyed this walking through the desert. With the help of the bus driver of „Christian Transport“ we got the information where to find gas. One day there is gas in east of the Nile, the next day on the west side. So we find the one and only gas station with a long queue for gasoline and luckily also 92 Octan fuel where only a few cars where waiting.

Deir Pachomius

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Near Nag Hammadi, on the eastern Nilshore you find the Pachomius Monastery with three churches. Here the old scriptures of the Nag Hammadi Library with gnostic philosophy were found. The best know of them is the Gospel of St. Thomas.

Temple in Abydos

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In the Temple of Abydos we saw the most beautiful paintings we every saw in a temple in Egypt. We really were amazed by their beauty and astonished that there are so few tourist programs coming up from Luxor to this place. The main temple is called after the god Seth with many small chapels where also Osiris, Seths brother is commemorated. Behind you find a special temple for Osiris: The Osireion. Der Mythos: Als die Götter regierten, erschlug Seth seinen Bruder Osiris, zerstückelte ihn und warf seine Glieder in den Nil. Seine Schwestergemahlin Isis fand den Kopf in Abydos und Hautfetzen in Theben. Stück für Stück fügte die Göttin Osiris zusammen, empfing posthum Horus und bestattete Osiris. Fortan sollte Osiris über das Jenseits herrschen. Sein Sohn Horus rächte den Vater und erschlug Seth. Horus wurde zum Himmelsfalken und Königsgott.

Monasteries in the Nil valley

Veröffentlicht von Andreas

On our way from El Berba to Luxor we stopped at some monasteries in the Nil Valley and stayed over night in the Mutrania (Bishops House) of Sohag. Area of  Sohag: Eastern Nilshore: ca. 6km northeast of Akhmin: Monastery of the Archangel Michael (Malak); Monastery of the Martyrs (Deir al-Shuhada); Monastery of the Virgin Mary Western Nilshore: White Monastery; Red Monastery. Here Italian Specialists where just finishing there work of restoration. So we saw beautiful old frescos.

Deir Abu Vena

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Quite close to Berba, „just“ 24km south on the western edge of the desert you find the monastery of Abu Vena. He was a Saint and monk from the end of 4th century. The old monastery founded by him was hidden in the desert for centuries. The monastery was most likely built around the burial site of Saint Fana. His tomb was found during excavations of an international team representing seven European academic institutions and led by Austrian scholar Prof. Dr. Helmut Buschhausen in 1992. We visited it already for the third time and again enjoyed the quiet atmosphere of the desert and the strong spiritual feeling of the monks. One of the monks was even speaking a little bit German and telling us his touching personal story.