We arrived in Cairo, Egypt today.

Cairo is a boy’s name. It means “the Vanquisher,” “the Conqueror,” or “victorious.” This is in reference to Mars, the vanquisher planet, which was reportedly rising over the city at its founding.

We had few passengers coming here from Jordan. We could see the pyramids down beow us as we came in to land. They are a more than we expected. Photos don’t do them justice.

The airport here is very modern and getting our visas and passport control was a breeze. They were very quick if not too friendly.

Our O.A.T. representative was on hand with a good sign and waiting for us.

We are now using another very large bus.

We are eight now and a few more will join us here. We have lost the other married couple to Covid and they are in isolation. They will rejoin us as soon as they are well.

I guess I should also mention that a few people begged out on this trip due to the growing issues in Israel at the moment.

The city is crowded with 27 million people living in brick buildings for the most part up to twenty srtories tall.

The highway to the hotel is elevated and and is thirteen miles long. It reminds me of the highway in Bangkok. It is considered the longest bridge in Cairo.

We passed the site where Anwar Sadat was assassinated.

It runs through but above many neighborhoods on the way to the island where our hotel sits waiting for us.

The traffic is as thick as you can imagine. There are people sweeping the road with brooms and walking down the middle of the lanes. There are whole families riding on one motorcycle like in Hanoi.

This is a busy city and is filled with resilliant people. The currency has been devalued more than once lately and times are hard.

We are staying at The Cairo Marriott.

The hotel was built as a palace by Khedive Ismail, the man responsible for the building of The Suez Canal.

It is said that he had a crush on the wife of Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte, Eugenie de Montijo and had a special apartment built just for her. There is a marble staircase which is very beautiful, leading up to it. It is a duplicate copy of her room in her palace. She was the Empress of the French until 1873.

This hotel was a palace at one time for the many dignitaries to come to at the opening of the Suez Canal. It is a beautiful place with fine restaurants and shops.

It is built in the French style with much wrought iron decoration. It reminds me of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

One could stay here forever and be quite comfortable.

There are many shops, at least two banks, a bakery and a few restaurants.

You can see the Nile from your room if your are lucky and the grounds are spacious and beautiful. It’s time for a well deserved night’s sleep.

Our room is huge with fourteen foot high ceilings. The bathroom was something else. We have a large private patio as well.

We went out to load up on our bus this morning. It is a full sized bus for just twelve people. we were soon on the elevated highway to see the pyramids.

Our guard is armed with a machine gun of some sort. It is under his suit coat. It hardly ever shows. He will be with us for the days we are in Cairo.

He is a pleasant fellow and has a second job as a security guard here in town.

He is as wide and thick as two men. He looks like Odd Job from the movie Gold Finger. He has the same amount of hair as when he was born. None.

The new museum is still under construction after several years. Ishala is the answer as to why it is so far behind schedule. “Inshala” means if god deems it or it is god’s will as far as I can tell.

The pyramids are set in the same relation ship to each other and in the same size ration as the stars in Orion’s belt. Why? Who knows.

The Egyptians, as with other early cultures, had lots of time to watch the sky and new that it foretold the coming of the seasons if not more.

They worshiped many gods and perhaps looked into the sky to learn what was coming in the future.

It is possible to go into one of the pyramids and down into a room. The room is not highly decorated and it is a long and uncomfortable trip. the entry hall is low and you must walk bent over. It is quite warm and crowded. It is a very confining space so I decided not to go.

I think I made the right decision.

I walked around the outside with my wife and admired the large stones that were somehow brought here up the Nile and placed into these giant structures.

Did you know that the each wall of the pyramid is slightly indented in the middle of it from the ground to the top? No one knows why.

The Sphinx was waiting for us there as well. It is standing guard off to the side a little and down in front of the largest pyramid.

Have you noticed that the head is out of proportion to the body?

the Sphinx is much older than the pyramids and was most likely built by anothe earlier culture. The head was that of a lion.

There have been studies done on the erosion around the base of the Sphinx and many believe it is from a great flood or more than one flood and not from the desert wind.

Thus, the Sphinx had to built in a time when the area had vast amounts of water and torrential flooding. That would have been long before the Egyptians.

Under the Sphinx lies the Hall of records and many more recently dug hallways dug by treasure hunters. The Hall is said to contain ancient Egyptian knowledge.

There is an entry hole in the top of his head. Sorry ladies. It is covered by a hatch.

Scientists have entered the Sphinx but are quiet about what lies inside.

The face of the Sphinx is thought to be that of King Khafre (c. 2575-c. 2465 bce). It had bullet holes in it fried by Napoleon’s solders.

The line of the Bonaparts comes out of Corsca.

General Napoleon Bonapart landed in Egypt on July 1, 1798

By the way, Charles-Lousi Napole’on Bonaparte was the third son of Louis Bonaparte, king of Holland and the younger brother of Napoleon, and Hortense de Beauharnais, the daughter of Empress Jose’phine, and became the heir of the imperial family after the death of his two older brothers, in 1807 and 1821.

Joseph-Napole’ne Boaparte 1768-1844. Was a French statesman and lawyer, diplomat. He was made the king of Spain during the Napoleonic Wars by Napoleon Bonaparte from 1808 to 1813. He was also King of Naples from 1806 to 1813.

Louis Napole’on Bonaparte 1778-1846. This was a younger brother of Napole’on. He was the king of Holland from 1806 to 1810. His early life was spent in the army with his brother in Egypt.

Jerome Bonaparte 1784-1860. Was the youngest brother of Napole’on. He was the king of Westphalia from 1807 to 1813. Westphalia was the historic region of northwestern Germany which became Prussia.

Remember, you can go to R.C. Hand on Facebook to see many of my photos now.