MIDDLE EAST
Gallery

I travelled to Egypt and Israel in 1999 with a couple of friends after we had spent 3 weeks in England and Europe. We spent a week going through Egypt on a Top Deck tour where we got to see the amazing pyramids at Giza, sail along the Nile and generally get a taste of what it was like to live in ancient Egypt 3000 years ago.

The best thing about Egypt was visiting the pyramids and sailing on the Nile in a felucca sailing boat at Aswan. The worst thing was how dirty the cities are and the way that the Egyptian site authorities and locals fleece tourists. A fair bit too much greed pervades the culture for my liking.

Israel was a pleasant contrast and much like a typical western nation. It is a well-kept and beautiful land which is quite green in most places even though it also has its arid places. It was so amazing to visit many of the places mentioned in the Bible and walk through the narrow cobblestone streets of the old walled city of Jerusalem with all of its Arab vendors selling all sorts of great souvenirs and produce. Jerusalem' old city is a good combination of the best of both cultures - the Jews talent in keeping a well-kept, clean appearance and the Arabs great flair for commerce.

It was especially wonderful to go up to the Mount of Olives at sunset and to stand on the very place where Christ will return to earth in a few years down the track. Israel is a beautiful land and one well worth visiting.

I have plans to go back to Israel during the Feast of Unleavened Bread in 2008 if a planned UCG tour of Israel is given the go-ahead.

I hope you enjoy the gallery.

 

Yours Truly at the Pyramids at Giza The Great Pyramid and the Sphinx Our group enjoying drinks on our first night in Egypt Western Gate of Jerusalem Outside the Walls of Jerusalem near the Tower of David
Laser Lights on the Great Pyramid Sound and Light Show at the Pyramids Sitting on the HUGE stones of the Great Pyramid The Declaration of Cyrus to Rebuild Jerusalem Inside the Tower of David
A group of us camel riding near the Pyramids Camel Riding near the Pyramids The Great Pyramid and Boat Display House The Mount of Olives and Temple Mount Jerusalem at night
Walking near the Great Pyramid Yours Truly as Lawrence of Arabia Egyptian Pyramids Inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre The Wailing Wall
A Felucca sailing on the Nile at Aswan The Nile at the First Cataract in Aswan The Unfinished Obelisk at Aswan Archaeological Dig near Temple Mount Trevor and Wayne at the Dome of the Rock
Hotel at Aswan where Agatha Christie wrote Death on the Nile Our sailing hitchiker on the Nile Relaxing on a felucca sailing on the Nile The Garden of Gethsemane Skull Hill
Smoking Egyptian Style Our group having dinner on the Nile at Aswan The Temple of Philae The Garden Tomb Downtown Jerusalem tree-lined mall
Abu Simbel from the air Ramses the Great on his chariot Entrance to the Temple of Karnak Garden Tomb and Skull Hill from the Walls of Jerusalem The Valley of Hinnom (Gehenna - The Hell of the Bible)
Jewish cities conquered by Egypt in Rehoboam's time Thutmose III (Shiskak's) list of booty from conquering the Temple of God and Judah More of Shishak's booty including possibly the Ark of the Covenant Jerusalem in the snow The Mount of Olives and Church of All Nations
Inside Ramses the Great's Hypostyle Hall Sound and Light Show at the Temple of Karnak Valley of the Kings from Luxor Haifa and Coastline Towards Lebanon Chairlift in Haifa
The Valley of the Kings Inside a tomb in the Valley of the Kings The Tomb of Ramses VI The Mount of Beatitudes Sea of Gallilee from Mt of Beatitudes
The Temple of Queen Hatshepsut (Queen of Sheba) Wayne and his mate Horus The Collosi at Memnon The Sea of Galilee Nazareth from Mount Tabor
The Step Pyramid at Saqqara Grain Pit at Saqqara Mad Taxi Ride in Egypt Mount Tabor Mount Tabor from the air
Sosestris I (Joseph's Pharoah) Sosestris III (The Pharoah who knew not Joseph) Amenemhat III (Pharoah who had the Israelite babies killed) Meggido Fort of Meggido
Queen Hatshepsut (Queen of Sheba) King Tut's Golden mask King Tut's throne Austin Powers Poster on Jerusalem Bus Tribes of Israel Stained Glass Window at Israeli airport