Hawara and the Labyrinth of Egypt

 
The first time I heard of the Labyrinth was from a friend who lives in Los Angeles who had seen a presentation by Patrick Geryl on the subject.  He asked me about the Labyrinth, which after a bit of quick internet research, I found to be often known as Herodotus Labyrinth.  The reason being that Herodotus was a historian at about the time of 500BC who had wrote extensively about the world of ancient times.  Geryl's interest in the site is to substantiate claims that the site is in agreement with prophecies concerning the year 2012, as is much the talk in popular culture and the media today.  Geryl contends that the site has reliefs detailing the destruction to ensue during the 2012 shift which I mentioned earlier.

Herodotus wrote that the labyrinth was expansive and rivaled the Great Pyramids in terms of spectacle.  That in itself is a bold statement.  However, I also read that in modern times the Labyrinth was inaccessible and only now being excavated due to flooding and bureaucracy.  My friend was still interested, however, and if nothing else was interested in perhaps seeing the great pyramids. 

So my friend planned a trip, in conjunction with a trip to Dubai and when he arrived I picked him up at the airport and a few days latter were off to see the Labyrinth, or what we could see of the Labyrinth site.  While skeptical of what we would find, I figured it would prove interesting, since the area sits near Fayoum oasis and there is the pyramid of Amenemhet III at the site as well. Amenemhet ruled from between roughly 1860 BC to 1814 BC.  During this time he initially constructed a pyramid at Dashur, but later decided to create the pyramid present at the site we visited.

So we headed out first thing in the morning on the day my friend was due to leave heading back to the states.  His flight was an evening flight but we were still worried about transit times to a site outside the city.  The whole trip to Hawara took about a couple hours at the most, but we were still paranoid so we left out at about seven in the morning.  The funny thing about the trip was that we had gotten into negotiations about what the trip should cost to rent a mini-van.  I figured we should be able to get there and back for about 400 LE.  The driver from the previous night, who was driving an old Peugeot station wagon told us he would do it for 750 LE or 800 LE, I forget which now, but I quickly changed the subject.  He brought it up again, and I asked him if he could get a mini-van.  He said that he could, but I had my doubts, because another driver had said the same but ended up just not showing up when he couldn't.  Ironically we saw him as we were negotiating with this guy, driving by.

So I let it be.  But the guy got mad at me and made friends with my friend, promising a good rate.  I told my friend to forget it, because I knew that I could book a mini-van through my hotel.   My friend became our drivers best friend, because he was willing to pay the driver at will, whatever he asked, meanwhile I became the devil, because I knew what he was supposed to charge.  I was very comfortable knowing and making sure he knew I know.

When I got back, the guy at the desk promised that he could do it for 150 LE, more on that in part two.  So we went to Hawara in a beautiful mini-van, pretty much brand new.  The manager at the hotel warned me, as I had been warned before, that we might be escorted by police.  He advised that we be British for the voyage, to avoid an escort.  In addition, police usually wont object to backsheesh, in this case 40 LE would probably be good.

So we hit the road and it is very very foggy.  We can hardly see the road.  Then we hit the desert.  We are driving for a little over an hour.  When we get near the area of Fayoum, there is a police checkpoint.  We sit waiting for about 20 minutes.  I remember backsheesh is welcome.  We wait about 10 more minutes and a truck with about ten soldiers pull up in front of us.  My friend asks if this is for us.  We debate the humor and the implications of a police/military escort.  Of course they have weapons and such but we wonder about the necessity.  Still, we all joked about how special we must really be.

Soon we head back out and reach Hawara about fifty minutes later.  Fayoum itself is a wonderful area.  It is very green.  I would recommend a visit to the area as it does have plenty of attractions and is a nice getaway from Cairo.  Not to far, fresh air, friendly people.

When we arrive, we purchase relatively inexpensive tickets, I think about 30 LE each with discount and some change for backsheesh for site staff who really do a great job.  We met the government representative for the site who did show us around, and answer questions, although he refused pictures with us.  He did answer all our questions, although I felt I was missing something.

He took us through the site, we saw the area which had been built over by the Ptolemies as a cemetery, then we saw the pyramid, which was indeed impressive, we entered about fifteen feet and were stopped by water.  The area is still indeed flooded, which is a shame because otherwise it would be very navigable.  However, since we could go no further, we scrapped some of the salt from the top of the pyramid, although what I am going to do with this salt, built up due to the water, is undetermined.  We headed back out and looked at the other areas of the site.

We also saw the area above the Labyrinth and the other areas pending excavation.  The area is being excavated currently by a Polish team who were not on site this particular day.  There is much left to see at the site, but I think it will require the area being fully drained of water.  In addition, the area was very foggy.  While draining the labyrinth is something the government has indicated interest in doing, I think this will take some time yet, or maybe it might be better to revisit in another season.  In addition, before typical visitors are allowed entry they will have to complete excavation of the area.  Maybe if I make friends with some special people they will make an exception, we shall see.

  

Whatever the case, our escort remained with us the whole time on site.  In addition, we had a very friendly soldier accompany us, who laughed and joked around with the boys.  We were not allowed free reign to much at the site however.  Altogether I was pleased with our first visit, but I think it will be worth another visit maybe towards the end of summer or early fall.

 

Video of the expedition to the site to map geographical features:

• http://www.labyrinthofegypt.com/video/
  

This is a very nice booklet composed by the Mataha Expedition of 2008, with detailed information.

• http://www.labyrinthofegypt.com/downloads/labyrinthofegypt_com__printversion.pdf
  

Additional links with historical information about the labyrinth.  Please note I am still working on this information and I will update this story as I can.

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A47232605
  
• http://egyptsites.wordpress.com/2009/02/15/el-lahun-and-hawara/
  
• http://www.labyrinthofegypt.com/historic-accounts.html
  
• http://www.world-mysteries.com/newgw/gw_pgeryl_hawara.htm

• http://www.world-mysteries.com/gw_pgeryl2.htm

Nighttime at the Great Pyramids

Normally, I would have considered the night show at the Great Pyramids of Giza not worthy of much time or consideration, however, since one of my friends was coming in from out of town for just two days, I wanted to cram his time full, counting the night of his arrival.  My biggest obstacle was that the flight arrived at 6ish and the English show began that night at 7:30.

I had heard it was an extravaganza of actors and lights and music, but was a bit overdone.  In addition, it could get crowded at times.  So with some doubt, I decided we would go for it, especially after asking my cab driver on the way to the airport if the trip was possible and receiving his assurances.

So we negotiated passage from the airport to the light show and then back to the hotel we were staying at, which was in Garden city and which I will describe at another time.  This was the day of Coptic Christmas as well, which was why the driver said traffic wouldn’t be that bad.

After we all got in the minivan, the driver asked why we were going to Giza at night, assuring us there was no show.  I assured him there was a show, since I had checked the sound and light show website the night before and asked him to drive on.  He seemed unsure of his driving and we were delayed, as an understatement.  It seemed as if he were trying to delay us for a purpose, at least that was where my mind was going.  Then all of a sudden he blurts out, “my friend has a roof, near the pyramids, I can take you there.”

Now, I am sometimes interested in playing along with such schemes and wily trickery, because I am a pretty mellow guy and sometimes, you could come out ahead, at the very least you will have a story to tell.  However, this time, I decided against it, since I was hosting my friend, and this guy was just a pain.  So I told him no, and told him to take me to Giza.  GIZA GIZA GIZA.  I think my friend thought I had changed, but sometimes you have to be firm, like when dealing with shade tree cab drivers.

So we get to the show late, and he is happy.  He drives about a block away, where he has a homey and tells us that he can’t pull in parking at the pyramids.  No big deal, I tell my friend to grab his cash and any valuables from his bags and to come on.  Of course we missed the English show, but I knew the French show followed, and figured it might be interested en Francais, no?

We arrived just before the French show started.  I paid, there are no discounts, but they do accept credit cards.  I would still recommend cash though.  The admission is 60 LE or 10.50ish, which was $68.79 US for my gang of seven, six of whom had to pay.  Of course that probably counted a little foreign currency conversion fee or two and a horrible exchange rate.  But I was in a hurry.

http://www.soundandlight.com.eg

So when we entered the actual site, the first thing we noticed was the little bar area, which sits on a balcony.  I would recommend you sit there, especially if it is empty.  However, you will have to order coffee or tea.  That said, a single order will probably do, because the waiters have to travel to reach you.  I ordered a cappuccino which was done remarkably well.  My friend went to work right away taking photos.  We joked about him being an Asian tourist, he didn’t see our humor.  I still think he looked funny, with his huge Canon S10, but he shared some of his pictures so I guess I shouldn’t complain.

The ticket agent informed me that they do sell English headsets for those in our predicament, I think they are 10 or 20 LE, I forgot how much though, and we didn’t want them.  We watched as we sat alone in the balcony area, the lights and the pyramid, and the sphinx, they came to life.  The show, in my opinion, despite being called dated, is well done, and allows for more introspection than a daytime visit, full of hustle, bustle and camel right taunts.

We watched while the commentator explained a bit of the history of the pyramids and Egypt in the distance while each area was lit and illuminated in color.  My favorite was when they let up, Red, Gold and Green.  I took pictures with Corey’s camera, my old trusty Canon.  Everyone of my group was impressed with the show, the colors reflecting off the pyramids and their majesty, I am not sure how my friend felt after the show, but he took a gang of photos, of which I managed to get one, pictured above.  I later found out, only minutes ago, Corey magically misplaced both the pictures I took and those she took  (I have to pick up a new camera soon).  When we got back to the car, I had to begin negotiations for our trip the following day to head to all the sites.  I concluded them rather abruptly when the driver wanted 2-3 times more than what that trip should cost.  More to come.

The Ramesseum and the Temple of Seti I

The last temples we went to, right before we left to Cairo, were the Ramesseum and the temple of Seti I.  We went to both temples with a friend in from out of town, who wanted to head to the West Bank.  She wanted to know where we thought would be good places to go, since we had been to the Hatshepsut’s temple and to the Medinet Habu, I suggested that we could revisit those, because they were both excellent visits or we could go on to the two temples we had not been to on that side of the Nile.

I warned her that if we were going to go to Hatshepsut’s temple it probably would be a good idea to go at the crack of dawn, because it seems like that would be a wonderful time to catch the temple in all its glory.  Plus, when the tourists start pouring in, it can be a bit much.

She decided to go with us to the last two temples on that side, that I am aware of, that we haven’t seen.  Sure, there are plenty of tombs on that side that I haven’t seen, but I never have been much interested in viewing tombs.  This is just my philosophy, I am not afraid of visiting tombs, and perhaps I will one of these days, but I will not go out of my way to see the work of desecrating some deceased noble’s tomb.  Tutankhamen has been pimped worldwide.  Still, I guess I would be kind of flattered that thousands of years later, people wanted to come and check me out.  But only if they were there to pay me homage, not to check out my gold and stuff.  However, if they find some royalty in Europe and have some tombs open, I might change that philosophy, but it seems like the trend is in seeing our ancestors in their deceased state, natives.  That should make you wonder something about our value in either state.

Anyway, we headed over this time taking a cab, because I negotiated a decent price for the ride.  We had this discussion about whether it was annoying or fun to negotiate prices, with Candice saying annoying, and me fun.  It depends on the day.  Once you know what something should cost, you can argue on for that last 5LE either which way, but you pretty much have won the battle IMO if you get it within the 5LE, especially with not to much Arabic under your belt.

That being said, we have been working on our Arabic as well and are moving along nicely in speaking.  Although reading is a whole different story, since they use a script far different than our letters and it is written right to left.  But of course you already knew that.

So I negotiated the killer deal, actually barely feasible, to get us across and we were on our way.  We were in a hurry because dinner was supposed to be done by four and it was a little after twelve when we left out.  So the cabbie is doing his thing, we drive all the way South in town to get to the bridge, which is a spiritual thing in and of itself.  Crossing the rushing waters of the Nile beneath.  Give thanks.  Crossing, cast away the ‘demons’, they be chilling, waiting, trying to roll.

We make it past and head back North to the area where the temples are.  We pass farmland and pastures, right in the middle of this we have a flat.  We stop slowly and the driver asks us as best as he can to get out.  He apologizes and we start to bet whether he has a spare, because if he does, it isn’t apparent.  I bet that he does.  Our friend thinks otherwise.

Meanwhile I look around and it is a wasteland around us, farmland, but nothing else.  We see a car pass every few minutes, mostly minivans and no cabs.  I look at my phone, debating my options, which are limited, but with some hope.  Then I look over and see he has undone the spare, underneath the old Peugeot wagon.  He apologizes again while changing the spare, and after about ten minutes, we are on our way.

We arrive about ten more minutes at the temple of Seti I.  The temple is near Qurna.  Seti was a wartime pharaoh as were his sons and during this period in Egyptian history there is said to be war involving Northern incursions from Lybia as well as fighting in the south and Nubia.  However, I find it interesting that the Pharaoh himself is named Seti after the god Seth, a southern god, which was latter relegated as an evil force, and some have even argued the source of our Satan.

Whatever the case, it seems that much importance was placed on the unity of the kingdom at this time and despite recent damage from the elements the temple still stands.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mortuary_Temple_of_Seti_I

http://egyptopia.com/http://egyptopia.com/The+Temple+of+Seti+I_30_100_26_11872_1281_en.html

 

 

The arial photo of the temple is from Wikipedia Commons

The Ramesseum is one of the few temples where I have had a peaceful visit and could really collect my thoughts thus far.  The others being Luxor Temple, and Dendera.  I almost managed a bit of meditation before some rouge tour guides found me and disturbed my train of thought.  I never shoo them away though, especially on the first visit because I feel they might have some insight or show me something I might miss.  However, in this case, the rouge wasn’t very helpful, and even after giving him a few pounds and asking to go it on our own, he kept following, following.  Candice was ready to curse him out, I think.

So we made it down and around, and I think the Ramesseum actually is split between Seti on one side and Ramses on the other.  The Ramesseum was utterly peaceful on this day and probably is early on most days.  I don’t think many tour groups make it to either of these sights.  Although, this is where the poet Shelly found his inspiration for the poem, Ozymandias, although the statue didn’t fall to pieces, it was broken apart and disseminated to museums and such all over the world.

We managed some pretty good pictures at these temples and I will post the remainder in a few days in a web album for those interested.  When available, the link will appear below.

 

 

This video is not mine, I stumbled across it and will place a new video, perhaps on another visit to the temple and the west bank.  Maybe I will do a three day trip over there and video everything and add a touch of music.

I’m Back Online

Well, I haven't been blogging in nearly a month, and for many that would indicate that not much has been going on.  In this case, that couldn't be further from the truth.  We have been travelling and moved. I moved about three weeks ago, right after I got back from Cairo. Since that time I have been scrambling for web service since it takes a bit of time for the Egyptian phone company to get out and do their thing. Actually, I think it is more or less them and the hook up being the thing. Anyway, I am up and running again now and I will post pictures of my last temple trips locally with pictures as well as info on my trip to Cairo, with a few dos and don'ts for those interested. Finally, while in Cairo, we wandered off the beaten path to an area known as Hawara to see the Labyrinth described by Herodotus. This was an exciting journey and I have pictures and a story to go along with that trip.

My pictures will be limited in size until I get a new camera though, because Corey scored my camera for her end of the year/ Christmas /Kwanzaa gift. This is fine, but I am limited to either iphone pictures, HTC pictures or pictures borrowed from Corey until I can pick up a new camera, which is a funny task locally due to electronics costs being sometimes higher than in the states, we won't even talk about getting a camera shipped, which might be an adventure in and of itself. So the point of this whole piece is to enjoy yourself reading about my last month of fun in Egypt, specifically in Cairo. PEACE!!!