In Luxor, the ancient Egyptian capital, archaeologists discovered 63 royal tombs at the Valley of the Kings. These pharaohs ruled the country in the 18th, 19th and 20th dynasties. But, perhaps, the most famous discovery from here is the tomb of a Tutankhamen who ruled in the 18th dynasty.
Unlike Cairo, pyramids weren’t used here as a tomb for the Kings or Pharaohs. Instead, these royalties were buried in an elaborate, long, tunnel-like passage that goes deep down under at the valley. Nowadays, only three royal tombs are open to the public for viewing for a ticket price of one. Yes, we went down to all three but only one has left me in awe – the tomb of Rameses IV.
By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander
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Photo via Flickr by T. Tseng[/caption]
When life becomes monotonous, head down to Florida, America’s favorite year-round destination, to break free from everything dull. Some go for the hedonism it offers, and others go to relax. But when you’re thinking of your ultimate escape, look no farther — Miami, the Magic City, will never fail to make you feel refreshed, relaxed, and energized by the time you get back to work.
Here are five places offering rest for the weary in gay Miami.
Stroll Around Wynwood Art District
With over 70 museums and art galleries, Wynwood Art District screams life, hopes, and dreams in vibrant colors. The open-air street art installations you’ll see here won’t just awaken your drained body but will feed your mind as well. If you want to explore together with other art lovers and learn more details about the visual feasts you’ll be seeing, join the Wynwood Art Walk Tour. When you’re done, sit at one of the cafes in the neighborhood and enjoy the artistic vibe. If you like contemporary art, be sure to check out the internationally acclaimed Art Basel, an annual art show held in December.
The Madinet Habu Temple in Luxor is an architectural wonder of ancient Egypt. Its classic and timeless style remains intact until today as evidenced in the relics and antiquities that are found here.
Most of all, this temple doesn’t draw much attention from tourists, thus, it is less crowded than the rest of the attractions in Luxor. In fact, on the day we went there, only 9 of us were the ones roaming around. This ancient fortified temple was built as a Mortuary Temple of Rameses III.
Before going to Egypt, I really thought that climbing the Pyramids is a big No-No thing to do because they’re ancient, fragile and they have to be protected at all cost. Boy, I was so wrong!
Apparently you can climb the Pyramid as high as you can–that is if you can find your way to the top. Well, you aren’t allowed to climb in all three of them but in only one: The Pyramid of Khafre (or the middle Pyramid).
Somewhere, I read warning signs, “No Climbing” but only in certain areas of the said pyramid. Nearby, guards are watching people go up and down the steps. And if they think you’ve gone high and far, they’ll remind you to stop and come down.
Though Egypt’s tourism has experienced a big slump in the past years, the Pyramids of Giza has no shortage of visitors everyday. There are more local tourists going in (mostly students on one-day excursions), and only few are foreign travelers going around and about the pyramids—on foot. Most foreign tourists come in the comfort of their aircon buses, taking them from one place to another.
If you’re adventurous enough and you’re traveling with friends or alone, there’s a way to beat the crowd: don’t follow where most of them go. Make a detour.
There are three things, however, that you need to bring: a hat, water, and a few chocolate bars or some nuts. And oh, wear shoes, not sandals or beach flip flops.
After a delayed flight, I finally landed in chaotic Cairo at 3 in the afternoon. From there, someone helped me to get a visa on arrival and whisked me off to the guest house right in front of The Great Pyramids.
It took us almost an hour drive from Cairo International Airport to Giza. The traffic was the worst I’ve experienced and drivers don’t really follow traffic rules. Most of the streets have no lanes at all and some buses and vans leave their doors open.
Avoiding cars AND accidents left and right is another story to tell. If you survive or are expert in driving around topsy-turvy Cairo, you’ll be great driving anywhere—even in Bangkok, Manila or Mexico–all combined.
Dubai Mall won’t stop surprising you with lots of things to do. It’s a mall not just about shopping but there’s also so much work of art everywhere. There’s one installation art that impressed me most—the Dubai Mall Waterfall where silver-colored sculptures of divers complement the cascading, gentle flow of the waterfall itself.
The waterfalls gush through the entire four floors of the mall.
Burj Al Arab Dubai is not a certified seven-star hotel in the world. You read the title right.
No one ever rated it as such. In fact, its website doesn’t boast of itself as “the only seven star hotel in the world.” No, they don’t use that, too, in their advertising anywhere. Also, the hotel doesn’t rate itself as five-star hotel but a luxury hotel. Period.
And oh, if you’re really curious how much will it cost you for a night, check here. The truth is: a British journalist dubbed it as the “world’s only seven star hotel” during its press briefing. She was so impressed that she rated it herself–and the world believed her. So, now, no one can ever stop the gossip she spearheaded. LOL….
I had my own walking tour in Abu Dhabi. I figured it out using Google Map. My Lonely Planet Guidebook didn’t even have one–which I understand because Abu Dhabi is not a walkable destination. You’ve got to have a car to go places of interests. While they have public bus transport, good luck seeing all the things you plan to see in one day. On a backpacking budget? Sigh. Good luck with that! 🙂
I told my brother to drop me off at the gate of the Presidential Palace early morning on his way to work. No, not that early, really. At 9. Though it’s late November, the sun could still be a bit hot–I’m Asian, remember? We use skin whitener! Hahahahaha… At 21C, I thought it was tolerable.
I started at the gate of the Presidential Palace. No visitors are allowed inside, so, I just stood there and took a photo. As I left and turned my back away from the Presidential Palace, the luxurious 5-star hotel, Emirates Palace is on the left. You can actually go inside but make sure you’re properly dressed–no shorts and sandals. They’ll allow visitors starting at 10 in the morning.
Burj Khalifa in Dubai is the world’s tallest building. Or tower. From a distance, it looks like a futuristic spire that goes or points nowhere but up. It is Dubai’s most-famous structure, eclipsing Burj Al-Arab, the world’s first 7-star hotel. It is Dubai’s centre of attraction or the city’s “apple of the eye.” It is the most dominant sight wherever you are in the city.
Visiting this wondrous structure, I’ve learned that it holds and breaks numerous records worldwide. Here’s some of them:
Burj Khalifa is the world’s tallest freestanding tower (2,722 feet), a record previously held by Toronto’s CN Tower.