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The Nile is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa, and is the longest river in Africa and the disputed longest river in the world, as the Brazilian government says that the Amazon River is longer than the Nile.
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This is an iconic place and you will see many pictures of this place when in Vietnam.
Every touroperator will tell you that this is in Sapa, but it is not.
Submitted: 12/08/2018
Accepted: 14/08/2018
Turning backwards, it is realized that in this high point of the ruins of the Pilaloma there are other ruins of the two lateral enclosures with their doors facing the Castle. These two enclosures leave a narrow intermediate runner of 0.80m which, coinciding with the longitudinal axis of the entire trapezoid, advances to its major base. Interestingly, the corridor divides into two elongated sections equal to Pilaloma, and goes through the Wanka that marks the multiple tomb. All these elements (geometry, tomb, wanka, corridor, orientation, etc.) have led to interpret the site as a testimony of something more transcendent of the Cañari culture. Indeed, the latest archaeoastronomic studies assert that the corridor and the wanka were associated with the observation of the sun on the summer solstice, on June 21.
Ellipse or Temple of the Sun
Superimposed and attached to a ceremonial rock Cañari (pacarina), a structure of eliptical tower, unique in the Tahuantinsuyo (the name of the four regions of the Inca Empire). It constitutes the maximum expression of the Inca architecture in Ecuador, both for the perfect fit of its cushioned blocks, and for the trapezoidal ornaments known as niches.
It is 37.10 meters long and 12.35 meters wide, with a height that varies from 3.15 to 4.10 meters. Its major axis is oriented almost perfectly in an east - west direction.
Multiple functionalities, studies carried out determine that this space was recorded for stellar observations and determine the start and end dates of the agricultural year such as solstices and equinoxes.
The upper part of the Temple is accessed through a double-door main door, trapezoidal, starting from the resting place, two opposing stairs east and west, which lead to a construction called "Guard Corps".
***
It is possible that Ingapirca (“Inca wall” in Quechua) is larger than Machu Picchu, but as Ecuadorians do not have the money to finance the excavations, it is not possible to know for sure. Another difference from Machu Picchu is that the city of Ingapirca has been destroyed. It is not known whether by the Incas, for it not to fall into the hands of the Spaniards, or by the Spaniards themselves, who were looking for gold eventually hidden between the walls of the buildings. Therefore, Ingapirca seems to be much smaller than Machu Picchu, which may not be true.
The city is shaped like a serpent, one of the sacred animals for both cañaris and incas.
But, unlike the Incas, who adored the sun, the cañaris adored the moon and their society was matriarchal. So much so that, at the archaeological site, there is a collective Cañari tomb, in which remains of a woman were found, accompanied by dozens of male and female corpses and abundant offerings of ceramic, stone, copper and shell pieces. . All of this indicates the high social position that this woman had in society at the time.
On the site, there are still traces of several other buildings, such as collkas, circular structures where Andean cereals were stored, and pilaloma, an architectural space originally Cañari and occupied by the Incas, who built houses around a central square, an area possibly used for ceremonial purposes related to the moon. You can also see the bodegas, the ceremonial baths, the large field, the terraces and the rooms, where, for example, the virgins lived. But the most important structure of the complex is the Temple of the Sun.
The Temple of the Sun was built in the Inca fashion. Researchers found that the temple was positioned according to sunlight during the solstices. Its acoustics are also fantastic. It is possible to hear what a person whispers from the opposite side of the temple.
Another point of interest in the place is Cara del Inca. You walk along a path that runs parallel to the ancient Inca trail. Along this path, some stalls are strategically positioned to sell souvenirs to tourists. And then, turning to the right and going down a little bit, you can see a rock that really looks like the face of an Inca.
Ellipse or Temple of the Sun
Superimposed and attached to a ceremonial rock Cañari (pacarina), a structure of eliptical tower, unique in the Tahuantinsuyo (the name of the four regions of the Inca Empire). It constitutes the maximum expression of the Inca architecture in Ecuador, both for the perfect fit of its cushioned blocks, and for the trapezoidal ornaments known as niches.
It is 37.10 meters long and 12.35 meters wide, with a height that varies from 3.15 to 4.10 meters. Its major axis is oriented almost perfectly in an east - west direction.
Multiple functionalities, studies carried out determine that this space was recorded for stellar observations and determine the start and end dates of the agricultural year such as solstices and equinoxes.
The upper part of the Temple is accessed through a double-door main door, trapezoidal, starting from the resting place, two opposing stairs east and west, which lead to a construction called "Guard Corps".
Ellipse or Temple of the Sun
Superimposed and attached to a ceremonial rock Cañari (pacarina), a structure of eliptical tower, unique in the Tahuantinsuyo (the name of the four regions of the Inca Empire). It constitutes the maximum expression of the Inca architecture in Ecuador, both for the perfect fit of its cushioned blocks, and for the trapezoidal ornaments known as niches.
It is 37.10 meters long and 12.35 meters wide, with a height that varies from 3.15 to 4.10 meters. Its major axis is oriented almost perfectly in an east - west direction.
Multiple functionalities, studies carried out determine that this space was recorded for stellar observations and determine the start and end dates of the agricultural year such as solstices and equinoxes.
The upper part of the Temple is accessed through a double-door main door, trapezoidal, starting from the resting place, two opposing stairs east and west, which lead to a construction called "Guard Corps".
If you go off the beaten path, in southern Ecuador, you can find the country's largest Inca archaeological site. This is the site of Ingapirca or "Inca wall." Originally, this area land belonged to the Cañari people who were indigenous to the area. But during the 15th century, the mighty Incas expanded into southern Ecuador and they came in contact with the Cañari. The Cañari resisted the Inca until the early 16th century but eventually fell victim to the ever-expanding Inca Empire.
The Inca and Cañari lived together peacefully for a time and the Cañari were actually allowed to manage their own affairs and their customs. They did have to learn the language of the Inca so that each could communicate with the other.
Ingapirca represents a mixture of these two cultures with a portion that is uniquely Cañari and another that is more Inca in origin. These ruins are not only the largest in Ecuador, but they are also the best preserved archaeological ruins in Ecuador. The original purpose of the settlement is still unknown but it was used a fortress and storehouse to resupply Inca troops as they headed north. It was also used as a place of worship and veneration to the Sun God, Inti. Inti was the most important God of the Incas and this is demonstrated by having the largest and most significant building on the site dedicated to him.
The Temple of the Sun was constructed without mortar, as are most of the structures at Ingapirca and is typical of Inca and Cañari architecture. The stones were carefully chiseled and fashioned together perfectly. Another amazing example of their construction techniques can be found in Cusco, Peru at the site of Saksaywaman. The layout of Ingapirca was in keeping with the Inca beliefs and their understanding of the universe. The temple was constructed in such a way that during the solstices, at exactly the right time of day, sunlight came into the temple through a doorway at the top of the small chamber.
Ellipse or Temple of the Sun
The other side (east) has an identical and glued temple, but with the sunrise.
Exact half between east and west.
Superimposed and attached to a ceremonial rock Cañari (pacarina), a structure of eliptical tower, unique in the Tahuantinsuyo (the name of the four regions of the Inca Empire). It constitutes the maximum expression of the Inca architecture in Ecuador, both for the perfect fit of its cushioned blocks, and for the trapezoidal ornaments known as niches.
It is 37.10 meters long and 12.35 meters wide, with a height that varies from 3.15 to 4.10 meters. Its major axis is oriented almost perfectly in an east - west direction.
Multiple functionalities, studies carried out determine that this space was recorded for stellar observations and determine the start and end dates of the agricultural year such as solstices and equinoxes.
The upper part of the Temple is accessed through a double-door main door, trapezoidal, starting from the resting place, two opposing stairs east and west, which lead to a construction called "Guard Corps".
Gates made of stone in the archaeological complex of Ingapirca - Cañar Province
For the cult of the Sun and attention the Incas Superiors to them existed the Akllahuasi or species of convents that concentrated young women, called "Virgins of the sun". His daily life was dedicated to service activities of the Important Incas, weaving and contemplation; They had no contact with the external environment. In the case of Ingapirca, its residences make up a very peculiar architectural unit, which is linked to the Temple and the Ceremonial Square through a narrow and rectilinear corridor whose ends end in beautiful double jamba trapezoidal doors, of which it remains, almost complete , that of the ceremonial square.
The orientation of this corridor is OE-NO / E-SE and it leads those who visit from the Ceremonial Square to another small internal kancha of the Akllahuasi, which as a terrace allows you to observe the Barranco, the Intihuayco and the entire valley on which you build the Temple of the Incas. From this site and following a labyrinth path you can enter the different residences and courtyards of this unit, but especially you reach the best preserved building of Ingapirca in which the niches are left (3 per side, 6 in the door and 7 at the bottom), the door, the original height of the walls, evidence of plastering, lintels and mooring stones for the roof. Thanks to this 10.95 m long by 5.45 m wide and 2.50 high ceilingless and 0.80 m thick walls, with evidence in situ, it has been possible to virtually rebuild all Ingapirca and interpret its architecture.
On the other hand, the akllahuasi corridor, after the latest archaeological astronomical investigations, has acquired a fundamental importance, as it would be the third and perhaps the most evident in Ingapirca (the first was in Pilaloma, the second among the Palaces) which, given its orientation, location and architectural details, allows to demonstrate with surprising precision the phenomenon of the summer solstice, that is to say on June 21 of each year in Ecuador.
Under the Wanka, or monolith, it was found a collective tomb of Cañari origin.
It has eleven individual corpses with abundant offerings like ceramics, copper, pins, and spondylus shell beads. The main body is a woman of high status, probably a Cañari priestess. The tomb dates back from 1100 AD and 1500 AD (Antonio Fresco).
***
To the south of the entire monumental complex of Ingapirca is this sector, extremely important not only for its ceremonial historical significance of having been a Cañari temple, and depositary in its central square of a multiple burial with rich funerary content, but also for its curious implementation previously planned to accommodate the natural topography of the land. It is an architectural unit that, looking at it in the aerial photo, its entire floor resembles a huge ogival arch reclining from East to West, or also a trapezoid whose major base is straight, while the minor closes with a wall of semi-elliptical containment.
The nucleus of this unit is defined by a rectangular square (12m x 8.60m) from where 6 enclosures that were built around it were accessed. In that square or Kancha of Ingapirca - Ecuador there is still evidence of a circular floor (4 m2), paved with boulders and associated with a stone trail or stop wanka (1.50m high) that indicate the exact site below of which the Cañaris had buried 11 individuals with their offerings of ceramics, copper, shell (Spondylus), bone and deer antler. This collective tomb, according to the studies carried out, would be related to the Cañari Cashaloma Tradition and probably be a high-ranking woman and her ten companions slaughtered so that they remain her eternal faithful servants.
They are walls that, following the curves and topography of the land, made terraces and determine the areas of agricultural use.
Besides the Temple of the Sun, there were other religious features at Ingapirca including called the “baños del Inca.” These were ceremonial baths were filled with water and blessed. Once consecrated, the water was allowed to flow through a small canal to a room built underneath where it fell onto worshippers. The Inca believed it would purify them.
One theory is that this bath was only for the bosses, and for the Inca, they used it before each ceremony.
The second theory is that it served to store water.
The Nile is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa, and is the longest river in Africa and the disputed longest river in the world, as the Brazilian government says that the Amazon River is longer than the Nile.
Other areas of the site include Pilaloma which was a small plain located in the south-eastern end of the temple. Here, the Incas built enclosures in a space defined by a semi-elliptical wall. In front of Pilaloma are five circular structures used to store various bulk resources.
Pilaloma has been dated as the oldest structure of Ingapirca.
The most important building, not only of the monumental complex of Ingapirca but also of the entire North of the Inca Empire was and is this elliptical Temple whose major axis is 37.10 m by 12.36 m of the minor and 4.10 m Tall. It has 11 parallel rows whose perfectly joined joints and sores present a careful work of padded and overlapping ashlars according to the traditional norms of classical Cuzco architecture. Its construction was due to a process of adaptation of the elliptical design conceived by the Inca architect on the outcrop of a rock that stood out in that place at the top of a deep ravine. This rock was shaped like an ellipse and proceeded to coat it with those symmetrically carved blocks.
Although the external parts of the joints have a perfect union, internally you can check the use of mortar based on a clay with a high cement content and that exists only in Ingapirca which, due to its presentation and color, the farmers follow calling with the quichua terminology of "quillucaca" (yellow droppings). The temple is linked to the Ceremonial Square through a ramp that ascends to a trapezoidal door in the center of the major axis, on its south side. When passing this door, one encounters a beautiful typically Inca niche and the wall of the evil called "guard body", so it must be turned to the sides where two small opposite stairways arise that allow to reach the temple platform. From there the view is wonderful because the entire Hatun Cañar Valley is dominated and the ruins of the monument are appreciated.
The elliptical platform is divided in its central part by the presence of two enclosures whose fronts face opposite, one towards the east and the other towards the west. These two rooms are separated by a mediating wall with evidence of trapezoidal niches or niches; while in its north and south walls, which end in tall gables, two niches the size of a man appear and match the entrance doors to each enclosure. This building with two opposite environments and without windows is considered the sanctuary of the sun. In the opinion of the archaeastronomic scholars, through its doors the rays of the rising sun (eastern room) and the west (western room) entered the niches of the mediating wall, indicating periods of illumination and shadow according to the periodic variations in the output and sunset of the star king. According to Ziólkowski's experiments, the eastern room would have been illuminated in the period of the December solstice, while the western one in the June solstice, a phenomenon interpreted by Aboriginal priests and sages to announce their feasts and the beginning of sowing and harvesting respectively in the fields.
On the northern part of the Temple, that is, in Barranco, four retaining walls, now restored and consolidated, stand out, giving it a total contrast with the south side; because while in this sector everything is flat and accessible, in Barranco everything is pending and rugged. These contrasts generate in the visitor two different attitudes: the one of security and the other of anguish and vertigo. In any case, the danger is annulled with the presence of an extraordinary Inca wall that extends from the Ellipse to the West, separating the cozy spaces of the Akllahuasi from those inaccessible from the precipice. It is the wall that still keeps intact the original finish of its carvers and builders from five hundred years ago.
The akllahuasi corridor, after the latest archaeological astronomical investigations, has acquired a fundamental importance, as it would be the third and perhaps the most evident in Ingapirca (the first was in Pilaloma, the second among the Palaces) which, given its orientation, location and architectural details, allows to demonstrate with surprising precision the phenomenon of the summer solstice, that is to say on June 21 of each year in Ecuador.
The territorial expansion towards Chinchaysuyo (now Ecuador) took place towards the middle of the 15th century and culminated in the first decades of the 16th. It was initiated by the Inca Tupac Yupanqui, son of Pachacuti Inca, the "renovator of the universe" and true builder of the Tahuantinsuyo or Empire of the Incas. The example of the great Tupac Yupanqui was followed by his son Huayna Cápac, until he submitted under his power the entire "universe" then known, with more than 6,000 kilometers of North-South extension and fundamentally affecting the people of the Sierra, since they felt no interest in the low plains of the West Coast and in the endless Amazon rainforests of the East. This empire included on the one hand the widest diversity of peoples, cultures, languages, cults and technologies, and on the other an extraordinary variety of ecological resources; factors with which thanks to an administrative, economic and theocratic system imposed by the Cuzqueños, the largest civilization that has existed in Andean History was structured.
The Incas had no major difficulty in dominating the Cañaris and Puruháes (in Ecuador) with whom they applied a very common strategy in them: the friendly system of reciprocity with the heads of the groups until they achieved their subordination; This method had given them rapid and successful results in Bolivia and Peru; while in the northern villages they had to apply the severe military conquest due to the stubborn resistance they encountered. Testimony of those fierce battles was precisely that of Yahuarcocha (lake of blood) whose waters were dyed red with the blood of the brave Caranquis who succumbed to Huayna Cápac himself.
The invaders captured from the conquered the long tradition and knowledge they had about agriculture, metallurgy, production of luxury products, extraction of the Spondylus shell, salt, coca, etc. Here they found a prodigal nature, with humid rainforest, mangroves and coastline on the coast; wide valleys, grasslands and fertile mountains in the Sierra. This geography counteracted with the ecological systems of the puna, reduced fertile spaces, or the extensive coastal deserts that predominate in the Central and Southern Andes, characteristic of present-day Peru.
Along a central corridor, is a group of buildings thought to be a "House for Women" or “Virgins of the Sun.”
Women, who lived here were chosen as children to worked for the Royal Family and keep the temple clean. They were typically daughters of important members of the community and considered very beautiful.
***
Acllahuasi, term kichwa (Aclla = Escogida, Huasi = house 'House of the Chosen'), women dedicated directly to the service of the temple and their occupants, in charge of spinning, embroidering and making textiles, in addition to preparing food for the Inca and priests .
Architecturally it is about six rooms built with stones of good Inca stonework, arranged around several internal courtyards. Most of them are in foundations, unlike the main room located at the east end of the complex, which preserves the walls and access door in its entirety, inside it can be seen nineteen trapezoidal niches that decorate it.
Touroperator TUI rijdt deze winter nu ook met treinen naar Oostenrijk.
Daarvoor wordt een SBBC lok met 13 rijtuigen van voornamelijk paarse Euro Exp ingezet.
We zien hier ledig mat naar Watergraafsmeer weggaan uit Amsterdam Centraal, getrokken door Vectron 193527
Ik dacht / hoopte op doorkomst via spoor 12, maar werd spoor 7.
Na flinke sprint kon ik m alsnog vastleggen.
Il n'est pas d'âge pour barouder !
Et si avec le grand âge les voyages se font plus rares et moins longs, de simples accessoires suffisent à faire souffler le vent de l'aventure !
Longue vie à ces braves baroudeurs !
One of the most interesting features of Ingapirca is the Moonlight Calendar. The cañari had a sophisticated calendar system. They used a large rock called a “tacita rock” onto which holes of different depths were formed. These holes were filled with water and the Incas were able to observe the moonlight as it was reflected by the water. Over time, they would see similarities in the reflection based on the reflection's location in the water and the different times during every lunar month of the year.
On the roof terrace of the hotel, it serves the same menu, with stunning views of the Temple of Luxor and the mountains of Thebes, both illuminated at night.
Egyptian food.
Assendelft - Op zondag 9 oktober werden diverse extra treinen gemeld. De stoomtreindagen van de SSN in Rotterdam zorgden voor enkele ritten tussen Rotterdam Noord Goederen en Gouda, De Karel - Mat '64 466 - was met een speciale rit onderweg naar Zandvoort en ook de 2454 CREW was onderweg met Plan V 904. Daarnaast was ook Plan U 151 onderweg voor Roestrijden.nl, om de HSL-aansluitingen te ontroesten. Naast dit museale geweld was ook het 'reguliere' verkeer druk met extra treinen. TCS had vandaag twee ritten, en wel de Dinner Train en een Müllerzug.
Müller Touristik verzorgt meermaals per jaar diverse reizen naar Egmond aan Zee. Met ruim 300 afgehuurde bedden is Egmond de grootste bestemming voor deze touroperator. Om al die bedden te vullen worden Tanzzüge ingezet vanuit Duitsland naar Alkmaar. Het laatste stukje geschiedt per bus tot zo'n 100 meter van zee. Elk jaar reizen vele Duitsers richting de Nederlandse kust voor de jaarlijkse Ausflug. Een weekendje Tanzzug und Egmond kost ruim €450,=, niet de goedkoopste reis dus. Desalniettemin zitten de treinen doorgaans ramvol en is het tripje een groot succes.
Doorheen de jaren zijn de vervoerders in Nederland na LOCON ook RailExperts en tegenwoordig Train Charter de trekkende kracht achter deze treinen. In 2022 is het ook TCS die de treinen rijdt, en wel met het steeds groter worden locpark bestaande uit diverse varianten Nez-Cassé. Het is de laatste gele 1800, de 1835, die nu slechts een ruim jaar in de huidige outfit rijdt. Tot die tijd heeft de loc altijd haar gele jasje behouden bij de Bentheimer Eisenbahn. We zien de fraaie trein, bestaande uit een tweetal rijtuigen in FlixTrain-jasje en verder Euro-Express kleuren nabij Busch en Dam passeren om weldra in Krommenie-Assendelft te passeren als trein 13480 Alkmaar - Venlo en verder naar Münster.
100% camel meat burger served with cheese, tomato and lettuce, and served with fries.
EGP 95,00 (= US$ 5.31)
Just like anywhere in Egypt, the best place to be in the late afternoon is the Nile. Take a felucca from any shore and sail for a few hours, to enjoy the soft afternoon light and the sunset, cool off in the evening breeze and relax after checking the attractions.
The best known felucca trip up the river to Banana Island, islet dotted with palms palm trees about 5km from Luxor. It takes 2 to 3 hours. Plan to return in time to watch a beautiful sunset on the Nile, still on the felucca.
3 times on a Felucca (Tours) in Luxor.
* Number four in Explore.
Thanks a lot.
NL Al een aantal maanden rijdt de GreenCityTrip (voortkomend uit touroperator FlyWise) nachttrein vanuit Nederland naar diverse Europese bestemmingen als Praag en Venetië. Ondanks de moeilijke omstandigheden wegens de voortdurende coronapandemie , worden de nachttreinen nog altijd aangeboden.
Op 3 februari was het weer zover voor een nachttrein van Breda naar Praha hl.n. via Rotterdam. Dit keer werd er gereden via Bad Bentheim, waardoor de tractie ook anders werd. Train Charter Services 102001 had ditmaal de eer de nachttrein door Nederland te trekken.
De avond valt als TCS 102001 een korte stop maakt te Rotterdam om wat passagiers op te pikken voor de nog lange rit richting Tsjechië.
Traditional Egyptian chickpeas hommos.
Hibiscus tea (Karkadeh)
The famous Egyptian drink availaible hot or COLD.
Majestueus is het hoofdstation van Amsterdam. Met recht behoort het tussen 1881 en 1889 gebouwde station tot één van de fraaiste van Europa. Onder de door L.J. Eijmer ontworpen kap staat een minstens zo majestueuze locomotief. De uit 1952 stammende locomotief maakte destijds deel uit van de serie 1200 van de Nederlandse Spoorwegen. Samen met de Duitse locomotieven ‘baureihe 103’ behoort de serie 1200 tot één van de fraaiste locomotiefseries van Europa.
Het is 11 december 2013, kwart over acht in de avond. EETC-locomotief 1254 heeft zojuist de rijtuigen aangebracht die bestemd zijn voor de nachttrein naar München. Als Citynightline 419 (“Pollux”) zal de trein om 20.31 uur vanaf Amsterdam Centraal vertrekken.
EETC staat voor Euro-Express Treincharter. EETC is in 1996 opgericht en organiseerde aanvankelijk wintersportreizen per trein naar Oostenrijk. In 2003 en 2004 nam EETC een groot aantal rijtuigen over van NS Internationaal. Daarmee veranderde het bedrijf van een touroperator in een vervoerder met een eigen materieelpark. Op 1 juli 2010 werd EETC een zelfstandig spoorvervoerder. Vanaf dat moment verzorgde EETC met vier gehuurde locomotieven van de serie 1200 onder andere de aan- en afvoer van de rijtuigen voor de nachtreinen van DB AutoZug tussen Amsterdam Centraal en het opstelterrein Watergraafsmeer. Daarnaast werden de locomotieven ingezet voor uitwisselingsritten en conditieritten met rijtuigen en de autowagons voor de autoslaaptrein. Met ingang van 14 december 2013 is NS Reizigers zelf de treinen tussen Watergraafsmeer en Amsterdam Centraal gaan rijden, vandaar dat drie dagen daarvoor de gelegenheid te baat werd genomen voor het maken van de bijgaande foto.
Wat EETC betreft: sinds december 2013 is EETC ook zelf haar treinen gaan rijden. Op 15 april 2015 heeft EETC haar activiteiten per direct te beëindigd.
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Datum en tijd: 11-12-2013 – 20.15 uur
Locatie: Amsterdam Centraal
Maatschappij: Euro-Express Treincharter (EETC)
Materieel: Serie 1200 (EETC 1254, ex-NS 1214)
Trein: Watergraafsmeer - Amsterdam C (tr. 70419 > CNL419)
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© Peter de Winter - No unauthorised use.
Felucca Tours:
Three times in Luxor (felucca - 28/9, motor boat - 7/10 and a bar on 9/10).
Just like anywhere in Egypt, the best place to be in the late afternoon is the Nile. Take a felucca from any shore and sail for a few hours, to enjoy the soft afternoon light and the sunset, cool off in the evening breeze and relax after checking the attractions.
The best known felucca trip up the river to Banana Island, islet dotted with palms palm trees about 5km from Luxor. It takes 2 to 3 hours. Plan to return in time to watch a beautiful sunset on the Nile, still on the felucca.
It is one of those cities without urban planning.
The city looks like it was beautiful in the past.
It's chaos.
"Life is a simple shadow that passes (...); is a story told by an idiot, full of noise and fury and meaning nothing."
William Shakespeare
Banana Island for those who crave nature and tranquility.
The name says it all; it is the land of bananas! Banana Island located to the north of Luxor and is open for tours daily. It’s one of the best spots to watch the sunset on a felucca while having dinner.
A trip out to the Banana Island is simply beautiful and strange. The Journey begins from a quay right in the middle of town, where I got picked up by a felucca. I enjoyed the peaceful River as we worked our way towards the banana island, and most surely, got offered me some delicious bananas
It only takes a few minutes to get there, the Island sports a variety of fruit trees, some caged animals, and a small cafe to enjoy tea or herbal drinks as well as coffee with cardamom.
I watched crocodiles in cages, sadly, and tasted a variety of local harvested fruits including sugar cane and bananas of course.
It is a tranquil place with many palms and reeds next to the Nile. The feluccas and the modest houses allow plenty of photo opportunities. I loved this little spot.
I forget the name of this man but he is from Bora Bora and operated the tour of the lagoon we took on the day the Sun Princess ship was at Bora Bora. He was lots of fun, full of quaint personality traits and spoke English, Tahitian and French. Our party that linked up before the Pacific Cruise had hired 3 tours of the Lagoon, each with its own operator. Each tour took about 10 or 12.
This man is the epitome of fun, fitness and adventure. Here he is standing proudly as a Polynesian would surely do and ready to enter the water soon to commence the feeding of the stingrays.
The 3,400-year-old city, built by Pharaoh Amenhotep III, was abandoned by his heretic son, Akhenaten, and contains remarkably preserved remains. The 3,400-year-old city's brick walls, pictured, bordered by a distinctive zigzag wall, are nearly three meters high in some areas.
"And if one day I will be dust, gray and nothing, that my night is a dawn, that I know how to lose myself to find me ..."
Florbela Espanca
In NL rijd al een aantal maanden rijdt de GreenCityTrip (voortkomend uit touroperator FlyWise) nachttrein vanuit Nederland naar diverse Europese bestemmingen als Praag en Venetië. Ondanks de moeilijke omstandigheden wegens de voortdurende coronapandemie , worden de nachttreinen nog altijd aangeboden.
Op 3 februari was het weer zover voor een nachttrein van Breda naar Praha hl.n. via Rotterdam. Dit keer werd er gereden via Bad Bentheim, waardoor de tractie ook anders werd. Train Charter Services 102001 had ditmaal de eer de nachttrein door Nederland te trekken.
De TCS 102001+ trein 13491 een korte stop maakt te Arnhem om wat passagiers op te pikken voor de nog lange rit naar Praag.
Omdat er poblemen waren te Emmerich (D) werden diverse treinen omgeleid via grensovergang Venlo. Nadat we 'n melding lazen op RR werd er maar naar de achterzijde v/h station gereden. Om 18u passeert hier dan Lineas 2839 met lege Szigettrein bestaande uit 'n fraaie sleep Belgische rijtuigen. Vanaf Venlo gaat hij verder naar Boedapest (H). Daar is elk jaar in augustus het jaarlijkse Sziget-festival
** Een trein die vanuit Hongarije naar
Nederland onderweg is,heeft de hele dag
stilgestaan in Oostenrijk.Daar was door
hevig noodweer een leiding gebroken.Er
zitten 900 passagiers in de trein,
vooral Nederlandse muziekliefhebbers.
Zij keren terug van het festival Sziget
in Boedapest.Vrijdag om 15.15 uur is de
trein daar vertrokken.De hoop is dat de
reizigers vanochtend in Amersfoort
aankomen.De trein stond stil op een
station,inzittenden konden er dus wel
uit om de benen te strekken.
Maar de reizigers ophalen,was volgens
de touroperator geen optie.Door het
noodweer was het station onbereikbaar