Sunday, September 2, 2007

Intellectual Muslim in Egypt

Do you know Dr. Zaghlol Al Najar ?

He is the one of the million islamic scholar in Egypt and billion in the world , having intelligence mind, specialist geologist,i am also confident he is gemmology master, i like too introducing one of them, the islamic idol, he is a gift from The God, let's know him....

Dr. Zaghlol Al Najar .






















Dr. Zaghlol Raghib Mohamed Al Najar
Chairman of Holy Quran Inimitability Committee
Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs – Cairo – Egyptian Arab Republic


Personal Information

Name : Zaghlol Raghib Mohamed Al Najar
Date of Birth : 17.11.1933
Place of Birth : Besion, Gharieh, Egyptian Arab Republic

Scientific Qualifications

1. He was graduated from Cairo University in 1955 and granted Bachelor of Science with honor. He was the first of his class and the University granted him the award of geology.

2. Doctorate in geology from Wales University, Britain, in 1963. The University awarded him the Degree of associate after the doctorate.

3. He won the decree of professorship in 1972.

Work Experience, Scientific and Academic Activities

1. He served with Shara Petroleum Company at the National Research Center in Cairo, phosphate mines in Nile Valley, gold mines in Al Bramiah (Eastern Egypt Desert) and coal mines in Sinai Peninsula (Five Year Industry Project). He also served in Ain Shams University, Cairo, King Saud University, Riyadh, Wales University, United Kingdom, Kuwait University, Kuwait, Qatar University, Qatar, and King Fahd Petroleum & Mineral University, Dhahran (1978 – 1996). He also worked as a visiting professor at California University, Los Anglos (1977 – 1978) and a consultant for high education at The Arab Development Institute in La Khuber, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (1996 – 1999). He held the office of the manager of Al Ahqaf University, Yemen (2000 – 2001) and the Chairman of Holy Quran Inimitability Committee Supreme of the Council of Islamic Affairs, Egyptian (2001 up to date).

2. He was elected as an associate for the Islamic Academy of Science and a member of its board of directors.

3. Ex-member of awards panel of Japan International Award of Science.

4. He participated in the setting up the geology section in Riyadh University (1959 – 1961 – 1964 – 1967), Kuwait University, Kuwait (1967 – 1978) and Petroleum & Mineral University, Dhahran (1979 – 1996). He progressed in teaching staff until he received the degree of professorship and chaired geology section of Kuwait University in 1972 and Qatar University in 1978.

5. He supervised more than 35 master and doctorate dissertations in geology of Egypt, Arabia Peninsula and Arab Gulf.

6. He worked with several local and global associations.

7. He was elected as a member of board of editors of scientific magazines, such as, Journal of Foramimifeeral Research issued in New York and Journal of African Earth Sciences issued in Paris.

8. He elected as a scientific consultant in Islamic Sciences magazine issued in India, Modern Muslim magazine issued Washington and Al Rayan magazine issued in Qatar.

9. He worked a scientific consultant for Robertson Research Institution, Britain, Arab Oil Consultants, Kuwait, Arab Oil Company, Al Khafji and Dubai Islamic Bank, United Arab Emirates.

10. Founder Member of International Holy Quran Inimitability Panel and Mohammedan Sunni Panel (Islamic World Society, Holy Mecca) as a member of its board.

11. Member of the board of the Islamic International Research Council, Cairo.

12. Member of the board of trustees of the Islamic Media Panel, Britain.

13. He was elected as a member of the Modern Muslim Society, Liechtenstein.

14. He was elected as a scientific consultant of Islamic Civilization Museum, Switzerland.

15. Founder member of the Islamic International Charity Association, Kuwait, and member of its board.

16. He participated in the incorporation of Dubai Islamic Bank, Faisal Islamic Bank, Egypt, and Al Taqwa Bank.

17. He attended several scientific local and international conferences and Islamic conferences on all levels.

18. He has several radio and TV programmes (diversified Islamic and cultural programmes).

19. He visited many countries as lecturer on Islam and Muslims issued, especially the issue of Holy Quran Inimitability Mohammedan Sunni, from Canada, North, to Australia and South Africa, South, and America, West, to Central Asia East.

Scientific and Cultural Production
1. He has more than 150 published scientific researches and articles and 45 books in Arabic, English, French and German.
2. He has weekly essay in Al Ahram newspapers, Cairo, on Holy Quran Inimitability under heading "Secrets of Holy Quran" of which more than 250 essays were issued.
3. He has daily essay during Rmamdan under heading "Scientific Inimitability in Sunni".
4. He has a series of essays in Al Dawa, Al Ijaz, Al Furqan, Qafilat Al Zait, Al Mojtama and al Riosala magazines and others.
5. He has a series of audio visual tapes and CDs in several domains, most importantly, Islam and Science

My favourite link

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Wednesday, August 29, 2007

The Lion Rock ( Egyptian Sphinx )

The Great Sphinx of Giza is a large half-human, half-lion Sphinx statue in Egypt, on the Giza Plateau at the west bank of the Nile River, near modern-day Cairo. It is one of the largest single-stone statues on Earth, and is commonly believed to have been built by ancient Egyptians in the 3rd millennium BC.

A great symbol of Ancient Egypt is the Sphinx. A magnificent monument carved out of living rock, sits outstandingly in the Giza Plateau.

It is a carving of the body of a lion with a head of a king or god, symbolizing strength and wisdom. It is 200 feet long and 65 feet high with paws being 50 feet long.

The body of the sphinx was buried in the desert sand for thousands of years and only in 1905, about a century ago, the sands has been cleared away from it. Thus, the sphinx has several layers of erosions, those that are horizontal are due to sand and stone, while some are vertical due to water (probably rain) erosions.

It is believed that the sphinx was built by king Khafre (Chephren 2558-2532B.C.) who was one of he 4th Dynasty kings and whom the 2nd pyramid of Giza was built for him.

The sphinx faces due to the east, to the horizon and this has an astronomical belief to the ancient Egyptians. It is also thought that it is a guardian of the horizon for the later journey of the kings in the life-after. There is a large stela between the front paws of the sphinx. It was placed by king ThutmoseIV and describes the king during his hunting in the young days ,while falling asleep min the shade on the sphinx. During his sleep, he dreamt that the sphinx talked to him and told him to clear away the sand around his head and he will be rewarded by making him a pharaoh.

Description

The Great Sphinx is a statue with the face of a man and the body of a lion. Carved out of the surrounding limestone bedrock, it is 57 metres (185 feet) long, 6 m (20 ft) wide, and has a height of 20 m (65 ft), making it the largest single-stone statue in the world. Blocks of stone weighing upwards of 200 tons were quarried in the construction phase to build the adjoining Sphinx Temple. It is located on the west bank of the Nile River within the confines of the Giza pyramid field. The Great Sphinx faces due east, with a small temple between its paws.







The Sphinx against Khafre’s pyramid





Have as a source from kingtutshop and Mausua'ah

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Tuesday, August 28, 2007

The Pyramids of Egypt

The Pyramids of Egypt, were among the largest constructions ever built, constitute one of the most potent and enduring symbols of Ancient Egyptian civilization. It is generally accepted by most archaeologists that they were constructed as burial monuments associated with royal solar and stellar cults, and most were built during the Old and Middle Kingdom periods.

The number of pyramid structures in Egypt today is reported by most sources as being between 80 and 111, with a majority favouring the higher number. In 1842 Karl Richard Lepsius made a list of pyramids, in which he counted 67, but more have been identified and discovered since his time. The imprecise nature of the count is related to the fact that as many smaller pyramids are in a poor state of preservation and appear as little more than mounds of rubble, they are only now being properly identified and studied by archaeologists. Most are grouped in a number of pyramid fields, the most important of which are listed geographically, from north to south, below.

More about Pyramids

A pyramid is any three-dimensional structure where the upper surfaces are triangular and converge on one point. The base of pyramids are usually quadrilateral or trilateral (but generally may be of any polygon shape), meaning that a pyramid usually has four or three sides. The measurements of these triangles uniformly classify the shape as isosceles and sometimes equilateral.

A pyramid's design, with the majority of the weight closer to the ground, means that less material higher up on the pyramid will be pushing down from above. This allowed early civilizations to create stable monumental structures. For thousands of years, the largest structures on Earth were pyramids: first the Red Pyramid in the Dashur Necropolis and then the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the only remaining Wonder of the World. The largest pyramid ever built, by volume, is the Great Pyramid of Cholula, in the Mexican state of Puebla. This pyramid is considered the largest monument ever constructed anywhere in the world, and is still being excavated.

Map of Giza pyramid complex.













Egyptian pyramids

The most famous pyramids are the Egyptian pyramids — huge structures built of brick or stone, some of which are among the largest man-made constructions. Pyramids functioned as tombs for pharaohs. In Ancient Egypt, a pyramid was referred to as mer, literally "place of ascendance." The Great Pyramid of Giza is the largest in Egypt and one of the largest in the world. Until Lincoln Cathedral was built in 1300, it was the tallest building in the world. The base is over 13 acres in area.

It is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and the only one of the seven to survive into modern times. The Ancient Egyptians capped the peaks of their pyramids with gold and covered their faces with polished white limestone, though many of the stones used for the purpose have fallen or been removed for other structures.

Distribution Pyramids at Giza

The Pyramids of Egypt, built at Giza during the 4th Dynasty are the oldest of the seven wonders and the only ones remaining intact today . The three great pyramids and six small pyramids are situated on the left bank of the Nile in Cairo. The pyramids earlier than Giza are Step pyramid of King Zoser in Saqqara (early III Dynasty), Step pyramid in Medum (III-IV Dynasty), the pyramid in Dahshur (IV Dynasty) and others. Giza pyramids were built by three pharaohs - Cheops (or Khufu), Chephren (Khafre) and Mycerinus (Menkaure) - during the second half of the third millennium B.C.

1) The Pyramid of Cheops is 230.364m square at base, 137.18m height (originally 146m) and the incline is 51 degree .52.
2) The Pyramid of Chephren is 215.8m square at base, 136.5m height (originally 143.5m)and the incline is 53 degree .20.
3) The Pyramid of Mycerinus is 108.5m square at base, 66.5m height and the incline is 51 degree.


The Great Pyramid of Cheops, the largest of the three at Giza, is estimated to comprise as many as 2.5 million limestone blocks with an average weight estimated at 2.5 tonnes (2.5 tons). The entire structure was encased in a fine white polished limestone brought from the hills at Tura, on the opposite side of the Nile.


This highly prized material was removed in the 16th century and used to decorate mosques in Cairo. When completed, the Great Pyramid stood 146.6 metres (481 feet) tall, and its base was 230.3 metres (756 feet) square. The capstones (pyramidions) of all the pyramids were made of solid polished granite.

The Great Pyramid of Khufu (circa 2600 BC) was the greatest of the Egyptian pyramids, which served as burial places of the pharaohs, particularly during the Old Kingdom. The great pyramids of Giza were built around 2700-2500 BC as tombs for the pharoahs (rulers of ancient Egypt, who held the status of gods on earth). The Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops to the Greeks) is the largest,pictured here in the center of the photograph, it covers 13 acres. It was constructed of around 2.3 million stones and each of the stones weigh from 2 to 30 tons each.

The granite slab that is the roof of Khufu's burial chamber weighs 50 tons in itself. Khufu's pyramid stands about 450 feet (137 meters) high. It is also in almost complete form, despite being the World’s oldest Wonder. The pyramid of King Chephren is behind Khufu's and the pyramid of King Mycerinus is in front. The three smaller pyramids in the front were built for King Mycerinus’ three wives.

These monumental pyramids are precisely oriented to the four cardinal points. Today the city of Cairo reaches almost to the foot of the pyramids, but when the pyramids were built, they were in the middle of the desert. The Great Pyramids of Giza still have a strong impact on humanity. The impact is best summed up in this ancient Arab proverb: "Man fears Time, yet Time fears the pyramid."

The great pyramid is believed to have been built over a period 20 year. The site was first prepared, and blocks of stone were transported and placed. An outer casing (which disappeared over the years) was then used to smooth the surface. Although it is not known how the blocks were put in place, several theories have been proposed. One theory involves the construction of a straight or spiral ramp that was raised as the construction proceeded. This ramp, coated with mud and water, eased the displacement of the blocks which were pushed (or pulled) into place. A second theory suggests that the blocks were placed using long levers with a short angled foot.

The Great Pyramid was 145.75 m (481 ft) high when it was built. Over the years, it lost 10 m (30 ft) off its top. It ranked as the tallest structure on Earth for more than 43 centuries, only to be surpassed in height in the nineteenth century AD. It is made composed of 2,300,000 blocks of stone, each averaging 2 1/2 tons in weight. Despite the makers' limited surveying tools no side is more than 8 inches different in length than another, and the whole structure is perfectly oriented to the points of the compass.

It was covered with a casing of stones to smooth its surface (some of the casing can still be seen near the top of Khefre's pyramid). The sloping angle of its sides is 51 degrees and 51 minutes.

Each side is carefully oriented with one of the cardinal points of the compass, that is, north, south, east, and west. The horizontal cross section of the pyramid is square at any level, with each side measuring 229 m (751 ft) in length. The maximum error between side lengths is astonishingly less than 0.1%. On the north face, is the pyramid's entrance. A number of corridors, galleries, and escape shafts either lead to the King's burial chamber, or were intended to serve other functions.

At the moment, only the Great Pyramid is open to the public. (For conservation reasons, the others are closed.) After climbing a number of steps, one enters through a narrow passage on the north side. This passage leads to a sloping corridor with a low ceiling where one is obliged to bend over while climbing up a ramp. The ramp leads to a passage with a high ceiling called the Grand Gallery, from where stairs lead to the king's burial chamber. Good walking shoes and light clothes are advised for anyone entering the pyramid. The climb is strenuous and the narrow passages tend to trap the heat.

Reference Link and picture....
kingtutshop
wikipedia





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Friday, August 24, 2007

Why Egyptian Cotton Is Still King ?

Why Egyptian Cotton Is Still King ? or لماذا لا يزال القطن المصري من الملك؟


Egyptian cotton (القطن المصري ) has become wildly popular for bedding in recent years. Why exactly? Does it really matter?

It was thought for ages that cotton was cotton and thread count was king when choosing quality sheets. That is no longer true. Consumer guidelines for buying bedding suggest that cotton from Egypt is superior to other cotton. Is this true and, if so, what is the big difference?

Egyptian cottons are used to create bedding of all types from sheets to pillowcases to comforters. The long staple or long fiber of Egyptian-grown cotton means that there is more continuous fiber to use when creating threads or yarns. This yarn is smaller in diameter yet stronger than other cottons. Smaller yarn means that more threads per square inch can be use to create stronger fabric which is light in weight yet breathes well.

More threads per inch mean that the thread count on the bedding label will be higher. Many buyers think that choosing high thread count sheets is the only gauge of quality. This is not true, but in the case of cotton grown in Egypt, the higher thread count means the fabric will be incredibly strong and will last for years and years. If cared for properly, Egyptian produced cotton fabric used for creating bedding products can last for decades.

The hand or feel of the sheets created from Egyptian grown cotton is a bit harder than other cottons when the bedding is new. However, with every single laundering, the cotton sheets from Egyptian fibers become softer and softer. Like a fine wine, age improves the Egyptian fiber cotton bedding and, unlike many products, you will prize your Egyptian fiber sheets of cotton more and more as they age and become soft and cuddly.

Cotton grown in the Egyptian fields will also produce less lint and therefore will not pill after repeated washings as some materials may do. At one time, the only way to obtain Egyptian fiber cotton sheets was to shop in high-end expensive stores. This is no longer true and most department stores and online bedding stores carry a selection of Egyptian produced cotton sheets and other bedding items for the buyer seeking this quality product.

King Cotton was once the name for the cotton grown in the Deep South of the United States. This cotton has much shorter fibers or staple than the Egyptian produced cotton. Egyptian fiber is now considered the king of all cottons for its durability and luxurious feel. After all, we spend almost one-third of our lives in our beds and our bedding should be comfortable and durable. Choosing the right sheets made from the king of cotton, Egyptian produced fibers, you will experience a bed that is comfortable and cozy.

A word of caution regarding bedding labels: if the package says "cotton rich" the actual amount of cotton, whether Egyptian or other cotton, is not stated and can be a very small amount. It is better to select products that state 100% cotton or, if choosing a blend fabric, that clearly state the exact proportion of cotton in the bedding. This will ensure your product composition is one that you will be pleased with.

If the package says "percale", this means that the thread count is at least 180 count. Many people believe that percale is a fabric type in its own right. This isn't the case at all; it simply means the thread count is 180 or more. Percale can be 100% cotton or a blend of cotton and other fibers!

Sferra Brothers always has a special eye for quality and their Celeste linens in 100% cotton from Egypt is no exception. These mix and match fine quality linens are created with 406 thread count. The linens are cool and crisp yet soft for luxurious comfort. White plus 10 solid colors are available. You simply can't go wrong with these machine washable luxury linens.

Matouk Classics collection includes the Lowell design. These Egyptian long fiber cotton sheets are 600 thread count for true luxury. Available in white with one inch sateen tape accents around edges of pillow cases and on sheet hem. Select choice of five solid colors for the accent. These linens are elegant enough for the finest bedrooms.

Frette's 600 thread count Royalty sheet sets come in a shade called "money green" which is actually a deep olive green. Other colors are also available. The linens are accented with a square jacquard weave around the edges for a very distinctive, classic look. If you want beauty beyond compare, these linens from Frette are for you.

Egyptian remains King of the cotton world today and will retain that crown for many years into the future.

You'll find this long staple cotton used in sheets by many different designers and can enjoy this Egyptian luxury, suitable for the kings and pharaohs in your very own home!

Origin source from Patricia Bowlin

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Tuesday, August 21, 2007

History of Cairo

Old Cairo or Al-Fustat (الفسطاط) was founded in AD 641 near other Egyptian cities and villages, including the old Egyptian capital Memphis, Heliopolis, Giza and the Byzantine fortress of Babylon-in-Egypt. However, Fustat was itself a new city built as a military garrison for Arab troops and was the closest central location to Arabia that was accessible to the Nile. Fustat became a regional center of Islam during the Umayyad period and was where the Umayyad ruler, Marwan II, made his last stand against the Abbasids.
The Mosque of Amr Ibnu Al-Asr
Later, during the Fatimid era, Al-Qahira (Cairo) was officially founded in AD 969 as an imperial capital and it absorbed Fustat. It was in that year that it received its modern name of Cairo, and 969 is considered the "founding year" of the modern city.


During the city's history various dynasties would add suburbs to the city and construct important structures that became known throughout the Islamic world including the Al-Azhar mosque. Conquered by Saladin and ruled by Ayyubids starting in 1171, it remained an important center of the Muslim world. Slave soldiers or Mamluks seized Egypt and ruled from their capital at Cairo from 1250 to 1517 when they were defeated by the Ottomans. Following Napoleon's brief occupation, an Ottoman officer named Muhammad Ali made Cairo the capital of an independent empire that lasted from 1801 to 1882. The city came under British control until Egypt attained independence in 1922.

Today, Greater Cairo encompasses various historic towns and modern districts into one of the most populous cities in the world. A journey through Cairo is a virtual time travel: from the Pyramids, Saladin's Citadel, the Virgin Mary's Tree, the Sphinx, and ancient Heliopolis, to Al-Azhar, the Mosque of Amr ibn al-A'as, Saqqara, the Hanging Church, and the Cairo Tower. It is the Capital of Egypt, and indeed its history is intertwined with that of the country. Today, Cairo's official name is Al-Qahira (Cairo), although the name informally used by most Egyptians is "Masr" (Egyptian Arabic name for Egypt).

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Cairo and Egypt Destination

Cairo (Arabic: القاهرة transliteration: Al-Qahirah), which means "The Vanquisher" or "The Triumphant", is the capital city of Egypt. While Al-Qahirah is the official name of the city, in Egyptian Arabic it is typically called simply by the name of the country, Masr (مصر, Egypt). It has a metropolitan area population of about 15.75 million people. Cairo is the sixteenth most populous metropolitan area in the world. It is also the most populous metropolitan area in Africa


Cairo at the night in Tahrir City


Egypt could be said to have six different tourist super-sites. Each has its own flavor, and mostly each serves a different purpose. Surprisingly, or perhaps not, most of these tourist areas do not depend on ancient monuments to sustain them. In fact, only Luxor is completely dependent on this trade. These super-sites consist of:

Alexandria and the immediate area around the City. It could in fact be argued that this area extends to Marsa Matruh to the west on the coast. The area has a Mediterranean feel about it, and the attraction is the Mediterranean Sea, and to the people of Cairo, a somewhat cooler climate.

Cairo and the immediate area around the City. Cairo has everything. Cairo has great hotels, entertainment, restaurants, all manner of monuments from throughout the history of Egypt and it is often the entry point for most people visiting Egypt. It even has bowling allies and several golf courses to chose from.

Luxor, and the surrounding area. Luxor is a living museum with vast numbers of ancient Egyptian monuments. It is also highly oriented to tourists, and might be thought of in the same regard as a theme park, where the attractions just happen to be real monuments.

Aswan and the surrounding area. Aswan is probably the least of the super-site tourist areas, but has great hotels, along with the huge Lake Nasser just to the south.

Hurghada and the surrounding area, particularly El Gouna. Not to far apart are El Gouna, Hurghada and Safaga, and these areas contain just about everything a tourist would like to have, with the exception of ancient monuments. They make up for that with every variety of water sports, several golf courses, casinos and more. The Red Sea area has less of an Egyptian feel, but not as European as the Sinai.

Sharm El Sheikh, and the surrounding area including Sharks Bay. This is the Sinai super-site, again with most everything any tourist might wish. There are even some wonderful Christian monuments nearby, and the water sports, as at Hurghada, are all inclusive.

This is not to say that there are many more tourist destinations, particularly on the Red Sea and in Sinai, and on Egypt's mainland interior, the oases. However, in much of the rest of the mainland interior, travel and destinations are limited. However, the tourist super-sites encompass perhaps ninety-five percent of the ancient monuments, and most else there is to do in Egypt.

Egypt Map

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Sunday, August 19, 2007

About Egypt

About Egypt

Egypt is probably the world's oldest civilization having emerged from the Nile Valley around 3,100 BC, historically. Egypt is probably one of the oldest vacation spots. Early Greeks, Romans and others went there just for fun, and to see the wonders of some of mankind's earliest triumphs. But Egypt is much more than Pyramids and monuments. It is also Red Sea scuba diving, hot night spots, luxury hotels and five star restaurants. It is romantic cruises down the Nile on festive river boats, a night at the grand opera and it is a cultural experience like none you have ever experienced. Egypt is a land bustling with life, sound, visual beauty and excitement. More than anything else, we want you to think of Egypt as fun. For thousands of years, it has been the playground of emperors and kings, and we hope you will take the time to find out why.

Overview of Egypt

The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood, coupled with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and west, allowed for the development of one of the world's great civilizations. A unified kingdom arose circa 3200 B.C. and a series of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The last native dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C., who in turn were replaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. It was the Arabs who introduced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7th century and who ruled for the next six centuries. A local military caste, the Mamluks took control about 1250 and continued to govern after the conquest of Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. Following the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, Egypt became an important world transportation hub, but also fell heavily into debt. Ostensibly to protect its investments, Britain seized control of Egypt's government in 1882, but nominal allegiance to the Ottoman Empire continued until 1914. Partially independent from the UK in 1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty following World War II. The completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 and the resultant Lake Nasser have altered the time-honored place of the Nile River in the agriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (the largest in the Arab world), limited arable land, and dependence on the Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress society. The government has struggled to ready the economy for the new millennium through economic reform and massive investment in communications and physical infrastructure.

The Nile.

Nile River is the longest river in the world, stretching for 4,187 miles and has been the lifeline for Egypt since ancient times. For this reason all the sights are along the river and that's what cruises makes so popular. The wide river offers a fascinating scenery with varied views - simple villages, settlements and poor housings romantically embedded in the subtropical vegetation with luxuriant palm groves, fertile plantations and lush meadows, modern cities and ancient temples, more southern barren hills and ever again the amazing width of the river... The ride revealed interesting insides in life and culture along the Nile.... Nile wikipedia here The Nile




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