R. Doug Wicker's Blog, page 4

Cairo — The Pyramid of Khufu and the Sphinx

Mastaba (tomb) in the foreground; Pyramid of Queen Henutsen behind

Perhaps the most iconic image at the Giza Pyramid Complex (after the Pyramid of Khafre for me) is the Great Sphinx of Giza. From paw to tail this half man/half lion measures 240 feet/73 meters, and it rises 66 feet/20 meters above the ground. So, even though it appears smallish, especially in comparison to the three large pyramids at this site, it is indeed a very large structure:

The Great Sphinx of Giza

And it would loo...

Cairo — Giza Pyramid Complex

Pyramid of Khafre; Giza Pyramid Complex

After our visit to Saqqara and stops at various shops I told you about last week, our next tour stop was the Giza Pyramid Complex. Here you’ll find three very large pyramids, the Great Sphinx of Giza, and an assortment of smaller pyramids, all of which were built during the 4th Dynasty of the Old Kingdom. Of the three larger pyramids, the Great Pyramid (also known as the Pyramid of Cheops or Khufu) is the most famous because it is the largest — currentl...

Fun Photo Friday —Cairo Favorites 1

Lucky Composition in Cairo

Today I present the first of eight Fun Photo/Fun Food Fridays featuring Cairo favorites:

Слава Україні! (Slava Ukraini!)

Cairo — Saqqara, Papyrus, and Essential Oils

Saqqara — All that remains of statues on a pedestal

Today we’ll finish up with Saqqara, then head on out for some local culture. By culture, I’m referring to the making of papyrus, by hand, and then we’ll go into a shop specializing in essential oils, if you’re into that kind of thing. We’ll begin to day with another view of the Pyramid of Djoser:

Pyramid of Djoser

One thing I did not touch upon on Monday is Djoser, the pharoah for whom this comlex was built. Djoser ruled for somewhere b...

After Bucharest — Cairo and Saqqara

Step Pyramid of Djoser; Saqqara, Egypt

After Ursula and I departed Bucharest, Romania, we headed off to a destination we hadn’t visited since 1984 — Cairo, Egypt. This would be our first stop in Egypt for continuing south to Aswan for a Nile River cruise. And upon our arrival at the Mar Chabel Hotel, while we waited for the front desk staff to find our reservations (and waited… and waited…), Ursula booked us on a tour for the next day. This tour would take us first to Saqqara, an ancient necr...

Fun Food Friday — Bucharest Gem: Caru’ cu Bere

Caru’ cu Bere — Strada Stavropoleos 5, București 030081, Romania

Caru’ cu Bere is not your typical dining establishment. Indeed, there is nothing “typical” about Caru’ cu Bere on any level. This place opened as a brewery way back in 1879. Hence the name, which translates to Cart with Beer. Thus, it’s a beer hall that morphed onto a restaurant featuring some really great Romanian food. And it does not cater solely to tourists. I was immediately struck by how many Romanians head into this estab...

Bucharest, Romania — Protest at the Palace of Parliament

Biserica Sfântul Dumitru (Saint Demetrius Church)

On our final full day in Bucharest, Ursula wanted to head over to the Palatul Parlamentului (Palace of Parliament) for a tour of this monstrous edifice that, arguably, got Nicolae Ceaușescu and his wife Elena dates with a firing squad in 1989. Along the way we passed by Biserica Sfântul Dimitrie–Poștă (St. Demetrius–Post Church), which you can see in the photograph above. And in case you’re wondering how “Poștă” got in the name, it derives fro...

Romania — Brasov and Lunch at La Gustări

Casa Sfatului (Council’s House), Brașov, Romania

After our narrow escape from Castle Dracula (Bran Castle), we headed northeast to Brașov to catch our breathe and grab a quick bite (see what I just did there?). So, after alighting from our coach, we headed to Piața Sfatului (Council Square). Unfortunately, the sun was already sinking and time did not permit a lengthy investigation of this enchanting place. If it had, we definitely would’ve hit the nearby Biserica Neagră (Black Church). But by...

Fun Photo Friday — Romania Favorites 4

The Werewolf We Encountered at Castle Dracula

On Wednesday I promised a picture of the werewolf we encountered on the grounds of Castle Dracula. After getting permission to take a picture from young Larry Talbot’s parents — Barnabas and Angelique Bouchard Collins (real names withheld), I quickly snapped the image above before Ursula and I made a hasty retreat back into the village of Bran. Now that I’ve gotten that promise out of the way, here is today’s Fun Photo Friday of Romania favorites:...

Romania — Touring Castle Dracula

‘Tis best to visit Castle Dracula during the day, whilst the count lies in his coffin

Forget everything I told you on Monday about Bran Castle and you’ll have a lot more fun today. Suspend your disbelief as we concentrate on the horrors contained within the cold, dank walls of Castle Dracula. I can already feel the chill and the blood draining from my body. How about you? Not yet? Well, how about shaking hands to Vlad the Impaler, who has resided here, off and on, since the mid 1500s? Not fa...