Alabaster: Egypt's Rock of Ages By Sonny Stengle
You cannot talk about Egypt without mentioning Alabaster, an artistic handicraft that boasts a millenniums old history and a noble tradition that can be felt in almost every nook and cranny of the country. The secrets of the manufacture of this warm and luminous stone have been handed down from generation to generation, throughout the ages, and still represent one of the pinnacles of Egyptian handicrafts.
Tricks of the Trade: Purchasing Egyptian Alabaster by Diaa Khalil
The use of alabaster in Egypt dates well back into the Pharaonic period of Egyptian history, and this is very evident when one visits the temples, tombs and museums in Egypt. New pieces of alabaster from ancient Egypt seem to turn up constantly. The ancient pharaohs used this wonderful material for many purposes, including household items, ritual objects, and for a number of different funerary purposes such as sarcophaguses and canopic equipment. Some of the finest ancient artifacts made from alabaster can be found in the Tutankhamun collection of the Egyptian museum, where we find a variety of different items made from this material.
Tricks of the Trade: Buying Egyptian Brass Products by Diaa Khalil
There is an endless variety of handmade products produced in Egypt. If one examines this merchandise and is familiar with it over a span of years, it is easy to see that, even though the Egyptians have been working metal, alabaster, papyrus, glass and other materials for thousands of years, their efforts continue to improve. One of the many materials that Egyptians work with by hand is brass, and they have a long history of doing so. One sees many products made from it, from banquet trays to minaret finials. Amongst the items favored as souvenirs are pots, lamps, embossed plates and inlaid or reposed trays (the larger ones are often mounted on stands to serve as tables), candlesticks holders, water-pipes, gongs, coffee sets, statues, archaic style lamps, mirror frames, vases, swords, and many others items.
Tricks of the Trade Purchasing Fine Papyrus Artwork by Diaa Khalil
Few tourists to Egypt probably leave the country without at least one papyrus painting. It is easy to carry onto airplanes, and relatively inexpensive to purchase. The problem is, do they really leave with true papyrus, or a cheep imitation? Will the paint hold up, or quickly flake off? There are several issues that people should understand when buying papyrus art in Egypt or elsewhere, and here, we attempt to examine what constitutes fine, quality papyrus art.
Belly Dancing Costumes by Diaa Khalil
Egypt! What a beautiful name, what a beautiful country, what a beautiful place to be. Egyptians! What a warm, kind, generous, and friendly people they are. Egyptian women! One could write forever about their beauty. They are kind, faithful, lovely and very sensual, especially when they are dancing. Not just any dancing, but when they are belly dancing. They can warm you to the depths of your soul when they dance. Belly dancing flowers in every Egyptian girl's blood as she grows up. In fact, there are no Egyptian woman who cannot belly dance. The name "belly dance" or "raks sharki" has a long and colorful history. Belly dancing does not mean moving only the belly. When women belly dance, they use their entire body including their head, hair, shoulders, arms, hands, chest, belly, hips, bottoms, legs and feet. It is magic!
Tricks of the Trade: Purchasing Egyptian Glass Perfume Bottles by Diaa Khalil
One trip to Egypt is enough to know that one of the grandest treasure that remains are the people, and the hand made products they produce are the best you can find and see in Egypt. There are many varieties of hand made products, including such items as alabaster objects, painted papyrus, brass and glassware, among others. Nevertheless, there are some products people say are hand made but in fact, are not. However, glass perfume bottles are exclusively hand blown, becoming beautiful works of pure art.
Creature of the Desert, Camel By Catherine C. Harris
When many people all over the world think of Egypt, they think of the Pyramids with a graceful caravan of camels passing by them. Its easy to imagine the caravans of the traders heading into the desert. With no food or water needed for the beasts of burden, we fancy that the journey was made easier. It is a romantic dream of many people to view such a caravan. The truth is, by far, stranger than the myths that have grown up around the camel, the beast of burden which helped spread wealth around the ancient world.
Doing Business in Egypt by Jimmy Dunn
We get a lot of questions from people either traveling to Egypt on business, or wishing to establish a business in Egypt. We have a surprising amount of experience in this regard, and here, we provide a few tips and suggestions on how to accomplish your business goals in Egypt.
The Ghosts of Thebes by Jimmy Dunn
Sheikh Hussein Abd el Rassuhl, who lived on the West Bank at Luxor (ancient Thebes) in the village of Qurna, is now deceased, but he was the last remaining member of the Howard Carter expedition that excavated the tomb of Tutankhamun (a child at the time, he acted as their water boy). However, Sheikh Hussein Abd el Rassuhl has one other distinction. Prior to his death, he was the head of perhaps the most famous family of tomb robbers in the world.
The Great and Lesser Wild Cats of Egypt by Mark Hunter
Chances are, anyone visiting Egypt for simply a vacation will never see much wildlife beyond birds, maybe bats and a few lizards and other small reptiles, unless visiting the Cairo Zoo or perhaps one of the hotels that sometimes maintain small collections of animals, such as the Movenpick Jolie Ville (certainly not a petting zoo) in Luxor. Wildlife exists, nonetheless, and the more adventurous can take nature treks that may reveal more of Egypt's animal inhabitants.
In the Shade of the Trees by the Egyptian Government
Egypt's land before the dawn of history was teeming with trees. Of these trees are the petrified forests that are near the Giza pyramids and beside El Mokattam plateau. Egyptian Pharaohs planted trees and took care of them. They brought ebony wood from the Sudan, pine and cedar from Syria. At present there is great attention paid to cultivating trees on the farms' borders, road sides, canals, drainage, around villages, on the sandy hills near the Mediterranean shores, especially the multi-purposes trees, such as sycamore, mulberry, lotus and others.
The Jewelry of Azzh Fahmy by Sarah El Khodary
I always wanted to be the one who writes about Azza Fahmy. I have followed the footsteps of her artistic career as the first Egyptian jewelry designer acknowledged by the international markets and as an innovator in the field of creative design. Her name makes one think of beauty, richness, and warmth. Azza Fahmy worships the Arabic and Islamic heritage. She has spent thirty years praising its meanings, weaving them into artistic designs and Arabic lines making beautiful pendants, necklaces, earrings, rings, and bracelets full of the incense and magic of the East.
The Lost Feeling, Or Was It a Mummy? by Arnvid Aakre
Allow me to ask you a question: "What was the first feeling you had first time you came to Egypt?" (- or for those who have not been here yet - "What do you think your first feeling would be?"). Arnvid tells us his version of finding his feelings about Egypt.
Merchandising Egypt by Jimmy Dunn
It only seemed natural that Tour Egypt should have an on-line store, and that it should be called the Virtual Khan el-Khalili, after the famous market in Cairo. That said, it has not been easy. Some four years ago, we initially set the on-line store up, arranging to buy Egyptian products from existing companies in the US. There were a number of people importing typical products from Egypt at that time, and we began to do business with several of them, but that soon became a problem.
Tips and Tricks for Renting a Flat in Cairo, Part I: The Giza Area by Amargi Hillier
Tips and Tricks for Renting a Flat in Cairo, Part II: The Heart of Cairo by Amargi Hillier
Tips and Tricks for Renting a Flat in Cairo, Part III: Cost, Living and Tips by Amargi Hillier
This mini guide is geared towards the single/lone traveler who wishes to spend a longer stay in Egypt, specifically within Cairo. Living in Egypt, either for a short stay or a long one, is an extremely rewarding and interesting experience. Most people simply fall in love with Cairo, provided that the initial challenges of doing so do not overwhelm them.
Tricks of the Trade: Buying Egyptian Mother of Pearl by Jimmy Dunn
Soon, we will re-inaugurate our Virtual Khan el-Khalili. Admittedly, we shut our on-line store down because of various supply issues. Since then, we have been looking for reliable suppliers but we have also been examining the quality of goods very closely. Soon, we will reopen the Khan, largely with products I have personally inspected and with a ready inventory for each item. In this process, we have also been doing a great deal of learning, and what we have discovered should be of interest to many of our readers, especially those traveling to Egypt. Take for example, mother of pearl. There are an extensive number of products utilizing mother of pearl. Of course, there are all sizes and styles of boxes with such inlays, but there are also game boards, plates, tables and other furniture, as well as many other items. Some of these are very beautiful works of art. Other pieces are pure junk.
The United States and Egypt as Soul Mates by Jimmy Dunn
It might shock many of our readers for me to assert that, of all the countries in the world, hardly any two are more closely related than the United States and Egypt, but there are striking historical similarities between these two nations. In a very broad manner, Egypt is the United States' older brother, and there are important lessons to be learned from older brothers. This is certainly one of the reasons many more Americans should visit this ancient land.
The Virtual Khan el-Khalili: The Store for Egypt Lovers by Jimmy Dunn
The Khan el-Khalili is one of the oldest, most important markets in the world, and one that any tourist to Egypt is familiar. Everyday, many thousands of people flock to this bazaar that has been in operation since the medieval ages. Now, our new Virtual Khan el-Khalili is on-line and live, with many unusual items direct to you from Egypt. We have fabulous mother-of-pearl, crystal, archaic photos, alabaster and many other fine items. Find out what it is all about and shop for products usually only found in Cairo. If you don't see what you want, let us know.
Warlock: The Making of a Pharaoh A Review by Adel Murad
One of the most fascinating works of fiction to appear on British and Canadian markets recently is the novel: Warlock by Wilbur Smith, who was described by the Sunday Times as a "master storyteller". It is indeed a story of love, treachery and courage, and is worth reading despite its bulk of nearly 700 pages.