Half day trip to Memphis/Sakkarah vs. museum??

[seafun]

Advice please... :) I'm getting close to booking a 15 day trip through Gate 1. I had planned to spend the last open day in Cairo to go back to the Egyptian museum -- which I know I will love.

 

We will have visited it once for several hours.

 

There's a half day trip to Memphis/Sakkarah.

 

For those of you that have been -- I'm leaning toward the side trip, AND trying to get a few more hours in the museum. In your experience, would that work time wise?

 

I assume the Memphis/Sakarrah trip is another of those "crack of dawn" things" :rolleyes: which should leave time for the museum. Is the museum beastly hot and/or crowded in the afternoons?

 

My guide books have been ordered, but I can't answer my own question yet. I'm assuming it's worth the time and money to see Memphis and Sakkarah for a measly $42.00??? :confused:

 

Thanks for your input! :D

[smeyer418]

Advice please... :) I'm getting close to booking a 15 day trip through Gate 1. I had planned to spend the last open day in Cairo to go back to the Egyptian museum -- which I know I will love.

 

We will have visited it once for several hours.

 

There's a half day trip to Memphis/Sakkarah.

 

For those of you that have been -- I'm leaning toward the side trip, AND trying to get a few more hours in the museum. In your experience, would that work time wise?

 

I assume the Memphis/Sakarrah trip is another of those "crack of dawn" things" :rolleyes: which should leave time for the museum. Is the museum beastly hot and/or crowded in the afternoons?

 

My guide books have been ordered, but I can't answer my own question yet. I'm assuming it's worth the time and money to see Memphis and Sakkarah for a measly $42.00??? :confused:

 

Thanks for your input! :D

 

 

Memphis and Saqqara are less than 20 miles from Giza...I love the Egyptian museum but it is crowded most of the day. It empties out slightly for lunch and again at 4. Saqqara tends to be much less crowded...If you have looked at some of my pictures, the Police camel ride is at the Bent Pyramid and the drinking camel is police camel #17. While you can go back to the Egyptian Museum many times and still not see it all, as between first trip to Memphis and Saqqara and the Museum I would go outside not in(Saqqara---ps I checked the spelling before I posted)...

 

[cruisemom42]

I think you can do both. I'm in a similar situation with a day in Cairo on my own at the end of my trip. I will have already done Saqqara earlier, so I plan to do a half-day tour of Coptic Cairo (the oldest portion of Cairo) with a drop off after lunch at the museum to spend the rest of the afternoon there.

[seafun]

I appreciate the input. Cruisemom, from your other posts, I think we'd be there about the same time -- February?? My proposed trip is Feb 6 - 20th.

Maybe I'll see you an a camel, in passing.. :rolleyes:

I just bought the new Rough Guide and DK Eyewitness books a few minutes ago -- time for some serious reading!:D

And anyone else, I'm always open to your helpful suggestions!

[seafun]

I'm most embarrassed about mispelling Saqqara. :o

Well, part of the joy of travel is learning new things.

Today I have learned that I owe Smeyer baksheesh for his kind correction, and as always, for his learned advice. :D

[smeyer418]

I'm most embarrassed about mispelling Saqqara. :o

 

Well, part of the joy of travel is learning new things.

 

Today I have learned that I owe Smeyer baksheesh for his kind correction, and as always, for his learned advice. :D

 

 

Please don't be embarrassed! I have my DK eyewitness guide from the trip I returned from last week sitting on top of the computer box...and I just wanted to give you the correct spelling. I in an email spelled it at least three different ways until I looked it up myself. I wasn't try to correct you or show off but just to give you the correct spelling....

 

Also I found Coptic Cairo boring(although I am told that if you take the Metro there you will find that memorial- it stops right in front of the museum). I found Islamic Cairo more interesting.

 

I was in Turkey last year and found the Cora Church more interesting that all Coptic Cairo.

 

I have of course pictures of all this somewhere...

 

Behind the synagogue in Coptic Cairo is the well that was supposedly covered with the reed basket that Moses was found in...but if you believe that I would happily sell you John the Baptist's skull....which size would you prefer? and how many?...

[smeyer418]

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AbsWrRu1ctGaF

 

Coptic Cairo in a nutshell (or that a Pita bread I see)...

[cruisemom42]

I appreciate the input. Cruisemom, from your other posts, I think we'd be there about the same time -- February?? My proposed trip is Feb 6 - 20th.

 

Maybe I'll see you an a camel, in passing.. :rolleyes:

 

I just bought the new Rough Guide and DK Eyewitness books a few minutes ago -- time for some serious reading!:D

 

And anyone else, I'm always open to your helpful suggestions!

 

 

Yes, I'll be there from 14th thru 25th. I think that's prime time for tourism in Egypt, so expect it to be crowded.

 

I can highly recommend the Lonely Planet guidebook -- lots of good info there. I also have the DK Eyewitness book; as always it has beautiful pictures but is a little lighter on the info.

[cruisemom42]

 

Also I found Coptic Cairo boring(although I am told that if you take the Metro there you will find that memorial- it stops right in front of the museum). I found Islamic Cairo more interesting.

 

I was in Turkey last year and found the Cora Church more interesting that all Coptic Cairo.

 

I have of course pictures of all this somewhere...

 

Behind the synagogue in Coptic Cairo is the well that was supposedly covered with the reed basket that Moses was found in...but if you believe that I would happily sell you John the Baptist's skull....which size would you prefer? and how many?...

 

 

I'm interested in Coptic Cairo more from a historical standpoint. The "hanging church" is built over what's left of the Roman fort -- would you believe I'm more interested in the fort than in the church??? Also interested in the Coptic art and how the early Coptic period was a transition from the ancient Egyptian religion to a Christian outlook.

 

OK, so I'm a little fanatic about history....

 

Anyway, I agree Islamic Cairo is fascinating, but will have done that area twice already so I wanted to see something new.

 

Did you go to the Coptic museum?

 

Also, did you see the sufi dancers by chance?

[cruisemom42]

Please don't be embarrassed! I have my DK eyewitness guide from the trip I returned from last week sitting on top of the computer box...and I just wanted to give you the correct spelling. I in an email spelled it at least three different ways until I looked it up myself. I wasn't try to correct you or show off but just to give you the correct spelling....

 

 

Yes, and spelling seems to be somewhat fluid anyway. Even in guidebooks I've seen it as Sakkara, Sakkhara, and Saqqara (which seems to be most common). Same for Amon/Amun; Thutmoses/Thuthmosis/Thuthmose and so on....

[smeyer418]

I'm interested in Coptic Cairo more from a historical standpoint. The "hanging church" is built over what's left of the Roman fort -- would you believe I'm more interested in the fort than in the church??? Also interested in the Coptic art and how the early Coptic period was a transition from the ancient Egyptian religion to a Christian outlook.

 

OK, so I'm a little fanatic about history....

 

Anyway, I agree Islamic Cairo is fascinating, but will have done that area twice already so I wanted to see something new.

 

Did you go to the Coptic museum?

 

Also, did you see the sufi dancers by chance?

 

yes we went to the coptic museum but not the dancers. We have seem much of this in Turkey including the whirling dervishes. The Cora Church is in my opinion more interesting, Almost everything in the Middle east is built over a Greco Roman something the whole Ptolemtic dynasty was Greek...

 

The Cora church was covered in Plaster and the removal of which has exposed artifacts that were seen since John died there somewhere. I have a picture of that too.....

[smeyer418]

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AbsWrRu1ctGan

 

the Pictures were used to teach the new converts about the religion since most couldn't read. Cora Church is on the Eurpeon side of Istanbul. St John's tomb is on the Asia side of Turkey....but I don't remember where was it Ephesus?

 

Sid

[Sekhmet]

Yes, and spelling seems to be somewhat fluid anyway. Even in guidebooks I've seen it as Sakkara, Sakkhara, and Saqqara (which seems to be most common). Same for Amon/Amun; Thutmoses/Thuthmosis/Thuthmose and so on....

 

And Amen and Imn; and Thothmes and Djehutymose etc. Spelling is fluid in Egypt, partly because the Ancient Egyptians did not, in general, record their vowel sounds, so it's all a bit of intelligent guesswork. The best guidelines seem to come from the language of the current Coptic church, whose liturgy is thought to be a direct descendant of Egyptian.

[MercedMike]

I'm most embarrassed about mispelling Saqqara. :o

 

Well, part of the joy of travel is learning new things.

 

Today I have learned that I owe Smeyer baksheesh for his kind correction, and as always, for his learned advice. :D

 

LOL -- when transliterating from one language to another, spelling can change drastically.

 

Although Saqqara is probably the most common spelling for the step pyramid site, Sakkara is also very common, Sakarah is often seen and there are other variations in common usage as well. Nobody needs to be embarassed. Just hop in and spell it as it sounds to you and you will be in good company!!

 

I found Sakkara to be an exciting and interesting sight, and also found the pyramid field at Dashur to be well worth the trip. Memphis, once you have seen the fallen statue, doesn't take long at all. A half day morning trip would do all that very easily.

 

The Egyptian Museum -- what can I say! It is fabulous. Days and days are not enough. HOWEVER, it is entirely possible to see the main exhibits, visit the mummy room, and fight the crowd for a glimpse of Tut's golden mask in the course of an afternoon. A good guide is a great help, or if not really study your guidebook and map.

 

Check out

http://www.elite.net/~thehalls/egyptmain.html

and

http://www.elite.net/~thehalls/holyland2.html

for our reports and pics.

 

Have a GREAT trip!

[seafun]

The 15 day trip to Egypt, as well as the half day trip to (--- I know you're all waiting to see how I spell it! :rolleyes: Saqqara!)lol

 

So now I have lots and lots of reading to do! This forum included. :)

 

MercedMike, I've really enjoyed your pictures, and look forward to seeing my mug in front of many of those same places, the ones I've longed to see for so long!

 

I saw the King Tut exhibit when it travelled here to Seattle in (I think) 1978, and was thrilled. The thought that in two months I'll be seeing a few of those things, in Egypt, is quite wonderful! :D

 

I'm getting lots of tips from another website as well.. http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Africa/Egypt/General_Tips-Egypt-BR-1.html

 

 

Now, back to some more reading.... talk to you soon!

[Sekhmet]

Also take a look at http://www.touregypt.net and http://www.thebanmappingproject.com

 

The first is a general site, the second tells you more than you thought you'd ever want to know about the West Bank at Thebes.

 

Richard