Pages

Monday 24 November 2008

Egyptians are apparently well endowed

I'm back, and am suffering the drastic temperature change. It was about 30 degrees in the desert with humidity to boot, and when we landed in Heathrow it had just snowed. 

We saw so much in Egypt and I think pictures say more than words (and I can't actually remember half the names of things anyway).

This was our mode of transportation:




Ok I exaggerate slightly. We only rode the donkey for 20 minutes. But donkey was faster and more comfortable than the ancient overnight train we were subjected to.


And here are the piles of rubble we saw outside the city:



Impressive piles huh? Apparently the builders were not slaves, like we learned at school, but farmers who had no work during flooding season, and got paid to build these instead. 

There was a camel driver outside the pyramids who fleeced us of a fair wad of money for... being annoying? He ended up holding our camera ransom and forced us to have our photo taken until we paid him to give it back. So yes, beware that kind of scam outside the pyramids. Most other places are fine, but if you are a lady, especially if you are a blonde lady, you will be, er, somewhat popular with the locals. Even if you are married. But this is a safe and pretty crime free country so despite the endless hassle you will be just fine.


I think you know what this thingy is:


Apparently it is degrading at a rapid rate so you better go see it soon.

This temple was incredible. It is dedicated, not to a god, but to King Ramses II. Yes, he saw fit to deify himself and carve this entire mountain as a temple to himself. And I think he would be muchly gratified to know that when they dammed the Nile, they moved this ENTIRE mountain, block by block, a few hundred metres back to prevent flooding. So a few thousand years later the dude was important enough to move mountains, hey?




The most interesting carvings we saw on one of the temples was of a god with an inordinately large penis. No his penis was not the interesting part, it was ridiculous. The interesting part was the carving of the sperm. The carving was of the detail you see when you look at sperm under the microscope, flagellum and all. 

How the hell did the ancient Egyptians know what jizz looked like in that detail? I think that will stick in my mind more than any other fact on the trip.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amazing to think that they carved penises plus sperm! (Some photographic evidence is needed here, please!) Presumably these carvings were to honour the fertility of the man in question?

Degrading sphinxes and paying people to stop them from being annoying (my kids would be rich by now if we did it here!?) ... I just love travelling, don't you?

Anonymous said...

hey po. welcome back, missed you! i'm back too - coming out of my break up funk and also planning a trip.
yeah, photographic evidence please. though it is amazing the things the ancients knew... ain't it?!

po said...

ladyfi: I cannot believe it but I did not take a pic of the sperm. I do have a picture of a god with a huge penis though which I can add for your education :)

cybersass: How are you doing? Where are you planning to go?

Anonymous said...

Classic, sounds like an awesome and educational trip!

po said...

hi Rox: It was. But now I am totally exhausted and need a holiday to recover. It is always the way!

Anonymous said...

Awww I want to go to Egypt! I've always wanted to go...so interesting! :)

Cam said...

Cool dude...how was the holiday?

Welcome back!

Anonymous said...

Hurray! Welcome back!

And ha ha... I TOLD you you were going to have trouble fending off the Egyptian guys!

po said...

sleepyjane: You should go. it is so interesting. We went with Travel talk tour company. We dont normally go with tours but considering the distances between all the monuments and the way the locals try to overcharge you it might be advisable.

They are a good company. You do get quite rushed through all the sights though!

Ches: back, holiday good, starting work in one week, aaargh!

redsaid: I even tried to wear a fake ring and everything but the guys were optimistic. But the blonde girls had it much worse so I can't really complain.

Random Hiccups said...

Ahk. I am jealous. I want to go see Egyptian sperm carvings!

Because you know, I am just like that...

The Blonde Blogshell said...

WOW!!! That is amazing!! I'm seriously jealous! I've always wanted to go to Egypt! Here's hoping I will be able to soon!!
xxx

Anonymous said...

I've answered your question on my blog site.

Unknown said...

Wow, that's fascinating about the sperm. And great pics, makes me want to go! The Greek temples and statues are disintegrating too, sad hey?

Anonymous said...

hey po. i'm actually doing surprisingly good. tentatively started seeing a pukka rocket scientist - and there's chemistry! *blush, giggle, giggle*
i'm heading to india for 3 weeks mid-december, most of it in goa. can't wait!

po said...

random hiccups: you must go see them. You never know when they will crumble!

Blondie: and I am jealous of your trip to Cape Town. We shall have to swop.

kitty cat: I know and whats worse is that the christians and the muslims vandalised the temples when they first came to Egypt. So sad.

cybersass: a real rocket scientist? Is there such a thing in SA? I am glad you are starting to feel better

I would love to go to India/Goa, that is definitely one of my aims. Awesome.

Janine / Being Brazen said...

Welcome back - looks like you had an awesome and interesting trip :)

po said...

Thanks being brazen. I did. Coming home is nice, but the weather is not!

Medio Pomelo said...

Cool thing to remember about ancient Egypt! I don't think it was in our history book in school, but then in general the real interesting stuff you don't learn from books ;)
Nice pics!! I'm well jealous! it's sooo cold...

po said...

medio pomelo: I know. I really wish you could buy Egyptian heat in tourist shops.

Miss T said...

awesome lass! aaaa the sun..*sigh*

po said...

I know miss t I know. but you will see some soon too right?