Egypt
King of the Desert,
Captive Bride features
Egypt, one of my dream destinations, as its setting.
I've always wanted to visit Egypt and am fascinated
by the tombs and stories of the pharaohs, so
much so that history and temple and tomb crept into the
story. Sheikh Khalid Fehr is an anthropologist and Olivia
Morse is a travel agent—perfect for cruising the Nile and
following in love between visits to temples and tombs.
Incidentally, my mom is a veteran travel agent and she loved this book, saying
it was probably her favorite of all my Presents because it captured Egypt so
beautifully. So for those of you who are armchair travelers, enjoy my list of
places to visit and things to do in Egypt:
Nile River – take
a cruise to visit the architectural attractions in Luxor,
Aswan and the Red Sea. People in the Middle East consider
Egypt to be the gift of the Nile, the river which has
been the focal point of Egyptian life for tens of thousands
of years. The two most prominent areas of Egypt are the
Delta and the Nile Valley. The ancient people of this
country believed the waters of the Nile came from a ‘mysterious
heaven of plenty’ and
even today, Egypt relies heavily on the Nile for food,
water and transportation . One of the most popular activities
for tourists today is a cruise down the Nile.
» Nile
River Cruise
» Sonesta
Nile Cruises on the Nile River
Lake Nasser – one of the world’s largest
man-made lakes, it is named after the president of Egypt from 1956 to
1970, Gamal Abdel Nasser. Lake Nasser is renowned for the best freshwater
fishing in the world. The lake is approximately 310 miles (1550 square
miles) in length and in certain places, it can reach to a depth of 600
feet. It was built in the 1960’s when the world famous
High Dam was also built. Lake Nasser and the Aswan Dam provide
irrigation and electricity for all of Egypt. However, the
lake and dam aren't without controversy as you'll discover
in King of the Desert, Captive Bride.
» Lake
Nasser Fishing Adventure
The Red Sea – Beneath the crystal
surface of this sea, one can find an oasis of
reefs, coral formations and living creatures.
Known as the place where the earth meets the
ocean, the Red Sea is one of the world’s most
beautiful yet natural seascape environments.
It is located between Asia and Africa.
» TourEgypt.net
- Red Sea
» LOOKLEX
Encyclopedia - Red Sea
The Valley of the Kings – One
of the most famous archaeological sites in the world,
the Valley of the Kings was used as the burial ground
for Egyptian pharaohs in underground tombs. Located in the
Theban hills, these wadis (valleys)
were chosen as the sacred place because of the smooth
white limestone walls that could be carved and decorated
to showcase the history. The valley is also close to
the sacred Nile river, easily reached by the elaborate funeral
processions that brought the King’s mummy to
the tomb. The Valley’s steep cliffs afford the ideal
locations for guard huts and offer sweeping views of
the entire area. A must see for any Egyptology buff.
» TourEgypt.net
- The Valley of the Kings on the West Bank at
Luxor
» Valley
of the Kings
The temples at Kom Ombo – Ancient
Egyptians worshiped and feared the crocodile
in honor of the Crocodile god, Sobek. 30 miles
North of Aswan, Kom Ombo was once a sanctuary
for a large number of crocodiles and the center
of worship for Sobek. The temple is known to
be unique in that it consists of twin parts that
are attached but completely separate; each temple
has its own halls, chapels and entrance. Visitors
can also view crocodile sarcophagi and mummies
excavated from the nearby City of the Dead. Olivia
is fascinated with the crocodile god, Sobek,
and I am, too. Check out AncientWorlds.net to
learn more about Sobek!
The Omar Khayyam – a must-see
place for those who love to gamble. The Omar Khayyam is a casino and
also known to be one of the best hotels in Egypt. Open day and night,
they offer free drinks as long as you’re playing. Don’t
forget to stop by Piano
Piano at the hotel, for a wonderful meal and great
live music. It is frequented very often by residents of
the area.
» Cairo
Marriott Hotel & Omar Khayyam Casino
The Pyramids of Cheops (Khufu) – the
oldest and largest of the pyramids on the Giza Plateau,
it contain an estimated 2.3 million blocks. Some of you
may want to visit in the evening to catch The Pyramid
Sound and Light show of the Sphinx and Pyramids. Very
much worth the trip!
» The
Great Pyramid of Cheops (Khufu)
» Cheops
Pyramid from ThinkQuest
The Egyptian Museum in Cairo – houses
more than 136,000 artifacts from pre-Islamic
Egyptian history! Don’t
forget to visit the top floor to view the Mummy
Museum. Visit: Egyptian
Museum
The Mena House – a
grand hotel built in 1869 and the first hotel Sheikh
Fehr takes Olivia to after she's rescued from the Ozr
prison.
The Mena House still continues to enchant guests even
today. Known to have hosted great emperors and kings, it
boasts
luxurious surroundings and antiques. The Mena House sits
in the shadows of the Great Pyramids in Cairo . A truly
beautiful
sight to see ! For more information, visit Mena
House Oberoi, Cairo
