Egypt
White sand beaches. Coral reefs teeming with tropical fish. Kid-friendly seaside resorts. In recent years, Egypt has become Africa’s answer to the Caribbean. Families – from budget conscious to luxury travelers - are flocking here. And while it may be tempting to spend a week or more building sandcastles and snorkeling, mummies, pharaohs and camel treks are equally exciting. Even for kids! Cruise the Nile from Luxor to Aswan or sail upriver on a felucca. Explore the ancient settlement of Abu, visit the Temple of Horus and tour the Valley of the Kings. Take a day trip to Abu Simbel and marvel at the Great Temple of Ramses II. Travel to Cairo and experience ancient and modern Egypt in a single day. Explore the Pyramids of Giza inside and out, ogle at King Tut’s tomb and stroll the narrow streets of Khan al-Khalili, an age-old bazaar. Head west over land and discover the eastern reaches of the Sahara. Take a camel trek in the White Desert and see, firsthand, the effects of weathering and erosion on the shape of the land. Follow the Great Caravan Route and tour living as well as abandoned desert oases. Make your way to Siwa and, in addition to learning the secrets of Shali, explore the Great Sand Sea. Yet as with any family vacation too much of a good thing can quickly become boring. Alternate history and culture with adventure and movement and get the kids involved in planning a family holiday to Egypt. What better place than Egypt, a cornerstone of most elementary school curriculums, for the kids to play travel guide and even teach mom and dad?
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Egyptian Mythology
The ancient Egyptians didn't have the scientific knowledge we have today so they created myths or legends to explain things they didn't understand. The myth of Osiris and Isis is one such example. Osiris, Egypt's first pharaoh, was killed by his jealous brother Seth. Isis, Osiris's wife, recomposed her dead husband's body and preserved it in linen bandages. She then used magic to bring Osiris back to life long enough to conceive a son, Horus. Years later, Horus triumphed over evil and killed Seth. The myth reflects the ancient Egyptian belief that life is part of the natural cycle, like the changing of the seasons, and that all good things are reborn. Isis, depicted as a woman with a throne-shaped crown or cow horns, is the goddess of fertility. Horus, pictured as a falcon or a man with a falcon's head, is the god of the sky and protector of the living. Osiris, a green-skinned man with mummified legs, is the god of death as well as the ancient Egyptian symbol of eternal life. |
