The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum’s 2004 expedition to Egypt, “Walk with the Egyptologists”, was the trip of a lifetime. Over twenty intrepid museum staff, volunteers, members, and friends arrived in Cairo and immediately began visiting the “dream sites” of Egypt. Pre-dawn wake-up calls were judged no problem by museum member Anne who said, “You can sleep when you die, people!”. Truer words were never spoken, as we saw the sun kiss the face of the Sphinx at dawn, and the cliffs over Hatshepsut’s temple glow rose-red with the morning light, not to mention moonrise over Kom Ombo.
The museum group crawled into pyramid shafts and tombs, climbed over the mountain behind the Valley of the Kings, and rode across the desert by camel and horse(one of which almost carried our curator to Libya!). Drs. Lehner and Hawass lectured us on their sites at Giza, while Dr. Kent Weeks and Dr. Susan Weeks lectured us at the Valley of the Kings and during our cruise. Dr. Ray Johnson demonstrated his restoration work at the temple at Luxor, while Salima Ikram spoke of her work in the Dakhla Oasis.
The Valley of the Kings was especially touching for the rare opportunity to hike to the village of the artists of the Valley of the Kings. Museum volunteer Alexis said that Sennedjem’s tomb in the village was “the Elysian Fields”. Nefertari’s incredibly beautiful tomb in the Valley of the Queens left many in tears, and led museum volunteer Kim to state “that has to be the most exquisite thing in the world!”
Undeterred by a sandstorm, we cruised up the Nile from the lovely city of Luxor, hometown of the god Amun (and our incomparable guide, Emil), to Aswan, the traditional border town of Egypt. Stops at the temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo were well-worth the time, and Aswan will be well-remembered for the Temple of Isis at Philae. Sandstorm fortunately over, a short flight to Abu Simbel gave us the opportunity to visit Nubia and see one of the great temples (and rescue stories) of all time. A final day in Cairo gave us the opportunity to explore modern Cairo, and hear the great muezzins of the city give their calls to prayer.
It was with heavy hearts that we said goodbye to Egypt and our wonderful hosts, but we all vowed to return again.
Find out about the exciting events that occured on the Walk with the Egyptologists trip.
Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum & Planetarium
