Voyages to Antiquity - November 2010 - Palmyra Stood Forth To Rival Rome

Post by Patricia Petersson-O'Connell

NOVEMBER 2010 – ‘PALMYRA STOOD FORTH TO RIVAL ROME’

Air/hotel/cruise to Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Cyprus, Turkey and Greece.
Saturday 20 November – Monday 6 December 2010

Persimmon and Pomegranates-Pharaohs and Phoenicians-Crusaders and Infidels.
Imagine a two-week insight into 3 continents, 6 countries - plus civilisations galore.
This really special Voyages to Antiquity package of flights, hotels and cruise combination in the Eastern Mediterranean was one educational holiday that was a real adventure.
All the arrangements for this tightly compact holiday were superbly planned, dovetailed into one another so neatly, and on top of everything the weather was perfect (most days between 20-30 degrees Celsius).

EGYPT
Sunday.-Cairo
We arrived on Sunday about noon on 21 November. The Fairmont Nile City is a new 5 star hotel in Cairo. Our private taxi transfer from Cairo airport took only 20 minutes – it was Sunday after all. It would have been very different on a weekday, as Cairo has 18 million residents which become 22 million during the weekdays. Petrol is cheap (about USD1 for 5 litres) but cars are expensive. There seemed to be a lot of unfinished apartment buildings in Cairo (apparently rates and taxes don’t need to be paid until the building is finished) but the residential buildings all managed to have satellite dishes. The Fairmont Nile City hotel permitted us to check in immediately (check in time normally 3pm). Security checks and ‘sniffer’ dogs were outside the hotel.
We were delighted to enter our lovely corner room with big windows on the 21st floor overlooking the Nile.
We snacked at lunchtime in the adjacent shopping mall, and spent the afternoon relaxing in the hotel’s rooftop swimming pool. The first floor Spectrum Restaurant had been dedicated to Voyages to Antiquity and this is where we met the other members of our group, learnt our tour instructions, dined and breakfasted in buffet style on the cool breezy terrace. Sunday 21 November – a full moon lighted up the city of Cairo and the river Nile.

Monday. Cairo.
Our coach tour guide was called Bhagat if I remember correctly, and he was to be our guide for the next three days until we reached the port of Safaga to join the ship. It was impossible for him to remember all our names so collectively we became known as ‘Habibi’ (beloved friend) and we would call him that too.
First stop was the Egyptian (Archeological) Museum - Pharaonic art in all its glory, Tutenkhamun’s collection from his burial site including his golden burial mask, and 50 centuries of Egyptian antiquities. In our brief visit the following was noticeable:-
The statues of the various Pharaohs were slim (they obviously undertook a regular exercise programme), they insisted in engraving their cartouche (name) everywhere they could. The ancient Egyptians were said to have invented jewellery and some of the finest jewellery designs in 18ct gold with lapis lazuli, carnelian and turquoise were evident. Large breasted women signified beauty. Heads were shaved and wigs/false beards used. (Even the female Pharaoh – Hatshepsut had a false beard). A royal head cloth, but more importantly the headdress would signify whether the Pharaoh belonged to Upper or Lower Egypt (or both). Basalt and limestone were used extensively. Religion and preparation for the afterlife was of paramount importance.

Lunch was outside Cairo at Giza – at the 5 star Meridien Pyramids hotel. A superb buffet including plenty of in season persimmon (Sharon fruit), a tremendous variety of fresh salads, vegetables, at least 10 main courses, and plentiful sweet desserts and fresh fruit.

In the afternoon we visited the pyramids built for the Pharaohs - Cheops, Chephren and Mycinerus. Three million stones were used for the Cheops pyramid – each stone weighing about 2.7 tons. The sphinx combines the knowledge of man, and the power of an animal. Camel riders used cell phones and the Russian tourists (in their mini skirts and shorts) appeared by the hundreds. There was no time to view the 44 metre ‘solar bark’ housed in a separate museum, but we did have time to visit the Sandos Institute and learn all about papyrus and a small shopping bazaar close by to view the alabaster and various gemstones from the area.

Tuesday. Cairo – Luxor
We were up before dawn in order to race to Cairo airport for the charter flight to Luxor. There were policemen on every street corner from the Presidential palace right up to the airport. Luckily we managed to avoid the president, as it might have taken up to six hours to reach the airport if we had been caught up in his entourage. Our guide supplied us with the Egypt Air boarding cards on the coach prior to our arrival at the airport – (which was a very thoughtful touch).
On arrival in Luxor we immediately boarded coaches for our tour around Karnak Temple on the eastbank of the Nile river.
(East means sunrise and life; West means sunset and death/afterlife).

The Karnak Temple covers half a square kilometre, and is a temple to Amun (god of creation). It was completed by Pharaoh Ramses II during Egypt’s New Kingdom more than 3000 years ago. Main features are a forest of 134 columns in the hypostyle hall temple, pylons, obelisks, a sacred lake, and an avenue of rams head sphinxes. Some say the scarab beetle predicted the flooding of the Nile each year, others say that the scarab beetle god (Khepera) was charged with rolling the sun along the sky.

About 2.30pm we checked into the 5 star Sonesta St George hotel for lunch. All buffet meals at this hotel were wonderful (the morning omelette maker was a sight to behold), but the hotel’s faux grass surrounds alongside the banks of the Nile looked rather tired. For US20 there was an opportunity to take a horse-drawn caleche around the city at 4pm, but we rested, swam in the rather warm riverside pool and saved our energy for the nightly Sound and Light show at Karnak, which unravelled the complex history of Karnak’s 1300 year construction.

Wednesday. Luxor. Westbank – Necropolis -Valley of the Kings, Queens and Nobles.
There were hot air balloons over the River Nile when we had an early morning call for our visit to the Valley of the Kings. Luxor (the Greeks called it Thebes) was the capital of Egypt during the Middle and New Kingdoms. Like Babylon and Nineveh it was considered one of the great cities of antiquity.
Necropolis, the burial place of the New Kingdom Pharaohs might sound rather morbid or claustrophobic but it is not. The New Kingdom Pharaohs were obsessed with the afterlife and the magnificence of the tombs needs to be seen.
We then viewed the temple of Pharaoh Hatshepsut (the Queen with the false beard) dramatically located at the foot of a cliff.

Lunch back at the Sonesta St Geoorge hotel and then it was time for the coach ride to Safaga. We had a security guard on board, the coaches drove in convoy and there were a number of roadblocks on route.
Night fell at 5pm so we arrived at Safaga in the dark, said goodbye to our guide ‘Habibi’, and could see the bundles of the returning Haj pilgrims on the quayside, before we went on board the Aegean Odyssey for our Life boat drill and dinner. Then we set sail for the Sinai peninsular and Sharm el Sheik.

The next two days were days of pilgrimage – long journeys over barren arid rock desert. It was comparatively easy for us – but must have been so difficult for those pilgrims years ago when only camel and donkey transport would have been available.

Thursday. Egypt’s Sinai Peninsular -Sharm el Sheik and St Catherine’s Monastery.
By 7am we had started our disembarkation by tender at Sharm el Sheik. Dancers greeted us on the quayside and then we started the drive to the foot of Mount Sinai where Moses received the 10 Commandments. We were now part of the Yellow group, (Noha was to be our guide for the next two days). St Catherine’s Greek Orthodox Monastery is one of the earliest surviving Christian churches, built in the 6th century, and an UNESCO heritage site. The monastery is built around the legendary burning bush, and is more than one kilometre’s walk from the car park. (Transport by taxi and camel was available for this last part if anyone needed it). The living bush that survives is claimed to be the very same one that Moses encountered. This whole area is sacred to three religions – Judaism, Islam and Christianity. There is a 14th century mosque inside the monastery, and letters from Mohammed and Napoleon hang side by side in the icon gallery (the best collection of early icons in the world). The monastery library preserves the second largest collection of early codices and manuscripts in the world, outnumbered only by the Vatican Library. After our visit here we returned to Dahab (Gulf of Aqaba) for a memorable lunch at the Meridien Hotel, before returning to the port. Unfortunately we did not have time to drive through the tourist resorts along the coastline but are aware that Sharm el Sheik (sometimes called ‘the city of peace’) is a paradise for the scuba diver, with the coast providing clear warm waters and coral reefs. Just after our visit there were reports of shark attacks in the area.

A welcoming cocktail party by the Swedish captain greeted us on our arrival back on board and we were introduced to the senior officers.

Friday. Egypt’s Eastern Desert - Ain el Sukhna, Gulf of Suez.
Ain el Sukhna is the nearest resort (just 90 minutes away) for the residents of Cairo, and is full of new villas and chalets with roof patios. We undertook another coach journey through barren rocky desert to reach the oldest and largest Coptic monastery in Egypt – St Anthony’s. St Anthony’s is a Coptic orthodox monastery standing in an oasis in the Eastern desert. It is one of the oldest monasteries in the world and was established by the followers of Saint Anthony, who is considered to be the first ascetic monk. Life continues much as it did 16 centuries ago – with a bakery and mill and five churches. It was explained to us in one of the church caves, just how the monks live. Up at 4am each day (3am on Sundays) their life is one of work and prayer. If the monks don’t work – they don’t eat. Within the walls of the monastery is a large garden with palms, apples, pears and pomegranates, plenty of vegetables, a vineyard and three springs of perpetually flowing water. There is a carving of a golden calf in the rock face close by. Not too far away is another Coptic Monastery – the Monastery of St. Paul the Anchorite - but we didn’t have time for this. When we left the Eastern Desert, Noha gave us some anointed oil and a poster of the St Anthony and St Paul the Anchorite.

Saturday. Egypt’s Suez Canal
This was a day or rest for us on the Aegean Odyssey. We could contemplate the days we had spent in Egypt with Pharaohs and early Christians, and look forward to the new civilisations of Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans and Ottomans in the days ahead.

Ships travel in convoy through the Suez canal – a 163 km channel from Suez (Red Sea) to Port Said (Mediterranean). There are no locks and the average transit time is 15 hours. About 15,000 ships pass through the canal each year.

LEBANON
Sunday. Beirut and Baalbek
We left the ship around 10am for a full day tour of Baalbek. Passing through the streets of Beirut, it all seemed rather untidy, still under reconstruction after the various conflicts, with old French cars very much in use.
Advertisements in French and English were as prevalent as those in Arabic and I’m still wondering what ‘Fishfull thinking’ was trying to promote.
Lebanon is known as the ‘land of milk and honey’ due to the snow on the tops of the Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon mountains, and the bees buzzing around the cedar trees. Egypt used the cedar oil for mummification.
Famous residents of Lebanon are Shakira and Omar Sharif.

Baalbek, About 50 kilometres from Beirut is the UNESCO world heritage site (in the Bekaa valley) and truly magnificent. Outsize (really colossal 800 tons) blocks of solid stone make up this temple area. The Great Court of the Temple of Jupiter is a wonder which drew thousands of pilgrims, and is built on top of Bronze Age settlement. The temple of Bacchus is also immense, and these two Roman monuments are among the most spectacular to be found anywhere in the Middle East.

Lunch was in Zahle in the Bekaa Valley at the Monte Alberto Restaurant which towers over a narrow river valley. Flat bread/pita (at least a metre wide) was being made outside and rested over cushions. We indulged in an elaborate and very generous ‘meze’ of at least 15 dishes, followed by grilled meat and kibbeh nayye (a lamb speciality), then fresh fruits. It was so easy to forget that in winter night falls suddenly at 5pm, and we returned to the ship in the dark.

SYRIA
Monday. Tartous. Krak de Chevalier and Palmyra
According to the Arabs -the entire area of Jordan, Syria, West Bank, Lebanon and Israel is referred to as ‘Sham’ which means the Northern region.
Our Syrian guide, Ayman, decided to call our Quietvox ‘whispers’ – talkie walkies. He presented us each with olive oil and bayleaf soap (typical Syrian gift) as we got on board the coach for the short trip to Krak de Chevalier – the greatest of all Crusader castles. Built between 11th and 13th centuries, the castle is a superb example of fortified architecture combining all the best of European and Middle Eastern military design. In its heyday the castle held 4000 troops, and several thousand horses. Today it remains as one of the best preserved Crusader castles in the world.

After Krak we undertook a long journey passed fruit, almond and olive trees, spent at least one hour travelling through the Syrian desert until we came up the oasis of Palmyra (also known as Tadmor). Palmyra dates back to almost 1000 years BC – it was an important Assyrian caravan town, and a Greek outpost. Under Roman rule this desert oasis grew rich from the caravan traders travelling from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean, as well as the Silk and Spice routes from China and India.

We checked into our hotel and had another magnificent lunch. Syrian food is rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans and spices. Lemons, garlic, mint and parsley are used in vast quantities. Main courses include lamb, chicken and fish. Then there are platters of homemade pastries filled with nuts and dripping with sugar syrup and honey- followed by coffee and tea.

The Palmyra museum gave us some insight into the local Palmyra language, the wealth of the ancient inhabitants (high hats meant great riches), elaborate clothes, delicate jewellery and ornamental tombs. The most famous resident of Palmyra was ZENOBIA, Palmyra’s beautiful warrior queen who captured Syria, Egypt, Arabia and Anatolia then decided to take on Rome and was defeated. She was transported to Rome in golden chains, apparently freed and spent the rest of her life in a Tivoli villa.

Tuesday. Palmyra then back to the Aegean Odyssey.
Breakfast is another great treat in Syria; afterwards it was time to walk around the site at Palmyra. Although it was sunny, first thing in the morning the desert was cold (11 C) but did promise to reach 30 C later that day. Greek, Roman, Persian influences are all evident in the architecture. Stones were inlaid with molten metal. (Hawkers really pestered the tourists on their motorbikes trying to sell textiles, shawls, jewellery of camel bone, silver, turquoise and carnelian etc. Their motorbike handlebars were surrounded with sheepskin.) In Palmyra the Temple of Bel is well-preserved, and so are the Monumental Arch and Great Colonnade. The Agora, Theatre, Bath complex, and Banquet Hall are great to see. The tombs – tower or underground were interesting too. Just outside the site of Palmyra is the tallest chair in the world (entered in the Guinness book of records).
After another fabulous lunch we returned by coach to the Aegean Odyssey, and were presented with roses on our return.

Wednesday. Latakia and Aleppo
Ayman was meant to take us to Aleppo, but the Yellow and Purple groups were combined, and our new guide was a potato farmer (can’t remember his name) but the significance of potatoes became obvious once we reached Aleppo.

It was a long winding road that led us to Aleppo. Aleppo is one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the world with roots that can be traced back about 4000 years. The city is a living museum with a 12th century citadel right in the middle set 50 metres above the rest of the city, resembling a crème brule. Everything is a sandstone/beige colour. What immediately came to mind were the old films of Aladdin and Ali Baba where a monochrome frame of an Arabian market scene with small shopfronts, torn striped awnings and strangely garbed merchants suddenly gets brought to life by a paintbrush being dragged across the scene, bringing out all the vibrant colours.
But here there was no paintbrush (except for the yellow taxis) and the city was all monochrome beige.

Aleppo Citadel is a masterpiece of 13th century Arab architecture, with floor gratings for pouring boiling oil on intruders, and a magnificent intricately decorated throne room.

Driving through the streets of Aleppo we saw several small shops one after the other specialising in various items. One would be selling olive oil, another ice cream, another plumbing pipes and bathroom repair kits, coffee and coffee pots, heaters, fruits, nuts – especially almonds, pistachios and walnuts, shoes, and fabulous vegetables especially cabbage, cauliflowers and potatoes. The potatoes were really beautiful and gave an insight in the Syrian insistence on extremely good and extremely fresh vegetables, herbs, nuts and fruit.

We had our lunch at Beit Sissi, a city dwelling converted into a restaurant, with many airy courtyards, and separate dining rooms.
Again the lunch was marvellous – meze, plus Maklouba (upsidedown dish of aubergines, lamb, rice and spices) and then ‘Ataif Mihshi (stuffed pancakes).

Next was a visit to the Great Mosque (where all the ladies had to wear outfits which made them look like the nuns from Whoopi Goldberg’s ‘Sister Act’). The tomb of Zachary (father of John the Baptist) and a grand 11th century minaret were very interesting; but we were all waiting for the visit to the local market (souk) – the largest souk in the world – with several miles of covered passages, and selling everything from Ottoman jewellery, agate and silver to gold to grains. It was fascinating watching life in the souk. The merchants didn’t hassle us. They just went about their daily life, chatting amongst themselves and ordering coffee and pita and olive wraps from the outside cafes.

We didn’t take the optional tours to the Castle of Saladin and Ugarit, because Aleppo was too good to miss.

CYPRUS
Thursday. Limassol. Kolossi Castle and Kourion.
Kolossi Castle is a fine example of 13th century Crusader architecture. Above the entrance gate, it was possible for boiling oil or tar to be poured on to unwanted visitors. Commandaria, Cyprus sweet wine was first produced here 800 years ago.

Five earthquakes and a tsunami hit the remarkable Graeco-Roman city of
Kourion. There is a fully restored Roman theatre, the house of Eustolios with its mosaic floors, unique baths and colonnaded courtyard. Further on is the Sanctuary of Apollo with Corinthian columns.

We had some free time to spend in Limassol or visit the city’s medieval castle where Richard the Lionheart married Berengaria of Navarre in the 12th century.

TURKEY
Friday. Antalya. Aspendos and Perge
On the Mediterranean coast, with the Taurus mountains behind the city and a revolving restaurant overlooking the harbour - Antalya is a splendid sight. Until 15 years ago Antalya was still a small ancient city said to be founded in the 2nd Century BC., but the excellent climate has encouraged Turks to retire here, and the beautiful scenery and weather has meant lots of tourists – especially Russians and Germans. Antalya is now a lovely new city with wide boulevards lined with palm, banana and orange trees. Bright red clean Turkish flags are flying everywhere. The Antalya Archeological Museum gives you a glimpse into local lifestyles from a nomad’s tent to an Ottoman household Early December – beautiful weather and hardly any tourists – weren’t we lucky! Greenhouses of fruits and vegetables, pomegranate bushes and orange trees in fruit lined the route to the city.

The old town of Antalya still has a small harbour, fluted minaret and Hadrian’s Gate but our first major stop was as Aspendos, about 40 kms. west of Antalya city.

Aspendos was a major port in Roman times, and there is a marvellous aqueduct which brought water from the mountains to the city, but Aspendos is famed for the well-preserved Graeco-Roman theatre built in the 2nd Century which was one of the most spectacular buildings of its time. The acoustics are so perfect that during performances, microphones are often not needed.

We then moved on to Perge, and ancient Greek city whose impressive ruins date back to 1000 BC. The stadium, Roman Gate, basilica, fine colonnaded avenue, agora, chariot grooved street and the Baths complex form only part of this extensive archeological site.

One of our new friends invited us for cocktails in her balcony suite and Café Concerto Strings gave a marvellous Farewell concert.

Saturday. Greek Isles
A day of rest. Towards the late afternoon/evening the wind picked up. Entertaining final lectures from the visiting experts then the Captain’s Farewell cocktails, and we finished off our intensive and fascinating cruise holiday dancing the night away with Tim in the Charleston lounge.

GREECE
Sunday. Athens
We had a late flight departure on Emirates, so spent the day at the wonderful 5 star Grande Bretagne hotel right in the centre of Athens. The weather was again clear and bright despite being early December. It was the weekend before the feast of St Nicholas so there were plenty of children’s parties. Our evening transfer to the airport passed by church services and Christmas markets in the city.

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MV Aegean Odyssey has now completed one season as an educational cruise ship, before it goes into dry dock before the start of the season next year.
Since the inaugural cruise in May several improvements have been made.
‘Nemie’ our cabin steward kept our spacious outside cabin as clean and fresh as possible. Even after 7 months cruising the pale cream carpet still looked new.
Randolf, Francis and Erwin looked after us so well in the Marco Polo restaurant, as they had done earlier in May.
The Jacuzzi was certainly is use, and the spa offered a number of affordable services. The swimming pool now sported a full length ladder reaching to the bottom of the pool - so nobody had to be ‘fished’ out.
The Romanian trio ‘ Café Concerto Strings’ again excelled themselves in the Charleston Lounge.
Mr Bridge was new, and also Tim who entertained us with light music and gave us the chance to take part in a musical quiz.
The visiting lecturers – Prof. Trevor Bryce (University of Queensland), Dr Oswyn Murray (Balliol Oxford) and Dr Karen Exell (Manchester Museum) gave us very entertaining talks.
Graduates – Felix, Josh and Terry assisted the lecturers , regulated the ‘Quietvox’ whispers units, and provided us with more than adequate bottles of water on the various excursions.
Cruise co-ordinator Alison Lewin made everyone feel at home and the Filipino crew worked in harmony and always seemed to be smiling.
A new Master – Swedish captain Roland Andersson introduced his multi-national senior officers to us all.

Voyages to Antiquity is aimed at the 40-60+ age group for people who can manage quite a bit of walking> there were two full coaches of ROAD SCHOLARS from the USA, a large number of individual British, Australia, New Zealand and Canadian guests but we only counted 5 passengers from South Africa.
On board there were a number of official photographers and photojournalists most probably because this particular itinerary was so intriguing.

Emirates flights were great, and we arrived back in Johannesburg exhausted but so happy that we had been able to take part in this fascinating and very well-organised itinerary.

Patricia Petersson-O’Connell
Johannesburg December 2010

SEASON'S GREETINGS