Friday, April 5, 2013

"E" is for Egypt

I'm not an official A - Zer, but I couldn't resist Celebrating "E" for Egypt!

Egypt was ruled by Pharaohs from about 3000 B.C. to 350 B.C.  After that, Egypt was occupied by a succession of conquerors:  Persians, Greeks, Byzantines, Romans, Mamluks, Napoleonic French, Ottoman Turks, and finally in 1882 by the British.  Egypt became independent in 1952.  As of 2013, the county's population is 85 million (compared to: US = 312 million, Britain = 63 million).


There are over 100 pyramids in Egypt, built between 2700 - 1500 B.C.  (Later, pharaohs were buried in secret underground tombs to foil grave-robbers.)  The largest of the three pyramids of Giza is one of the Seven Wonders of the World and was built in 2550 B.C.




From a distance, it’s hard to grasp its true size.  But when you're close, it's mind-boggling!





The Great Sphinx is the oldest and largest statue in the world.  Built around 2550 B.C., it lost its nose in 1348 A.D. when a Muhammad Sa'im al-Dahr hammered rods into it and broke it off.  The man was hanged for vandalism.



Over the centuries, the Sphinx was buried in sand almost to its neck until fully excavated around 1925.

No one knows who ordered it to be constructed or what it was called because no mention of it occurs in any ancient documents of the time.  That’s the mystery of the Sphinx.



I love where I live.  <3  What's your favorite thing about where you live?





This post is part of VikLit's blog hop, Celebrate the Small Things. To be part of this blog hop, all you have to do is follow the link and put your name on the Mr.Linky list, and then be sure to post every Friday about something you're grateful  for that week.  It can be about writing or family or school or general life.  This is the funnest and easiest blog hop ever!

57 comments:

Dani said...

I seen this AtoZ post pop up from you and I was like "wait a minute..."
Of course you'd have to do Egypt, it's part of you.
Dani @ Entertaining Interests
#warriorminion

Ava Quinn said...

I'd love to visit Egypt some day. It's history has always fascinated me.

There's lots to like about where I live, but I think what stands out most is the 3 day carnival/fireman's fair that erupts just past the fence of my backyard every year. There's fried food on a stick, cotton candy, funnel cake, great people-watching opportunities with the assorted carnies and interesting visitors to the fair, and I don't have to cook dinner for three whole days!

Suze said...

E is for excellent. I'm glad you celebrated Egypt today, Lex.

Natalie Aguirre said...

Definitely Egypt is perfect for you to use for "E". I'd so love to see the pyramids. They are so amazing. Thanks for sharing about them.

Anonymous said...

Egypt so filled with marvelous history.

SK Anthony said...

I think Egypt is fascinating, I must make my way there some day. Great celebration ;)

D.G. Hudson said...

I wish I could see Egypt with a guide. I might worry about sand getting into my camera. . .

In British Columbia, we're in the temperate rain forest, so we get lots of moisture. What made me want to live here? The ocean, the coast, the people. So I did.

stephen Hayes said...

I've tried twice to get to Egypt but I keep failing. The last time because the US State Department cancelled our trip. But I'm not a quitter. I'll get there eventually.

Kate Larkindale said...

One day I'm coming to visit you in Egypt... I've wanted to go there since I was 12. I guess the thing I like about where I live is that it's an island so you're never far from the ocean. I hate being landlocked.

Rebeccah Giltrow said...

Egypt is on my list of places to visit. I used to want to be an archaeologist working in Egypt! I wanted to unearth a Pharaoh! The best thing about where I live is the beach. It's not a beautiful beach, but it's calm and relaxing, and only 5 minutes away from my house :D

Lexie Rising said...

I loved reading this about Egypt! Sounds like an amazing place!
Wow, that photo of people on the pyramid really gives some idea of the massive size of the pyramid!

Julie Flanders said...

I've always thought Egypt would be one of the most fascinating places in the world to visit. Thanks for sharing about your home! That photo where you can see the size of the pyramid in relation to the people standing there is amazing.

Have a great weekend!

DL Hammons said...

Official or not...it was a very interesting post! :)

Cathy Keaton said...

Egypt is one amazing country with a super rich history. How exciting! I never knew the Sphinx lost its nose due to ancient vandalism. The guy totally trolled history!

cleemckenzie said...

I'm so glad you did the E word! Loved reading your post today.

As to Stephen, try this link: http://breakthroughsteve.blogspot.com/

Will you do P and give us some dope on a pharaoh or two?

Luanne G. Smith said...

Oh, cool. I didn't know that the pyramids looked like that up close, like steps. Talk about living in a place immersed in history. Wow.

Jessica Marcarelli said...

I love Egyptian history! Loved reading this.

Jessica @ Visions of Other Worlds
Twitter: @jmarcarelli, #atozchallenge

Stephen Tremp said...

I loveanything to do with antiquity, especially Egypt. And they didnt mess around with vandalism back in the day.

Unknown said...

That picture of the side of the pyramid is so cool--I've only ever seen them from a distance, so the massiveness of them never really registered before. Silly of me, I know! :)

VikLit said...

What great pics. I'd love to go to Egypt.

DMS said...

This is an awesome post! I love the mystery of the Sphinx- there are so many great stories built up around it. The think I love the most about the place I live is my yard and garden : ) ~ Jess

mshatch said...

Egypt is a fascinating country, so much history! What do I like best about where I live? Summer. Summer is awesome here. It's war, it's green, and I live in a cute town right on a salt water river :)

Al Diaz said...

I love Egypt too. I've always dream with going there one day but then when all those problems with Mubarak happened, made it difficult for tourism. I still hope to go one day.

Kelly Hashway said...

Truly amazing! They must be incredible to see in person.

Carol Kilgore said...

I've been to the pyramids in Mexico, but not Egypt. One day :)

Jocelyn Rish said...

Egypt is on my bucket list of places to visit. I'm absolutely fascinated by the pyramids and Egyptian gods and goddess. By comparison, South Carolina is a very boring place to live. But it does have a southern charm that makes me happy I live here. :-)

Mina Lobo said...

Well, my fave thing about NYC isn't as grand or historic as what you've written about, but I must admit to heart-swelling emotions when I see the Manhattan skyline at night. Just lovely.
Some Dark Romantic

Shannon Lawrence said...

Amazing! Egypt is on my must-visit list for some day. A place with such a rich history on view. I love Colorado for the outdoors and the Wild West history here.

Shannon at The Warrior Muse

Ida Thought said...

How could I not open a post about Egypt. I am so enjoying seeing familiar names amongst the posts I decide to check throughout the A-Z challenge and learning new things like nobody knows why the sphinx was built. Great photo's too esp. the one looking all the way to the top.

Reflex Reactions

Tammy Theriault said...

Its because Egypt rocks! Always loved to one day see it all!

Nas said...

Hi Lexa!

You live in the most intriguing place from history as well as present day! I love your Egypt posts as I'm always intrigued by it.

J.L. Campbell said...

I'm amazed at what people accomplished without the modern advances we've seen. The pyramids are a source of fascination for me and have always been.

I like the weather in Jamaica. Sometime it gets way too hot, but snow I don't think I could manage.

Anonymous said...

Love the facts... one day I'd love to visit the pyramids... so amazing:) I love Australia because the weather is almost perfect most of the time, everything is green and it's a very laid-back lifestyle:)

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

Everything about the pyramids blows my mind. Thanks for sharing these bits of info and the fascinating pictures.

Be well, Lexa.
xoRobyn

Kim (YA Asylum) said...

I've always been fasciated by Egypt's history and mythology, but I've never been. I hope to get there sometime in the near future! I'd love to see the pyramids.

A favorite thing about the place I live...? Not much. As one can imagine, the Midwest in the USA is pretty dull. I look forward to leaving it, but I have obligation that will keep me here for another six months at least.

Great post!

Misha Gerrick said...

I so want to visit Egypt one day. Right now, I love on the other end of Africa. My favorite part about it is the fact that I see Table Mountain every day. :-)

A Tarkabarka Hölgy said...

This is awesome :) Thank you for stopping by at my blog! I agree, Egyptian mythology is awesome. One of my first storytelling gigs was at an Egyptian exhibition in a museum :)
Cheers!

PK HREZO said...

Wow so fascinating! And I've never seen a pic of the pyramids up close before. WOW!!! Truly astounding! I'm determined to visit one day. Hubby thinks it's unsafe, but I keep telling him we stay in the touristy areas we should be ok. ;)

Tracy Moore said...

Fantastic photos. Egypt has always been on my list of want to sees. Have to tell you that I love your banner...the eye...gorgeous.

Anonymous said...

Wow, it looks huge in that second pic. I hope I get to visit the pyramids one day.

Cherie Reich said...

When I was in sixth grade, we had to do a project on a country, and I picked Egypt! I've always wanted to visit.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

It's just amazing how they were built. So many years ago.
What do I like about living in the South? It's safe, friendly, and conservative. I never need to worry here. (Can't say that about most of the places I've lived!)

Ruth Schiffmann said...

Wow, that second picture is amazing!
The thing I like most about where I live is that I can see the ocean every day.

Tonja Drecker said...

There's so many fascinating things about Egypt. I'm a sucker for amazing historic things, though. I can't imagine how awesome it would be to visit the sites in your pictures.

Anonymous said...

Lovely, I only ever visited Cairo and that was whistle-stop tour. Over here I love the old buildings, quaint teashops, farmland and long winding river that snakes through a mountainless - read remarkably flat - landscape.

Beth said...

Lexa I wanna email you but can't find your contact.

Cecilia Robert said...

Eek! They are really huge, those pyramids. I need to make serious plans to visit one day. Hmm let's see favourite thing, I'm inlove with historical buildings here in Vienna, my most fav. being the Goth-Roman cathedral which dates as far back as 13th century. So pretty!

Beth said...

Hey, please email me. I cannot find your email address.

Cynthia Rodrigues Manchekar said...

Egypt must be so steeped in history and antiquity. I bet you love it there. Thank you for the photo of the pyramid up close. I had never seen that photo before. It really must have been an awesome sight.
Cynthia Rodrigues Manchekar at Cynthology

Petronela said...

sigh...oh dear beautiful Egypt...I've been dreaming about it since I was 10 and a gipsy told me I used to be an Egyptian queen in a previous life.
I wanted to ask you Lexa whether you do book reviews :)?

nutschell said...

I'd totally go to Egypt and see the pyramids:)
Nutschell
www.thewritingnut.com

Donna K. Weaver said...

The mountains. I love the mountains. I spent so many years in a part of California devoid of mountains that I can't get enough of them now.

Empty Nest Insider said...

Spectacular photos! I would love to visit Egypt in the near future.

Julie

Unknown said...

I live in London and my favourite thing about London is that within twenty minutes of the tube I can be at range of historic buildings. Just looking at them from a distance can inspire my writing.

Jolie du Pre said...

Yeah, I still need to get to Egypt. It's on my bucket list.

Dr Blood said...

The coolest thing where I live is the 7/11. It's full of crisps and energy drinks ALL THE TIME!

DEZMOND said...

would love to visit Egypt. In recent years it has become one of top destinations for tourists from my country since the travelling arrangements are relatively cheap and Egyptians kinda love tourists from my country :) .

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