Page 13 - Lifestyle in Palm Beach Gardens - March '21

Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens, Page 13

Cairo And Giza from page 12 I wouldn’t doubt his work. The
Great Pyramid, which covers
Would-be archeologists and those who have even the slightest about 13 acres, is 768 square
interest in history will find hours flying by when they visit the feet and 482 feet high. To give
Egyptian museum. Collections of Byzantine and Pharaonic art perspective to the structure,
and sculpture fill its many exhibit halls. The museum contains there is approximately 31 to
the world’s largest and most impressive collection of Egyptian 35 feet of surface missing on
history with the celebrated treasures of Tutankhamun as its most each side of the pyramid below
prominent exhibit. Gold, gold and more gold was the subject of the cap, which has remained
this lesser pharaoh’s worldly possessions. These were buried in place. That smooth surface
with him and are now prominently displayed. on the top is actually Tura
Cairo is Egypt’s largest city, and the capital. It is also the limestone, which was used to
largest city in Africa with an estimated metropolitan population dress the monument.
of 22 million people. Large migrations from the rural areas Giza is actually a suburb
have caused the city to grow at twice the average national rate. of Cairo; it is also the capital
Because of this influx of people, both Cairo and Alexandria have of the Giza governorate of
severe housing problems coupled with lack of basic services. Upper Egypt. It was linked to A poor street within sight of the Great Pyramid
As a solution to this problem, entirely new towns are planned Cairo across the Nile in the
and under construction throughout the country. One of the ninth century by a bridge of
benefits of the Aswan Dam project was the reclaiming of the boats and later a permanent
Nile Delta, which allowed planned settlement areas to relieve structure. The year 961
population pressures. brought the chief mosque
Those of us in the somewhat older generation will remember to the city. Giza is also the
the construction of the High Dam at Aswan. It was completed home of Cairo University,
in 1970 and supplemented the low dam, completed in 1902. founded in 1908 and
Most recall the controversy caused by the Egyptian heritage reestablished in 1924, and
that was lost due to flooding created by the structure. Many the Egyptian film industry.
archeological sites were relocated because of the extent of Lake Giza was a settlement in
Nasser, created by damming the Nile. The lake extends some prehistoric times and has
350 miles to the southeast and averages six miles in width; it numerous archaeological
is considered the largest artificial lake in the world. The high and cultural sites in addition
dam makes possible low-cost electrical power and an adequate to the pyramids.
water supply for the population in this parched county, and most My visit to the area
importantly, it controls the Nile against natural flooding. certainly put things in proper The downtown cityscape in Cairo illustrates the disparity between the wealthy and poor.
The west bank of the Nile holds the real reason that people perspective for me. We had
visit the area: the pyramids at Giza. These grave markers, spent the morning engrossed in the wonders of Egypt and the moments in life that is etched in your memory, but was soon
located southwest of Cairo, date back more than 3,500 years. many finds of Egyptologists before a short 20-minute drive supplanted by the up-close-and-personal experience.
The three great structures located here were erected for the across the Nile southwest into Giza. The ride had scenery quite Don Kiselewski writes from his personal experiences,
pharaohs Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure. Not far from the similar to other cities we had visited throughout the world. having traveled in 122 countries and cruised the oceans, seas
pyramids is the Sphinx, an enigma whose secrets have yet Stopping at a hotel for lunch, I was seated with my back to and rivers of the world. Palm Beach Gardens Travel Leaders,
to be revealed. It has been estimated that it took some two the window in a restaurant. After ordering my meal, I became his family owned and operated agency, is located at Mirasol
million separate blocks to construct the Great Pyramid. One curious as to what was outside the window. I opened the blinds, Town Square, 11360 North Jog Road, Building A, Suite 102-6,
of Napoleon’s engineers estimated that if the block used for and behold, what to my wondering eyes did appear? No, not a Palm Beach Gardens. The agency has been serving the travel
the pyramids were stacked into a wall, 10 feet wide by 10 feet miniature sleigh and tiny reindeer, but instead one of the eight needs of the South Florida area for over a quarter of a century.
high, the wall would enclose the country of France. I didn’t wonders of the world in the backyard. Seeing the pyramids Contact him at (561) 694-9696 or Aussie@PBGTravel.com.
check his calculation, but after seeing the pyramids in person, in this way for the first time was awesome; it is one of those Photos by Don Kiselewski

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