The Rich History of Egypt

Ever since I was a kid, I heard about the Pyramids of Egypt and the mummies, and how they are of great historical importance. Growing up, I realized that bodies were mummified to preserve them and Pyramids were nothing but giant tombs where the body was eventually stored. I always wanted to visit Egypt to see these things for myself and last summer, my dreams did come true.

After receiving 1 month of vacation time from my company, I decided to go on a solo trip to Egypt. Even though I had a complete month, I decided to only stay there for 2 days as the flight itself takes almost 20 hours give and take. From California to Egypt, the flight was sure long and tiring, but my excitement did not die one bit. 

Valley of the Kings



As soon as I touched down on Cairo International Airport, I first went to the Pyramid of Giza and admired the sight for a bit. Although, this wasn’t my destination. As an Egypt nerd, I knew that Tutankhamun, the young Pharaoh’s tomb lies in the Valley of the Kings. Discovered in the year 1922 by Howard Carter, this Valley is by far one of the greatest and biggest discovery of mankind.
 
There were many tourists waiting in line to see the inside of the Valley of Kings. And the tour was a bit rushed as they had to cater to each and every visitor. However, the tour was ever so rewarding. I got to see over 8 tombs that were open and I enjoyed every bit of it. After a few clicks and reading about, it was finally time to head to the next location. 

Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut



Just adjacent to the Valley of the Kings lies the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut. This temple was built during the reign of Pharaoh Hatshepsut. She was one of the two female Pharaoh known to be ever existed. This information alone makes us believe how much power she would have hold to become a Pharaoh. 

Facts aside, the Mortuary itself is so beautiful. Although a bit faded, the carvings can still be seen after so many centuries. The view itself was enough to have me lost in the wonderment and structural marvel for hours. After much thoughts and looking around, it was time to head to the final location for the day. 

The Temple of Seti I (Abydos)



After almost 3 more hours of drive, I reached my destination, The Temple of Seti I. This is also known as the Great Temple of Abydos and is one of the major historic sites of the ancient Egypt. This temple has a list of all the Pharaohs of Abydos. The structure is all the same but one of the main highlights of this place is the Helicopter hieroglyphs. 

This was my second favorite place in my journey to Egypt, first will always be Valley of the Kings. After a few pictures and idling around, it was time for me to head back to my hotel and get a good rest for my flight day after tomorrow. This was one of the most rewarding journey of my life. My childhood dreams of seeing some of these things up close was finally achieved. I would never forget this beautiful experience.