| Behind the Veil – Experiencing Egypt |
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(in association with MEDA)
November 16-28, 2009 
With tour leaders Bob Kroeker and Wilmer Martin Egypt is home to Pharaohs and the pyramids. Life still ebbs and flows along the Nile—green fields dwarfed by the desert beyond. Alongside the ancient tombs is today’s Egypt, with its teeming markets, schools, workshops and farms. In sight of the ancient temples are both mosques and churches. Egypt is home to the largest Christian population in the Middle East. Come and experience the ancient sites of Egypt. Come and take a glimpse behind the tourist veil of Egypt and experience the marketplace—where Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) is partnering with Egyptian development agencies in making a difference in people’s lives. Come and walk behind the tourist veil in Egypt and interact with Egyptian Christians—working to make a difference in their country. Bob Kroeker, MEDA’s Director of Member Relations, who with his wife Joyce, lived and worked in Egypt for two months in 2005 and led TourMagination’s Egypt tour in 2007, and Wilmer Martin, President of TourMagination who previously led tours to Egypt, invite you to join them and see an Egypt that other tourists do not get to see. Click here to read past blogs about this tour. Monday & Tuesday, November 16 & 17 The tour departs on Monday evening on an overnight departure from your city of choice—Toronto or Newark, via Europe. It will be early Tuesday morning when we arrive in Europe where we will meet and travel together to continue on to Cairo, arriving late Tuesday afternoon. Four nights’ lodging in Cairo.  A view of pyramids We will begin our experience in Egypt by immediately going behind the tourist veil. The challenges of poverty in Cairo will be explored with two agencies—one governmental and one church-related—through project visits. In the evening the group will participate in the Coptic Orthodox Pope’s Prayer Meeting in the Pope’s Cathedral in Central Cairo—a weekly event attended by over 4,000 Egyptians. Thursday’s activities include visiting the great Pyramids of Giza, one of the seven wonders of the world. Nearby is the Sphinx, a colossal lion with a pharaoh’s head. There will be much to see in this land of antiquity. Friday & Saturday, November 20 & 21 After breakfast, we will visit the Egyptian Museum, which houses a magnificent collection of pharaonic antiquities, especially the golden treasures of Tut Ankh Amun, and visit a Coptic Church. For those who wish to browse and shop, you can visit the Khan El Khalili Bazaar, displaying all types of oriental goods. Saturday morning, we will depart Cairo by air for Luxor where we will begin our cruise on the Nile River. Today we will also see the great Luxor Temple and the magnificent Karnak Temple of Amun with its famous Hypostyle Hall and the 134 high columns, the Statue of Ramses II, the Obelisk of Queen Hatshepsut and the Sacred Lake. Sleep on boat for four nights. Sunday & Monday, November 22 & 23 Sunday morning, we will visit West Bank (Thebes) where we will see some of the tombs in the Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens and Nobles, Hatsheput’s Temple at Dier El Bahari and the Colossi of Memnon. Sail through the locks of Esna to Edfu and overnight. Monday we will visit the Horus Temple of Edfu, one of the three beautiful temples of the Ptolemaic Period, and sail on to Kom Ombo, where we will visit the Sobek Temple, dedicated to two gods, which has beautiful murals and reliefs. Sail to Aswan and overnight. Tuesday & Wednesday, November 24 & 25  Bob Kroeker and a young photographer Thursday & Friday, November 26 & 27 This morning we will have some to explore Aswan a bit more and visit the market before our early afternoon flight back to Cairo. Friday is your day to relax, shop, visit a museum, walk or golf before you head back home. We will gather this evening for our Farewell Dinner and to reflect on our time together in Egypt. Saturday, November 28 It is time to say our goodbyes and return to our homes in North America. You will return with many memories, new understandings and new friendships. Hopefully, you will have gotten a glimpse behind the tourist veil in Egypt into the lives and work of people who live there.  The Behind the Veil tour will be coordinated by TourMagination and
Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA).For further information regarding the complete tour fare, please This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it . We would be happy to be of assistance. |
