Shopping for perfumes and essential oils in Egypt

If you have been on guided a tour to Egypt, you will know what I am talking about. Included in one of the day's travel schedule will be a visit to a perfume shop. Whether you like it or not - you will have to spend about an hour sitting in the shop. And at the end, you will feel a little pressure to buy something. While I am not discouragaing you, I just want you to be a little more aware and bargain if you are really interested to take back a scent as a souvenir.

There are numerous such perfume shops in most of the tourist areas of Egypt. So, if your guide tells you that you will not find the perfume/oil elsewhere or if the shopkeepers pressurise you, just refuse politely. From my experience, you will find the same kinds of oils and scents in almost all the shops. I spotted quite a handful of these shops within a small stretch while out on the streets of Cairo.

Most shops will stock base scents of popular brand perfumes. The shopkeeper will rattle off the name of well known brands and get you to smell the fragrance. Choose wisely and make sure that the price is reasonable. Its best to go prepared. Just research a little about the fragrance you like and its price. Be smart and shop wisely.

The Khan el Khalili market has numerous perfume and essential oil shops. Just browse around in a couple of shops to get a fair idea of the prices before you make the purchase.

The High Dam of Aswan (Egypt)

The Aswan Dam across the Nile in Aswan is an embankment dam built between the 1960-70s. The construction of the dam had a huge impact on the economy of Egypt as it was able to control flooding and provide water necessary for irrigation.  Before the dam was constructed, the annual flooding of the Nile used to wreak havoc. Nile is responsible for bringing in the fertile soil to the lower part of the valley. When the flooding was bad, the crops used to be destroyed ad when the water was less droughts and famine happened. Since the construction of the dam things have changed. Now, water is stored in the reservoir and released as per the need.

The reservoir is called Lake Nasser and is approximately 550kms long. It is one of the largest man-made lakes in the world. The lake gets its name from Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein, the second President of Egypt and one of the leaders of the 1952 Egyptian Revolution.

The dam also generates hydroelectricity and provides electricity to a substantial area of Egyptian villages.

From the tourist point of view, there is nothing much to see. Yes, the dam offers some good views of the Lake Nasser. It is associated with an interesting bit of history and is an impressive feat of engineering. Tours usually stop here for about 20 minutes or so - giving you enough time to take some photographs. Videography is not allowed.

 

The Colossi of Memnon in Luxor, Egypt

Reaching 60 feet into the sky, the two gigantic statues of Amenhotep III collectively referred to as the Colossi of Memnon are a major attraction on the West Bank of Luxor. The two statues have stood in the same place for the last 3400 years :)

The statues are of Amenhotep III (the ninth pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty) and depict him in a seated position. There are 2 smaller figures carved onto the same rock along Amenhotep's legs. These smaller figures are those of his mother and his wife.

When the 2 statues were carved out, they were created with the purpose of guarding the entrance to Amenhotep's mortuary temple. Being so close to the Nile, several inundations resulted in practically all of the temple being destroyed. What remains today of the temple complex are just these 2 statues both of which are badly damamged.

The legend on how they got their name is interesting. Sometime in 27BC, there was a big earthquake which damaged parts of the eastern colossus. And from then on, an hour or two after sunrise, the statue used to 'sing' or 'whistle'. Various theories have been put forward about the reason for this sound. The statues were named 'Memnon' after was an Ethiopian King and a hero of the Trojan War - 'Memnon' who was the son of Tithonus and Eos. Memnon means - The Ruler of Dawn. The statues were probably given this name because tey used to 'sing' only at dawn.

The statues are free to visit and there is nothing to see other than these 2 colossal structures. Of course, that doesnt mean that its not worth visiting. It absolutely is - just to see and appreciate the massive structures in the middle of the desert. If you are on a guided tour, your coach or car driver will stop here for 10-15 minutes giving you enough time to take some pictures. The Deir el-Bahari or Temple of Hatshepsut is nearby.