Welcome to Egypt—an ancient civilization lost to the sands of time and literally sand is covering it up. This was a sacred pilgrimage to Egypt with a spiritual group. My Tarot guidance as we started the journey was Wheel of Fortune—everything is possible, be open. Hanged Man—see things differently and release control. Highlights included chakra oils from the famous Sheikh Abdull Perfume palaces, magical meditations at Saqqara, Serapeum, and special access to Sekhmet at the Temple of Petah at Karnak. Dreamy five day cruise down the Nile River on a private boat, The Queeny. Luxor After Dark and Temple of Isis at Sunrise. Dendera with its wondrous pillars. Secret stone doors at Abydos. Horus Temple with a horse carriage ride through the dusty streets of Edfu was where I took some of my favorite photos. We learned about gods and goddesses and how to read hieroglyphs and why they were important to innovation and invention. There was Temple Talk at Hathor and Hatshepsut, honoring the only female Pharaoh. I tried on a red fez and bought a cartouche with my name. The crowded Valley of the Kings was my least favorite area, but posing by King Tut's tomb holding my Uncle Manuel Rosenberg's autographed drawings of the tomb's discoverer Howard Carter, made that visit worthwhile. Aswan Market was surprisingly empty. Egyptian people were friendly. We had armed security with us everywhere. Even though we were in a bubble, our tour group felt it was better to be safe and have a good trip—which we did. Our special treat was a private tour of the many chambers inside the Great Pyramid at Giza after closing. Climbing inside an empty stone tomb, we each experienced the vibrations of chanting and blessings to wrap up our adventure. My final take-away from Egypt was that there are historic interpretations of lost civilizations and mystical possibilities of how these massive stone structures were built in the first place. You see shifting sands on top, but must dig deep to reveal the many layers of Egypt below. Isn't that true for life itself? Life is about digging deep to uncover the many layers within.
"We travel because we need to, because distance and difference are the secret tonic to creativity. When we get home, home is still the same, but something in our minds has changed, and that changes everything."
Spectacular! I remember all of it and your photos bring it all back. They are beautiful. The details impressive. The light, dreamy. Your presence in them, inviting for those who want to take the adventure. The best of the trip. Thank you for documenting it for us and for sharing them.
-Terry Iacuzzo, author, world-renowned tarot expert, and fellow Egypt traveler