Egypt, Jordan, Israel trip photos

[Johnc]

What can one say? Lucky lucky lucky and brave!
Enjoy and wonderful pics!

[bakubo]

Nice stuff but your description sonuds exhausting!

Believe me, that little synopsis was no where near the whole. Many of my travels are a bit tiring, but Egypt was more so. I have some very good memories from my time there and some not so good. I have tried not to say much about the stuff that wasn't good though since I prefer to focus on the good!

[Greg Beetham]

Working my way through Henry, so far I've got to the end of Egypt 2, it's a little like a time warp, it probably looked much the same a thousand years ago. (except for some of the graffiti). It's a pity that a lot of the Pharoah's saw fit to trash the temples of their predecessors, so the populace remembered to worship only the current one. They couldn't find a complete effigy, figurine, statue, of Queen Berenices (I think it was) for a long time, the head was always semi smashed.
I saw the Egypt 1 #93 felucca shot...nice one, very 'period'. And the shot of the brasswork display was amazing, also enjoyed the Mosque shots with all that intricate decor...and the temples of course.
Great work Henry.
Greg

[kingfisher]

hi henry

very nice shots
i have see the rest on your site , great serie`s , you have a eye for it

thanks

greetings
gustav

[bakubo]

Working my way through Henry, so far I've got to the end of Egypt 2, it's a little like a time warp, it probably looked much the same a thousand years ago. (except for some of the graffiti). It's a pity that a lot of the Pharoah's saw fit to trash the temples of their predecessors, so the populace remembered to worship only the current one. They couldn't find a complete effigy, figurine, statue, of Queen Berenices (I think it was) for a long time, the head was always semi smashed.

Yes, over the millennia lots of people have, unfortunately, saw fit to deface things there.

[bakubo]

Many-many shots remind me of Lebanon, a country I love much.

I hope to visit Lebanon someday.

Oh, and do let us know of your next destination.

Yes, I will do that.

I arrived in Tokyo from Matsuyama yesterday afternoon and expect to be here for the next 10 days or so. So far, it is looking like I will be meeting different friends just about everyday. In about an hour I am meeting two of my oldest Japanese friends and former co-workers from when I was working here 1990-93. We get together for a little reunion from time to time when I am in town. It is usually three of them but, unfortunately, the third one is in Okinawa for a couple of weeks so for the first time it will be three of us instead of four getting together.

Here is the four of us in Tokyo in 1992:



And again in 2004:

[Javelin]

is everyone retired except the man with the tie in the '04 picture? it's funny to see how 20 years made everyone more casual. your friend with the tie reminds me of Charles Bronson ...

[bakubo]

is everyone retired except the man with the tie in the '04 picture? it's funny to see how 20 years made everyone more casual. your friend with the tie reminds me of Charles Bronson ...

Yes, in 2004 the man with the tie was still working and the other two, who are older, were recently retired. Now all three are retired. I am the youngest of the group, six years younger than the one with the tie. All three are my good friends, but the one with the tie is probably my best Japanese male friend. Although I don't meet the other two every time I am in Tokyo, he and I always get together at least once to go to an izakaya.

[bakubo]

It has been only barely over a year since I spent a month traveling alone in Egypt. What a difference a year makes.

[aster]

In the future when peace is established and country is more settled with a reliable government and all, you may be on your way there to grasp what changes have struck the land and its people in your photos, Henry.

It's sad that the precious museum artefacts and the mummies were damaged in the past few days by riots of some vandals... Opportunists and thieves-at-heart kind of normal-seeming people certainly don't let such times without going for it!


Yildiz

[bakubo]

In the future when peace is established and country is more settled with a reliable government and all, you may be on your way there to grasp what changes have struck the land and its people in your photos, Henry.

It's sad that the precious museum artefacts and the mummies were damaged in the past few days by riots of some vandals... Opportunists and thieves-at-heart kind of normal-seeming people certainly don't let such times without going for it!

It is amazing to see all the protests going on at Midan Tahrir (Tahrir Square) in Cairo. Lots of fighting going on yesterday there. I was at Midan Tahrir fairly often because it is in central Cairo near the Nile River and I ate lunch at various places around there several times. The Egyptian Museum is on one side. I hope the looters and vandals can be kept at bay. It will be interesting to see how this all turns out.

[David Kilpatrick]

Our son Richard is due to fly back from the Red Sea (Hurghada) today. He's been with Photo Training Overseas, as a journalist and also assisting with location flash gear for seminars. Some of the photographers tried to visit the town and take pictures yesterday but ended up encountering the soldiers and tanks which are guarding the banks, and legged it back to the hotel to avoid getting their cameras confiscated.

We are hoping that nothing serious happens in the morning, the General Strike is called to start on Sunday if Mubarak does not resign, hopefully their flights will be OK. The army is the most educated, stable and neutral force in Egypt and would be capable of running the country as an interim government - so far, they have proved their neutrality and responsibility and the people would accept a temporary military government without feeling oppressed.

David

[bakubo]

I hope Richard and all the others have no problems getting out and back home. I heard that tomorrow, Friday, more and bigger demonstrations are planned, but maybe in Hurghada the effects won't be felt as much as in Cairo and Alexandria.

[David Kilpatrick]

They got through customs and were about to board the flight at mid-day here. All well. Apparently 50 of the group have decided to stay on for an extra week at the hotel - changed their flights too - because there are no new tourists arriving. The hotel made them an offer for a further week all-inclusive, and they opted to stay. But they have not really been aware of what was happening, they have been isolated with only state TV and no internet for most of the week. I hope they have an uninterrupted extra week.

David

[bakubo]

They got through customs and were about to board the flight at mid-day here. All well.

It is now Sunday so I assume Richard is back home now?