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Posts Tagged ‘Guide’

Egypt, land of Pyramids and Pharos, straddles the Mediterranean and Red Seas, linking Africa, Europe, the Middle East, south Asia. Four times the size of the UK, it has borders with Libya, Sudan, the Gaza Strip, Israel and Jordan, and faces Saudi Arabia across the Gulf of Aqaba.
The strategically important Suez Canal is to the north, running between Suez and Port Said, while the Red Sea tourist resort of Sharm al-Skeikh is in the far south.
Much of the country in between is desert and only 4 per cent of the land is cultivated, mainly adjacent to the 1,000 mile long Nile and the Nile Delta.
The Foreign Office reports that Egypt is hot and dry in the summer, mild in the winter with rainfall increasing nearer the coastlines. Temperatures increase southwards, and on average, these vary between 22 and 37 degrees Centigrade in the summer and 9 and 19 degrees Centigrade in the winter.
Politically stable, in that President Mubarak has been in power since 1981, Egypt is not known for its political freedom and has recently introduced more stringent anti-terrorism legislation.
Under President Mubarak the country has achieved healthy economic growth and is currently around 7 per cent. Even so, despite earnings from its canal, agriculture and service industries such as tourism, the country is dependent on imports and has a budget deficit. Inflation is running at close to 9 per cent.
Egypt is a signatory to all the major UN human rights conventions. But the Foreign Offices says one of the key human rights concerns in Egypt is the widespread mistreatment of detainees and use of torture in police stations, especially in cases involving political detainees although ‘the government has taken some steps to address the problem’.
The Foreign Office also warns that there is a high threat from terrorism in Egypt. ‘Attacks can be indiscriminate and against civilian targets, including places frequented by foreigners’.
There has recently been a strengthening of security measures, including around popular tourist areas.
British visitors (there were just over 1m in 2006), require visas. These can be obtained from an Egyptian Consulate outside Egypt or on arrival for stays of up to a month. Applications for visa extensions should be made at Egyptian Passport and Immigration Offices.
Although there is no limit to the amount of sterling that can be taken into Egypt (larger sums should be declared on arrival) there is a limit of 5,000 Egyptian pounds on the maximum local currency that can be taken out.
According to the Foreign Office, some of the British nationals who have purchased land in Egypt have encountered problems. In parts of Egypt and increasingly, in the area of the West Bank in Luxor, land tenure rights can be restricted by local legislation.
‘If you intend to purchase a property in Egypt we strongly advise you to engage a local lawyer’, says the Foreign Office. ‘It is important that your lawyer obtains an extract from the local land registry to satisfy you that the property or land in question is formally registered. You should again seek legal advice before entering into any contract. Don’t sign anything that you do not understand’.
A list of English speaking lawyers and of translators is available from the British Embassy in Cairo.
Property buyers are also warned that the Egyptian land registry is liable to be out of date or incomplete – although the main cities and resort towns tend to have more reliable records.
Special rules apply, however, in Sharm el Sheikh which limited property rights to a maximum of 99 years. In other areas of Egypt it is still possible to buy freehold properties.
British and other EU nationals travelling to Sharm El Sheikh or Taba resorts for up to 14 days do not require a visa prior to travel – they will receive an entry permission stamp upon arrival. However, foreign property owners in Egyptian must have residency.

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“Combines the beauty of a coffee-table tome with the hard facts and compact size of a traditional guidebook.” — Vogue

A city of incomparable beauty, culture and history, Paris has enchanted writers from Balzac to Hemingway and artists from Monet to Picasso. Paris is the place travelers return to year after year — to revisit favorite cafes, museums, parks  and palaces, to take in the art and architecture, fragrance and couture, music and cuisine. Discover the “city of lights.”

Sample the sights and sounds of Paris, from the gloriously restored Marais district to historic Left Bank streets with their irresistible antique shops. Visit the places you have always heard about: the Pantheon, burial site of Voltaire, Hugo and Rousseau; Notre-Dame, masterpiece of Gothic architecture and haunt of the fictional Quasimoto; the Paris Opera, with its glittering chandeliers and resplendent ceiling painted by Chagall. Go underground and explore the famous catacombs or venture out to the celebrated sites nearby, including Versailles, Vaux-le-Viocomte and Chantilly. Discover the romance of Paris with detailed itineraries to guide you through one of Europe’s most beloved cities.

Knopf Guide: Paris

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This is a new edition of the popular guide to Cairo’s monuments. Cairo’s Islamic monuments are part of an uninterrupted tradition that spans over a thousand years of building activity. No other Islamic city can equal Cairo’s spectacular heritage, nor trace its historical and architectural development with such clarity. The discovery of this historic core, first visually by nineteenth-century western artists then intellectually by twentieth-century Islamic art specialists, now awaits the delight of the general visitor.This new, fully revised edition of a popular and handy guide continues to walk the visitor around two hundred of the city’s most interesting Islamic monuments. It also keeps pace with recent restoration initiatives and newly opened monuments such as the Amir Taz Palace and the Sitt Wasila House.

Islamic Monuments in Cairo: The Practical Guide

• ISBN13: 9780761424970
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

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CultureShock! Egypt is invaluable to anyone who wants to blend into life in the country whose existence revolves around the River Nile. Containing much insight about the Egyptian people the class system, the importance of family, their sense of honor – this guide also provides useful information and advice for settling into your new home and getting along with the locals. For example, learn about their notion of space and eye contact, and how the men may perceive foreign women who smile at them. On the business front, be aware of the necessity of having business cards as well as how to handle uniquely Egyptian business meetings. CultureShock! Egypt is all you need to settle effortlessly into and enjoy your new life in the Land of the Great Pharoahs and magnificent pyramids.

Culture Shock! Egypt: A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette

Egypt attract lots of the tourist because of its pyramid and beaches. The beaches of Egypt are very beautiful. Egypt is one of the oldest tourist destination on world. The beach vacation of Egypt are really inexpensive in comparision to the European beaches. It is also one of the reason why tourist prefer Egypt Beaches.

Egypt has been divided into seven beaches zones they are as follow

Mediterranean beaches in mainline coast from the Suez Canal over to Libya

The Mainland coast south of the Red Sea

The Sinai coast along Gulf of Suez

The southern Sinai region in the Red Sea

The Mainland coast along Gulf of Suez

The Mediterranean beaches along northern Sinai

The Sinai coast along the gulf of Aqaba

The Beaches of Egypt are either connected with Mediterranean or with the Red Sea. Some of the beaches in Egypt attract vast number of tourist and some of the beaches you can hardly find any people. Alexandaria beaches attract very huge number of tourist in comparision with the other beaches of Egypt. The Facilities around the beach in egypt range from very rudimentary beach camps to the finest imaginable five star hotels, and include the possibility of villa rentals. In general, in the region south of Hurghada, not including Marsa Alam, beach camps and more undeveloped accommodations seem to be more Popular, but then so too are open beaches with little in the way of crowds. On the east, Aqaba part of the Sinai, while Taba and in particular Sharm el-Sheikh are built up areas with fine amenities to choose from, the area in between these two destinations tend to be more camp-like, despite the fact that there are certainly a few fine hotels here and there.

For more information click here

• ISBN13: 9781857333428
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

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Culture Smart! provides essential information on attitudes, beliefs and behavior in different countries, ensuring that you arrive at your destination aware of basic manners, common courtesies, and sensitive issues. These concise guides tell you what to expect, how to behave, and how to establish a rapport with your hosts. This inside knowledge will enable you to steer clear of embarrassing gaffes and mistakes, feel confident in unfamiliar situations, and develop trust, friendships, and successful business relationships.

Culture Smart! offers illuminating insights into the culture and society of a particular country. It will help you to turn your visit-whether on business or for pleasure-into a memorable and enriching experience. Contents include

* customs, values, and traditions
* historical, religious, and political background
* life at home
* leisure, social, and cultural life
* eating and drinking
* do’s, don’ts, and taboos
* business practices
* communication, spoken and unspoken

“Culture Smart has come to the rescue of hapless travellers.” Sunday Times Travel

“… the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries.” Global Travel

“…full of fascinating-as well as common-sense-tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas.” Observer

“…as useful as they are entertaining.” Easyjet Magazine

“…offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world.” New York Times

Egypt – Culture Smart!: the essential guide to customs & culture

Planning a trip to Egypt? If so, it will be of great benefit to read a simple and basic Egypt travel guide before proceeding to make any plans or tour arrangements. Why? Because, like any country, Egypt has its “must see” locations, its visitor requirements and some basic information that is always good to know.

For example, anyone making a visit to Egypt should consider taking the time to tour some of the following popular destinations:

·         The Pyramids of Giza

·         The Egyptian Museum in Cairo

·         Abu Simbel

·         Luxor and Karnak temple complexes

·         The Valley of the Kings

·         Alexandria

·         The “Red Sea Riviera”

·         The Western Desert and Oases

·         Historical areas of the Sinai Peninsula

Additionally, many visitors plan a Nile River cruise of some kind or another and make a point of visiting the larger markets in Cairo, including the famous Khan al-Khalili. Only by reading through a fairly comprehensive Egypt travel guide will a visitor understand the entire area they intend to tour, and be able to plan the best and most enjoyable visit.

Before planning a visit to the country however, a good Egypt travel guide will make a tourist aware of the kinds of documentation and even medical issues they must also be aware of. For example, visas and passports are mandatory for every individual who seeks to enter Egypt, and residents of some nations have far less required of them in order to gain a visa. In fact, there are many people who are able to simply complete their visa paperwork on the plane in which they are travelling to Egypt. A thorough Egypt travel guide will itemize each nation and what its citizens will require in order to enter the country.

There are also some cultural issues that a good Egypt travel guide will discuss, and this includes the proper dress for both men and women as well as standards of behavior that will be required for most visitors. Generally such topics are focused on modesty and respect for long-standing social traditions. For example, alcoholic beverages are not commonly served, and are in fact “taboo” for many practitioners of Islam.

Additionally, a good Egypt travel guide must address subjects such as transportation, “baksheesh” which is the customary tipping of all service providers, and even safety.

Egypt is a fascinating, diverse and remarkable land, and a high quality Egypt travel guide is a great tool in planning an enjoyable visit to this popular country.

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“I hate world music,” wrote David Byrne, who went on to explain that he disliked a vague marketing label that ghettoized the majority of the world’s music. The Rough Guiders who compiled this insanely far-flung anthology, conversely, apparently adore the term’s catchall nature. Which is why you’ll find everything from Colombian salsa fireball Joe Arroyo to the Gaelic “mouth music” of Scot singer Talitha MacKenzie here and a whole lot more. World music usually signifies roots less than fusion, which is why Mali singer Oumou Sangare’s electrified traditionalism sounds just fine beside the avant-psychedelic guitar of Henry Kaiser and Malagasy singer Roger Georges. A certain disproportion is probably inevitable. Africa, with its incomparable dance rhythms, weighs in heavy with contributions by Youssou N’Dour (Senegal), Zaiko Langa Langa (Zaire), and Cecile Kayirebwa (Rwanda), while Asia is represented only by Guo Yue and Joji Hirota’s flute duo. Irish folk, Louisiana zydeco, and Nubian blues are also represented here. But anyone interested in learning more about these artists will have to refer back to The Rough Guide to World Music for more information. –Richard Gehr

Rough Guide to World Music

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Quick, easy, and comprehensive reference to sites of antiquities. Detailed plans and descriptions of all major temples and tombs in Ancient Egypt. Tips are included to help understand both the modern and ancient Egyptian cultures. This pocket-sized book is informative, detailed, and contains an illustrated glossary. A no-nonsense, no-clutter, practical guide to Egypt, written by an Egyptian-American Egyptologist.

Egypt: A Practical Guide

• ISBN13: 9780195170245
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Product Description
From stories of resurrected mummies and thousand-year-old curses to powerful pharaohs and the coveted treasures of the Great Pyramids, ancient Egypt has had an unfaltering grip on the modern imagination. Now, in Egyptian Mythology, Geraldine Pinch offers a comprehensive introduction that untangles the mystery of Egyptian Myth. Spanning Ancient Egyptian culture–from 3200 BC to AD 400–Pinch opens a door to this hidden world and casts light on its often misunderstood belief system. She discusses the nature of myths and the history of Egypt, from the predynastic to the postpharaonic period. She explains how Egyptian culture developed around the flooding of the Nile, or the ‘inundation,’ a phenomenon on which the whole welfare of the country depended, and how aspects of the inundation were personified as deities. She explains that the usually cloudless skies made for a preoccupation with the stars and planets. Indeed, much early Egyptian mythology may have developed to explain the movement of these celestial bodies. She provides a timeline covering the seven stages in the mythical history of Egypt and outlining the major events of each stage, such as the reign of the sun God. A substantial A to Z section covers the principal themes and concepts of Egyptian mythology as well as the most important deities, demons, and other characters. For anyone who wants to know about Anubis, the terrifying canine god who presided over the mummification of bodies and guarded burials, or Hathor, the golden goddess who helped women to give birth and the dead to be reborn, or an explanation of the nun, the primeval ocean from which all life came, Egyptian Mythology is the place to look.

Egyptian Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Goddesses, and Traditions of Ancient Egypt