... David Roberts (1796-1864) ...

As you wander around Egypt, at bookshops, gift shops, stationary shops, one begins to notice a specific kind of artwork that appears in books ad postcards. Many of these are by the Scottish artist David Roberts, who is well-known for his prolific series of detailed lithograph prints from Egypt and the Near East, that he produced from sketches made on long tours of the region. He is an interesting man, who even 150 years later, is still popular.

1796 David was born near Edinburg, Scotland, to a humble family of craftsmen: his father was a shoemaker. But even though he had such a lowly beginning, he became one of the most acclaimed landscape painters of the 19th century.

DRAWING:

His talent for drawing became evident at an early age, when he was so inspired by the circus that he filled the kitchen wall with a procession of animals and people, with surprising skill for one so young. His parents encouraged him to develop this ability and skill, though sadly, coming from a poor family, he was not able to go to school. He was largely self-taught, and had to push through the social barriers of the day and this took several decades!

APPRENTICESHIP: at the age of 10, he was apprenticed to a house painter/decorator for 7 years. It was here that he learnt to paint using various mediums.  

1815  After this, he  got a position as a foreman for a re-decorating project of a Palace.

1816 THE CIRCUS:

He began his career as a painter painting scenery and designing stage sets for a circus (he was almost 20 years old at the time).  At this time he travelled with the circus, on a tour of England. He had to paint the stage designs and create the sets and  also take on several minor stage roles during this time. When he had free time, he would go out into the surrounding areas and paint and sketch what he saw.

STAGE SCENERY PAINTER 

He then developed his theatre experience by working in a number of theaters, and finally entered into the Theatre Royal (Edinburgh) and 1823 Drury Lane Theatre (London.) From here, his work as a scene painter attracted a variety of comments and criticism! But his true heart and love of landscape painting began to evolve as he started oil painting.

1824 he went on a trip to Europe, and as he travelled he sketched monuments and cathedrals with breathtaking detail. On his return home, he turned these sketches into “romantic travel paintings”, which were very much the fashion of the time. He was able to sell many of these.

1825 He worked for the Covent Garden theatre.

1827 The New Royal Scottish Academy did a showing of some of his work

By 1829 he was a full time artist and his own unique style had become apparent.

PRESIDENT OF SBA (Society of British Artists)

In 1831 he became the president of this society, and began his travels in Spain and Tangiers 1832

TOUR TO EGYPT: (and the Holy Land)

In 1838 he left for Egypt (this had been a dream of his since childhood), and had an extraordinary tour that saw him traveling the length and breadth of Egypt. As he travelled, he began to draw: monuments, architecture and people. Initial sketches of each site, and then from these sketches he created his now world famous lithographs. He aimed to sell these as Egypt was quite “the vogue” at this time, and no-one else had as yet begun painting the main sites of the area.

Interestingly his deepest desire was to visit was the site of Rameses 2nd in the heart of Nubia. He made a detailed sketch of this, and in fact every site and monument in the Nubia area. The detailed documentation of these sites in Nubia became particularly valuable, especially with respect to the Nubian temples, after the construction of the Great Dam of Aswan in 1971 (The High Dam as it is known.) This dam caused the flooding of a number of temple sites, and they had to be taken apart and carefully reassembled, sometimes many kilometers away from their original locations. His attention to minute detail was a help in the reconstruction.

When he finally reached Cairo, he already had over 100 sketches and paintings. He remained in Cairo for 6 weeks, and during this time he was permitted to enter a mosque and draw the interior: this was the first foreigner ever to be allowed to do this.

He devoted a great part of his attention to the masterpieces of Islamic architecture.

STYLE:

Once he returned home, David Roberts used the numerous sketches he had made on each site, and his incredible memory. These were gradually transformed into prints which were then published, (by Francis Moon) using a method called “Lithography”, which required the complex task of engraving plates for each picture. Sometimes he would then hand paint additional color onto the prints.

PUBLISHED:

His tour to Egypt was published in London between 1842 and 1849. Egypt and the Holy Land took up 6 volumes (248 lithographs), the first 3 volumes were of Egypt and Nubia.

It shows a picture-story of his unforgettable journey along the Nile Valley and across the Sinai Peninsular and established him as one of the finest artists of his time and earning him the fame his work still produces today.

... the pickles are not what you think ...

Miggelil (pickled veg) are with almost any food you eat:

• a plated meal 
• a sandwich
• breakfast
• liver with rice
• grilled chicken and fried….

you will find a couple of small plates filled with pickles, as a “side dish”.

But let us warn you: the Egyptian pickles have a taste all of their own, rather unique it has to be said.

Though if you can manage to eat a few, they are said to be totally addictive.

RIGHT BACK TO CLEOPATRA:

This staple food of Egypt is said to date right back to the Pharaohs! Cleopatra herself apparently attributed her good looks to a daily diet of pickles! It is thought that in ancient Egypt, people from every class and function consumed pickles daily for their nutritional value.

For centuries, people all over the world have believed in the “power of the pickle”, as they believed, as Cleopatra had said, that these salty vegetables will enhance their beauty!

VEGETABLES:

Egyptians love to pickle a variety of vegetables. The most usual are carrots, turnip and cucumbers. However you can pickle anything: cauliflower, whole chills and even whole small lemons.

The flavour can be a bit shocking at first, as vinegar (used in mainly other picks) is not the main ingredient. Egyptian pickles are more along the lines of vegetables in brine: salt water and lemon are the main pickling ingredients, with chilli or dill added for a different flavour. 

The purpose of these pickles is not to preserve them, but to add a salty, bitter crunch to almost any meal.

IN THE MARKET:

When you walk in a local market, you will usually see a vast array of pickled vegetables, as you will in any supermarket. Wholesalers sell them by the drum, and street sandwich vendors sell them in a small packet or 2. Some women will pickle their own.

But the common theme about these pickles is that Egyptians take a great pride in their sour-salty pickles, and any foreigner who enjoys them will immediately be applauded and welcomed into the family.

ARE THEY NICE?

Doing a rather “informal” survey among our guests, it would appear that out of every 10 people:

1 will really, really like them, and ask after them if not on the table.

2 will actually rather enjoy them (and eat a couple every time they are available)

3 will not dis-like them, but will try one at a few meals, trying to see if the taste grows on them!

1 will try once and never again

2 won’t even try them!

So when you come to Egypt, give one a go and see which kind or person you are… but on advice from our guests, try and little piece of one as a first try, but never never never have a first taste with a whole small pickled lemon: it really is too much too soon!

... Nobel Winners ...

One of the hotels near where we live, is called the “Nobel” hotel. I had always assumed it was supposed to be “Noble”
hotel, but recently went inside a notice the picture with photos of 4 men. On enquiring, discovered that they were Nobel
Prize winners from Egypt. How many of us know about the Egyptian prize winners?

WHAT IS THE NOBEL PRIZE?

The Nobel Prize is an annual international prize, first awarded in 1901, with now over 800 individuals who have received
them. They have been referred to as one of the world’s greatest honours, however controversy over the Nobel prizes is
often quite high. But his is nothing new, beginning with the fact that the man who founded them, Alfred Nobel, made his
fortune from inventing dynamite!

In total, 10 Arabs have won Nobel prizes since they were instituted in 1901.

When considering winners from the Arab world, one theme that emerges is that their recognition often comes in the face of great adversary at home, with turmoil, uncertainty and constant threats that have sometimes turned deadly.

1st EGYPTIAN WINNER:

Anwar Sadat.

Muhammad Anwar El Sadat, born 1918 in Egypt, is the first Muslim Nobel Laureate.

Egypt’s third president, he became a hero for Egyptians and Arabs when he regained Sinai after it was occupied by Israel during the Six-Day War in 1967. 

Afterwards, he negotiated a peace treaty with Israel, for which he was criticized and called a traitor. Nonetheless, President Anwar al-Sadat received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1978, jointly with former US President Jimmy Carter and the late Prime Minister of Israel, Menachem Begin, for their role in forging the peace agreement between Cairo and Israel, known as the Camp David Accords:

"For contribution to the two frame agreements on peace in the Middle East, and on peace between Egypt and Israel, which were signed at Camp David on September 17, 1978."

This was a highly contentious politically situation, and the award stirred up many heightened emotions around the world at the time. Not surprisingly, El Sadat was assassinated on October 6, 1981, largely because of the agreement, during a military parade celebrating Egypt's victory in the 1973 war with Israel.

He was buried at the Unknown Soldier Memorial, in Cairo's Nasr City neighborhood. Sadat is described on the memorial as a "Hero of war and peace".

2nd EGYPTIAN WINNER:

Naguib Mahfouz

Novelist Naguib Mahfouz was the first (and still only) Arab writer to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, which he was awarded 1988.

He was born in Egypt in 1911, and began his writing career as a 17 year old and has his first novel published in 1939. He is one of the foremost writers in modern Arabic literature. He has published 32 novels (half of which have been made into films), 13 collections of short stories (over 100 of them), journalism, memoirs, 200 articles and some screenplays.

He broke through many walls when he was awarded the Nobel Prize, and this was said of him:

"who, through works rich in nuance - now clear-sightedly realistic, now evocatively ambiguous - has formed an Arabian narrative art that applies to all mankind"

He said, “The Nobel Prize has given me, for the first time in my life, the feeling that my literature could be appreciated on an international level. The Arab world also won the Nobel with me. I believe that international doors have opened, and that from now on, literate people will consider Arab literature also. We deserve that recognition.”

These hopes have yet to come to pass. He remains the only Arab to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, the sole representative of a rich language spoken by more than 340 million people.

Mahfouz died of pneumonia and kidney problems in 2006. A military funeral was held for the late writer.

3rd EGYPTIAN WINNER:

Ahmed Zewail

Ahmed Hassan Zewail, born in Damanhour (Delta area) in Egypt 1946, and won a Nobel Prize in 1999 in Chemistry. His first studies were in Alexandrai, but had over 30 degrees bestowed on him! He is known as the father of Femtochemistry, his award was…

"For his studies of the transition states of chemical reactions using femtosecond spectroscopy" 

His Nobel Prize was for his works in chemical reactions across femtoseconds. Through his research, he managed to show, for the first time, that it is possible with rapid laser techniques to study in slow motion how atoms in a molecule move during a chemical reaction, down to tens of femtoseconds (fs) or 0.000000000000001 seconds.

Zewail's experiments led to the birth of the research area called femtochemistry.

Died on August 2nd 2016, after a long battle with cancer. He was given a military funeral in Cairo.

4th EGYPTIAN WINNER:

Mohamed ElBaradei

 Mohamed El Baradei was born in Cairo in1942. He is known as a law scholar and a diplomat. but probably the best known fir his role of Director of the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) from 1997 - 2009. 

The aim of this organisation is to make efforts to ensure that nuclear energy is used for peaceful purposes. A highly commendable (and yet very contentious) purpose. His time as president of this organisation saw his efforts in confronting the spread of nuclear weapons,  was, as one can imagine, was a rather intense period.

But in 2005, he and the organisation were awarded a Nobel Prize for Peace, due to their

"efforts to prevent nuclear energy from being used for military purposes and to ensure that nuclear energy, for peaceful purposes, is used in the safest possible way." 

At 74 years of age, ElBaradei is the only Egyptian Nobel Prize laureate still alive. It is possibly fitting to end this brief look at the 4 Egyptian Nobel Prize winners with a sobering quote from Baradei’s Nobel Lecture:

“… only one percent of the money spent to develop new weapons would be enough to feed the entire world and that, if we hope to escape self-destruction, nuclear weapons should have no place in our collective conscience and no role in our security.”

…Ibn Battuta - one of the greatest travelers of all time…

If you were asked who you thought were some of the greatest travelers of all time, who would you say?

* Herodius… 

* Marco Polo….

* Vasco da Gama…

* Christopher Columbus…. 

* David Livingstone…. 

* Captain Cooke….?

Possibly any of the above, but have any of us heard about a Medieval, Morrocan, Muslim traveller, writer called Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Battutah? 

WHO WAS HE?

Ibn Battuta was born on Feb 25th 1304, in Morocco. He was born into the Lawata tribe, of Berber descent. So he would have been a good example of an average middle-class medieval Muslim! He came from a family of Islamic legal scholars in Tangier, who performed the role of Judges at that time, so his education was in Islamic law.

WHEN DID HE START TRAVELING?

When he was 21 years old (1325) ,he decided to go on the Hajj (Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca). This trip should have taken him 16 months, But he did not return to Morocco for 24 years!

WHY DID HE TRAVEL?

Although his main aim initially may have been to fulfill his religious duty and broaden his education by studying under a variety of famous scholars (which he did do) he soon began to travel for its own sake: for the joy of learning about new countries and people. One of his rules was never to travel any road a second time!

HOW FAR DID HE TRAVEL?

His journey lasted about 27 years and he traveled a total of 75000 miIes, 120000 kms, from 1325 - 1353. In his 4 sets of travels, he covered nearly the whole of the known Islamic world at the time and then some:

West: North Africa, West Africa, Southern and Eastern Europe

East: Middle East, India, Central Asia, SE Asia and China. 

He surpassed all his predecessors in the extent of his travels.

HIS WRITINGS:

Ibn Battuta was called  “curious observer”, in that he was interested in ways of life. And although he did not discover any new lands, not make a major contribution to scientific geography, he did leave lasting historical and geographical significance in his writings. His book called “RIHLAH” (Arabic for “journey”) sheds great light on many aspects of social, cultural and political history of many areas of the Medieval Muslim world. He was indeed one of the most ambitious travelers on the Silk Road.

WHAT HAPPENED WHEN HE FINISHED HIS TRAVELS?

He returned to Morocco, and took up the role of Judge, as his father before him and his father before that….

HIS LEGACY…..

His desire was to travel the Earth, and in his time he covered a very large chunk of that. It is interested that his name lives on these days in some quite interesting ways:

• there is a film: Journey to Mecca
• in a video game
• a nursery rhyme
• songs about him
• and an animated cartoon series in Asia
• and…. his name is often used as a “nick-name” for people who love to travel!!

… men (and some women) who sought solitude and prayer ...

Early Monasticsm:

The “Desert Fathers” is the title given to the early Christian hermits, ascetics and monks who began living a life of simplicity and prayer in the deserts in Egypt, at the beginning of the 3rd century. It is to these men (and some women) that the whole concept of “monasticism” is attributed.

Let’s consider 2:

2 of the churches / monasteries in the Eastern Desert in Egypt are called “St Anthony” and “St Paul”. They are separated by 25 km of walking (across arid and hilly terrain) or 85 km by road and are both Egypt’s and Christianity’s oldest monasteries. These 2 churches remind us of 2 key “Desert Fathers”.

St Paul:

Paul was born into a wealthy family in Alexandria (228 AD and died when he was 113 years old). 

Known as St Paul ..

* the Anchorite

• the Hermit
• of Thebes
• He fled to the desert to escape the Roman persecution of Christians when he was 16 years old and lived in a cave in the desert for 90 years. He is considered the earliest “Christian Hermit” by many. During his time in the cave, it appears that he was sustained by a small nearby spring and a date palm tree, the leaves of which he is said to have plaited and worn as a tunic.

It is said that St Anthony went on a journey to meet his other “holy man” in his cave, and this is now referred to as:

“The Meeting of the First Hermit and the Father of Monasticism.”

I wonder if they realized at the time the “Grand-ness” of the occasion?

St Anthony:

Anthony, who is considered the “Father of Monasticism” , was born in AD 251 near Beni Suef (Egypt) and was orphaned at the age of 18. He appears to have heard a sermon (AD 270) highlighting how spiritual perfection can be reached by selling your possessions and giving the money to the poor. He did exactly this, giving his inheritance away, and after some studies with a local “holy” man, he headed to the Eastern desert. 

WHY?

Renounce possessions to learn detachment.

Renounce activity to learn prayer.

He wanted to seek complete solitude and spiritual salvation by living an ascetic existence, by getting away from people and “normal” life. However, as word spread about him, people followed him into the desert, and his followers formed a loose community at the base of the mountain where he lived in his cave. This community formed the first monastery-type living, forming an alternative christian society. 

As numbers increased, the monastic fervor spread to Italy and France, the central tenet being: solitude, austerity and sacrifice (separation from material goods)

Anthony died when he was 105 years old, and in death, his solitude has been respected as the location of his grave is still a closely guarded secret!

One can still visit the current Church of St Anthony, the cave of St Anthony being located 300 meters above the monastery. 120 monks still live there, and are dedicated to seeking God in the stillness and isolation of the desert, with their lives built around times of prayer.

... Do you know your thobe from your kanu…?

Your answer probably is: NO! So, what is a thobe or a kanu?

Well it has many names:

• thobe (Arab peninsular)
• galabeya (Egypt)
• dishdasher (Oman)
• kanu (Uganda)
• gandora (Morocco)

Thobe is the Arabic word simply meaning “garment”. However, it has become the name of the long, flowing usually white long-sleeved, loose-fitting garment worn by men throughout the Middle-East, and is known as being the traditional clothing from Arabia. But it is prevalent and uniquely worn in Africa, all over…… Egypt, Sudan, Uganda…

WHAT IS THIS GALABEYA?

Length: ankle length (the large hem keeping the garment close to the ground, protection from sand)

Loose-fitting: in a hot climate, having  loose garment helps with air circulation and keeping the body cool. Tight clothes do not allow for good ventilation they say!!

Sleeves: usually long, as this helps with protection from the sun

Fabric: usually made from cotton (light and breathes easily). In “winter” there are some of a slightly heavier weave, and colors can be grey or brown.

Colors: usually white and pale colors (so that it reflects the heat). But galabeyas for meaningful days and occasion may be of a shiny fabric, can have piping or even contrasting colors, perhaps gold around the sleeves and neckline. But for usual daily use, it is a non-fuss, nothing fancy, easy to pull on and off when you are in the “lazy languor” of the summer heat.

Collars: there is no collar on these garments, a simple round neckline

Pockets and buttons: there are usually a few “hidden” pockets on a galabeya (2 large and 1 small), and a few buttons from the neckline down, covered by a small hem of fabric.

Head: the head is usually covered both as protection against the sun and to respect religious beliefs.

When? This garment is worn daily, but the fancier versions are worn on special or ceremonial occasions: weddings, funerals, Eid, birthdays etc. Tailors can make a plain galabeya into a special creation: as you please!

Sidery: In southern Egypt (Aswan) and Northern Sudan, it is considered fashionable (in “winter” or for weddings) to wear a waist-coat/sleeveless jacket over the galabeya, usually of a contrasting color.

When the men are sitting on the sand in a group, they are striking to look at: the contrast with their dark skin and the white garments is almost breathtaking…. they take the meaning of looking “cool” to a very practical level!

During a wedding, with all the men in their formal versions of this garment, they look serious and proud…

Each country tends to wear their galabeya in a slightly different manner, so if you “Know your galabeya” you can spot where a man comes from at a distance!

... Water and Sand, Trees and Camels ...

Nothing in a hurry….

Life in Sudan moves at its own pace. The 3 common Arabic words (used in many arabic speaking lands) are very much the fabric and speed of life in Sudan:

Inshallah: “if God wills”. This is the reply given when the affirmative is not guaranteed. Be it a meal, a museum opening, beds available, guide on time, tourist office open… instead of YES, the reply is “if God wills”, leaving it to Divine Intervention!

Bokra: “tomorrow” (usually prefaced by the word: Momkim (perhaps/maybe). Again, not to disappoint or adamantly confirm a detail, the answer if “perhaps tomorrow”…. and in many cases tomorrow never comes!

This underlines the importance of holding “loosely” onto plans and itineraries, and having a large margin for flexibility, waiting time, delays…. and actually enjoying these times: as mostly this is where you meet the heart of the nation, and the connect with the real, wonderful people of Sudan.

Sand, sand and more sand….

One constant of life in Sudan is the sand! It is fine, powdery, gets everywhere and is central to the character of the country. The Sudanese love the desert, and their flowing clothes seem to be at one with the sand. The variety of browns, especially as the mild sun are sunrise and sunset seems to enhance the colors, is breathtaking. It is hot, dry, dusty, sandy…. so embrace this fact, and you can embrace the country!

Confluence of the Niles:

Khartoum: the place of the confluence of the “2 Niles”, know to locals as Al Mogran. From the East, is the Blue Nile, rushing down from the hills in Ethiopia, traditionally carrying the rich, dark silt that spilled out in Egypt’s Delta region and made it the Food Basket of the world….

And from the South, the White Nile, languidly making its way from Uganda. It is here that you can see the 2 rivers, different in size, color and character, merging to become The Nile, as it completes its journey through Egypt and finally sighs into the Mediterranean Sea.

The Date Palm tree:

As the Nile snakes its way along Sudan, alongside its muddied waters you will find a verdant, green line: some crops, mostly date palms, and then nothing but the brown, sandy desert. Palm trees are key in the Sudanese economy. Palms are considered worth their weight in gold: they provide dates, rich in fiber and a variety to goodies (which can be sold/eaten fresh, dried or processed), and raw materials for weaving mats and baskets, making rope and even roofing.  And of course providing shade for other plants, animals and humans: a wonderful place to sit and chat, drink tea and eat dates!

A well cared for palm can live for up to 100 years and is apparently from the grass family, and not actually a tree as we would understand it!

The Camel Market

Sudan’s largest camel market is the Daraw Camel Market as is on the 40 days Road, one of the greatest desert trade routes: slaves, animals, produce, spices….. These days it is the road is used mostly for camels, thousands of them, from Sudan to Egypt. Most camels are raised in the Dafur region and brought here for sale. Fridays apparently are the busiest days of the week for Camel trading.

… the Mighty Queens of Kush …

A long, long time ago, in the land of Kush (which includes present day Sudan, Ethiopia and even some bits of Egypt) there was an impressive series of “Nubian/Meroite” women rulers, who were brave, brilliant and influential.

The dates and names seem to blend into a sometimes uncertain mixture, but it appears that for around 500 years there were 8 of these Rulers. They seemed to set a standard of excellence and stability.

WHO WERE THESE WOMEN?

They were called the Kandake: meaning Queen / Queen mother / Great Woman / sister

• Shanakdakhete (c. 177–155 BC) Earliest known ruling queen.

   • Amanirenas (c. 40–10 BC) Signed a peace treaty with the emperor Augustus (she had lost an eye in battle, and was apparently a fearsome woman)

• Amanishakheto (c. 10 BC–1 AD)  

• Amanitore (c. 1–20 AD) possibly the queen mentioned in Acts 8:27

• Amantitere (c. 20–49 AD)

• Amanikhatashan (c. 62–85 AD)

• Maleqorobar (c. 266–283 AD)

• Lahideamani (306–314 AD)

However, the most interesting Candace (as we know refer to them in English), was

CANDACE AMANISHAKHETO:

She is known as the “Warrior queen of Nubia”. There seems to be more information about her for many reasons

• A leader:

It seems that she was not married to a King, nor mother to a future King, but that she was in fact a fully independent ruler in her own right, with her husband being her consort! Her daughter followed her as the next “Candace”.

* A builder: 

She had many pyramids built, in fact one of the largest ever built, was her own in Meroe, standing at 100 feet high. She also had a very grand temple in Wad ban Naqa: 3 700 sq.m.

• Pictures:

Portrayals of her are found on several walls tombs/temples: she is depicted as a “large” , powerful woman, usually holding a bow / arrows, and sometimes alongside conquered slaves. She is usually dressed in glorious robes and covered in jewelry, shown as a strong woman towering above her small, defenseless enemies.

• Her jewelry:

In 1834 an Italian by the name of GUISEPPE FERLINI, an “explorer” came to seek fame, fortune and gold. His team dismantled Amanishakheto’s tomb in Meroe (and thus destroyed most of this glorious pyramid) and discovered a dazzling hoard of jewelry:

10 bracelets

9 shield rings

67 signet rings

2 arm bands

Ferlini then took this incredible treasure and sold the antiquities in Europe, and today you can find many items in museums in Germany (Munich and Berlin).

WOMEN IN CHARGE!

So even if the names become blended, stories become embellished, dates are confusing, it remains that there were several formidable Women Leaders in Kush/Nubia/Meroe/Ethiopia: they are seldom mentioned, but leave behind a hint of a grand legacy of strength and power, beauty and wealth.