El Alamein War Cemetery and Military Museum

Al Alameen City

Matrouh Governate

Egypt

February 23, 2020

Fifteen years ago, a thought came to mind as I wandered through the rows of gravestones of British soldiers at the Htauk Kyant Second World War Memorial Cemetery that lies 25 kilometers north of Yangon in Myanmar:

Britain had the largest Jewish population in Western Europe. Surely many Jews fought in the British army. Surely some of them were casualties in the battles in Southeast Asia.  Are they buried here? 

West Bank of the Nile

Luxor

Luxor Governorate

Arab Republic of Egypt

March 2, 2020

Hello,

It’s a busy day for me on the West Bank of the Nile in Luxor.

My first stop is at the Colossi of Memnon: two colossal seated statues of Amenhotep III, 14^th Century BCE.  Adjacent to his legs are carvings of his mother and his wife.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colossi_of_Memnon

The second stop requires a decision: Do I visit the Valley of the Kings or the Valley of the Queens?  My proclivity has always been towards the “working man” so I chose the Valley of the Artisans - the Necropolis of Deir El-Medina. 

Gezira El Bairat, Al Ramla 

Luxor, Egypt

March 9, 2020

Hello,

Here in the town of Gezira El Bairat, on the west bank of the Nile, the modest El Masala Hotel provides a simple and comfortable guest room with a balcony overlooking the Nile.  The staff is friendly and accommodating.  Breakfast is served at the open-air rooftop restaurant with a sweeping view of the river and the river traffic. 

Kareem, the owner of the hotel, is determined that my week’s stay in Luxor will be both active and restful.   He drives me around town.   He helps me to book drivers for my tours.   Kareem invites me to his home for lunch where I meet his wife and children.