July 8th, 2013.
A few days ago I left Khartoum to embark on a journey North to follow the Nile to a land where a great ancient civilization existed.
As many of you know, I have been to Egypt two times before and have seen the fantastic Pyramids of Giza, the Valley of the Kings and Mount Sinai. Each time I visited these places I was awe inspired by the shear beauty that lay before me, but little did I know what I was about to encounter here in the Northern reaches of The Sudan.
Leaving the luxury of the Acropole Hotel of Khartoum behind, I found myself on a bus full of locals headed to the city of Karima, home to the famous Jebel Barkal (Jebel in Arabic means mountain). This mountain which overlooks the mighty Nile was a famous site upon which the ancient Kingdom of Kush laid to rest their mighty rulers and at times clashed the mighty kingdom to the North, Egypt.
I had heard of the Sudanese pyramids before, and how there may be more Pyramids in this country than the famous one to the North. And well with Egypt currently in revolt, I felt this may be the most opportune time to check out these pyramids just in case the situation spills over the border.
The pyramids of Karima sit right on the outside of town, similar to how the Pyramids of Giza sit right on the edge of Cairo, yet despite this, when one visits the pyramids, there is not a person to be seen! I was the only one here, and they had to specially open the museum for me, as I lay around with the security guard waiting for the museum clerk to come and get things started so I could buy my entry ticket, lol.
I wandered about at these first set of pyramids, taking them all in, and then hiking up to the top of this ancient holy mountain, which has a cut out of the Pharaohs head on its outskirts, from here I over looked the Nile. A serious case of deja vu hit me here as I overlooked this river of life, it reminded me of the time I climbed to the top of the valley of the kings with my good friend Tyler Richardson back in 2007, to see how the Nile snakes through the Sahara.
It was surreal watching the sunset over this great valley, and I had it once again, all to myself. I stayed a pleasant homestay in Karima, owned by a man named Ahmed Mousa.
His little chicken filled court yard at the foot of this mountain was a pleasant place, where even I for a brief moment relaxed.
The next day Ahmed arranged a taxi driver to take me to the pyramids across the river at Nuri. These pyramids were slightly larger, but housed an even more impressive mix of hieroglyphics in some of the tombs, as good as any I saw in the valley of the kings at Luxor. Once again, I was the only person to be found at this site, with the minor exception of a small heard of goats tended by a group of little children who were all to eager to come and make my acquaintance.
After this wonderful stay in Karima I made my way to the city of Atbara, a major junction point for all the roads leading to the North East of Sudan. Here I spent a night in the "lokanda", a type of transit hotel, for 15 Sudanese pounds (or just over 2 US dollars). I was invited to dine with a number of men on their way to Port Sudan, and once again in good Sudanese fashion I was the honored guest and was unable to pay for anything, including dinner, the hookah pipe and coffee that followed and our short taxi back to the hotel.
Sudan is such interesting culture, a melting pot of Arab tribes, and the colors and shades of the people are so diverse. Yet despite their ethnicity or tribal affiliation, they are so kind and hospitable, and safety has never been an issue. A fine example was after dinner the small boy who had been stoking the coals of our hookah I offered a small tip, 2 Sudanese pounds. He would not accept and simply smiled at me and said "welcome". I was baffled, but here I began to understand, this is a culture of giving, not taking and it is this kindness which I hope to keep and export with me back to Canada when I return to teach middle school this fall.
After a some what haggered sleep at the Lokanda in Atbara I hopped a small mini bus to the town of Shendi, where the great Pyramids of Begrawiya are found, said to the the finest in Sudan. I got the driver to drop me at the side of the highway and I walked towards the pyramids, about a mile off the road.
In the blazing heat I began to walk, and seemingly out of no where came a man on camel back, shouting to me, WELCOME IN SUDAN! He then asked me if I cared for a lift to the pyramids, I declined as they were about 100 metres away, lol, but the gesture was all to kind. It felt like a moment out of "Lawrence of Arabia".
I reached the gate and went into the pyramid complex, expecting that this being the best site in all of Sudan there would have to be at least SOMEONE else there, but it was not to be. It was my third set of Pyramids where I was once again alone. These final pyramids were indeed the largest and most extensive I have seen in Sudan, and I took all the pictures and videos I could to soak up this amazing experience.
Afterwards I sat under a tent with the gatekeeper and the camel rider and we enjoyed a coffee before I would embark on my way back to Khartoum. It was not until after the coffee and a short period of relaxation to grab my energy back from the sweltering heat that I realized, just how exactly am I going to get back to Khartoum?
The men just said, go to the highway and hitch a ride.... I thought... Hitch hiking in Sudan??? Well.... I guess it is my only option.
I went to the highway and began to walk, I felt like the lad out of the movie "Into the Wild", just straying along the desert road hoping a vehicle would eventually pick me up. After a few failed attempts I managed to flag down a bus, and onwards we went on a 4 hour gruelling hot journey to Khartoum.
What a wild adventure it was to see all these ancient sites, and to have them all to myself. To meet such an incredible group of people, and share my experiences in Northern Sudan with such kind and helpful people all along the way.
I will rest tonight here in Khartoum, on the eve of Ramadan, before setting out tomorrow onwards to Ethiopia.
Wishing everyone well back home and abroad and a special thanks to all those that made Northern Sudan such an amazing experience.
Next up, the Eastern road of Sudan to the border with Ethiopia and the ancient Christian city of Gonder.
Cheers,
William
 |
| Up top at the Pyramids of Nuri, near Karima, North Sudan. |
A few days ago I left Khartoum to embark on a journey North to follow the Nile to a land where a great ancient civilization existed.
As many of you know, I have been to Egypt two times before and have seen the fantastic Pyramids of Giza, the Valley of the Kings and Mount Sinai. Each time I visited these places I was awe inspired by the shear beauty that lay before me, but little did I know what I was about to encounter here in the Northern reaches of The Sudan.
 |
| Our mini bus conductor, chillin on the road North. |
Leaving the luxury of the Acropole Hotel of Khartoum behind, I found myself on a bus full of locals headed to the city of Karima, home to the famous Jebel Barkal (Jebel in Arabic means mountain). This mountain which overlooks the mighty Nile was a famous site upon which the ancient Kingdom of Kush laid to rest their mighty rulers and at times clashed the mighty kingdom to the North, Egypt.
I had heard of the Sudanese pyramids before, and how there may be more Pyramids in this country than the famous one to the North. And well with Egypt currently in revolt, I felt this may be the most opportune time to check out these pyramids just in case the situation spills over the border.
 |
| Pharaoh face on Jebel Barkal. |
The pyramids of Karima sit right on the outside of town, similar to how the Pyramids of Giza sit right on the edge of Cairo, yet despite this, when one visits the pyramids, there is not a person to be seen! I was the only one here, and they had to specially open the museum for me, as I lay around with the security guard waiting for the museum clerk to come and get things started so I could buy my entry ticket, lol.
 |
| Full view of the Holy Mountain of Jebel Barkal. |
I wandered about at these first set of pyramids, taking them all in, and then hiking up to the top of this ancient holy mountain, which has a cut out of the Pharaohs head on its outskirts, from here I over looked the Nile. A serious case of deja vu hit me here as I overlooked this river of life, it reminded me of the time I climbed to the top of the valley of the kings with my good friend Tyler Richardson back in 2007, to see how the Nile snakes through the Sahara.
 |
| View over Nile Valley and Karima from Jebel Barkal. |
It was surreal watching the sunset over this great valley, and I had it once again, all to myself. I stayed a pleasant homestay in Karima, owned by a man named Ahmed Mousa.
 |
| Hieroglyphics inside the tombs at El Kurru. |
His little chicken filled court yard at the foot of this mountain was a pleasant place, where even I for a brief moment relaxed.
 |
| Pyramids of Karima. |
The next day Ahmed arranged a taxi driver to take me to the pyramids across the river at Nuri. These pyramids were slightly larger, but housed an even more impressive mix of hieroglyphics in some of the tombs, as good as any I saw in the valley of the kings at Luxor. Once again, I was the only person to be found at this site, with the minor exception of a small heard of goats tended by a group of little children who were all to eager to come and make my acquaintance.
 |
| The only other folks at the pyramids. A few children and their herd of goats. |
 |
| The pyramids of Nuri, across the river from Karima. |
After this wonderful stay in Karima I made my way to the city of Atbara, a major junction point for all the roads leading to the North East of Sudan. Here I spent a night in the "lokanda", a type of transit hotel, for 15 Sudanese pounds (or just over 2 US dollars). I was invited to dine with a number of men on their way to Port Sudan, and once again in good Sudanese fashion I was the honored guest and was unable to pay for anything, including dinner, the hookah pipe and coffee that followed and our short taxi back to the hotel.
 |
| Walking through the blazing sands of the Sahara. |
Sudan is such interesting culture, a melting pot of Arab tribes, and the colors and shades of the people are so diverse. Yet despite their ethnicity or tribal affiliation, they are so kind and hospitable, and safety has never been an issue. A fine example was after dinner the small boy who had been stoking the coals of our hookah I offered a small tip, 2 Sudanese pounds. He would not accept and simply smiled at me and said "welcome". I was baffled, but here I began to understand, this is a culture of giving, not taking and it is this kindness which I hope to keep and export with me back to Canada when I return to teach middle school this fall.
 |
| The Lokanda where I stayed in Atbara. |
 |
| Grand Mosque, Atbara. |
After a some what haggered sleep at the Lokanda in Atbara I hopped a small mini bus to the town of Shendi, where the great Pyramids of Begrawiya are found, said to the the finest in Sudan. I got the driver to drop me at the side of the highway and I walked towards the pyramids, about a mile off the road.
In the blazing heat I began to walk, and seemingly out of no where came a man on camel back, shouting to me, WELCOME IN SUDAN! He then asked me if I cared for a lift to the pyramids, I declined as they were about 100 metres away, lol, but the gesture was all to kind. It felt like a moment out of "Lawrence of Arabia".
 |
| The camel man who appeared out of no where at Begrawiya. |
I reached the gate and went into the pyramid complex, expecting that this being the best site in all of Sudan there would have to be at least SOMEONE else there, but it was not to be. It was my third set of Pyramids where I was once again alone. These final pyramids were indeed the largest and most extensive I have seen in Sudan, and I took all the pictures and videos I could to soak up this amazing experience.
 |
| The Meroe pyramids at Begrawiya. |
Afterwards I sat under a tent with the gatekeeper and the camel rider and we enjoyed a coffee before I would embark on my way back to Khartoum. It was not until after the coffee and a short period of relaxation to grab my energy back from the sweltering heat that I realized, just how exactly am I going to get back to Khartoum?
The men just said, go to the highway and hitch a ride.... I thought... Hitch hiking in Sudan??? Well.... I guess it is my only option.
 |
| Hitch hiking back to Khartoum. |
I went to the highway and began to walk, I felt like the lad out of the movie "Into the Wild", just straying along the desert road hoping a vehicle would eventually pick me up. After a few failed attempts I managed to flag down a bus, and onwards we went on a 4 hour gruelling hot journey to Khartoum.
What a wild adventure it was to see all these ancient sites, and to have them all to myself. To meet such an incredible group of people, and share my experiences in Northern Sudan with such kind and helpful people all along the way.
I will rest tonight here in Khartoum, on the eve of Ramadan, before setting out tomorrow onwards to Ethiopia.
Wishing everyone well back home and abroad and a special thanks to all those that made Northern Sudan such an amazing experience.
Next up, the Eastern road of Sudan to the border with Ethiopia and the ancient Christian city of Gonder.
Cheers,
William
No comments:
Post a Comment