The one we've been waiting for!

At last... our day to visit the Egyptian Museum had arrived. Mostafa (our guide) collected us from the hotel and took us past the protestors and their tent city in Tahrir Square before stopping at the entrance to the Museum. Our camera was forbidden today. So we were left with our eyes and J2's pencil to try and record/remember the sights we would encounter. There was a feast of visual splendor behind the pink facade of 19th Century building. Where to begin? Perhaps by saying that we soon realized this Museum required a guide, at least initially. For us it was the first four hours. Then we were able to fly solo. It wasn't as disorganized as we had been warned but it is a Museum waiting to be translocated to a new site in Giza currently under preparation. There are only over 150000 items to look at. The remaining 300000 items are in storage in the basement. The treasures of Tutankaten (as he was originally called before the high priests got to him and renamed him Tutankamun) were there in all their splendor. To see them was a privilege and overwhelming. A 13 kg gold mask is not something one encounters every day. There were many unusual items like his preserved raisins, beaded sandals, a camp bed, a folding umbrella but the highlight was the tomb jewelry. We met many old friends and finally got to see some of them in person mummified. For example Ramses II, Hatshepsut, Tuthmosis II and III, all believed to be Gods in life but the bodies left were very human. J1 had never seen coffins for Scarab beatles before. J2 had never seen wigs for the high priests in most bizarre hair styles. (Do not expect her to try these styles at home). After 6 hours, aching feet ruled that we had reached the time to depart. This had been a museum that we had heard so much about for so long and it was great to leave with a sense it was as good as we had hoped!