Grand Teton National Park

The beautiful Chapel of the Transfiguration, an Episcopal Church built in 1925 and still in use today. The church was prominent in the movie Spencer's Mountain, filmed in 1963 and starring Henry Fonda and Maureen O'Hara.

An old river boat, used by an early settler/entrepreneur. Together with his brother, they operated a ferry across the Snake River.

The beautiful Jenny Lake, named for a Shoshone woman who married an early, prominent English trapper.

View from the Jackson Lake Lodge, with the famed Mural Room. The two huge Rendezvous Murals, painted by American artist Carl Roters, depict an annual gathering of fur traders and trappers that occurred during the days of the early west. 

                              The bear population is on the upswing, and these signs are not to be ignored!

Jackson Hole

The iconic elk horn arch at the town square in Jackson Hole. The town itself is nestled in a valley between the Teton and Gros Ventre mountain ranges. "Hole" was a term used by early settlers and trappers to describe a mountain valley.

                     The Silver Dollar Bar, with a bar top chock full of uncirculated silver dollar coins.

                                                      Very fun raft trip down the Snake River

                                     A scene made famous by Ansel Adams--no comparisons, please!

                                                             Many an eagle along the way.

My brothers and I at the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar. Note the bar stools crafted with saddles for seats!
 

Train from Chicago to Provo: The Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, and Yellowstone

My brothers and I embarked on a two-week trip to visit a variety of natural wonders and monuments throughout Utah, Wyoming, Montana, and South Dakota. While I was not a fan of the train, the sights were fantastic.

 

                                                     

                                                                  Chicago Union Station

                    Beautiful scenery all along the route, particularly from Denver north to Provo, Utah

                                                        Ephraim's restaurant for a great shake!
 

Egypt Day 9, Part Two, Nubian Village

 

Our felucca ride to the Nubian Village. The Nubians are an ethnic group which originated in southern Egypt and northern Sudan. The Nubian language is distinct from Arabic.

                                            Approaching the colorful waterfront of the Village.

Sadly, the flooding occasioned by the construction of the Aswan Dam buried underwater most history of the region.

                                                        Spice market in the Nubian Village.

Egypt Day 9, Part One--Abu-Simbel and Aswan

 

               The drive to Abu Simbel and Aswan would through absolutely desolate country. What shimmers in the distance, in the photo below, is a mirage.

                                       Lake Nassar, the largest man-made lake in the world

Abu Simbel, carved for Ramses II and his wife, Nefertari, in the 13th Century BC. When the Aswan dam was planned, the site of this complex would have been flooded and lost forever. In one of the most incredible engineering projects ever, Abu Simbel was disassembled into 1,700 pieces, most weighing tons, and moved to its current site. The mountain towering over the statues is entirely man-made.

                                                                          Ramses II

                                  There are many beautiful chambers throughout the complex.

                                                              Detailed artwork abounds.

 

 

 

                                                       The entrance to Nefertari's temple

                                      It is said that Egyptians invented the Doris Day hairstyle.

                                                                                 Below, a photo of the Aswan Dam

                                                                               

Egypt Day 8--Unfinished Obelisk

                          The unfinished obelisk was the tallest and heaviest ever attempted.
 

This body of water is known as "The Lake Between the Two Damns", as it is situated between the old damn on the Nile and the newer Aswan Dam. 

                                         The Temple of Philae, dedicated to the Goddess Isis

Persistent flooding was slowly destroying the temple. Accordingly, and remarkably, the entire complex was moved in the 1970's to its current location on an entirely different island.

The best example in Egypt of a structure incorporating Egyptian, Grecian, and Roman styles of columns.

Witnessing the ancient art of papyrus making

                      A young man who pulled alongside our boat and, in exchange for tips, sang.

                    Don't believe the smile. I was lousy at riding a camel and hated every minute of it.