Cairo to Zoan (Tannis)

 Left Cairo early. The drive through the city on the “freeway” was quite an experience! There were lines on the road, but most cars straddled them and squeezed in wherever there was room! There were even jaywalkers! instead of using orange cones to indicate a closed lane there were cement blocks.

 Even so, the block were strewn about and cars were driving near or around them. Your car horn is very important when driving here! The guide told us that there are no stop lights or stop signs because if there were the traffic would not move! 

We finally got out of the city and we weren’t sure where we were headed. After riding a few hours we finally reached our destination which looked like nothing at first sight. However, after several people used a “squaty potty” we walked behind the buildings and the area opened up to the ancient capital of Ramsses 11. The former capital was at Avaris/Pi-Ramses which had silted over. Ramses used some of the stone work from the former capital to build the new one. Shoshank’s tomb is located here which the guides opened for us so we crawled in and saw the interior and his sarcophagus. We saw our first statues and the area where there had been a temple. 

We saw a nilometer that was used to measure the height of the Nile River.  Evidently, this was used somehow to determine the amount of tax that could be charged for what was produced.

This was really the only sight we saw today. We ride the bus back to Ismalia and reached out hotel. This hotel has a beautiful setting along the Lake Timsa which was used as part of the Suez Canal. 

Unfortunately, we arrived after dark and are going to leave early tomorrow for our chance to climb Mt. Sinai.