CNN Photographer Visits Egyptian Spice Market in Istanbul, Turkey
CNN Photographer Joe Duran provides this tour of the Egyptian Spice Market (also known as the Spice Bazaar) in Istanbul, Turkey. There are bins of spices everywhere you look. Most of the stores in the market sell spices but there are also some shops grinding coffee. There are some some jewelry shops as well. Take a look:
Belly dancing has been performed in Egypt since the time of the pharaohs. But the country is much more conservative and religious now and dancers are worried that the ancient art will soon be banned. Already dancing in public is not allowed. Women come from all over the world to learn how to dance and to buy the beautiful costumes. Take a look:
President Obama was in Egypt today to give a major speech aimed at the world's 1.5 billion Muslims. He gave his speech at the University of Cairo, then took in the sights. In this clip, the President gets a personal tour of the Pyramids and the Sphinx from Zahi Hawass, head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities. Zahi is familiar to viewers of National Geographic and the Discovery Channel. Accompanying the president were David Axelrod, Rahm Emanuel and lots of Secret Service, who all wore full coat and tie in the hot, Egyptian sun. Take a look:
VOA News reports that archaeologists found ancient golden jewelry in the tomb of Gahouti, who was believed to be a state treasurer serving under Queen Hatshepsut. The 3,500-year-old jewelry includes five golden earrings and two gold rings. The walls of the ancient Egyptian treasurer's burial chamber were said to be decorated with texts forom the Egyptian Book of the Dead. Archaeologists made the discovery in Luxor, along the banks of the Nile River. See also: Bloomberg, Fox News, James Allen
Crystal Lagoons announced that it is constructing the world's largest pool, in the middle of the Egyptian desert. The company is working with its local partners, Pyramids Plaza and Citystar Holding, on a
project named City of Stars. The press release says the project will cost US$ 5,500 million - which would be
$5.5 billion if accurate.
Crystal Lagoons announced the construction of twelve giant crystal clear lagoons at the Sharm El Sheik beach, the biggest of them measuring 8.8 hectares in size. The world's largest pool is currently in San Alfonso del Mar, Chile (see here),
and has an area of 8 hectares. This massive pool -- also built by Crystal Lagoons -- will soon be surpassed by its Egyptian relative, which is expected to be finished around July 2009. The project, located at 3 kms from the Red Sea, will include 30,000 home units, hotels, a museum and a shopping center. This will be the first of four tourist projects that Crystal Lagoons has formally agreed with its Egyptian partner and that will be emplaced in Sharm El Sheikh, Hurghada and Alexandria.
Legoland Windsor is adding this huge statue of an Egyptian pharaoh as part of its new Kingdom of the Pharaohs exhibit. The 16-foot pharaoh statue is the biggest Lego structure ever built. Over 200,000 individual Lego pieces were used to build the Lego pharaoh which weighs more than one ton. Technically, this tower has more Lego pieces. The giant statue took a boat ride along the Thams river on its way to Legoland Windsor. Take a look:
