Egypt

 What's up guys! After a wondrous trip in the Americas, I'm heading over the Atlantic to Africa. While in Africa, I'll be visiting what are some of the most significant cultural sites in the world! First off, I'm heading to what is practically the holy land of cultural sites, Egypt. A country with so much history in it, such famous sites and a steep culture. Very few can rival Egypt on just the sheer amount of interesting and significant cultural sites and ideas. While I'm here in such a fantastical place, I'll be going to Thebes, discussing some of the mythology from Egypt, and seeing what is possible THE most well known monument in the world.

For some background on Egypt, the country is found in the northern part of Africa, the main part of which is found along the Nile River. The capital, Cairo, is one of the continents largest cities. This Arabic speaking country is home to over 105 million. The Egyptian Pound is the currency found here, and one US dollar will equal about 30 Egyptian Pound.

Once I landed down in Egypt, I got a ride straight to my first destination. Straight to the ancient city of Thebes. Thebes was the capital of Egypt during what are known as the Middle and New Kingdoms. This great city was home to major temples, palaces and two necropolises, the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens. It was also the home city of the Egyptian god Amun, the primordial god of air, who would eventually merge with Ra, the sun god.

The city of Thebes was named a UNESCO world heritage site in 1979 because it shows the beauty and amazement of the wonder that is the Egyptian civilization. This was based on it meeting three of UNESCO's criteria. This was base on the fact that it "represents a masterpiece of human creative genius; bears a unique testimony to a civilization that has long disappeared; is directly associated with living traditions of outstanding universal significance." (this is according to the UNESCO website) 

After visiting Thebes, I settled in my hotel the next day. I'm staring at the Nile Ritz-Carlton in Cairo. It is a wonderful place to stay, with all the amenities one could ask for. A pool, a lounge, fitness center, valet parking, and even its own nightclub. I couldn't have asked for a more stellar place to stay in the night! The staff is absolutely amazing, and they accommodate for 4 different languages! Along with that, it has the most amazing view of the Nile river! I couldn't ask for better lodgings here in Egypt!

The next day I decided to make my way to something would be on many bucket lists. I made my way straight to the pyramids of Egypt. The only remaining of the original world wonders, the Giza Necropolis was built somewhere between 2600 and 2500 BC. The three main pyramids that you would think of when thinking of the pyramids are the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the Pyramid of Khafre and the Pyramid of Menkaure. They are surrounded by smaller, additional monuments known as "Queen" pyramids. 

The pyramids were constructed to be used as a tomb for dead pharaohs. In Ancient Egypt, it was believed that a part of the spirit of the dead pharaoh known as his Ka remains within his body. It was absolutely vital that the proper processes were done and that care for the remains were done so that the deceased ruler could continue his duties into the afterlife, as it was thought that the Ka would go on to become King of the Dead. The King was put into or underneath the pyramid with a multitude of goods and items that he would need to help him transition to the afterlife properly.

It's my last night here in Egypt, so I'm heading down to a restaurant in Cairo that I've heard plenty about. I wanted to speak with an expert that I arranged a meeting with to speak about the mythos of Ancient Egypt. I went down to the Fayruz Lebanese Restaurant in Cairo, a fantastic place to dine. The most divine food, wonderful atmosphere and the kindest staff I have met.

I spoke with an expert on Egyptian mythology for a bit while eating. I had asked for a sort of run down on the basics of Ancient Egypt mythos. The important gods or practices, that sort of thing! 

"The myths of Ancient Egypt were a belief system of the Egyptian people. They believed the power of the gods were everywhere. They used it as a way to explain the natural phenomena of the world. They used it to describe physical things, like the Earth, the Sky, the Sun or the Wind. They also used them to describe ideas and beliefs. They found the gods to exist in things such as death, the afterlife, time even. Just like how in the modern day science is used to explain what happens around us, they used the beliefs of their gods."

This was something done by people countless times throughout history. When faced with something unexplainable by what they could discern, they turned to the supernatural or the divine to explain why things happen. Greeks, Pagans, Christianity, Islam. So many different forms of this exist throughout history, it is the basis of all religion. What can't be explained logically, can easily be explained through an extraordinary force.

"Unlike many other religions and belief systems, the myths and stories told of the time rarely included most gods. Oftentimes the gods were written and thought of into narratives, into myths. Look at the Greeks, Romans or Norse. However with Egypt it was different. Most of the gods, even the ones considered to be especially important ones, were very rarely if ever featured into a narrative."

So although Egypt had this pantheon of gods that explained the forces of the world, they were less used in storytelling practices and more so involved in the explanation of the world around them. They were less personified and more seen as the forces themselves, unlike other mythologies. Interesting indeed!

"Some of the important gods were the ones associated with powerful forces. Osiris was the god of the Underworld, death and resurrection. He was represented as a partially mummified king. Then there was Isis, his wife who slowly became an extremely revered goddess across Egypt, seen as the sort of motherly force of the world. Along with them was Horus, the son of the previous two. He was a sky god of war, depicted using the imagery of a falcon. He was seen as a divine symbol of kingship, and his eyes are an important symbol, representing the sun and moon.

There was also Seth, the god of chaos, violence, deserts and storms. Known for killing his brother Osiris, Seth was represented by an ambiguous animal that experts aren't able to recognize specifically. Additionally there was Re (also known as Ra) who is one of the many sun gods. Represented by a man with a hawk's head. One last important one was Anubis. Represented with the head of a jackal, this god was associated with funeral practices and judgement, deciding where the dead would go once they passed away."

Just some of the wonderful examples of the gods of Egypt, but it is fascinating how they used these figured to explain the natural world and the unexplainable.

Well, my time here in Egypt is up. It's sad to say, but I've got to move on to my next destination. Up next I'll be exploring the wonders found in South Africa. See you then!

Argentina

 Hey there guys! After a stunning trip around Venezuela, I'm here in beautiful Argentina! While I'm here, I'm going to be visiting a spectacular valley, hearing the story of a werewolf called Luison, and a cave with a rich history! Sit back and enjoy as I take you on a culture tour around Argentina!

Argentina is a large South American country, the 8th largest in the world, that spans the majority of the southern part of the continent. With a population of over 46.5 million, this country is known for its landmarks, food & wine, tango and, especially as of late, soccer (or as they refer to it, football). It's capital is Buenos Aires, with large cities including Mendoza and the region of Patagonia.

With that starter information out the way, here's what I encountered in Argentina!

So first I went down part of what is known as Quebrada de Humahuaca. This path is the line of a major cultural route, known as the Camino Inca, along the valley of the Rio Grande. This beautiful trail is believed to have been a major trade route for the Inca Empire, seeming to have been in use for thousands of years.

 

This trail through the mountains and plains wasn't just used by the Inca, but used by many different groups living in the region. The area is a UNESCO site because of it's deep cultural impact to the people around it. Beyond that however, it is a truly breathtaking sight to behold.

Natural landscape at its finest! To think that thousands of years ago traders and suppliers had to make the journey across the region hundreds of times! Well, at least the view is fantastic.

After my trek across the trail (my feet are killing me, may I add! It's a real long one, and I only did a portion of it!), I headed to the most interesting site I've visited thus far. In the southern portion of Argentina, sitting in the Patagonia region, flows the Painted River, also known as the Rio Pinturas. Here in this region is what I'm most excited to see on my trip. Here near the Painted River is a cave with paintings that are thousands of years old

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Nearby here is the Cueva de las Manos. This means "Cave of the Hands" in English. It gets its name from the mysterious paintings of the outline of many human hands that can be found on its walls. There are also examples of animal and hunting scenes found on the walls. Thought to be created sometime between 13,000 years and 9,500 years ago, these paintings are important in showcasing the culture and history of prehistoric Latin American people. They help give us insight into where people were living, how long ago they lived there, and many of the images help us realize what kind of lives these people lead. They were hunter-gatherers, surviving in caves. 

If I'm being honest as well, there is something almost unsettling about the cave paintings. They have a quality that feels frightening in nature. What do they mean? What were they made for? Of course it's impossible to truly know the meaning behind them, however that can't stop us from making speculations. Maybe it is a way of keeping track of all those who lived there. Maybe those who accomplished something put their outline on the wall. Maybe it was used as a monument to the dead. The mystery behind them is part of the intrigue surrounding them. It is what fascinates me most about them.

After the mysterious Cueva de las Manos, I headed back to my hotel to unwind for the night. I was staying at the Hilton Buenos Aires. It is a beautiful hotel with a spa, restaurant, outdoor pool, and pet friendly rooms (for if you want to bring ol' Fido with you). I was chatting to some of the workers there, mostly local people. I talked to the concierge for a few when he wasn't busy about what it was like growing up here. I had asked him to tell me some stories he learned from growing up around here, and he told me the tale of Luison, the werewolf.

"I was told this story by my grandmother some time ago. The Guarani people believe that the seventh son of any couple was cursed to become a werewolf. This was the same thing for Luison. Everything was completely fine until the Friday after the boy's thirteenth birthday. That was the night the werewolf began taking control, turning the boy into a beast at midnight on a night with a full moon. Until the dawn when the Luison became a boy again, he would hunt and prey on whatever came into his path. My grandmother always told me that he prayed on unbaptized babies and the flesh of people! She even said that he was able to infect others with his bite! Of course I think that last past may've been to scare me. 

Anyway, according to the legends, Luison was the son of an evil spirit and Kerana, a human woman. It was widely believed here too. It got to the point where the idea of this curse spread to even the seventh daughter of families. Parents would begin abandoning their seventh child, or worse. It got so bad that the Argentinian President in the early 1900's offered to adopt all seventh children so that people would believe the curse was over."

Well, that's truly a scary tale. It truly shows the power leaders have over people to get them to believe the curse was over. But it is interesting to know that many different places have similar myths to one another, but in a different way. Many cultures have the idea of a man turning into a beast, even multiple have a wolf specifically! However each culture still have their own belief centered around it, and that contrast and difference is just spectacular to hear about.

Well that's it for my time in Argentina! I had a blast here, and I recommend you come here too! On my next travels I'll be showing you some of the wonders of Africa, so stayed tuned for that!

Venezuela

 Hey there guys! After a wonderful time in Mexico, I'm writing to you from Venezuela! Venezuela is a absolutely beautiful country in South America. In this blog, I'm going to take you on the premium culture tour around Venezuela! We're going to see one of the best sites I've ever been to, so stay tuned for that. On top of it, we're going to hear the fascinating stories of El Silbon and La Sayona. So enjoy the wonders that can be found within Venezuela, and it's deep culture!

Venezuela is a country in the northern part of South America with a population of 33.7 million. The capital, Caracas, is the country's primary source of tourism, commerce and education. Here, an American dollar is going to be equal to about 24 Venezuelan Bolivar. Venezuela features beautiful landmarks such as the world's tallest waterfall, Angel Falls, and the largest lake in South America, Lake Maracaibo.

I first began my trip through Venezuela by searching for some stories to listen to. I sat down at a wonderful restaurant in Caracas known as La Casa Bistro. It was a restaurant with some of the nicest staff I have met and some of the best food I've had. My favorite was this absolutely breathtaking carrot cake, seen being held by the waitstaff in the picture below.

After my meal, I had a conversation with a young mother who was there with her children. I asked her about what kinds of stories they had here in Venezuela. She told me about one she had a fascination in since she was a young child, one known as El Silbon, the whistler. 

"I was told all about El Silbon by my grandmother. El Silbon was a spoiled young man who didn't quite know the meaning of no. One day he was quite hungry for venison, his favorite meat. His father went out to hunt for the deer, but did not return for some time. The boy started complaining, and the mother sent him to go and look for his father. The boy went out carrying a sack, whistling as he went to find his father. When he found his father, his dad admitted he didn't get any deer. Seeing his father coming to him empty handed enraged the boy, causing him to murder his father. He took his father's bones and but them in the sack, and took his organs. When he returned home, he had his mother cook the father's organs.

The boy's mother sensed something was off and began questioning her son on it. Her son admitted to her what happened, and she cursed him for eternity. The young man's grandfather took him out to a post and tied him to it. Whipping his grandson for what he did, the grandfather didn't stop until the young man's back was destroyed. The grandfather then let him go, releasing two dogs on him, cursing him to carry his father's bones for eternity."

The story of this figure is downright bone chilling. That's not where it ends however. 

"El Silbon now wanders the land for eternity. He's said to be a 6 meter tall figure that walks across the treetops. On rainy days, he comes down hungry for murder. He's said to prey on bad men. Drunks, sinners and womanizers to be specific. They say he cuts open their stomachs and drinks the alcohol from them. He then puts their bones into his sack, and continues on. They say that if you hear his whistling nearby, it means that he is actually far away. But if you hear his whistling from far away.... Then it means it is too late for you! Lastly, it is said that he'll sometimes show up outside a house. He'll sit down and begin counting the bones in his sack, one by one, out loud. If multiple people hear his counting, than everything is fine, but if only one person hears it; they end up dying. The only way to keep safe from him is to have dogs with you, as they're the only thing he fears."

Terrifying. Absolutely terrifying. Folk legends like this are absolutely fascinating because you can really tell the lesson at hand and why it is shared from generation to generation. 

Well, that's enough scares for now. We're going to take a break from creepy stories for a moment to appreciate culture in another form.

We're headed to look at the Ciudad Universitaria de Caracas. This UNESCO world heritage site was made a cultural heritage site in 2000. This university was built from 1940 to 1960 by architect Carlos Raul Villanueva. If features murals, statues and architectural marvels such as the Olympic Stadium, seen below.

It was made a world heritage site because it is considered a masterpiece in modern city planning, architecture and art. Which, as of now looking at it, is absolutely true. The complex is absolutely breathtaking, and the design of everything is truly a work of true art. The reason this place is so important to the culture of Venezuela is because it is considered one of the greatest feats of architecture in the 20th century. The land the university was built upon was a donation made by Simon Bolivar. Over a dozen artists helped bring this modern marvel to life. Some of the most notable examples of the work done can be seen in pictures below.

Absolutely wonderful. Just takes your breath away.

After looking at the wonderful site of the University, I decided to resign myself to the hotel for the evening. I spent my last moments in Venezuela speaking to some more of the locals. I had been staying in the Melia Caracas. A phenomenal hotel in the capital city. 5 stars, a pool and spa, comfortable rooms and all you need to make your stay the best possible. 

 

Anyway, I was in the lobby speaking to a nice young man who had lots to share. After some time of conversation, I asked him what some of the stories he remembered from his childhood were, and one immediately came to mind. The story of La Sayona. 

"Ah yes, I do know of one story. This one always made me remember to be faithful because if not, I was scared of La Sayona coming after me. This is how my mother told it to me. La Sayona was a beautiful young woman named Casilda. She was an elegant woman who got married to a loving and loyal man who she had a son with. She attracted the attention of a man who couldn't quite take no for an answer. One day while bathing in the river she caught the man spying on her. In a desperate attempt to seem innocent, the man said that he wasn't spying on her, but that he was there to warn her about how her husband was cheating on her with her own mother.

Casilda, put into a blind fit of rage, ran into town. She went to her home, where she found her husband and son there asleep. To get revenge on her husband, she lit the house ablaze with her husband and son inside. She then went to her mother's home where she stabbed her mother with a machete. Her mother, even while being attacked, claimed innocence. As her mother was lying there, she cursed Casilda to become Sayona and that she must avenge all women by killing unfaithful husbands! She roams the land, attracting unfaithful husbands with her beauty and charm. Luring them in with her good looks, and then killing them for being unfaithful to their wives."

Disturbing. It is interesting to find how parents will tell their children stories like this. It makes you wonder if they truly believe the tales themselves or if they just want to make sure their children lead good lives by scaring them out of wrongdoing. 

And with that, ends my trip to Venezuela. A beautiful country indeed, I loved the rich culture and the fascinating tales to be told here. With my next trip, and my final one for now in the Americas, I'm visiting Argentina. Have a great trip friends!