This is Egypt [antikvár]

Profile of Egypt Where Africa rubs shoulders with Asia lies the country where modern civilization began. It cradled the first Imperial society, and the monumental achievements of its first rulers are familiar to modern man thousands of years after their lives. Their legacy Is in architectural masterpieces such as the great pyramids, and in magnificent monolithic carvings, obelisks and colossal statues. Buildings from every age carry Inscriptions in hieroglyphs, pictures and written texts, chronicling this long history. From the earliest times, the comings and goings of great foreign powers have left their marl< and enriched the heritage of the country's indigenous people. Most of the land is made up of vast deserts, scorched by intense sun and hostile to human habitation, where nomads roam and trains of camels are used as reluctant beasts of burden. Through these parched wastelands runs the world's longest river, bringing life and expanding into a fertile delta. To the north, the country's shores are bathed by Mediterranean waters. To the east, it is hemmed by the coral reefs of the Red Sea, where a kaleidoscope of marine life thrives beneath shimmering waters. Beyond the Gulf of Suez, the Sinai Peninsula is the setting for historical Biblical events. In towns and villages, the smoke of honey-scented tobacco and hot charcoals rises from the snaking tubes of bubbling water-pipes in street-side cafés, and wood clicks on wood In a seemingly never-ending game of backgammon as men In flowing galabiyyas sip coffee and watch the world go by. Children play in the streets and a cat darts across the alley, narrowly avoiding the wheels of a donkey-cart; the atmosphere thickens as the smell of incense mixes with the heady aroma of exotic spices. A vendor hails the traveller: 'Come to my cousin's shop. What are you looking for? I give you very good price because you are my friend.' The game of trade begins, an agile, cerebral dance of bargaining prowess. This is Egypt.