Ancient art stolen from Egyptian Museum recovered by police

by Sean McLachlan on

Egyptian police have recovered four stolen statues, two of which were taken from Cairo’s Egyptian Museum, Ahram Online reported.

Two of the statues were among several items that went missing when rioters broke into the Egyptian Museum. The other two were apparently looted from somewhere else, perhaps an archaeological site. There were scattered incidents of looting from several museums and archaeological sites across the country during the January Revolution, and the extent of the thefts remains unclear.

The statues are all of bronze and depict important gods such as Osiris, god of the afterlife, pictured here in an image courtesy of user Rama via Wikimedia Commons. This is not one of the recovered statues.

The statues date to the Late Period, a period dating from 664 BC to the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC. This era saw a final flowering of Egyptian art and religion before it went through a long period of domination and decline under Greeks and Roman rule. When the Roman Empire converted to Christianity, poor old gods like Osiris were slowly forgotten.

The thieves possessing the ancient art were arrested. Of the 54 objects missing from the museum, 23 have been recovered.

Oxford’s Ashmolean museum improving its world-class Egyptian galleries

by Sean McLachlan on


The famous Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology in Oxford, England, reopened in 2009 after a £61 million ($101 million) makeover. The redesigned space is more open and airy, with more natural light and windows between exhibitions. Floorspace was doubled in size and the exhibits were made more informative and user firendly. A museum worker explained to me that part of the plan was to make it so you can always see your way out. This is to combat museum fatique. Personally I’m a museum junkie and I don’t get museum fatigue, but it sounds like a good idea.

Despite three years of work and the high price tag, the Ashmolean’s famous Egyptian galleries got left behind. There was no money to redo them at the time but after collecting another £5 million ($8.3), the galleries are now shut and going through a major overhaul. The four old Egyptian galleries were crowded and poorly lit, and will now be redesigned along the lines of the rest of the musuem. They’ll also expand into a fifth gallery to give the collection more room.

The Ashmolean Museum has been collecting Egyptian artifacts since 1683, when it was founded as the oldest public museum in the world. Its displays tell the story of one of the world’s greatest civilizations from its prehistoric beginnings until it became part of the Greek and Roman empires. Its collection of predynatic artifacts is the best outside of Egypt and show how Egypt developed into a superpower.

The Egyptian galleries will reopen in November 2011 and Gadling plans to be there to cover it.

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Travel caution urged but experiences await, what to do?

by Chris Owen on
Troubling events around the world can often bring official alerts and warnings against travel to protect us from harm. Savvy travelers know to pay attention to those words of caution, but not let them define their adventures. Connecting with experienced travelers can bring a fuzzy picture of what is actually happening on the ground into focus. A clear picture of the real situation from a trusted source can give the green light to plans that might otherwise have been put on hold.

Egypt has been in the news a lot lately with graphic images of demonstrators clashing with the Egyptian military in Cairo’s Tahrir Square. This week the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office issued a travel warning to avoid public places in Egypt.

Abercrombie and Kent (A&K) is an experienced travel company that has visited the world’s greatest destinations since 1962. They are well-known in the Middle East, including Egypt. When Egypt’s revolution caused travelers already there to scramble for a way out, A&K was prepared.

“A&K has six offices in Egypt so the company’s on-ground presence and expert destination knowledge really sets them apart from other operators” a spokesperson told Gadling, adding “When the crisis broke out, A&K was able to safely get all clients out of Egypt via charter planes. Other companies had to go through the Embassy’s so A&K was better able to do this task.”

That is just what we would want to have happen and surely a point in favor of aligning travel plans with an experienced source. Better yet, hearing details from sources that make a living on the ground in trouble-prone places can give more detailed, accurate information to fuel our travel decisions.

We asked a number of sources the big question: “Is it safe to travel in Egypt now?” Abercrombie and Kent think it is and provide us with reasons for their qualified opinion.

“The situation has improved dramatically in recent weeks. The U.S. State Department has softened its Travel Warning and both the French and the British have updated their cautions. Airports and financial institutions are functioning normally and popular tourist sites are open – and remarkably free of visitors. Beyond that, Egyptians are relishing their new-found freedom and a sense of optimism is palpable wherever you go; there is a sense of promise and exhilaration in the air that may never come again. Egyptians are finally exercising their right to political organization, demonstrations, and free speech just as people do all over the world. The vast majority of this has been very positive and has not disrupted daily life in any way. Throughout, neither tourists nor tourist facilities have ever been targeted in any way. With a stable political situation, crowd-free sites and a newly energized people, this is the moment to experience Egypt.”


Right about here I should probably admit that Egypt is my “…and then I can die” place to visit some day. I have been studying Egypt since an 8th grade Social Studies teacher required the class to copy intricate diagrams of Egyptian structures as a learning tool. Fascinated with the culture and architecture, it would be really easy for me to throw all caution to the wind and go there regardless of the situation on the ground. Luckily, sources like A&K are not blinded by life-long dreams and have a clear view of what is being done to protect visitors.

“Comprehensive security measures are in place at hotels and tourist sites, including bag screenings, metal detectors, and the visible presence of Tourist Police. Vehicles are not permitted to enter any hotel or tourist site without being thoroughly checked at the gate by security personnel and dogs trained to detect explosives. Each key tourist zone has its own security team comprised of tourist, district and state police. Regular patrols take place in the immediate vicinity of the sites and deep into the desert in the open places. We work with local authorities, tourist police, security officials, and our own team on the ground who are well aware of security and take the utmost precaution in all cases to protect our guests and to ensure that they have a flawless experience here. All these factors that play into our operations decisions-decisions that we take keeping in mind that guest comfort and safety is our top priority.”


In a world where political unrest, rising crime and natural disasters seem almost commonplace, waiting for everything to be happy, safe and secure might take a long time. Aligning ourselves with trusted sources like Abercrombie and Kent can make a huge difference.

Take Gadling TV’s TravelTalk for example. After the recently-posted final episode of the Webby-nominated 12-part series on Thailand, I’m pretty sure our Stephen Greenwood would make a fabulous tour guide. Following his adventures in Thailand, I have him as a trusted source for Thailand information. He may not know the gross national product of Thailand (or maybe he does, I have no clue) but it is apparent that he knows the lay of the land and how to make some truly amazing travel experiences.

There is a lot to be said about experience when it comes to traveling, whether that of an individual or a travel company. If we have been some place a number of times, that previous experience can add a valuable filter to what we see in video and in print when events occur around the globe.

Safety in travel is important.

Caution in troubled places is too.
Equally important is for us to attain our travel goals.

Aligning ourselves with trusted sources can make that happen.

Find out how other travel sources responded to “Is it safe to travel?” as we continue to explore what to do when travel caution is urged but experiences await.

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Reflections on Revolution – A photographer’s travels through the Arab tumult

by Justin Delaney on

“May you live in interesting times” is a proverb with an unattributed origin. Most speculate the phrase came from China, some assume its origins to be of 20th century English design, but all agree that the phrase is a curse. We no doubt live in “interesting” times. 2011 has already brought revolution, quakes, tsunamis, government shutdowns, and an escaped cobra. Interesting is not always a good thing, but it can be.

With this video, photographer John Moore provides a glimpse into the hectic travel schedule of a front-line photojournalist during the Arab revolution of 2011. His photographs and stories from the Middle-east will leave an impression on you, and this video is interesting in a good way. From Egypt to Bahrain to Libya, the video showcases the revolution from one photographer’s view behind the lens.

Photographer John Moore on ‘Epic’ Libya Battles, Arab World Revolutions from Mike Fritz on Vimeo.

Knocked up abroad: pregnant travel in the first trimester

by Meg Nesterov on

For more on pregnant travel, see parts 1 and 2 of Knocked up abroad: pregnancy in a foreign country here and here.

There’s no question that having a baby changes you: your body, your lifestyle, even your shoe size. One thing I hoped not to change altogether was traveling, as long as it was reasonably safe and comfortable for me and the baby. From the beginning of my pregnancy in Istanbul, my doctor has okayed travel, as long as I get up to stretch frequently on flights and try not to overdo it. Most doctors (and mothers) agree that the second trimester is the most comfortable time for pregnant travel but the first trimester can be a good time as well (while you can still squeeze into pre-maternity clothes and walk without waddling) with a little extra precaution and a little more babying (of the mother, of course).


The first trimester of pregnancy is a tricky time for many women: the risk of miscarriage is highest up to 10 weeks, morning sickness is common, and hormones are running wild. It’s too early to tell anyone outside family or close friends and without a visible belly, it’s impossible for strangers to tell as well. At later points in your pregnancy, a baby bump acts as the international symbol for pregnancy and can make it much easier to express your condition when traveling abroad. If you travel in the early months before showing, you may want to learn the local language words for “I’m pregnant” to avoid a Bridget Jones-esque “mit kinder” scene if you need extra help while traveling.


Over this past December, my husband and I were looking for a good trip to take over the holidays, when I was around 10 weeks pregnant. Our location in Istanbul changes the list of short-haul destinations considerably from what we would have considered from New York, and we debated between a warm-weather beach destination (husband) or a snowy and “Christmassy” European city (me). We ruled out Egypt (not warm enough and not Christmassy), New Zealand (even less convenient to get to than from New York), and Sri Lanka (not enough time to plan properly and some risks of disease I couldn’t be vaccinated against). In the end, we chose…Russia.
Going to Russia in winter while pregnant may seem crazy to some, but for me it made sense: Moscow and St. Petersburg are a few hours from Istanbul by direct flight, my husband speaks fluent Russian in case of any problems, and there was no risk of malaria or eating any food that had spoiled in the sun. While it was cold and snowing during our trip and I couldn’t take advantage of some of Russia’s cold-weather remedies like vodka and saunas, a week in Moscow and St. Petersburg was a perfect mix of exotic and comfortable.

Nearly every cafe had a variety of non-alcoholic and caffeine-free beverages for me to choose from, I even had non-alcoholic sangria, mojitos, and mulled wine in addition to fresh juices and herbal teas. Both cities are beautiful to explore in the snow, with plenty of museums and cafes to warm up in, and the New Year holiday displays made it festive.

If you are planning a trip to a foreign country while pregnant, it makes sense to keep in mind the following guidelines. Always discuss plans with your doctor before booking and err on the side of caution when choosing a destination.

Check airline restrictions – Most airlines allow pregnant women to fly internationally up to 28 weeks, after which you must provide a doctor’s note issued within a week or so of departure. 35 weeks (earlier for women carrying multiples) is the cutoff for nearly all airlines to prevent women from giving birth on board. Most US domestic carriers will allow pregnant women to fly up to the final month; hilariously, Continental will not let women board if “physical signs of labor are present” though they don’t specify what.

Consider travel insurance – If your medical insurance doesn’t cover you overseas, you may want to look into supplementary medical travel insurance, but be sure it covers pregnancy as many policies do not. Additionally, if you are traveling to a country where English is not spoken, you may want to research the name of a clinic or doctor in case of emergency as well.

Be prepared for jet lag – Before pregnancy, I had little issues with jet lag, trying to get on local time as soon as possible. I discovered when flying back from the US to Turkey that it hits you much harder as a pregnant traveler, especially as you can’t use sleeping pills or alcohol to help you sleep. Factor this into your schedule and give yourself plenty of time to acclimate and adjust to time changes.

Realize your limits have changed – On a usual trip, I’d be up early to walk around a city all day, have a late lunch (or maybe just a big afternoon beer) followed by more museums and exploration, and still be up for checking out the local nightlife. Once pregnant, I required more sleep and three solid meals a day (plus maybe some snacks, I am eating for two!), tired after walking short distances, and was ready to call it a night long before last call. If you have an itinerary, pare it down to the must-sees and double the time to see everything; better to take it easy and enjoy your trip than feel exhausted and sick.

Look for destinations that don’t require vaccinations – One of the first tests your doctor will give you after confirming pregnancy will be for immunizations to hepatitis and rubella. If you haven’t had the vaccines, they will have to wait until after the baby is born as they are not safe for pregnant women. I have not had the hepatitis vaccine yet, and thus have a greater risk of contracting it, which rules out much of Africa and southeast Asia for travel, but also means I must avoid raw vegetables including salad in Istanbul. Most other medications and vaccines commonly given to travelers before going to an area prone to Malaria, Typhoid or Yellow Fever are not advised for pregnant women. But there’s still a big world out there, check the CDC for destination-specific information.

Be extra aware of food and water safety – Pregnant women are more susceptible to food poisoning the average person, as the immune system is suppressed so it doesn’t reject the fetus. This is the reason most pregnant women are told to avoid sushi and food that is not prepared in sanitized conditions. Even adventurous eaters should play it safe while pregnant and drink bottled water when in doubt. I recently had an opportunity to visit Mumbai, India but after consulting with a few friends who had lived there, I worried I’d spend the trip inside my hotel room eating pre-packaged food. Again,

check the CDC and use the same common sense you’d use anytime while traveling: stick with food that is freshly prepared in restaurants full of people.


Stay tuned for more on pregnancy travel, including Turkish superstitions and customs, travelling in the second trimester, where to do pre-baby shopping, and more on having a baby in a foreign country. Check here for further updates.

[Photo courtesy Mike Barish from the Istanbul tram]