|
Visit the Tour Egypt Book
and Video
Shops
Book Review by
Egyptian Arabic: A Rough
Guide Phrasebook
Lexus Ltd. 1998
by Mary Kay
Betikkallim arabee? Do you speak Arabic?
 For
me, one of the most pleasurable aspects of travel abroad is
that of learning the language of the resident people.
Whether one uses the vestiges of that high school French or
German, or learns something new such as Arabic or Swahili,
it is, nevertheless, fun to speak the vernacular.
When I was preparing for my trip to Egypt in ’99, one
of the things I looked for was a good phrasebook. Visiting
the local bookseller, I realized that the selection of
Arabic phrasebooks was slim to none. I then traveled to the
one of the big book retailers, where I found a small but
adequate selection of Arabic phrasebooks, tapes, etc.
Wanting something compact yet thorough, I discovered Egyptian
Arabic: A Rough Guide Phrasebook
Small and compact, truly pocket sized, this phrasebook
contains not only the standard English/Arabic &
Arabic/English word translations, but also transliterated
Arabic (Arabic words in phonetic English) with English, so
that those of us who don’t yet read the beautiful Arabic
script can still learn some words and pronunciations. It
also enables you to look up what others say, by using the
transliterated section.
 There
is an extensive section on grammar and the various word
formations. One of the big differences between Arabic and
English is that where English uses adjectives, adverbs,
pronouns and a variety of other descriptive words, Arabic
uses prefixes and suffixes to a root word to convey many of
these ideas. There are pages of course on numbers, counting,
telling time, months of the year, English/metric conversion
tables, etc. Some of the most helpful sections are sample
dialogues about topics that would be common for travelers.
The dialogues are inserted into the English/ Arabic
sections, among the words as you would be looking them up.
Very helpful for making use of your newly found language in
every day circumstances.
Also in the English/ Arabic section are blocks of
information about many topics, following the key word. For
example, after the word ‘money’ is a brief but thorough
explanation of money ( the LE or Egyptian Pound) and some
pertinent information regarding its use.
The Arabic/ English section is divided according to
topic, mostly covering signs and notices that the traveler
would encounter. This is for the truly adventurous, who want
to attempt to read the beautiful Arabic script.
In the year that I have had my phrasebook, I have found
it to be very helpful, not only during my trip, but in
continuing to learn Arabic and also to communicate with my
Arabic speaking friends.
reHla saAeeda! Have a good trip!
Knopf Guide EGYPT
1996 Published by Alfred A. Knopf, New York
Buy
This Book
by Mary Kay Radnich
There are many guidebooks to Egypt, and when I was
planning my adventure there in 1999, I consulted with my
tour operator about which one to bring with me. I was
pointed to the Knopf Guide EGYPT and I was not disappointed!
At a compact 9 inches x 4 inches x 1 inch, this text is a
portable encyclopedia of Egypt.
Divided into 19 sections, the Knopf Guide Egypt covers
almost any topic the traveler to Egypt can imagine, complete
with full color illustrations. Interested in the fauna of
the archeological sites? (p. 36). Language? (p. 72). Coptic
monastic architecture? (p. 106) Falconry? (p. 138). Entire
sections are devoted to the major geographic centers of
Egypt, such as Alexandria, the Nile Delta, Cairo, the
Deserts and Thebes (Luxor) to name but a few. There is even
a section devoted to Egypt in the Museums of the World (p.
467).
Each section is as full as Tut’s tomb with
illustrations, maps and sidebar notes. There are many, many
illustrations of the architecture, cut-away drawings of
mosques and temples – very little space is left blank in
this compact journal.
Two of my very favorite sections are Egypt As Seen by
Painters and Egypt As Seen by Writers. These sections give
you a taste how Egypt has been perceived throughout history
in the various mediums. One of my favorite quotes is from
E.D. Clarke, writing in 1818 of the effects of the
atmosphere of Cairo upon visiting Europeans:
"Denon speaks of the pleasurable sensations
daily excited by the delicious temperature of Cairo,
causing Europeans, who arrive with the intention of
spending a few months in the place, to remain during the
rest of their lives, without ever persuading themselves
to leave it…. "
E.D. Clarke, Travels in Various Countries of Europe,
Asia and Africa, vol VI,
pub. T. Cadell & W. Davies, 1818
The last section of the book is devoted to
"Practical Information," that which every
travelers needs to know so that the romantic dreams of an
exotic vacation will be fulfilled. Again, this section is
complete with all sorts of practical information, beginning
with Egypt as represented in the movies, money, finding your
way around, adventure trails, hotels, restaurants and
lastly, useful addresses.
The best resource for Egypt, of course, is the Tour Egypt
website. But this may be a little difficult to access, as
you take your camel ride in front of the Great Pyramid,
unless you happen to have wireless Internet in your pocket.
However, with its plethora of illustrations and encyclopedic
information, the Knopf Guide to Egypt is the next best
thing.
Lonely Planet: Egypt
Lonely Planet Publications
Buy
This Book
By Jimmy Dunn
Lonely Planet, known for their travel
guides, produces one of the best travel guides to Egypt, as
well as one of the most up to date. The guide is 544 pages,
and retails for 19.95 in the US.
The guide has just about everything one
might expect in a travel guide to Egypt, and is often more
comprehensive then many other guides to Egypt. The main
guide is well structured and organized, progressing through
the country beginning with Cairo. It covers every popular
tourist area, including the desert oasis, the Red Sea coast
and Sinai. Most sections begin with a history, followed by
sights to see, and ending with various lists, such as
hotels, restaurants and entertainment facilities. Along with
various maps of the entire country, there are also maps for
almost all significant tourist cities, and in some cases
such as Cairo, plat maps for various city segments. Major
attractions, such as the Egyptian Antiquities Museum, are
themselves covered in detail, often providing a virtual tour
through the facility, and for monuments, temples and tombs,
there are drawings, maps and pictures. In addition, special
side bars and topical pages explore specific aspects of
various regions. For example, in the sectional guide for the
Siwa Oasis which is known for its jewelry, there is a
topical page about Siwan Crafts.
In addition to the specific area guides,
there is also a complete orientation to Egypt, travel tips
and recommendations, a very good history section, an ecology
and flora/fauna guide, information on art, language,
religion, culture, economy, visas, health, money, shopping,
entertainment and drinking, and even special topics. Special
topics include women travelers, gay and lesbian travel,
getting there, internet and book references and a very nice
section pharaonic Egypt, with drawings and sketches with a
great section on gods and goddesses.
In the appendixes, there is also a small
orientation and phrase book on Arabic and a glossary of
terms.
One of the best things about the Lonely
Planet Guide is that it represents an entire system. Along
with the main guide, Lonely Planet also offers a phrase
book, a detailed Cairo guide, Maps of Egypt, and their web
site which helps supplement the print guides. |
