pottery

Egypt a Little Off the Beaten Path

I’ve been in Egypt for the past few weeks, lucky enough to see the most important pyramids and temples and tombs for the second time. I’m not going to write about them here because you have a million online resources at your disposal, or you can check out my postings from 2014. https://kimmie53.com/category/egypt/

Of course, anyone who travels to Egypt should see the antiquities but, like everywhere else, Egypt has plenty of lesser known magic and I personally needed to get away from the crowds. Egypt is one of the most visited places on the planet right now. Of the 73 countries I’ve visited, it’s also the most difficult from the standpoint of keeping my equilibrium. It’s been a constant hustle. I’m glad my first visit here was on a tour. And I’m glad my second visit included these gems.

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Bikan and Bizen

We are spending a few days in the industrial city of Kurashiki to enjoy its non-industrial, historic, perfectly preserved village of Bikan. Bikan has been called “the Venice of Japan” (as if Japan needs Italy as a reference!) and “Japan’s most beautiful village.” It was once a merchant’s quarter in the Edo period, generally the 17th century. Its location on the road between western Japan and Tokyo (then called Edo) made it an essential asset in Japan’s national economy — so the Shogun himself managed it.

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