EGYPT - thank you sincerely

New York City - September 19, 2022

To all of my business associates and friends in Egypt, I want to take a moment to thank all of you who are actively involved in the travel industry for always, without fail, and with complete dedication, always going out of your way to deliver your best.

As one who has actively promoted and sold your country to travelers from around the world since 1991, you have no idea how thrilling it is when a returning passenger writes a letter of thanks (to me) which I believe is intended for you - the people in Egypt who 'make it all happen.'

Just recently I received this wonderful report about your country and your excellence in service. I want to share it with you and thank you for always raising the bar and keeping it steady.

QUOTE

Hi Kenn!

We got home from our trip very late on Tuesday, and have been trying to catch up from jet lag and all of the things that need to be done after being away for a period of time. However, I didn't want to let it go too long before getting in touch with you about our wonderful trip to Egypt!

We are so so glad that we made the decision to take this trip, and that after 3 years, it finally happened! Your kind assistance made it even more special and helped us to understand and appreciate some of the things we were going to do and see on our journey.

We did go to the old Egyptian Museum and the entire King Tut exhibit in the special room was all there intact, as were many of the artifacts out in the main area. Our Egyptologist did mention that there were a few things missing that had been taken to GEM already, but since we didn't know much about the artifacts that were supposed to be there originally, we are not sure what was actually missing. There were no huge gaping empty areas, so I am not sure where the artifacts would have been.

We were in awe of being able to see the Pyramids and the Sphinx so up close, the camel ride was an experience, and Sakkara was incredible. The Nile River Cruise was lovely, and The Valley of the Queens and Kings was impressive. Seeing the magnificent tomb of Nefertari was mind-boggling, and having the Valley of the Kings to ourselves for a private after-hours event was perfect. We actually were able to see not only King Tut's tomb, but also King Merenptah, King Rameses III, and King Rameses IX. Each one was so unique and fascinating! So many temples - Karnak, Luxor, Edfu, and Kom Ombo, Philae - each one so different and at times overwhelming to try to take it all in - so much history and so many stories, but it all became like a giant puzzle with the individual pieces falling into place. St. Simeon Monastery and the High Dam were interesting breaks from all of the temples. The Felucca sail at sunset was so beautiful and peaceful - a nice break from all of the constant activity. Abu Simbel was stunning - it almost seemed surreal to be standing there in person taking it all in! The Old Egyptian Museum had an overwhelming amount of artifacts, so it was helpful to have the Egyptologist show us the more important/unique pieces. The 2 Royal Mummies were interesting to see, but did not hold a candle to what we saw at NMEC! Finishing our tour in Old Coptic Cairo, seeing the Cave Church, Hanging Church, Al Rifai Mosque and Sultan Hassan Mosque was a great way to end our trip, and of course, walking through the marketplace was quite an experience!

NMEC was definitely one of the highlights of our entire trip

Honestly though, the personal tour and behind-the-scenes tour you so kindly arranged for us at NMEC was definitely one of the highlights of our entire trip, and something that will always be remembered by us! To be able to see the mummies so up close, with a knowledgeable guide to explain them to us, and being able to see all of the various restoration areas and what goes on "behind the scenes" to get the artifacts ready for display, was intriguing and so very special to have the privilege to see! Mohamed was so sweet and kind, and was obviously so very proud of his museum; it was heartwarming to see! I received a very nice response from him about the thank you email I wrote him. What an amazing person he is, as are you!

I once again am at a loss to know how to truly thank you and show our sincere appreciation for all of the time and effort you put into helping make our trip to Egypt such a memorable one! Your kindness, and sincere desire to make sure we had the best experience possible, with nothing asked in return, is something that is rare to find anymore, and we just wanted to let you know that we are humbled and touched by it.

We wish you a wonderful rest of 2022 and hope that maybe at some point in the future, our paths will cross again. 

Until then, THANK YOU!!!! Sincerely, Julie and Barry G

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Truth be told that despite the fact that I took care of partial arrangements for this party, the thanks must go to all of you who were involved in the planning and delivery of the services.

It would be remiss of me to not take a moment to personally thank my dear friend Mohamed Waheed, conservator at NMEC who personally took care of this party for me and showed them around NMEC as though they were royalty and took them into the conservation labs during their visit. Mohamed - I thank you from the bottom of my heart!

And on that note, once again Egypt (and in particular Mohamed Waheed) I extend my most sincere gratitude to all of you who go miles beyond what is necessary to assist those of us who assertively promote and sell your beautiful country.

My best wishes always,

Kenneth R. Vásquez Laya