Arsh's African Studies Blog

Well since we’ve been in Egypt for a while now, why not continue our journey here? Alright, so for our next stop, we arrive at the Nile River!  Now, I’m sure that you know that the Nile is the longest river in the world. But did you know, that the Nile passes through so many different ecosystems? If you had to travel the entire Nile, not only would you encounter 11 different African countries, but you would also encounter mountains, deserts, topical rainforests, etc. Now just imagine, if you had to travel through every type of ecosystem, just imagine what kind of things you would witness. Imagine all the types of plants, flowers, and animals you would see. You better take a lot of pictures and make sure you plan for any and every kind of weather.  Now to plan for this trip, there are so many different companies and websites that allow you to purchase a Nile River sightseeing tour. They’ll take you throughout the Nile and stop at some of the amazing attractions. So what

Okay, now there’s no way that one travels to Giza and looks at the pyramids without stopping and looking at the Great Sphinx of Giza! That’s outrageous!!! So, obviously since our last stop was the Pyramids of Giza, our next stop is the Great Sphinx!  Like the pyramids of Giza, the Great Sphinx is also one of the most astonishing attractions within the African continent. Even though many people think that the sphinx is a cat, according to Joshua Mark, the sculpture is actually of a recumbent lion with the head of an Egyptian king. Interesting, huh? Yep, this humungous sculpture was made out of limestone and most likely during the reign of King Khafre (which would be within 2558-2532 B.C.E). But theirs is no set date to when exactly the sphinx was created; every historian has their own argument and assumption.  Moreover, some historians say that the sphinx also reminded Greek writers of the sphinx represented in the tragedy of Oedipus. You know what, there will always b

Alright, now how could we travel around the African continent and not stop at one of the most amazing architectural sight in the world? Now, what are we waiting for?  Let’s explore the Pyramids of Giza!    Now, did you know that these pyramids are more than 4,500 years old? The first and largest pyramid was built by the Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu in 2550 B.C. The second one was built by his son, Pharaoh Khafre, in 2520 B.C. Now, the last pyramid is smaller than the other two and it was built in 2490 B.C. by Pharaoh Menkaure.  Plus, here’s a fun fact; many archaeologists and architects are unable to understand and figure out how these pyramids were built back in the day because the creation and development of these pyramids is so advanced. Moreover, it confuses many scientists that these pyramids were built without the use of heavy machinery and technology. In the end, these pyramids will forever be a landmark that people from all over the world will go see. Alas, they will f

Now, we’ve stopped at many places around the African continent. So how about for our next stop, we stop and look at the animals of Africa? Today we encounter the mountain gorillas of Rwanda!  These beautiful mountain gorillas live within the Nyungwe National Park (Volcanoes National Park). Now, this humongous national park is actually part of the Rwandan rainforest. This isolated national park takes up more than 368 square miles of the southwest part of Rwanda. Also, if you’re afraid of heights, it’s probably best that you don’t go here, for this national park is located at an elevation of 6,000 feet.  At this park, there are seven different groups of mountain gorillas. But there are serious and strict guidelines to go trekking to see the gorillas. Firstly, gorillas can very easily attract human disease (cause we share 98% of the same DNA, duh). So, if you have the cold, flu, or any contagious symptoms, sorry, you’ll have to miss out this time. Each trekking group can

As we continue our wonderful adventure across Africa, we now stop at Djemaa el Fna in Morocco! This wonderful and exciting town square is exactly what one needs to experience just to see that African culture. Trust me, if you don’t stop here, you’ll be missing out on all the African culture and vibes.  Think of this place as the lively downtown of a huge city. This town square is located in Marrakesh’s medina quarter. There’s so much to witness and see in this square! There are snake-charmers (not something you see everyday), henna-painters, storytellers, date-sellers, multiple vendors. Plus as the day goes by and the night begins to fall, tribal drummers, lady-boy dancers, and restaurateurs begin to come and stay throughout midnight.  Plus, isn’t it interesting that the food stalls only begin to appear once the sun begins to set. These Moroccan vibes and atmosphere throughout this town square is exactly what you’ll desire. So what are you waiting for? Get going! Mo