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Documentary filmmaker Curtis Ryan Woodside sits down with John Navarre of The Egypt Travel Podcast to talk about his background growing up in South Africa, the incredible story of how he got his start in filmmaking, and his deep passion for Egyptology and telling stories from ancient Egypt through long-form content in an accurate and compelling way.

The full video version of this episode is available The Egypt TravelChannel on YouTube. And as always, please feel welcome to go to www.EgyptElite.com for help planning your trip to Egypt, and we’ll be delighted to help you make it a reality.

Now in its 4th year, “Forever Is Now” has astounded audiences worldwide with its striking installations of modern art set against the iconic backdrop of the ancient Pyramids of Giza. We joined this project’s visionary creator, Alexandria native Nadine Abdel Ghaffar, to talk about the genesis of “Forever Is Now” and the development of the larger organization behind this successful annual exhibition, Art d’Egypte, which Nadine also founded. Now, eight years later, Art d’Egypte and its women-led team of curators, engineers, and professionals is taking Egypt’s art scene to new heights and aiming to bring their expertise – and the talent of Egyptian artists – around the world.

An enlightening sit-down interview with Dr. Bernard O’Kane, a distinguished professor of Islamic art and architecture at the American University in Cairo (AUC). I was so honored to reconnect with Dr. O’Kane, who is not only an expert on this topic, but also a former professor of mine when I was a student at AUC more than 20 years ago. In his characteristic easy-going style, Dr. O’Kane talks about the most spectacular mosques throughout Egypt as well as other impressive examples of Islamic fortresses, Ottoman palaces, and medieval mausoleum, as well as must-see museums in Cairo for connoisseurs of Islamic art.

Books by Dr. Bernard O’Kane mentioned in this episode:

The Mosques of Egypt

The Illustrated Guide to the Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo

Treasures of Islam: The Glories of Islamic Civilization

The Treasures of Islamic Art in the Museums of Cairo

The Civilization of the Islamic World

The story of one of ancient Egypt’s rare female pharaohs – the great Queen Hatshepsut. She wasn’t just a queen consort, but rather a full-fledged pharaoh who seized power and ruled ancient Egypt in her own right for two decades, ushering in a new era of peace and prosperity for the mighty Egyptian empire. While born into privilege, her life was full of twists and turns and neither her position nor her fate were ever guaranteed. But she succeeded in outsmarting those who would have done away with her during her lifetime, and the fact that her legacy survives and thrives still today is a testament to how she prevailed over her detractors even in the afterlife.

For detailed advice on travel to and around Egypt, check our our sister podcast, The Egypt Travel Podcast, and our YouTube channel, The Egypt Travel Channel. And when you’re ready to visit Egypt, www.EgyptElite.com will be delighted to help you make the trip of a lifetime a reality.

No one in the West has quite the iconic stature that singer Umm Kulthum has across the Arab World. To compare her to only one of the most famous Western singers in history is to drastically underestimate her star power both in the past and in the present. In this culturally focused episode, John presents the legendary “Star of the East” – Umm Kulthum.

For detailed advice on travel to and around Egypt, check our our sister podcast, The Egypt Travel Podcast, and our YouTube channel, The Egypt Travel Channel. And when you’re ready to visit Egypt, www.EgyptElite.com will be delighted to help you make the trip of a lifetime a reality.

On the heels of Egypt’s latest globally televised cultural spectacle in Luxor for the opening of the Avenue of the Sphinxes, John dives into the history and significance of Egypt’s newest open-air monument to re-pen to the public.

For detailed advice on travel to and around Egypt, check our our sister podcast, The Egypt Travel Podcast, and our YouTube channel, The Egypt Travel Channel. And when you’re ready to visit Egypt, www.EgyptElite.com will be delighted to help you make the trip of a lifetime a reality.