[News] Suicide Bomb in Egypt - And we've been to that place

Eriol

Eriol

So most will have heard the news about the Suicide bombing outside of the Karnac temple in Luxor, Egypt. News here, here, and here at the least.

And... @Dirona and I have been there. In 2010:



That's not me, but some average-height person. Just to let you know how big those pillars are.

And here's a good picture of the entire temple layout from the little entrance building:


And one of the "front" of the place to give a sense of scale here:

For reference, I "think" that this photo is on the very-very left-hand-side (and rear) of the model of the picture above.

The place is massive. It's something better than a mile per side, I think. It's been 5 years!


So... ya. It's kinda weird seeing this kind of news, (not to mention the stuff in 2011, we have pictures of us in Tahir Square) because we have been to Egypt. So has anybody else here been to Egypt, or other places where crap like this has happened? I find news of this kind of thing affects me differently because I've been there, versus somewhere that I've never been.

Any similar experiences out there?
 
Bubble181

Bubble181

My parents were there a few months ago, too.
And I was standing on top of the WTC in august 2001 :p
It IS weird to have somethingl ike that happen in a place where you've been or that's nearby. Just this week we've had two bomb alerts for the buildings of the European Council and Union - both within walking distance from my place. Officially nothing happened, unofficially I know they arrested some people over yesterday's threat so....We'll see
 
Eriol

Eriol

bhamv3 said:
Not Egypt, but there was a bomb incident in Bangkok in February of this year, at a shopping mall named Siam Paragon. Rather disconcertingly, I'd been standing at the exact spot of the explosion exactly 24 hours prior.

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/02/01/world/thailand-bangkok-blasts/

Not exactly a close call, considering the 24 hour difference, but still rather disquieting nonetheless.
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I can understand that. Obviously for us the difference was more marked, but 24 hours would probably freak me out.


So... ya. I guess I mean less somewhat "you were there, and that's freaky" and more "I don't 'actually' give a damn about many places in the world, but since I've been there, I care more" kind of reaction as well. Much of that?



And Dave, ya, the blowing up historical stuff is just stupid and weird. Luckily this site would require either A) an atomic bomb, or B) hundreds of people to even get a start on blowing it up. It's more to discourage tourism, which is (was?) a major industry in Egypt. We've even told people to definitely go see Egypt, but go after it gets safer. It still isn't apparently.
 
PatrThom

PatrThom

Dave said:
I'll never understand the destruction of historical artifacts/places, let alone the mindset of suicide bombers.
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I assume it's a form of, "Forget about the past! What matters is the thing I'm doing!" which is incredibly selfish to me, even if you're doing it for the purpose of sending a message. Yes, that even includes things like trying to blow up the House of Lords.

--Patrick
 
Bubble181

Bubble181

Dave said:
I'll never understand the destruction of historical artifacts/places, let alone the mindset of suicide bombers.
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"He who controls the past commands the future. He who commands the future, conquers the past"

Destroying temples and monuments makes it all that much easier to dismiss those other religions and cultures as barbaric, backwards, etc. It's a bit hard to say "Our God is the Only God and All Good and Beauty Comes from Him...oh and here are some 5,000 year old constructs from another religion and we have no clue how the **** they built it.". Besides, it's idol worship and blasphemy, so you have to destroy it, don't you?
 
fade

fade

Staff member
I think many archaeologists agree the real answer is probably just "lots and lots of slaves", sadly.
 
GasBandit

GasBandit

Staff member
Eriol said:
So most will have heard the news about the Suicide bombing outside of the Karnac temple in Luxor, Egypt. News here, here, and here at the least.

And... @Dirona and I have been there. In 2010:
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I was there too... in Serious Sam 1.

(lame, I know)

The closest experience I had to this is that the Waldo Canyon Fire burned down everything that was basically across the street from the apartment I used to live in 16+ years ago.

Dave said:
I'll never understand the destruction of historical artifacts/places, let alone the mindset of suicide bombers.
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Destroying evidence of the past is destroying identity. If you don't know where you came from, it's easier for someone else to tell you who you are.

That's why the Ur Quan destroyed all structures more than 500 years old before erecting the Slave Shield around earth.
 
Bubble181

Bubble181

MindDetective said:
I thought I had read they were probably paid workers.
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No difference between actual slaves and wage slaves, dude. We're all oppressed and kept dumb and servile by The Man, plodding ever onwards. Hauling a stone up two flights or sitting in a cubicle or bagging groceries are all equally difficult and demeaning and it's just wrong, man. Why should we work our ass off when they can just print money, I ask you? There's not enough work as there is, and They want us to work longer and harder just for Their benefit and profit. When will we realize?


...I'm sorry, my facebook is being overrun with idiots these days and the loss of Charlie has left a void.
 
sixpackshaker

sixpackshaker

MindDetective said:
I thought I had read they were probably paid workers.
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More like draftees. The large building projects kept the citizens out of trouble during the summer when there was no work to do. Poor Egyptians were expected to work for the Pharaoh. They were basically paid in bread and beer.
 
Celt Z

Celt Z

Eriol said:
So has anybody else here been to Egypt, or other places where crap like this has happened? I find news of this kind of thing affects me differently because I've been there, versus somewhere that I've never been.

Any similar experiences out there?
Click to expand...
Last month, when Amtrak had derailed outside of Philadelphia, I had one of these moments. I used to ride not only that Amtrak line, but also the SEPTA line that shares it, on a regular basis. It was hard to watch the news, not only thinking about those poor people, but that chilling part when you can recognize exactly where they are, even in the dark and know there was a chance it could have happened to you.
 
jwhouk

jwhouk

July 14, 1999. I'd noticed how windy it was that morning. Didn't figure anything of it.

I'd driven past the stadium and where they were putting up the new ballpark plenty of times, and had seen that huge crane that was going to put all the roof panels.

And then, this happened:
 
Bubble181

Bubble181

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