Barbara Rainard ’64

As a child I visited the Egyptian exhibit at New York’s Metropolitan Museum and was entranced, especially with the tiny figurines of people going about daily tasks. I became fascinated with archeology. Finally I decided I wanted to actually see Egypt’s ancient sites and my husband and I went on a Cornell alumni trip to Egypt in 2019. We started in Cairo, touring the ancient ruins, the museum, the lovely Coptic churches, a mosque, and a synagogue, as well as a visit to the souk. Then it was off to Luxor to more ancient sites, including the Valley of the Kings. Next were 4 days of sailing down the Nile in a dahabiya with stops in villages, temples, tombs, and quarries. We ended in Aswan with another temple, the dam, and an interesting Nubian museum. Our accommodations were luxurious, the food was great, and we got to see some of daily Egyptian life as well as the expected pyramids, etc. Our guides were highly informative and great company. And then came COVID! Our timing was just right. bjchemist@comcast.net