20091221 - Luxor

This morning we drove to the Valley of the Kings, a site I had been anticipating for a long time. This is the place where tombs were constructed for the kings and the powerful nobles for a period of 500 years from the 16th to 11th century BC. At Samy’s suggestion, we got there very early before the crowds arrived. Ann and I visited three tombs – Ramses III, Ramses VI and Thutmose III. We did not visit the tomb of Tutankhamen because Samy said that there were no special decorations on the walls. No mummies remain in the crypts, but the walls and ceilings are decorated with stories of the life of the pharaohs. In general, we walked through the tombs entrances and down into the chambers pausing to look at all of the paintings.

Cameras were not allowed in the valley. To get an idea of what the tombs look like, go to Valley of the Kings.

Our next visit was to the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. This is a mortuary temple built for Egypt’s only female pharaoh.

Our last visit to the statues of Amenophis III. These massive 64-foot-tall statues cast their eyes in the direction of the Nile.

After our morning tour, we went back to the hotel. Ann and I ate at a restaurant near the pool. I had a hamburger with a fried egg while Ann had grilled cheese. This was a rebellion to Egyptian food for at least one meal. We had the rest of the afternoon free until 4:00 when we started our Luxor by Night tour.

We toured the wonderful Luxor Museum whose collection of Theban relics was painstakingly gathered from the city’s temples and necropolises. We also visited a special exhibit which housed a remarkable collection of statues from the court of Amenhotep III which were discovered just 20 years ago in the middle of the Luxor Temple.

After the museum, we got into horse-drawn carriages and rode through Luxor’s back roads and colorful markets. We could see, hear and smell the night life throughout the city. We also saw where buildings have been leveled to restore the Route of the Sphinxes from the Luxor Temple to the Karmak Temple.

When the buggy ride was done, we had a light dinner in the middle of an outdoor bazaar with lots of other tourists. We drank tea and ate pita sandwiches containing beef sausage.

We got back to the hotel at 8:00. It’s now nearing 9:15 and I’m getting sleepy.