The traveling manatees by Nancy French: Luxor, Egypt

Hot air balloons drifting over Luxor

Arriving at Luxor airport, prior arrangements had been made for a pickup, and we were greeted by a driver and a guide. With a population of one-half million compared to Cairo's 20-plus million and since we were arriving on Friday (the Muslim holy day), it almost felt like we were in a small town. Driving past miles of sugar cane fields, our guide was offering to stop so we could buy some sugar cane to try. Since this is not an anomaly for us, we passed on that offer, but Alan had another idea, rum. Alcohol consumption is banned in the Muslim religion, so in this primarily Muslim country spirits can be difficult to obtain, expensive, and in the case of home-distilled products, even toxic. Since a cruise on the Nile was on our itinerary after Luxor, we knew that alcohol would be available but pricy. Our guide was willing to fulfill Alan's wishes, so once we arrived in the city the driver wound his way to a place where liquor could be purchased. Our guide made the purchase, saying that if we entered the store the price

Karnak Temple model

would be doubled. Before arriving at our evening's accommodations, however, the guide asked us to hide the liquor, saying he would lose his job if his mission was revealed.

Rooms in Luxor are seriously cheap, the 4.5-star reviewed room did not meet our expectations, but for $27/night including breakfast, we could hardly complain. Dinner was enjoyed at a rooftop restaurant overlooking the Nile with a crescent moon providing a slip of white in the lovely sunset. Walking along the waterfront that evening the area was abuzz with activity. The horse-drawn carriages which provide a popular means of transport for sightseers, as well as locals, lined the thoroughfare. Once again, a good-natured "no, thanks" was sufficient to dissuade the men promoting their carts. Luxor Temple was lit for the evening, and families and vendors filled a nearby courtyard.

Columns at Karnak

Enjoying our breakfast at the same roof-top restaurant, hot air balloons floated over the distant mountains in the clear blue sky. Our soundtrack on this March morning was a nearby school, where children were inexplicably singing Jingle Bells.

Sphinxes at the entrance of Karnak Temple

Having booked a 4-day and 3-night cruise of the Nile, we
were beginning with tours in Luxor and were picked up early by our guide for the next few days, Ali. Starting with the Karnak Temple, we visited the museum which provided historical info but also a large model of the original grounds. Rows of sphinxes graced the entryway. Started in 2055 BC, expansions continued over the next 2000 years. Covering 200 acres, it is the largest religious building ever constructed, with the Hypostyle Hall featuring 134 huge decorated

Luxor Temple

columns covering 54,000 sq. ft. Historically an annual festival was held during which time the priests answered questions from behind a screen, purporting to be providing answers from the gods.

Along the East Bank, and sandwiched between the Nile and the modern city of Luxor, the next stop was the Luxor Temple which we had viewed from the outside the previous evening. Built during the reign of Amenhotep III, who ruled fro 1390-1352 BC, the temples are some of the best-preserved in Egypt. Ramesses the Great, roughly 150 years later, had a number of the monuments repurposed to feature himself.

Finishing for the day, we headed to the Crown Prince, our home during the cruise. Though built to accommodate over 100 guests, the first evening only a handful of passengers were on board, so we had the pool deck to ourselves to enjoy another beautiful sunset.

The next morning, we departed with Ali to explore the West Bank of Luxor and headed to the Valley

Interior of the tomb of Ramesses IV

Hieroglyphics in
Ramesses IV
tomb

of the Kings. Of the 63 tombs in the Valley, eight are open for viewing with the general entry ticket, another three require a special ticket. Our tickets allowed us to select three tombs to visit. With Ali's guidance, we started with the tomb of Ramesses IV. We were surprised by the vibrant yellow, red, and blue hieroglyphics and carvings in this tomb which is now over 3000 years old. With a $17 charge for taking photos, I had decided to put the camera away. Alan was so overwhelmed and saw so many people snapping pictures that he pulled out his phone to snap a few. A few moments later a guard asked to see his photo pass. Not being able to produce one, he was allowed to keep his phone (this is not always the case), but only after paying a bribe and promising to take no more photos.

The impressive architectural design of Hatshepsut's Temple

Next, we explored the tomb of Ramesses III. By this time, lines were getting longer and the weather warmer, we were grateful to be visiting during the spring rather than summer when temperatures soar to 100 plus. Impressive painting and murals were in this tomb as well. Finally, we visited the tomb of Ramesses IX. The highlight is the burial chamber at the end of the tomb, but the paint in this tomb was not as well preserved. A virtual tour of the Ramesses VI tomb is available here.

After a lunch break, we traveled to the Temple of Hatshepsut. As one of a handful of female pharaohs, Hatshepsut came to power following the death of her father. A number of her statues represent her with a beard and men's clothing, which she is said to have worn during royal functions. Most of the magnificent temple has been restored but portions of the original are still intact.
Departing the temple, we made a quick stop at the Colossi of Memnon. Heavily damaged by earthquakes, the 60-foot sandstone statues 'protected' the

Colossi of Memnon

Click photos to enlarge.

mortuary of Amenhotep III. The mortuary itself was destroyed by repeated floods and earthquakes.

Returning to the ship, we prepared a farewell cocktail and headed to the pool deck so we could watch as the boat departed Luxor, and began our trip down the Nile.