So it begins

Still sailing

Published Date : November 28, 2004

It was quite a bit warmer today.  We had simple breakfast of hard boiled eggs before setting off again.  It was another leisurely day of sun and relaxation.  Having finished my book yesterday, I slept and chatted most of the day.  We made camp along the shores of the Nile again, stopping for the night just south of Kom Ombo.

Crocodile mummies

Published Date : November 29, 2004

We woke up this morning to the sight of water buffalo munching on shrubs just metres from our boat.  It was only about an hour of sailing before we arrived in Kom Ombo to see the crocodile temple.  It was one of the best temples we’ve seen so far.  The carvings were incredibly intricate and detailed, and there was still paint on some of the columns.  It was enough that you could really imagine what it must have looked like in all its glory.

The temple had quite a history from its original Ptolemaic origins to the Romans to the Coptics.  Over the years, many stones had been removed for other uses and the Coptics had chiseled off and defaced several of the carvings.  I still found it all to be very impressive. Of course what crocodile temple would be complete without some mummified crocodiles?  There were a few of the mummified reptiles encased in glass inside the temples.

Leaving the Nile behind, we continued our journey back on board the bus.  An hour drive brought us to Edfu, the temple dedicated to Horus.  Of the two sites I preferred Kom Ombo, but Edfu was much bigger and far better preserved.  Really an amazing site.

Our final destination for the day was Luxor.  After settling in our hotel, we had the rest of the afternoon free to explore on our own.  I had been warned by several people that Luxor had the most aggressive touts in all ofEgypt, but I didn’t see it.  Aswan was far, far worse in my opinion.  I actually found Luxor to be a pleasant break from the aggressive sales pitches ofAswan.

Wandering into the city centre, I meandered up and down the streets window shopping as I went.  I stopped at a jewelry store along the way and bought a couple of rings in silver and cherry gold with hieroglyphics on them (only 35LE each!).  I’m not normally much of a jewelry person, but it’s all so cheap here I just can’t resist

Valley of the Kings

Published Date : November 30, 2004

Our mode of transport today was donkeys….yes, I said donkeys �� We caught a ferry across the Nile to the Land of the Dead.  Luxor is divided by the river into the Land of the Living on the Eastern shore and the Land of the Dead on the West.  All of the temples and tombs are on the West bank of the Nile.

At the dock, we found our donkeys and a guide waiting for us.  After a brief lesson on how to control our steeds, we had a 45 minute ride to the Valley of the Kings.  I originally named my donkey Princess, until I found out she was really a he. Perhaps that was why he wasn’t too keen on taking direction from me!

In the Valley of the Kings, we were shown the tombs of Ramses III, IV, V and VI (the last two were both in the same tomb). We were given the opportunity to see King Tut’s final resting place, but it was an extra fee to enter his tomb, so I decided to pass.  The hieroglyphics and carvings in all three tombs were incredibly detailed and still in full colour.  I could just imagine the wealth that must have been entombed with these kings.  I would have loved to record some of my visit.  Unfortunately, since most tourists are incapable of figuring out how to turn the flash off on their cameras, picture taking is not allowed in any of the tombs.  I attempted to take some stealth photos, but alas, none of them turned out.

I found it quite interesting to learn that it wasn’t uncommon for the workers to accidently uncover an older tomb while digging a new one.  With over 60 tombs in the area I guess that’s to be expected!

Leaving the Valley of the Kings, we took a long, hot walk past the Valley of the Queens and the Temple of Hatshepsut.  I would have loved to explore the impressive structure, but we simply didn’t have time, so I had to be satisfied with viewing it from the ridge above.  Many tour companies are still uneasy about taking groups through the temple after the massacre that took place there in 1997.

Continuing along the ridge, we descended into the Valley of the Artisans, also known as Deir El-Medina. This was the village where the artisans who worked on the tombs of the pharaohs lived. There are several small tombs here that you can explore for an extra fee.  While small, they are quite impressive all the same with a much more personal touch than the tombs of the kings and queens.  If you choose not to go into the tombs, there isn’t much left to see.  However, the archaeological discoveries made at this site gave historians great insight into daily life in the ancient world.

Our donkeys were waiting for us as we left the valley.  I managed to grab a different donkey on the ride back, whom I named Formie – short for Formula 1.  Needless to say, nobody was waiting for me to catch up!

On our way back to the ferry, we stopped briefly at the Colossi of Memnon, two giant statues which are all that remains of the temple of Amenhotep.  Leaving our trusty mounts with their owners at the docks, we boarded the ferry back across to the Land of the Living.

I rounded out the day with a visit to Karnak. I could have gone with the rest of my group after dark for the light show, but I have been intentionally avoiding those tacky extravaganzas my entire time in Egypt.  Instead, I caught a taxi out from the hotel for 10LE.

Wow!  What an absolutely gorgeous temple.  I spent a couple of hours walking through all the ruins, marveling at the giant columns, stone carvings and obelisks.  Karnak is without a doubt my favourite of all the ancient sites in Egypt.  I could easily have spent an entire day there.  As it was, I was forced out by the setting of the sun.  Before I left though, one of the security guards waved me over and ushered me into a restricted area.  Being one of the last people there, he gave me the opportunity to view the temple across one of the sacred lakes at sunset.  Fabulous!!