Safaga, Egypt

Sunday, November 22nd
Route of the Ancient Traders
Day 12
M/S Nautica
Safaga, Egypt
Clear – 75 Degrees

We docked at Safaga this morning and joined a convoy for the three hour drive to Luxor in Upper Egypt and the New Kingdom, the site of ancient Thebes and the Valley of the Kings. Luxor was the seat of power for the Egyptian Empire from 1550 B.C. to 1070 B.C.

The hills above Safaga are as barren and desolate a landscape as you can imagine. Just rocks, dust, and dirt.

Luxor straddles the Nile. Contrary to the experience of those who have visited Las Vegas, there are no pyramids in Luxor, which is known for massive temples and the tombs of the Pharaohs.

In town, on the East bank of the Nile, the two main sites are the Karnak Temple and the Luxor Temple. They are several miles apart, but in ancient times, they were connected by the Avenue of the Sphinx. This granite boulevard was lined with ram's head Sphinx on both sides. It has been excavated at either end, but not yet in the middle. The Egyptians are in the process of continuing excavation and hope to daylight the entire stretch of the Avenue.

The Karnak Temple is the largest religious complex ever built. It has three main temples surrounded by smaller enclosed temples and several outer temples beyond those. It is a vast complex that was built and enlarged over period of 1,300 years.

We wandered among the towering columns of the Hypostyle Hall. It is the largest temple hall in the world covering 6,000 square meters with 134 columns.

We stopped at the graceful 97-foot Obelisk of Queen Hatshepsut, carved from a single block of granite, as well as the massive statues of Ramses II.

An officer with the Antiquities and Tourism Police motioned to Tres to turn the corner for a better photographic vantage point. Several more photo stops followed, and predictably, an outstretched hand. Now we have been shaken down by police in a foreign country. Cool!!!

The Luxor Temple was originally built during the reign of Amenophis III over 5,000 years ago and is dedicated to the Gods Amun-Min, Mut, and Khonsu.

The obelisk at the entrance was once part of a symmetrical pair. Its mate was given to the people of France by Mohamed Ali in 1831 and now stands at the Place de la Concorde in Paris. The Egyptians would like to have it back, but...

As the temple fell into ruins and was buried by the sands of time, it became the foundation for other spiritual uses. The Romans and the Christians prayed here. The Muslims built a Mosque on top of the ruins in the 13th Century, which is still in use. It now stands several stories above the floor of the temple, but an entrance was built on the other side to allow access when the site was excavated.

Both the temples of Karnak and Luxor have been extensively restored. About 60% of what is there today is original, the rest has been reconstructed.

Having already endured, if not enjoyed, the Sound and Light show in Cairo, we decided that we didn't need to see another one in Luxor. After check-in at the Sonesta St. George Hotel Luxor, we retired to our room to relax for the evening. The hotel is on the banks of the Nile and is currently under renovation. We were very fortunate to get a remodeled room on a high floor with a view of the river. The room was exquisite. Very rich and very modern, pure white walls and rich black woods with accents in silver and red. The bathroom was a technological wonder. In addition to multiple flushing modes, the toilet also offered heating, washing, and blow-drying options. The shower was even more complex with multiple jets from every conceivable angle, steam, mood lighting, and various programmable themes. The instructions were printed in English, but we limited our use to the manual flush override on the toilet and the shower faucet handle.

We arrived at sunset and went out onto the balcony to enjoy the Nile and the call to prayer from minarets lit in green all over the city.