Category: Luxor

The Road to Hurghada

Todays goal
Todays goal

Time to kick back for a few days. Kim wanted some beach time on this trip so we moved to Hurghada on the Red Sea coast. A noted snorkel and diving location, we went to crash out on the beautiful sand after a busy trip.

Out of Luxor
Out of Luxor
Passed may sights like this.
Passed many sights like this.
Whole lot of nothing which is kind of nice.
Whole lot of nothing which is kind of nice.

The drive from Luxor took about four hours, which could be better described as three hours of driving and one hour of speed bumps. Many bumps in populated areas which got better once we left the Nile River Valley. The only real pain was when we stopped half way at a rest stop where the sales folk were on us like flies. Just wanted to sit with some coffee… I finally had enough and beat a hasty retreat outside.

The rest stop
The rest stop
The rest stop
The rest stop
Before I was set upon...
Before I was set upon…

The terrain became more mountainous as we approached the coast, a nice change. For four hours in a van it went by fast.

A local obelisk
A local obelisk
Into the mountains.
Into the mountains.
Kind of liked this one...
Kind of liked this one…
Passed a few well decorated trucks.
Passed a few well decorated trucks.
On the Red Sea coast with a view of what we came through.
On the Red Sea coast with a view of what we came through.
Oberoi Beach Resort, Sahl Hasheesh
Oberoi Beach Resort, Sahl Hasheesh
Made it.
Made it.

Luxor After Dark

Luxor Temple
Luxor Temple

After some post balloon rest and a swim it was time to visit Luxor temple. It is one of the two main temples in the area, the other being Karnak temple which is connected to this temple via the Avenue of Sphinxes which was created to help transport the gods that reside in Karnak to visit the god Amenemopet at Luxor.

Avenue of Sphinxes (Rams Road). At the other end is Karnak Temple.
Avenue of Sphinxes (Rams Road). At the other end is Karnak Temple.

In front of the temple were two obelisks and both were gifted to the French government by Pasha Muhammad Ali in return for the clock near Muhammad Ali Mosque in Cairo. The smaller obelisk was successfully transported to Paris and now resides in Place de la Concorde. The second obelisk was too heavy to move thus remains. The French government eventually ‘returned’ the second obelisk to Egypt which is ok, the clock given apparently rarely worked.

Pylon and Obelisk with statues of Ramses II at Luxor Temple.
Pylon and Obelisk with statues of Ramses II at Luxor Temple.
Inside the temple grounds.
Inside the temple grounds.
Inside Luxor Temple
Inside Luxor Temple

I liked the night visit, we had seen similar temples recently and seeing this one light up dramatically was a nice end to the day.

Ramses II and the remaining obelisk.
Ramses II and the remaining obelisk.

This visit was interesting in another way, our guide Mohamed’s family has lived in Luxor for generations so he had some stories. He told us how the temple was filled with debris almost 50 feet high. Houses and buildings operated inside the temple grounds and a mosque was built. Eventually the grounds were cleared and now the entrance to the mosque Mohamed’s grandfather used is now 50 feet in the air.

A wall from a building from when people lived on the temple grounds. The minaret and dome are the Abu Haggag Mosque.
A wall from a building from when people lived on the temple grounds. The minaret and dome are the Abu Haggag Mosque.
Representation of a united Egypt.
Representation of a united Egypt.
Carvings on the wall.
Carvings on the wall.
The Egyptians were forbidden from practicing their beliefs and. the temple was sealed. This is how the got around the ban.
The Egyptians were forbidden from practicing their beliefs and the temple was sealed. This is how the got around the ban.

This was our last stop with Mohamed who has been with us for the past eight days. No matter where we went on the cruise Mohamed was there when we arrived with a smile and full of information. Kim and I both caught colds part way though the trip (happens when jet lagged) so we have had persistent coughs. Mohamed was getting over a cold as well so was in the same condition, we were quite the trio. Made it easier to locate each other in a crowd though… Thank you Mohamed!

On the right is our patient guide Mohamed.
On the right is our patient guide Mohamed with daddy white legs.

We returned a second time to a restaurant Mohamed recommended, Restaurant El-Kababgy on the Nile waterfront. In Egypt pigeon is a delicacy, I had some in Cairo and had to try this restaurants. Twas very good!

Restaurant El-Kababgy
Savory pigeon with Doom milk.
Savory pigeon with Doom milk.
Nothing like fresh doom.
Nothing like fresh doom.