Luxor, Egypt

Last week we spent about three days in Luxor seeing all the attractions that bring hoards of tourists to the area.  We stayed on the East bank of the Nile, but took a ferry over the West Bank to see the Valley of Kings.  Of course, we were haggled the entire 10 minute ferry ride by a guy who drove a taxi on the West bank and gave ‘tours’.  And of course, he wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer.  We disembarked from the ferry, with Mr. Taxi man still trying to talk us out of our money, and found a guy (who said he had a taxi but really it was just a beater of a car and he had to pop the hood and tinker with some things before the engine would start) that took us out the Valley of Kings for a fraction of Mr. Taxi’s price.  The Valley of the kings is the royal necropolis and we went into four of the tombs.  Each tomb was carved into the mountainside.  The long hallways lead into ante-chambers and the burial chambers at the end.  All the artifacts have been removed, either by grave robbers or put into the museum in Cairo, but there some beautiful frescos (although I don’t think that is what the Egyptians call them) still remaining.

Ghetto taxi

Inside one of the tombs where Jeff isn't supposed to be taking pictures. 

After touring the tombs, we found a local guy to show us the path over the Theban Hills the Funerary Temple of Hatshepsut.  We walked through the area of the Tombs of the Nobles, although we didn’t go into any of them, on our way to Medinat Habu, the funerary temple of Ramses III.  One of the tourist police there let us into a restricted area of the temple which was really neat to see, and even more amazing he did it without wanting baksheesh!

t

Hiking over the Theban Hills

View of the Funerary Temple of Hatshepsut from the hike

Inside the restricted area of Funerary Temple of Rames III

Jeff's new baksheesh friend at the Hatshepsut Temple

On the East bank, we visited the Temple of Karnak.  This temple was built, modified, enlarged, and restored over a period of 1500 years and was the important worshiping place for the ancient Egyptians.  Besides Karnak, we walked through the tourist and local the bazaars.  Jeff even got a haircut in the local market! 

Pillars at Karnak

Running 7 times around the scrab beetle for good luck

Jeff getting his hair did Egyptian style

Horse and buggies would line the popular tourist streets.  Every time while walking back to our hotel from the main attractions, we would have to continuously tell the drivers no thank you.  Its kind of funny to be walking down a busy street with a horse following you!  But we did end up taking a carriage ride on our way to the train station.  Our next adventure lead us into the oasis of Egypt!