I hate computers...

My apologies for disappearing for three days but on Sunday, we departed Cairo by plane to Thebes/Luxor. When we landed, we were quickly dispersed to Karnak Temple, where I summoned up Johnny Carson's spirit. If you don't get that then you are younger than 40, and I don't have time to explain. After Karnak, we checked into the boat, the Sun Boat IV, and we were off again to Denderah to visit the wonderful Ptolemaic temple of Goddess Hathor. With internet a hit & miss, iphoto problems, hectic schedule, and belly dancing-(more on that later) it is difficult to find time to pontificate. So, here it goes...

Quick Fact...Karnak is an enormous open air complex and the largest ancient religious site in the world.

                                           
I call these my wicked angle shots of photography...learned from my daughter-Jenny!!

After Karnak we visited the temple of Hathor close to sunset, had it virtually to ourselves. It was a beautiful temple and I will let the pictures explain this place. But that seems to be a major problem because I can't get my iphoto to open-it keeps saying server rejected on my pictures!

On Tuesday, we started the day early with a trip to the funerary temple of Queen Hatshepsut (Hot-cheap-suit).  One of Egypt's true pharaoh queens to rule as a true pharaoh & not just Chief Wife. This Queen was one of the first to work hard to bring home the bacon (oops, I mean chicken, since I'm in a Muslim country) & fry it up in da pan, all while carrying her crook & flail.

We visited the Valley of the Queens...where we saw tombs of the Queens. Then, we proceeded to the Valley of the Kings. No photography was allowed, and all cameras had to stay on the bus. I have two pictures from a distance of the valley before we entered, and one of Howard Carter's house outside the valley. We explored the tomb of Seti I, The tomb of Tuthmosis III, two other tombs, and of course the boy-king-Tutankhamun. In all his royal boy glory. He looked pretty good for a 3,335 year old mummy.

Valley of the Kings

Howard Carter's House

Off to an alabaster workshop, then home again jiggety-jig.

Not really getting the connection of Father Christmas/Noel & Bob Marley but I'm not a marketing expert.

We ended the day with a night visit to the Temple of Luxor. It was lit up which set a glorious mood with a colonnade of Amenhotep III's 14 papyrus-headed columns, 50 feet in height & 32 feet in circumference. These guys know how to build a temple. All without the wheel or pulleys!

Melissa   Jan. 11   10:22