Death of the Pyramids

Pyramids are bloody cool structures. Indeed and readers of the classic “Supernature” by Lyall Watson will know of their magical properties. Place blunt knives or razor-blades under a pyramid and they will sharpen.

However, they were both expensive and time consuming to build, and highly labour intensive, As the Ancient Egyptians moved down southwards (easy for looting in what is now Sudan) an alternative was sort.

Enter Al-Qurn (Horn) mountain. A natural pyramidal shape, it became a quality symbol and appropriate location for the creation of the Valley of the Kings.

Al-Qurn mountain overlooks the Valley of the Kings

And there you have it.

Luxor

central Mosque - East Bank

Built on the ancient capital of Thebes with a history dating back some 4000 years, Luxor is a must-see on the Egypt trail.

It is a busy city with a population close to half a million people, most of which is based on the East Bank. A ferry operates 24/7 across the Nile for E£1.

The two temples are seriously beautiful in Luxor (East Bank).

Karnak is an extraordinary vast temple complex. Built, modified, expanded and restored over a period of some 1500 years, it became the most important temple of worship during the New Kingdom. The main tructure inside is the Temple of Amun , and is considered to be the largest religious temple ever built. Entrance fee is E£65/E£35 for adults/students.

More Photos of Karnak in Monochrome











The Luxor temple has mini sphinx lined up as you enter and has plenty to offer. Whilst most of it was built by Amenhotep III, many other left their mark, including Tutenkhamun, Ramses II, Nectanebo, Alexander the Great and the Romans. There is even an 13th century mosque slapped into the middle of the complex.




The Luxor Museum has an excellent reputation, but all museums in Egypt remain closed. During the recent protest, the National Museum was damaged and looted, and security remains on high alert.

There is a large souq (market) selling all the usually tourist goods.

First i check out a couple of hotels on the East Bank the Nefretiti Hotel which has really nice rooms for E£100 / E£160 for singles/doubles including breakfast on their comfy rooftop. The Happyland is less salubrious and i have to battle to get a room for E£70 including a Middle-Eastern breakfast. The owner is a serious crook and i don’t feel comfortable staying here.

A much more tranquil option is to stay in the more rural Western side. We negotiate an E£80 single with no breakfast but use of the kitchen at Kareem’s. One of the owners (Mandu) is a serious gangster – but then so are so many Egyptians. His brother is far more pleasant. After the beautiful Sudanese, it seriously aggravates me. Ever heard of the expression “the cheating Arabs”? It must stem from tourists who have visited Egypt.


With all the outlays of money for temple visiting, i opt to self cater. The small grocery shop next to Kareem’s has a good stock and good and honest prices. For restaurants, Snack-Time opposite Luxor temple offers Wi-Fi and an interesting menu.

You can go nuts with all the temples and tombs that surround Luxor. My personal faves were Karnak, Ramusseum and Valley of the Kings. But hey – we’re all different.

An Eye and a Lens - Karnak Temple Complex

Karnak at sunrise

Karnak is an extraordinary and vast temple complex. Built, modified, expanded and restored over a period of some 1500 years, it became the most important temple of worship during the New Kingdom. The main structure inside is the Temple of Amun, and is considered to be the largest religious temple ever built. Entrance fee is E£65/E£35 for adults/students.

I see a first tour bus since arriving in Egypt, mostly dressed totally inappropriately in shorts and bare shoulders, but fortunately they don’t stay long. It takes me some 6 hours to do this complex justice.

Al-Gazira and Surrounding Temples and Tombs

Luxor might not boast any pyramids, but nonetheless it is the capital of Ancient Egypt. Built on top the original City of Thebes it boasts a rich history over 4,000 years old.

There are myriad ruins and antiquities to be found in Al-Gazira on the West Bank of Luxor. Unless you’re a serious Egyptologist, you will need to be a bit selective as costs and time can be prohibitive.

Still enjoying the company of Caspar and Elizabeth, we decide to rent donkeys for the day to visit some of these Egyptian treasures for E£30 each = a further E£40 total for the guide. It provides a fantastic alternative to renting a bike (E£15 -20) or a taxi (E£120 –E£200). Whilst i enjoy the docile lone female, Caspar struggles to tame his wild beastie.

Our first stop is the Colossus of Memnon. These two 18 metre statues are all that remain of the temple built by Amenhotep III and are set in beautiful lush sugar-cane fields. This is about the only freebie to be had in town.





Heading up into the mountains our next stop is the Valley of the Queens. Despite a hefty E£70 (E£35 for students), there are only three tombs currently open and two of these are actually very young princes. Very disappointing considering there are over 75 tombs already discovered. No photography is permitted inside the tombs. Each are interesting, with beautiful motifs, inscriptions and hieroglyphics, although none take my breath away.




If i was disappointed with the Valley of the Queens, it is good preparation for a visit for the Valley of the Kings (E£80/E£40 – adults/student). No photography is allowed either in or outside the tombs – no-one can explain to me why. For this price, you are entitled to visit three tombs, a further E£100 will get you into Tutankhamun’s tomb (said to be the most interesting) and if you pay over E£300 you can see several more. There are a total of 60 tombs altogether. At least the tombs that we do see are all pretty spectacular, and much of the original paintwork is in very good condition. We are 3 of just 6 tourists on the site – usually they total some 8,000. It’s a pretty surreal experience.

photography is completely and absurdly banned in the Valley of the Kings

view from the top of the mountain

Moving down the hill we hit Deir al Bahri which was the funerary temple of Hatshepsut. Although desecrated and vandalised by her successor, Thuthmosis III, it has amazingly restored and looks more like a Hollywood film set. It’s location on the eastern side of the Theban mountain is superb.







My personal favourite however is the Ramesseum. Built by the very busy Ramses II, much of it lies in ruins – but i like that. The evening sun provides for beautiful photography. With no ticket office nearby we each baksheesh E£10 to the security guard.





There are many more sights to be had, but this day trip provided a great taster. And i highly recommend the donkey option too.