Yal'labeen'na, My Lovely People! - Egypt 2007 - Part 2

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Some of the carriage horses of Aswan are brought to the Nile to cool off Aboard the felucca there is no wind, so Hatem and Captain Ahmed have to row! Lunch is a leisurely affair, drifting down the Nile We stop for our first swim in the Nile.  It wasn't the purest of water.... ....but that didn't deter us
Aswan The Nile The Nile The Nile The Nile
         
This is what we looked like Claire gives Ben a massage I get the treatment too - she finds some very tender spots! Bruce returns the favour We moor up for the night
The Nile The Nile The Nile The Nile The Nile
         
A cup of tea is very welcome Claire and Katrina play clapping games Captain Ahmed prepares our evening meal.... ...which we thoroughly enjoy by candlelight The next morning we all wash in the Nile
The Nile The Nile The Nile The Nile The Nile
         
It is another excuse for a swim Hatem prepares our breakfast... ...which is delicious With the light winds, we were able to jump overboard whenever we fancied a swim The locals thought swimming was a good idea too
The Nile The Nile The Nile The Nile The Nile
         
There is plenty of time for sunbathing... ...or chatting Watermelon for our lunch We stop after lunch... ...for the washing up to be done!
The Nile The Nile The Nile The Nile The Nile
         
We approach the Temple of Kom Ombo This is where we will moor for the night Kom Ombo - the Temple of Haroeris (Horus the Elder) and Sobek, the crocodile god.  It has a double entrance
and two sanctuaries The temple dates mostly to the Ptolemaic period, though there is evidence of much earlier use of the site and also
from the time of Augustus and the later Roman emperors There is still some of the original paintwork in more sheltered parts of the temple
Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo
         
The temple would have been very brightly coloured.  This is of vultures, the symbol of Nekhbet and Wadjet Looking right through the temple to the sanctuary of Haroeris The two sanctuaries were side by side and linked by a secret passage used by the priests. These black granite
pedestals would have held the sacred barques or maybe the cult statues This relief is said to represent ritual or surgical instruments.  Haroeris was known
to be a healer, so perhaps this is the case A general view of the side of the temple
Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo
         
The twin entrances of the temple The well in the courtyard.  Sacred crocodiles were kept in a nearby pond Sunset from our mooring Very early next morning - a few people are stirring Not everyone is awake
Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo
         
Slowly everyone gets sorted out Time to leave soon A group photo with the crew before we take to dry land again Back to air-conditioning as we join the convoy for Edfu The Temple of Horus at Edfu is the most completely preserved of all the Egyptian temples.  It dates from the
Ptolemaic period, though it follows the earlier Pharaonic architectural style of Luxor and much earlier temples
Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Kom Ombo Edfu
         
It was started by Ptolemy III in 237 BC and finally completed in 57 BC by Ptolemy XII, Cleopatra VII's father
One of the two granite Horus falcons guarding the entrance pylon This is the other The Great Courtyard looking back towards the entrance pylon. It is said that the temple is built on the site of the great battle between Horus and Seth
Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu
         
The inner walls of the courtyard are highly decorated.  Some of the original colour still remains The entrance to the Outer Hypostyle Hall with its guardian granite statue of the Horus falcon The Horus falcon wears the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt Looking through the gateway to the inner depths of the temple and the sanctuary of Horus The Inner Hypostyle Hall
Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu
         
The Sanctuary of Horus with its granite shrine, which once housed the cult statue, and a modern reproduction
of the solar barque in the foreground The outer wall of the temple with its well preserved reliefs This is Cleopatra VII The old village of Edfu was once built on the sand that covered the temple.  These ruins at the front of the temple
give an idea of how deeply it was buried Erin makes friends with one of the local children of Luxor
Edfu Edfu Edfu Edfu Luxor
         
Luxor Temple - the First Pylon was built by Ramesses II.  The statues on either side of the entrance are of him The western side of the temple.  This part of the temple is earlier in date than the part built by Ramesses II Part of the Avenue of the Sphinxes which runs from Luxor Temple to Karnak Temple, three kilometres away.
These are human-headed whereas the Karnak ones are ram-headed Part of the Avenue still lies beneath modern Luxor.  The land is gradually being reclaimed and excavation of the
remaining sphinxes is on-going A view of Luxor Temple from the Nile
Luxor Luxor Luxor Luxor Luxor
         
Another meal, greatly enjoyed by all A wonderful shop in the bazaar.  We all bought some scarves, but Chantal cornered the market
Bruce is measured for a shirt Luxor Temple is dramatically lit up at night The Colonnade of Amenhotep III with its fourteen papyrus columns was built in the 14th century BC
Luxor Luxor Luxor Luxor Luxor
         
The Court of Amenhotep III with its double row of columns This was one of a pair of pink granite obelisks erected by Ramesses II in the 13th century BC.  In the 1830s the
other obelisk was given to France and is now sited in the Place de la Concorde in Paris We drive to Karnak in style The entrance to the vast temple complex of Karnak This small obelisk was one of two placed here by Seti II. Only this one remains
Luxor Luxor Luxor Karnak Karnak
         
Part of the avenue of ram-headed sphinxes which line the approach to Karnak These would have linked up with the human-headed sphinxes which extend northwards from Luxor Temple The ram-headed sphinx is a symbol of the god, Amun, king of all the Egyptian deities.  It is estimated that there
were originally about 900 sphinxes in the avenue, though only those close to Karnak are ram-headed Amun traditionally protects the pharoah, who is portrayed standing between the
paws.  In this case it is probably Ramesses II More ram-headed sphinxes are found inside the first courtyard of the temple.  These were repositioned when the
Great Courtyard was built over the original avenue
Karnak Karnak Karnak Karnak Karnak
         
The walls of the entrance pylon are incomplete and have no decoration.  This rubble is what remains of the
construction platform used to gain access to the higher levels Most of it has been removed, but it is the only known example showing how the ancient Egyptians constructed
and decorated the vast walls of their temples This is an example of an incomplete pillar, showing that it was carved in situ Ramesses II with his daughter / wife at his feet The courtyard of the Temple of Ramesses III.  The pillars are of Ramesses portrayed as Osiris, the god of the
Underworld.  The temple is a smaller version of the mortuary temple of Ramesses III at Medinet Habu
Karnak Karnak Karnak Karnak Karnak
         
The Great Hypostyle Court - there are 134 of these vast papyrus pillars and the floor area is great enough to
contain both St Peter's in Rome and London's St Paul's Cathedral The huge hall would have been roofed and lit by small clerestory windows The obelisk of Tuthmosis I seen through the pillars of the Great Hypostyle Court I wish I could read this cartouche! The Great Hypostyle Court is awesome
Karnak Karnak Karnak Karnak Karnak
         
Our Egyptian guide, Adel, was a graduate of Cairo University and was informative and very entertaining The obelisks of Tuthmosis I and Hatshepsut seen from the Great Hypostyle Court View of the two obelisks The obelisk of Hatshepsut which was erected in 1457 BC It was one of a pair and is the tallest obelisk still standing in Egypt
Karnak Karnak Karnak Karnak Karnak
         
Originally there were four obelisks here - only this one remains standing The pillars in the foreground have been restored The sacred lake of Tuthmosis III Amenhotep III's red granite scarab.  Modern mythology suggests that those who walk round it three times will
achieve their wish and those who go round seven times will marry their loved one.  It gets very busy! In the foreground is the broken top part of the second obelisk of Hatshepsut
Karnak Karnak Karnak Karnak Karnak
         
The Cachette Court - in this area in 1903 a great number of stone and bronze statues were found.  Most were sent
to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.  These seven remain in Karnak I have no idea who these are, but they are very fine Ditto We have delicious ice creams in a five star hotel - a far cry from our usual surroundings! The sunset over the Nile was marvellous
Karnak Karnak Karnak Luxor Luxor
         
An early morning start for our donkey ride to the Valley of the Kings Off we go We travel at a spanking trot My donkey seems exhausted!  How on earth did it carry me? - it is so tiny Looking down at the Valley of the Kings.  Our entrance ticket allowed us entry to three tombs
Luxor Luxor Valley of the Kings Valley of the Kings Valley of the Kings
         
The tombs of Ramesses I and Seti I and others up a side valley The Tomb of Tutankhamun in the foreground.  It was discovered by Howard Carter in 1922. The entrance to Tutankhamun's Tomb.  All the amazing treasures of Tutankhamun were found packed into this
rather small space A typical entrance - this is the tomb of Ramesses IX It was difficult to know which tomb to visit
Valley of the Kings Valley of the Kings Valley of the Kings Valley of the Kings Valley of the Kings
         
Our visit was over all too quickly Deir al-Medina, the workers village, where those who built and decorated the tombs of the Valley of the Kings lived There were two very fine tombs here, which were made by workers for themselves. The temple which gave the village its name in later years Sadly, most of the village was off limits, so exploring was not an option
Valley of the Kings Deir al-Medina Deir al-Medina Deir al-Medina Deir al-Medina
         
The Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut - it was not on our itinerary, so this is the nearest we came to it The Ramesseum - the funerary temple of Ramesses II.  There is little left, which prompted Shelley to write Tombs of the Nobles - there are more than 400 tombs in this valley Colossi of Memnon - these are all that remain of the vast funerary temple of Amenhotep III.  The temple was
destroyed by the annual inundation of the Nile, which eroded it over the centuries. The statues are badly worn, but are still very impressive at 18 metres in height
Temple of Hatshepsut The Ramesseum Tombs of the Nobles Colossi of Memnon Colossi of Memnon
         
They have been a tourist attraction from Roman times onwards The Syrian Gate of Medinat Habu is unusual with its fortified double storey Sekhmet, the lion-headed godess of war, guards the entrance Medinat Habu, like Karnak, is a complex of many temples, but it is chiefly the funerary temple of Ramesses III The First Pylon of the temple of Ramesses III
Colossi of Memnon Medinat Habu Medinat Habu Medinat Habu Medinat Habu
         
This relief on the First Pylon shows Ramesses III victorious over the Libyans.  It is unusual in that some of the
prisoners are shown full-face, rather than the more usual profile A tally was kept of the number of the enemy killed, by cutting off and counting hands, as depicted in this relief When chopping off hands resulted in double counting, they turned to counting genitals The First Court of Medinat Habu. The Colonnade of the First Court.  The private quarters of Ramesses III lie behind this.  He used to watch proceedings
from his Window of Appearances behind these columns
Medinat Habu Medinat Habu Medinat Habu Medinat Habu Medinat Habu
         
The throne area of the Palace of Ramesses III In the 12th Century BC, Ramesses had a shower area and drainage in his bathroom Some of the original colour remains on the pillars of the First Court Osirid columns in the First Court The Second Pylon leading into the Second Court
Medinat Habu Medinat Habu Medinat Habu Medinat Habu Medinat Habu
         
Looking right through the temple complex The ceiling of the doorway from the Second Court into the Third Court It is still brightly coloured after so many years

All that remains of the Great Hypostyle Hall Looking back through the temple complex to the Syrian Gate
Medinat Habu Medinat Habu Medinat Habu Medinat Habu Medinat Habu
         
The Syrian Gate and the doorways of the Second and First Courts        
Medinat Habu        
         
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