The West Bank at Luxor

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Left bright and early to escape the heat, and had a driver arranged through the hotel take me across the Nile to the West Bank. This is the land of the dead, and probably the greatest burial ground in Egypt outside of Cairo. During the New Kingdom days, nearly 1,000 years after the pyramids were built, pharoahs typically hid their tombs away in the hills surrounding Luxor, or Thebes. All of this was an attempt to stop grave-robbers.

The main sites are the Temple of Hatshepsut, the Valley of the Kings, the Tombs of the Nobles, the Ramesseum, and the Temple of Medinat Habu. Since the Temple of Hatshepsut in one of the hottest places in the world, I started here, at around 8:30ish. Next it was the Valley of the Kings. This is where Howard Carter found King Tut's burial chambers in 1922, the greatest and most famous finds in Egypt of the 20th Century. I was surprised, though - the tomb is actually very small, just a small shaft underground that opens up to 3 small rooms. Tut's mummy is here, and his sold gold sarcophagus. The Tombs of the Nobles have a more personal feel. You can see scenes of everyday life as opposed to cryptic messages in the royal tombs. Ramesseum and Medinat Habu also great places - the photos speak for themselves.

Came back in the early afternoon and spent a relaxing rest of the day at the hotel. A lot of haggling though in Luxor. You leave the hotel and are surrounded by people asking you for everything - horse rides, taxis, little souvenirs. It's all very harmless, and you can get rid of them with about 20 firm no's, but after awhile it gets just annoying and very tiring. The worst part of walking around in Luxor.

Tomorrow is my last day here. Seeing the final temple in town and another great museum. Then down to Aswan, my very last stop on this entire trip. Getting very tired. Ready to come home.

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Photos

Colossi of Memnon
All that remains of a giant temple. The first ruins you come across as you enter the area.

Stark Beauty of Hatshepsut Temple
A highlight of the West Bank. Hatshepsut was the great female pharaoh, with her temple built right up against this rock face.

Walkway Up
Consists of three terraces, with two long walkways. This almost looks modern, doesn't it?

Hathor Columns
Hathor is the Goddess of Love, and that's her at the top of these two columns.

Interesting Hieroglyph
See the ankh on the lower right? That's the famous glyph of everlasting life - you always see the Egyptian Gods holding one.

Beautiful Painting
Still at Hatshepsut, on the second terrace.

The Valley of the Kings
Heading up the Valley to the main entrance.

Just Inside
Can't take photos in the tombs. Tut's tomb is up the road and to the right. There were about 8 tombs open today - most have excellent wall paintings and decorations.

Leaving the Valley
There really is a stark beauty to the place.

The Ramesseum
One of Ramses II's temples. I went mainly because Romantic poet, Percy Shelley's great poem "Ozymandias" was inspired by these ruins.

Fallen Pharaoh
"Ozymandias" is all about a fallen statue of a great ruler, lost in the desert sands - and the foolishness of worldly glory.

Broken Head
"Round the decay /
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare /
The lone and level sands stretch far away."

Medinate Habu
One of the only fully excavated temples in all of Egypt.

Counting Severed Hands
Scribes count the severed hands of the dead. There's also one of scribes counting severed genitals.

The Pharaoh as Archer
The chariot was largely why the Egyptian army was so powerful. Saw Tut's chariot in the Luxor Museum, which they found in his tomb.