Safaga

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Safaga

Our main purpose of docking in Safaga, Egypt is to go to Luxor and visit the Valley of the Kings and Temple of Karnac. We boarded our bus (#4 of 16!) at 6:45 for the four hour trip to Luxor. Because we were traveling in an escorted convoy, we had to wait for all of the buses to be ready, and as a result, it was closer to eight before we got started. The police cars stopped traffic at busy intersections so all of the buses could pass. There was an armed guard on the bus as well.

We crossed over the Red Sea Mountains to reach the Nile Valley and the city of Luxor. Most of the land was sand and desert until we reached the valley, although we passed a couple of villages where we saw some green areas, but that was not large. Every so often we went through armed security stops preceded by rows of rumble strips making it difficult to nap along the way. Luckily, our guide was very good. She had been educated at the American University in Cairo which is considered the best in Egypt, and studied in England as well. She currently teaches at the American U, and is scheduled to be a guest lecturer at Bradley University in Illinois this fall, I think. We were lucky to have her as she told us not only the history and background, but also the conditions in present day Egypt.

Tombs in the Valley of the Kings have been discovered as late as 2006 the 63rd tomb was uncovered - that of the boy king Tutankhamen. We arrived at the sites in extremely hot weather with temps rising to 112 and no shade except a small rectangular shelter about 15 by 50 feet holding a few small benches. We had tickets to enter two tombs, but King Tut’s tomb closed about an hour before we arrived. We started in Ramses III’s tomb where we entered through a small opening used to enter and exit, so the going was slow. It was very crowded and as we continued down the path into the tomb, the air became very close. However, what we saw was incredible paintings in the original colors painted centuries ago. Since the Egyptians used completely natural dyes for their art, the colors are still vivid and have not been retouched at all. Amazing work! The ceilings as well as walls and niches are completely covered in paintings depicting the life of the Pharaoh the tomb holds. Getting out of the tombs was a challenge, and by the time we exited Ramses III’s, I was ready to find some shade and some water. Bruce managed to go to Ramses VI’s tomb which, he said, was not as colorful as the first one. By then, we were ready to head for the air conditioned bus, but no, first we had to walk through the “market” where the aggressive vendors were hawking their wares. I wanted a diet Coke, and asked the price of a can. He said $2, then when I had it in hand, he said $3. I handed it back and said no way! He said, ok, $2 then, so I bought it. Probably could have gotten it for $1 if I hadn’t wanted it so badly! The bus was a welcomed oasis at this point.

From there we headed for the Temple of Luxor, a huge complex with gigantic columns and statues dating back centuries. We had time on our own to explore the ruins and get to the inner sanctuary. Many of the heads of the statues were gone because they were above ground for many years before the rest of the temple was unearthed. The statues below grade still had their heads. We wandered through the temple in complete awe, not believing there had once been a roof over this whole temple.

Then it was on to a late lunch at a hotel. All buses went to the same place, and the hotel didn’t have room for all 600 of us in one room so we were ushered outside again and across the pool area where we thought we would have to eat outside in the heat. But no, we were led downstairs under the pool area to another banquet room which was moderately cooled. The buffet lunch was quite nice and we had a large, cold Stella beer that tasted mighty good. After lunch we stopped for some shopping and then it was on to the Temple of Karnac for the sound and light show.

By this time, most people were all “templed” out. We arrived a bit early, so we had to wait till the sun went down before they opened the chain across the entrance. Finally, the voice from the hidden speaker began, and we were herded forward, all 600 of us plus another 600 or so other tourists. The “Pharaoh’s “voice continued as we walked through the path into the open temple area. Lights came on parts of the ruins and the voices continued as we inched forward over rough stones and uneven paths. This process continued again and again, and we walked further and further, looking at our feet because some people were tripping over the stones. Some people were going this way and some that way, and no one knew who to follow. People were shouting “go this way” so we aimlessly followed someone who seemed to know the way. Finally after almost an hour, we walked up a hill to a huge set of stairs leading to some actual SEATS. Of course we had to wait for everyone to be seated before the next phase began. Then, a little humor broke the tension. The voice began, “The Pharaoh said, (pause, and then from the distance, a voice was heard from a minaret calling people to prayer followed by dogs howling. Everyone started to laugh, but the program continued. Finally it ended and we were again herded down the stairs this time and out of the temple area to our buses. Amen.

Naturally, we had to wait for all of us to be on board buses before the convoy could begin our four hour trip back to the ship. At last we left Luxor and drove about two hours and waited while we waited for a changing of the guard, so to speak, and the Safaga police escort took over from the Luxor police. Our convoy arrived back at the ship at midnight. The ship was scheduled to sail at 11:30, but it was closer to 12:30 before we dropped the lines and got under way.

The day was just much too long, and the light show a disaster rather than a highlight. It would have been better to spend an hour or so in the daylight at Karnac and gone back to Safaga before dark, but what we did see earlier in the day was well worth the trip.

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