Blogs from Luxor, Upper Egypt, Egypt, Africa - page 2

When I said we were up early, I meant early! 0400, bags outside the room at 0430 and on the bus at 0500. We just had time to grab a bite to eat and make our sandwiches for the day. We arrived at the airport in no time - there is little traffic at this time of day - checked in and sitting around waiting for our flight to Luxor. The name Luxor is the modern Arabic name meaning palaces. The ancient Egyptian name was Waset, meaning the city of the sceptre. It was the ruling centre. The Greeks renamed the city Thebes and it became the capital of Egypt. The Arabs couldn’t say Thebes and so it became Luxor which means temples in Arabic. The city became important during the 11th dynasty when the town ... read more

http://www.heygo.com 12th February - Luxor The construction of the Avenue of Sphinxes began during the New Kingdom and finished during 30th Dynasty rule of Nectanebo I (380-362 BC). Around 1,200 sphinx statues are thought to have lined this road together with barque chapels stocked with offerings. The Avenue is one of the most important archaeological and religious paths in Luxor, as it was the location of important religious ceremonies in ancient times, most notably the Beautiful Feast of Opet where once a year during the festival Egyptians paraded along it carrying the statues of Amun and Mut in a symbolic re-enactment of their marriage. The Sacred Road was first discovered in 1949 in front of Luxor temple. Subsequent excavations between 1958 and 1964 increased the initial exposure, revealing the Avenue from Luxor temple to the rea ... read more

With our departure from Egypt approaching much too fast, our last day in Luxor had the third of my trip highlights, a visit to the Temple of Karnak. The granddaddy of all Egyptian temples, the one that was added on for over 2,000 years. The visit was bittersweet. It is without a doubt an awe inspiring sight, but it's also heartbreaking to see how much of it is damaged or entirely missing. After our visit I told Amr Hassan, our Tour Director, that I wanted a time machine, and I was sincere. To have seen this monument in its heyday must have been an incredible experience. The largest religious building ever made, the area of the sacred enclosure of Amun alone could hold ten average European cathedrals. The great temple at the heart of Karnak is ... read more

The Valley of the Kings....The Tomb of Rameses 4... read more

Valley of the Kings- Tombs of Ramses V and Ramses V... read more