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Monday, April 04, 2011

Egypt

Saturday April 2, 2011 7:15 AM (1:15 AM EDT)

This morning we are docked in the port of Safaga, located on the east
coast of Egypt on the Red Sea. Outside of the Amsterdam there are
probably three dozen semi trucks unloading all sorts of "stuff." This
includes beds, mattresses, bicycles, doors, all types of household items
and I don't have a clue as to what they are doing with it. They are
loading all of the stuff on hand carts and will probably take it
someplace but I don't know where. (UPDATE: Our tour guide informs us
that these are Egyptian families coming back to Egypt from Kuwait.)

In a little bit we will be heading on a bus to the city of Luxor to
investigate the Valley of the Kings. It is about a three and a half hour
bus ride to Luxor so it looks to be a long day.

Monday April 4, 2011 8:30 AM (1:15 AM EDT)

I started this post two days ago but have not got back to it as these
last two days have been long and busy. As I noted in the previous post,
early in the morning of the second we started out for Luxor which is
west of Safaga and across the desert near the Nile River. The drive is
he about three and a half drive. Our first stop near Luxor was the
Valley of the Kings, the burial sites of ancient pharaohs. Unfortunately
no photos are allowed in the Valley of the Kings area. We visited three
tombs - Ramses II, Ramses IV and another whose name I forget and cannot
find my map of the tombs. The tombs are brightly decorated with
hieroglyphics and it is amazing that they are so easily read after a
couple of thousands of years. The tomb of King Tut, the boy king is open
but it costs to visit it. I do not know why would pay extra for seeing
it as most of the treasures have been removed and are found in different
museums.

After our visit to the Valley we had lunch aboard the riverboat
Dahabeyas on the Nile River and then on to the Karnak Temple (not to be
confused with the Johnny Carson character with the same name). This
photo is at the entrance to the temple. Originally there were huge doors
here at the entrance. Everything at the temple is huge! Only as portion
of the temple and associated facilities have been excavated but it was a
huge place.

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