Egypt #3 - End of the Nile Cruise, Luxor, and Hot Air Balloon Ride
Photos taken November 22, 2009 - November 24, 2009

HELP:
To view a larger version of each photo, just click on the thumbnail or the [view] link.
To download a high-res version of each photo for printing, click on the [download] link.

This is how most of the cruisers have to line up when they dock at each port. Lucky for us, we had our own private port so we didn't have to walk between each ship!
[view] [download]
Miniature model of Karnak's Temple Complex
[view] [download]
Karnak Temple Complex - supposedly the biggest in the world. For many centuries, Egyptian Pharoahs would add to this complex, leaving their own mark and memorial.
[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]
This was an example of how the Christians defaced the pagan Egyptian sculptures in the 300s AD. They cut out everything except for the shape of a cross, to better suit their imagery.
[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]
The Christians covered the Egyptian carvings on this wall with their own mural -- only a little bit of it remains in the top left section.
[view] [download]

[view] [download]
We found this very interesting. Within Karnak Temple were both Christian churches and a Muslim mosque. After the Egyptian reign ended, the Christians and then the Muslims used this as a place of worship as well.
[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]
Kelly and Mom Klocke sunbathing atop our cruise ship! Kelly's hard at work on her daily diary.
[view] [download]
A hot air balloon getting filled up, at 4:30am!
[view] [download]
These were some heavy-duty balloon baskets. We went up with a balloon with 20 passengers and 1 pilot.
[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]
Yes - it was quite cool that morning (I'd guess around 45-50 degrees). I had four layers on -- of course we had our warmest day that afternoon. Luckily, were able to leave most of the layers on the bus.
[view] [download]

[view] [download]
We were in the air with seven other balloons for our sunrise balloon ride!
[view] [download]
This was pretty amazing!
[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]
It was stunning to us to see that where the cultivated farmland ends, it turns IMMEDIATELY to desert.
[view] [download]

[view] [download]
Look out below!
[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]
Phew, we made it safely!
[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]
Valley of the Kings -- unfortunately no cameras were allowed inside (and we actually listened for once) so we didn't get to take any photos of the colorfully painted burial tombs. Amazing how much detail still lives on.
[view] [download]

[view] [download]
Atop the mountain, you can see a pyramid-shaped apex. Legend says this is why the Egyptians chose this mountain range for their tombs.
[view] [download]
Hatshepsut's Temple. This amazes me - it almost looks contemporary, but it's thousands of years old. Pharaoh Hatshepsut was one of the only female pharoahs, and the one who ruled the longest and the most famous of the Ancient Egyptian Empire (Cleopattra came during Greco-Roman Empire)
[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]
The Valley of the Queens
[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]
It's an Intelligent Toilet! The bidet sprayer was a shock, let me tell you.
[view] [download]

[view] [download]
Our hotel room in Luxor for one night - the Sonesta St. George Hotel.
[view] [download]
This was the control panel for the toilet, with the following functions: bidet, spraying, spraying-massage, blow drying, seat warming, auto flushing
[view] [download]
We walked into the KFC / Pizza Hut restaurant to see KFC overrun by about 25 nuns! Made us smile.
[view] [download]
We ate Pizza Hut, not KFC. Yummm was it good! And I'm a fan of the arabic logos as well.
[view] [download]

[view] [download]
The Nile at sunset, as seen from the pool area of our hotel.
[view] [download]

[view] [download]
This was a giant chandelier that Kelly and Mom Klocke admired in our hotel's lobby.
[view] [download]
This was an example of our boxed lunch that we were given during our day-long excursions. There are three 10inch rolls/sandwiches in each bag, not to mention fruit and yogurt and water and juice!
[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]
Abydos - memorial temple of Pharoah Seti I
[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]
Looking up at the ceiling inside the temple - stars painted to depict nightfall
[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]
This is another example of how the Christians in 300s AD defaced the Egyptian carvings. Typically, they defaces only carvings of Gods/Godesses, not of the Pharoahs. They were trying to eliminate Pagan symbolism.
[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]
Yes, that's a man standing on the back bumper of a station wagon on the road!
[view] [download]
Unfortunately, we didn't get a photo of me doing this later that afternoon...
[view] [download]

[view] [download]
Now, we're at Denderah Temple
[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]
Egypt's President - Hosni Mubarak. He's been the president since 1981 (serving his fifth 6-year term). We loved the "I'm a badass" propaganda seen along many roadways.
[view] [download]
One of many checkpoints we'd have to stop and pass through security during our travels.
[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]

[view] [download]