Another time change last night. Ahead an hour, back and hour, ahead an hour, back an hour...I'm wearing out my watch.
Our Captain had announced a couple of days ago that the travel warnings for certain parts of Egypt had been lifted and that he and the company had determined that it would be safe for us to resume our original plan for a visit to the area of Egypt from Safaga to Luxor so this was put back into the plan. Behind the scenes there must have been a lot of coordinating between the company, the shore side tour operators, the government of Egypt, the port authority and so on for this stop went quite well for short notice. 0500 we were off the port and by 0630 tied up and very shortly thereafter cleared for shore leave. While awaiting clearance, on the pier alongside our ship there were several semi-trucks unloading bales, boxes, furniture, bicycles, mirrors, rugs and all other household items. The word we got was that these were Egyptian nationals who had been living in Kuwait and have returned because of the turmoil there. They came back by ferry and these trucks had been loaded with their household possessions.
Our bus headed SW up into the mountains and got a fine view of rocks and many police checkpoints. Crossing the top and moving down into the valley the terrain changed. The Nile river's many canals and irrigation ditches showed green fields of rice and sugar cane.
We passed through Quena, crossed the Nile and stopped at the Valley of the Kings at Luxor. Dismounted we waded through vendors waving postcards, books, stone carvings, scarves and other items and made our way to the gate. A short tram ride into the valley dropped us off at a point where three tombs could be accessed. The tombs are deep inside the mountain side and are just narrow corridors leading to burial chambers. As of now there are 64 known tombs of Egyptian royalty and more awaiting discovery. Only about 3 are open at any one time for visitors and not all 64 can be visited. No photography allowed. It was 92º in the sun but the tombs a bit cooler. We visited two tombs then got back to the bus.
The next stop was a short stop at the two 64' statues of Amenhotep III which are the only remnants of a once great temple. Back across the Nile and on to Luxor city to the temple of Karnak. This temple, began in the 20th century BC, is being re-constructed. Many walls are back up and the 134 columns and the magnificent obelisk of Queen Hatshepsut still stand. The relief carvings are still visible and some of the paint inside the temple is still very visible. The ram headed sphinxes line the entrance. The sacred lake, the oldest man made lake/pond in Egypt still holds water and will soon be re-connected with the Nile.
visit www.wikipedia.org/wik/karnak
www.discoveringegypt.com/karnak1.htm
Back across Egypt we went heading for the Red Sea and Safaga. 3 ½ hours later, in the dark, at 1930 we were back at the ship. 1930 was “all aboard” time and this was cut short. We were welcomed aboard and proceeded directly to our cabin. Dinner tonight was en suite as we were tired and aware that tomorrow is another day long adventure. At 2230 the MS Amsterdam departed Safaga to head NE up the Red Sea and into the Gulf of Aqaba. This transit will have Egypt on our left, Saudi Arabia on our right, Israel and Jordan ahead.
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