Dec 18, 2009 (Karannina): west bank Nile River

Dec 18, 2009 (Karannina): After a full night of sleep we enjoy breakfast of milkshake of banana, papple, and melon; freshly squeezed lemon juice; chipati pancakes with butter and honey, “albino” toast with fig jam; cucumbers, tomatoes, and feta cheese; and Egyptian tea with raw sugar. Next we emailed our first blog. Then a successful barter from 30 LE to 10 LE rewards us with a horse-drawn carriage ride to the Luxor Museum. Amazement of various antiquities including the golden cow, 2 royal mummies, many statues of Pharaohs (including King Tut), goddess (Amon) and war chariots, bows that shot arrows 300 metres, coins including dracna, furniture, clothing and papyrus and fragments of the wall with hieroglyphics. Reflection helps us to have a better understanding of the experiences of the Israelites during captivity. After a successful bartering with another Luxarian businessman, we are provided with ferry passage to the west bank of the Nile and minibus to the Valley of the Kings to explore the amazing walls of the three tombs of Ramses the XI, Sety I and wife, and Ramses III. Hieroglyphics, reliefs of various gods, stories of war, and the afterlife with many different symbols. Entrance to each room was protected by a pair gods with different roles. Surprised to find some walls unfinished, missing painting, just a rough sketch of the outline of what would be coloured at a later time. At the alabaster factory we discover the intricacies of carving stone and the beautiful handiwork of artisans working with various local stones (marble, ebox, glow in the dark stone, etc.). We enjoy leftovers by the Nile as we take in the sunset and complete our evening with a walk by the Luxor Temple.