Egypt Day 7, Part One--Edfu Temple

                Our mode of transport to Edfu Temple, which is dedicated to Horus, the Falcon God.
 

The temple is referred to as "Greco-Roman" because it was restored during periods when Egypt was occupied by the Greeks, and later the Roman. The wall is the tallest extant of any Egyptian antiquity, at more than 140 feet.

                                                       The relief remains incredibly sharp.

                                                                            Horus

Early Christians would worship here, reasoning that their persecutors would never expect them to gather in an Egyptian Temple. The Christians would obliterate the images of what were, to them, pagan deities.

                                         Another view of a Nile image from time immemorial.

Egypt Day 6, Valley of the Kings

Famed tomb of King Tutankhamun, discovered intact in 1922. The Valley of the Kings served as a royal cemetery to at least 62 pharaohs and lesser nobles. No doubt, many more wonders remain to be discovered.
 

In the tomb of Ramses II--the three headed serpent is not depicted in any other tombs. Note the extraordinary coloring

                                                       Within the Tomb of Amenhotep II

                                                              Striking detail in the Tomb

                                                            An alabaster carving facility

                                                      Another gorgeous sunset on the Nile

Egypt Day 5, Part 2--Luxor Temple at Night

                                         A nighttime view across the Nile of the Valley of the Kings
 

                           No words here; a private tour of Luxor Temple at night was spectacular.

Egypt Day 5 Part One---Karnak Temple

We flew from Cairo to Luxor, known in ancient times as Thebes, one of Egypt's capital cities. We were privileged to visit Karnak, which vies for Angkor Wat for the title of largest temple complex in the world. See entry of March 2, 2013.
 

Our tour of the temple of Khonsu was conducted by Dr. Mostafa Waziri, Egypt's Head of Antiquities.

                                         The colors inside the temple remain surprisingly vivid.

The detail on the walls and columns in the Great Hypostyle Hall is incredible. Napoleon supposedly had dinner atop one of the columns, and scenes from the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me, featuring the notorious villain Jaws, were filmed here.

                              Colossus of Ramses II, outside of the Temple of Amun, King of the Gods

                              The Avenue of Sphinxes, leading to the Luxor Temple entrance

                                                     Hand of Ramses, identified by the seal

Egypt Day 4 Part 2---Great Pyramid of Khufu

                   The Great Pyramid of Khufu, the only Seven Wonders of the World that remains. It is believed to have been constructed over a 27 year period, at least 26 centuries before Christ. Towering approximately 481 feet, it was the tallest man-made structure in the world for more than 3,800 years.

 

                                                Sunrise, as we prepare to enter the pyramid.

A fascinating climb to the King's Chamber. We were also able to visit the Queen's Chamber. Both are accessed by creeping through tunnels measuring about four feet by four feet.

                                                              A common site on Giza.