Egypt, Days 3 & 4: Luxor

After our two days in Cairo, we left on a 7:00 AM flight to Luxor. This required a 4:45 AM pickup coming from Giza, so perhaps a later flight was in order. It was way too early!

We were picked up at the airport by our tour guide, Mansour, and headed out directly to explore Luxor's West Bank.

Our first stop was Karnak Temple. Unfortunately, I still have no real idea who or what this place is for (too much history, too little time), but I will say that it is IMPRESSIVE!

Both Caitlin and I were fairly astonished by this place.

And shocked that we had never heard of it.

The statues and columns were massive.

Then we headed off to Luxor Temple, located between the Nile and the central part of town.

There's two huge rows of sphinxes lining a walkway here. They're in varying states of decay, but this one was still intact.

This obelisk is one of my favorite parts of Luxor Temple because you'll notice that it is missing it's matched pair. (They were usually built in pairs to mark entrances to temples.)

And I think this one is cool because I've seen it's mate. In Paris. (At Place de la Concorde.)

Our 2nd day in Luxor was spent on the East Bank of Luxor. We took a look at the temple built by Hatshepsut first.

We also spent a little time at the Valley of the Kings. Unfortunately, you're not allowed to take pictures there at all. Not even outside. But, our guide did encourage us to take one once we were beyond the gates.

Really, it's not much to look at on the outside.

At Valley of the Kings your entrance fee allows you into three tombs of your choice, exclusive of the more famous ones, for which you must pay an extra fee.

We visited the tombs of Rameses IX, Rameses III, Tausert and Setnakht, and Tutankhamun.

We paid the extra fee for King Tut's tomb, which probably wasn't worth it...as our guide warned us. But, I struggled with leaving Valley of the Kings without having seen it and his mummy!

I found this website which is a mapping site of all the tombs they've uncovered and continue to uncover.

While we were there we spent a few minutes watching some archaeologists working to piece together remains of a recently discovered tomb. It looked like a puzzle that would never end.

We also stopped at the Habu Temple, the mortuary temple of Rameses III, which had the deepest stone carvings we had seen yet! Caitlin could stick her entire hand in some of the carvings.

And finally, to cap off our day, we took a felucca ride on the Nile.

Feluccas are traditional Egyptian sailboats.

Ours was called the Nile Queen.

I wonder how many sailboats carry this same name?!?!?!

Our sailing captain.

Views from the boat:

omg, I loved this little boy. When he saw our cameras, he started waving.
And, then the guy next to him...just smoking the hookah. 

Back at our hotel, the sunset wasn't so bad either.

Notes: 
Karnak Temple: 80 Egyptian pounds
Luxor Temple: 60 Egyptian pounds
Hatshepsut Temple: 50 Egyptian pounds
Valley of the Kings: 100 Egyptian pounds
Tomb of King Tut: Additional 100 Egyptian pounds
Habu Temple: 40 Egyptian pounds