Valley of the Queens

The Valley of the Queens is located on the West Bank at Luxor (ancient Thebes). There are between 75 and 80 tombs in the Valley of the Queens, or Biban al-Harim.  These belong to Queens of the 18th, 19th and 20th Dynasties.  These include

The Tomb of Khaemwese (Tomb 44): Scenes in Khaemwese's tomb show him being presented to the guardians of the gates to the afterlife along with his father.  He is making an offering in the scene, and is dressed in a robe, wearing a necklace and the sidelocks of youth.

The Tomb of Queent Titi (Tomb 52): She is probably the queen of a 20th Dynasty.  She is depicted with the sidelocks common to the Egyptian young of the period and in the presence of the gods Thoth, Atum, Isis and Nephthys.  In the next chamber the queen is shown making offerings to Hathor the cow, and in the last chamber the gods Neith, Osiris, Selquit, Nephthys and Thoth.

The Tomb of Amenhikhopeshef (Tomb 55): Amenhikhopeshef was a son of Ramesses III and scenes show him with his father and the gods Thoth, Ptah and others. He was probably about nine years old when he died.  Scenes show him being presented to various gods, including Anubis, the Jackal-headed god of the dead, by his father, Ramesses III. A premature baby was also found in to tomb. This belonged to this mother, who aborted upon learning of Amenhikhopeshef's death.

Nefertari

The Tomb of Nefertari (Tomb 66): One of five wives of Ramesses II, Nefertari was his favorite and the tomb here has been is said to be one of the most beautiful in Egypt.  The tomb is completely painted with scenes though out.  In most of these, Nefertari, known as 'the most beautiful of them', is accompanied by gods.  She is usually wearing a golden crown with two feathers extended from the back of a vulture and clothed in a white, gossamer  gown. Be sure not to miss the side room where one scene depicts the queen worshipping the mummified body of Osiris.  Near the stairs to the burial chamber is another wonderful scene with Nefertarti offering milk to the goddess Hathor

The Temple of Deir el Bahari (XVIII Dyn)

The mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut is one of the most dramatically situated in the world. The queen's architect, Senenmut, designed it and set it at the head of a valley overshadowed by the Peak of the Thebes, the "Lover of Silence," where lived the goddess who presided over the necropolis. A tree lined avenue of sphinxes led up to the temple, and ramps led from terrace to terrace. The porticoes on the lowest terrace are out of proportion and coloring with the rest of the building. They were restored in 1906 to protect the celebrated reliefs depicting the transport of obelisks by barge to Karnak and the miraculous birth of Queen Hatshepsut. Reliefs on the south side of the middle terrace show the queen's expedition by way of the Red Sea to Punt, the land of incense. Along the front of the upper terrace, a line of large, gently smiling Osirid statues of the queen looked out over the valley. In the shade of the colonnade behind, brightly painted reliefs decorated the walls. Throughout the temple, statues and sphinxes of the queen proliferated. Many of them have been reconstructed, with patience and ingenuity, from the thousands of smashed fragments found by the excavators; some are now in the Cairo Museum, and others the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

CAIRO

The Egyptian capital stretches out along both banks of the Nile. The governorship of Giza on the west 

bank  and that of Cairo proper on the east bank merge to form the same vast conurbation.

The indomitable city of Cairo is still in the eyes of the Egyptians “The Victorious”, “Mother of the world” or simply “Misr”, the name for Egypt as a whole.

The Egyptian capital stretches out along both banks of the Nile. The governorship of Giza on the west bank and that of Cairo proper on the east bank merge to form the same vast conurbation. With an insatiable appetite for space, the largest city on the African continent makes daily inroads into desert sands and farmlands. This is happening at such a rate that no one knows for certain whether Cairo’s population has reached ten, fifteen or perhaps even twenty million.

Cairo

Cairo was a source of amazement to travelers even at the time of the Mameluks. But the indomitable city of Cairo is still in the eyes of the Egyptians “The Victorious”, “Mother of the world” or simply “Misr”, the name for Egypt as a whole. As long as the visitor is willing to lose his way then he too can discover the sweetness of Cairo nights lit by green neon illuminated mosques, the warmth of small, everyday cafes, the pleasure of strolling along narrow streets and the smiling good humor of the city’s people.

City centre

On the east bank of the Nile, between Tahrir and Ataba Squares and Ramesses Station lies the centre of modern-day Cairo. Europeanised since the mid nineteenth century, this quarter was built along the same lines as Haussmann’s Paris: the streets are broad and meet at right angles and rococo apartment buildings with stucco mouldings were considered the height of modernity. This area also conceals some architectural gems dating from the early nineteenth century.

Along Talaat Harb Street, Qasr el-Nil Street and the Avenue of the 26 July, enormous painted posters advertise films currently showing in the cinemas. On Thursday evenings, the citizens of Cairo crowd the pavements of this window-shopper’s paradise. There are fabric remnant shops, clothes and shoe shops as well as major department stores, such as City Star, excellent pastry shops, fashionable fast-food outlets and belly-dancing cabaret clubs. The crowds are a mix of tourists and students from the American university. 
On leaving the main thoroughfares and entering the amazing alleyways of Khan El Khalili, the visitor can discover small restaurants and workaday cafes where men in suits and ties come to smoke their nargileh and drink their extra sweet tea away from the bustle. 
Tahrir Square (Liberation Square) in the heart of the city represents Cairo as a whole. An oriental-style building houses the American University. An enormous, semi-circular building, the Mogamma, houses several government departments. A visa extension might require a visit to this building in which case a cold beer to follow on the terrace of the Nile Hilton is sure to be appreciated.

Cairo’s underground – the fourth pyramid

Over a million passengers travel daily between Choubra el-Kheima in the north and Helwan in the south on its smoothly operating trains. A second line linking the two banks was opened in 1998 and has been extended as far as Giza.

Experiencing life after sunset

In the heart of the Cairo night, dazzling dancers in sequinned costumes take centre stage. What westerners call belly dancing is here regarded as an institution. As such it has its dancing masters, who take pupils from around the world, its stars, who are seized on by luxury hotels and cinema directors, its couturiers, its musicians, its very own street of cabaret clubs and even its sleazy bars.

Islamic Quarters

Cairo, “City of a thousand minarets”, is not considered by Muslims to be as holy a city as Mecca, Medina or Jerusalem. Its streets and alleyways do however conceal treasures of Islamic art, many of which, although crumbling, offer a dazzling sight to anyone who knows how and where to look. Admission to Islamic monuments is not free. Visitors should also be aware of the need to dress appropriately – shorts and vest tops are not acceptable – and to cover the head in all mosques.

Around Bab el-Futuh

In the Islamic quarters of Old Cairo there are mosques, palaces, caravanserais and Koranic schools. In this area little visited by tourists there is however evidence of life as it is lived by the ordinary people of Cairo – the tradesmen, street sellers and craftsmen.
The two monumental gateways, Bab el-Futuh (Gate of Conquests) and Bab el-Nasr (Gate of Victory), mark the northern edge of Fatimid Cairo. Between the two lie the remains of the fortified wall which once encircled the city and which still gives the impression of invulnerability. Beside the Gate of Victory stands the El-Hakim Mosque, built during the first years following 1,000 AD. A place of worship for a mainly Indian Shiite sect, it was extensively restored with concrete and marble in 1980 losing much of its restrained beauty in the process.

Leading away from the front of the mosque is Mouizz el-Din Allah Street, lined with magnificent Islamic monuments. On Dahab Street, one of the first streets on the right, stands Beit el-Souhaymi, former residence of a seventeenth-century El-Azhar sheik, which gives an idea of the splendour of dignitaries’ houses in the Mameluk period. Mouizz el-Din Allah Street leads to the El-Aqmar Mosque (1125) and the fourteenth-century madrasa (mosque school) of Sultan Barkuk.

Misr el-Qadima, the Coptic Quarter

Situated on the east – and right – bank of the Nile at the southern tip of Roda Island lies the oldest inhabited section on this side of the river and home today to the Coptic population. It is possible to get there by underground (train to Helwan as far as Mari Girgis), or by riverboat leaving opposite the television station to the north of Tahrir Square. 
Descending the few steps leading to Misr el-Qadima and entering the encircling walls dating from Roman Babylon, the visitor enters another world, one of silence and contemplation. The narrow streets lead to the Convent of St George, the churches of St Sergius and St Barbara and, close to the Christian cemetery, the Ben Ezra Synagogue, recently restored thanks to the determined efforts of the Jewish community. 
The churches – apart from the more modern Church of St George and “Hanging Church” – are scarcely distinguishable from neighbouring houses sharing the same stone, the same architecture and the same absence of external religious imagery.

Cries of the street sellers

Visitors may not realise it but the cries of the street sellers encapsulate the poetry and humour of the Egyptian people. The following are examples: boasting of the grapes’ sweetness, the seller cries, “Drowsing through the climbing vine, bees hint at the promise of sun-kissed wine!” Somewhat prone to exaggeration, sugar cane sellers shout, “Seven-metre cane, oh sugar cane”, when sugar cane never reaches more than five metres in length. “An empty bean pot means you’ve missed the lot”, the ful (brown bean stew) seller quite sensibly points out when keen to sell off the contents of his stew pot as quickly as possible. 
On the right, the Qalaun Mausoleum, built between 1284 and 1293, comprises a madrasa (mosque and school), hospital and tomb. Inside, the tranquil silence which persists today seems intensified by the stained-glass windows.

Khan el-Khalili

The bazaar is the domain of shopkeepers and tourists. Jewellery, items made from copper, marquetry boxes, imitations of pharaonic objects, semi-precious stones, rugs, blown-glass dishes and other souvenirs are bought and sold in the shops grouped by trades along the narrow streets. It is a place to meander, bargain and lose one’s way…but not miss out on a cup of tea or karkade at the bazaar’s famous Café Fishawy. Just a few years ago, Naguib Mahfouz himself used to come and sit beneath the huge, ageing and discoloured mirrors of the café.

City of the Dead

The City of the Dead, without question one of the world’s largest necropolises, covers several square kilometres at the foot of Moqattam cliff. It contains the plain stone tombs of ordinary people and grandiose mausoleums which are the resting places of emirs and sultans, some dating from the fifteenth century. The living inhabit small, two or three-roomed houses built during the nineteenth century for the purpose of watching over the dead in accordance with a ritual dating back to the pharaohs. When finding accommodation in Cairo became a challenge, the poorest people headed for these “villas” which had the great advantage of offering space and quiet. 
Anyone keen on Mameluk architecture will want to visit the two mausoleums of Qaitbay and Barkuk in the northern part of the necropolis (El-Khalifa).

The Islands of Gezira and Roda

A lush, green oasis sheltered from the manic pace of the rest of the capital, the island of Gezira in the middle of the Nile is home to the residential quarter of Zamalek as well as to sports clubs, the new opera house and the Cairo Tower which at 185 m tall dominates the city. Site of numerous embassies and chosen for its tranquillity by many foreign residents, Zamalek seems to live at its own pace. When tired of traffic jams and crowds in the popular quarters, the visitor can come here to stroll peacefully along shady streets bordered by villas with an old-fashioned charm. The island of Roda shelters the Manyal Palace, former residence of the son of the Khedive Tewfiq, Mohamed Ali, and today transformed into a museum. Nestling on the banks of the Nile and protected by a rampart made to look like fortifications, the former royal residence is surrounded by a magnificent garden full of rich vegetation.

West Bank

Administratively separate from the east bank – on crossing the Nile, the visitor leaves Cairo and enters the governorship of Giza – the west bank of the Nile also has a distinctive population and appearance. Modern and straight avenues stretch away for kilometre after kilometre. Here and there a park planted with lumbering eucalyptus, small village square or beautiful restored villa reminds the visitor that a certain level of the middle class built residences here in what was the heart of the countryside just a few decades ago.

EL GOUNA

El Gouna prides itself on being Egypt's only fully intergrated town on the Red Sea Coast.

El Gouna is the first tourist development reached when heading to Hurghada from the north. Built along 10 kilometers of beachfront and spreading across a myriad of islands interlinked by beautiful lagoons, the resort's unique architectural styles offer six luxury hotels, a golf course, shopping mall and an open-air amphitheatre. Services and activities are centered round the immaculate downtown village and the marina harbour town. Countless opportunities for fun, wellness, fitness and chilling out are scattered throughout the resort to satisfy each age group and personal inclination. In short, it is a pleasant place to holiday for those happy to settle for sun, sea and sand.

OASES

Oceans of golden dunes, moonscapes with bizarre rock formations and endless kilometres of rocky plains make up the Western Desert.

An extension of the Sahara, it is neither one single landscape nor easily accessible.

The Western Desert is dotted with five oases, lying like islands in the ocean – Siwa, Baharia, Farafra, Dakhla and Kharga.

Oceans of golden dunes, moonscapes with bizarre rock formations and endless kilometres of rocky plains make up the Western Desert. An extension of the Sahara, it is neither one single landscape nor easily accessible. The Western Desert is dotted with five oases, lying like islands in the ocean – Siwa, Baharia, Farafra, Dakhla and Kharga. These are linked by a thousand-kilometre trail tracing a zigzag across the map.

Siwa

Stretching eighty kilometres in length and dotted with limestone outcrops, mineral springs and two salt lakes, Siwa has a culture based on dates and olives making it feel rather like the Garden of Eden. In the centre of the settlement of Shali, the oasis’ main town, stand some strange, ghostly ruins. These are all that remains of the old village, destroyed last century by torrential rains. 

A few sandy paths lead to the Temple of Amen, site of the oracle consulted by Alexander the Great himself. Standing on an outcrop, the temple has not withstood the passage of time but a walk through its jagged ruins conjures up images of djinns which the Siwans believe are plentiful in this region. Alternatively, sit and admire the sea of palm trees stretched out below. Do not miss out on a swim in the slightly fizzy water of the spring pools. Some date from the time of the Roman occupation whilst others have been more recently constructed to irrigate the gardens.

Baharia

The four villages of this oasis are scattered around a depression surrounded by dunes topped with black volcanic rocks. Up until the Middle Ages, Baharia was an ideal stopping place for caravans from the Maghreb en route to Mecca.

 

  Farafra

This is the smallest and least frequented of the five oases. Those who love tranquility and who yearn for solitude after the crowded Nile Valley should have no hesitation in heading for Farafra. Farafra lies on a plateau of white sand with pockets of green here and there concealing a few mud houses. Paths in the sand lead from Qasr el-Farafra, the biggest village, and crisscross the palm grove which provides shade from the dancing rays of the sun. Visitors should not miss a trip into the White Desert, around forty kilometres from the oasis. Sand and black rocks give way to strange limestone concretions in the shape of pyramids, mushrooms and icebergs, as far as the eye can see. The landscape is a magical sight at dawn and sunset.

Dakhla

It is almost possible to forget about the desert here, as the land is so fertile: Dakhla appears as a succession of palm groves, orchards and market gardens. A number of lovely excursions – involving some distance and therefore requiring transport – leave from Mut and lead to some interesting sites: the deserted citadel of El-Qasr, the necropolis at Balat, the temple at Deir el-Haggar and pharaonic remains at El Musawaka.

Kharga

Kharga is worth the detour thanks to its ancient sites, namely the Temple of Hibis, sole architectural evidence of the Persian occupation of Egypt, and the Christian necropolis of Bagawat. Perched on the side of a hill, the necropolis contains several hundred tombs dating from the fifth century. Some have preserved their wall paintings depicting scenes from the Old and New Testaments.

DAHAB

This town holds more appeal for those who are keen on unspoilt nature.

The beaches are free and the coral reef is a few flipper strokes from the beach.

This town holds more appeal for those who are keen on unspoilt nature. The beaches are free and the coral reef is a few flipper strokes from the beach. In addition, the site itself is very beautiful: on leaving the water, one can gaze on the spectacle of the mountains of Sinai dropping right down to the sea. It is almost as wonderful a sight as the fish below the water. Dahab, meaning gold in Arabic, is divided between the Bedouin village of Assalah to the north and the administrative and commercial centre to the south (the medina). The small hotels, Bedouin cafes and souk are spread around Assalah Bay, close to the ancient lighthouse, whilst the hotel chains are installed the length of a beach two kilometres to the south.

ASWAN

Aswan seems to close the doors on the Middle East and to open those on Africa. Swirling and flowing strongly, the Nile snakes its way between islands

and black rocks which disturb its stately majesty, and challenges the high dunes of golden sand to bury it once and for all.

The name “Nubia” comes from the ancient Egyptian word meaning precious metal.

Aswan, gateway to Nubia

Aswan seems to close the doors on the Middle East and to open those on Africa. Swirling and flowing strongly, the Nile snakes its way between islands and black rocks which disturb its stately majesty, and challenges the high dunes of golden sand to bury it once and for all. The feluccas with their great triangular sails travel lazily from bank to bank and island to island.

On Fridays, a barge chugs out on to the river with a crowd of young people on board, laughing and singing to the sound of drums and tambourines while others on the Nile corniche respond to their call. Night falls and the cafes along the riverside are lit up. When a football match is on, hundreds of men sip their tea, eyes fixed on the old television screens. At the least touch of brilliance from their favourite team, they applaud, yell and shout to each other.

The town on the right bank was already the hub of trade with Nubia in ancient times. No ivory or precious woods can be found on its narrow streets today but the third largest city in Egypt is full of the scent of spices straight from the south. The souk adopts the colours and smells of Sudanese markets. The Nubian people, recognisable from their black skin, possess a dignity and easy grace which give the Sudanese a similar appeal. Sudanese are present in fairly large numbers in Aswan enjoying life at a slow pace. Sudanese women wear long, brightly coloured veils wrapped around their bodies.

Nubia

Nubia disappeared when its life-source, the Nile, was tamed. Nubia is the region to the south of Aswan, now submerged under the waters of Lake Nasser. It stretched as far as Khartoum, capital of present-day Sudan. The rocky First Cataract at Aswan marked the line between Egypt in the north and Nubia in the south. Like all regions bordering the nurturing Nile, life in Nubia followed the rhythm of floods and the depositing of silt which enabled crops to grow. From earliest times, there were those who sought to understand this mystery. Artefacts dating from the fifth millennium BC – ostrich eggs for example – testify to voyages undertaken to the south. Very shortly after the unification of ancient Egypt, Nubia found itself dominated by its larger neighbour to the north which sought to exploit the riches in gold that Nubia’s land offered. The name “Nubia” even comes from the ancient Egyptian word meaning precious metal. The province was also a source of leopard skins, incense and aromatic plants. 

In the Middle Kingdom, under the reign of Montuhotep II, the northern part was conquered but in the south the Kings of Kush still ruled. From their capital, Kerma, they resisted their powerful northern neighbours as best they could. The Nubians were vanquished and enslaved by the New Kingdom before being able to take advantage of anarchy prevailing in Thebes which they then seized. The Nubians pushed as far north as Memphis starting the rule of the black pharaohs which lasted until the Assyrian invasion from the north. The Kushites withdrew towards the south to Meroe and what remained of their civilisation.

Nubian territory was divided once more at a much later date when the British created the frontier between Egypt and Sudan in the nineteenth century. Some Egyptians retained a persistent longing for this lost region. 

With successive dams on the Nile at Aswan, the majority of inhabitants had to leave their villages under threat from the waters to head for those further north in the area of Kom Ombo where they tried to maintain their cultural identity at least in the architecture.

Museum of Nubia

For Nubians, the museum represents official recognition of their identity, the essence of their history – now lost beneath the waters of Lake Nasser – and of their civilisation. 
 
The two architects, an Egyptian and a Mexican, have succeeded in creating one of the most beautiful museums in Egypt. The building is pleasant and spacious and the exhibition spaces inter-relate perfectly. The museum retraces the whole of Nubian civilisation from prehistoric times to today and displays certain objects rescued from the flooding when the great dam was built.

Just beyond the entrance is an interactive point in English and Arabic which shows the layout of the museum. On the right, a fairly sombre room is devoted to temporary exhibitions. On the lower ground floor, a large model illustrates Nubia’s geographical location. Behind it, a colossal statue of Ramesses II greets visitors, an eternal smile playing on his lips. Beginning the museum visit on the left, visitors pass through prehistory – magnificent animal carvings, pottery, jewels and tools – to antiquity. 

The Kingdom of Kush first appeared in Upper Nubia during the Old Kingdom. It was annexed by Egypt in the reign of Thutmose I then reappeared after the fall of the New Kingdom. For a time, the capital of Kush was established at Meroe, part of present-day Sudan. The exhibits demonstrate the Nubian kingdom’s prosperity. The next two rooms deal with the conversion of Nubia to Christianity and Islam. Large informative panels describe the rescuing of Nubian temples by Unseco. Finally, an entire section of the museum is devoted to contemporary civilisation in the form of reconstructions of houses, a schoolyard, wedding ceremony and farm labouring. It is worth mentioning too the beautiful open-air museum on several levels featuring reconstructions of a prehistoric cave and Islamic tombs.

The feluccas

The triangular sails of the feluccas form an integral part of the Nile landscape. They are not just for the tourists: these sturdy sailing boats are still a common mode of transport for people and animals, as well as for goods. Some skippers sail tens even hundreds of kilometres up the Nile with cargoes of stone – as in the time of the pharaohs – or cement.

Luxor/Karnak/Thebes

Luxor has often been called the worlds greatest open air museum, as indeed it is and much more. The number and preservation of the monuments in the Luxor area are unparalleled anywhere else in the world that know of.  Actually, what most people think of as Luxor is really three different areas, consisting of the City of Luxor on the East side of the Nile, the town of Karnak just north of Luxor and Thebes, which the ancient Egyptians called Waset, which is on the west side of the Nile across from Luxor. 

Right - The west bank across the Nile from Luxor. 

To say that the Luxor area is a major attraction for tourists in Egypt would be an understatement.  It has been a tourist destination since the beginning of tourism.  Even in ancient times, during the late Dynasties of the Greek and Roman periods, the area drew tourists, and has been doing so ever since.  Today Luxor is well equipped to accommodate tourists with many hotels and in general a tourist industry ready and willing to serve the people from many countries that descend on this area of the Nile Valley every year.

Within Luxor, there are only three main streets consisting of Sharia al-Mahatta, Sharia al-Karnak and the Corniched, next to the Nile.  The street in front of the train station is Sharia al-Mahatta and runs away from the Nile where it meets the gardens of Luxor Temple.  Sharia al-Karnak, or Maabad al-Karnak which means Karnak Temple Street runs along the Nile from Luxor Temple to Karnak Temple.  However, Sharia al-Karnak  is known as Sharia al-Markaz where it meets Sharia al-Mahatta street, and to the south around the temple it is known as Sharia al-Lokanda.  Along this street one will find the colorful signs of restaurants and cafes, as well as bazaars where the usual variety of Egyptian souvenirs can be found.  Of interest is the alabaster, which is plentiful along the west bank and miled not far from here.  Also look for the clay pots used by the locals for cooking, which are more unusual.

Luxor at the Nile

Luxor today is a city of some 150,000 people and is governed by special statues that allow it more autonomy then other political areas of Egypt.  One thing you might notice is that various government and other buildings confirm to an 'ancient' building code.  Particularly, the National bank of Egypt (located near the winter palace), the spa south of the police station, and the railway station are all designed to appear as pharaonic constructs.  All of this occurred after the Egyptianization of the modern town resulting mostly from the mania that resulted from Howard Carter's discovery of the Tomb of Tutankhamun. As one might think, the city has all the amenities tourists might expect, including a variety of hotels, bars, nightclubs and restaurants.

In Luxor proper on the East Bank, one of the first stops must be the  Temple of Luxor built by Amenophis III. Head south on Sharia al-Karnak to reach the temple, which was connected to the Karnak Temple via a long stone processional street called a dromos.  The dromos (Picture at right) was built by Nectanebo I, and originally was lined on either side by sphinxes. In front of the Luxor temple, the dromos is well preserved, and on the way to the entrance one passes by a Roman chapel of burnt brick dedicated to the god Serapis, which was built during the rule of Hadrian.  There is a path that leads to the Nile side of the Temple where one enters the complex.

One of the Luxor Bazaars

After leaving Luxor, head back to Sharia al-Karnak and go north towards Karnak.  Down the road, near the police station which is near the tomb  is the oldest mosque in Luxor, the El-Mekashkesh Mosque.  It contains the remains of a 10th century Islamic saint who rumor has it was a monk prior to converting to Islam.  The mosque is a popular pilgrimage destination.  Here also is the Franciscan Church and its schools, one for boys and the other girls. Beyond this lies a great Coptic basilica.

At the Police station, head towards the Nile Corniche.  Here, opposite the Mina Palace Hotel you will find the Mummification Museum, which has most anything you would ever want to know about mummifications.  From here, head north towards Karnak.

About halfway to Karnak, you will discover the Luxor Museum.  (The image at left is a Block Statue of Iamu Negh from the Luxor Museum). It should certainly be visited if you plan a well rounded and educated experience.  While this is a small museum, most of the relics are from the surrounding area and provide considerable insight to the monuments you will visit.

From the Museum, head back to Sharia al-Karnak and continue north towards Karnak.  After crossing a small bridge one will begin to see the excavated dromos off the road and running through a small village. A little further on you will pass the ruins of the Temple of Mut where another dromos leads to the gateway of the tenth pylon.  The road finally arrives at the domed tombs of two saints, Sidi Ahmed and Sidi Ali, where a road leads past the Department of Antiquities leads to the mainTemple of Karnak entrance. This road is built along a canal that once connected the Nile to the Temple.  There was a dock in ancient times, but now all that is left is the quay and the raised dais.   Just past that is a red brick Roman dock and past that two paved ramps led to the river bank.  They are bordered by stone parapets, and were built during the rule of Taharqa.  Past these is the Chapel of Achoris, which received the sacred boat of Amun when it was used in ceremonies.

To arrive at the entrance one follows the dromos with its crio-sphinxes.  They have the head of a Ram and the body of a lion and are symbolic of the God Amun.  Arriving at the temple, there is a statue of Ramesses II with his son between his feet. 

To the right is a structure that has red steps, a red front colonnade and red brick walls.  Inside there are pedestals. inscribed with the names of Roman emperors,  that once held their statues.  This was a Roman chapel dedicated to imperial worship. After leaving the Temple complex on the left is the Franco-Egyptian Center which has managed the temple complex since 1967.  Down on the shore of the Nile is the Centre National dl la Recherche Scientifque, or CNRS, which houses the French and the Chicago House, a project of the University of Chicago is near by. 

After this, you will wish to take a boat trip over to the West bank.  This trip had a special meaning to the Egyptians, for they were more crossing the way to the West and life, then to a necropolis.  The Valley of the Kings is as good as any to try first, with tombs from the 18th and 19th Dynasties. Outside the Valley of the Kings, the road leads past Antef, named for the 11th Dynasty prices who were buried here.  Some tombs can still be seen as one heads towards the Temple of Seti I.  Most of what is left of Seti's Temple is the view.  The court is entered by the ruined gate of a pylon  The court has what is left of a palace on the south side. The road continues south  passing Dra-Abu el-Naga necropolis. 

Sculptured Walls

The road eventually winds itself westward until reaching the Valley of Asasif. These are 25th and 26th Dynasty tombs. At the end of of the Valley of Asasif at the foot of a cliff named Deir el-Bahri is a spectacular complex of temples.  The Temple of Mentuhetep I, Hatshepsut and Thotmose II here must be seen. Much of the architecture here seems so very powerful against the towering cliffs in the background.  From here, the road continues past the remains of the  temples of Ramesses IV and Thutmose III, eventually reaching the Necropolis of Sheikh Abd el-Qurna.   This 18th Dynasty necropolis sits amidst houses where there are hundreds of holes.  And below here, one comes to the famous Ramesseum, built by Ramesses II, a huge complex that took twenty years to complete.

As the road runs along past the remains of Thutmose IV, Merneptah, Ay and Horemheb's Temples, it finally comes to the huge complex known as Medinet Habu, which is another of Thebe's major attractions and a must see sight.  The gate has square towers and appears almost oriental.  Behind the complex is the workmen's village called Deir el-Medina. Out in the fields near here is the Colossi of Memnon, one of the major tourist attractions throughout time. Southwest of Deir el-Medina is the Valley of the Queens, where queens of the 18th and 19th Dynasties were buried. 

From here, the road continues past the mudbrick remains of the Amenhotep III's palace called Malkatta. There is a lake to the east and at the other end of that, a small Roman temple called Deir Shelwit and built at the end of the 1st century.

Luxor has a wonderful Sound and Light Show

The Red Sea

To anyone standing on its shore and gazing out across its heavenly waters, the Red Sea may seem to be a mislabeling. Its blueness is eternal and anything less red cannot be fantasized. The Red Sea, where the desert meets the ocean, is truly one of the planet’s most exotic and fascinating natural seascape environments. The Red Sea is located between Asia and Africa. At its most northerly point forms the Sinai Peninsula and stretches over 1000 miles south to join the Indian Ocean, between Ethiopia and Yemen. In the north and west are desert plains, while in the south a mountainous region (2642 meters high), which is part of the mountain range stretching from deep in Saudi Arabia, across the Sinai and then into Nubia of the African continent. The Red Sea holds beneath its crystal blue surface an oasis of living creatures, reefs, and coral formation. Its use as a highway between East and West has attracted man since the beginning of time.

The Red Sea was created by the movement of plates in the Earth’s surface about 30 million years ago. In that time, the Arab peninsula started to part from Africa along a thin break line which was filled by the ocean’s water. However, "Mother Nature" did not stop there. Twenty million years ago another geological movement started. The Arab peninsula which parted from Africa, started to move to the north. That movement struck resistance in Turkey and swung to the east, and another break line was formed. This one stretching all the way from the northern part of Israel, through the Jordan valley to the Dead Sea, and finally through the Gulf of Eilat to Ras Mohamad at the southern point of the Sinai. The young age of the Gulf of Eilat is what makes it so deep, 100 meters in Dahab and 1800 meters north of the Straits of Tiran. On the other hand, the old Gulf of Suez is relatively shallow, with a 85 meters maximum depth. The Red Sea is still widening at about one-half inch per year, the rift is the youngest region of continental breakup on the planet, allowing geologists to learn about processes that occurred in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans hundreds of millions of years earlier.

Water temperatures in the Red Sea remain unusually constant year round, averaging 22^ C in the summer. Low pressure systems develop in the Sahara Desert and draw hot dry east winds from Asia which cause the temperature to rise frequently along with sand storms. At the same time, lows develop over the Red Sea, bringing moist cold air from the south and creating clouds, haze, and more often rain. The northern land mass is the primary influence over temperature in the gulf, but this decreases to the south the closer you get to open sea. The open sea’s cooling effect creates an interesting temperature pattern: maximum summer temperatures are lower in the south while minimum temperatures are higher in the north with the opposite occurring during the winter. In any case, the coldest moth of the year is January and the warmest months are July and August. The Red Sea is notorious among seafarers for its high speed surface winds and aggressively short irregular motion. It may be calm on the inward shore, but journeys to exposed sites like The Brothers islands, a remote off-shore site east of El Quseir, can be perilous and boats have been seen literally to fall apart under the force of the journey.

Cargo vessels, oil tankers, fishing boats, and passenger liners all move their trade across this great waterway, but for many, the true enchantment of the Red Sea is hidden just below its surface. There are over 1000 species of invertebrates and around 200 recorded coral types to be found. Moreover, the Red Sea boasts over a thousand species of fish, more species than any other proportional body of water. Not surprisingly, therefore, the Red Sea is considered by many to offer the very best diving available in the marine world. The Red Sea attracts divers, photographers, marine scientists, and leisure seekers from all over the world, hoping to experience and explore the incalculable wonders of the colorful, abounding marine life and the Red Sea’s lavish coral reefs. In places, the exceptional living reef stretches way out to sea, forming a elaborate system of caves, lagoons, gardens, and plateaus. Some of these coral summits plunge dramatically thousands of feet to the ocean floor. The Red Sea is not all a delight however, as it has its troubles which you will have to stay away from. There is minimal danger from marine animals in the Red Sea, and with a little common sense, even these dangers can be eliminated. Some of the marine animals are dangerous to touch, others dangerous to eat, and some are dangerous to come face to face with. There are fire corals and stinging hydroids which can be extremely painful if accidentally touched as well.

Snorkeling is a popular way to view the edge of the reef, especially for those with limited confidence in their swimming ability. Sharks, manta rays, turtles, and eels will take pieces of bread from your hand, and brilliantly colored schools of fish team all around in bewildering color. However, most divers will tell you that there is nothing to beat the thrill of experiencing the depth of the reef and the abounding marine life to be found in the Red Sea. The lure of the reef is such that many novice divers become totally "hooked" and cannot imagine why they have never joined in the fun before. Furthermore, when asked to compare their local diving conditions with those in the Red Sea, they find it a "paradise" with clear visibility, little wave action, and warm temperatures all year long.

Fishing is an art which still preserves time-honored methods, mostly due to the difficulties imposed by the dangers of the reef. The hook-and-line method of fishing has been in use for more than four thousand years and is still going strong. Conservation of certain species of fish and the dangers of over-fishing are both important issues for the government. The fisherman land a total of 8,000 metric tons of fish per year, which, although eight times as much as the Sudan, is less than half Egypt’s total catch.

The water of the Red Sea is also a vital asset. Surrounding cities are totally dependent on it for household and industrial supplies, and tremendous desalination plants are in operation. These supply drinking water which has been purified to a high standard, as well as non-potable domestic water. Sea water is also used in large quantities by oil refineries and cement works situated along the coastline. The danger of pollution is always present in the Red Sea, particularly from oil spillage. A Royal Decree forbids the discharge of any pollutant substances, including oil, within 100 miles of the Saudi Arabian coastline.

Currently, the areas of the Eastern Desert and around the Red Sea have received a great deal of overdue attention. A joint expedition from the University of Delaware and Leiden University and Leiden University has been working at the ancient Red Sea port of Berinike. The past season the Delaware-Leiden team excavated in two areas, opened a total of seven trenches, and found four public buildings. One of the sites contained offering tables, an incense burner, a stela stand and an almost life-size bronze figure of a cloaked woman clasping a snake. Scraps of colorful textile from the Fourth and Fifth centuries A.D. have also been found. In addition, evidence of trade appears in the form of imported coconuts, pepper, and rice. So, while the edges of the Red Sea are being explored, the sea itself is being plunged in a survey of sunken wrecks. The Institute for Nautical Archaeology in Egypt, is continuing the underwater survey started last season, plotting the locations of shipwrecks along the Red Sea coast.

For swimmers, divers, traders, industrialists, fishermen, archaeologists, and tourists, the Red Sea has its own kind of incomparability. And even the leisured gazer, speculating the inaccessible blue/red abnormality, can be said to have been given something to think about. The underwater amazement of the Red Sea remains a living tapestry of resounding corals and exotic fish, waiting for you to discover its secrets.

Amarna ancient Egyptians

The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Cairo is an unbelievable treasure house of riches. As it develops this section of the site will contain unique photographs of the exhibits there.

	Anyone interested in Akhenaten and the Amarna period can not fail to be impressed by the Amarna exhibit in a side room off the main corridor in the Museum. The first sight is the lid of the KV55 coffin which is in a glass case in the corridor.     An Amarna Letter
Entering the Amarna room attention is immediately drawn to the 4 colossus statues on the walls (One of which has now been removed). The remaining 3 show Akhenaten in three radically different styles, from the traditional Pharaoh in the Nemes headcloth, via the more rounded figure shown above, to the bizarre androgynous figure shown on the right.

In addition to all the stone statues which have endured the years, there are also many large wooden pieces on display. This statue shown here is a life size Ka of the Pharaoh HOR . It displays a remarkable state of preservation, surviving all that the last 4000 years, and particularly the last 100, could throw at it.

The Cairo museum has a splendid array of sculpture on display. This piece, which I have never seen published previously, shows the Pharaoh Ramesses III being crowned by the traditional enemies Horus and Set.

The most famous objects in the museum come from the tomb of Tutankhamun. See many of these, and find out about the most famous, yet least well known, Pharaoh in theTutankhamun section

The tomb of Tjuyu and Yuya was, until the discovery of Tutankhamun's, one of the most spectacular ever found in the Valley of the Kings. Although the burial was robbed in antiquity, a great deal of objects not considered valuable by the robbers remained. Both the mummies were largely intact and were in an amazing state of preservation.

It is thought that Yuya, above, and the Lady Tjuyu, whose mask is shown on the right were the parents of Amenhotep III's principal wife Queen Tiye and were thus allowed the privelige of a burial in the royal valley.