Returning from one of our trips to the Valley of the Kings at Luxor, we waited on this boat to cross the Nile.
You can just see Luxor Temple in the background through one of the arches.
Jo & I in action at Aswan. In the background is a monstrous tower - totally out of keeping with the surroundings - part of an hotel on the historic Elephantine Island.
This was taken at Luxor Temple at dusk. Anything more iconic than ancient ruins & palm trees in silhouette?
I liked the carpets on the walls of this shop on the main Corniche el Nil on the banks of the Nile.
Outside the main tourist haunts, this man was smoking a hookah and just watching the world go by...
I have read that certain organisations are discouraging tourists from taking these carriage rides as the horses are not well looked after. This one seems to have his ribs showing. Needless to say we didn't take any rides.
It would have been the world's tallest obelisk. Unfortunately part way through the initial carving, a flaw was discovered, so for over 3,000 years it has just lain here embarrassingly redundant
Above, Ramesses II and to the left a guide unflustered by a group of baboons exposing themselves. Both photos are from the Luxor Temple.
A mounted policeman on the Giza plateau with Cairo in the background.
I can't say that we were enamoured with Cairo. There didn't seem to be any style, character or charm about the city. Most of the buildings in the centre were frankly old, tatty and dirty. The driving in Cairo is diabolical - worse than Delhi.
Adjoining Tahrir Square (scene of popular demonstrations in 2011) is the Cairo Museum. Now this really is a fabulous museum with its own special charm! It is overflowing with treasures. There are unopened crates in the corridors and not everything is necessarily well labelled. In other words it has that "earnest-amateur-from-a-bygone-age" feel about it. We loved this museum and visited it twice. The Tutankhamun exhibits were truly spectacular, so much beautiful detailed workmanship.
One of the first exhibits you see as you enter is the Narmer Palette, which is also at about 5,000 years old - one of its oldest treasures.
Me, Ann & Jo enjoying excellent food on our boat on the Nile. Egypt was a unique experience that we all thoroughly enjoyed.
