Since my guide on day one was such a jackass and I really didn't get to walk around, I went back to Giza today and spent some time. The crowds were much thinner, the tour buses were a bit more scarce, and there was a nice wind blowing so it was all a bit less of a sweat bath.
There were remains of 6 other pyramids there that I really didn't get to look at -- they're all much smaller and mostly for the queens of the pharaohs that were entombed in the big 3. There are tombs for other noteworthy folks, including a nice one for Cheops' doctor. There's also a couple of old cemeteries that I saw from a distance.
I bought an extra ticket today and went inside the Pyramid of Khafre. This is the middle pyramid, and since the top of the Great Pyramid has fallen off, the same size. As you enter, there's a very narrow passageway that goes down steeply. You have to bend over quite a bit at the waist to fit, as the ceiling is very low and there's barely room for one person, yet you've got folks coming both ways. After the descent (about 4 minutes with traffic), you even out in a chamber that is tall enough to stand in. At the end of the chamber is a very steep ascent, again narrow and requiring some serious squatting. At the end of that, you come to the burial chamber in the center of the pyramid. While his sarcophagus is still there, the rest of the room is very empty. There are some very faint etchings on the walls and an inscription by the Italian who discovered the tomb in the early 1800s, but not much else. On the way out, I noticed some other passages that went to other chambers, but they were all behind closed gates.
What's interesting to note is the air -- there is next to none. Fresh air can only enter through the passageway that everyone comes through. In the meantime, you have a ton of people exhaling constantly. These pyramids get full of carbon dioxide and make it very hard to breathe. And it's hot -- really hot. And some people said they were feeling faint because of the air. When I got out (and I had to wait a while because of a big crowd heading in), the desert air seemed like an icebox in comparison. I even got goose bumps for a bit. A visit into a pyramid is not for anyone even remotely claustrophobic, I tell you.
I also went in to one of the smaller queen's pyramids later. There were much fewer people and since it's such a small pyramid, you get to the center much faster. Again, pretty underwhelming once inside. The same for the tomb of Cheops' doctor. The pyramids and surrounding tombs were created very early in Egyptian history. But building such great monuments only showed the looters where to look. All were stripped bare very early on in history. Later Pharaohs realized this and started building their tombs in the ground with no big markers in the Valley of the Kings. They figured that the looters would have a much harder time finding them. Of course, they failed to consider the workers selling out the locations for a bit of extra change. Nonetheless, several made it through in tact, including Tutankhamen's.
All in all, Giza is a pretty amazing place. Though they're only 9 of the more than 100 pyramids in the Nile Valley, the big 3 are huge and very impressive. I'm so glad I came and saw them. And Luxor -- the Valleys of the Kings and Queens are so impressive!
Next up tomorrow is an entire day at the Egyptian Museum (about 3 blocks from my hotel)!
Friday, October 3, 2008
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Sorry I Got Distracted
I had more to say in yesterday's post, but I got distracted by my new friends. They were at the table next to me at McDonalds and struck up a conversation. I thought that they had left when I hurriedly finished, but they had just gone off to buy me a gift of potato chips. Not my favorite food, but how sweet! So we walked to the water front and I bought ice cream for all and we sat until sunset. They then walked me to my hotel so that they could wave goodbye to me as I looked out my window. It's encounters like this that I love about traveling!
I forgot to mention yesterday that all of the design work you see on the photos of the outside of the Bibliotheca are written characters. The library boasts having characters from every written language known on it's outside. It was kinda cool looking around and recognizing Russian, Nepali, Thai, Hindi and some of the other languages I've become acquainted with.
Also worth noting is the Alexandria National Museum. It boasts collections from each of the cities periods (Roman, Coptic, Napoleonic, etc.). But most impressive is what they've been adding recently. You see, they've discovered part of the ancient city just off the coast to the east. It appears that this part of the city fell into the sea either during a tsunami that hit in the 300s AD or a major earthquake known to have struck in the 600s AD. Archeological dives have found statues, coins, columns, vases, etc. of the ancient city. There are a couple of rooms with relics brought up from the sea floor and along side each is a photo of the relic on the sea floor as it was found. It was fascinating. If you are certified, you can go out on a dive boat from the harbor outside my hotel and visit the city. I'm not certified, though. Bummer.
I made it through a taxi ride, the train, another taxi ride and am back in Cairo. Tomorrow morning I get a redo at Giza. The next day, I'll go back to the Egyptian Museum to see the rest. Sunday, I go to the post office to send things home and leave that night for Tanzania. I know I'll have internet access on Zanzibar, but while on safari, I probably won't. But that's OK -- there's been a drastic reduction in the number of comments in the past couple of weeks and I'm not getting any emails any more, so I'm the updates won't be missed too much. Yes, that's a not too subtle hint -- I'm homesick!
I forgot to mention yesterday that all of the design work you see on the photos of the outside of the Bibliotheca are written characters. The library boasts having characters from every written language known on it's outside. It was kinda cool looking around and recognizing Russian, Nepali, Thai, Hindi and some of the other languages I've become acquainted with.
Also worth noting is the Alexandria National Museum. It boasts collections from each of the cities periods (Roman, Coptic, Napoleonic, etc.). But most impressive is what they've been adding recently. You see, they've discovered part of the ancient city just off the coast to the east. It appears that this part of the city fell into the sea either during a tsunami that hit in the 300s AD or a major earthquake known to have struck in the 600s AD. Archeological dives have found statues, coins, columns, vases, etc. of the ancient city. There are a couple of rooms with relics brought up from the sea floor and along side each is a photo of the relic on the sea floor as it was found. It was fascinating. If you are certified, you can go out on a dive boat from the harbor outside my hotel and visit the city. I'm not certified, though. Bummer.
I made it through a taxi ride, the train, another taxi ride and am back in Cairo. Tomorrow morning I get a redo at Giza. The next day, I'll go back to the Egyptian Museum to see the rest. Sunday, I go to the post office to send things home and leave that night for Tanzania. I know I'll have internet access on Zanzibar, but while on safari, I probably won't. But that's OK -- there's been a drastic reduction in the number of comments in the past couple of weeks and I'm not getting any emails any more, so I'm the updates won't be missed too much. Yes, that's a not too subtle hint -- I'm homesick!
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
The Med
So here I am in Alexandria. I was told that it would be relaxing and very European. It is European, but in a 1920's seedy Parisian kind of way. Seriously. This place was built by Alexander the Great, has been ruled by the Coptics, the Byzantines, the French (Napoleon invaded), the Ottomans, and the British, so it makes sense that it seems very old European.
Unless you want to spend $200/night, your hotel is in a very Parisian looking building up a very scary elevator. Mine is on the waterfront, but the interior needs some help. While very clean, the decor is really from the 1920's. The furniture is art deco, the wallpaper is old cloth stuff that is starting to peel and the chandelier in the room is missing some pieces. I have to share a bathroom with another room (that's kind of the way it is here), but I haven't seen or heard anyone else in it. Some of the tile is cracked and the mirrors are very old, but again, it's all very clean.
I went for a walk along the waterfront last night after arriving. They were just getting ready to break the fast and everyone was hoping that the moon looked appropriate when rising so that they can end Ramadan. For the first time since Nepal, I saw a cloud (actually several) and the weather was pretty cool. Everything was still boarded up though, so I ended up getting dinner at my hotel and then going to sleep early.
This morning I woke up and it was apparent that everything was different. Everyone was out walking around (while fasting, they tend to stay at home during the day napping and stay up all night eating) and everything was cheerful. Ramadan must have ended. You see, the astronomers can predict when the moon will be in the proper phase, but until it is seen and declared appropriate, Ramadan still goes on. The end can be different from one region to another, so you never really know.
After breakfast, I took off on foot to see the sights. I walked to the Roman Amphitheater, the Bibliotheca Alexandria, the Alexandria National Museum and wondered the streets. I have to say though, the men here are awful. In Egypt, men are not shy about approaching western women and talking to them, but here they're rather rude. They walk right up to you, stick their faces about 6 inches from yours, and yell "What is your name?" very loudly. No smile. No niceties. No nothing. I had a group of boys, probably about 8 or 9 years old, run up to me flipping me the bird right in front of my face, and screaming "whore!". Who teaches children these things? This kind of behavior happened every few minutes and I got really tired of it. I actually almost started crying. I had so many problems, that I decided to skip the catacombs and go back to my room. I've been to catacombs in Rome and in Paris, so I really didn't have to see these. I needed a nap anyway -- I'm still on Ramadan time.
When I woke up, all I wanted to do was go back to the train station and leave. But then I opened the window to my room, sat on the sill, and watched the day go by. The waterfront was packed with people celebrating. Ice cream and tea vendors were actually doing business, people were singing and beating on drums, and everyone was happy and smiling. I got mesmerized by it and watched for a couple of hours and wasn't bored for a single second. People watching rules, especially from the safety of your hotel room.
One thing I did notice during my excursion this morning, wifi exists in Alexandria and McDonalds is the Starbucks of the Middle East. Yes, I'm back in McDonalds because it's the only wifi I can find except for the $10 for a cup of tea cafe at the Sofetil Hotel. Some young girls hung out with me until just a few minutes ago. They were very sweet. And so far, no men have asked me my name or whether or not I'm married. Very refreshing. Yup, I'm eating another McArabia. Anyway, tomorrow I go back to Cairo and hang until my flight to Tanzania. Believe it or not, Cairo is the only place where Egyptian men have left me alone.
Unless you want to spend $200/night, your hotel is in a very Parisian looking building up a very scary elevator. Mine is on the waterfront, but the interior needs some help. While very clean, the decor is really from the 1920's. The furniture is art deco, the wallpaper is old cloth stuff that is starting to peel and the chandelier in the room is missing some pieces. I have to share a bathroom with another room (that's kind of the way it is here), but I haven't seen or heard anyone else in it. Some of the tile is cracked and the mirrors are very old, but again, it's all very clean.
I went for a walk along the waterfront last night after arriving. They were just getting ready to break the fast and everyone was hoping that the moon looked appropriate when rising so that they can end Ramadan. For the first time since Nepal, I saw a cloud (actually several) and the weather was pretty cool. Everything was still boarded up though, so I ended up getting dinner at my hotel and then going to sleep early.
This morning I woke up and it was apparent that everything was different. Everyone was out walking around (while fasting, they tend to stay at home during the day napping and stay up all night eating) and everything was cheerful. Ramadan must have ended. You see, the astronomers can predict when the moon will be in the proper phase, but until it is seen and declared appropriate, Ramadan still goes on. The end can be different from one region to another, so you never really know.
After breakfast, I took off on foot to see the sights. I walked to the Roman Amphitheater, the Bibliotheca Alexandria, the Alexandria National Museum and wondered the streets. I have to say though, the men here are awful. In Egypt, men are not shy about approaching western women and talking to them, but here they're rather rude. They walk right up to you, stick their faces about 6 inches from yours, and yell "What is your name?" very loudly. No smile. No niceties. No nothing. I had a group of boys, probably about 8 or 9 years old, run up to me flipping me the bird right in front of my face, and screaming "whore!". Who teaches children these things? This kind of behavior happened every few minutes and I got really tired of it. I actually almost started crying. I had so many problems, that I decided to skip the catacombs and go back to my room. I've been to catacombs in Rome and in Paris, so I really didn't have to see these. I needed a nap anyway -- I'm still on Ramadan time.
When I woke up, all I wanted to do was go back to the train station and leave. But then I opened the window to my room, sat on the sill, and watched the day go by. The waterfront was packed with people celebrating. Ice cream and tea vendors were actually doing business, people were singing and beating on drums, and everyone was happy and smiling. I got mesmerized by it and watched for a couple of hours and wasn't bored for a single second. People watching rules, especially from the safety of your hotel room.
One thing I did notice during my excursion this morning, wifi exists in Alexandria and McDonalds is the Starbucks of the Middle East. Yes, I'm back in McDonalds because it's the only wifi I can find except for the $10 for a cup of tea cafe at the Sofetil Hotel. Some young girls hung out with me until just a few minutes ago. They were very sweet. And so far, no men have asked me my name or whether or not I'm married. Very refreshing. Yup, I'm eating another McArabia. Anyway, tomorrow I go back to Cairo and hang until my flight to Tanzania. Believe it or not, Cairo is the only place where Egyptian men have left me alone.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Briefly Back in Cairo
Sorry for the lack of update, but internet access at this hotel is sketchy at best and I can't seem to upload any photos. Yesterday morning I arrived in Cairo (and not too far behind schedule -- pretty good for Egyptian trains) and was taken to the hotel. On the way to the hotel, I was told that I had a tour guide waiting for me to take me around Cairo. Damn. I really wanted to take a nap. Anyway, I took a quick shower and then we were off.
Our first stop was a whirlwind tour of the Egyptian Museum. I had already told him that I planned to spend an entire day there, so he gave me the overview and walked me around so that I was well oriented for when I came back. Then we were off to Old Cairo. This area is also called Babylon and has many, many old Christian churches and one that is now converted to a synagogue. We went inside the "Hanging Church", which is built over some old pilings of Babylon (which you can see through some glass in the floor), a church under which Jesus, Mary and Joseph are said to have hid when in exile in Egypt, and a synagogue which is converted from a medieval church and was also once a mosque. Unfortunately, no photos allowed inside the buildings. No big surprise there.
We then went off to the citadel, passing the area where a rock slide recently destroyed some homes and killed some people. Besides beautiful views of all of Cairo (and pyramids in the distance), there are two significant mosques. One is from about 1500 years ago and is a very good representation of early mosque design. The other is the mosque of Mohammad Ali, also known as the alabaster mosque. Amazingly, they allow visitors and even allow photos on the inside. How nice is that? They have very large capes available for women that they do not consider appropriately dressed, but I was allowed in as I was dressed. Everyone was very welcoming and even spent time explaining their religion to me and the significance of Ramadan. I had already read all of this, but it was nice to hear it from the folks running the mosques. The interiors are extremely beautiful, but very open with little furniture. I took the best pictures I could in the light, so be sure to have a look.
Back at my hotel, I spoke with my tour operator. He can see how tired I am, so he's sending me off to Alexandria this morning for a little R&R. I'm spending two nights and then will come back to Cairo for my final 3. I'll have an entire day at the Egyptian Museum (YES!), a day with a car to take me back to Giza and Saqarra, and a day to do the usual -- laundry, send what I don't need home, and buy shampoo, etc. that I will need for Tanzania. I'm at the 2.5 week mark until I get back!
Our first stop was a whirlwind tour of the Egyptian Museum. I had already told him that I planned to spend an entire day there, so he gave me the overview and walked me around so that I was well oriented for when I came back. Then we were off to Old Cairo. This area is also called Babylon and has many, many old Christian churches and one that is now converted to a synagogue. We went inside the "Hanging Church", which is built over some old pilings of Babylon (which you can see through some glass in the floor), a church under which Jesus, Mary and Joseph are said to have hid when in exile in Egypt, and a synagogue which is converted from a medieval church and was also once a mosque. Unfortunately, no photos allowed inside the buildings. No big surprise there.
We then went off to the citadel, passing the area where a rock slide recently destroyed some homes and killed some people. Besides beautiful views of all of Cairo (and pyramids in the distance), there are two significant mosques. One is from about 1500 years ago and is a very good representation of early mosque design. The other is the mosque of Mohammad Ali, also known as the alabaster mosque. Amazingly, they allow visitors and even allow photos on the inside. How nice is that? They have very large capes available for women that they do not consider appropriately dressed, but I was allowed in as I was dressed. Everyone was very welcoming and even spent time explaining their religion to me and the significance of Ramadan. I had already read all of this, but it was nice to hear it from the folks running the mosques. The interiors are extremely beautiful, but very open with little furniture. I took the best pictures I could in the light, so be sure to have a look.Back at my hotel, I spoke with my tour operator. He can see how tired I am, so he's sending me off to Alexandria this morning for a little R&R. I'm spending two nights and then will come back to Cairo for my final 3. I'll have an entire day at the Egyptian Museum (YES!), a day with a car to take me back to Giza and Saqarra, and a day to do the usual -- laundry, send what I don't need home, and buy shampoo, etc. that I will need for Tanzania. I'm at the 2.5 week mark until I get back!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Off to Cairo
Well, I got on the little minibus to go to both Karnak and Luxor Temples, the main attractions of the East Bank. Karnak Temple is huge and has been built up by many different people over the years. There's even a mosque in the complex. It's also been hit by floods and earthquakes over the years, so there's a lot of reconstruction going on. The obliesks were particularly impressive as well as the row of sphyxs as you enter. One even looked a lot like a particular Star Wars character.
After we were off to Luxor Temple, which is much smaller and supposedly not very impressive. There were three guys from Toronto on the bus who saw the Temple yesterday. Suddenly I was outvoted and didn't get to go inside. Instead I got to shoot a few photos outside next to the McDonalds. When I tried to walk around a bit, the bus driver honked and yelled until I came back. I was then ushered into Micky Ds and told that it would be my only chance to eat before the train. I haven't had McDs in about 10 years and all I could think of was a t-shirt I saw in Pokhara -- it had the golden arches across it with "McShit" written under. I did succumb and ordered a McArabia which came with fries and a drink. Now I don't feel so good.
Anyway, we get back to the hotel with our take out and I'm expecting to leave immediately for the train station with my food in hand. No such luck -- I have a few hours. I could have eaten good food. Back to Cairo tonight!
Change of Plans
It turns out I read my itinerary wrong and I'm to go back to Cairo on the overnight train tonight. It's OK -- the only thing I really wanted to do tomorrow is go back to the Valley of the Kings and go inside some more tombs. They are very hot and sweaty, so this is probably better. And besides, now that I've seen so many temples and tombs, I'm very anxious to see the Egyptian museum and go back to Giza. I'll also probably go to Alexandria for a bit. Also, the men are easier to deal with in Cairo than in Aswan or Luxor. Very few bothered me up in the capital, while here it's pretty constant. I could have had 150 Egyptian boyfriends in the last few days!
Anyway, I leave for the temples of the east bank just after lunch and go to the train station just after dinner. I'll post photos once I'm back in Cairo (so says the chick sitting on the one corner of her hotel balcony from where she can snag free wifi from the apartment building across the street).
Anyway, I leave for the temples of the east bank just after lunch and go to the train station just after dinner. I'll post photos once I'm back in Cairo (so says the chick sitting on the one corner of her hotel balcony from where she can snag free wifi from the apartment building across the street).
Saturday, September 27, 2008
The West Bank of Luxor
I had the most phenomenal day! I was given a private car and guide to make up for all of the crap that has happened since I got to Egypt and I had a blast! My guide has a BS in Archeology, but couldn't make a living at it, so took courses in Cairo to get her license to be an English speaking guide. She was the best -- she knows everything, but knew how much to tell me and could answer all of my questions. I learned so much and was absolutely amazed by everything I saw.
We started with a drive by of Mr. Carter's house (the man who discovered Tutankhamen's tomb) on the way to the Valley of the Kings. I don't know exactly what I was expecting, but I was very surprised. After walking through a visitor's center which had a 3-D model of the valley and tombs, we stepped outside. It's really very plain. Just walkways through the valley with an opening in the rock or ground here and there. The openings, of course, are to pharoh tombs and there are more than 60 of them now and they discover more and more each year. Your ticket into the Valley includes entry into 3 tombs. There are several open and you pick and choose which of the open ones you'd like to enter. Tut's costs extra. Unfortunately, you are not allowed to take photos inside any of the tombs. I did buy a packet of photos from the inside of some tombs, but cannot scan and post them until I'm back home. Sorry.
What I did see is this: beautifully carved sarcophagi, wonderful etchings and heiroglyphics just like at the temples, but fully painted, and lots of chambers. The painting quite a surprise and so very colorful, even after all of these years. I paid extra to see Tut's tomb, which is the smallest of all in the Valley. He died suddenly and the tomb was made in haste. But his sarcophagus is in there, as is the boy king himself. He is the only mummy left in the Valley (the rest are in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo) and he is there in a glass case for you to look down upon. He really wasn't very big at all. On the wall by his sarcophagus, there were very large monkeys painted. This was the first time I've seen monkeys in any of the antiquities I've been in (and I haven't seen any live ones either). Apparently, they were a symbol of power in ancient Egypt.
Outside his tomb are photos taken of the discovery. Most have Carter in them. He's either standing over the mummy or doing something else that makes him seem important. There are no photos of the tomb with all of the treasures in it. They really don't know where everything was placed at all. Even more interesting is, Carter kinda didn't discover it himself. He had an Egyptian boy working for him and he ordered the kid to dig him a well. The kid picked a spot, started digging, found two steps and went and told the boss. The rest is history. Oh, and according to my guide (and I'm sorry, but I didn't get her name), Carter was in such a hurry that he cut the clothing off the mummy rather than preserving it and even damaged the mummy because he didn't take his time removing the gold mask. I lost a bit of respect for the guy today.
After viewing the four tombs, I took a bit of a hike. I walked up a trail from the Valley, over the ridge, and down to the Temple of Hatshepsut. It was damned hot, but I was determined to see the view from the top. My guide was much smarter -- she met me on the other side. Anyway, the temple is the funerary temple of the Pharoh Hatshepsut, the only female pharoh to have ruled Egypt. She was an oldest child and when her father died argued that her mother had an affair with the Sun God and so she was the rightful new Pharoh. She ruled, but wearing a fake beard and dressing like a man. Eventually she was killed by a male family member and after her death, her temple was defaced.
Then it was time to go to the Valley of the Queens. This valley has more tombs than the Valley of the Kings, but note that many of the tombs are for men (Pharoh's sons, etc.). It's called Valley of the Queens because of Nefartiti's tomb -- the best preserved of any in either valley. I went into 3 tombs there, but only one was for a Queen. They were all 3 very colorful and one even had a skeleton of a 6 month old fetus (the Queen had a miscarriage when falling after hearing of the death of one of her sons who was buried in this tomb). Nefartiti's tomb is accessible only about 2 days a week to groups willing to pay 20,000 Egyptian Pounds, or about $4,500 US. We saw a group going in, but I just couldn't afford to go in. I should have tried to sneak in.
Next, I was taken to a village that is built alongside these hills. The government has gotten many to move away and have demolish many homes to allow for further excavations. There are some holdouts, though and the guide took me to one of these homes. I was taken down some stairs to a tomb under the house. Not much there, but interesting none the less.
Our last major stop was at Deir Al Medina, which is the village where the workers who built the tombs lived. Those folks knew how to build and besides their homes, there are tombs, a temple and a few small pyramids. I went inside 2 tombs and over to the temple. I was allowed photos in these tombs and though they were small, they were nice.
We did some drive bys of other places that were largely destroyed by Nile flooding and earthquakes over the centuries, but nothing too spectacular. But what a day! I I loved every minute of it. I may go back over the the Valley of the Kings to see more tombs. Each entry ticket I buy gets me into three tombs of my choosing, so why not? In the meantime, I go to the temples on the east bank of Luxor tomorrow.
We started with a drive by of Mr. Carter's house (the man who discovered Tutankhamen's tomb) on the way to the Valley of the Kings. I don't know exactly what I was expecting, but I was very surprised. After walking through a visitor's center which had a 3-D model of the valley and tombs, we stepped outside. It's really very plain. Just walkways through the valley with an opening in the rock or ground here and there. The openings, of course, are to pharoh tombs and there are more than 60 of them now and they discover more and more each year. Your ticket into the Valley includes entry into 3 tombs. There are several open and you pick and choose which of the open ones you'd like to enter. Tut's costs extra. Unfortunately, you are not allowed to take photos inside any of the tombs. I did buy a packet of photos from the inside of some tombs, but cannot scan and post them until I'm back home. Sorry.
What I did see is this: beautifully carved sarcophagi, wonderful etchings and heiroglyphics just like at the temples, but fully painted, and lots of chambers. The painting quite a surprise and so very colorful, even after all of these years. I paid extra to see Tut's tomb, which is the smallest of all in the Valley. He died suddenly and the tomb was made in haste. But his sarcophagus is in there, as is the boy king himself. He is the only mummy left in the Valley (the rest are in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo) and he is there in a glass case for you to look down upon. He really wasn't very big at all. On the wall by his sarcophagus, there were very large monkeys painted. This was the first time I've seen monkeys in any of the antiquities I've been in (and I haven't seen any live ones either). Apparently, they were a symbol of power in ancient Egypt.
Outside his tomb are photos taken of the discovery. Most have Carter in them. He's either standing over the mummy or doing something else that makes him seem important. There are no photos of the tomb with all of the treasures in it. They really don't know where everything was placed at all. Even more interesting is, Carter kinda didn't discover it himself. He had an Egyptian boy working for him and he ordered the kid to dig him a well. The kid picked a spot, started digging, found two steps and went and told the boss. The rest is history. Oh, and according to my guide (and I'm sorry, but I didn't get her name), Carter was in such a hurry that he cut the clothing off the mummy rather than preserving it and even damaged the mummy because he didn't take his time removing the gold mask. I lost a bit of respect for the guy today.
After viewing the four tombs, I took a bit of a hike. I walked up a trail from the Valley, over the ridge, and down to the Temple of Hatshepsut. It was damned hot, but I was determined to see the view from the top. My guide was much smarter -- she met me on the other side. Anyway, the temple is the funerary temple of the Pharoh Hatshepsut, the only female pharoh to have ruled Egypt. She was an oldest child and when her father died argued that her mother had an affair with the Sun God and so she was the rightful new Pharoh. She ruled, but wearing a fake beard and dressing like a man. Eventually she was killed by a male family member and after her death, her temple was defaced.
Then it was time to go to the Valley of the Queens. This valley has more tombs than the Valley of the Kings, but note that many of the tombs are for men (Pharoh's sons, etc.). It's called Valley of the Queens because of Nefartiti's tomb -- the best preserved of any in either valley. I went into 3 tombs there, but only one was for a Queen. They were all 3 very colorful and one even had a skeleton of a 6 month old fetus (the Queen had a miscarriage when falling after hearing of the death of one of her sons who was buried in this tomb). Nefartiti's tomb is accessible only about 2 days a week to groups willing to pay 20,000 Egyptian Pounds, or about $4,500 US. We saw a group going in, but I just couldn't afford to go in. I should have tried to sneak in.
Next, I was taken to a village that is built alongside these hills. The government has gotten many to move away and have demolish many homes to allow for further excavations. There are some holdouts, though and the guide took me to one of these homes. I was taken down some stairs to a tomb under the house. Not much there, but interesting none the less.
Our last major stop was at Deir Al Medina, which is the village where the workers who built the tombs lived. Those folks knew how to build and besides their homes, there are tombs, a temple and a few small pyramids. I went inside 2 tombs and over to the temple. I was allowed photos in these tombs and though they were small, they were nice.
We did some drive bys of other places that were largely destroyed by Nile flooding and earthquakes over the centuries, but nothing too spectacular. But what a day! I I loved every minute of it. I may go back over the the Valley of the Kings to see more tombs. Each entry ticket I buy gets me into three tombs of my choosing, so why not? In the meantime, I go to the temples on the east bank of Luxor tomorrow.
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