The Nile cruise was amazing – a very comfortable boat with great food and periodic stops to see amazing sites.
Luxor sunset
Up until now our Nile cruise was just a hotel docked on the water. After Luxor temple we got underway for the first time.
Nile sunset
In Edfu the streets were too narrow for busses so we took carridges to the temple.
Kai gets a "free" head dress
Jacobs family at Edfu temple
Edfu temple courtyard
An Egyptian version of "Sam the Eagle"
Ka and Nora at Edfu temple
Carvings at Edfu temple
This hieroglyphic slug was a recurring motif and it amused us each time we saw it.
Front of Edfu temple - another well-preserved one as it was mostly buried in sand.
Fishermen on the Nile
Fishermen on the Nile
Nile with reeds on mosque
Fishermen on the Nile
Moonrise over the Nile
Crystal and Nora at Kom Ombo - our only night tour.
Kom Ombo temple at night
Nora with hieroglyphics
The unfinished obelisk in Aswan. It was twice the size of any other and cracked during excavation. It was left where it lay
The crowded boat docks to get to the island with Philae Temple
Crystal on the boat to Philae temple
Kai on the boat to Philae Temple
Philae Temple seen from the water
Kai, Crystal and Nora outside Philae Temple
Philae Temple.
Another shot of a building at Philae Temple
Philae Temple from the water on the other side
Felucca on the Nile at Aswan
Feluccas with ancient tombs on the hillside and a Mosque on top
Nora on a Felucca ride
Feclucca at sunset on the Nile
Spice market in Aswan
Kai, Nora and Crystal (and a random photo bomber) in the Aswan market
Sunrise over the western desert on the way to Abu Simbel
Temple at Abu Simbel - it was moved uphill when lake Nasser was created by the Aswan high dam. The entire hill along with the temple was moved - if you look closely you can see the cut marks on the hill.
Ramses II at Abu Simbel
Jacobs family at Abu Simbel
Crystal and Nora at the opening to the Ramses II temple at Abu Simbel
Last picture of Egypt from our balcony at the old cataracts hotel. Before this dam these area was a torrent of rapids.
Here is the second gallery from the point we joined the Sun Boat IV cruise in Luxor. For the first whole day and a half the cruise was just a hotel on the water – it was not until we finished our visit to Den Dera and the Luxor temple that we actually got underway.
Nora and Kai on another bright Egypt morning
Karnak Temple
Lone column at the outter court of Karnak temple.
Statue of Ramses II at Karnak temple. I'm quite taken with the palm tree framing on this one.
Obelisks and contrail at Karnak
Obelisk as seen through the inner sanctum at Karnak
The grand avenue at Karnak temple
Bird, mosque and Nile.
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The temple of Queen Hapshepsut
Nora at the temple of Queen Hatchepsut.
Ben and Crystal at the temple of Queen Hatchepsut
Crystal at the temple of Queen Hatchepsut
The temple of Den Dera seen from afar. Normally our boat would have sailed right here but with the Nile so low it couldn't happen. Instead we took a two hour bus ride which was totally worth it.
Nora at Den Dara
Nora, Crystal and Kai at Den Dara
The colors in Den Dara were the best of all we saw. The colors are original with only a treatment to remove years of soot.
Crystal at Den Dara
Nut - the Egyptian Goddess of night...and bubble gum.
Another Den Dara shot
Eye of Horus
Kai in the Crypt at Den Dara. I could stand up inside but needed to slither through the narrow opening to get in.
Crystal at the road that leads from the Luxor temple to Karnak. Plans are underway to excavate the entire road but it runs right through Luxor so a lot of buildings will need to be demolished.
Plam trees with blue skys
Luxor temple
A lot of the sites had a confluence of religious edifices over the years. Churches had generally been removed but mosques were often still integrated in or near the temples. This mosque was inside Luxor Temple
Front of Luxor temple.
Luxor temple was mostly buried in sand which is why it was fairly well presered. This used to be the front door to the mosque before the excavation.
Courtyard at Luxor temple
The mosque in Luxor temple
Luxor temple avenue
This heiroglyphic symbol was used to place a strong emphasis.
The second gallery picks up the journey as we arrived in Luxor. We actually landed at around 1am and managed a little bit of sleep in the Winter Palace hotel – then it was up and at’em for a morning spent with Khalef and our driver visiting some of the sites that would not be covered once we joined the Nile cruise. These were the b-list sites but we thought they were pretty amazing, especially Habu temple.
Kai learns a bit of rug weaving.
Balloon over Luxor at dawn
I was fascinated by the dozens of balloons that launched each day. Just as suprised that no one tried to sell us a ride on one.
More Luxor balloons with Valley of the Kings behind.
First major temple at Habu
Birds of Habu Temple
Birds of Habu Temple
Birds of Habu Temple
Nora was my assistant photographer - she she took some good shots but I always need to straighten them. As soon as she puts the camera to her eye her head tilts about 25 degrees. Here is an uncorrected sample
Family pic at Habu temple near Luxor
Family pic at Habu temple near Luxor
Ben at Habu Temple
Ramses II temple
Ben and Crystal as seen through Nora's lens
Inside a tomb of a craftsman foreman - bright colors but painted on, no carvings. Still, original colors from the time of the new kingdom.
Cramped passages to get in but at least room to stand inside. Again in a no-photo zone.
Bright sunbeam on temple carvings
restored pyramid over the tomb we visited.
Jacons family at the collosus of Memnon
Crystal checking out of the winter palace in Luxor
All of the Facebook photos were taken with my iPhone but I also lugged around my Nikon. Between Nora and I, we took almost 1000 pictures – the very best will be posted here in a series of galleries. Here is the first one with highlights of our trip to Cairo and Giza.
Church dome in Cario
Waiting for a synagogue to open in Cairo. It contained a rock that Moses supposedly stood on when he talked to God. Kai was impressed but our guide shrugged and said "Meh, Moses talked to God on a lot of rocks, yes?"
At the Egyptian museum in Cairo
At the Egyptian museum in Cairo
Crystal with a husky Sphinx
Papyrus at the Egyptian museum
The Cairo Museum - an absolute wonder and we barely scratched the surface with the morning we spent there.
Pyramid view - taken from the hotel balcony.
The grand pyramid as seen from the Hotel Mina
Pyramid wakeup shot
Checking out of the Mina hotel
The grand pyramid as seen from the Hotel Mina
Jacobs family picture at the grand pyramid
Jacobs family picture at the grand pyramid
The opening on the grand pyramid
A short climb up the side.
Jacobs family picture from the Pyramid overlook. It is amazing how quickly you go from urban to desert.
Nora patting the top of the pyramid
Nora at the pyramids
Getting ready for the obligatory (for the kids at least) camel ride at the pyramids
And up he goes.
Hang on Nora!
If she stays on for a full 10 seconds she wins a prize
Kai and Nora off on thier camel trek
One last picture before dismounting
Pyramid view
Crystal with pyramids
Sphinx!
As up close and personal as it is posssible to get to the Sphinx
The grand burial causeway leading to the pyramid
One last picture of the Sphinx
The step pyramid at Sakara
Temple entry at Sakara
Jacobs family with the first pyramid
Inside the burial chamber of King Titi. No photos allowed but the guides were eager enough to let us do it for a few Egyptian pounds.
Jacobs family in a no-photo zone.
With the sarcophagus of King Titi - we were ab out 30 feet underground I would guess.
Inside the first mosque in Egypt
Crystal donning her mosque apparel
Kai and Nora in the Cairo Museum
This pharoh had a very small head it seems
Attempt at an HDR shot of the pyramids from the Mina House hotel
Kai on the road
climbing the great pyramid
Jacobs family on the great pyramid
Nora taking a picture of the Sphinx
Kai at lunch
Nora at lunch on the way to Sakara
Nora taking a picture of the collosus of Memnon
Nora on the Nile Cruise - we were leaving other boats in our wake on our race to the lock
Crystal on the pool deck during a Nile sunset
