April 5, 2009
At last I was able to get a cup of coffee before I headed out for the day. It was just instant Nescafe, but I’m starting to acquire a deep appreciation for Nescafe! I was up at 7 to get ready, have breakfast and then meet by 8:30 for my tour of Luxor Temple.
Today my guide was Mina. Ehab was still my driver, but Mina gave me a lovely tour of Luxor Temple. It was partially built by Ramses II and by Amenhotep III. The pylon, obelisk and columns are fairly massive and the carvings were very impressive. For me, the most interesting aspect was seeing a modern-day mosque built inside the temple grounds. Apparently, it used to be a Coptic Church that was built back when the Christians were being persecuted and seeking shelter and safety in the temples. So, it used to be a church and now a moque that is used every day. Crazy.
The Luxor Temple grounds were a bit crowded with a PA system and stage set up as the president for FIFA was coming that evening to draw the groups for the next World Cup to be held in Cairo. So the streets were abuzz with flag-wavers and honks from excitement
After that, there wasn’t much planned for the rest of the day since the boat was to set sail that afternoon. So, I asked to use the Internet at a local place and to ensure I got the regular rate for using the computer. Ehab took care of it for me and I got to enjoy a blissful hour connected to the world again!
The afternoon was just spent on the boat. I wrote some postcards, studied for a while, read a lot and then the boat set sail. Dinners were a semi-formal event on the boat with the regular buffet-style. Most of my meals had been alone at this point, but they seated me with a lovely family from Mauritius. They spoke French as well as English, so they were the only other people I spoke to when I wasn’t with a tour guide or driver. So, I really appreciated their kindness when we could meet. Perhaps I’ll make a trip to Mauritius even! π
In the evening, I had a massage on the boat after working out a special deal with the masseur. I’m not sure it was all kosher, but it was ok for me! π
So, a short and fairly uneventful day!
More to come…
-T
