January 21, 2010 Safaga , Egypt
The exchange rate $1 equals 5.64 Egyptian pounds.
The excursion today went to Luxor, Karnak, & the Valley of the Kings. Temperature was 15 C (59 F) to a high 22 C (72 F). The trip went through mountains and then through rural areas where the crops were cabbage, tomato, and similar products. Their main products are sugar cane and aluminum. The crops are irrigated by water pumped from a canal of water that comes from the Nile. There were work donkeys, some camels and cattle. The people seem to live in homes that make trailer parks look like luxury. There were many check points and/or intersections where vehicles had weave through gates one direction at a time. Elsewhere there were speed bumps to slow traffic.
It was very interesting and enjoyable visiting the Temple of Karnak in Luxor. There are avenues of ram-headed sphinxes, courts, and pylons. The hypostyle Hall is a mass of over 100 pillars with every square inch of which seems to be covered with carved figures and hieroglyphics.
A buffet was at a Sheridan big enough to feed the caravan of approximately 17 buses of about 40 each.
We continued across the Nile to the West Bank and the Valley of the Kings. A ride on a train on four carts took us to tombs. Our tickets allowed us to enter 3 tombs of Pharaohs. The first was a very steep and okay. The other 2 were easier but much more interesting. All went down with the walls & ceiling telling stories through hieroglyphics.
Then we traveled back across the Nile the East Bank and along the canal to the mountains to the Queen Mary 2. We very tired of setting as the trip was 3 to 4 hours each way.