Back on the ship. we prepared to visit the L:uxor Temple Complex--the second largest temple complex in the world, behind Angor Wat. Happily, we only visited two temples,and didn't walk the kilometer long avenue between them.
There was nobody there. The parking lot, built for hundreds of buses, was almost empty. No wonder the vendors were so attentive.
Karnak Temple is gigantic, even in a country where temples are huge. There was so much to see that we found ourselves wandering aimlessly after Ahmed's introduction, and found new delights around every corner.
After a short stop in the Papyrus Institute, where they showed us how papyrus paper is made (yes, we bought something here--and were give a gift of our name in heirogplyphics on papyrus!) we continued on to the Luxor temple at dusk.
With the sunlight turnng gold and the heat of the day dissipating, this quickly became our favorite time to visit temples. This one had a marvelous open courtyard.
I was charmed by a group of three young Egyptian women in traditional dress who asked me to take their photo--I'm sure it is on Instagram by now.
The following day we visited Qena and yet another temple of Hathor--this one built during the Ptolemaic era. It was brilliantly painted and I couldn't stop taking photos of every panel and column that came into view.
This was our last night sailing on the Nile, before flying to back Cairo, and to celebrate the ship's crew placed a mummy on our bed...
And then we were off, sailing into the sunset.
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