EGYPT ADVENTURES 2015

WEST BANK LUXOR

Medinet Habu Night

My favorite place to be in Luxor is on the West Bank.  This is where my soul lives in Egypt.  I stay in Habu Hotel, a small family run very rustic place, right across a village road from

Medinet Habu Day

Ramses III funerary temple called Medinet Habu.  This temple is one of the best preserved in the area and I love to gaze on it day and night.

On the way to the hotel we pass village people working at various activities.  One of the seasonal activities taking place now is the harvesting and transporting of sugar cane to be processed into sugar products. 

Harvested Sugar Cane

There are huge open trucks stacked with harvested sugar cane.

Donkey or horse pulled carts loaded with various goods vie for space on the road with trucks and cars. 

Donkey Cart & Truck

The local taxies which are pickup trucks with an insert in the bed creating bench space in the back race up and down the road.  I have traveled in these numerous times from Habu to the local

Local Taxi

ferry headed to the east bank and back again.  This time, since I stayed on the east bank, I will not leave the west bank once I am settled in.

“My” room is on the roof top and opens out with a view of the temple. 

View From Of Habu From "My" Room

Hot Air Balloon

It is also a great place to watch the hot air balloons as they float at dawn over the antiquities below.  Many years have passed since I took such a ride, but the last one was so spectacular I can’t imagine a better one.  It was in 2005 when I had a small group touring with me.  Hassan is very close to the owner of the original balloon company in Luxor called Hod Hod Solomon.  The owner, Mohamed, took us up.  He was semi-retired, but he was our captain hat morning as a favor to Hassan.  Instead of the usual 1 hour ride we were up for 1 1/2 hours.  He had received permission from the air traffic controllers to go up high enough so we could see down into the Valley of the Kings.  This was never done, so we felt very special.

It is good to be back at Habu and to see the family there again.  Mohamed’s children are so big now and his daughter is in school.  His mother and wife warmly welcome me.  Mohamed and I will go to see two new sights open recently.  One is Carter House, the place where Howard Carter was staying when he discovered King Tut’s tomb.  They have also built a replica of Tut’s tomb behind the house.  The other is a small temple to Isis located out in the desert.

But first I will take a journey to see Abydos, Seti I temple.  I am to go the desert road which will save 4 hours of travel time one way!!! 

Stay tuned for that adventure in my next blog.

Much Love To You All,

Mom, Grandma Syrup/Sara