LUXOR TEMPLE

This afternoon, Friday September 28, I will cross the Nile again to visit Ahmed and his family to have lunch.  Kalcum is an excellent cook and I look forward to tasting what she has prepared.

On the way to the ferry Mohamed suggests that I should take a motor boat directly from the west bank to the dock at the Sonesta hotel where I am meeting Ahmed again today.  I forgot about that and am very grateful for his suggestion.  It is a VERY hot day and walking from the ferry to the hotel is out.  Besides, being on the Nile is always a treat.

Motorboat

As we leave the motor boat docking area I spy many tourists lined up to get on several motor boats.  The motor boats have covered seating areas complete with cushions to sit on and ones for your back.  A very comfortable way to go.

The meal is delicious.  Kalcum has prepared capons stuff with rice, peppers stuffed with different rice, potatoes in a tomato sauce, mulikai (a spinach dipping sauce for bread), and home cooked pita bread. 

After lunch Ahmed and I head out to explore Luxor Temple.  I have seen it many times, but I want to experience an area I discovered in 2000 when Joanna and I wandered Egypt on our own. Plus Luxor Temple is the place of Serapis Bey the Ascended Master that brought the ascension texts and flame from Atlantis to Egypt.  Recently I found out that part of the temple’s oldest area is dedicated to him and I want to see it.

The area that I found to be full of energy for me in 2000 is just inside the entrance of the temple to the right.  There are three sections. The middle section is the one that “spoke” to me the last time especially inside a raised alcove to the right at the end of the section.

Upon stepping into the section I have a subtle sense of vertigo which increases as I walk to the alcove.  Inside the alcove is the familiar buzzing I felt the last time.  This time it is not as strong, but I find that to be true when I repeat a visit to a place where energy is strong for me. It’s as if the message has been given once and the need to impress it upon me is over.  I ask Ahmed to whom this section is dedicated.  It is for Amun Ra, the main Sun god.  Ahmed tells me he has never been in these sections before!  When he has a group there is time to cover only the highlights.  He is delighted to explore with me and we take our time.

Behind Ramses II Statue

Scratches For Baby Powder

Ahmed shows me the areas I have not seen before behind the massive statues.  There are deep scratches in the stone all over the temple.  These scratches are from ancient times when the mothers would go to the temple to gather a form of powder for their babies.  The stone is soft and when scratched it comes off in a fine powder.  They used it on their babies as we use baby powder today.

Horse Tie Up Holes

In another section of the temple there are holes punched in the wall forming a space to thread a rope.  The Roman soldiers used these sections to tie up their horses.

Christian Painting When Temple Used as Church

The temple was also used as a church and the paintings from that time can be still seen.  In fact, there were 7 churches at various times and in various sections of the temple. 

Restored Colors

There is a restoration effort to bring out the ancient colors happening all over the temple.  Acetone brushed over the surface takes away the dust and grime leaving the colors bright and undamaged.

I explore the area called the Ascension Temple for Serapis Bey.  No energy there for me.  It seems when I think I will feel energy it is not there.  Energy comes when I least expect it.

The Avenue of the Sphinx that in ancient times stretched the 3 kilometers from Luxor temple across town to Karnak temple has been under excavation for quite a few years now.  When I visited in 2010 it was believed it would be completed by 2012.  The revolution stopped the process and it is still unfinished.

Newest Excavated Section Ave

Major sections have been excavated but are not connected.  Ahmed and I plan to walk on one of the newest sections.  We walk down the dirt hill and begin our walk.  All of a sudden we hear and see several wild dogs on the section far away in front of us.  Not eager to get bitten by wild dogs we retreat and leave them to guard their space.

Many of you know I drink Hibiscus Tea from Egypt to keep my blood pressure low.  The finest of this can be found in Luxor and Aswan.  The finest of the finest is for sale in the local outdoor market not in the tourist market.  The price is half what I pay at home for the imported tea from Egypt and the quality double.  Thus our next stop is the local market.

If I am seen with Ahmed the merchant will up the price, so I stand out of the sight of the merchant while Ahmed bargains the price.  He buys a kilo so I can see how much volume it is.  We stop for Turkish coffee and discuss how much I should buy.  I have to be able to fit it in my suitcase once I am heading back to the states.  I will leave my purchase with Hassan in Cairo waiting for my return in January.  In the meantime I will use up the 6 pounds of the tea I have brought with me to last me for the whole of my journey and hopefully my new purchase will fit in that emptied space.

After much debate we decide on 5 more kilos to total 6.  Back to the stand only this time I go in with Ahmed since the price has been set.  After the merchant has filled an additional 3 kilos, I say Halas (stop). Even so I am wondering where I will put the total of 4 kilos.  Karkaday is light so the volume is high.

The day is finished.  We take a series of local taxis back to the ferry landing where Ahmed finds a boatman he knows to motor me across with my large bags full of tea. Once on the other side of the Nile, he walks with me carrying my purchases up the hill to where Mohamed awaits.

One of the best treats of the day is observing the fairly large numbers of tourists in town.  They have come through the desert off of cruise ships docked in towns along the Red Sea or they have come from the resort town of Hurgahda via the same route.  Tourism is so important for the economy and now is a great time to visit!!!

I am happy to get back to the hotel and relax.  The temperature reached 104 in the shade today!  The guess was 120 in the sun.  Whew!!!

Much Love To You All,

Mom/Grandma/Sara