Days 6-8: Snorkeling, Valley of the Kings, and sunshine

Snorkeling location near Safaga
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Day 6: Safaga, Egypt

Needing some sun and surf, we took a snorkeling excursion out to some reefs off the coast of Safaga. Our first stop was too close to the coast and we experienced a heavy jellyfish swarm. Almost everyone on the boat got stung, so we decided to head to reefs that were in much deeper water. As a result, we were able to snorkel around seven 10-meter tall reef pillars rising from the ocean floor. The aquatic life we saw was amazing: dozens of schools of cartoonishly colorful tropical fish who were very hospitable and comfortable with us snorkelers, the occasional diaphanous, delicate jellyfish, and the reefs, bustling with invertebrate life of all kinds; an experience well worth the jab in the shoulder from some angst-ridden jelly-bully. That night, a local Egyptian dance troupe came aboard the ship and performed several acts for us, including traditional Egyptian dance, belly dancing, and an unbelievable balancing/spinning act that was of Cirque du Soleil caliber.

Lettuce, watercress and pigeon make a great aphrodesiac!

Tara and Tut
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Day 7: Safaga

The climax of our trip was this epic of an excursion (16 hours total) to Luxor, the city hosting the Valley of the Kings. We spent the morning in the Valley, and though the natural scenery was beautiful (and kept clean of litter), the tombs themselves held the most fascination for us. We visited the tombs of Ramses III, Ramses IV (with his mummy in its sarcophagus still present in its chamber), Ramses IX, and King Tut (again, his mummy was in its proper place but with a glass lid on the ornate sarcophagus allowing the visitor to glance upon the gold coffin within). All four tombs were decorated extensively with carvings, inscriptions, and paintings covering almost every inch of their chambers. The original paint was still intact, much bolder than one would expect of 3000-year-old pigments! The decorations included paintings showing the process of death and re-birth; soldiers and servants to aide the Pharaoh in the afterlife; and ancients texts and spells (written in elaborate hieroglyphics) to protect the Pharaoh. Most tombs were surprisingly large, as construction of them began the day of coronation and lasted until the day of the Pharaoh’s death – so King Tut’s was relatively small due to his short reign. In this hauntingly beautiful place on earth, we couldn’t help but to be overcome with wonder, observing everything in a reverent and awed state.

Hatshepsut's Temple
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The nearby temple of Queen Hatshepsut (the only woman to actually serve as a king) was beautiful although in a moderate state of ruin for several historical reasons – her son, who usurped her, had all her statues defaced. Our final destination of the day, the temple of Karnak, was yet another architectural wonder in both size and detail. The temple, built as a shrine to Ra, the sun god, was constructed throughout several dynasties and is extensive in the number and size of its rooms. Its striking features include massive pillars, obelisks (the tallest of which is a 30m tall, 320 tonne piece of solid granite), and statues, as well as story-telling carvings on almost every inch of its surface. The sun began to set as we wrapped up our visit of the temple, casting a picturesque orange hue upon its stone. We watched the sun set finally over the Nile, and bid adieu to this most mystical of cities, once the capital of ancient Egypt, now the guardian of many of its past secrets.

Obelisk of Tuthmosis I (solid granite)
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Day 8: Sharm El Sheikh

Our final morning was spent in the sunshine on the deck of the boat that had been our home over the past week and which had taken us upon a truly memorable voyage. Alas, before long, the early afternoon was upon us and we disembarked the Celebration knowing that Egypt and Jordan would henceforth be two places held dear in our hearts and to which we would happily return given the chance.

Remember, to see all our photos visit http://www.flickr.com/gp/90685571@N00/QE9206.