Pa Lu Bin Cheng: Luxor(west bank), Egypt

On our 2nd day in Luxor we shared a car with a hostel mate for 200EGP(include driver) and visited 4 places.

Boon, Austin(our travel mate of the day) and our friendly hostel worker

Shisha pipe maker

from our hostel we walked for a bout 10 minutes to the Nile river and took the Ferry to the west side of Luxor. Luxor west bank or known as the city of the dead because it tends to be more desert hence the name.

the Ferry only cost 1EGP/ person one way. There are also other options like private speed boat which cost 10-5 EGP/ boat but i think the ferry is good enough

our car which waited for us @ the west bank...not so bad but then for 200EGP we do expect more :)

our 1st stop was the Valley of the king from here our driver Mr.Mohamed a.k.a Mr.Shakespeare suggested that we after our tour here we take the mountain train to Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut. Best decision ever!

Entrance fee for the Valley of the Kings: 80EGP for normal ticket and 40EGP for student. *NO CAMERA is allowed. With this thicket you can visit any 3 tombs of your choice but not include the boy Pharaoh's last resting place, the tomb of Tutankhamun. We didn't enter the tomb of Tutankhamun as it cost 100EGP and it's empty as most of the treasure we've seen in Cairo's Egyptian Museum.

can't remember which 3 tombs we entered but just follow the crowd :)

after our visit in the Valley of the Kings, we took a narrow path just beside the big rest area in Valley of the Kings to go to Temple of Hatshepsut. If you are not sure you can always ask the locals but they would offer to bring you there themselves, where you have to prepare to pay some money

here we were shoo-ing the guy who insisted to show us the way, when we said a thousand time we don't need a guide. The guy then telling us it was forbidden for tourist to walk this mountain path, how dangerous the path is...bla bla bla and other sort of nonsense. After a full 15 minutes of debating, he finally leave us in peace....THANK GOD!

from there we can finally take some photos of the Valley of the Kings ;)

going up

the view was simply amazing......from the peak we can see the whole valley

the peak!! hoorah!!

this trail to The Temple of Hatshepsut is totally recommended, period!

the path are quite narrow....make sure you have a proper shoe, water and wear a cap....it's freaking hot even in December ;S

Adam(who ever he is) was there too ><

going down

the way to the Temple of Hatshepsut is not hard to find once you have walked to the other side of the mountain you can already see the temple from the top but if you really are lost just follow the shoe print....lots of them u won't missed it

we with the awesome view

Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut

Boon @ mountain top :)

this reminds me of something....what do you see? hehe

love every moment

side view of the Temple of Hatshepsut

panorama view

headed to the ticket office. Ticket cost: 30EGP for normal and 15 EGP for student

almost there

this is how my shoe looks after almost an hour walked from the Valley of the kings to Hatshepsut

after we bought out ticket we walked another 5 mintues to the temple but if you are too lazy there are also small train which cost 2EGP i think

wow that was indeed a long trail....i can now proudly say that I've walked across the desert mountain

front panorama view of the Temple of Hatshepsut

do you know? that in 17 November 1997 this area 62 people(mostly tourist) were killed by exiled leaders of Al-Gama'a al Islamiyya, an Egyptian Islams organization, attempting to undermine the July 1997 "Nonviolence Initiative", The Luxor Massacre.

i think it happens inside the temple. Anyway this temple was built for the great Queen Hatshepsut(18th Dynasty), to commemorate her achievements and to serve as a funerary Temple for her, as well as a sanctuary of the God, Amon Ra

it was built of limestone, not sandstone like most of the funerary temples of the New Kingdom period

view from the temple

not sure what this area is for but it's located on the right side beside the front stairs

after that we visited the Temple of Ramesseum

from outside the fence...hehehe. as you ca see there it nothing much left

and the ticket cost 15EGP to get in....like i said nothing is free in Egypt

next the Colossi of Memnon, there 2 gigantic statues actually located on arable land and the Greeks gave them their name, after the Trojan hero Agha Memnon, who was killed by Achilles.

this 2 colossi represents King Amenhotep III seating on his throne were originally situated in front of his Mortuary temple but was destroyed for unknown reasons.

this area was popular resort in the Roman Period. Many famous Romans and other travelers, wrote verses and poems about these massive statues, and they also left epigrams on the stones. This 2 was popular back then because they were said to have sung! yes! some say the reason was due to the win reverberating through the cracks. Unfortunately the restoration which took place during the reign of the Roman Emperor (Septemius Severus 193-212 A.D) made the sound stop forever. so no more singing statues :)

view of the mountain

next our last destination,we wanted to go to Temple of Medinat Habu but Mr Shakespeare said that there was not much to see and giving us all other excuse but nonetheless we insisted to go anyway, boy was he wrong...the temple was huge and much to see.

Tip: In Egypt always insist on what u want, if you do your research that it's worth visiting then go ahead as plan and not let the local convince u other vice

Medinat Habu the ticket only cost EGP30 and half price for students

this temple is one of the largest memorial Temple in Egypt, it was built to commemorate Ramses III, after his death by orders of the King himself

on the huge gate is decorated with battle scenes of the King's war in Syria

after the gate we come to a huge pylon, which has both towers decorated with battle scenes. on one top tower the King, wearing the red crown with his "ka" or "double". smiting his enemies. On the other side the Kins is represented with the red crown of Lower Egypt, smiting his enemies in front of the God Amon Ra

desert mountain view

details

i think this is the area making offerings

some local "tour guide" wanted to show us around the temple....of course it's not free. simple ignore him.

i know i sounded cruel...but after spending few days in Egypt u really can't afford to be kind

some parts of the temple the color painting on the wall are still nicely preserved

i wonder who's face is that

a large courtyard in the middle

Boon @ Medinat Habu

the local "tour guide" who was still following us pointed this carvings on the wall.

Not sure what it about cause he can't really speak English but i know the left side pictures shows chopped hands and tongues, middle ones are penis and right carving are more chopped penis

you do the imagining ;)