The West Bank

No, I didn't decide to visit the occupied Palestinian Territories, rather I ventured across the Nile to visit the ancient wonders of the Valley of the Kings, Deir al-Bahri (Funery Temple of Hatsheput) and the Valley of the Queens. During my wanderings around Luxor the previous night I met and had tea with Mohammed, a local taxi driver. Given the distances involved and the heat of the day, I negotiated with him a tour of the West Bank sights.

The West Bank of Luxor was the necropolis of ancient Thebes, a vast city of the dead where magnificent temples were raised to honour pharaohs entombed in the nearby hills, and where Egyptians of all standings had tombs built ranging from the spectacular to the ordinary in terms of design and decor.

The Valley of the Kings, once known as the Place of Truth, is undoubtedly the most famous royal necropolis. The Valley is dominated by barren mountains and the tombs are apparently designed to resemble the underworld. a corridor carved from the rock descends either into an antechamber or a series of halls, and ends in a burial chamber. The entry ticket grants you entry into your choice of three tombs. I chose Seti II, Tuthmosis III and Ramses III. The tomb of Tutankhamun requires an additional ticket and I guess I am typical of most tourists; having come this far and having gazed upon its treasures at the museum in Cairo, I happily handed over the additional money. While interesting to see, this tomb proved to be far from the most interesting.

For a couple of reasons, the most memorable tomb was undoubtedly that built for Seti II. The tomb is located at the far end of the valley from the ticket office, and in an effort to find some time away from the crowds I headed their first. It worked, as I found myself exploring the tomb all alone. I had been marvelling at the decoration and the detail of the stories etched on the walls when a power blackout plunged the tomb into almost complete darkness. It was quite an odd feeling but as my eyes adjusted, the narrow shaft of light coming from the entrance allowed me to find the steps out. I was soon joined by the tombs attendant, who appeared relieved by the fact that I was smiling rather than becoming anxious.

The artistry, detail and preservation of the tombs is truly remarkable. The amount of time I spent inside each tomb however, depended more on the airflow. The tombs can be either a refreshingly cool change from the heat of the day, or a sauna where emerging from a 10 minute visit, you find your shirt soaked through. While photos inside the tombs is (apparently) strictly forbidden, there is the ever present reminder that, in Egypt, everything is for sale. If you are so inclined, a few ponds in the right hand, when there is nobody else around will allow you to take a photo of almost anything.

One of the places I had been most keen to visit was the Funery Temple of Hatsheput. One of the more photographed images of Egypt, it rises out of the desert plain in a series of terraces and merges with sheer limestone cliffs on the eastern face of the Theban mountain. The hike from the Valley of the Kings to Hatsheput is apparently steep and spectacular. If I am ever back this way at a time of year when it is less than 40 degrees, I will have to try it! Although the temple was desecrated and vandalised by Tuthmosis III (Hatsheput's successor), it has lost little of it's magnificence and splendor.

In what seems to be common to most countries I have visited, once you move away from the icon sites, the crowds drop away significantly. I was more than a little surprised to find this at the Valley of the Queens. Although the tomb of Nefertari has remained closed to the public (for quite some time now), the three tombs I visited - Amunherkhepshuf, Titi and Khaemwaset - were spectacularly decorated and the relative solitude allowed me to explore them at a far more relaxed and leisurely pace.

After nearly six hours with my driver (who had waited patiently in the car and allowed me to explore at my own pace) for the equivalent of about $30, I returned across the Nile to a traditional Nubian style lunch and an afternoon of relaxing by the rooftop pool. I have become partial to Tagens, which are a Nubian style individual casserole which can be filled with whatever your heart (or stomach) desires. For about $4, the fish and kofta (meatballs) are favourites.