TravelswithCharie

Karnak Temple   As the wheels of our plane glided across the runway at Luxor airport, I had the impression we were landing on a bed of sand. Egypt, after all, is a vast desert broken by the Nile River and delta. But rather than steaming Sahara-like temperatures, the chilly air had me buttoning up my jacket. Eyes heavy with sleep, I followed a group of people to a waiting bus where our guide outlined our plan for the day. We were driving directly to Karnak to avoid the hordes of tourists who were surely still drinking their first cup of morning coffee. I was quite unprepared for what I was about to see. Who was Amun for whom the great temples of Karnak and Luxor were built? In the Ban region where the veneration of Amun thrives, the locals refer to him as “The Unknowable Lord” because he represented the hidden life force of the universe. Amun rose in stature to king of the gods when he was later associated with Re, the sun god, for which he was accorded the name Amun-Re. When Amun-Re’s

Racing out of Cairo toward Giza, I caught a glimpse of the pyramids in the distant horizon. I saw hazy outlines because the Egyptian sky goddess, Nut, had swallowed all but a tiny slice of the sun and the sheer veil of twilight had draped the countryside. Looking out the window, I was surprised to see the looming pyramid of Kufhu (Cheops). It would take another week before I could view these vestiges of the Old Kingdom up close and explore them intimately. For several days we drifted leisurely on the Nile, from Luxor to Aswan, and marveled at the temples and tombs of the kings. Every morning I woke up to a spectacular sunrise and the promise of new discoveries. Our guide would take us to a historical site early in the day and there he would nourish us with interesting vignettes of pharaonic civilization. The evenings were devoted to sampling Egyptian cuisine and colorful local entertainment. Sunrise on the Nile The unhurried and gentle life on the Nile with tremendous views of green ri