Set out for Karnak at 3:30, late so as to miss the biggest crowds. No longer private docks, we have to walk three other boats to reach the shore. At the public docks, our guide says that there can be as many as ten deep. Weather is still very hot, 107 degrees. Mercifully, though, as the sun goes down, it becomes tolerable.
Karnak is a massive conglomeration of temples, built over a span of some two thousand years. Most impressive is the hypostyle hall of 134 huge carved columns. I circle the giant Scarab (beetle) seven times for good luck, but Carol passes on that. As usual. Magdi has many stories and much history to relate, which he does in a rather too fast and programmed way for our taste. Still, we've had a whole lot worse guides; he's a solid B.
After Karnak, we stop for a perfume demonstration/sales effort, which is okay, but we pass on buying anything. We wait more than twenty minutes to be picked up by our car, supposedly because of a flat tire. On to Luxor Temple, which is mobbed with people, but spectacular all lit up.
A large obelisk (the other one given to France), many massive statues of the modest, Ramses II and an avenue of sphinxes are among the highlights. Hard to describe the overall impression of these incredible monuments, except to say that it's not surprising that they are regarded as wonders worthy of traveling around the world to see.
Back to the ship (climbing across three others we're docked with). After a quick shower, we're met by Tony, our man in Luxor, to plan the next two days. After dinner, we pass on seeing the belly dancers and instead pack to get ready for disembarking tomorrow. Overall, the ship was terrific and the experience of cruising on the Nile (and having one's Diet Seven-Up decanted) was great.
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