“We are all migrants through time.”
― Mohsin Hamid, Exit West
Go-Date: Day 68, Sunday. March 31
The Past Still Lives
Luxor Temple is a large Egyptian temple complex located on the east bank of the Nile River in Luxor. This is the largest part of the city of Luxor (population and development), and where most of the big hotels are located as well as where all the river cruise ships dock. I mean lots of ships, probably over 250 of them. They park the boats about four deep so that if your boat docks late you must cross over three other boats to get to shore. The bad thing is if your boat docks #2 or #3 the only view you would have out your window will be the window of the boat next door. Just pray your neighbor is Beyoncé or Lady GaGa because that’s the only view you are going to have. Realistically, though it’s going to be an 80-year old guy and his wife from Frankfurt, Beijing, or Des Moines, Iowa.
Luxor Temple was built around 1400 BCE. Compared to the tombs and temples in the Valley of the Kings or Queens, Luxor is huge. Unlike the other temples in Thebes (the ancient name for Luxor), Luxor Temple is not dedicated to any particular cult god or deity, or king-god. Instead Luxor temple is where many of the kings of Egypt were crowned.
The temple is full of chapels built by Amenhotep III, Alexander the Great, Tutankhamun and Ramesses II. During the Roman era, the temple and its outbuildings were used as a fortress and home of the Roman government in southern Egypt. It’s a cool place where you can easily spend half a day. There’s also a great little bakery across the street where you can pick up fresh bread hot out of the oven. It was pretty cool sitting there on a bench with still-warm Egyptian bread watching the tourists wander amongst the statues, columns and rows of sphinxes. Great way to wander away the day.
