Project 365: Day 331

Look what they've done to D1!

Project 365: Day 330

I really should have made a tag for photos of AJ being silly. To be perfectly fair, most of them are at my explicit urging, but still... it is his face.

Project 365: Day 329

Project 365: Day 328

Using the new camel teapot!

Project 365: Day 327

I finally made it home. Yikes.

Project 365: Day 326

One awesome thing about Egypt: when a family goes on the Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca, they paint their house with awesome murals like these. The plane (or boat, train, camel -- yes seriously) represents the means of transit they used to get there. I especially loved this plane, since it has "Egypt Air" on it in English, and though you can't see it, the Egypt Air Horus logo on the tail of the plane.

Project 365: Day 325

Luxor Temple is amazing, not only as an ancient monument, but also as a testament to the power of a holy place. There is evidence for some kind of temple there well into ancient history. When Egypt became a Christian country, the shrine of the temple was painted over and was converted to a church. Now parts of both church and original reliefs are beautifully preserved in some places:

Once Egypt converted to Islam, and the percentage of Christians shrank, the Church fell into disrepair. The sands eventually reclaimed the lower levels of the temple and the church, and a mosque was built on top, into the highest levels of the temple's columned hall. 

Now, after a restoration of the mosque after a fire a few years ago, the mosque is open to (the respectful) public, where you can see the amazing co-existence of ancient and modern religion. In so many ways, very little at all has changed. For example, in the niche above, which points toward Mecca, the niche is framed by Re (the sun god) on the left side of the photo and Amun on the right. Somehow, this divinity, the presence of spiritual energy in the place, managed to transcend time and a vast gulf in religious thought. 

This is an architrave showing Ramses II offering obelisks for the temple, which would have stood in front of the 1st Pylon of Luxor temple. It is absolutely incredible to be practically at eye level with these huge reliefs, meant to be seen from the floor so many meters below.

And at least here, for now, there isn't a problem. The mosque is good, a peaceful place respectful of Allah and the temple around it. Alhamdulillah. 

Project 365: Day 324

So many great signs in this country. :-)

Project 365: Day 323

As our "final", we were given something of a scavenger hunt in Karnak temple. We were meant to be looking for what appeared to be feet covering in scales, leaves, or ears of grain... 

It turned out to be webbed feet. Can you see that? No? Well, believe me, Duck-man, or Swamp-Man, or Hdd is there. It's the webbed feet in the top left part of the photo, in the boat.
That was a challenge indeed....

And later that evening we had our end of season dinner, with a really lovely view!

Project 365: Day 322

Project 365: Day 321

Mango ice cream (for me, foreground) and the ladies at the Oasis.

Project 365: Day 320

Third stop: Marsa Alam!

Project 365: Day 319

First stop: Edfu

Second Stop: Khanayis

Project 365: Day 318

We usually don't get weather here, but this was the view out the window at work today...

For comparison, here is a normal day:

Project 365: Day 317

In short, McDelivery is awesome and the best idea ever. 

The front of the scooter has a baby refrigerator, and the back is the heat box. Genius.

Project 365: Day 316

This is usually parked outside our building:

Project 365: Day 315

Waiting for the ferry to cross to West Bank this morning.

Project 365: Day 314

I've been moved to a new room, one hopefully free of the insect infestation of the last one. It's quite similar to the last one, except that now I have this lovely piece of quintessential Egyptian decor.

And these lovely accessories:

At last count there were upwards of 50 bites from some mystery assailant, perhaps bedbugs or fleas, covering my skin. Gotta love developing countries!

Project 365: Day 313

My first coffee in Egypt was actually an expresso, served in this delightful china:

The review: good by Egyptian standards. Not amazing by American. But I was very grateful! I love tea, but I miss my coffee, especially in the morning.

Project 365: Day 312

Today we went to Dendara (map here-- look just north of Luxor). It's a sweet Ptolemaic and Roman temple to the goddess Hathor, and I had a very hard time choosing photos for this post. There are more on facebook. :-) The SCA has been cleaning the reliefs, and the results are just gorgeous. We were all incredibly impressed.

We also went down into the Crypts, which were really small rooms used to store ritual items. The passageway was really small and the rooms were narrow, so it really was a bit like Tales from the Crypt!

I also made a friend, who gave me flowers. Well, basil. Which I put in my hat.