Luxor Temple

At about eight in the evening my friend and I set out for the Luxor temple. It was finally cool enough out that we could actually walk there if we wanted. We instead took a carriage over to the temple. The temple was really pretty all lit up in the dark night. Even with the archaic technology Egypt seems to have at times, their temple lighting makes for some awesome photos, and wonderful ambience. Even with the row of sphinxes, every single sphinx had a light in front of it, well save for one of them. The row of sphinxes goes on for several kilometres from the Luxor temple to the Karnak temple, or at least it did in the old days. I didn’t walk the entire way to find out if they were all still there or not.

This temple has been the worst so far with people trying to employ themselves as a guide. Fortunately they were all pestering the person I was with instead of me. He was less assertive and was less used to going to temples then I was, so he actually talked to them a little bit, big mistake. With a guide standing right beside him he asked if we needed a guide and I said no, then the guide started to pester me, and I told him I already had a guide. He was one of those people with really nasty energy, and likely less then a four year degree anyways, so it would have been useless to pay him $10 for a one hour tour. He seemed quite pissed I had talked my friend out of it LOL.

The colossus statues were all that more awe inspiring in the beautiful light in the dark night, as were the many pillars. Fortunately most of the temple walls still photographed just fine, but with a bit of an orange glow about them due to the lack of light. Still a nice affect. While we were in one of the side chambers, which were rooms for the visiting Deities, we happened upon a rather nice picture of Horus. For some reason my friend made a joke about where I had touched Horus as I was explaining the drawings to him, so as it ended up, he took a photo of me groping Horus. I hope Horus enjoyed it ;). After this I of course had to show him the drawings of the God Min. Everyone seems to get a kick out of Min upon first seeing him, he is the Deity with the very obvious and erect penis sticking out. This particular temple had the penis done in a bit more detail then other temples.

Unfortunately the temple wasn’t in as good shape as Edfu, but in much better shape then Karnak. Parts of the surfaces of the walls were missing due to deterioration over a few thousand years, so unfortunately some of the scenes were missing parts, especially in the birth room.

This temple in particular had many scenes of offering tables just full of food. The offering table scenes were much more elaborate then in the other temples I have seen; they were also more detailed them many others. Apparently the Gods of this particular temple were fed quite well. Of the series of Gods worshipped and honoured at this temple, they also included the Pharaoh (apparently a few thought of this idea) and the main inner sanctuary was to him. I will save him the dishonour of trying to spell his name from memory.

The Luxor temple was another of the old kingdom ancient Egyptian temples, not one of the neo ones done up by the Romans during a later period. The Romans were conquering the area, and some of the Romans such as Alexander were smart enough politically and perhaps spiritually, to build temples for and worship the local Gods. Also, it was during the new kingdom and after the Romans were about that many Egyptian Pharaohs built temples as well. The styles were a bit different between the more ancient temples and the newer ones, so it was nice to see a couple of the older ones. Luxor has definitely proven interesting with it’s many temples and tombs.

After touring around the temple and avenue of sphinxes I took a photo of the remains of an old Roman village that lay on the temple grounds. I was tired and the area looked roped off so I didn’t go into it. However my photo ended up with a couple of dozen very vivid and obvious orbs in it! I’m tempted to go back and investigate it during the day now to see what is there. It was about 9pm when we were leaving, so sort of late at night. We then left the temple, and I found a store that happens to sell lettuce seed oil! The ever so famous oil mentioned in old recipes for lust. I of course had to get some :>. There is a factory in one of the towns outside of Luxor which still makes the oil, but tourists cannot get there since the convoy doesn’t stop anywhere near it.

We then hit an internet cafe which was half the price of the one I’m used to, but I found out why it was half the price. My friend really wanted a meal at McDonalds, so we grabbed some to go food. Now it has been at least 5 years since I’ve eaten at a McDonalds, but I know the hamburgers aren’t nearly as large at the McDonalds in North America (or those in the UK according to my friend) as those in Egypt! I could barely finish mine and really wish I hadn’t eaten it all, but I couldn’t find a kid to give the rest to. My friend handed half of his over to a bunch of kids on a bus going by, and a fight broke out for it, oops.