Our first stop of the day is the Temple of Karnak where our guide, Said, formally introduces himself as an Egyptologist. For two days he will be our eyes into both the ancient Pharonic world and the modern city of Luxor. He begins by giving us the short version of ancient history and we immediately warm to his style. We’re not talking 200 years of American history here! Facts can be overwhelming when you’re summarizing 5,000 years, but Said captures it succinctly and makes it fascinating. I never feel as though he just reciting a generic ‘guide to Egypt’ speech.
Sadly, I’m sure he thinks Aurel and I a bit doltish. My eyes are glazing over from lack of sleep and we’re embarrassed to ask him to repeat information we were told just a few minutes ago. He tells 
of King Menes, the Scorpion King (and I thought it was just a kids movie), who united Upper and Lower Egypt in 3100 BC and mention that Luxor is in Upper Egypt. I'm confused...’So, we are North of Cairo? I ask...No, Luxor is South...Didn’t you just say Luxor is Upper Egypt?...Yes.’ As it turns out, ancient Egypt was defined by height not location. Upper Egypt is a plateau but in the South, whereas northern Egypt, the lowlands, is called Lower Egypt. Oh, and the Nile flows south to north.
Open any travel guide and Luxor is described as ‘the world’s largest open air museum’. We’re about to find out why.
of King Menes, the Scorpion King (and I thought it was just a kids movie), who united Upper and Lower Egypt in 3100 BC and mention that Luxor is in Upper Egypt. I'm confused...’So, we are North of Cairo? I ask...No, Luxor is South...Didn’t you just say Luxor is Upper Egypt?...Yes.’ As it turns out, ancient Egypt was defined by height not location. Upper Egypt is a plateau but in the South, whereas northern Egypt, the lowlands, is called Lower Egypt. Oh, and the Nile flows south to north.Open any travel guide and Luxor is described as ‘the world’s largest open air museum’. We’re about to find out why.
As we drawer closer to the Temple of Karnak, Said tells us it spans 60 acres. First constructed around 1700BC, it was enlarged by 30 pharaoh’s during their reigns. Thankfully for us, only a few acres are open to the public. We approach through an amazing array of ram-headed sphinx, lined up one after another in regal grandeur, their faces the benign splendor of royal elegance. I can only imagine the swelling emotions of the nobility as they prepared to enter this religious temple thousands of years ago.
Once inside, we are dwarfed. Forty-foot high walls are completely covered in hieroglyphics and pictographs, the artwork rivaling any contemporary museum experience. In the Great Hypostyle Hall we wander through massive columns, more than a hundred in all commissioned by the masterful Queen Hatchupset, that leave us speechless. Huge statues of ancient rulers some carved from a single limestone piece, grace the interior, while hundred foot tall obelisks carved top to bottom still stand, a testament to engineering and art. 
I’m trying to imagine the pageantry that would have taken place here, but honestly, am have difficulty grasping it all. Try this link to experience it yourself http://www.panoramas.dk/fullscreen7/f22-karnak-egypt.html
Exiting the temple, Said looks at our tired eyes and suggests that rather than going to our next destination, the Temple at Luxor, we check into our hotel and have an hour’s sleep. He graciously offers to drop us at the hotel then pick us up in two hours to continue our adventure. We gratefully accept. The beds at El-Luxor Hotel look positively inviting and sleep beckons.
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