Sacred Ground

I am in a state of shock, a state of humble reverence where words cannot possibly convey the magnitude of what I feel. Today the Gods have allowed me to walk on Sacred Ground, to walk awake in the fabric of my dreams, to see up close some of the most refined artwork ever created by man. The carved walls of the tomb of Ramose exceed anything I have ever seen or even dreamed of seeing. The rest of the day wasn't too shabby either...

We saw a LOT today:

Started with the Colossi of Amenhotep III (aka Memnon)

In the Valley of the Kings
Rameses VI
Tawre-waset
Rameses III
And Rameses I

The majestic Memorial Temple of Hatchepsut

Then break for lunch at an authentic Egyptian restaurant 'AFRIKA', which is close to the hotel where we will be staying in two weeks. Great food, we will definitely be back!

After lunch, the afore mentioned tomb of Ramose, plus two other smaller yet beautifully decorated tombs nearby; then finishing the day at the Ramesseum, the sprawling memorial temple of Rameses II.

Now back at the hotel, showered and refreshed in our room. At 7:30 we are invited to an artist reception in the lobby of the the grand old Winter Palace hotel - where we are staying. This is the famed Luxor hotel where the great Egyptologists, English Lords, assorted royalty and roaring 20's movie stars used to stay in the heyday of the discovery of king TutAnkhAmun's treasure trove. An oasis of Victorian splendor amongst the hub hub of modern day Luxor. At any rate, this contemporary Egyptian painter is having a show here at the hotel and we are invited. Our guide Medhat, bless his heart, has mentioned to the hotel manager that I am also an artist and our presence has been specifically requested...

Speaking of Medhat, he is truly an exceptional man, most resourceful and incredibly attentive. He is opening doors and establishing connections that are going to be invaluable when we start the independent part of our stay, especially here in Luxor.

Tomorrow we visit the great temple of Amun at Karnak at dawn, to see it in the light of the rising sun; the Luxor Museum in the afternoon and, finally, the Luxor temple at dusk...

The people at Ancient World Tours certainly know how to put an incredibly amazing tour together. This will all take some time to integrate and assimilate. Today was quite the emotional roller-coaster for me.