Luxor

Today we travelled to Luxor, Egypt, to see their many archaeological sites.* It was a short one-hour flight from Cairo and an easily managed day trip. 

We started in the Valley of the Kings where the pharoahs of Egypt's New Kingdom (1570-1070 BC) are buried.** The tombs are dug into the side of the mountain and only a few at a time are open for public viewing.*** Each entrance begins a journey down through elaborate colored carvings that show the King going to his afterlife. Unfortunately, pictures were not allowed inside.*****

Our next stop was Hatshepsut's Temple. She was one of the few queens to rule ancient Egypt and built this temple for worship. As a reward for her efforts, the next king (her stepson), had all images or references to her reign removed.****** What remains is a three-tiered structure to rival all your favorite column-ed buildings. Some statues and engravings still exist. 

   

We then had a quick stop to see two giant statues that have been exhumed and reconstructed.******* I was instructed to jump. 

 

We ended at Karnak Temple,******** the grandest temple in Luxor. I'll spare you all the history********* and give you some of the many pictures. It is larger than life. 

  

  

 

 

  

Before returning to Cairo, we took a quick sail on the Nile.**********

 

 

 

  

***********

What's next, you wonder? We go to bed. We were up way early. 

-KT

*🎶Tombs are bustin' out all over!🎶

**For those keeping score, the Giza pyramids are from the Old and Middle Kingdom (2600-2160BC and 2040-1700BC, respectively) and putting a pyramid on your tomb was so passé by 1200BC. 

***For those really keeping score, this is where King Tut's tomb was found. It was miraculously intact because the entrance had been covered over by the rubble of another tomb and grave robbers never found it. All the goodies from King Tut's tomb are in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo where pictures were not allowed.****

****Not that that stopped me later. 

*****Which is why I totally didn't take this one.

******Ladies, don't even get me started. 

*******You can't pull a weed in this place without accidentally hitting a relic. There are archaeological dig sites everywhere. Our tour leader even told us how his neighbor found something in his yard and has encouraged him to dig up his own. 

********No, not that one, Carson fans.

 

*********AKA I don't remember the history. 

**********Like ya do. 

***********🎶Just call us "Cleopatra"...'cause we're the queens of de Nile🎶

Bonus posing for those that like to scroll:

 

Egypt!!

There was a time when I didn't care if I saw the pyramids. In high school, my dad came to Cairo for work and reported back that the pyramids look just like the pictures and were no big deal. From his reports, I assumed Cairo looked like this.*

Then, in 2008, the family went to China and we saw the Great Wall. Dad said it looked like the pictures but I thought it was awesome. And that's when I knew I would come to Egypt one day.***

Since the pyramids were at the top of the to-do list, we went there first thing. They were everything I dreamed they would be!**** We did all the things: we climbed what was allowed, we kissed the Sphinx, and we walked like Egyptians.

      

We took a camel ride to see the full panorama. It was a pretty tame ride despite the wild action shot you'll see AT in.***** We also posed ridiculously atop the camels to get not-actually-lined up shots with us holding things. Please enjoy the absurdity. 

    

   

Artsy shadow shot:******

 

Naturally, I ended the ride by posing with all my new BFFs. One of us was not into the continued posing.

We are here for the rest of the week and will be hitting the various museums and taking a day trip to Luxor. Many people have asked...yes, it is very safe here. All the stories you've heard of people protesting in the streets or of foreigners being turned away from the country are of America. The Egyptian people have all been lovely and want their tourism boom to return! Come see these things for yourself!!*******

-KT

P.S. If anyone needs a paperweight, call my dad.

 

*He came back with multiple different pyramid paperweight sets. One in blue, one in stone, and one in glass. When I told this to our tour guide today, she said he must be a very generous man to bring back so many souvenirs. I laughed and told her they were all for him and not for us.** I then explained to her that my mom did not allow him to keep them all at the house and he had been required to take all but one set to his office at work. 

**He is, however, a very generous man. 

***This also explains why you should never ask my parents for a movie critique. They will almost always tell you it was like the preview.  

****Though with way fewer people than I thought!  Egypt wants you back, Tourists!! 

*****Or this is her first rodeo?

******Is this too much???

*******Roof raising is optional.

A Very Curaçao Thanksgiving

One more from the islands!!

There was a lot to be thankful for today! Please enjoy pictures and a high text to footnote ratio to get you through the holiday.*

 The morning and early afternoon were spent on the beach.** AT enjoyed watching the ships come in and I enjoyed the sunshine. 

The afternoon was spent strolling around the town and a ferry ride when the bridge was unavailable.***

   

  

We took some obligatory Curaçao photos but mostly were in awe of other people taking photos and their fantastic posing game. We tried to recreate it but ultimately went with the classic family pose. 

 

 

We had a crazy delicious dinner and, even though we were not in America, we lived up to all the American thanksgiving stereotypes.**** No food is pictured because we ate it all. 

 

Finally, on the walk home we saw a Santa***** parade and fireworks****** and a street party and everything!! This was Thanksgiving to us but just a Thursday to Curaçao.

It's a bit much to live every day like Thanksgiving, but if you live even half your Thursdays with the enthusiasm of Curaçao, you'll be doing alright!

-KT

*For you, Kyle!!

**You guys!! This beach is a sham!! You can't even tell! We are on the second floor of the hotel here at a salt water with sand infinity pool that overlooks the harbor. It was trippy and the perfect solution to a no-beach problem. 

***The bridge floats and moves out of the way sometimes to let ships through! IS THIS WHOLE TOWN A FACADE????

****We ate way too much at the main meal but all still ordered dessert and ate all that too. We complained about how full we were the whole way home but also talked about the things we would eat again. America. 

*****Looking dapper in blue and balloons!

******I broke one of my strongest beliefs today and took a picture of fireworks. That's right, I think firework photos look stupid and I judge you pretty harshly when you post them on NYE or July 4th. I think, "Put the camera down. Watch the fireworks. Your pictures look lame and don't do it justice." And you know what? This picture looks lame and it doesn't do it justice but I took a picture to show that they existed. And with Scarlett O'Hara as my witness, I will never take a picture of a firework again. 

No Turkeys Here!

Okay, we look photoshopped into this photo. I promise you, we were in Anguilla. And yes, that's Anguilla courtesy of St. Maarten via Curaçao where we daytripped to Bonaire after arriving from Miami. The things this family does for points are ridiculous and we all openly admit it. 

We arrived in Curaçao in time for dinner and scenic street views. The island was settled by the Dutch and has the feel of the Caribbean with the brightly colored houses of the Netherlands. 

They, like us, have bypassed Thanksgiving entirely and are ready for Christmas. Dad is pumped!

The next day we went to Bonaire and had a tour of the island. Bonaire is much smaller than Curaçao and is known for its snorkeling and diving. The entire island is surrounded by a coral reef accessible straight from the shore. We toured the southern half of the island where we saw the salt ponds that harvest sea salt. It's not snow that you're seeing, but mountains of salt waiting for transport. 

The ponds surrounding the salt flats are ideal for flamingos. The flamingos feast on shrimp in the briny waters and that's what turns their feathers pink. They're shy birds so we couldn't get too close!

   

We also saw the huts where slaves lived when they were brought to the island in the 1800's. The houses are maintained today as a memorial to the slaves that built the island. 

We ended our tour of the island with some beach time before flying back to Curaçao!

The next day we headed to Sint Maarten, the Dutch, which shares land with Saint Martin, the French. The island is divided in half and has two of everything. If you mail a letter to the US from the Dutch side, it goes direct. If you mail from the French side, it detours to Europe before hitting America. We ate dinner on the French side and it went straight to our mouths with no international detours. 

 

Today we took a ferry to Anguilla, owned by the British. The ferry was a tad rocky and gives you this fantastic shot:

Upon arrival we had beach time and lunch time (our two favorite times) before returning to St. Maarten. For thanksgiving proper we will be back in Curaçao with no turkey or traditional trimmings. We wish you the best with your family and are thankful to be traveling together (minus UK who is prepping a turkey for AT's return!).

Enjoy your turkey, all!

-KT