After breakfast, we flew to Luxor and immediately visited the largest religious building ever constructed, Karnak Temple. The Temple of Karnak was believed to be where creation began and a point of direct interaction between the god Amun-Ra and Egyptians. One famous aspect of Karnak is the 54000 square foot Great Hypostyle Hall with 134 massive columns arranged in 16 rows. 122 of these columns are 10 metres (33 ft) tall, while the other 12 are 21 metres (69 ft) tall with a diameter of over 3 metres (9.8 ft). The architraves (beams atop columns) are estimated to weigh 70 tons! We then boarded our home for the next four nights, the Nile Quest, and enjoyed a buffet lunch and a nap before heading to the Luxor Temple. Luxor Temple, constructed approximately 1400 BCE, is dedicated to the rejuvenation of kingship; it may have been where many of the pharaohs of Egypt were crowned. The active Abu Hagga Mosque is located within the temple, standing on the ancient columns themselves. That part of the Luxor Temple was converted to a church by the Romans in 395 AD, and then to a mosque in 640, which is more than 3,400 years of continuous religious worship. The timing was wonderful for experiencing the temple first in daylight, then as dusk turned to a night sky and the lights created atmosphere. A two kilometre long avenue of sphinxes connected the Temple of Luxor to the Karmak Temple. We walked back to the boat for dinner, belly and tanoura (Arabic spinning skirt) dancing, and World Cup soccer.
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