We left Cairo at 5:30 this morning for Luxor by plane.

The flight was fine and we were soon walking the ruins of Karnak.

It is a giant complex filled with colossal columns and gigantic statues.

The ruins were painted centuries ago with bright motifs of flowers and plants.

The rebuilding process must have been enormous and of course, is ongoing. New artifacts are found often. These sites are covered in thirty or forty feet of sand and rocks.

The boulevard of the sphinxes is one of them. It runs two kilometers and is paved with large stones made smooth by centuries of traffic by both foot and chariot. The road is lined on both sides by hundreds of lion bodies with sphinx heads.

There is a pool off to the right near the end of the avenue where the priests would bath. They lived near by outside of the complex.

We had another fine lunch then checked into The Winter Palace Hotel. This is our very old and beautiful hotel at the moment. It is where Agatha Christi wrote part of “Death on the Nile.” The Palace is huge and filled with antiques and history. The Nile is just across the street from us.

We gathered after a short while in the lobby to go out to ride the bus to the ruins at Luxor. They are

within waling distance. They are huge and very interesting.

We learned a great deal from our guide. He has kept us on track and on time this whole time.

Our group is a little family now and we watch out for each other.

Things are calm here and there is no sense of danger or distrust.

Everyone we have come into contact with have been wonderful, pleasant and helpful. The weather remains wonderful.

It is a little warm but comfortable. We have been very lucky on this journey.

We had an armed guard with us on our bus here in Cairo and at the pyramids. His machine gun was hidden inside of his jacket, but it was there. He was a giant of a man and quite pleasant.

We talked together and formed a fine, if short friendship. He was sad to leave us and wished us well as he left.

We have had quick and easy trips through the airports due to our guide and his helpers.

Tomorrow, the 20th, our group will be split in half and we will do a home visit with dinner and a conversation with two local families. That should be interesting.

We are looking forward to that and our further adventures.