From Aswan, I traveled by train again up to Luxor. I spent about 5 days here traveling around to the tombs and temples. Every person breathing in Luxor is somehow associated with tourism and they are trying to get your money! I enjoy finding the way without the need to be a drone on some tour group. I rented a bicycle for 2 days and rode up into the Valley of the Kings and although it was a bit of a sweat, it was worth the $5 I paid for 2 days of transportation. The tombs are all off limits to any kind of photography so I don't have any to share. There are guards in every tomb and when you either ascend or descend into the tomb, they are there instantly to show you around and point out certain hieroglyphs or paintings of importance then rushing you out the door again (with hand out waiting to be filled with coins of quantity) to allow a new group of donations. This is also to keep your time inside to a minimum since the humidity of everyones breath increases the moisture of the air and encourages a bacteria to grow that eats the paint. You are also only allowed to visit 3 tombs. A small let down I suppose but understandable.
The temples, on the other hand, are really amazing and it is easy to spend hours in the afternoon or at sunset just roaming around between the statues, columns and doorways. I visited the Luxor temple, Karnak temple, Hatshepsut temple and Ramesseum temple.
Luxor Temple
Karnak Temple
Karnak Temple
Karnak Temple
Scarab beetle. Apparently if you walk in a circle around this statue 10 times you become Chinese.
Ramesseum Temple
Ramesseum Temple with guardians guarding
Deir el Medina Tombs
Birds eye view of Hatshepsut Temple
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