Today our horse ride was planned to be an afternoon and sunset ride in the desert. So we decided on exploring a few more tombs in the valley of the kings in the morning. Early at eight AM we were already one of the first visitors with SaŹ½id, our driver and guide for the week. With our entrance ticket we could see three more tombs, Ramses I, III and Meremptah.
Each tomb is unique and it is amazing how different they are. Angle of descent, length, width and height of tunnels, number of chambers, the main tomb chamber itself, the paintings and decorations as well as the Sarcophargus inside.
Beating the crowds by half hour, we headed to a different type of tomb next, where hardly anyone visits. Sure enough we arrived to an empty parking lot of the workers tombs. Here lies the ancient, excavated village formerly housing the workers working on temples and tombs.
Some of the craftsmen so skilled that they created smaller version of the tombs for themselves and their families. It felt like visiting miniature versions of the pharaohs tombs. For sure simpler and less precious, but impressive nevertheless.
Also on the grounds was a small temple, which we found very charming and authentic.
Back in the car we made one last stop at the Ramasseum. The Ramasseum is the memorial temple of Ramses II. Each Pharao is supposed to start three things as soon as he becomes a pharao: Built a temple for his people (or extend an existing one), start building his tomb and build a memorial temple for his afterlife.
The Ramesseum is such a memorial temple and it once housed the largest statue made from a single piece of granite rock in Egypt. Ramses II knew how to impress. The staute has fallen down and broken since, but feet and his shoulders give an indication of the original size.
We liked this temple very much.
We had a yummy local lunch, fantastic mango juice and a lovely nap before heading out for our first horse ride in Egypt.
Esther had Sahib, a feisty white pure Arabian stallion, and Chris had Ramses, a larger version of the same. The tack was impeccable, we rode in nice English saddles with traditional neck decorations.
For three hours we headed out into the desert in a good mix of walk, trot and canter as the sun began to set. The pictures speak for themselves. A beautiful sunset on top of a dune on top of a stunning horse in great company.
Heading back the horses got feistier, bucking a bit and playing up, wanting to run faster than we let them. We had to walk the last half hour in twiight and then after dark on lit roads. Road traffic is quite chaotic here. Cars, trucks, motorcycles, donkey carts everywhere. The honking is constant, the sverving through traffice as well and lights are optional. Mini busses stop at short notice and sometimes people use the other side of the road to make progress. Anything goes it seems. We weaved through the traffic with the horses as best as we could and by and large the drivers were keeping a respectful distance to the horses.
Happy and hungry we arrived back at the stables and had a traditional BBQ of grilled chicken, aubergine and potatoe vegetable dishes and rice there with a very nice French couple from Annecy as the other guests there.
Getting back into our room in the hotel, we found out, that we had company…
