NILE CRUISE AND BEYOND
By Brigitte Foulke
Abdul explained that only some of the tombs were open for visitors at any given time. There was a rotation every few months. This was done in order to better preserve the tombs, as the breath of thousands of tourists was damaging to the paintings.
After the tomb visits, we continued to Der al Bahri, the mortuary temple of Queen Hatchepsut. Abdul led our little group on the long walk from the parking lot to the temple. He had his arm around Elli for part of the way and I caught myself wishing he would put his arm around me, instead of just brushing up against me or poking me whenever he had a chance. I told myself that this was nonsense that I really could not stand the guy or the way he was acting.
The view of the Temple of Hatchepsut was breath taking the way it was situated at the foot of a mountain wall rising nearly 1000 feet and towering over it. From the distance, it looked like the temple had been hewn into the mountain. Senenmut, a favorite of the queen, and maybe her lover, designed it. There are three terraces that are connected by ramps. Thank God it was morning! I could see where walking up the steep ramps in 120 plus degree midday heat might be too much for a northern tourist.
Abdul talked about the queen, who reigned from 1490-1468 B.C. Her reign was a time of prosperity, peace, and economic expansion for Egypt. She started expeditions to the legendary land of Punt, which probably was on the coast of Somalia. I was thinking, "Leave it to a woman!"