Middle East - Anthony Ham [125]
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LIFE AFTER DEATH
Ancient Egyptians had developed an intricate belief system around death and the afterlife. Life in the beyond was believed to be a vast improvement on life on earth, a place where you literally could take everything with you. Burial chambers were packed with life’s necessities – household goods, riches, and even family members and slaves – anything that might come in handy for a long and comfy life ever after. Corpses were ritually cleaned, hollowed out and mummified to create a body that would be useful for an eternity on the other side.
Belief had it that after death the deceased would travel along a treacherous river to the Hall of Final Judgement, where one’s life would be reviewed by Anubis, god of mummification. A balance scale was used to measure the weight of one’s heart against the ‘feather of truth’. The heart was thought to hold a record of all the deeds of one’s life, and if a heart was lighter than the feather (and thus chaste), eternal life with the gods was granted. If the heart was heavy with guilt and outweighed the feather, the deceased was consumed by Ammit, a hybrid crocodile, lion and hippopotamus creature, to disappear forever.
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Medinat Habu
The temple complex of Medinat Habu is dominated by the enormous Funerary Temple of Ramses III (Map), inspired by the temple of his father, Ramses II. The largest temple after Karnak, it has an enthralling mountain backdrop and some fascinating reliefs. The best time to visit is in the late afternoon, when the setting sun interacts amazingly with the golden stone.
Activities
Felucca Rides
Feluccas cruise the Nile throughout the day, and cost between E£30 and E£50 per hour per boat, depending on your bargaining skills. Captains will regularly ambush you along the Corniche, so it’s easy to shop around for the best boat and price. The most popular trip is 5km upriver to Banana Island, a tiny, palm-dotted isle where locals grow fruit and vegetables. The trip takes between two and three hours, and is best timed so that you are on your way back in time to watch the sunset over Luxor from the boat.
Ballooning
Sunrise balloon rides are offered by several companies, including Magic Horizons (Map; 236 5060; Sharia Khalid ibn al-Walid). Flights can be booked at most hotels – expect to pay between US$60 to US$100 (including transfers from your hotel and breakfast).
Horse Riding
A sunset ride around the West Bank temples is an unforgettable experience. Two West Bank stables offer guided horse rides, the best being Arabian Horse Stables ( 231 0024, 010 504 8558; 7am-sunset), which is known for its well-kept horses and tackle. If you phone ahead to book, staff will collect you from the East Bank in a launch. Rides usually take three hours and cost E£25 per hour. They also offer camel (E£25 per hour) and donkey rides (E£20 per hour).
Tours
Travel restrictions for foreigners in the Nile Valley make independent travel a pain in the butt – it’s considerably easier to visit sites north and south of Luxor on an arranged day tour. American Express and Thomas Cook (Click here) arrange tours for around US$35 to U$60 per person per half-day.
Jolley’s Travel & Tours (Map; 237 2262; 9am-10pm) Has a fine reputation for its budget day trips.
QEA ( 231 1667; www.questfortheegyptianadventure.com) A British-and-Egyptian-run agency that tailors tours in and around Luxor and the Western Desert. A percentage of its profits go towards charitable projects in Egypt.
Sleeping
Though Luxor has some first-rate sleeping options, the cost of accommodation is a rollercoaster driven by demand. Many hotels drop their charges by 50% in the May to September low season. The second half of January is Luxor’s busiest season as Egyptians travel over the school holidays – book ahead at this time.
It’s best to decide whether to stay on the East or the West bank before you arrive, as getting between the