Luxor to Cairo
Today we take leave of the good ship SS Sphinx and fly back to Cairo. I consider the past seven days to be a signal event in my life to have ventured on the River Nile that has contributed so much to our Western Civilization.

Before returning to the Four Seasons Nile Plaza Hotel, we will tour The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC). Opened in 2017, the National Museum is located in Old Cairo and displays a collection of over 50,000 artifacts including 22 mummies of which 18 are kings and four are queens. Unfortunately, photographs are not allowed of the mummies.

On our flight to Cairo, I can see clouds and their shadows over the desert. This is the 35,000 year old Nazlet Khater skeleton, a young man found in Sohag. This stela, or stone slab monument was erected by King Qa'a somewhere around 2900 BC. This statue, made about 2500 BC, is one of the oldest made in the form of a sphinx. It is attributed to Queen Heteferes II, daughter of King Khufu. NMEC is world known for its papyrus restoration and its collection of ancient papyrus scrolls. This is just a portion on public display. This is a Black granite Sphinx of King Amenemhat III which flanked the processional route in front of his great temple at Hawara around 1800 BC. This statue of King Akhenaten showcases the unique Amarna art style with his elongated features, long face, and distinctive royal attire. It was created around 1350 BC. Statues of Horus and Khnum. (I think the one in the middle is mortal.) A granite statue of the divine God`s wife of Amun. This alabaster bowl is an early clock. Because alabaster will not hold water, the bowl was filled each morning and, as the water leaked out at a steady rate, markings on the bowl would announce the time. (BTW, the outline of the State of Texas on the side of the bowl does not validate the existence of ancient aliens.) ) Beautiful examples of the ancient Egyptian jewelry,

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To Day 9 - Temple of Khnum To Day 11 - The Pyramids