A Rep in Egypt
This was my plane, an Airbus 380 double-decker, out of Dulles airport in Washington DC.
The view from my hotel in Cairo, Jon, you are definitely not in Kansas any more. 
On my first walk, I encountered a man sleeping.
My first morning in Cairo, here is another view from my hotel balcony, traffic in Cairo is absolutely crazy, there really aren't any rules.
Not an uncommon sight.
An open market under a bridge.
Minarets are everywhere and 5 times a day the call to prayer is heard throughout the city.
Here is a normal street scene in Cairo. I had asked my guide to take me where the tourists don't usually go, we ended up walking 4 miles. He was cool with that.
Burned out government offices in Tahrir Square. As I tell people, I managed to get in and out between revolutions.
On the Giza Plateau, just south of Cairo. I like this shot, it really shows how absolutely enormous the pyramids are. Scroll to the right to get the whole picture.
As high as you are allowed to go.
This is the opening to the center, where the sarcophagus lies.
I was one of the very few who were allowed all the way inside the Pyramid of Khufu, you have to be pretty agile to get to the center. At one point, I was the only person in the heart of the pyramid, sitting on the floor with the empty sarcophagus for almost 20 minutes, it was very profound.
Police at the Pyramids.
The classic shot.
Ramses in the ancient capitol of Memphis
After four days in Cairo and Giza I take the night train to Luxor.
My sleeping arrangements for the 12 hour trip to Luxor from Giza.
Hatshepsut's obelisk at Karnak Temple in Luxor.
Exploring a little used antechamber and discovering bats.
Early morning view from Luxor of the western bank, home to the Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queen's and the Ramesseum Temple.
An afternoon view, the colors were amazing.
The temple of the Pharaoh Hatshepsut, designed by her lover and architect, Senenmut.
Inside the temple, these are all the original colors, over 3000 years old.
Inside the Ramesseum. I thought about the loving couple that were the subject of the sculpter. Who were they, what were their lives like?
Climbing the worker's path over the hills to the
Valley of the Kings. Most people take the bus, can you imagine?
A grand view of the Nile Valley from the trail. The distinction between desert and valley, at it's most extreme.
My companion at the hotel restaurant every night.
Some friendly Luxor children.
The public ferry that crosses the Nile, cost is one Egyptian pound (16 cents).
Inside the temple at Edfu.
At the Temple of Isis on Philae Island.
Aswan, this is as far south as you can go if you traveled by boat, the first cataract and the Aswan damn are in the way.
A bazaar in Aswan. This is their version of our super market.
Going for a ride around Elephantine Island.
River taxi drivers waiting for customers.
Aswan at dusk.
Flying to Abu Simbel from Aswan, if you drive you have to go in a protected convoy.
In front of the many Ramses statues at Abu Simbel. In ancient times, this was the first thing travelers from the south saw of mighty Egypt's power.
Sudan is just over the horizon but I've gone as far as I can go on this trip.
View from the train window as I travel back north after 13 days visiting "upper" Egypt.
Back in Cairo, the day before I come home, here, close to Tahrir Square.
Finally, nearly home, landing in Washington DC.
Comments
Great pictures, especially like the House.
Did you feel safe in Egypt? It looked like an awesome trip!
Kind regards
mark
Thanks for commenting, yes, I did feel safe in Egypt, but there were signs, armed guards at all the hotels for instance, that reminded me that all things weren't particularly normal.