Page 77 - WDT Magazine Egypt

Like many of the ancient sites we visited, the
200-acre Karnak Temple complex is a UNESCO
World Heritage Site and a jaw dropper. The mas-
sive temple city dates back over 4,000 years and
is the largest religious site of the ancient world.
What is left of Karnak is considerably younger -- if
you consider 2,000 years-old young. The sacred
enclosure of Amun takes up a whopping 61 of
those acres – the great hypostyle hall covers an
area of 54,000 square feet and home to no less
than 134 really humongous columns towering 76
feet high.
The Pharaohs walked through the massive
avenues of sphinxes and past an obelisk that
stands 97-feet tall and weighs 323-tons. We
discovered one of the oldest nilometers, a struc-
ture used to measure water levels (more about
this later.) As grand as these ancient ruins were,
Mother Nature stole their thunder. What at first
was a slight breeze turned into a gale of swirling
sand and dust. We were in a sandstorm, a weath-
er event people here have regularly experienced
for thousands of years.
Being a Pharaoh isn’t for sissies. So our brave
group just leaned into the gusts and stinging grit
protecting ourselves with hats, scarves and even
tissues stuck in our noses to keep the sand out.
We forged, even as the wind gained strength,
forcing shopkeepers to close. Who would shop
for souvenirs now anyway?
One person who stayed on duty was the
keeper of the restrooms. It seems entrepreneurs
rent the facilities in these major attractions and
then charge tourists the going rate, so to speak.
It’s always wise to carry small bills and change for
these transactions when Mother Nature calls.
It was getting dark, but Mohamed convinced
us to make our scheduled stop at Luxor Temple. Top: Mohamed demonstrates how to
As the van sped through the narrow streets of handle a sand storm as the Pharoahs con-
Thebes, the City of a Hundred Gates and capital tinue their explore. Opposite: A local looks
for shelter from the storm in the forest of
ancient columns.

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