In the morning, directly after breakfast, we go to the bathroom in the room. From the washroom comes a terrible smell. Breakfast is immediately back through the toilet in the Nile. I tell downstairs at the reception. They want to take care of it. Hmh, 5 stars?

At 7 o’clock we go to the Valley of the Kings. Yes, right, where Howard Carter discovered the tomb of Tut-Ench-Amun in 1922. Actually an insignificant pharaoh, but famous because it was the only completely preserved tomb so far.

Mohammed solves the tickets and heavy step (although only 8 o’clock in the morning) begins the sighting of three graves. We choose KV 2 Ramses IV, KV 6 Ramses IX and KV 47 Siptah (there are the fewest people). In the tomb it is stuffy. Photography strictly forbidden…

Chamber Ramses IV.

The people here have accomplished an enormous feat. Much is still very well preserved. Book of the dead on the walls, kings and gods very beautifully depicted.

Hatschepsut temple

After an hour and half a liter of water we go back to the car and then to the Hatshepsut temple. A lot of police – everywhere. The assassination of 2005 has left many traces. Later Mohammed tells that an acquaintance of him – also a tour guide – was killed in the attack.

The complex of Hatshepsut – the only female pharaoh – is very well designed. Partly directly in the mountain massif beaten. However, the disfavor of her son struck here later. Many pictures were made unrecognizable by Tut-Moses III, many statues were destroyed – the revenge of the little man, so to speak.

On the way to the Memnon Colossi still short stop at an alabaster factory. Of course with sale. The credit card does not work; the good man does not get a connection to the bank. Bad luck, the former 140€ become 100€ cash. And again one or the other souvenir for home. I remember Uwe from Berlin. 20kg overweight equals 400€. Since the souvenir quickly becomes an expensive Christmas gift…

Worker in alabaster factory

The Memnon colossi are indeed colossal. Huge they stand in the landscape. The temple behind them no longer exists.

Memnon colossi

Around 11 we are back on the ship. Short toilet check, everything ok. Shortly thereafter it sets sail. Sitting on the sun terrace we enjoy the passing landscape. It is warm and pleasantly refreshing by the wind. On the shore a burnt out Nile ship (hopefully our barge will not start to burn). It is inhabited…

Burnt out Nile ship

The trip goes from Luxor to Edfu. At Esna through the lock with mad boat sellers. They row towards the ship, hang on to it and one then stands in the rowboat and praises his wares. Cloths and clothes. Rolled up in a plastic bag, they throw it on board and shout “Look and buy”. Behind me, some dumb snipe grabs a bag and throws it haphazardly back overboard. The bag floats in the Nile and a colleague of the thrower below in the boat picks it up fortunately still. Stupid cow, it does not need to buy and can leave it to others to return the bag again purposefully.

Esna

Late in the evening – I’m already in bed – there’s a short knock. Since I’m on the phone, I don’t answer. Suddenly, one of the crew opens the door and babbles something about the toilet. In his hand he has a kind of blister with tablets. I let him do what he wants and he leaves with the words “All right, my friend”.

We spend the night in Edfu. Tomorrow at 7 we are supposed to go to the Horus Temple in Edfu. We dock right next to another Nile ship. The night becomes a horror. The other barge keeps its engine running right next to my cabin. The whole night! It’s about as loud as a truck. What a bummer…