Tourists walking towards the front section of the Karnak temple in Luxor

In the previous photos, I showed the front section of the Karnak temple, and talked about the sheer size of the complex. In this photo, you can get an idea of how large the whole complex is. Here, a number of tourists have been walking towards the first parts of the temple, but it is a good walk that can take around 5-10 minutes or so to get there. When you plan your trip, do plan to avoid hot months, since the heat can be pretty immense.

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Palm trees and wide open space in front of the Karnak temple in Luxor

The Karnak temple in Luxor in Egypt is a huge place. This is further enhanced by the huge open space in front of the temple, even before you can enter. As you can see in this photo, the space in front is really huge. The temple is a must visit for all visitors to Luxor; the architecture, the Great Hypostyle Hall, the Obelisk, all these are places that any visitor must go to.
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Tourists inside the hall leading to the Great Temple of Karnak at Luxor, Egypt

At the entrance to the Great temple at Karnak, in Luxor (Egypt), there is a hall where visitors can see exhibits related to the reconstruction and repair work undertaken at the site. A lot of the photos are from decades back.
The hall also has a security check where visitors have to pass through a security scanner, and also has a central exhibit, a scaled model of the temple.

Tourists viewing the model of the temple complex at Karnak

In the previous photo, I had talked about tourists viewing the model of the Karnak temple complex, but the photo did not show anything such. This photo shows a number of tourists standing around the temple complex of Karnak, admiring the large model depicting the Karnak temple.
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A bigger view of the model of the Karnak temple at Luxor

When you enter the Karnak temple complex, there is a big hall where all tourists have to pass a security post along with a security scanner. In the hall, there are photos that depict the restoration work that happened in the temple. There is also a big exhibit in the center of the hall, that has a large model which depicts the entire temple complex. It gives a good view of the entire structure of the temple complex, and I could see almost all tourists taking a very good of the model.
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Depiction of the temple complex at the small museum before you enter the Karnak temple

The temple complex at Karnak was built over a period of time, being part of the capital city of Thebes, and had the contribution of as much as 30 pharaohs in the various temples. Many of these buildings are now in a state of ruins, and all of them are not even accessible by tourists.
In the hall that also serves as a mini museum at the entrance to the site, there is a model that shows the entire complex of the Karnak temple (and the temple complex is supposed to be so big that it cannot be visited in one day).
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Security guard at the security scanner at the hall leading to the Karnak temple

The role of security guards can be very boring, being present at monuments for regular work, and yet expected to remain at a high level of alert when something happens. This is a photo of a security guard next to the security scanner at the hall leading to the Karnak Temple. It is mandatory for all tourists to pass through this security process and undergo security checks before they can actually go to the Karnak temple.
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Photo showing the restoration work on a corner of the Hypostyle Hall in Luxor

The Great Hypostyle Hall in the precinct of Amon-Re is one of the most spectacular sights inside the Karnak temple. It has a total of 134 columns / pillars which supported a huge roof (which no longer exists). The total area of this hall is 50,000 square feet.
Considering the historical value of this hall, there has been a lot of work done in the past to restore the hall to its glory. This is a photo showing the huge amount of work happening for some restoration.
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Photo showing restoration of the architrave of the HypoStyle Hall in the Karnak Temple

For a number of Egyptian temples (such as the famous temple at Abu Simbel), their location was unknown for a long time. In the case of the temple at Karnak, the location of the temple has been known to western experts for many centuries, but it is only in the past century that efforts have been made to restore the construction.
In this case, the photo shows the effort to restore the architrave, which is the 70 ton decorated stone at the top of the pillars. There are mysteries about how the architraves were taken to the top of the pillars.
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Tourists relaxing inside the Hall at the entrance to the Karnak Musuem in Luxor

The parking for the Karnak temple in Luxor leads to a hall where tourists can sit for some time, and even see some photos and exhibits of the reconstruction effort that went in to try and restore this magnificent temple to its previous glory. It is also mandatory to go through this hall since the security check happens in this temple.
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Photo depicting the reconstruction work at the Karnak temple in Luxor

This is a photo inside the museum at the Karnak temple in Luxor, which depicts the restoration work carried out at the Great Hypostyle Hall in the Karnak temple. The Hall covers a huge 50,000 sq feet area, whose roof has fallen, but the pillars are still standing. The hall is located within the precint of Amon-Re, and is one of the most spectacular parts of the Karnak temple, making you wonder at those ancient builders who managed to build such huge and spectacular structures.
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Inside the air-conditioned hall that leads to the Karnak temple in Luxor, Egypt

The Karnak temple is one of the most visited tourist destinations in Luxor, being a site which has multiple constructions made by pharaohs and is a huge site. The security for the site is also present, with tourists having to go through a security scanner (inside a huge hall) before they can proceed to the temple. This is a photo inside the hall.
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Security measures before we can proceed towards the Karnak temple complex

Before the recent turmoil that caused the departure of Hosni Mubarak, Egypt faced another potential risk, which was an economic risk. Egypt had turned the number of historic structures in the country to its advantage by setting a huge tourist industry, which gave a huge boost to the economy and also boosted employment. With terrorist attacks around a decade back, the security levels in the country for tourists were enhanced.
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Open space in front of the huge temple complex of Karnak in Luxor

The Karnak temple complex in Luxor is a huge place, with a lot of open space in front of the temple complex. In fact, from the parking area itself, there is a walk of around 5-10 minutes that will take you towards the gates of the temple. In this photo, you get some idea of the open space, but it needs to be seen to be believed.
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Buses parked outside the huge temple of Karnak in the city of Luxor

The town of Luxor has a long history, being very prominent during the time of the ancient Egyptians. As a result, the city now has some of the most prominent remains from that time period, and is a natural tourist stop. One of the biggest such tourist destinations in Luxor is the huge temple complex of Karnak, which is not fully open to tourists and is yet spectacular.
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View of an Egyptian under construction house in Cairo

As we were roaming around in Egypt, I took a lot of photos that depicted life in the Egyptian cities. This is a photo of an under-construction house in Cairo, and it was exactly how house construction is done in my native country. I also noticed something strange, whereby houses were not finished well on the outside, and I was told that this was because the occupants did not want to attract tax officials towards them.

View of houses that all seem under construction in Cairo, the capital of Egypt

We were passing by a locality in Cairo on our way out of the city, and wondered as to whether all the houses were having additional construction, since none of the houses really showed that they were completed from the outside. The guide with is told us that all of them wanted to show their houses as poor and plain from the outside, since otherwise, they could be harassed by tax officials.
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The road outside the Queen Hatshepsut mortuary temple in Deir El Bahri near Luxor in Egypt

Previous photos have all been about the interior of the Hatshepsut mortuary temple compound; this is the first photo that shows a view of the temple from the road (which is somewhat distant from the temple). But even from this distance, the structure of the temple is clearly visible, which is even more remarkable since the temple was build many millenia ago.
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Scene inside the dining room of the Gold Palace resort just before lunch

This is the view inside the dining room of the Gold Palace resort on the outskirts of Jaipur. There were 2 eating areas inside the hotel, one right inside the lobby, somewhat like a coffee house, and the other was this separate dining area. We were in a group and had a buffet, so this scene was just before the buffet lunch was going to start.

View of the electric buses against the temple of Queen Hatshepsut in Deir El Bahri

At the temple of Queen Hatshepsut in the Egyptian location of Deir El Bahri, there will always be a large number of tourist buses since the temple is one of the most important tourist locations in the country (after the pyramids and the Sphinx). Electric buses carry tourists from the parking to the base of the temple, and you can see these buses in this photo.
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People moving to and fro the electric cars that carried people from tourist buses to the foot of the temple

At the Queen Hatshepsut mortuary temple in Deir El Bahri near Luxor, tourist buses are located at a distance, and from there, a convoy of electric cars moves the tourists to the foot of the temple. Here, you can see tourists moving from the electric cars.

Painting inside the Gold Palace resort on the outskirts of Jaipur, showing the Mughal emperor listening to music

Like the previous photo, this photo shows a painting of the Mughal emperor in his court, listening to a musical performance. Many of the Mughal emperors were patrons of the art, and encouraged the performances of music and arts. This painting is inside the Gold Palace resort located on the outskirts of Jaipur.

Sheds at the edge of the Queen Hatshepsut temple in Deir El Bahri selling stuff to tourists

At one side of the Queen Hatshepsut temple in Deir El Bahri, there were a number of sheds at the edge of the lower section of the temple. In the heat, these sheds seemed to be selling stuff to tourists including cool drinks.

Painting on the wall inside the Gold Palace Resort near Jaipur, depicting scenes from the Mughals

The Gold Palace resort is a luxury resort on the outskirts of Jaipur, set in a large location. Inside the hotel, you can see these fairly beautiful paintings on the walls of the lobby (next to the coffee shop) depicting scenes from the times of the Mughals (in the painting, you can see a Mughal emperor on his throne).

Official in the middle of all the reconstruction material at Hatshepsut mortuary temple

At the Queen Hatshepsut mortuary temple in Deir El Bahri, there was a lot of reconstruction material at the base of the temple, indicating that a lot of repair work was happening. At the edge of the material, there was an official overseeing the restoration work.

Close up of a bright red Hibiscus flower, on its own branch

I really like the form of a Hibiscus flower, since the bright color, the way that the stamen and the pollen stand out, all look really good. In this photo, you can see the close up of the flower, highlighted with all its features.

View of a section of the Queen Hatshepsut temple where reconstruction artifacts are present

At the foot of the Queen Hatshepsut temple in Deir El Bahri, there is a large amount of material, looking the same way as the material that makes the structure of the temple. Looks like a huge amount of material, which indicates that the reconstruction effort is fairly large.

Small water fountain with decoration of rocks and greenery

In this photo, you can see a water fountain that has multiple levels in which water cascades at different levels. There are small stones, rocks, but right now, because of the high amount of heat, water was not flowing. it could be that this was because the water would start flowing only in the evening.

Person viewing the ruins of the pillars without a roof at the Hatshepsut mortuary temple in Egypt

A section of the Queen Hatshepsut mortuary temple where the structure has somewhat fallen. There are still pillars on the ground, but the roof above the pillars is no longer present. A tourist was there, taking photos of these pillars.

Scene inside a small restaurant in the highway on the Delhi Jaipur highway

A lot of restaurants on highways in India have multiple attractions inside them, which include some varieties of food (typical Indian food) as well as being able to shop for certain items such as packed food stuffs, cold drinks (soft drinks), items such as batteries, camera supplies, etc. In this photo, you can see the scene inside a restaurant as well as the shop inside the restaurant where you can buy a lot of stuff (including different types of masala and pickles).

View of tourists on the upper sections of the Hatshepsut temple, along with the cliffs on top of the temple

A view of tourists on the top section of the Queen Hatshepsut temple in Deir El Bahri, near Luxor in Egypt. The mortuary temple is split across multiple levels which are accessible through a ramp. In this photo, you can also see the top section of the temple where the serrated view of the limestone cliffs over the temple can also be seen.

Close up of a small bridge, tree, and doll house as part of an attraction

In the previous photo on this subject, I am showing a close up of the attraction that interests children, with some of them wanting to climb on the attraction; this was done well and very well pleasing.

View of the outer section of the Queen Hatshepsut temple in Deir El Bahri, just outslide Luxor in Egypt

This is a view of the outer section of temple of Queen Hathsepsut, the female Pharaoh (and probably the first known female ruler in history). You can see a view of the outer sections of the temple, including the place where tourist buses stop and tourists take an electric bus to come to the lower sections of the temple.

Decoration that shows a small bridge, doll house and small tree in a restaurant

On the small restaurant that was located midway between Delhi and Jaipur, there was some amount of decoration that shows a small setup, with a small river, bridge, tree, house, etc. It was primarily meant to attract small children but for adults who were also tired as a result of the journey, the attraction was pleasing to the eyes.

View of an inner section of the Pharaoh Hatshepsut mortuary temple, with a lot of paintings on the walls

The Egyptian pharaohs believed in a lot of paintings and carvings inside their temples, and so it was in the mortuary temple for the female Pharaoh Hatshepsut in Deir El Bahri near Luxor in Egypt. The temple was constructed in the 14th century BC, but even after millenia, the paintings still retain their color.
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A couple of bright red Hibiscus flowers

We were at a resort when we came across this plant (the same height as a man) that looked real good. The plant had a contrast, since there was a lot of sun-baked earth and right next to that, a very green plant with some bright red Hibiscus flowers on the plant. Early in the morning, the plant and the flowers looked great.

View from a section of the upper level of the Hatshepsut temple of tourists at the lower level

This is a view from the upper section of the Hatshepsut mortuary temple in Deir El Bahri, near Luxor in Egypt. You can see the ramp to the left side that leads to a higher level, as well as tourists at the lower sections of the temple.
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Cars parked near a restaurant on the highway, midway to Jaipur

Once we were on the way to Jaipur from Delhi, and were somewhat tired, looking for a rest stop. Then we came across this restaurant and stop, and it was a relief to stop there for some time, enjoy the place, and have some breakfast and tea. The place had ample parking, and in the hot sun, getting some covered parking was a good sign since that ensured that the car did not get too hot.

Tourists walking near the ramp that takes people to the higher levels of the Queen Hatshepsut mortuary temple near Luxor in Egypt

The mortuary temple of the female pharaoh, Hatshepsut, in Deir El Bahri, near Luxor in Egypt, is spread across multiple levels with a ramp that takes tourists to the multiple levels of the temple. Near the base of the temple, there is a lot of small parts that are meant for the restoration work in the temple.
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Symbols on the wall inside the Queen Hathsepsut mortuary temple near Luxor in Egypt

When somebody thinks of ancient Egypt, some very familiar symbols come to mind. Symbols such as an eye, a shape somewhat like a cross but with the top more rounded, etc, all come to mind. In this photo, taken inside Queen Hathsepsut's mortuary temple, you can see many of these symbols on the wall, having been carved on the walls in a bold position.
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Closer view of a section of the mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut in Deir El Bahri, near Luxor in Egypt shows massive windows in the wall

The corridors in the mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut were interesting, the side of the corridor that facing the outside had these huge cuts in the wall in the shape of rectangles, almost if something was kept in these small cuttings. It could be that there were large items kept here, or even statues that are no longer existing.
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