HERE ARE A FEW MORE PICTURES THAT DIDN'T MAKE IT ONTO THE BLOG ON THE DAYS THEY WERE SHOT. THEY ARE IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER.

THIS IS A MODEL OF JERUSALEM, FORMERLY DISPLAYED AT THE HOLYLAND HOTEL, AND RECENTLY MOVED AND REASSEMBLED AT ITS CURRENT HOME, THE ISRAEL MUSEUM.

A DELICIOUS POMEGRANATE.

A BEAUTIFUL TREE.

THIS IS MY TAKE ON THE SUN OVER THE DEAD SEA!

AND THOSE WONDERFUL CLOUDS...

WE MADE A STOP AT THE PAPYRUS INSTITUTE IN CAIRO, WHERE WE WERE GIVEN A DEMO ON HOW PAPYRUS PAPER IS MADE.

COMMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE THROUGHOUT OUR JOURNEY THROUGH EGYPT, ABOUT THE FASHIONS THAT WERE WORN BY THE WOMEN. HERE YOU EVEN CAN SEE A WINDOW DISPLAY AT A STORE (IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO ONE OF THE SYNAGOGUES WE VISITED).

HOPEFULLY, IN THE WEEKS AHEAD, I WILL BE ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER A BOOK OF PHOTOS (ADDING ADDITIONAL ONES THAT DID NOT MAKE IT INTO THE BLOG.)

HOME, BUT BLEARY-EYED! NEVERTHELESS, HERE ARE SOME PHOTOS FROM OUR VISIT TO THE KaRNAK TEMPLES. THE MAGNITUDE OF THE ENGINEERING ALONG WITH THE REALIZATION OF HOW LONG THESE STRUCTURES HAVE BEEN STANDING, AND THE PHAROAHS WHO WALKED WHERE OUR FOOTSTEPS FOLLOW, IS AMAZING. THERE IS INCREDIBLE DETAIL IN THE CARVINGS, AND THE HIEROGLYPHICS TELL MANY STORIES.

AND FOR FUN, SEE OUR CANINE FRIEND.

NEXT A VISIT TO LUXOR TEMPLE. THE TWO ARE ABOUT 3 KM. APART, AND CURRENTLY THERE ARE EXCAVATIONS WHICH WILL REVEAL WHAT LAY BETWEEN THE TWO, WHICH WERE ORIGINALLY CONNECTED.

PART OF THIS TEMPLE WAS EVENTUALLY USED AS A CATHOLIC CHURCH, AND THIS SHOWS HOW THE FRESCOES HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE TEMPLE WALLS.

SOME ODDS AND ENDS WILL FOLLOW (BUT NOT TODAY), AND EVENTUALLY I WILL PUBLISH A BOOK CONTAINING THESE PLUS ADDITIONAL PHOTOS OF THE TRIP.

Our last day (in Luxor) opened with this glorious sunrise.

Today's final adventures at the Karnak Temples and Luxor Temple, are yet to appear on this Photo Blog. And yes, we will be back home, but check in early next week to see the remaining photos. Early in the morning we head to the airport...

JUST REALIZED THAT I HAD NOT INCLUDED THE NILE CRUISE PICTURES THAT I TOOK. SO HERE THEY ARE.

AND A FEW OF OUR GROUP.

BACK TO LUXOR LATER...

WE HAD HEARD THAT THE VALLEY OF THE KINGS AND VALLEY OF THE QUEENS WAS WORTH THE TRIP HERE, AND IT CERTAINLY WAS. IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE SUCH FEATS OF ENGINEERING, AS WELL AS THE WEALTH OF ARTISTIC PRODUCT THAT WAS CREATED FOR THESE VAST TOMBS. WHILE THE CONTENTS THEMSELVES WERE EITHER ROBBED OR PUT INTO MUSEUMS, THE HIEROGLYPHICS AND ART WORK THAT COVER THE WALLS AND CEILINGS IS INCREDIBLE. NO PHOTOS ARE ALLOWED INSIDE THE KINGS' TOMBS, SO I CAN ONLY SHOW YOU THE MOUNTAIN ITSELF. THAT MOUNTAIN HAS A PEAK LIKE A PYRAMID, SO INSTEAD OF BUILDING A PYRAMID, THEY CARVED THE TOMB INTO THE MOUNTAIN.

ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU CAN TAKE PICTURES WHEREVER YOU LIKE IN QUEEN HATSHEPSUT'S MORTUARY TEMPLE. SHE WAS PHAROAH FOR ABOUT 22 YEARS.

AND HERE ARE SOME LIVING PEOPLE.

AND THEIR ANIMALS

AND THEIR MODE OF TRANSPORTATION

AND FINALLY, A STOP AT A STONE CUTTER'S WORKSHOP/STORE, WHERE WE SAW HOW ALABASTER AND OTHER STONES WERE TURNED INTO JARS, VESSELS AND DECORATIVE OBJECTS.

TOMORROW, KARNAK BY DAY, AND THEN THE FLIGHT BACK TO CAIRO.