While the quality is undeniable, the remoteness and price of this hotel make it of only limited interest to Egyptology students. At the moment a double room inclusive of breskfast is about €185 per night, which includes a temporary 20% discount.
We set off this morning before 9a.m. Our first stop was at the new (2005) luxury west-bank hotel, al-Moudari. This is on the edge of the cultivation, about midway between the main, west-bank, crossroads and the Nile bridge. Angela acquired a copy of their brochure, which claims it is only 4 1/2 kilometers from the Valley of the Kings. We decided that was only possible as the ba-bird flies, the distance by road being at least twice as far. While the quality is undeniable, the remoteness and price of this hotel make it of only limited interest to Egyptology students. At the moment a double room inclusive of breskfast is about €185 per night, which includes a temporary 20% discount. The SCA has been building a tall wall around the archaeological sites from Deir es-Shelwit to New Gurna. It is difficult to guess the real purpose of this eyesore, which obstructs the view in many places. This picture shows the wall by the remains of the pylon at the Temple of Isis at Deir es-Shelwit. Apart from this stone gateway there are only a locked temple proper, which it is too dark to photograph any decoration through the steel-barred door. Most of the exterior is undecorated, but there were a few re-used blocks and the door jambs are inscribed.. We then drove through the desert-edge, past the many large spoilheaps that mark out the southern part of Malqata, to the French House. This is a well looked after mature walled-garden with several buildings. The main one is a courtyard around which are rooms for the mission itself, although they were not onsite. But there are several letting apartments to generate a little more income. There is even a very small swimming pool, although this was drained. We enjoyed a cup of tea provided by the gaurdians. The nearby monastery of St Theodore is actually a nunnery, and we were glad to find it open today. The picture here shows the mausoleum of Labib Habashi, one of the best-known early Egyptian egyptologists. The small shop there was closed, although one of the nuns was offering honey for sale. By now it was 10:30 and we were all in need of liquid refreshment so we retreated to the Habu cafeteria for juices and sprites. Suitably refreshed, Angela and Helen went off to explore the temple of Thoth (Kasr el-Agoûz) which is only 100 yards away. This site, which was on private land when I last explored it in 2006 is now being conserved by the SCA. There is much scaffolding, and more than enough Rugby cement for a small job like this. Scene in the tomb of Rekhmire showing the orchestra. One more site to explore before lunch, so after a trip to the ticket office we set off for the tombs of Rekhmire and Sennefer. By the application of suitable backsheesh we were able to drive up to the entrance compound of Rekhmire, saving a long hot steep walk in full sunshine, the local houses all having been bulldozed about 3 years ago. The further climb to Sennefer and the steps inside his tomb were likely to be too much for me(and Angela was regretting them later), but Angela and Helen enjoyed this tomb. Then we went into Rekhmire's tomb. Although there is some electric light here the guards used their mirrors to illuminate the reliefs in reflected sunshine very effectively, and even inserting a small flint into the beam as a cursor to pinpoint each scene. A light lunch was taken at the Ramesseum rest house. It seems that father and son have come to an amicable arrangement as Muhamed Ibd al-Rassul was back to do the cooking. We returned to the Sheharazade to use the internet, check e-mails, etc. This evening we ate at the Amon restaurant. This is in a backstreet further from the river. The best part here is the very well made and maintained courtyard garden. I felt that the food was slightly disappointing and overpriced, but the owner did provide some extra dishes free. I would be unlikely to return here, at least until I've tried out most of the other west bank restaurants.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Brian's BlogAuthorBrian Yare Archives
February 2023
Categories
All
|