(soft music) - Hi, I'm Rick Steves, sailing
beyond Europe this time. We're on the Nile, exploring the historic and
cultural wonders of Egypt. Thanks for joining us. (uptempo instrumental music) Egypt, while not in Europe, contributed to the foundation
of Western civilization. It's a crossroads where east
meets west, north meets south, and where ancient meets modern. As we'll see, it's a long story, and it continues to unfold. In Cairo, after admiring
one of the great sights of the ancient world, we
marvel at King Tut's gold. - Buy one, two free today. Cheap, cheap. - We haggle with a gauntlet
of eager merchants, venture into the back streets local-style, and help chisel a tombstone. In Alexandria, we delve
into a vibrant market and smoke a shisha. In Luxor, we revel in the
glory of the pharaohs' temples and their hidden tombs. We hoist the sail for an
unforgettable felucca ride, then upgrade to a river boat cruise and kick back while enjoying
timeless Nile views. Our finale, the magnificent
ruins of Abu Simbel. In the southeast corner
of the Mediterranean, Egypt is one of Africa's
largest countries. The Nile River flows like a green ribbon from south to north. After Cairo and the pyramids at Giza, we tour Alexandria and Luxor. Then we cruise the Nile, check out Aswan, and finish in Abu Simbel. Cairo, straddling the Nile, is the biggest city in North Africa and the biggest in the Middle East. It's the capital of Egypt and one of the leading cities in Islam. With about 20 million
people in greater Cairo, it's bursting at the seams
and pulsing with energy. Cairo's downtown is modern
and can feel European. Streets, squares, and grand
buildings are reminders of the country's colonial past, from the 19th and early 20th centuries. The riverfront throbs with energy, stately bridges busy with traffic, fancy riverside restaurants, and towering apartment complexes. The Nile is still the
lifeblood of the city, sprawling endlessly on both sides. The heart of Cairo is Tahrir Square. It's long been ground zero
for the people's spirit. If there's a demonstration going on, and there have been massive
ones in recent years, it's likely here. In addition to its political energy, the city's long been a religious capital. Ever since the forces of Islam
swept across north Africa from Arabia in the 7th century spreading the teachings
of their prophet Mohammed, Cairo has been a leading
city in the Muslim world. And today, Cairo's known as the
city of a thousand minarets. Stepping into Al Hussein mosque, like any neighborhood mosque, you'll find a worshipful tranquility. It's believed that resting
here invigorates the soul. There's more intensity
around the adjacent shrine, believed to contain a sacred relic, the head of Al Hussein ibn Ali, a grandson of the Prophet Mohammed. In a mosque, men and
women worship separately. As praying can be physical,
with lots of bending over, it's considered more respectful to allow woman their own space. I find that a respectful tourist is welcome to be a part of the scene. Along with minarets,
you'll see church spires, especially in Cairo's Coptic quarter. While Egypt is predominantly Muslim, today about 10% of the
country is Christian. The Egyptian, or Coptic Church actually predates Islam by six centuries. Because they worship in an orthodox style, stepping into a Coptic Mass
is like going back in time. The faithful believe
that when Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus escaped
Herod by fleeing to Egypt, this very spot is where they took refuge. Later, in 43 AD, it's
believed the Evangelist Mark came to Egypt and established
the Coptic Church. Mark was their first pope and the first in an unbroken
line of Coptic popes stretching back nearly 2,000 years. The Coptic quarter comes
with high security. Throughout Egypt, travelers
will notice armed guards, security barriers, and a
high-profile police presence. These are reminders of a pent-up tension in Egyptian society. They reveal the challenges
Egyptian democracy faces today. While many modern Muslims would prefer a separation
of mosque and state, others believe Egypt should
be ruled in accordance with a strict interpretation of the Quran. Religious fundamentalism
is a challenge here as it is in America. Cairo is intense. I love traveling here, but I do it with safety
and sanity in mind. While prices on the street may be cheap, if you want rich-world comfort, you'll pay rich-world prices. I sleep in an international-class hotel. It comes with first-class security. I hope the future will be more relaxed. But for now, I splurge
for the peace of mind. (soft uptempo music) The people of today's Egypt
represent the latest chapter in a story that goes back 5,000 years. Even if you don't understand its long and complicated history, just observing how old
and new come together is rewarding to the traveler. Egypt's heritage goes back
twice as far as ancient Rome. And ancient Egypt, that's
what draws the tourists. The iconic sights of Egypt,
four or 5,000 years old, are basically buildings
and art for dead people. Back then, they believed
you could take it with you, and your big challenge: to be sure your body and your valuables survived the journey into the afterlife. That's why, if you had
the power and money, you'd lock everything up
in a big tomb,a pyramid. These are the most famous,
the Pyramids of Giza. But the oldest pyramid is
actually nearby at Saqqara, the tomb of the king
or pharaoh named Zoser. This structure, which marked
his tomb, is a step pyramid. Dating from around 2600 BC, it's a century older than its
more famous sisters at Giza. This first-ever towering stone structure is more than just a grave marker. With an innovative stacking of layers, it provided a new way to glorify a king, creating a stairway to eternity. A visit to Cairo's Egyptian Museum helps bring the country's
many ancient sights to life. Along with the Grand
Egyptian Museum at Giza, this museum shows off the best collection of ancient Egyptian art anywhere. The core of the collection, art from the age of the pharaohs, dates from about 3000 to 1000 BC. Nearly everything filling these
old halls is funerary art, art designed to help save
the souls of the pharaohs, statues filled with
symbolism, written prayers, and offerings to deal with the gods and help assure a happy
transition into the afterlife. This ancient art is so well-preserved because most of it was
hidden away for 4,000 years, dark and dry, in tombs. This portrayal of geese from 2500 BC is perhaps the oldest surviving painting. This seated scribe recalls the importance of the educated elite in the court of an often-illiterate king. And this couple, a husband and wife, was also found in a tomb. It's all art for the dead, locked up until rediscovered
in modern times. Many mummies patiently await your visit. Ancient Egyptians preserved bodies through a complex process
of mummification in hopes that the soul could re-inhabit
it in the next world. And the coffins were elaborately painted with an inventory of
things that, hopefully, would accompany the
body, and with prayers, to be sure all went as planned. The art looks essentially the
same from century to century. A remarkable thing about
ancient Egyptian art and society as a whole was its stability. For 2,000 years, from 3000 to 1000 BC, relative to other times
and other cultures, very little changed. Religion permeated Egyptian society. As long as things were
going reasonably well, the gods were happy,
and it was status quo. Every year the Nile would flood, bringing water and
fertile silt to the land. When the gods are happy,
the people have food, and you don't change things. And the pharaoh was considered a god. If your leader is a god,
you question nothing. You obey the rules. Things stay the same. Akhenaten was the one exception in a 2,000-year line
of conformist pharaohs. Rather than the same,
predictable idealized features, Akhenaten had his own voluptuous looks, from a strangely curvaceous body to big, sensuous lips. Ruling around 1400 BC, he was considered
history's first monotheist. Akhenaten replaced all the
gods of the Egyptian pantheon with one all-powerful being, the sun god, whom he called Aten. In reliefs from the reign
of Akhenaten we see Aten, the sun, shining down on everything. During the time of Akhenaten, people were portrayed
looser, more intimately. Casual family scenes, must be from the time of Akhenaten. As always, I appreciate
the services of a guide, so I'll understand the symbolism
and know what to look for. So, we're joined by my friend
and fellow guide, Marwa Abbas. She explained how lots of
ancient hieroglyphic writing on papyrus survives, and how it helps us better understand the mysteries of the pharaohs. - Papyrus is made out of the
stem of the plant papyrus, which is hammered, and then it is woven, and then we press it in a
pressing machine or stones to get those beautiful papers. These are the hieroglyphs, one of the most ancient written languages because of which we understood a lot about the civilization of ancient Egypt. So, these are beautiful
paintings of the afterlife. Even in the afterlife, they
were trying to bribe the gods and deities in order to help
them in the afterlife path. Even here in front of the judge Osiris is a big offering pile of lotus, onions, oxen leg, as well as
breads and vegetables. - Anything to make the god happy. - Anything to make him happy. - [Rick] The son of
Akhenaten was Tutankhamen, perhaps the most famous pharaoh. A highlight of the museum's collection is a section filled with
King Tut's treasures, from his splendid coffin to his jewelry. This is exquisite. - It is a beautiful piece of the jewelry of Tutankhamen around the year 1300 BC made out gold, turquoise, lapis lazuli, and you can see the
beautiful symbolism over here where you can see the scarab, the sign of existence,
as well as the sun disc. The cobra is wearing the
crowns of upper and lower Egypt as well as the ankh, symbol of life. The ancient Egyptians used
to mummify their bodies and also mummified their organs. King Tutankhamen around the year 1300 BC had his organs inside this
beautiful alabaster box, and that was also inside a
wooden gilded beautiful box that had the surroundings of the four goddesses for protection. So it was always about protection. - [Rick] The mask of
Tut looks like his face so his soul could recognize him on his journey to the afterlife. Placed over the head of his mummy, it was 24 pounds of gold, with a cobra and a vulture to
symbolize the united kingdom of both Upper and Lower Egypt,
which Tut proudly ruled. After the museum, Cairo's
characteristic old quarter is a colorful celebration
of today's Egypt. Khan Al-Khalili is the
megamall of medieval bazaars. 600 years ago, it was a caravanserai, a stop on a caravan trade route. Then, when the Ottoman Turks took Egypt, it became a bustling Turkish bazaar. Today it's a stop for every tour group, and the merchants are standing by. - How are you? How can I take your money? - [Rick] Eager to charm
you into a little shopping. - Welcome. Just have a look here. Everything is free. Welcome to Egypt. - Today, 100% discount,
because today my birthday. - Buy one, two free today. Cheap, cheap. - No money, no honey. No cry. - [Rick] The hustlers can
be intense and annoying, or fun, depending on your approach. - Hello, my friend! Hello! Good morning. - [Rick] Dive in, with a sense of humor. Bargaining is expected
in Egyptian markets. Treat it as a game. Never feel sorry for, or
obligated to, the merchant. If you see something you like, show some interest and see
how low you can get the price. - Here, your size.
- Maybe $5. - Big size, you know.
(Rick laughs) - Give me $5. Okay, okay, okay. - Cairo's a fascinating clash between traditional and modern, religious and secular, east and west. While its chaos can be exasperating, it can also be a rewarding challenge for the adventurous traveler. I find that simply
venturing a few blocks away from the tourist-friendly bazaar, suddenly, the tourists are gone, and I'm swallowed up in
a completely local scene. Wandering through the
colorful market streets here in Cairo's Islamic quarter, you feel that it goes on forever. Three-wheeled tuk-tuks
weave through the action. (horn honks) I love to hop in one for a quick joyride. There's something strangely graceful about this chaotic dance
of careening vehicles, merchants, and pedestrians. (uptempo instrumental music) Exploring the Islamic Quarter
creates a montage of memories. It's a commotion of activity. Everywhere you look, something you've never
seen before is happening. Somehow, bikers balance
rustic racks of bread. Craftsmen inscribe marble tombstones with verses from the Holy Quran. "The peaceful soul, after a blessed life, will finally rest in heaven". With a little effort, you'll find it can be easy
to become part of the scene. In this shop, a man spins
delicate strands of flour that will become a favorite
local pastry, kanafeh. The classic street food here is koshary: lentil, rice, pasta,
garlic, and tomato sauce, all mixed together into
a quick and cheap treat. (dishes clattering) The distinctive clanging
stokes local appetites. And small bakeries are steadily producing hot balloons of pita bread, destined to be filled with falafel. Bread is subsidized by the
government to make life easier for people struggling
to feed their families. (soft uptempo music) Walking through neighborhoods like this, you gain an appreciation for
how just making ends meet is a daily struggle for millions in a teeming city like Cairo. I make a point to explore
a variety of neighborhoods. Here in Egypt, like almost anywhere, there's a big gap between rich and poor. In the relative cool of the evening, the prosperous streets
of downtown are filled with window shoppers
and thriving eateries, clearly a world for Egypt's
more privileged class. And gated social clubs in
a place like Egypt provide a refuge where the wealthy
can live in a parallel world, protected from the gritty
reality of the streets. My friend Tarek, who runs
a successful tour company, has invited me out for the evening. Tarek grew up as a member
here, he met his wife here, and today their children enjoy
this privileged environment almost daily. These clubs have something
for all generations, birthday parties, playgrounds,
competitive sports. Adults can retreat to the no-kids zone to play a quiet game of croquet with friends they've been
socializing here with since childhood, or just to watch from
the peaceful terrace. We finish our evening just down
the street at Tarek's home, joining his family for dinner. So, how do you say... In France, you would say, bon appetit. - Bon appetit.
- In Arabic? (both speaking Arabic) - That's very difficult. Bon appetit. (all chuckling)
- It's easier. - I think so. Heba, this is so beautiful. Can you give me please a tour of this beautiful Egyptian meal? - Sure. This is moussaka.
- Okay. - [Heba] This is the stuffed vine leaves. - Stuffed vine leaves.
- Okay, and this is okra with tomato sauce. - Okra. Nice.
- Very delicious, and this is Egyptian
beef with onion sauce, and this is of course, rice. This is rokak. - Rokak. What is rokak?
- Yes. It's some kind of pastry
stuffed with mincemeat. - And-
- And tzatziki. - Tzatziki. So we have moussaka- - Common between us and the Greeks, yes. - I was gonna say, moussaka,
stuffed grape leaves, and tzatziki.
- Yeah. - A Greek would say, "That's my food." It's Egyptian, also? - We cook it differently.
- Okay. There we go. Thank you. Shukran. So, is it normal for children
to speak English and Egyptian? - Actually, if they're
in international school. - [Rick] Yeah. And your kids
go to an international school. - Yes, American ones. - Sometimes on Friday or Thursday, we watch on the TV, Netflix, we choose an English movie.
- You can choose, Egyptian or English?
- Yeah. - Family movie!
- Family movie! Every Thursday night is family movie. - [Rick] And, Heba, what do
you wish for your daughters, to be successful and to be happy? - Mm, to have good faith, good education as well, to be open-minded, self-confident.
- Beautiful. I think you're on the right road. I think you're on the right road. (both chuckling)
- I hope so. I hope so. - That's lovely. (soft instrumental music) Cairo sprawls. It's a jam-packed city of over 20 million. Massive blocks of
apartment flats spring up, many violating building codes, to congest the ever-growing suburbs. Driving through half an hour of this, we finally reach the desert and the sight that draws
most tourists to Egypt, the Pyramids at Giza, one of the most recognizable
scenes in all of tourism. Towering before us are the
tombs of three great kings, or pharaohs. These monuments were built
to mark and to protect the bodies of fabulously
wealthy and powerful pharaohs. They spent a good part of their lives and their kingdom's wealth
building huge pyramids, which served as lockers for whatever they wanted
to take into the afterlife, their bodies, their treasures,
even their favorite pets. The pyramid of the pharaoh Cheops is the only survivor of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. This grandest of all pyramids,
700 feet long on each side, was built 2,500 years before Christ. The neighboring pyramids are likely those of
Cheops' son and grandson. The smaller ones? They're for the wives and daughters. Experts guess that with
10,000 laborers hard at work, it took 20 years to build
the pyramid of Cheops. According to my abacus, that's 200,000 man-years of hard labor. Workers dragged over two
million huge stones up ramps, eventually constructing
this 450-foot-high monument. In their day, the pyramids were encased in a shiny limestone veneer. I sure hope Cheops was satisfied. Long, secret corridors, originally blocked by sliding stones, lead to the tomb chamber deep
in the center of each pyramid. Climbing this passage, you marvel at the design and
the audacity of the project. Finally, reaching the burial room, you're hit by the thought
that this was the most sacred and precious chamber in the ancient world,
silent for 4,000 years, until the arrival of tourism. This is it: the center
of this massive pyramid. The pharaoh's mummy was put
in this stone sarcophagus. The sarcophagus is bigger
than the passageway, so this must have been here first, and then the pyramid built around it. This huge chamber was
filled with treasures. A little shaft was
designed into the pyramid to provide an escape passage
for the soul of the pharaoh. For the pharaoh, the most
important treasure was his soul, which needed to be free for
the ascent to the afterlife. Back outside, complementing the scene, is the mysterious Sphinx. As old as the pyramids, it was carved out of a piece of hard rock that stuck above the limestone plateau. With the body of a lion and
the head of a king, or god, it came to symbolize
both strength and wisdom as it faces east and the rising sun. But we're heading north, down the Nile to Egypt's second city, which lies on the Mediterranean coast. Alexandria is one of the great
cities of the Mediterranean. It was Egypt's capital
for almost 1,000 years until the Muslims came in the 7th century. Not as big as Cairo, it
faces the Mediterranean, has milder weather, and
feels a bit more European. Alexandria is a thriving
port town with a busy harbor. Fishermen, as they have
since ancient times, harvest the sea to help feed the city while taking advantage of this safe haven. The harborfront corniche is
lined with cafes, restaurants, and people out enjoying the scene. Strolling here in the cooler
hours of the early evening, you appreciate the inviting ambiance. This beach-side cafe has a relaxed vibe, not unlike other Mediterranean
towns I've enjoyed. Alexandria can feel spirited,
young, and progressive. In fact, this city helped spearhead Egypt's Arab Spring
Revolution back in 2011. The populace is an intriguing
blend of conservative, modern, religious, and hipster. The city has a chaotic energy exceeding anything I've
experienced in Europe. With the constant beeping
of passing traffic, its center is a carnival
of commercial life. Scenes like this are
why many come to Egypt and why many don't. (soft uptempo music) This urban commotion literally
sits upon lots of history. But, apart from this
ancient Roman theater, which dates from the 4th century, very little survives. It's mostly destroyed, in the sea, or buried under today's city. Alexandria was named
by Alexander the Great, who founded it in 331 BC. It became one of the
great cities of antiquity with a population of
several hundred thousand. Queen Cleopatra ruled Egypt from here, when the city rivaled Rome as a cultural and intellectual capital of the Mediterranean world. And it's here that St. Mark
introduced Christianity to Egypt establishing what, to this day, is the Coptic, or Egyptian, church. Ancient Alexandria was home to two of antiquity's greatest sights, neither of which survive, a huge library, and an
awe-inspiring lighthouse, one of the wonders of the ancient world, built in around 300 BC. Imagine the lighthouse which stood at the mouth of the harbor. It was so tall that light from its fire could be seen from 30 miles out at sea. After guiding ships from
across the Mediterranean safely into port for 15 centuries, in about the year 1300, an earthquake hit, and it tumbled into the sea. Today, a 500-year-old
fortress marks the spot. In fact, it's said that many of the stones from the lighthouse were
dredged out of the sea to help build it. (soft uptempo music) While the ancient lighthouse guided friendly ships in to Alexandria, centuries later, this fort
was designed to keep enemies, like the Ottoman Turks, out. And Alexandria was famously home to perhaps the greatest
library in the ancient world. No ship was allowed to dock here without giving up its books to be copied. Tragically, about 2,000 years ago, that amazing repository of knowledge was burned and destroyed. Today, its legacy survives
in the city's modern library. Built in the year 2001, walls are inscribed with characters of the world's languages through the ages. An inviting gathering
point for Alexandrians, the library feels promising,
perhaps offering a chance to see the next generation
of this country's leaders. The interior is welcoming
and airy, with space for hundreds of readers to
sit in its main reading room. History has been harsh on the city, with its population shrinking
to a low of around 10,000 in the 18th century. Then, in the 19th century, when it welcomed enterprising foreigners from around the Mediterranean, Alexandria enjoyed a resurgence, becoming one of the liveliest
ports on the Mediterranean. The corniche was lined by
fine Art Deco buildings from the early 20th century. And grand European-style
boulevards graced the city. Today, Alexandria's century-old European grandness is fading. Caked in this generation's grime as the city's population has exploded, it's become a thoroughly
Egyptian metropolis of over five million. The cityscape includes a gritty yet somehow beautiful
commotion of towering and densely inhabited apartment
flats that face the sea, glowing with every sunset. (soft uptempo music) For me, no visit to Alexandria is complete without venturing into its
ramshackle market district. While you can buy just about anything in these thriving and exotic streets, there's also a strong sense of community that naturally comes with
such population density. And, to better enjoy this convivial scene, I'm joined by my Egyptian friend, Tarek, in a classic shishajoint. As I've done in Turkey and
elsewhere in the Middle East, I occasionally enjoy this traditional and very social form of smoking. - Nice, huh? - This is a beautiful scene.
It's easy to relax here. - So relaxing, comfortable, peace. - A lot of people in the United States, they say this would be a
hookah or a hubbly bubbly. What is this in Egypt?
- Shisha. It's called shisha. Yeah, and few people now call it hookah, hubbly bubbly, nargile. - Is it some tobacco,
or what are we smoking? - It's a tobacco flavored
with different tastes. Could be apple, strawberry, mint, Too many. - If I smoke and smoke and
smoke, will I get dizzy? - If you spend like two or
three hours, you will get dizzy. This is one, finishing one of those is like finishing two
packets of cigarettes. (Rick coughs)
(chuckles) Sorry. Sorry. (laughs) But the people aren't
doing it all the time. We do it casually. Lets us vent out, be casual, socializing, you know, talking with friends. We do it with close friends.
We vent out and talk. - Yeah.
- And have fun. - While clearly Tarek could spend the rest of the evening right here, we've got some exploring to do. A short walk is filled
with cultural serendipity. And we'll start with dessert. It's hard to walk by this place without enjoying at least a taste. - Absolutely. And delicious. - That looks great. What are these? - This is sawabe'
Zainab, Zainab's fingers. - Zainab's fingers? - Mm. - Shukran. - Thank you. Shukran. - Mmm. The key to this kind of sightseeing, have a curious spirit, have fun, and explore. These guys are way too fast for me. (uptempo music) The entire neighborhood is an
endlessly fascinating market, and it's open late. There's fresh bread, very fresh poultry, olives straight from the desert, and something I noticed everywhere, friendly and inviting people. I know about six words of Arabic, but it didn't stop the smiles. You can get whatever you need around here, including a quick trim before dinner. (soft uptempo music) Okay, we've worked up an appetite. And Tarek knows a great place for fish. There's no menu, just
point to what looks tasty. That looks good, yeah.
- Freshly caught today. - Oh, that looks good. Okay, I think that's good. All right? Thank you.
- Delicious. - Good. All right. Bailhana' walshifa! What is the fish? What am I eating here? - This is denise from the Mediterranean. - Okay. And then? - This is fried calamari
from the Mediterranean, too, and fried prawns. - We dip our bread in this and that? What is this one? - That's tahini. That's baba ghanoush. - This is tahini?
- Tahini, yes. - I just go...
- Of course, yes. - Mmm. And then, what is this over here? - Baba ghanoush.
- Baba ghanoush. I've heard that word, yeah. - Yes.
- It's made of eggplant, many herbs, and dill. Dill makes it beautiful. - Mmm, oh, I like that.
Different than the tahini. So, what is this one? - [Tarek] This is fried
eggplant with hot chili. - So fried eggplant, tahini,
you find this in many countries in the Mediterranean
- Absolutely, and each country will claim it's ours. You find this in Tel Aviv- - So, Israeli, Turkish, Greece. - Turkish. - So today we claim this is Egyptian. - This is Egyptian,
from the Mediterranean. - The Mediterranean region shares many delicious and similar dishes. What country wouldn't want to claim this as their national cuisine? But, tonight, it's definitely Egyptian. While Alexandria sits at the delta, where the Nile flows
into the Mediterranean, we're heading south,
skipping Cairo this time, about 500 miles upstream to Luxor. Luxor, straddling the Nile, was for many centuries the
capital of ancient Egypt. It's famed for its tombs and temples, which were mostly built
between 1500 and 1000 BC. These were the glory days of the pharaohs. From their palaces here, they proudly ruled a united kingdom, Upper and Lower Egypt together. Luxor is a standard stop
on the tourists' itinerary. While a city of about half
a million people today, Luxor feels like a tourist town
with its riverfront hotels, shops, and ancient temples
gathered along the Nile. The riverbank is lined
with characteristic boats ready to ferry sightseers to
a world of ancient sights. Popping into its busy market,
you find a colorful bazaar that serves both locals and tourists. The friendly welcome is a reminder of how important tourism
is for Egypt's economy. The souvenir I take home, memories of so many vivid
snapshots of humanity. With the smells, the colors, the faces, and the rich heritage, just lingering here is sensual, a Luxor highlight. While I generally avoid the touristy horse carriages in Europe, here, they function as taxis
and feel more authentic. And it's cheap and easy to simply hire one for a clip-clop joy ride around town. (soft uptempo music) Luxor's charming riverfront promenade welcomes strollers enjoying
the cool of the early evening. As the sun sets, we
appreciate the timeless beauty of both Luxor and the Nile. The Luxor Temple is particularly
dramatic at twilight. Standing in the middle of the city, it's evocatively floodlit and welcomes visitors in the evening. The towering front wall
proclaims the power and greatness of the pharaohs. This grand entry was marked
with a pair of soaring obelisks. Both still stand, this one here, and its sister in far-away Paris. This holy complex was
built around 1300 BC, nearly 1,000 years before
Ancient Greece's Golden Age. Egypt's temples were not
places of public worship, but sites of sacred mysteries, where priests and pharaohs
huddled privately with the gods. Reliefs show pharaohs wooing the gods with rituals and offerings. While the temple may have
been dedicated to the gods, it seems all the statues
celebrate the great pharaoh, Ramses II. Egypt's ultimate king, Ramses ruled for 66 years and did a lot of building. The sheer size of the complex with its forest of massive columns leading to huge squares is
a testimony to Ramses' power to get things done. Evening's a great time to visit. Under the stars, people
wander, learning and dreaming, wonderstruck at the
achievements of ancient Egypt. Luxor's other great sight, another magnificent temple complex, is best enjoyed early in the morning, beating the heat and crowds. An avenue of battered sphinxes leads to the awe-inspiring main entrance, heralding the Temples of Karnak. Karnak was the most important
place of worship in all Egypt. Back when Luxor was Egypt's capital, this sprawling complex of temples was dedicated to the
grandiose holy family, a trinity of gods, Amon, Mut, and Khonsu. It was built over many centuries throughout this New Kingdom period, when most of the great
and famous kings ruled. The Great Court is the largest
single area of the complex. It was used once a year for
an elaborate festival feast celebrating fertility, fertility of the land, the
people, and the kingdom. The Great Hypostyle Hall,
with over 100 columns, is one of the grandest
religious structures ever built. Its forest of columns
represents papyrus plants, bulging stems and flowering capitals, each elaborately carved
and once brightly painted. The many columns of this vast hall once supported a stone ceiling. You can measure the
architectural sophistication of a society by the distance
it can span between columns. This was the best they
could do 3,000 years ago. The columns were fat and close together, making the gap easier to span. Imagine what it took to build all this. They had to design it, quarry the stones, stack them, smooth them,
carve them, paint them, all for the glory and favor of the gods. Consider the depth of the faith, This was not for the public. It was only to be seen by the royals, the priests, and the gods. Obelisks symbolically
connected earth with the gods. These are monolithic and carved out of a
single piece of granite. They were quarried about 100
miles south of here in Aswan and then shipped down the Nile. This one's been standing
here for about 3,000 years. Like church spires and minarets, an obelisk marked a holy place. There are only about 60 in existence. A few still mark their
original Egyptian temples, but more decorate the
great squares of Europe, taken there through the
ages by European conquers. As you venture farther into the complex, things get older and crescendo
in religious importance. Everything at Karnak
leads to a small chamber that marks the very heart
of the temple complex, the Holy of Holies. This was the most sacred
spot in all of Egypt. On this pedestal sat a statue
of the top god, Amon-Ra. Amon-Ra was the god of Luxor, the god of empire, Egypt's god of gods. The Nile still flows as
it did for the pharaohs, the lifeblood of
civilization then, as today. Luxor's riverfront is busy
with boats, big and small. The traditional felucca, long
a hard-working cargo boat, now hauls vacationing tourists. Anywhere on the Nile,
I love a felucca ride. The hand-stitched canvas sail
artfully catches the breeze. Egyptian boatmen have
been sailing this river for thousands of years. Today, they expertly maneuver as tourists leave every care behind, enjoying this scene, essentially unchanged since
the time of the pharaohs. Here, where the desert meets the Nile, the lush ribbon of green is a reminder of how
fundamental this river is to all life in Egypt.
(soft uptempo music) As the sun sets, palms become silhouettes, ensuring memories created
are never forgotten. Across the Nile from Luxor are hills rich with some of Egypt's most
important ancient sights. While most sightseers cross the river on a fleet of touristy shuttles, we're riding on the public
ferry with the locals. It's early morning, and these
people are heading to work. And we're heading for
the Valley of the Kings and the ancient tombs. To the ancient Egyptians,
it seemed logical to live on the East Bank,
where the sun rises, and bury your dead on the West Bank, where the sun dies each evening. While the workers head off,
nearby the tourists arrive. While there are a few
independent travelers, Egypt favors group travel,
and most follow their guides to waiting buses for their West Bank tour. The valley is blanketed with
yet-to-be-excavated ruins. Here, two lonely statues
herald a long-gone temple. And here, burrowed into
an arid mountain range, is the Valley of the Kings, where mummified pharaohs hide
out with their treasures, awaiting the eternity express. This valley was all about
protecting royal tombs. And so were the great pyramids before it. It was to ensure that all those valuables made it safely into the afterlife. Ironically, rather than protecting tombs, the pyramids were actually
attracting thieves. Again and again, pyramids were looted and pharaohs were waking up in heaven with absolutely nothing. By about 1500 BC, pharaohs
stopped building pyramids and began hiding their tombs instead. These tombs, buried deep in
the folds of this valley, proved to be more secure than the intentionally
high-profile pyramids. While around 60 tombs have been excavated in the Valley of the Kings, far more have yet to be discovered. The tomb of Ramses IV was typical. It had a long ramp,
intricately carved and painted, leading to the burial chamber. This massive granite sarcophagus
was slid down the ramp. It protected the mummy of the pharaoh. Slathered in hieroglyphs,
prayers and symbolism, it was all designed to boost the pharaoh into the next life. Jackals stand guard, and here, a god presents two
ankhs, the symbol of life. The burial chamber walls are
remarkably vivid for their age. Sealed away dry, dark, and
forgotten for over 3,000 years, they're beautifully preserved. Tourists can still clearly see Egypt's ancient elaborate spiritual world. The most famous tomb in the
valley is of King Tutankhamen, aka King Tut. Another long passage
leads deep into a chamber where you find more
well-preserved paintings surrounding an empty stone sarcophagus. It was one of eight
nesting boxes and coffins that protected the pharaoh's body. Remarkably, Tut's actual
mummy lies nearby. The ancient process of mummification ensured that the body was there for the soul to inhabit in the afterlife. And, you gotta admit, Tut doesn't look a day over 3,500. While his reign was of no
importance historically and lasted only a few years, Tutankhamen is the one pharaoh
whose name we all know. That's because in 1922, this tomb was discovered
with its treasures intact. (soft music) While pharaohs hid their
tombs deep in the mountains, they built their memorial temples in public splendor, in
the open for all to see, so they'd be remembered and
worshiped through the ages. This is the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, the greatest woman pharaoh. In its day, around 1500 BC, Queen Hatshepsut's monument
would have been glorious, surrounded by gardens and approached by a
grand sphinx-lined lane. The challenges of being a woman
politician are nothing new. Hatshepsut claimed to be
the daughter of a god, but to prove her strength, she
had to declare herself king. Determined to assert her authority, her propaganda even showed
her dressed as a male ruler. Statues show the queen wearing a beard, a symbol of royalty. This multi-level temple is fit for a god and surely must have inspired
great awe and respect. With ranks of imposing
statues of the queen, it's easy to imagine public adulation for centuries after her death. Her formidable army carried weapons, but also carried olive branches, the ancient symbol of peace. History's first great
woman ruler is remembered for a 20-year reign of
general peace and stability. A short venture beyond the famous sights takes us into a timeless
Egypt untouched by tourism. The vast majority of
Egypt's 100 million people live along the banks of the Nile. And most of them lead traditional lives on land made fertile by the river. Plowing with oxen, sowing seeds by hand, and harvesting their crops, they farm as they have
through the millennia. In some ways, life along the Nile seems to have changed little
since the days of the pharaohs. The major difference, the annual flooding, once essential to nourish
the soil with silt, has been controlled by an enormous dam. Today, fertilizing and irrigating the soil is the work of engineers
rather than the gods. With the Nile now tamed, farming in Egypt is possible
throughout the year. Luxor's a busy port
for river-cruise boats. Fleets of these provide
multiday Nile cruises which have become a standard
part of an Egyptian tour. We're riding one farther upstream for a look at the most
scenic stretch of the Nile. As if on a floating resort hotel, tourists enjoy the deck, with its pool, the attentive service, and the views from their perch atop three floors of staterooms. The trip upriver takes
you by natural beauty and seemingly ancient scenes interrupted only by modern cruise boats. Long stretches pass by timeless
slices of Egyptian life as vacationers have
little option but to relax and live at the pace of the steady boat heading against the current
of the fabled river. It's so peaceful until the tranquility is broken by... Pirates? Nope, they're eager and
enterprising salesmen who artfully tie up to the
surging riverboats to display, model, and haggle. (people shouting) Selling their souvenirs the hard way. Whether you buy anything or not, you can enjoy their
entertaining show afternoons on both the port and starboard sides. (soft uptempo music) As the sun gets low in the
sky, we enter the magic hour. Scenes crescendo in beauty as they glide gracefully
by either side of the boat. We pass patient fishermen, grazing cattle, farmers at work, children play, villagers do their chores, and minarets call all to
prayer as the sun sets. After two lazy days, we
reach the city of Aswan, the last major port on the river. An ancient garrison town famed
for its granite quarries, today it's embraced tourism, taking full advantage of
its attractive riverfront. These days, Aswan is most
famous for its massive dam. It was built with Soviet
technology and money back in the Cold War. A game changer for Egypt, it tamed the Nile, providing electricity and controlling the flow
of the once-erratic river. The dam created a huge
reservoir called Lake Nasser. Its creation submerged many
towns and ancient treasures. But the most important temple was saved. To visit that temple, tourists catch a short flight from Aswan. It's an easy half-day side trip over one of the largest
man-made lakes in the world. The Temple of Abu Simbel, while originally built by
Ramses II in about 1250 BC, was relocated here only
about 50 years ago. Abu Simbel was saved from
being submerged in the lake and lost forever after
an international outcry. Thanks to a heroic effort, in 1968, this ancient temple was
cut into huge blocks and relocated to this spot, high and dry for at least
another 3,000 years. Four towering statues
of the powerful pharaoh stand sentinel at the entry. Ramses' wife and some of his children, considered less important and,
therefore, smaller in scale, are at his feet. Inside, the central hall is lined with more
imposing statues of Ramses. They're surrounded by reliefs
showing off his power. Here, the pharaoh leads
his army into battle, riding his chariot, thoroughly
destroying his enemies. And finally, in the sacred sanctuary, Ramses assumes his place
in the company of the gods. Admiring this one last magnificent temple, you can't help but ponder
the rich and complicated 5,000-year story of this civilization. I hope you've enjoyed our look at Egypt. I'm Rick Steves. Until next time, keep on travelin'. (soft uptempo music) (logo thudding)
