And now.......
For something completely different.....

A TRAVELLERS TALE.......

O.K........

Well....

Maybe I learned something.....

I hope....

There I was sitting at home reading my National Geographic Traveller magazine.....

I come across an article about a Tibetan Holy Man who answers questions for those who make the trek to his mountain santuary....

I'm Thinking.......No Way.... They still do that.....

Wasn't that a movie or something.....

I read farther and find out all about it.....

I think that was the moment it happened.....

I HAD TO GO......

I HAD TO GO.....

Imediately I'm on -line booking a flight for.....

Khathmandu.....

Yes..... Just like in the movies....

Cat-Man-Do.....

Weird.....

The flight was good (enough).....

There are no borders so no problems.....

6 hours by bus in mountain scenery straight from the movies.....

And I'm there.....

There's a cafe and path with a sign.....

Yes..... Leading up.....

Two of the worlds worst expresso things....

And on the path to enlightenment.....

Yes..... Leading up......

Just like in the movies......

Only 20 minutes later.....

I'm on someones front porch (thing)......

No ones there.... no answer at the door....

A couple minutes later....

An old guy with lohg white hair comes around the side of the house (thing).....

He was not that ancient..... or god looking....

He asked if I came to ask......

Yes..... I said.....

Ask..... He said.....

It was like something out of a movie....

I had thought about what to ask over and over for the last 3,000 miles....

I simply said.....

What do I need to know about life to be happy...???

Freak looked at me and said......

"Life is like a movie"

"You know the ending"......

"You Die"......

"Everything else is all up to you".....

WOW..... I said....

"Have Fun".... he said....

And there I was ......

Heading back down the mountain......

Feeling on top of the world....

Just like in the movies.......

KARNAK TEMPLE COMPLEX

KARNAK TEMPLES

I'm still here at Karnak ........

Even the small part that's open.....

Is a huge area with so much to see and find......

So...... More exploring and wandering......

This is a great photo.....

Of a great place.....

Karnak Temples Complex.....

On the Nile..... Egypt...... Africa.... May 2009

A truley awesome place......

BIG EXPLORING FUN

Here's a sideway view of one the ancient Obelisks of Karnak.....

One of the few that were not sent off all over the world......

More rare objects of Antiquity from Avenue of Sphinxes....

There are some beautiful and different Heiroglphics here at Karnak....

Some are very complex and intricate.... and all are ancient.....

At the Amazing Karnak Temples Complex..... May 2009

BIG KARNAK ANCIENT TEMPLE FUN

At the Karnak Temples Complex..... May 2009

KARNAK.....

Here I am enjoying the ancient treasures at Karnak.....

Southern Egypt..... North Africa...... May 2009....

The 3/4 of Karnak that is not open to the public.....

Is a major restoration project and much more.....

You see..... For all the buildings still standing at Karnak.....

There are a dozen more lying in rubble......

Quite the archeological dig......

New rulers would often tear down old and dead rulers monuments and Temples ......

Then use the stone to make thier own monuments......

They even erased names and info of previous rulers......

BUT WAIT......... It get real interesting if you like archeology.....

This site has been found to have been inhabited thousands of years before Karnak was built.....

All the way back to the Prehistoric Times.......

This all makes this a archeological Gold Mine like nothing else anywhere.....

At the Karnak Temple Complex in Luxor, Egypt..... May 2009

I'm not sure what all this pond was used for.....

It is a major part of the biggest religeous site ever built.....

Around here I Think they just call it K-Pond.....

I just may have to google this one......

Guess that is it for now......

More Egypt photos soon......

From the Pond at the Karnak Temple Complex......

Along the Nile River, Southern Egypt, North Africa....

I 'VE BEEN EVERYWHERE......

I WILL GO......

TO TOKYO.......

Ever want a VIEW from the TOP...

I will probably be considered lost......

Somewhere in the Far East.....

Long before I finish these Egypt photos....

Still a good 1,000 to go....

So here are some photos...... not mine....

"PICTURES from the TOP"

Well..... Here you are then.....

At the base of Mt. Moses.....

The St. Catherine Monestary......

From Cairo: It takes a day or so....

800 miles of desert to cross....

You'll need a Bedouin guide.....

Eventually you get here......

The Monestary.......

Now the real journey begans.....

It takes 4-5 hours to get to the top.....

Many make the trip in the dark....

Some people pay for a ride up to the 2,000 steps....

Yes.... Somewhere among those rocks.....

Is the path to the top.....

After about 4 hrs you reach here.....

The 2,000 steps ....

A nearly invisable rock path up....

I did the entire climb in the dark....

Eventually you will reach the top.....

Lots of places to sleep and relax up there....

Yes..... It is a very long, dangerous climb.....

But...... It is a worthwhile view from the top......

Yes...... I said a view from way up on the top.....

If you stay on the mountain overnight.....

You can see the sunrise from up on top.....

Here is the sun rising in the East....

Here it is.....

"YOUR VIEW FROM THE TOP"

KARNAK

Welcome back to the ancient city of "THEBES"......

On the Nile river..... near Luxor, Egypt.....

This is The "Karnak Temples Complex".....

I'm heading in to the Precinct of AMON-RE.....

BIG ANCIENT TEMPLES FUN

Oh come on now.....

Just look at this photo.....

This place can't be for real.....

Someone made this up for sure....

Just a image from a travel agency....

Nothing really looks like that.....

It's just a travel poster image.....

This place is a true world wonder.......

A gigantic leftover from ancient history.......

Only the Great Pyramids at Giza gets more tourists than this amazing place right here....

I'm going in.....

HUGE.... HUGE..... HUGE.....

These columns can be 33 ft. around....

They are 80 feet high.....

There are 16 rows of these.....

134..... gigantic columns.....

Just to hold up the roof.....

What a place this must have been.....

They sure did not think small .....

Ancient "THEBES" in Egypt.....

Karnak Temple Complex....

Luxor , Egypt... May 2009...

The Great Hall is like the worlds biggest outdoor maze.....

There are so many huge Columns.....

All have heiroglyphic stories on them....

A completely overwhelming place....

I'm at The Great Hypostyle Hall......

In the Precinct of AMON-RE......

Karnak Temple Complex.....

Luxor, Egypt.... May 2009.....

HUGE HUGE ANCIENT TEMPLE FUN

Lots of awesome heiroglyphics around here.....

I'm in the Precinct of Amon-Re.......

One of four sections here at Karnak......

And the only one open to the Public.....

So only 1/4 of Karnak is open to see.....

Of course AMON-RE is really enough.....

Just the Great Hall covers 50,000 sq. ft.

The other three areas of the Karnak Temple Complex are closed but are.....

Precinct of MONTU......

Precinct of MUT....

Temple of AMEHOTEP......

Karnak covers 100 sq. acres +.......

The Great Hypostyle Hall was built originally by "SETI 1st" in the 13th century B.C.......

An ancient 4,000 years old......

Overwhelmingly huge and heavy......

Decorated with legends and history.....

The Great Hypostyle Hall.....

Karnak Temple Complex.....

Luxor, Egypt..... May 2009...