elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第113部分

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from　the　river。　The　causeway；　whose　line　can　be　seen；　but　of　which　nothing　remains；　must　have　been　very　long　and　steep。　Went　halfway　down　the　shaft　to　the　burial　chamber；　which　now　lies　open　and　exposed；　since　the　greater　part　of　the　superstructure　has　been　quarried　away。　Had　I　been　sixty　again　I'd　have　gone　all　the　way　down；　but　it　was　steep　and　a　bit　slippery　from　there　on。　
　　
　We　walked　round　the　structure　and　then　I　managed　to　get　to　the　top；　with　a　lot　of　help　from　my　friends。　We　had　a　picnic　lunch　atop　the　〃pyramid〃　and　then　headed　back；　since　I　had　to　clean　up　for　my　first　meeting　with　the　Expedition　members；　drinks　and　dinner　at　one　of　the　Mena　House's　excellent　restaurants。　I　went　round　from　table　to　table；　trying　to　say　a　few　words　to　everyone。　It　will　take　me　awhile　to　get　to　know　them　all；　though　there　were　a　few　old　friends　among　them。
　　
　Dec。　30。　I　am　fading；　Egypt；　fading。　I　am　back　in　Luxor；　but　can't　remember　how　I　got　here。　I　must　have　arrived　yesterday。　When　I　got　to　the　dear　old　Winter　Palace　I　found　Dennis　and　Joel　awaiting　me；　as　well　as　Bill　and　Nancy　…　who　were　wondering　if　I'd　get　there　in　time　to　make　my　second　appearance　at　five　that　evening。　I　made　it。　Bill　does　things　very　elegantly；　the　reception　was　in　the　lovely　old　Victorian　〃tearoom〃　of　the　Winter　Palace；　where　I　circulated　some　more　and　had　nice　chats　with　people。　Dinner　in　the　fancy　restaurant。
　　
　Dec。　31。　Dennis　and　Joel　and　I　were　to　meet　Petty　and　the　group　at　Deir　el　Bahri　at　one。　We　left　the　hotel　about　ten　and　took　the　ferry　across。　I　like　the　ferry　…　it's　more　than　a　bit　grubby　and　more　than　a　bit　crowded；　but　there　are　no　eight…inch　gangplanks！　
　　
　Stopped　by　Medinet　Habu；　where　the　Epigraphic　Survey　works。　The　manager　of　the　restaurant　across　the　street　from　the　temple　is　an　old　buddy；　we've　had　many　a　cup　of　tea　and　coke　and　several　good　meals　there。　He　insisted　on　giving　us　a　farewell　cup　of　tea。　Then　we　went　on　to　Deir　el　Medina；　where　the　boys　started　up　the　long　slope　to　the　path　that　leads　to　the　Valley　of　the　Kings。　It's　steep；　but　not　precipitous　…　just　too　long。　Steps　have　been　built；　but　everybody　says　they　are　harder　on　the　legs　than　just　climbing。　Some　day　I　may　make　it；　but　I　am　saving　myself　for　the　Expedition。　
　　
　Ali；　our　driver；　and　I　went　on　to　Deir　el　Bahri　after　a　brief　stop　at　the　Bedouin　shop　near　the　colossi。　It's　owned　by　Ali's　daddy。　Everybody　on　the　West　Bank　is　related　to　everybody　else。　After　browsing　a　bit；　on　to　Deir　el　Bahri；　where　I　visited　the　restroom　（someday　I　must　write　an　article　on　Egyptian　toilets）。　It's　in　a　building　that　was　the　old　Cook's　rest　house；　I　do　hope　they　will　restore　it　one　day；　since　it's　a　historic　building　and　was　well　known　to　Amelia　and　Emerson。
　　
　Before　long　Ali　let　out　a　shout　and　pointed；　and　there　they　were；　descending　after　the　hike　across　the　hill。　The　walk　takes　about　an　hour。　ing　down　looks　trickier　than　going　up；　if　not　as　hard　on　the　lungs。　Certain　slopes　are　fairly　steep；　with　only　pebbles　and　debris　underfoot。
　　
　There　are　three　terraces　at　Deir　el　Bahri；　Hatshepsut's　lovely　temple。　The　lower　two　are　open　to　the　public；　but　the　third　is　still　being　reconstructed。　Bill　had　gotten　permission　for　some　of　us　to　swagger　past　the　barrier　and　go　up　all　the　way。　They　have　done　a　lot　since　I　was　there　two　years　ago　…　more　of　the　Osiride　colossi　of　Hatshepsut　in　place；　some　of　the　paving　laid；　some　of　the　little　shrines　nicely　cleaned。　Much　Egyptological　gossip；　then　we　went　down　and　found　Ali　and　dropped　Bill　and　Nancy　at　the　taftish　（checkpoint）　before　stopping　at　the　shop；　where　I　bought　a　few　little　things。　
　　
　I　was　a　mess　by　then；　hair　all　over　the　place；　but　managed　to　tidy　up　before　Dennis　and　Joel　arrived　for　our　last　sunset　ritual　…　watching　the　sun　go　down　from　my　balcony　while　sipping　various　beverages。　They　went　away　to　dress　and　I　slipped　into　my　extravagant；　ostentatious；　beaded　robe　from　〃Miss　Egypt；〃　in　which　I　daresay　I　looked　rather　like　a　Japanese　pagoda；　but　who　cares。　The　boys　called　for　me；　elegant　in　tux　and　dark　suit；　and　we　swept　down　the　grand　staircase　of　the　Old　Winter　Palace　in　fine　style。　Cab　to　Chicago　House；　drinks；　dinner；　etc。　Almost　all　of　us　stuck　it　out　till　midnight；　when　we　put　on　funny　hats　and　blew　horns　and　everybody　kissed　everybody。
　　
　Jan。　1；　2001。　Slept　in　（and　did　I　need　it）　while　the　group　went　to　the　West　Bank　（good　for　them）。　No；　I　tell　a　lie。　It　was　Luxor　Museum　and　a　free　afternoon。　Dennis　and　Joel　left　this　morning　but　I　did　not　see　them　off。　Prolonged　goodbyes　are　foolish。　Went　shopping　with　a　couple　of　friends　from　Chicago　House；　I　only　bought　a　camel's　hair　shawl；　and　some　amulets　for　my　〃book　covers〃　chain：　Sobek；　Set　（so　what　if　he　looks　like　Anubis　…　I　can　call　him　Set　if　I　want）；　Sekhmet；　and　Horus。　Then　kisses　and　〃see　you　this　summer〃　and　I　cleaned　up　a　bit　and　went　to　Sabri's　lecture。
　　
　I've　known　Sabri　el…Aziz　slightly　for　years；　have　spent　many　boring　hours　sitting　in　his　office　at　the　taftish。　A　formal　call　at　the　taftish　is　part　of　the　ritual　when　one　arrives　in　Luxor。　We　had　made　ours　a　few　days　earlier；　on　Sabri's　successor　as　Director　of　the　West　Bank　sites。　He'd　been　bumped　up　since　then；　to　be　in　charge　of　all　the　Upper　Egyptian　sites。
　　
　So　I　greeted　Sabri　with　an　Egyptian　kiss　（a　chaste　salut　on　each　cheek）；　which　almost　made　him　faint　with　surprise。　He'd　fairly　tall　and　thin；　with　receding　hair　and　regular　features　and　charming　manners。　He　gave　us　a　slide　show　〃tour〃　which　lasted　exactly　the　proper　time；　though　he　had　been　late　because　of　an　appointment　with　some　big　shots　from　the　SCA。　His　English　is　delightful；　larded　with　favorite　words　that　give　it　flavor。　〃Guys；〃　for　one。　〃These　guys〃　who　built　the　tombs　and　〃other　guys〃　who　are　archaeologists。　He　was　funny；　witty；　and　very　informative。　Began　and　ended　with　a　moving　statement　that　the　monuments　are　the　heritage　of　the　entire　world；　not　just　Egypt。　He　is　in　charge　of　all　the　monuments　of　Upper　Egypt；　and　he　makes　about　7；000　a　year。
　　
　Jan。　2。　One　of　the　reasons　why　Luxor　feels　like　my　hometown　is　that　I　keep　running　into　old　friends。　Yesterday　it　was　Bob　B；　he　was　ing　into　the　hotel　as　I　was　leaving　it；　both　of　us　on　our　way　to　different　places；　so　he　and　his　wife　and　I　agreed　to　have　dinner　this　evening。
　　
　It's　misty　tonight。　The　western　cliffs　are　almost　invisible　behind　a　cloud；　and　the　sun　was　white　before　it　sank　behind　said　cloudbank；　with　no　pyrotechnical　display。　Now　the　lights　are　ing　on　along　the　west　bank；　including　two　lonely　stars　that　mark　the　location　of　the　guard　posts　high　on　the　hill。　Must　be　a　lonely　job　…　and　a　cursed　long　climb。　What　a　contrast　below；　in　the　twilight。　A　tourist　steamer　heads　south；　lit　up　like　a　multi　level　parking　lot　（these　boats　really　are　awfully　homely）。　Half　a　dozen　feluccas；　with　their　graceful　triangular　sails；　glide　by；　and　the　little　motorboats　chug　back　and　forth。　They　are　gay　with　bright　paint　and　（rather　grubby）　cushions　and　funny　insignia。　
　　
　Tour　busses　whiz　past　（well；　they　go　fairly　slowly；　in　fact；　the　traffic　on　the　corniche　includes　bicycles；　taxis；　and　carriages）；　two　caleches　filled　with　Egyptians　singing　and　chanting　and　beating　a　drum；　the　muezzin's　〃Allahu　Akhbar。〃　I　do　so　love　this　place。　This　is　the　last　night　in　Luxor　for　this　trip。
　　
　Later。　Had　a　good　time　with　the　B's　this　evening；　they　came　to　my　room　at　six；　with　a　bottle　of　wine。　Rather　than　call　room　service；　who　had　stolen　the　glasses　again；　I　washed　my　tooth　glasses。
　　
　Jan。　3。　I　seem　to　have　gotten　a　slight　second　wind　lately；　partly　because　I　haven't　done　much　except　sit　around；　and　partly　because　I　am　looking　forward　to　spending　more　time　with　the　Expedition。　I　will　be　on　the　boat　with　them　from　Assuan　to　Luxor；　and　then　we　have　one　more　day　in　Cairo　before　flying　out。　（From　then　on　it's　going　to　be　grim　…　that　grisly　one…thirty　a。m。　flight　home。　All　in　all　I　have　eight　flights　on　this　trip。　Have　I　mentioned　that　before？）
　　
　Had　lunch　with　some　of　the　ladies　from　the　tour　and　then　wandered　over　to　the　arcade　by　Abouti's　to　look　for　a　slip。　（I　lost　mine　in　Cairo　…　don't　ask　how。）　No　luck　of　course。　
　　
　Abouti's　is　the　best　bookstore