Pinch Me Places: Luxor, Egypt

I've been featuring a few of these "Pinch Me Places" posts each month now since February. It might help for me to repeat what I mean by the phrase before describing today's "pinch me place." A "pinch me place" is a sight or a spot that, as you're experiencing it, you just can't believe it. It's a place so iconic or amazing that you nearly have to pinch yourself to make sure you're not dreaming.

Today's "pinch me place" is one we reached after a nearly twelve hour sleeper-car train ride. It wasn't anywhere near the most restful night we've ever had, but it is one if the most memorable. We were awakened early by the steward, and were soon served breakfast in our compartment:


The first of THREE "pinch me" moments on this amazing day was our visit to the awesome, indescribable Valley of the Kings, where sixty-three tombs of pharoahs and others have been unearthed. We weren't allowed to take photos, but take my word for it: we marveled at the tombs of Thutmosis III, Rameses II, and a tomb of both a pharoah and his queen.

The SECOND "pinch me place" of this day was the awe-inspiring tomb of Hatshepsut on the other side of the mountain from the Valley of the Kings:


Words (even pictures) can't do justice to this place, built for the female Pharoah who may have been the stepmother of Moses:


After lunch, we checked into our hotel, the fabulous Steigenberger right on the Nile. After a nap, we drank hot chocolate and tea while watching the sun go down on the Nile:


As J. Vernon McGee would say, "May I say to ya," that particular day in February 2010 was one of the most amazing and memorable travel experiences of my life, one in which I could have pinched myself MULTIPLE times.