Egypt - Guardian of Temple of Madinat Habu in Valley of Kings in Luxor
The Temple of Medinat Habu is one of the largest memorial Temples in Egypt. It measures 320m in length (east to west) and about 200m in width (north to south). It was built to commemorate Ramses III, after his death, by orders of the King himself. A huge mud brick enclosure wall surrounds the Temple. Medinet Habu is the name commonly given to the Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III, an important New Kingdom period structure in the location of the same name on the West Bank of Luxor in Egypt. Aside from its intrinsic size and architectural and artistic importance, the temple is probably best known as the source of inscribed reliefs depicting the advent and defeat of the Sea Peoples during the reign of Ramesses III.
The main temple is the great memorial temple of Ramesses III, the best preserved of all mortuary temples of Thebes. It is called the Mansion of Millions of Years of User-Maat-Re Meriamun, the throne name of Ramesses III, "United with Eternity in the Possession of Amun in Western Thebes." It contains more than 75,350 sq ft of decorated surfaces across its walls. Although this was my third visit to Luxor through the years, I have somehow missed this temple before. Greater the surprise to find such an impressive site.
Those of you that think that such a timeless photo opportunity will occur on each step in a place like a Valley of Kings in Egypt ( I thought so) might be surprised as Egypt is a land of "baksheesh" and money is asked for everything. When I took photos of bakery in Oman or Yemen I left the shop with piece of free warm bread in my hand, when I tried to do same in Luxor, I was very shortly asked for "baksheesh" in very ordinary old bakery in the city. When I surprisingly just said "shokran" - thank you, I was not allowed to take more photos. The same story goes with this shot and many more. On a second thought, I should have asked for "baksheesh" too when those Egyptian guys have been taking photos with me to show off that they have new blond, European girlfriend...
Canon EOS 5D Mark II, f/6.3, 0.005 sec (1/200), ISO 200, 300 mm
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Comments and faves
Yoann Rigolleau ( busy , busy ), Jeff Eickhoff, alessandrogiraldi, *iskandar, and 119 other people added this photo to their favorites.
© Lucie Debelkova / www.luciedebelkova.com (39 months ago | reply)
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Yoann Rigolleau ( busy , busy ) (39 months ago | reply)
Amazing!
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alessandrogiraldi (39 months ago | reply)
very nice capture my dear!! you rocks!! love your photos!!
Julius2043 (39 months ago | reply)
I pick this photograph to be on the cover of National Geographic
National Geographic: Are You Good Enough?
Pur~Ple (39 months ago | reply)
Very beautiful.
►Klaus Allmannsberger Photography (39 months ago | reply)
Excellent light for the portrait, very interesting photo.
Superb background, light and color are fantastic.
This shot is outstanding Lucie! - Well done!
icerock (39 months ago | reply)
I pick this photograph to be on the cover of National Geographic
National Geographic: Are You Good Enough?
SaintAshlar (39 months ago | reply)
I pick this photograph to be on the cover of National Geographic
National Geographic: Are You Good Enough?
Dean Forbes (39 months ago | reply)
beautiful portrait. I'd favor cropping out the right foreground pillar.
Silky*慶* (39 months ago | reply)
I pick this photograph to be on the cover of National Geographic
National Geographic: Are You Good Enough?
Remo Hediger (39 months ago | reply)
wonderful!
YYZDez (39 months ago | reply)
Beautiful shot.
I pick this photograph to be on the cover of National Geographic
National Geographic: Are You Good Enough?
miacat63 (39 months ago | reply)
I pick this photograph to be on the cover of National Geographic
National Geographic: Are You Good Enough?
Great shot with wonderful lighting. And yes, they know how to make plenty of money from us with cameras!
Whiskers and Whispers (The Future is Feline) (39 months ago | reply)
Yay, more Egypt photos! I love the old temple setting and the hieroglyphs here. I have heard of the baksheesh thing-apparently the only way to take pics of Egyptians for free is to have a very powerful zoom lens! ;)
Ginas Pics (39 months ago | reply)
I am sorry, Lucie that you made the described experiences. When I was there a months ago for the 2nd time after 3 years I found everybody to be friendly and only very few asked for bakshish. Forgive them
Greetings from Germany
Gina
Dani℮l (39 months ago | reply)
Lovely photograph!
**El-Len** (39 months ago | reply)
A beauty - I love the warm tones.
Your comment about the bakshish is interesting. I had the same experiences in recent trips. In Iran, people begged to have their pictures taken and might even have paid me to do so (I say this partially in jest). In Cuba, however, people wanted a CUC (the currency for visiting tourists) whenever you took their picture. Some Cubans even set up shop, so to speak, by wearing certain clothing, or posing with a cigar in front of a colorful building. They wait all day and as the tourists walk by and photograph them they then ask for money. You will see pictures of the same individuals throughout the Flickr stream year after year. Of course, access to this second currency provides them with considerably more buying power, so it is very understandable.
Pepelahuerta (39 months ago | reply)
!Excelente.saludos
Pepelahuerta (39 months ago | reply)
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Planeta Tierra, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
Beyond Teresa [deleted] (39 months ago | reply)
excellent portrait
lsala66 (39 months ago | reply)
Fabulous portrait & environment!
COSKUNTUNA ... 800.000 ... THANK YOU_ (39 months ago | reply)
Tebrikler,
Beautiful Shot.
Hi,
We are waiting for you and your photo in our group
Sizi ve fotoğraflarınızı grubumuza bekliyoruz
Flickr Loversgroup.
Join us and enjoy the sharing!
Bize Katılın ve Paylaşımın Tadını Çıkarın
Please tag this photo with FlickrLovers when you add it to the pool.
@ires (39 months ago | reply)
beautiful portrait!
StephenJR (39 months ago | reply)
Nicely done... good feel of serenity on his face with a great surrounding.
naderiousy "gone" [deleted] (39 months ago | reply)
it's really Egyptian photo . i love it
Craig ! (39 months ago | reply)
Lucie - first of all, an amazing photo, as always. I loved Medinat Habu as well - I had quite an adventure hiking from there over the mountains to the Valley of the Kings (my substantial wrong turn and lack of water took it up a notch ;)
Ellen is right of course, that many places in the world people sell their modelling to you, while in others they are quite happy to be photographed.
Lucie understates the case substantially, in my opinion. In Egypt I was asked for baksheesh when I asked for directions, and even when I didn't ;) I was asked for (and paid) baksheesh to police, antiquities agents, shop owners and general carriers on.
It didn't bother me - it's part of how everything gets done in Egypt, as near as I can tell. And we travel to see different cultures, or at least I do. It can be frustrating, but it's always worth it.
JRodrigues. (39 months ago | reply)
Beautiful lighting!
Franz-62 (39 months ago | reply)
A fine portrait in a wonderful light.
jyoteen (39 months ago | reply)
I pick this photograph to be on the cover of National Geographic
National Geographic: Are You Good Enough?
reurinkjan (39 months ago | reply)
Please add this wonderful photo to the group
Well, once upon a time...
Congrats!
Post 1 – Award 1
dyoshida (39 months ago | reply)
Great shot Lucy! Love the light in this photo!
preview_rob (39 months ago | reply)
perfect art Lucy
Himanshu Khagta (39 months ago | reply)
Nice! :)
ancutza* (39 months ago | reply)
beautiful lighting!
Mondmann (39 months ago | reply)
Or you could justify asking for bakshish for making these guys internationally famous on Flickr...
ico_nico (39 months ago | reply)
wonderful portrait, and cute little smile!
Polimo (39 months ago | reply)
Perfect, Lucie!
Muchilu (39 months ago | reply)
super!!! nice compo
millan p. rible (39 months ago | reply)
sweet light. beautiful shot.
very effective photography. it tells a thousand stories!!!!
Sphinx..Saldaña (39 months ago | reply)
Beautiful lighting, Maam Lucie!!! Awesome tones and compo!!!
Well done as always!!!
majedphotos.com (39 months ago | reply)
great lighting
BamaWester (39 months ago | reply)
Simply outstanding.
Prasanthbose A.K.A Archerpix (39 months ago | reply)
awesome lighting!
{ pranav } (39 months ago | reply)
wow beautiful framing!
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© Bliss [deleted] (39 months ago | reply)
Great shot and composition, fabulous mood!
dimarcantonioeric (39 months ago | reply)
très belles couleurs et lumière !!!
svetlana1961(very busy) (39 months ago | reply)
This is an award NOT AN INVITE
Here is an Award for your great pic!
I Wish I'd Taken It!!!
Damn! I Wish I'd Taken That!!! - Award
Invited Images Only
Post 1--Award 2
missgvs (39 months ago | reply)
This is an award NOT AN INVITE
Here is an Award for your great pic!
I Wish I'd Taken It!!!
Damn! I Wish I'd Taken That!!! - Award
Invited Images Only
Post 1--Award 2
Luca Cesari (luca_eos) (39 months ago | reply)
Another impressive job! Splendid focus. An amazing moment captured!
Have a great week
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Lexusaddicted (39 months ago | reply)
This is an award NOT AN INVITE
Here is an Award for your great pic!
I Wish I'd Taken It!!!
Damn! I Wish I'd Taken That!!! - Award
Invited Images Only
Post 1--Award 2