Montage Monday: Karnak, Egypt

Ancient Egyptian mythology and childhood dreams come together under the scorching sun in Karnak as I made my way through the crumbling temples and ruins in 2009. It wasn't always easy for me traveling in Egypt as a solo female (don't worry ladies, it's NOT dangerous at all, just difficult to handle all the unwanted and unnecessary attention) but I have to admit, experiencing this incredible piece of living history made me absolutely fall in love with this historically rich and intriguing country!

Entering the Karnak Complex was literally a dream come true for me. I was so excited I could barely contain myself! The hot sun overhead, however, kept me at a snail's pace as I tried to find refuge under any shadow I could find. The Ram statues lining the entrance were a sign of all the splendor waiting for me inside.

No doubt my favorite section of Karnak was the Great Hypostle Hall where the 134 massive pillars stand at regal attention. It was truly mind-boggling to even consider how the ancient Egyptians managed such architectural feats when I can barely build a tower out of Legos!

Taking a closer look at the amount of detail in the ruins of Karnak and again, I was absolutely stunned by the craftsmanship. It brought back a very vivid childhood dream of mine to learn how to read ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. Obviously I never did, but walking among the ruins and seeing all the intricate etchings made me wish I had! How incredible would that have been?!?

Did YOU have childhood dreams concerning travel? Oh, please share!

© Connie Hum 2011