Our last day. We don’t want to leave, the overwhelming feeling is that we have barely scratched the surface of this incredible country.

Our driver takes us to Dendara, a most incredible temple 60km from Luxor…

It is never ‘just another temple’. The sheer size, the incredible details of the decorations that completely cover every available surface… fills you with awe. It is being painstakingly restored to its original brilliant, colourful, incredible glory…

It was built 4000 years ago to honour the goddess Athor, who was goddess of many things: love, beauty, music, dancing, fertility, and pleasure. She was the protector of women, though men also worshipped her. She had both priests as well as priestesses in her temples. It was built primarily during the Ptolemaic Dynasty, which was a period of Greek rule in Egypt. However, construction of the temple was completed under the Roman emperor Trajan, who is seen depicted on the walls of the complex making offerings to Hathor. The temple complex also includes a monumental gateway, constructed by Trajan as well as Domitian, another Roman emperor.

It is almost impossible for the brain to imagine how it must have been before the colours faded. Magical.

We met some lovely local art students too…

And then it was time to leave…

Egypt gets in your blood. Be warned.