The mountain the pharaohs called holy

At the foot of Jebel Barkal the pyramids emerge from the desert floor ...much steeper and narrower than their Egyptian counterparts, and completely unguarded.

At the museum based at the foothills of the mountain an art student (hoping one day to do this officially) gives us an excellent lesson in sudanese art history.

We return at sunset and enjoy the serene atmosphere looking over the ancient sights fading and city lights shining in the distance.

A detour the next day to El Kurru: stairs down into painted tombs, walls covered in figures that have been in the dark for three thousand years.

Back in town we eat thamiya. Then more thamiya.