Egypt: Valley of the Queen - Temple of Hatshepsut

Largely rebuilt, it's hard to know what to make of the Valley of the Queen. From afar it's impressive. Built into the end of an open valley is a temple that perhaps everyone is vaguely aware of when they think of Egypt, but probably unsure of its purpose or history.

Fully restored. It feels like cheating.

The story behind the temple is pretty great; the Queen had little right to the throne but got there by expelling her stepson (very young and the rightful heir) from Thebes and assuming the role of Queen by telling people her father was Amun-Ra. For reasons that aren't totally clear to me, she then dressed as a man for a few decades until she died and her stepson came back to claim the throne. In doing so, he laid waste to everything and anything she built, except for the obelisks because apparently they're too sacred (unless you're French, but that's a story for Luxor Temple...).

Game of Thrones eat your heart out.

If ever I purchase a house, I want this guy on the letterbox.