Luxor Egypt

The reason I am doing this type of blog is,   silly billy me  forgot to put the memory card in my camera  and went off to get some photos on my daily walk.   not until I got back on my computer did I realize  the card was still in the transfer box.  AH WELL "  some born every minute,
 then I came across this blog
   http://www.all-about-egypt.com/luxor-egypt.html   and decided to spice it up a bit,   now if the person who made this page did not steal photos to put on the site.  I would have let it be. 
I go to a lot of trouble  and get a lot of hassle to take photos to show you

And so here is the truth about Luxor Egypt .
Luxor is the premier travel destination in Upper (southern) Egypt and the Nile Valley. In antiquity, the city, known as Thebes by the Greeks, was the dynastic and religious capital of Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom Egypt. Today, it has much to offer the traveler, from vast temples, to ancient royal tombs, via spectacular desert and river scenery and a bustling modern life, Luxor is becoming best known for its hassle. from a taxi ride to buying a cap to shade from the blistering sun , so be prepared for the hassle,and the heat,

The modern city of Luxor is on the east bank..  This area has the airport,  outside of the new Luxor Airegypt terminal there is a sign with prices to get to Luxor centre @ 25 EGp, but it seems that we are all illiterate because when you get in the taxi and arrive  assuming the price is 25   its suddenly gone up to 100 EGP.  maybe its an extra charge because you have luggage ,   Luxor also has a train and a  bus station,the train station is in the centre of the city and close to all the sights and cheaper what they call,  backpackers hotels  that I would not recommend unless you really want to get ripped off on the tours etc  that you came here to Luxor to see.   TRAINS,  we are told to book in advance if we need to go to Cairo  or Aswan,   we are also told the price is from , IF  going to Cairo 180 EGP  that fare price  is from Aswan. and if going to Cairo the price is 180EGP  that is the same price if traveling from Aswan,  complicated?   not really,   the computer cannot cope with  empty seats, and if I want to go to Quena   and visit Abydos some 65 Kilometer from Luxor.  I am not allowed unless I buy a ticket @ 180egp for Cairo   and get off in Quena, but travel on the local trains that leaves for Cairo every hour its 4.50 piestas  and the same if I was to travel by local microbus but its forbidden for tourists.  I do it Because sometimes I have to go to the  justice departments that are in the city of Quena,    see why .  most of the hotels and restaurants have prices to suite the guide and tourist,  for  the lucky tourist who manage to get a tour guide  the price may vary within 70%  depends on how nice your guide is.  The coffee shops:  if you go on your own the price will be  for a tea and bubble pipe 15  to 20 EGP,   as a local I pay 2 egp.  well up until they read this blog.    we have also some   museums,  and hassle free tourist shops, ( well the sign outside says so  unless I am getting more lies)

Visitors usually stay on the east bank and travel across to the west bank of the Nile, Main reason for that is  the west bank has a bad name for con men  read the  British Embassy warning on the west Bank. of Luxor. there are also a few blogs  about the con merchants  both on east and west bank of Luxor   http://www.liarscheatsandbastards.com/  or   http://bloodylyingbastards.blogspot.com/
then  you need to cross into mafia country if you want to see the splendid  memorials such as the  Valley of the Kings and the mortuary temples of the pharaohs. plus all the other tombs such as the tombs of the Nobles

To do in Luxor Egypt  see  the latest balloon ride on 

A balloon flight is the latest tourist craze in Luxor, Egypt. It offers an unbeatable view of the city,( that is as long as the sugar cane fires are not made) the west bank and the Nile river. As the balloon gently rises into the dawn sky, tourists witness the beauty of the early morning Egyptian sun rising over the east bank, illuminating the city and mountains, . enjoy magnificent views of the Temple of Karnak,(if you can see through the haze and smoke) the Temple of Hatshepsut, the Colossi of Memnon and the Ramesseum.  In the distance, the hidden Valley of the Queens rests peacefully in the mountains while the farming villages below wake up and begin the day by sending the kids out after the balloon  to Hassle the rich tourist,

The Karnak Sound and Light Show is another favorite tourist attraction. The show begins as visitors walk along the Avenue of the Sphinxes, passing through the towering facade into the Great Court. Walking through the complex, a booming Pharaoh's voice narrates the history of Upper Egypt and the New Kingdom as the various additions left by rulers such as Tutankhamun, Ramses II and Queen Hatshepsut are illuminated against the night sky. The second part of the Sound and Light Show at Karnak finds you seated overlooking the mosquito filled  sacred lake as the temple complex is illuminated and the story of Egypt continues  along with the mosquito bites. Please note, while the show is suitable for all ages, younger children might be frightened by the darkness of the area and the roaring sound of the speakers  but after a few days should be OK  because they should have become immune to the blaring speakers from the minarets  . The ground in and around Karnak is uneven and sandy, so please wear comfortable, flat walking shoes.

One of the best displays of antiquities in Egypt is located at the Luxor Museum. They include a carefully selected assortment of items from the Theban temples and necropolis, including pottery, jewelry, furniture, statues and stelae.

There are a number of exhibits from Tutankhamen, including a cow-goddess head from his tomb on the first floor and his funerary boats on the second floor. A superb statue of Thutmose III (circa 1436 BC) is one of the best pieces in the entire collection. Another splendid attraction features 283 sandstone blocks arranged as a wall from the ninth pylon of the Karnak Temple.

The east bank of Luxor has two of the most impressive temples in Upper Egypt - Karnak and Luxor. Visitors walk along the magnificent Avenue of Sphinxes  and soon will be able to travel the distance  from one temple to the other along the new Avenue of the sphinxes.
to enter the immense complex with its massive facade. Karnak (Ipet-isut ) was a city for the priests of Amen within the ancient city of Thebes. Various well known pharaohs, especially those of the 18th and 19th dynasties provided for the construction of pylons, collonades, obelisks, chapels, granaries and administrative buildings. The deeper you go into the complex, the further back in time you will travel, with the oldest ruins dating back over 3,000 years.

Walking through the Great Court into the Great Hypostyle Hall, it's hard not to be overwhelmed by the 134 columns towering above you like an ancient forest. At the rear of the complex is the sacred lake where centuries ago pharaohs and their offerings to the gods were purified.

Luxor Temple (ipet resyt) is one of the finest expressions of the Egyptian style. Built by Amenhotep III, it was once joined to Karnak by a 2 kilometer long Avenue of Sphinxes. The entrance is dominated by imposing statues of Ramses the Great, who expanded the construction. The inner walls and columns are decorated with intricate and beautifully carved hieroglyphics and images depicting the Festival of Opet, in which a cult statue of Amen was paraded down the Nile from nearby Karnak Temple to stay there for a while, with his consort Mut, in a celebration of fertility.

New entrance to Luxor Temple
In the past, the site was entered from the west side, by the Nile, which created crowds of people near the Nile. Now the SCA has built a new entrance on the east side, with a new parking lot and an X-ray machine. There is also a new gift shop and café for people to relax and enjoy after visiting the temple.(prices are the same as heathrow Airport)  The buildings and police station that were located north of the temple have been removed, and for the first time everyone can see Luxor Temple as a whole from the north side.

 And for those brave enough to go through the hassle,    for goodness sake do not go on invites for tea and to see how poor your taxi driver  and family are. keep out of the taxi drivers insistent stops like the  alabaster and papyrus factories. where he can make up to 70% on your purchase.  if you want presents try the souk (Market)  I know you will get a lot of Hassle but at least you can barter for what you want  and we all need a hat or a scarf a piece of pottery , papyrus not to mention the  cuddly camel or a  water pipe  that you will never smoke once the tobacco that comes with it is finished. unless you decide to come back for another dose of hassle next year.  and too finish off  Its taken me seven years to get used to the hassle. if you can call it getting used too. lets say put up with  because I have to for the time being.  you will know what I mean if you  get to read the .     see why . 
Working on the new avenue of the sphinx.

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And A break from the hassle  in Hamees coffee shop  opposite the Luxor Temple  where the prices are reasonable,  IE  a pint of stella beer is 8 egp 

"Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that’s creative."

— Charles Mingus ,    maybe he  did not meet any Egyptians.