Cairo to Luxor and layers of sweat


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Africa » Egypt » Upper Egypt » Luxor
May 6th 2011
Published: May 18th 2011
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Statue of Ramses Statue of Ramses Statue of Ramses

This is a towering statue of Ramses in front of Luxor temple and me standing next to it.
Once one has been in Egypt for a period exceeding two weeks, one finds oneself using every ounce of self control to keep from knocking the next person who starts screaming in ones face, flat on his ass. I love Egypt, it has many beautiful and amazing things to see and if you go to the parts of the country that don't have tons of attractions, most people are genuinely nice. With this in mind most places I have gone have been very touristy and everyone seems to know Canada dry once I mention I am from Canada.....which is kind of weird, since Canada dry is most certainly not the first thing I would think of when I think of Canada. Everywhere you go everybody wants to "help" you, however, everybody also wants money, Luxor and the Tahrir district of Cairo are especially bad for this and people are very persistent. The best way to get away from this is to walk straight, don't talk to anyone and don't even look at them. Even this doesn't work at times and then it is best to start speaking a very foreign language to them, I started speaking German, unfortunately most people here
Part of Luxor TemplePart of Luxor TemplePart of Luxor Temple

A view of Luxor Temple from an overlooking Mosque
also speak some German and so then I started speaking Spanish, this had a faster removal effect. Keep this in mind when I write my blog, as I try to write as honestly as I can, however, much of the time I find myself getting very annoyed and frustrated by people constantly walking up to me, beside me and everywhere around me trying to sell me everything from fake papyrus, to perfume, to taxi rides, horse rides and everything in between. Besides these negatives I have talked about there are many many positives. Egypt has amazing historical architecture and are in the process of restoring many more architectual marvels. I spent the next two nights in Cairo and the two night after that in Luxor. Tonight I leave for Aswan. During my remaining days in Cairo I didn't do much. I spent most of the time relaxing in my hostel and talking with the staff there. The staff at the Australia hostel are really amazing and very helpful. I would highly recommend staying there to anyone planning on staying Cairo. They have double beds, fans, wifi internet, heated showers and one nights stay, if staying in a dorm room, you
With Friends in LuxorWith Friends in LuxorWith Friends in Luxor

These are some friends I made while in Siwa who I met again in Luxor and then again in Aswan, Ross and Karina from Scotland. Enjoyed spending time with them.
can expect to pay less than seven dollars a night. My last few days were spent walking around Cairo, taking it easy and finding out facts about upcoming places that I will be visiting. On Wednesday night I left Cairo, taking the overnight train to Luxor. I took second class, which much cheaper than first class or sleeper class and although it was not all that comfortable it did the job and I arrived the next morning in Luxor at eight oclock. That same day I went and visited Luxor temple, which was amazing and funny enough I bumped into the Scottish couple I met earlier in Siwa and ended up spending the afternoon with them. I went back to my hostel later on because the heat was stifling me and I just couldn't stand being in the heat anymore, so I ended up taking a nap that turned into an extended sleep. The next day I got up early and went to the west bank in Luxor where the dead were buried. I saw three tombs in the valley of the kings, three tombs in the valley of the queens, Hatsheput and the collosi of Memnun. This areas were
Yum Dinner!!Yum Dinner!!Yum Dinner!!

this is how meat is hung...so much for a refrigerator.
amazingly beautiful and also amazingly hot. I don't know if I have ever excreted this amount of sweat anywhere before. You honestly couldn't walk more than a few meters before looking for a shady spot to rest. During high noon most Egyptians are not outside, but rather inside their house or their shop or lazing under a tree. This is because there is not a lot that can be done before you feel the energy drain out of your body. When I went to the west side, I drank three litres of water in three or four hours and soon after needed more. That evening I walked around town a bit before going home and relaxing. In the evening I had a meal at a local shop and bought some water and had a restless sleep due to the heat. Luxor really was amazing and all that was left to see was Karnak, which is supposed to be the most spectacular temple in Luxor and maybe all of Egypt. More on that next time as well as Aswan and Sudan.


Additional photos below
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Luxor Temple from the sideLuxor Temple from the side
Luxor Temple from the side

Amazing temple in Luxor that had well preserved heiroglyphs inside
Luxor TempleLuxor Temple
Luxor Temple

The staggering size of Luxor temple is unbelievable
Tahrir celebrationsTahrir celebrations
Tahrir celebrations

The people were in the streets celebrating in Tahrir square on monday, which is a holiday here in Egypt
A back alley near my hostelA back alley near my hostel
A back alley near my hostel

This is an alley I could see when walking down the stairs through a window at my hostel, very dirty.
View of the living room area of my hostel in CairoView of the living room area of my hostel in Cairo
View of the living room area of my hostel in Cairo

The Australian Hostel in Cairo is awesome and I loved it, very friendly staff and helpful as well.
Protest outside the Sudanese embassyProtest outside the Sudanese embassy
Protest outside the Sudanese embassy

I had to go to the Sudanese embassy on tuesday and these people were protesting something, what they were protesting I do not know
Awesome Hieroglyphs from insideAwesome Hieroglyphs from inside
Awesome Hieroglyphs from inside

Well preserved hieroglyphs inside which have long lost their colours, however retain their intricate carve forms.
Another HieroglyphAnother Hieroglyph
Another Hieroglyph

Another view of how well some hieroglyphs are still preserved.
What all the Sphynx would have looked likeWhat all the Sphynx would have looked like
What all the Sphynx would have looked like

A particularily good looking Sphynx in front of Luxor temple...during the height of power a road of sphynx ran from Karnak temple all the way to Luxor temple...excavations are still underway in uncovering them and many are in bad shape or have disappeared altogether.
Side view of the front of Luxor TempleSide view of the front of Luxor Temple
Side view of the front of Luxor Temple

Side view showing the massiveness of Luxor Temple.
Spice market in LuxorSpice market in Luxor
Spice market in Luxor

Very cool spice market with many interesting goodies inside.
Ice TransportIce Transport
Ice Transport

This is where the ice in my drinks comes from...interesting.
Inside the Alabaster shopInside the Alabaster shop
Inside the Alabaster shop

Very interesting shop with many very cool carvings...unfortunately didn't have much time to admire the handiwork since there were about four pesterly salesmen stationed to me.
Temple HatshepsutTemple Hatshepsut
Temple Hatshepsut

A view from the front of temple Hatshepsut a true masterful work of art.
SecuritySecurity
Security

Making sure I got well acquainted with the people with guns...just in case there was another massacre as there was a few years earlier killing 64 people.
standing beside yet another statue of who I believe is Ramsesstanding beside yet another statue of who I believe is Ramses
standing beside yet another statue of who I believe is Ramses

There was no shortfall of statues they were pretty much everywhere at least everywhere in the touristy places.
Next to the Colossi of MemnunNext to the Colossi of Memnun
Next to the Colossi of Memnun

The \"entrance\" to the ancient city of the dead Thebes.


18th May 2011

You made me laugh this morning.
I'm glad you are using self- control and not knocking anyone "flat on their ass". Enjoying your honesty. I'm going to nominate you for blogger of the week.

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