After a couple of days of lingering by the pools (see previous entries as to why it was some effort to draw oneself away) I took a deep breath and took the hotel shuttle bus into Luxor itself for a day in what is oft described as the world's greatest open air museum. But before I get to the place, a word about Egyptians. This will be a recurring theme.
Dealing with Egyptians
Yes Luxor is great. Great weather, great archaeological sites. However, the locals do everything reasonably within their powers to make the experience as miserable as possible for you. Of all the countries in the world I have visited, Egypt is one of the least tourist friendly. The other less tourist friendly places are just not well set up for tourists. Luxor is totally set up for tourists. Just set up to prey on them.
It is not a coincidence that Egypt is desperately struggling for tourist numbers. A properly run tourist industry would make a killing. Instead they just kill off their own trade with sheer greed. Guide books and travel companies try and gloss over this and make it sound like a charming local custom. It is not. My travel notes said "Locals in in all resorts will try and engage you in conversation as you leave your hotel. They are just trying to promote their business and a pleasant but firm "no thank you" should assist you."
Bull. They are trying to scam you for money, preferably for doing nothing at all. I will illustrate scams I experienced in such a short period of time in the following pages.
So as soon as leaving the shuttle bus a hoard of hawkers descend upon you, offering taxis, boat rides, carriages. "No thank you is merely a starting point for negotiations "But you haven't heard my price yet" " Maybe tomorrow" "How long are you staying here" On and on.
But then I was "rescued" by a bloke who was a cook at my hotel. He sympathised. "They don't understand you want to be quiet, left in peace". And he suggested we cross the road from the Corniche. (The road alongside the Nile which would be a lovely walk were you not running the gauntlet of hawkers). "Yes I agreed. I don't want anything, I am just wanting to walk up the road to the Luxor Museum". "I take you there!" he says, its on his way. I thanked him but said I knew exactly where it was, I just didn't want to be hassled for money all the way there.
So what happened? He walked with me for a little while, then hustled me for money. He hadn't even walked with me to the museum, but just as far as the pavement was blocked so I had to cross back over to where I had come from. So I will call that experience as Scam Number 1. Lots more to come, even on the same day.
Anyway, Luxor Museum is easy to find and it is quite modern and attractively laid out and explained. I have to say that aesthetically speaking it is a long way short of what the Egyptians were building more than 3000 years previously but the interior at least is rather cooler
The first gallery to the right is particularly stylish and comfortable to walk around. As you can see, not exactly crowded.
This is the start of the main galleries. Again, not exactly overcrowded.
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| I am not sure my feet look in much better shape and I haven't been dead for over 3000 years |
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| If you are thinking this looks rather odd and atypical, its an image of a political prisoner, or at least prisoner of war, captured and subjugated. |
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| Unlike the lean handsome pharaohs normally depicted, this is a scribe. Given the stereotypical office worker treatment - flabby |
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| This is Akenhaten, father of Tutankhamen. Unlike the very formulaic depiction of pharaohs before and after, he went for something that reminds me of mannerist art |
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| Akenhaten again. Wonderfully weird image. Almost an alien. |
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