Luxor Temple
by miman
Luxor temple was dedicated to the Theban Triad of Amun, Mut, and Chons and was, during the New Kingdom, the focus of the annual Opet Festival, in which a cult statue of Amun was paraded down the Nile from nearby Karnak Temple to stay there for a while, with his consort Mut, in a celebration of fertility – whence its name.Construction work on the temple began during the reign of Amenhotep III in the 14th century BC. Horemheb and Tutankhamun added columns, statues, and friezes – and Akhenaten had earlier obliterated his father's cartouches and installed a shrine to the Aten – but the only major expansion effort took place under Ramesses II some 100 years after the first stones were put in place.. The temple fell into disrepair during the Late Period and Alexander the Great claims to have undertaken major reconstruction work "to restore it to the glory of Amenhotep's times" in the 320s BC. During Rome's domination of Egypt it was converted into a centre for the imperial cult. By the time of the Arab conquest, the temple was largely buried underneath accumulated river silt, to the extent that the Mosque of Abu Haggag was built on top of it in the 13th century Luxor is thus unique among the main Egyptian temple complexes in having only two pharaohs leave their mark on its architectural structure.
Room with a View
by kenmerk
Upon checking into our Nile cruise ship for the 4 day journey from Luxor to Aswan, I opened the curtains to see what view the would provide...
Feluccas sailing the blue nile ? Nope, sorry, not today.... its was another cruise ship docked just centimeters away.
So rather than sitting back and watching the sail boats glide by, I guess I had to be content with watching the other boat's chef chop the vegetables....
Shopping
by dave123taylor
When you visit Egypt/Luxor, you will be seen as a cash cow. You are there to have your money taken from you.
A shop keeper’s aim is to take as much money as possible from you. He will not offer you something for a fair price then expect you to pay it.
He'll probably start at 3 to 10 time the fair price.
Here's how I deal with it.
Make your Mind up on the Following before attempting to do a Deal.
Do you want the item?
What price would you be willing to pay max?
What would be a really good bargain price for you?]
Also have the right change ready for the amount you want to pay. (Important)
Let’s take an example of a Galabeya.
Once the shop keeper has your attention he'll ask if you want to deal in Egyptian or English pounds. Let’s say Egyptian pounds.
He'll tell you he'll let you have it for 500 EP (That’s £50)
When you laugh at him give it him back and move away he'll give it you back and say okay no tourist price but Egyptian price or Asda price for 300 EP.
Say no and say too much.
He'll ask you okay how much you want to pay. tel him your bargain price and say it's not worth more that's all you want to pay.
So offer him your bargain price of 30 EP (£3) now he'll act insulted and maybe laugh at you.
He may come down to 150 EP (£15) that's from £50
Tell him okay you'll go to 40 Ep (£4)
He'll beg for the 150EP (£15)
At this point give it him back and walk away.
He'll come after you. (Yes he will, he'll not loose a sale)
Have you last price ready (Say 50 EP £5) Show him the 50Ep and say you are going now take the Galabeya and give him the 50EP. If he takes it you've got you deal. £5 down from £50. :)
If you do walk away and he doesn't follow you don't worry. You then know his last price was really his lowest and he can't go lower.
You can then either go back and offer him that price or you know at the next shop the lowest price to pay.
HAVE FUN, IT'S A GAME. The Temples
Luxor Temple - Carvings
by ATXtraveler
This really did not fit as a warning or danger, but I was really mad at how much of these heiroglyphs were defaced. Whether or not you agreed with the Egyptian history, or whether you thought they were pagans, I would think there would be something to be learned from the information on the walls. I guess throughout the years, there has been a ignorance of other cultures.... glad to see that was not invented by Americans :)
Shop & Streets of Luxor
by goutammitra
Contrary to our belief, we found Luxor non touristy destinations extremely clean and courteous. The shops were open at 2.00PM and roads were full of people despite heat and it was also being cleaned during hot period between 12.00 noon to 4.00PM.
Me inside the train coupe
Columns of the First Court @ Medinat Habu
Donkey posse
A Hoopoe
