Valley of the Kings - Luxor, Hapshetsut Temple

The Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens was burning hot - wear light clothes, a hat and bring loads of sunscreen. I didn't bring sunscreen and I suffered for it.

Going down, down, down, down to see the Egyptian hieroglyphics in the cool underground tombs was spectacular. There's lots to see down there, but get ready to climb up and down mega amounts of stairs. There were many Kings in the Valley and just as many queens in Luxor.










___________________________________________________________________________________

Temple of Hatshepsut




____________________________________________________________________________________

Luxor, Egypt

At dusk I was heading to my hotel in Luxor when I was approached by a skinny boy of about 15 wearing tattered jeans. Long, stringy hair hung over his pimpled forehead and he quickly fell into step with me.

'You want taxi?'
'No, thanks.'
'You look for hotel?'
'No, got one.'
'Felucca?'
'Nope, done that.'
'You like tour for Karnak?'
'No.'
'How about the drug?'
'No.'
'Sex? You like sex?'
I stopped and looked him up and down.
'You're a little young for me.'

I had to give this fella ten points for trying and that's the way it was in Luxor. The touts in that city were the most persistent sons-of-bitches I'd ever experienced anywhere in the world and that includes the armless, legless and eyeless children I saw in India. I felt sorry for these Egyptian touts because I knew they were desperately poor, the average wage per month being $50.

I discovered the only way to deal with them was to keep walking with my eyes locked into the future - no stopping, no turning around, no eye contact, no giving thanks to God. Nada. To communicate anything is tantamount to saying yes and you'll never shake off a tout once he's glommed on to you.




















_____________________________________________

Palace Hotel, Cairo

Palace Hotel

The difference between having an okay time and having a great time can sometimes be all about where you stay. I stayed at the Cairo Palace Hotel when I returned from my trip to the Upper Nile and it's one of the friendliest hotels in Cairo with a cosy sitting area, a beautiful garden where you can sit and read or write, an internet room, and a large dining room. I don't like the word cheap because it's not cheap in a bad way. It's just not expensive.

It's rated as a 2-star hotel, but it's only because the Hilton and Ramada and other 5-star hotels have supplanted the Windsor and Palace Hotels. These old hotels have lost their former glory, but they're well worth checking out for their character. I stayed at the Hilton for five nights, and it was so crowded with tourists and shoppers that I felt like I was staying at a train station. Many rip-off artists are also hanging around waiting to take the money of the neophyte traveller.

The Palace Hotel is close to everything you want to see in Cairo. How about a ten-minute walk to the Egyptian Museum and Tahir Square? Breakfast was also included in the cost and it was delicious. All the staff made you feel welcome, and in the bar at night I met many fantastic people. Above all, it wasn't very expensive at $15/night. Of course, prices have probably gone up, but it was one of the highlights of my stay in Cairo because for me, accommodation is more than 50% of the pleasure of travelling.



________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________________________