Egyptian holiday in Luxor
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
<GUIDE>
<BODY>
This Summer, my boyfriend Wouter and I went to Egypt to spend our holiday. We stayed in a 5-star hotel called Pyramisa Isis Hotel in Luxor at the Sharia Khalib Ibn. Al-Wahid.
<P>Everybody knows about the culture treasures in Egypt (temples, tombs and -of course- the pyramids. So I won't tell about that. I'll just tell the most important things of Luxor, Egypt me and Wouter got to know!!</P>
<H3>Luxor</H3>
Luxor is more southwards than Cairo. In the time of the pharaos, Luxor was called Thebes and was the main capitol of Egypt. The people lived on the eastbank of the Nile, they had their houses and temples there. When pharaos died,they were mummified and buried on the westbank (as the sun sets in the west. Egyptians believed that the 'underworld' starts in the west, where Ra -the God of the Sun- went to every night)
The tombs were hacked out of the rocks. From our balcony of our hotelroom we could perfectly see the big rock at the other side of the Nile where all the tombs are.
<H3>Weather</H3>
The first thing I noticed as I descended the airplane-stairs was the heat. At that time it was 9:30 pm. and it was still 38 degrees Celsius. At daytime it got even hotter; 50 degrees Celsius was no exception!! It took me a few days to get used to this kind of weather, since the difference to Dutch weather was enormous!
<P>The Egyptian people got aircon everywhere, so the temperature inside was quite cool. Although I think I caught a cold of the airconditioning, I was rather happy there were some!</P>
<P>As we traveled to Egypt during the Summertime (we went there from June the 22nd till July the 6th) the high temperature was no big surprise. Most tourists travel there during Wintertime when it is much more cooler. We choose to go in Summer, as prices are low and we are poor students!!</P>
<H3>Culture Shock</H3>
Like I said we stayed in a luxurous 5-star hotel. As soon as we hit the street to go in town, we got hassled by the local people. From across the street they were yelling at us, advising to take their taxi or galesh (horse carriage).
<P>In contrast of the well dressed men who worked in our hotel and tidy European look of the hotel itself, the streets of Luxor are dusty, hot and the men are all wearing a galabiyya (long robe).</P>
<P> It took us also a few days to get used to the much attention we got, walking the streets. As we passed shops, the people were eager to get us inside, as we passed the police station, policemen started whistling at me and as we walked on, many galesh riders kept following us. We quickly learned the Arabic words: la shukran! Which means: no thanks! It helped quite a lot!</P>
<P>Another thing we weren't used to was the fact that men are sleeping on the street in the shadow on small cardboard boxes during the heat of the day. Often it were working men, taking a break from working hard in the heat. After 4:00 pm. they started working again. Women are all wearing black robes which also cover their hairs. The only things that are not covered, are their faces and their hands. For tourists it is allowed to wear more showing clothes, but it is adviced to keep in mind that they are not used to it. I always were long trousers and a t-shirt and my hair in a plaid or a tail.</P>
<H3>Costs</H3>
Prices in Luxor were slightly lower than they are in Holland. That is, for tourists. Locals pay less for the same things than tourists. At the hotel we had to pay 6 Eg. pounds (the currency in Egypt is the Egyptian pound. 1 US$ = 3,42 Eg. pounds) for a bottle of water and 15 Eg. pounds for a beer. As we got further into town, prices dropped.
Also, we had to bargain everywhere we had to buy some. Bargaining is normal in Egypt, the salemen expect you to, since their prices start double of what it's worth.
<P>For the taxi of galesh tourists have to pay 5 Eg. pounds, we found out that there are microbuses which carry about 10 people and cost only a quarter an Eg. pound per person. The microbuses carry you anywhere in Luxor for that price!</P>
<H3>Going out</H3>
As it was Summer, thus low season, there was not much going on in Luxor. The disco of our hotel (Discotheque La Cave) had a great modern look and they played modern chart music there, we would have come there everynight if we weren't have been the only visitors! Other pubs or discos near our hotel were Kings Head Pub at the Khaleb Ibn. Al-Walid street. Hard to notice, since it is at the second floor, so look up! Also there was Pub 2000 on a side way of the Khaleb Ibn. Al-Walid street. We never went there, since we bought Stella beer (local beer, very nice to drink) for 5 Eg. pound per bottle at the Stella outlet in town and drink it at our hotelroom on the balcony, enjoying the view of the Nile.</P>
<P>....aaah, that were nice times!</P>
</BODY>
</GUIDE>
<BODY>
This Summer, my boyfriend Wouter and I went to Egypt to spend our holiday. We stayed in a 5-star hotel called Pyramisa Isis Hotel in Luxor at the Sharia Khalib Ibn. Al-Wahid.
<P>Everybody knows about the culture treasures in Egypt (temples, tombs and -of course- the pyramids. So I won't tell about that. I'll just tell the most important things of Luxor, Egypt me and Wouter got to know!!</P>
<H3>Luxor</H3>
Luxor is more southwards than Cairo. In the time of the pharaos, Luxor was called Thebes and was the main capitol of Egypt. The people lived on the eastbank of the Nile, they had their houses and temples there. When pharaos died,they were mummified and buried on the westbank (as the sun sets in the west. Egyptians believed that the 'underworld' starts in the west, where Ra -the God of the Sun- went to every night)
The tombs were hacked out of the rocks. From our balcony of our hotelroom we could perfectly see the big rock at the other side of the Nile where all the tombs are.
<H3>Weather</H3>
The first thing I noticed as I descended the airplane-stairs was the heat. At that time it was 9:30 pm. and it was still 38 degrees Celsius. At daytime it got even hotter; 50 degrees Celsius was no exception!! It took me a few days to get used to this kind of weather, since the difference to Dutch weather was enormous!
<P>The Egyptian people got aircon everywhere, so the temperature inside was quite cool. Although I think I caught a cold of the airconditioning, I was rather happy there were some!</P>
<P>As we traveled to Egypt during the Summertime (we went there from June the 22nd till July the 6th) the high temperature was no big surprise. Most tourists travel there during Wintertime when it is much more cooler. We choose to go in Summer, as prices are low and we are poor students!!</P>
<H3>Culture Shock</H3>
Like I said we stayed in a luxurous 5-star hotel. As soon as we hit the street to go in town, we got hassled by the local people. From across the street they were yelling at us, advising to take their taxi or galesh (horse carriage).
<P>In contrast of the well dressed men who worked in our hotel and tidy European look of the hotel itself, the streets of Luxor are dusty, hot and the men are all wearing a galabiyya (long robe).</P>
<P> It took us also a few days to get used to the much attention we got, walking the streets. As we passed shops, the people were eager to get us inside, as we passed the police station, policemen started whistling at me and as we walked on, many galesh riders kept following us. We quickly learned the Arabic words: la shukran! Which means: no thanks! It helped quite a lot!</P>
<P>Another thing we weren't used to was the fact that men are sleeping on the street in the shadow on small cardboard boxes during the heat of the day. Often it were working men, taking a break from working hard in the heat. After 4:00 pm. they started working again. Women are all wearing black robes which also cover their hairs. The only things that are not covered, are their faces and their hands. For tourists it is allowed to wear more showing clothes, but it is adviced to keep in mind that they are not used to it. I always were long trousers and a t-shirt and my hair in a plaid or a tail.</P>
<H3>Costs</H3>
Prices in Luxor were slightly lower than they are in Holland. That is, for tourists. Locals pay less for the same things than tourists. At the hotel we had to pay 6 Eg. pounds (the currency in Egypt is the Egyptian pound. 1 US$ = 3,42 Eg. pounds) for a bottle of water and 15 Eg. pounds for a beer. As we got further into town, prices dropped.
Also, we had to bargain everywhere we had to buy some. Bargaining is normal in Egypt, the salemen expect you to, since their prices start double of what it's worth.
<P>For the taxi of galesh tourists have to pay 5 Eg. pounds, we found out that there are microbuses which carry about 10 people and cost only a quarter an Eg. pound per person. The microbuses carry you anywhere in Luxor for that price!</P>
<H3>Going out</H3>
As it was Summer, thus low season, there was not much going on in Luxor. The disco of our hotel (Discotheque La Cave) had a great modern look and they played modern chart music there, we would have come there everynight if we weren't have been the only visitors! Other pubs or discos near our hotel were Kings Head Pub at the Khaleb Ibn. Al-Walid street. Hard to notice, since it is at the second floor, so look up! Also there was Pub 2000 on a side way of the Khaleb Ibn. Al-Walid street. We never went there, since we bought Stella beer (local beer, very nice to drink) for 5 Eg. pound per bottle at the Stella outlet in town and drink it at our hotelroom on the balcony, enjoying the view of the Nile.</P>
<P>....aaah, that were nice times!</P>
</BODY>
</GUIDE>
